Single piece pattern air bag

Claim 2

An inflatable air bag for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a motor vehicle, said air bag formed from a single pattern piece cut from a flat sheet of thin, strong, flexible sheet material, said pattern being substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal central axis and including a central portion substantially symmetrical with respect to a lateral central axis transversely bisecting said longitudinal axis for providing a rearwardly facing surface of said air bag when inflated for cushioning engagement with the occupant, pairs of side portions at opposite ends of said central portion extending longitudinally thereof and laterally outwardly in opposite directions from said longitudinal axis, each pair of side portions forming a side wall of said air bag when inflated joining said central portion on opposite sides, and a pair of throat portions at opposite ends of said longitudinal axis joining each pair of side portions for forming a throat for receiving inflation gas during inflation of said air bag.

Claim 3

The inflatable air bag of claim 1, wherein: said lateral axis comprises a central fold line and said central portion includes a pair of parallel fold lines spaced equilaterally on opposite sides of said central fold line.

Claim 4

The inflatable air bag of claim 2, wherein: said central portion of said pattern has a maximum transverse dimension at said central fold line and has an outer edge segment curving inwardly toward said longitudinal axis to a minimum transverse dimension at a region of junction with a side portion.

Claim 5

The inflatable air bag of claim 3, wherein: said side portions of said patterns have an outer edge segment curving laterally outwardly away from said region of junction with said central portion.

Claim 6

The inflatable air bag of claim 4, wherein: each of said outer edge segments of said central portion of said pattern has a length substantially equal to that of the outer edge segment of a side portion joined therewith at a region of junction.

Claim 7

The inflatable air bag of claim 1, wherein: said throat portions at opposite ends of said pairs of side portions are joined together forming an integral inlet chute for inflation gas filling said air bag.

Claim 8

The inflatable air bag of claim 1, wherein: said air bag has an inflated shape including a pair of generally triangularly-shaped opposite sides.

Claim 9

The inflatable air bag of claim 7, wherein: said triangularly-shaped opposite sides spread farther apart from each other away from said throat portions.

Claim 10

The inflatable air bag of claim 8, wherein: said triangularly-shaped opposite sides join opposite, generally vertically oriented opposite edges of a generally rectangularly-shaped cushion surface for restraining the occupant of a motor vehicle.

Claim 11

The inflatable air bag of claim 9, wherein: said rectangularly-shaped cushion surface is spaced oppositely apart from said throat portions.

Claim 12

An inflatable air bag for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a motor vehicle, said air bag formed from a single pattern piece cut from a flat sheet of thin, strong, flexible sheet material, said pattern being substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal central axis and including a central portion substantially symmetrical with respect to a lateral central axis transversely bisecting said longitudinal axis for providing a rearwardly facing, generally rectangular-shaped cushion surface of said air bag when inflated for cushioning engagement with the occupant, pairs of side portions at opposite ends of said central portion extending longitudinally thereof and laterally outwardly in opposite directions from said longitudinal axis, each pair of side portions forming a generally triangular-shaped side wall of said air bag when inflated joining said central portion on opposite sides, and a pair of throat portions at opposite ends of said longitudinal axis joining each pair of side portions for forming a throat for receiving inflation gas during inflation of said air bag.

Claim 13

An inflatable air bag for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a motor vehicle, said air bag formed from a single pattern piece cut from a flat sheet of thin, strong, flexible sheet material, said pattern being substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal central axis and including a central portion substantially symmetrical with respect to a lateral central axis transversely bisecting said longitudinal axis for providing a rearwardly facing, generally rectangular-shaped cushion surface of said air bag when inflated for cushioning engagement with the occupant, pairs of side portions at opposite ends of said central portion extending longitudinally thereof and laterally outwardly in opposite directions from said longitudinal axis, each pair of side portions forming a generally triangular-shaped side wall of said air bag when inflated joining said central portion on opposite sides, and a pair of throat portions at opposite ends of said longitudinal axis joining each pair of side portions for forming a throat for receiving inflation gas during inflation of said air bag.

Claim 14

The inflatable air bag of claim 11, wherein: said lateral axis comprises a central fold line and said central portion includes a pair of parallel fold lines spaced equilaterally on opposite sides of said central fold line.

Claim 15

The inflatable air bag of claim 12, wherein: said central portion of said pattern has a maximum transverse dimension at said central fold line and has an outer edge segment curving inwardly toward said longitudinal axis to a minimum transverse dimension at a region of junction with a side portion.

Claim 16

The inflatable air bag of claim 13, wherein: said side portions of said patterns have an outer edge segment curving laterally outwardly away from said region of junction with said central portion.

Claim 17

The inflatable air bag of claim 14, wherein: each of said outer edge segments of said central portion of said pattern has a length substantially equal to that of the outer edge segment of a side portion joined therewith at a region of junction.

Claim 18

The inflatable air bag of claim 11, wherein: said throat portions at opposite ends of said pattern are joined together forming an integral filling chute for supplying inflation gas between said side walls to move said cushion surface outwardly toward the occupant of a motor vehicle when said air bag is rapidly inflated.

Claim 19

The inflatable air bag of claim 16, wherein: said filling chute has a generally rectangular-shaped flow cross-section for directing inflation gas outwardly to spread apart said opposite side walls during air bag inflation.

Claim 20

The inflatable air bag of claim 11, wherein: each pair of side portions forms a single side wall of said air bag joined along a line extending between a throat portion and said rectangular-shaped cushion surface.

Claim 21

The inflatable air bag of claim 11, wherein: each pair of side portions forms a portion of a top wall and a bottom wall of said air bag when inflated.

Claim 22

The inflatable air bag of claim 19, wherein: said top wall and said bottom wall extend outwardly of said throat portions to join upper and lower edge portions of said rectangular-shaped cushion surface when said air bag is inflated.