SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING A SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
An apparatus for forming a seam of an inflatable cushion. The apparatus having: a means for securing a first portion of material and a second portion of material together to define the seam of the inflatable cushion, wherein an inner surface of the first portion is secured to an inner surface of the second portion only by a plurality of stitches; and a first means for continuously feeding a first strip of material into the apparatus forming the seam such that the first strip of material is secured to an outer surface of either the first portion of material or the second portion of the material of the inflatable cushion when the seam is formed and wherein the first strip of material is secured thereto only by the plurality of stitches, and wherein the first strip of material is fed from a spool of the first strip of material.
1 . An apparatus for forming a seam of an inflatable cushion, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a means for securing a first portion of material and a second portion of material together to define the seam of the inflatable cushion, wherein an inner surface of the first portion is secured to an inner surface of the second portion only by a plurality of stitches; and
a first means for continuously feeding a first strip of material into the apparatus forming the seam such that the first strip of material is secured to an outer surface of either the first portion of material or the second portion of the material of the inflatable cushion when the seam is formed, wherein the first strip of material is secured thereto only by the plurality of stitches and wherein the first strip of material is fed from a spool of the first strip of material.
2 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a sewing machine and the first strip of material is continuously fed into a presser foot assembly of the sewing machine.
3 . The apparatus as in claim 2 , wherein the inflatable cushion maintains an internal pressure greater than 10 KPa for at least 6 seconds after the inflatable cushion is inflated.
4 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the first strip of material is secured to the outer surface of the first portion of material and the apparatus further comprises a second means for continuously feeding a second strip of material into the apparatus such that it is located on the outer surface of the second portion of material opposite the first strip of material when the seam is formed and wherein the second strip of material is secured thereto only by the plurality of stitches when the seam is formed and wherein no adhesives are used to secure the second strip of material to the second portion of material.
5 . The apparatus as in claim 4 , wherein the inflatable cushion maintains an internal pressure greater than 10 KPa for at least 6 seconds after the inflatable cushion is inflated.
6 . The apparatus as in claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is a sewing machine.
7 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a second means for continuously feeding a second strip of material into the apparatus such that the second strip of material is located on the outer surface of the second portion of material opposite the first strip of material and wherein the second strip of material is secured thereto only by the plurality of stitches when the seam is formed.
8 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the first means for continuously feeding the first strip of material is located above a table of the apparatus and the apparatus further comprises a second means for continuously feeding a second strip of material into the apparatus such that the second strip of material is located on the outer surface of the second portion of material opposite the first strip of material and wherein the second strip of material is secured thereto only by the plurality of stitches when the seam is formed and wherein the second means for continuously feeding the second strip of material is located below the table of the apparatus.
9 . The apparatus as in claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is a sewing machine.
10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second strip of material is fed from a spool of the second strip of material.