Folded inflatable protective device and method for making same

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:871911

Behr, Vance L ^[1]; Nelsen, James M ^[1]; Gwinn, Kenneth W ^[2]

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1. Albuquerque, NM
2. Cedar Crest, NM

An apparatus and method for making an inflatable protective device made of lightweight material that can withstand the initial stress from inflation and enhance radial inflation. The device includes a cushion and an inflator port. The invention further includes several stacks of folded cushion material including a combination of full-width stacks and half-width stacks: a first full-width stack defined by one or more fan folds in a first lateral half of the cushion wherein the folds are substantially centered above a first center line and are substantially over the inflator port; a second full-width stack defined by one or more fan folds in a second lateral half of the cushion wherein the folds are substantially centered above the first center line and substantially over the inflator port in the first full-width stack; a first half-width stack defined by a plurality of fan folds in the bottom of the cushion where neither edge of each fold extends substantially over the second center line; and a second half-width stack defined by a plurality of fan folds in the top of the cushion wherein neither edge of each fold extends substantially over the second center line.

• Research Organization: AT&T
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• Assignee: Precision Fabrics Group, Inc. (Greensboro, NC); Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 5823567
• OSTI ID: 871911
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

folded
inflatable
protective
device
method
apparatus
lightweight
material
withstand
initial
stress
inflation
enhance
radial
cushion
inflator
stacks
including
combination
full-width
half-width
stack
defined
fan
folds
lateral
half
substantially
centered
center
line
plurality
bottom
neither
edge
fold
extends
top
inflatable protective
center line
material including
protective device
weight material
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