Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for inserting a folded airbag into an oblong cover, which is characterized in that the airbag, before or during insertion, is compressed into an insertion tool and is then inserted into the oblong cover by means of said insertion tool.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This is a continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2003/012738, filed Nov. 14, 2003, which claims priority to German Application No. 102 55 119.7, filed Nov. 26, 2002, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a method and device for inserting an airbag into a sheath, as well as to a sheath produced thereby.  
         [0003]     It is known for fitting e.g. side airbags in modules ready for vehicle installation to insert side airbags manually into tubes slitted lengthwise and adapted to the vehicle geometry and to provide these tubes with a slotted cap which is jettisoned in airbag deployment. This method is time-consuming and man-hour intensive and fails to always guarantee a perfect placement of the airbag in the vehicle module. Apart from this, configuring the module component “ready to fit side airbag” with a slotted tube is costly and complicated.  
         [0004]     The object of the invention is to propose a method and a device for inserting a folded airbag into a sheath which facilitates production safe in process in avoiding or at least greatly diminishing the disadvantages as known in prior art. This object is solved by a method as set forth in claim  1 . With this method perfect placement of the folded airbag in a sheath and thus also in the vehicle is achievable with hardly any complication, as is of major significance for safe deployment of the airbag. In one advantageous further embodiment of the invention the elongated sheath takes the form of a flattened tubular sheath, the one end of which is opened by means of an opener in thus facilitating insertion of the inserter into the elongated sheath for cost-effective production.  
         [0005]     The object is correspondingly achieved by a device as it reads from claim  5 . With this device a perfect placement of the folded airbag in the sheath and thus in the vehicle is achievable with little effort, especially when implementing the method as set forth in any of the claims  1  to  4 . This is of major significance for safe deployment of the airbag. Further features and advantages of the invention read from the sub-claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     For a better understanding of the invention it is briefly described by way of an example embodiment with reference to the drawing in which:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a highly simplified illustration of an example embodiment of the elements of a device for inserting the folded airbag into a sheath following a folder,  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an illustration showing one end of an elongated sheath with elements of the opener,  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is an illustration showing a further opener for opening the elongated sheath over its full length,  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a highly simplified illustration of a further example embodiment of elements of a device for inserting the folded airbag into a sheath following a folder,  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is an illustration showing the device as shown in  FIG. 4  after insertion of the airbag,  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is an illustration showing the device as shown in  FIG. 4  after withdrawal of the sheath filled with the airbag as well as the same in the withdrawn condition. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Both the FIGS. and an example of the sequence in the steps in the method are described in the following. Referring now to  FIG. 1  there is illustrated in the upper region a folder  1  furnishing the airbags folded to a downstream swivel chute  3 . The airbag  2  folded in the folder  1  or folding machine and treated in a cooling section (not shown) is forwarded, i.e. shifted horizontally through sequences as usual in the folder  1 . At the end of a placement surface of the folding machine  1 —after the cooling section—the folded, relaxed airbag  2  slides by its own weight down the swivel chute  3  up to a stopper  5  beam-monitored by two photoelectric cells (not shown).  
         [0014]     The swivel chute  3  is elevated into a transfer position in which the airbag  2  is gripped and compressed by the gripper  4 , after which the swivel chute  3  is lowered. The gripper  4  travels with the airbag  2  horizontally from a receiving position and attains the transfer position above an inserter rail  6 . The gripper  4  travels with the bag down into the U-shaped inserter rail  6 . The airbag  2  is relocated by ejectors (not shown) from the gripper  4  into the inserter rail  6 , the gripper  4  then returning to the transfer position, after which the inserter rail  6  is inserted into the elongated sheath  8 . In conclusion the airbag  2  together with the tubular sheath  8  is withdrawn from the inserter rail  6  where it can be deposited directly into a transport container (not shown).  
         [0015]     The arrangement in accordance with the invention is, for instance, designed and attached to the folding machine  1  so that in the region of the cooling section (not shown) airbags can be placed by hand and from then on can be forwarded on the swivel chute  3 . This possibility is provided to enable airbags requiring stitching after folding to be likewise inserted into a tubular sheath  8  by this device.  
         [0016]     Referring now to  FIG. 2  there is illustrated one end  10  of the tubular sheath  8  which is opened by the rods  16  moved through openings  18  arranged in the end  10  of the tubular sheath  8  in the direction of the arrows  20  to facilitate inserting the inserter rail  6 . Referring now to  FIG. 3  there is illustrated an opener  14  by way of example having two semicircular split shells  15  in which ports  24  are incorporated through which air can be evacuated from the space between the two halves in the direction of the arrows  26  whilst approaching each other in the direction of the arrows  28  in compressing the elongated sheath (tubular sheath  8 ) at its edges and opening it over its full length. The two layers of fabric of the elongated sheath  8  are thereby moved up and down in the direction of the arrows  22  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ).  
         [0017]     Referring now to  FIG. 4  there is illustrated a further example embodiment of a device for implementing a further example embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention as it reads from claims  12  to  15 . Evident is a driver  60  for reciprocating a gripper  34  horizontally lengthwise. The gripper  34 , powered by the driver  60  via pivoting means running in this case, for example, in a rectangular inserter rail  36 —which may also be round or polygonal—grips a fastener tab  62  of an airbag  32 . The illustration of the device as shown in  FIG. 4  depicts a condition in which an elongated sheath  38  is already slipped onto the inserter rail  36  shown rectangular in  FIG. 4 , this being of course prior to a funnel  35  being attached to the inserter rail  36 . The gripper  34  grips the airbag  32  by a fastener tab  62  provided at its end on the left as shown in  FIG. 4  and draws the airbag into the inserter rail  36  with lateral compression.  
         [0018]     Referring now to  FIG. 5  there is illustrated the situation in which the airbag  32  is already drawn into the rectangular inserter rail  36  in thus being located within the elongated sheath  38 . Referring now to  FIG. 6  there is illustrated the condition in which the elongated sheath  38  together with the airbag  32  located therein has been withdrawn from the inserter rail  36 . The funnel  35  is shown in  FIG. 6  already removed downwards from the inserter rail  36  to prepare the inserter rail  36  for the next elongated sheath  38  to be slipped thereon.  
         [0019]     As clearly evident from the illustration as shown in  FIG. 4  moving the gripper  34  together with the airbag  32  in the direction of the arrow to the left compresses the airbag through the funnel  35  whilst being drawn into the inserter rail  36 . Expediently the airbag  32  is held in readiness already folded and precompressed by a preparation unit (not shown). The illustration as shown in  FIG. 6  gives the first impression of the driver  60  and inserter rail  36  being a stationary arrangement from which the elongated sheath  38  together with the airbag  32  is withdrawn. To the same effect, however, the elongated sheath  38  with the airbag  32  can also be held stationary and the driver  60  together with the inserter rail withdrawn from the elongated sheath in a simple kinematic reversal as may prove more expedient for this or that particular application. The funnel  35  as shown in  FIG. 6  needs to be removed from the inserter rail  36 , of course, before removing the elongated sheath  38  together with the airbag  32  therefrom, as can be done manually or also by an automatic device (not shown). Since the person skilled in the art is well acquainted with a means of open/closed-loop control of the device in accordance with the invention as described and of the method involved as explained, such means are not elaborated.