Patent ID: 6994664

Claim:
A method for folding an air bag having a lower surface on one side, an inlet port on the lower surface into which gas is introduced, an upper surface on an other side located opposite to the lower surface on the one side, a plurality of radial lines extending in each of a plurality of radial directions from the inlet port, a first lower portion of the lower surface positioned on one of the radial lines, a first upper portion of the upper surface positioned on the radial line, a second lower portion of the lower surface positioned between two of the radial lines, a second upper portion of the upper surface positioned between the two radial lines, a third lower portion of the lower surface positioned around the inlet port, and a third upper portion of the upper surface positioned above the inlet port, said method comprising: holding the first lower portion and the first upper portion close to each other while supporting the third upper portion with the third lower portion while at least partially lifting the second upper portion from the second lower portion; pressing the second lower portion and the second upper portion toward the inlet port to form a storage state; pressing the first lower portion and the first upper portion toward an outer circumference of the second lower portion and the second upper portion of the air bag in the storage state; and shifting the lower surface relative to the upper surface, thereby altering a height of the air bag, after the step of pressing the second lower portion and the second upper portion toward to the inlet port to form the storage state.