Patent ID: 7008155

Claim:
A cargo air bag, comprising: an inflatable bladder having an aperture defined therein; a plurality of paper plies having a plurality of apertures respectively defined therewithin and enveloping said inflatable bladder such that said inflatable bladder is disposed internally within said plurality of paper plies; a first closed side edge portion defined upon said cargo air bag as a result of said plurality of paper plies being folded over upon themselves along one side portion of said plurality of paper plies; means for closing end portions of said plurality of paper plies so as to define a second closed end edge portion upon said cargo air bag which cooperates with said first closed side edge portion of said cargo air bag in defining a corner region of said cargo air bag; an inflation valve assembly comprising a flange portion sealed to said inflatable bladder, and an externally threaded tubular body member projecting outwardly through said apertures defined within said inflatable bladder and said plurality of paper plies so as to be fluidically connectible to a source of pressurized air, said inflation valve assembly being disposed within said corner region of said cargo air bag such that said inflation valve assembly is partially circumscribed upon two sides thereof by said first closed side and second closed end edge portions of said cargo air bag; and connection means for connecting together said plurality of paper plies within the vicinity of said inflation valve assembly and for cooperating with said first closed side and second closed end edge portions of said cargo air bag for additionally circumscribing said inflation valve assembly such that portions of said plurality of paper plies, interposed between said inflation valve assembly and said first closed side and second closed end edge portions of said cargo air bag, and between said inflation valve assembly and said connection means, are maintained in a substantially flattened state so as to not to engage threaded portions of said externally threaded tubular body member of said inflation valve assembly and thereby not interfere with the threaded engagement of a closure cap upon said externally threaded tubular body member of said inflation valve assembly.