Patent ID: 7223224

Claim:
A method of folding an airbag, comprising: a. tucking a part of a distal portion of an unfolded airbag into an interior of the airbag; b. forming a plurality of overlapping longitudinal folds in the first and second halves of the airbag, wherein the step of forming the plurality of overlapping longitudinal folds in the first and second halves of the airbag comprises: i. forming a first set of substantially opposed longitudinal folds in upper and lower regions of the airbag, and bringing a first portion of the upper region inwardly across a centerline, a fold line therefrom in the upper region defining a first right inner fold edge, and a fold line therefrom in the lower region defining a right outer fold edge; ii. forming a second set of substantially opposed longitudinal folds in the upper and lower regions and folding a second portion of the upper region inwardly across the centerline, a fold line therefrom in the upper region defining a first left inner fold edge, and a fold line therefrom in the lower region defining a left outer fold edge; iii. bringing the right outer fold edge inwardly toward the centerline; iv. bringing the first right inner fold edge outwardly to overlap the right outer fold edge, thereby folding the airbag along a longitudinal fold line defining a second right inner fold edge; v. bringing the second right inner fold edge outwardly to overlap the first right inner fold edge and the right outer fold edge; vi. bringing the left outer fold edge inwardly toward the centerline; vii. bringing the first left inner fold edge outwardly to overlap the left outer fold edge, thereby folding the airbag along a fold line defining a second left inner fold edge; and viii. bringing the second left inner fold edge outwardly to overlap the first left inner fold edge and the left outer fold edge; c. folding a proximal portion of the airbag a plurality of times along fold lines substantially transverse to an orientation of the longitudinal folds, thereby forming a first fold body; and d. folding the distal portion of the airbag a plurality of times along fold lines substantially transverse to the orientation of the longitudinal folds, thereby forming a second fold body.