A folding preparation body includes a pre-folded portion folded in a folded shape of being gathered to an upper side of the inflow opening and mounted in the steering wheel, the pre-folded portion includes a portion in which the front edge of the initial preparation body is folded to approach the inflow opening in the vehicle body side wall, the vehicle body side wall of the folding preparation body includes a non-folded portion from the inflow opening to a crease of the pre-folded portion and a folded portion which is folded from the crease to be overlapped on the lower surface of the non-folded portion, and the pre-folded portion includes the folded portion of the vehicle body side wall and a lower surface side portion, which covers an outer surface of the folded portion, in the cover portion of the driver side wall.

It is provided a method for manufacturing a gas bag module of a vehicle occupant restraint system. The method comprising the steps: providing a gas bag; prefolding the gas bag; pressing at least a portion of the prefolded gas bag under the influence of heat; and folding the pressed gas bag to a final dimension.

Provided are an apparatus and a method for folding a driver airbag which are capable of folding an airbag so that the airbag has a shape corresponding to a shape of an accommodating space in an airbag housing. To this end, an upper plate of the apparatus for folding the driver airbag according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of stair sections that is spaced apart from a lower plate at different vertical distances.

In a method of folding an airbag (10) for a vehicle occupant restraint system, especially of curtain-type side airbag, to form an airbag package (12), the airbag (10) is rolled and/or folded to form an airbag roll (12) having a first volume (V.sub.1). The airbag roll (12) is fed to a pressing device (14) in which the airbag roil (12) is compressed to form an airbag package (12) having a second volume (V.sub.2) which is smaller than the first volume (V.sub.1). The airbag roll (12) and resp., the airbag package (12) is heated within the pressing device (14) and the airbag package (12) is cooled, with the airbag package (12) retaining the second volume (V.sub.2) when it is removed from the pressing device (14; 114). The pressing device (14) includes a pressing mold or a molding shaft (18) whose height substantially corresponds to the desired height of the finished airbag packages (12), a heating unit (20) for heating the airbag packages (12) and a cooling device (22) for cooling the airbag packages (12).

A method for folding a driver airbag may include: forming a tuck-in folding part by pushing an upper end portion of an airbag cushion part into the airbag cushion part; folding the tuck-in folding part toward the opposite side with respect to a driver seat; temporarily attaching the tuck-in folding part to the airbag cushion part; injecting gas into the airbag cushion part, and compressing the airbag cushion part such that the airbag cushion part maintains a plate shape; and folding the airbag cushion part while moving a folding jig disposed in a radial shape around the circumference of the airbag cushion part toward an inflator connection part.

Various methods are disclosed for folding a driver occupant airbag for incorporation into an associated airbag module. One method includes steps of positioning the airbag on a working surface, pinching at least one portion of an edge of the airbag along a rapid deployment axis of the airbag, laterally compressing the airbag, and longitudinally compressing the laterally compressed airbag to provide an installation-ready airbag component suitable for installation into an airbag module. Pinching the airbag at one or more locations along the rapid deployment axis during folding may cause the pinched airbag portions to deploy more rapidly than other portions of the airbag when the airbag is inflated. Alternative folding methods are also disclosed.

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes a curtain airbag having a packaged condition in which the curtain airbag is rolled and/or folded to be installed along a roof rail in a vehicle. The curtain airbag is configured to be inflated and deployed along a side structure of the vehicle structure. The curtain airbag includes a channel configured to receive a package maintaining structure configured to enforce a predetermined configuration of the curtain airbag in the packaged condition.

A method of forming an airbag cushion (10, 10A) has the steps of providing placing the cushion in a vacuum bag (20) and evacuating the air shrinking the airbag cushion (10, 10A) to a compacted size; conforming the airbag cushion to a predetermined shape; placing the airbag cushion (10, 10A) in a high temperature environment between +50 C. to +140 for a predetermined time to thermally set the fabric material (120) to maintain the compacted airbag cushion (10, 10A) to the predetermined shape; and releasing the vacuum and removing the thermally set airbag cushion (10, 10A) from the vacuum bag (20

A folding preparation body includes a pre-folded portion folded in a folded shape of being gathered to an upper side of the inflow opening and mounted in the steering wheel, the pre-folded portion includes a portion in which the front edge of the initial preparation body is folded to approach the inflow opening in the vehicle body side wall, the vehicle body side wall of the folding preparation body includes a non-folded portion from the inflow opening to a crease of the pre-folded portion and a folded portion which is folded from the crease to be overlapped on the lower surface of the non-folded portion, and the pre-folded portion includes the folded portion of the vehicle body side wall and a lower surface side portion, which covers an outer surface of the folded portion, in the cover portion of the driver side wall.

A method of manufacturing a folded body of an airbag, which is inflated by allowing an inflation gas, including: an inflow opening through which the inflation gas is allowed to flow; and an attachment portion of the circumferential edge of the inflow opening, the airbag being formed as a folded body having a folded shape of being gathered to an upper side of the attachment portion, the attachment portion being attached to an attachment seat of a storage portion, the method includes: folding the airbag, in the state of raising a temperature of the airbag, to form a pre-folded body; heating and compressing the pre-folded body, and cooling and compressing the pre-folded body, which is heated and compressed, to form the folded body.