Abstract: Provided herein are various flexible sheet-like substrates that are lightweight, rupture or burst resistant, and suitable for use in constructing a variety of structures used in fluid-containment, especially gas containment, and other applications, and the processes by which such composites can be fabricated. In the most general case, the composites of this disclosure are comprised of a woven textile fabric to which has been laminated a flexible film. Two principal embodiments are disclosed: a first embodiment without a reinforcing layer, and a second embodiment with a structurally robust, bias-oriented reinforcing layer, preferably interposed between the fabric and the film.

Abstract: Airbags are made from fabric blanks that contain two-layer and one-layer regions. Airbags with two-layer areas are commonly “nested” in such fabric blanks for high speed manufacture of many airbags simultaneously. Polymeric coating is applied to both exterior sides of the fabric blank. The fabric blank may be cured (or dried) in ovens to render the coating gas impermeable. Coated airbags in the “nest” are then cut from the fabric blanks into individual airbags. One-piece woven (OPW) airbags may be made in such a process. Certain specific areas of the fabric blanks may be made with specifically engineered weakened yarn weave patterns in defined areas to serve as gas escape points for undesirable gas collection within the two-layer fabric blanks during manufacturing process steps. Such vents are permeable to gas even though the vents are coated during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: All-woven inflatable fabrics having areas of two layers and attachment points or “seams” where single layers of fabric are formed. Such single fabric layers may be constructed solely through the utilization of basket weave patterns. These specific single fabric layers provide a relatively effective manner of reducing air permeability within the entire fabric article by decreasing the possibility of yarn shifting upon inflation of the inflatable fabric. Alternatively, the presence of at least a second single fabric layer area adjacent to the first and separated by and narrow double fabric layer area can further reduce the possibility of yarn shifting in the first single fabric layer area. Such a fabric may be utilized in numerous and various applications wherein fabric inflation is desired or necessary. In particular, the inventive fabric may be incorporated within an airbag cushion.

Abstract: An airbag system for seatbelts including a housing and an elongated one-piece tubular inflatable structure disposed within the housing, where the housing and inflatable structure include a seatbelt passageway so that a seatbelt may pass therethrough unhindered and unaffected during normal seatbelt use, while the inflatable structure remains in an uninflated state. In a collision event, an inflator causes the inflatable structure to unfold, or preferably unroll, and extend from the housing along the seatbelt, so that the inflatable structure surrounds the seatbelt over an extended length thereof to provide a cushion between the seatbelt and an occupant. Such an arrangement may be easily applied to existing seatbelt systems.

Abstract: A mechanism to automatically control tension of supplemental yarns added to a weaving or knitting machine has a pivotal control arm, one end of which is influenced by the tension of the yarn being controlled, while a counteracting force is applied to another end of the arm. The movement of the arm is used to modulate and adjust a braking device acting against the yarn holding spool to keep the tension of the yarn substantially uniform over time as the diameter of the yarn wound on the storage spool changes.

Abstract: A mechanism to automatically control tension of supplemental yarns added to a weaving or knitting machine has a pivotal control arm, one end of which is influenced by the tension of the yarn being controlled, while a counteracting force is applied to another end of the arm. The movement of the arm is used to modulate and adjust a braking device acting against the yarn holding spool to keep the tension of the yarn substantially uniform over time as the diameter of the yarn wound on the storage spool changes.

Abstract: An inflatable airbag cushion (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 510) is provided. The bag includes a face portion and a rear portion formed from first and second fabric layers (30, 32). The bag further includes a number of straight line woven in joints (16) defining flow barrier elements (14). The flow barrier elements (14) serve to contain the inflation gases and to restrict inflation of the cushion.

Abstract: Coated inflatable fabrics, more particularly airbags to which very low add-on amounts of coating have been applied, are provided which exhibit extremely low air permeability. The inventive inflatable fabrics are primarily for use in automotive restraint cushions that require low permeability characteristics (such as side curtain airbags). Traditionally, heavy, and thus expensive, coatings of compounds such as neoprene, silicones and the like, have been utilized to provide such required low permeability. The inventive fabric utilizes an inexpensive, very thin coating to provide such necessarily low permeability levels. Thus, the inventive coated inflatable airbag comprises a film laminated on at least a portion of the target fabric surface wherein the film possesses a tensile strength of at least 2,000 and an elongation at break of at least 180%.

Abstract: Coated inflatable fabrics, more particularly airbags to which very low add-on amounts of coating have been applied, are provided which exhibit extremely low air permeabilities. The inventive fabrics are primarily for use in automotive restraint cushions which require low permeability characteristics (such as side curtain airbags). Traditionally, heavy, and thus expensive, coatings of compounds such as neoprene, silicones and the like, have been utilized to provide such required low permeability. The inventive fabric utilizes an inexpensive, very thin coating to provide such necessary low permeability levels. Thus, the inventive coated airbag possesses a coating of at most 3.0 ounces per square yard, most preferably about 0.

Abstract: A method to count the courses and/or picks of a moving fabric by utilizing a fiber optic device to shine light on a fabric and detect the reflectance of same to provide a signal for comparison with the rate of travel of the fabric to provide a continuous count of the courses and/or picks of the fabric.