Davidson Textron Inc.

Textron Automotive Company Inc.

Ex-cell-o Gmbh

Other

Collins & Aikman Automotive Company, Inc.

Collins & Aikman Products & Co.

Collins Aikman Corporation

Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.

John D Gray

Bruce A Batchelder

Craig B Labrie

Jimmy C Rogers

Michael J Gallagher

Ulrich Weissert

Richard D Rhodes, Jr

Josh Kelman

Michael Gorman

Jim Rogers

Stephen D Farrington

David M Smoger

C Christopher Griggs

Chris Hayes

Bas Korte

Philip A Bunn

Marie J Hersman

Keith A Riha

Vernon A Daniels

Nelson J Morren

Edwin V Stawicki

Brian K Totten

Wayne D LaRoche

Robert Booth

Michael J Larson

Ray Evans

Scott M Filion

Peter J Iannazzi

William McHugh Humphrey, Jr

Thomas G Parker

Colin C Frost

Laurent R Gaudreau

Alfred F Brault

Jonathan P Knox

Peter A Weller

Fred Rheinlander

Kevin Logeman

Lee E Gridley

John J Kennedy

Paul Hagenow

John C Galloway

Scott J Duletzke

Salvatore J Moceri

Charles S Triplett

William Hagar

Robert W Dietrich

Jack J Kennedy

Dennis Marion

John Ribick

Matthew M Walden

Gene Shope

Hardy Sullivan

A Hardy Sullivan, Jr

Raymond S Evans

Brian Collins & Aikman Automotive Co Inc Pour

Doug Collins & Aikman Automotive Co Inc Parker

Phil Collins & Aikman Automotive Co Inc Carroll

A variety of embodiments are disclosed, in both apparatus and method form, that relate to the use of fabric material in the manufacture of an air bag deployment system. In addition, fabric weakening is disclosed according to a technique that does not result in physical alteration of the fabric. This invention therefore includes an air bag cover for an air bag safety system for a vehicle comprising a fabric outer layer having a frontside and a backside and a substrate containing an opening wherein the opening has a periphery. The substrate is preferably formed by low pressure molding, wherein the fabric outer layer overlies the opening in the substrate, and wherein the fabric outer layer is weakened at a location that is adjacent or overlies the substrate opening periphery.

Pre-weakening of fabric covered airbag doors

An air bag door construction for air bag deployment comprises a trim panel and air bag door of unitary construction, at least a portion of the door defined by an area of reduced cross-section outlining at least a portion of the periphery thereof. One or more tethers are formed in the panel, outlined by an area of reduced cross-section, preferably in a dovetail shape which does not direct the propagation of tearing into the tether. A tear stop may be formed at the ends of the tether. The improvement comprises a stiffening frame that is attached to the backside and/or the topside of the panel just outboard of the air bag door periphery but not located across the tethers to improve deployment performance.

Stiffening frame for an integral tether and tearstop in an air bag door

An airbag door construction for airbag deployment comprising a hard instrument panel having a weakened area outlining at least a portion of an integrally molded airbag door. A reaction plate is attached to the underside of the panel at the airbag door location. A deployment chute is molded with the reaction plate and attached to the hard instrument panel just outboard of the outline of the airbag door. A tether is included that engages with the reaction plate whereupon airbag deployment the tether allows the airbag door/reaction plate welded combination to break loose from the hard instrument panel in a controlled manner.

Controlled tether arrangement for an airbag

An airbag door system is provided comprising a substrate, an outer shell and a foam where all three layers possess a line of mechanical weakness with each line of mechanical weakness at least partially separating each layer into an airbag door portion and a trim member portion. The substrate line of mechanical weakness comprises at least one substrate aperture. The outer shell line of mechanical weakness comprises an outer shell reduced thickness portion defined by an outer shell sever extending partially through an outer shell thickness from an outer shell lower surface towards an outer shell upper surface. The foam line of mechanical weakness comprises a foam reduced thickness portion defined by a foam sever extending partially through a foam thickness from a foam lower surface towards a foam upper surface. The outer shell line of mechanical weakness is displaced relative to a foam line of mechanical weakness.

Airbag door and method for making same

An apparatus for deploying an air bag through an automotive dash panel () includes an air bag door () integrally formed in the panel and defined by a door perimeter including a frangible edge () of reduced cross section. A dispenser () supports the air bag () behind the door. A metal reaction plate () is positioned between the air bag () and the door (). When the air bag inflates, it forces the reaction plate () to bend around a horizontal hinge line (). As the reaction, plate pivots it concentrates inflation force along a lower portion of the frangible door edge. This helps to predictably separate the door from the dash panel by tearing along the lower door edge and allowing the tear to propagate up two side edges. In one embodiment, the tear also propagates across an upper edge to completely separate the door from the panel. At least one, and preferably two or three tethers () limit how far the door can travel during air bag inflation. A stop member may be included to limit reaction plate bending. After deployment, the reaction plate remains in a position that prevents the door from returning to its original position. A retaining structure may be included to preclude at least a portion of the air bag door from tearing free of the vehicle panel. A hinge () may be embedded in the panel in a position spanning a portion of the door perimeter. A hollow channel may be formed into the panel along the frangible marginal edge to create a substantial strength differential with the door perimeter to promote bending along the hinge and/or to help confine tearing to the frangible marginal edge during air bag deployment.

Apparatus for deploying an air bag through a hard panel

An air bag cover assembly is provided comprising a retainer panel having an aperture during the deployment of an inflatable air bag for the airbag to pass through. The aperture has a cross-sectional area during air bag inflation greater than the cross-sectional area of the aperture when the air bag is deflated after being inflated. A method of providing an air bag deployment aperture for an air bag cover assembly is also provided. The method comprises providing a retainer panel, forming an aperture in the retainer panel for the deployment of an inflating air bag from an air bag module, increasing the cross-sectional area of the aperture during inflation of the air bag, and decreasing the cross-sectional area of the aperture after the air bag has at least partially passed through the aperture.

Air bag cover assembly

A method for forming a design in a panel includes providing an outer panel layer on an inner panel layer to form a single composite panel including two layers. The design is then formed into the panel by forming voids in the outer layer. The voids are formed by exposing predetermined regions of the outer layer to a laser beam that burns, vaporizes or otherwise removes portions of the outer layer in each exposed region. The voids create the design by exposing the inner panel layer.

Method for forming design in a layered panel using a laser

An inflatable restraint apparatus for an automotive vehicle includes an air bag deployment door formed in a trim panel. The air bag deployment door outer surface has an area of 5 in to 35 in , and at least a portion of the perimeter comprises a frangible marginal edge. The frangible marginal edge includes a frangible length, and at least 20% of the frangible length is non-linear. The apparatus also includes an air bag dispenser containing an air bag a volume of at least 90 liters. The air bag dispenser includes an elongated container having an air bag receptacle containing an air bag and an inflator receptacle containing an inflator.

Inflatable restraint apparatus

The present invention relates to an apparatus/method for making a joint line in a plastic article comprising the steps of providing a mold having a mold surface, providing a gasket in the mold wherein the gasket defines first and second mold spaces, and molding a layer of a plastic material within one of the mold first and second mold spaces. In addition, during molding, the gasket is laterally moved relative to the mold surface in a direction towards that mold space containing the plastic material to therein form a distinct joint line. In alternative embodiment, a method is disclosed herein for making a molded two-colored article comprising the steps of providing a mold having a mold surface, providing a gasket in the mold wherein the gasket defines first and second mold spaces, followed by the molding a layer of a first colored material within one of the mold first and second mold spaces, wherein the first colored material comprises a charge of plastic microspheres having an outside diameter in the range of 0.007&Prime; to 0.040&Prime;, and removing the gasket and molding a layer of a second colored material.

Method for casting multicolored parts for automotive interior applications

A method of forming a motor vehicle instrument panel with a flexibly tethered air bag deployment door includes the steps of molding an instrument panel with a first plastics material to a desired shape and with an integral air bag deployment door whose opening is defined by a tear seam formed by a groove molded in one side of the panel and with an integral mounting/hinge flange that extends from an inside surface of the door, and forming a bonded layer of second plastics material on one side of the flange and the inside surface of a potentially frangible portion of the door. The second plastics material has the physical characteristic of remaining ductile to a substantial degree at low temperatures substantial below the temperature at which the first plastics material becomes brittle and as a result the bonded layer forms a tether that connects the frangible door portion to the mounting/hinge flange in a flexible manner when this door portion breaks away from the flange because of embrittlement of the first plastics material at the low temperatures on tearing of the tear seam and opening movement of the door by an inflating air bag pressing against the inside surface of the frangible door portion.

Method of forming a motor vehicle instrument panel with a flexibly tethered air bag deployment door

An inflatable restraint apparatus for an automotive vehicle includes an air bag deployment door formed in a trim panel. The air bag deployment door outer surface has an area of 5 in to 35 in , and at least a portion of the perimeter comprises a frangible marginal edge. The frangible marginal edge includes a frangible length, and at least 20% of the frangible length is non-linear. The apparatus also includes an air bag dispenser containing an air bag having a volume of at least 90 liters. The air bag dispenser includes an elongated container having an air bag receptacle containing an air bag and an inflator receptacle containing an inflator.

Growing community of inventors

Union, NH, United States of America

John D Gray