Tip Engineering Group, Inc.

John W Bauer, Jr

An arrangement for forming an opening in an auto interior trim panel or piece normally having no visible indication of the opening just prior to inflation of an inflatable air bag, allowing deployment of the air bag into the passenger compartment of vehicle, the arrangement including a linear element positioned below the skin of the trim panel or wheel cover in a pattern corresponding to the opening. In a first embodiment a heat generating element is employed as the linear element which when activated degrades the covering skin layer of the trim piece in pattern shape. In a second embodiment detonating cord enclosed in a metal tube is employed with a series of holes directing the energy of detonation to sever the panel skin material. In a third embodiment a split sleeve having explosive coating on the inside is used to create a flame front severing the panel kin in the appropriate pattern. The skin may be mechanically preweakened prior to assembly by a precision cutting operation performed on the inside surface, in a pattern matching with the pattern of the linear element, aiding the process of forming the opening in the trim piece at the instant of deployment.

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Allen Park, MI, United States of America

John W Bauer, Jr