Davidson Textron Inc.

Lee E Gridley

John D Gray

Josh Kelman

Peter J Iannazzi

Thomas G Parker

Glenn Maurice Vaillancourt

An instrument panel assembly includes an instrument panel carrier, a top panel and a front of dash panel of one-piece molded plastic construction. The top panel includes an upper housing part and the front of dash panel includes a lower housing part that cooperatively form a housing for components of a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system when the top and front close-out panels are attached to the instrument panel carrier. Each panel also cooperates with the instrument panel to form an air distribution duct for the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system that communicates with the housing formed by the two panels.

Instrument panel assembly

A motor vehicle is provided with an air bag system having a singular air bag that deploys downward from the ceiling to cushion the front and both sides of both the driver and a front seat passenger from over their head and to at least their shoulders to prevent their impacting with upper interior portions of the vehicle and with each other in a collision. The air bag includes an elongated front section that extends transverse of the vehicle along the front of the seats, elongated side sections that extend rearwardly from the front section along the outer side of the respective seats, and an elongated intermediate section that extends rearwardly from the front section between the seats.

Motor vehicle head impact air bag system

A laminated instrument panel has a door cover for concealing a supplemental inflatable restraint (SIR) system in a vehicle passenger compartment that includes a skin flap that is an integral part of the skin of the instrument panel. The skin flap is cast out of position and collapsed into the correct position when an elastomeric foam layer is foamed in place beneath the cast skin. This forms slanted grooves in the skin at the juncture of the flap and the adjacent skin of the instrument panel that have little or no gap at the surface of the skin. The skin flap can be shaped to provide a flush door or a raised door with an overlapping front edge.

Growing community of inventors

Ossipee, NH, United States of America

Lee E Gridley