Lear Corporation

International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc.

Robert J Adams

Glenn A Cowelchuk

Todd DePue

Michael W Cass

Kenneth W Shaner

Nelson E Williams, Jr

Michael J Hier

John David Youngs

Joseph J Davis, Jr

Randy S Reed

Michael P Schoemann

Kenneth William Paul Shaner

David Dooley

Charles A Haba

Joseph T Donatti

Arun Chickmenahalli

Andrew P Mellentine

Sarkis B Mikhjian

Paul Nagy

William J Noble

Joe T Donatti

An energy absorber for a vehicle includes an elongate member having lateral and longitudinal axes. The elongate member may include one or more channels which are oriented to have walls which extend in the general direction of the lateral axis. An upper surface of at least one of the channels may have an engagement feature that may be configured to engage a stationary member of a vehicle when an impact force brings the engagement feature into contact with the stationary member. The channels may be configured to deform and collapse to absorb at least some of the impact force.

Energy absorbing countermeasure

In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates an airbag assembly comprising a panel having a tear seam forming at least one airbag door, and a door chute assembly comprising a laterally extending flange connected to the panel proximate the airbag door. The door chute assembly includes a chute depending from the flange away from the panel and the chute has at least one opening. The airbag assembly further comprises a door panel assembly including at least one door panel disposed within the chute and connected to the airbag door. The door panel has a downwardly depending flange having at least one projection extending laterally through the at least one opening of the chute. The airbag assembly further comprises an inflatable airbag mounted on the door chute.

Airbag assembly

An interior trim panel for a vehicle door is provided according to alternative methods. The interior trim panel includes a bolster to which a polyurethane skin is molded by a spraying operation. Expanded polyurethane foam is sprayed over the polyurethane skin and a backing panel is either integrally formed or assembled to the polyurethane foam layer.

Method of making an interior panel for a door and an article made thereby

In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates an airbag assembly for use with a trim panel having a tear seam forming at least one airbag door, and a door chute assembly comprising a laterally extending flange connected to the panel proximate the airbag door. The door chute assembly includes a chute depending from the flange away from the panel and the chute has at least one opening. The airbag assembly further comprises a door panel assembly including at least one door panel disposed within the chute and connected to the airbag door. The door panel has a downwardly depending flange having at least one projection extending laterally through the at least one opening of the chute.

A trim part for use with a vehicle includes a substrate and a trim cover overlaying the substrate. The trim cover has first and second portions that are folded together to form a flexible edge seal that is engageable with the vehicle. A method of making such a trim part is also disclosed.

Trim panel with edge seal

A trim panel for a motor vehicle and a method of manufacture. The trim panel includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes a first surface and a second surface having an indentation. The second layer includes a third surface and a fourth surface. The third surface is disposed adjacent to the second surface and includes a protrusion disposed adjacent to the indentation and an aperture disposed proximate the protrusion. The protrusion concentrates force against the indentation to sever the first layer when sufficient force is applied to the fourth surface.

Trim panel and a method of manufacture

Aspects of the present invention include interior vehicle trim panel having a sprayed expanded polyurethane layer and method of making same. In at least one embodiment, the method of making the vehicle interior trim panel comprises providing a skin layer on a spray tool, spraying expandable polyurethane reactive components onto the skin layer to form a resilient layer, and securing a rigid substrate on the resilient layer, such that the resilient layer extends between and connects the skin layer with the substrate to form the vehicle interior trim panel.

Interior vehicle trim panel having a sprayed expanded polyurethane layer and method and system of making same

A method of manufacturing an airbag assembly and a trim component for vehicle including the step of providing a first mold structure having a first surface formed therein, a second mold structure having a second surface formed therein and a third mold structure having a third surface formed therein. The first mold structure and the second mold structure are positioned to define a first cavity. A first material is introduced into the first cavity to form a substrate. The substrate and the third mold structure are positioned to define a second cavity. A second material is introduced into the second cavity to form at least one of a portion of an airbag assembly and an outer layer overmolded onto the substrate. Additionally, a scrim material may be disposed within the second cavity to produce a hinge having an embedded layer of scrim material.

Method of manufacturing an airbag assembly and vehicle trim component

A vehicle storage assembly includes a storage compartment having an opening to permit access to the compartment. A door adjacent the opening is moveable between a closed position that covers the opening and an open position that permits access to the compartment through the opening. The storage assembly further includes a controllable damper coupled to the door and actuable between high and low damping states, such that the door is maintained in one of the closed position, the open position, or any position therebetween when the controllable damper is in the high damping state. To move the door to a new position, the controllable damper is actuated from the high damping state to the low damping state whereby the door can then be freely moved to the desired position. The controllable damper may then be actuated from the low damping state to the high damping state to retain the door in the selected position.

Vehicle storage assembly with adjustable door

A method of making an integrated inner trim panel for a vehicle door and an inner trim panel made thereby are disclosed. The method includes sequentially spraying a skin layer, a padding layer, and applying a structural layer in an open mold that defines the facing surface of the inner panel of a door. The integrated inner trim panel may be provided with areas of greater and lesser padding. The skin layer may be formed from a reactant mixture of polyurethane. The padding layer may be a foam polyurethane composition. The structural layer may be a glass-reinforced polyurethane reactant mixture. The inner door panel is an integrated layered structure including a skin layer, a padding layer, and a structural layer. The padding layer may be varied in thickness to provide selectively variable padding in predetermined areas.

Method of making an integrated door inner panel and an article made thereby

A center console for an automobile includes an armrest that is selectively adjustable by vehicle occupants to and between a first position wherein the armrest is in a substantially horizontal orientation, and a second position wherein the armrest extends angularly away from the console. The console further includes a controllable damper coupled to the armrest and actuable between high and low damping states. In the low damping state, the armrest may be selectively placed at any position desired by the vehicle occupants. When the damper is actuated to the high damping state, the damper maintains the selected position of the armrest.

Automotive console with adjustable armrest

A cross beam assembly extends between side frame members of a vehicle and includes a beam having a hollow interior. The beam defines an opening formed therein. The assembly further includes an air bag inflator assembly having a source of pressurized gas for expelling gas to inflate an air bag. The inflator assembly is disposed within the hollow interior of the beam such that activation of the inflator assembly expels gas through said opening.

Vehicular cross car beam assembly having an integral air bag inflator

A method of making a vehicle part includes spraying material proximate a surface of a tool to form a skin layer, and spraying material onto the skin layer to form a resilient layer. The method further includes removing the skin layer and the resilient layer from the tool and positioning the layers in a mold. Next, the method involves applying material onto the resilient layer to form a rigid substrate on the resilient layer.

Vehicle part with integrated impact management feature and method of making same

An in-mold degating device that includes a base having mounting ears for removable attachment to a mold system. The base is removably attached to the die half such that the uppermost surface of the base is flush with the surface of the die half. The insert further includes a body fixed to the base including a pair of opposed surfaces that define predetermined relief angles relative to the base. The body further includes a gate flow passage having an inlet within one of the opposed surfaces and an outlet within the other of the opposed surfaces. The gate flow passage tapers inwardly from the inlet to the outlet. The outlet includes an edge surface that forms an acute angle relative to the gate flow passage. The edge surface defines a shearing edge point that separates the finished molded part from cooled excess material.

Growing community of inventors

Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Robert J Adams