Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd.

Takuya Kurimoto

Sadao Teranishi

An air bag cover assembly having a core layer, a cushioning layer, and a door. The core layer has an opening through which an air bag which the air bag cover assembly operatively overlies extends as the air bag is changed from an undeployed state into a deployed state. The skin layer has oppositely facing forward and rear surfaces and is situated forwardly of the core layer. The door is changeable between a closed state and an open state. In the closed state, the door covers the core layer opening. The door has a weakening portion which separates as an incident of the air bag changing from the undeployed state into to the deployed state. The door has a first hinge with a curved portion which flexes to allow at least a first part of the door to pivot from a first position to a second position as an incident of the air bag changing from the undeployed state into the displayed state and the door changing from the closed state into the open state.

Air bag cover assembly

An airbag door assembly consisting of an instrument panel section, a reinforcing assembly, and a lining assembly. The instrument panel section has a core portion with an inside surface and an outside surface. An expanding airbag can project through the core portion of the instrument panel section. The reinforcing assembly is placed against the inside surface of the instrument panel section. At least part of the reinforcing assembly resides between the core portion and the lining assembly. The lining assembly and core portion are vibration joined at at least one location so as to maintain a part of the reinforcing assembly captively between the core portion and the lining assembly.

Airbag door assembly for an instrument panel and method of making the airbag door assembly

The combination of an air bag having an undeployed state and a deployed state, and an instrument panel. The instrument panel overlies the air bag with the air bag in the undeployed state. The instrument panel has a skin layer with oppositely facing front and rear surfaces, a foamed resin layer on the rear surface of the skin layer and having a thickness, a core layer having an opening bounded by an edge through which the air bag extends with the air bag in the deployed state, and a door at the opening. The door has a peripheral edge and is repositionable from a closed position into an open position as an incident of the air bag changing from the undeployed state into the deployed state. The skin layer has a break portion defined by a groove at which the skin layer ruptures as the air bag changes from the undeployed state into the deployed state. The groove has first and second spaced sides and a base between the first and second sides. The groove produces a localized reduction in the thickness of the foamed resin layer and has at least a portion that is spaced outwardly from the edge bounding the opening in the core layer. At least a portion of the peripheral edge of the door extends outwardly from the edge bounding the core layer opening toward the groove but not past the groove.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi, Japan

Takuya Kurimoto