Collins & Aikman Products & Co.

Collins Aikman Corporation

Collins & Aikman Automotive Company, Inc.

Other

Porsche Engineering Services

Ulrich Weissert

John D Gray

Bruce A Batchelder

Keith A Riha

Jim Rogers

Brian K Totten

Ray Evans

Robert Koehr

Rolf Heyll

Hardy Sullivan

Andy Wolf

Ross Winslow

Marco Cercone

A Hardy Sullivan, Jr

Okan Goenueldinc

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 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 an instrument panel having an area outlining at least a portion of an airbag door. A reaction plate is attached to the underside of the panel at the airbag door location. The reaction plate contains first and second molded features, each such feature having a flexural strength (F), wherein the first molded feature's Fis lower than the second molded feature's F. A tether is included that engages with the molded features in the reaction plate whereupon airbag deployment the tether is not retained by the first molded feature but is retained by the second molded feature.

Dynamic/controlled tether arrangement for an airbag door

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.

An airbag door construction for airbag deployment comprising an instrument panel having an area outlining at least a portion of an airbag door. A reaction plate is attached to the underside of the panel at the airbag door location. The reaction plate contains first and second molded features, each such feature having a flexural strength (F), wherein the first molded feature's Fis lower than the second molded feature's F. A tether is included that engages with the molded features in the reaction plate whereupon airbag deployment the tether is not retained by the first molded feature but is retained by the second molded feature

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

A vehicle side door or hatchback structure incorporates at least one hydroformed component. In one configuration, a window frame, a door frame and a reinforcement member are press-fit together by pressurized fluid during a hydroforming process to join the frames and the reinforcement member together. In another configuration, a vehicle hatchback frame subassembly includes a one-piece hydroformed window frame with a central portion disposed between opposing end portions. Inner and outer panels are attached to each other and secured to the opposing end portions of the window frame. In yet another configuration, a vehicle door and window frame subassembly includes a hydroformed one-piece first door frame, a roll formed second door frame and a reinforcement member secured to the tubular one-piece first door frame. An outer front panel is attached to the reinforcement member by at least one mirror bracket. In a modification of this configuration, a mirror bracket which additionally defines a door hinge element interconnects an end of the reinforcement member to an end of the tubular one-piece first door frame. In a further configuration, a frameless vehicle door subassembly includes a lower tubular member and an upper tubular member secured together at their ends by a pair of hydroformed members.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Ulrich Weissert