The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 04, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 23, 1997
James John Sommer, Tipp City, OH (US);
Michael Joseph Vendely, Kettering, OH (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
An instrument panel cover arrangement is used for covering an air bag module mounted beneath an instrument panel cover in a vehicle. The arrangement includes a rigid substrate forming the instrument panel cover and a cover plate overlying the substrate in the location of the underlying air bag module and securely attached to the substrate. The cover plate includes outer plate edges. The substrate includes a plurality of cut lines generally defining an air bag deployment opening and extending entirely through the substrate. The cut lines are at a location spaced inwardly from the outer plate edges of the cover plate such that upon air bag deployment, the outer plate edges are separated from the substrate by the force of the deploying air bag. Preferably, the cut lines extend entirely through the substrate to define a major substrate portion and a minor substrate portion. The minor substrate portion entirely underlies and is securely attached to the cover plate and is completely detached from the major substrate portion prior to air bag deployment.