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:
Nov. 20, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 20, 2000
Frank Warnecke, Karlsruhe, DE;
Günter Grübler, Kelsterbach, DE;
Thomas Kunkel, Ludwigshafen, DE;
Andreas Flick, Kandel, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to an instrument panel for motor vehicles, made of a thermoplastic material and providing an invisible cover for an airbag system which, as seen from the inside of the motor vehicle, is positioned behind the instrument panel (rear side). The instrument panel is characterized in that it has a weakened section on the rear side which defines an opening area in the instrument panel for the airbag and fully surrounds said opening area, and in that it has an ejection channel for the airbag fixed to it. The opening area in the instrument panel designed for the airbag is connected with the ejection channel by means ofa polymer hinge. Both the ejection channel and the polymer hinge are fixed at least to the opening area of the instrument panel designed for the air bag by means of a welded material. The instrument panel, ejection channel and polymer hinge are made ofa thermoplastic material having the same polymer basis but flexibilized in different ways.