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:
Sep. 26, 2017
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2016
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Manoj Kumar Patnala, Canton, MI (US);
Bari W. Brown, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Frank Q. Liu, Canton, MI (US);
Alan M. Perelli, Plymouth, MI (US);
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle interior trim system such as an instrument panel or a door panel includes a panel substrate defining a deployment aperture. An inflatable device such as an air bag is adapted to deploy through the aperture during a crash. A natural, tanned leather skin covers the substrate, wherein the skin has a tear seam corresponding to the aperture on a hidden surface of the skin. An aperture door may be fitted within the deployment aperture which is adapted to open against the skin in response to deployment of the inflatable device. The tear seam is comprised of a region on the hidden surface of the skin having a disrupted fiber matrix from exposure to an alkaline solution such as ammonia, bleach, sodium tetraborate, sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, potassium hydroxide, and potassium carbonate.