Air bag cover

• US 20020042235A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueno, Shigehiro, Nakano, Akio, Togawa, Toshikatsu, Suyama, Hiroshi, Furuta, Kenichi, Shichida, Yoshiaki, Nagano, Akiyoshi, Horiba, Yukihiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,716,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/227
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1307 Bag or tubular film [e.g., pouch, flexible food casing, envelope, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249958 Void-containing component is synthetic resin or natural rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/251 Mica
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/252 Glass or ceramic [i.e., fired or glazed clay, cement, etc.] [porcelain, quartz, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/256 Heavy metal or aluminum or compound thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2139 Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to a specific substance [e.g., water vapor, air, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3325 Including a foamed layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3366 Woven fabric is coated, impregnated, or autogenously bonded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3374 Coating or impregnation includes particulate material other than fiber

Abstract

An air bag cover having a surface sheet including a TPE layer (decorative layer) on the surface side is provided. A surface sheet with the breaking elongation adjusted by containing a filler in a TPE material for forming the TPE layer, is used. Thereby, the breaking rapidity at a tear line groove formation portion is improved.

Claims

1. An air bag cover comprising a surface sheet (i) substantially comprising a thermoplastic elastomer layer or (ii) including a thermoplastic elastomer layer provided on a surface side thereof,

wherein a breaking elongation of a thermoplastic elastomer material for said thermoplastic elastomer layer is adjusted by containing a filler.

2. An air bag cover according to claim 1, wherein the filler in the thermoplastic elastomer material is an inorganic filler, and a content ratio thereof is about 5 to 30% by mass.

3. An air gab cover according to claim 2, wherein the content ratio of the inorganic filler is about 5 to 13% by mass.

4. An air bag cover according to claim 1, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 100% or less.

5. An air bag cover according to claim 4, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 50% or less.

6. An air bag cover comprising:

a cover base body; and

a surface sheet comprising a barrier layer made of a thermally resistant resin material and a decorative layer made of a thermoplastic elastomer material, and being integrally disposed on said cover base body through said barrier layer;

wherein a breaking elongation of the thermoplastic elastomer material for said decorative layer is adjusted by containing a filler.

7. An air bag cover according to claim 6, wherein the filler in the thermoplastic elastomer material is an inorganic filler, and a content ratio thereof is about 5 to 30% by mass.

8. An air bag cover according to claim 7 wherein the content ratio of the inorganic filler is about 5 to 13% by mass.

9. An air bag cover according to claim 6, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 100% or less.

10. An air bag cover according to claim 9, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 50% or less.

11. An air bag cover according to claim 6, further comprising a foamed layer disposed between said cover base body and said surface sheet, and being made of a soft foamed resin material.

13. An air bag cover according to claim 12, wherein the filler in the thermoplastic elastomer material is an inorganic filler, and a content ratio thereof is about 5 to 30% by mass.

14. An air gab cover according to claim 13, wherein the content ratio of the inorganic filler is about 5 to 13% by mass.

15. An air bag cover according to claim 12, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 100% or less.

16. An air bag cover according to claim 15, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 50% or less.

18. An air bag cover according to claim 17, wherein the filler in the thermoplastic elastomer material is an inorganic filler, and a content ratio thereof is about 5 to 30% by mass.

19. An air gab cover according to claim 17, wherein the content ratio of the inorganic filler is about 5 to 13% by mass.

20. An air bag cover according to claim 17, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 100% or less.

21. An air bag cover according to claim 20, wherein a breaking elongation under a specific tensile test of the thermoplastic elastomer material is about 50% or less.

12. An air bag cover comprising:

a cover base body; and

a surface sheet comprising a foamed layer made of a soft foamed resin material and a decorative layer made of a thermoplastic elastomer material, said surface sheet being integrally disposed on said cover base body through said foamed layer;

wherein a breaking elongation of the thermoplastic elastomer material for said decorative layer is adjusted by containing a filler.

17. An air bag cover comprising:

a cover base body;

a surface sheet comprising only a decorative layer; and

a foamed layer made of foamed resin and being provided between said cover base body and said surface sheet by injecting resin between said cover base body and said surface sheet;

wherein a breaking elongation of a thermoplastic elastomer material for said surface sheet is adjusted by containing a filler.