Interior panel assembly and airbag device

• US 20090066068A1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kanno, Yuki
• Application Number:
  US11/918,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20090066068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/06 using friction, e.g. spin welding non-plastics elements to plastic elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/114 Single butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30223 said melt initiators being rib-like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/532 Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/53461 joining substantially flat covers and/or substantially flat bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3038 Air bag covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21537 characterised by hinges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

There are provided an interior panel assembly in which a base end of a door section is reinforced, and an airbag device including the interior panel assembly. When an inflator 63 is actuated, inflation of an airbag 62 starts. The airbag 62 presses a door section 44 from the back side, tear lines 41 to 43 are thereby torn, and the door section 44 is opened while turning into the cabin. Ribs 45 are provided at base ends of the door section 44 so as to reinforce the base ends. Openings 58 may be provided in connecting portions between hinges 53 and flaps 51, and ribs 45A may extend long so that one end of each rib 45A enters the corresponding opening 58. Extending portions 59 may be provided to project from the flaps 51 to the hinges 53, and the extending pieces 59 may be fixed to the base ends of the door frame 44, for example, by vibration welding.

Claims

1. An interior panel assembly comprising:

an interior panel having a door section that is opened and turned into a cabin by being pressed by an airbag from the back side; and

a door frame fixed to a back surface of the interior panel at and around the door section,

wherein the door frame includes;

a flap fixed to the door section;

a frame surrounding the flap and fixed to the back surface of the interior panel around the door section;

a hinge configured to connect the flap and the frame, the hinge opposing a base end of the door section when the door section is opened, and being separate from the base end; and

a leg portion standing from the frame, and

wherein the interior panel assembly further includes reinforcing means configured to reinforce the base end of the door section.

2. The interior panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing means is provided on a back surface of the door section.

3. The interior panel assembly according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing means includes a rib.

4. The interior panel assembly according to claim 3, wherein the rib extends in a direction such as to connect the frame and the flap.

5. The interior panel assembly according to claim 4, wherein an opening is provided in a portion of the flap opposing the hinge, and the rib extends into the opening.

6. The interior panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing means includes an extending piece that is connected to the flap, extends from the flap to a back surface of the base end of the door section, and is fixed to the back surface.

7. The interior panel assembly according to claim 6, wherein the extending piece extends along a side of the flap at the base end.

8. The interior panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein a tear line is provided along the frame on the back surface of the interior panel at the base end of the door section.

9. An airbag device comprising:

the interior panel assembly according to claim 1;

a retainer opposing a back surface of the door section of the interior panel;

an airbag stored in the retainer;

an inflator configured to inflate the airbag; and

a connecting member configured to connect the retainer and the leg portion of the door frame.