Closure for an air bag deployment opening
First Claim
1. A closure arrangement for an opening defined within an auto interior structure, said opening adapted to accommodate deployment of an inflatable safety cushion through said opening, said closure arrangement comprising:
- a closure panel member configured to be interfit into said opening;
hinging means operatively associated with one side of said closure panel to enable outward pivoting of said of said closure panel away from said opening;
frangible locking means extending along another side of the said closure panel member than said side associated said hinging means, said frangible locking means normally locking said closure panel to prevent hinging open of said closure, said frangible locking means comprising interfit projecting and recess rigid portions each respectively affixed to one of said auto interior structure or said closure panel member mating together to create a lock therebetween preventing hinging opening of said closure panel by shear loading of said projecting portion, said projecting portion shearing free upon exertion of a predetermined outward pressure on said closure panel member applied by said inflatable cushion as it begins to be deployed towards said opening.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A closure arrangement for an air bag deployment opening formed in an auto interior, including a closure panel positioned in the opening and hinged along one side, with a frangible lock on the other side opposite the hinge, fractured by pressure exerted by the deploying inflatable cushion. In a first embodiment, the frangible lock is defined by a tab portion of a foam plastic core body of the closure panel protruding into a recess formed in an adjacent structure, or an additional lock attached to the cannister, the tab fractured by being sheared off after the inflatable cushion contacts an inside protuberance projecting from the inside of the closure panel or additional lock attached to the cannister; and, the hinge is provided by bending of an convoluted-shaped section of a formed aluminum layer defining the inner side of the closure panel. In a second embodiment, a molded plastic panel member has an inward frangible flange with tabs secured to an air bag cannister or instrument panel structure to provide the lock, and the tabs are fractured by tensile loading created by deployment of the inflatable cushion. An inwardly directed integral hinging flange is also adapted to be connected to the air cushion cannister or instrument panel structure.
103 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A closure arrangement for an opening defined within an auto interior structure, said opening adapted to accommodate deployment of an inflatable safety cushion through said opening, said closure arrangement comprising:
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a closure panel member configured to be interfit into said opening; hinging means operatively associated with one side of said closure panel to enable outward pivoting of said of said closure panel away from said opening; frangible locking means extending along another side of the said closure panel member than said side associated said hinging means, said frangible locking means normally locking said closure panel to prevent hinging open of said closure, said frangible locking means comprising interfit projecting and recess rigid portions each respectively affixed to one of said auto interior structure or said closure panel member mating together to create a lock therebetween preventing hinging opening of said closure panel by shear loading of said projecting portion, said projecting portion shearing free upon exertion of a predetermined outward pressure on said closure panel member applied by said inflatable cushion as it begins to be deployed towards said opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A closure arrangement for an opening defined within an auto interior structure, said opening adapted to accommodate deployment of an inflatable safety cushion through said opening, said closure arrangement comprising:
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a closure panel member configured to be interfit into said opening; hinging means operatively associated with one side of said closure panel to enable outward pivoting of said closure panel away from said opening; frangible locking means extending along the other side of the said closure member opposite said hinging means, said frangible locking means normally locking said closure panel to prevent hinging open of said closure, but fracturing free upon exertion of a predetermined outward pressure applied by said inflatable cushion as it begins to be deployed towards said opening;
said closure panel member comprises a molded plastic member having an integral, inwardly directed frangible flange extending along said other side of said closure adpated to be secured to an air bag cannister, said frangible flange having one or more areas of reduced thickness tensiooned by deployment of said air bag so as to be fractured and release said other side of said closure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification