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Airbag cover and apparatus for producing an invisible tear seam therein

  • US 5,288,103 A
  • Filed: 09/28/1992
  • Issued: 02/22/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a cover assembly for an air bag unit deployable into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle through an opening in the cover assembly at a separable hidden tear seam in the cover assembly the improvement comprising:

  • an outer skin having a smooth outer surface;

    means forming a preformed opening in said outer skin;

    said preformed opening having a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the remainder of the outer skin and having a shape conforming to the outlet from the air bag unit;

    and a filler strip within said preformed opening integrally bonded to said outer skin and having an outer surface that joins to the outer surface of the outer skin to form a smooth uninterrupted outer surface extending across all of the outer skin whereby there is no readout of the presence of a air bag unit beneath the outer skin;

    said filler strip being weaker than the remainder of said outer skin whereby it will immediately separate to form an opening upon deployment of the air bag from the air bag unit.

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