Air bag cover/molded article with integral cover layer of leather

• US 5,335,935 A
• Filed: 08/31/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Plastic Molded Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plastic Molded Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Sarver, Theodore M., Boehlke, Donald W., Proos, Gary K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US07/940,206
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728 B, 280/728 R, 280/730 R, 280/731, 280/732, 280/743, 280/752, 428/43, 428/217
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0057 Moulding single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines folding lines B29C53/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0053 combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping injection-compression moulding B29C45/561
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14311 using means for bonding the coating to the articles B29C45/14795 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14778 the article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/372 provided with means for marking or patterning, e.g. numbering articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2711/08 Leather
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2715/006 Glues or adhesives, e.g. hot melts or thermofusible adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3038 Air bag covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/71 Processes of shaping by shrinking

Abstract

A molded air bag cover for vehicle supplemental occupant restraint systems includes a resinous plastic top wall having a leather or other covering layer bonded thereto and a securing member for attaching the cover to the vehicle. A frangible tear pattern in the covered top wall allows separation for air bag deployment. The tear pattern has a reduced thickness provided by an indented tear seam in the leather or other covering inner surface and an aligned groove in the resinous top wall. A method for making air bag covers includes enclosing leather or other covering material in a mold, advancing a projection on a mold portion against the covering material to form a tear seam, and injecting moldable material behind the covering material to form a backing layer bonded to the material while forming an aligned groove. Embossing a desired pattern in the leather or covering material with a design in the mold cavity is also disclosed. An article and method for molding leather covered, resinous articles having designs, indicia or enhanced leather graining embossed during molding are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A cover for housing an occupant restraint air bag in a vehicle, said cover comprising:

a top wall having an outer surface adapted to face toward the interior of a vehicle when installed and an inner surface, a side wall extending at an angle and joined to said top wall and having outer and inner surfaces, and at least one securing member on said top wall for attaching said cover to a fixed vehicle portion over an inflatable air bag, at least said top wall and side wall being molded from resinous, plastic material;

said top and side wall outer surfaces being covered with and joined to a layer of natural leather, said leather layer being a preformed, preshrunk, preshaped leather piece including a top portion and a side portion, said leather layer extending from said top portion to said side portion such that it generally conforms to the desired shape of said cover prior to joining to said top wall and side wall, having an exposed surface and an interior surface, and including a frangible tear seam formed in a desired tear pattern on said interior surface, said tear seam including an indentation forming a reduced thickness portion along said tear pattern in said leather layer;

said top wall having a groove defining a reduced thickness area aligned and in registry with said indentation of said tear seam along said frangible tear pattern;

said resinous plastic material of said top and side wall outer surfaces being securely bonded and joined to said interior surface of said leather layer including said top and side portions during molding of said top and side walls, said top wall extending into said tear seam indentation and bonded to said indentation therewithin whereby said leather layer is smoothly and uniformly attached to said top and side walls without substantial distortion and said cover is frangible along said tear pattern through said aligned tear seam indentation and top wall groove for separation to release the air bag when pressure is applied to said top wall inner surface inflation of the air bag.

2. The cover of claim 1 including an indented groove on said exposed leather surface, said groove extending along and being co-extensive with at least a portion of said tear seam.

3. The cover of claim 2 wherein said exposed leather surface is embossed during manufacture with a predetermined pattern which remains visible in said exterior leather surface.

4. The cover of claim 3 wherein said predetermined pattern is a leather grain to enhance the appearance of the natural grain of said exposed surface of said leather layer.

5. The cover of claim 1 wherein said aligned tear seam and reduced top wall thickness includes a series of spaced perforations therealong to facilitate separation of said cover along said tear seam pattern.

6. The cover of claim 1 wherein said top wall is molded against said leather interior surface, said interior surface of said leather layer including an adhesive primer which promotes adherence and bonding of said leather to said top and side wall outer surfaces.

7. The cover of claim 1 wherein said top wall includes a periphery, said side wall forming said securing member, said side wall extending from said top wall periphery to form a box-like cover having a open bottom;

said side wall including at least one opening therethrough for attaching said cover to a fixed vehicle portion.

8. The cover of claim 7 wherein said tear pattern of said aligned tear seam and groove are in a shape selected from the group consisting of 1) a line, 2) an H, and 3) an X.

9. The cover of claim 7 wherein said side wall includes an inturned flange, said leather layer extending around and covering at least a portion of said inturned flange.

10. The cover of claim 9 wherein said opening extends through said inturned flange including said leather layer thereon.

11. The cover of claim 1 wherein said securing member is a securing flange extending away from said top wall inner surface, said securing flange including at least one opening therethrough for attaching said cover to a fixed vehicle portion.

12. The cover of claim 11 wherein said securing flange includes a reduced thickness area extending generally parallel to said top wall and adapted to separate when said tear seam and reduced thickness top wall area are separated by the air bag inflation.

13. The cover of claim 11 including at least a pair of said securing flanges, each of said flanges extending generally transverse to said tear seam including a groove extending generally parallel to said top wall and defining a reduced thickness area adapted to separate when said tear seam and reduced thickness top wall area are separated by the air bag inflation.

14. The cover of claim 11 wherein said top wall includes a periphery, said securing flange being spaced inwardly from said periphery on said top wall inner surface.

15. The cover of claim 11 wherein said top wall includes a periphery, said securing flange being an extension of said side wall and aligned with said periphery.

16. The cover of claim 1 wherein said top wall is molded from a material selected from the group consisting of 1) polypropylene, 2) polystyrene, 3) acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), 4) thermoplastic olefin (TPO), 5) thermoplastic urethane (TPU), 6) polyphenylene oxide (PPO), and 7) Kraton (T. M.).

17. A cover for housing an occupant restraint air bag in a vehicle, said cover comprising:

a top wall having an outer surface adapted to face toward the interior of a vehicle when installed and an inner surface, a side wall extending at an angle and joined to said top wall and having outer and inner surfaces, and at least one securing member on said top wall for attaching said cover to a fixed vehicle portion over an inflatable air bag, at least said top wall and side wall being molded from resinous, plastic material;

said top and side wall outer surfaces being covered with and joined to a layer of natural leather, said leather layer being a preformed, preshrunk, preshaped leather piece including a top portion and a side portion, said leather layer extending from said top portion to said side portion such that it generally conforms to the desired shape of said cover prior to joining to said top wall and side wall, having an exposed surface and an interior surface, and including a frangible tear seam formed in a desired tear pattern on said interior surface, said tear seam having an indentation forming a reduced thickness portion in said leather layer;

said top wall having a groove defining a reduced thickness area aligned and in registry with said indentation of said tear seam;

said resinous plastic material of said top and side wall outer surfaces being securely bonded and joined to said interior surface of said leather layer including said top and side portions during molding of said top and side walls, said top wall extending into said tear seam indentation and bonded to said indentation therewithin whereby said leather layer is smoothly and uniformly attached to said top and side walls without substantial distortion and said cover is frangible along said tear pattern through said aligned tear seam indentation and top wall groove for separation to release the air bag when pressure is applied to said top wall inner surface upon inflation of said air bag;

an indented groove on said exposed leather surface, said groove extending along and being co-extensive with at least a portion of said tear seam;

said exposed leather surface being embossed during manufacture with a predetermined pattern which remains visible in said exposed leather surface;

said predetermined pattern being a leather grain to enhance the appearance of the natural grain of said exposed surface of said leather layer;

said aligned tear seam and reduced top wall thickness including a series of spaced perforations therealong to facilitate separation of said cover along said tear seam pattern.

18. The cover of claim 17 wherein said top wall inner surface includes said groove and at least one additional reduced thickness area spaced from said groove to define a hinge area in said cover.

19. The cover of claim 17 wherein said top wall is molded against said leather interior surface, said interior surface of said leather layer including an adhesive primer which promotes adherence and bonding of said leather to said top and side wall outer surfaces.

20. A cover for housing an occupant restraint air bag in a vehicle, said cover comprising:

a top wall having an outer surface adapted to face toward the interior of a vehicle when installed and an inner surface, a side wall extending at an angle and joined to said top wall and having outer and inner surfaces, and at least one securing member extending from said top wall for attaching said cover to a fixed vehicle portion over an inflatable air bag, said top wall and side wall and securing member being molded in one piece from a moldable, resinous material;

said top and side wall outer surfaces being covered and integrally joined by molding to the interior surface of a layer of natural leather having an exposed surface and an interior surface, said natural leather layer being in the form of a preformed leather piece which is preshrunk and preshaped and including a top portion and a peripheral side portion, said preformed leather layer extending from said top portion to said side portion such that it is shaped to the desired shape of said cover prior to being joined to said top wall, said preformed leather layer having a tear seam formed in a desired tear pattern on said interior surface, said tear seam including an indentation forming a reduced thickness portion along said tear pattern in said preformed leather layer;

said top wall inner surface having a groove defining a reduced thickness area aligned and in registry with said indentation of said tear seam along said tear pattern;

said resinous plastic material of said top and side wall outer surfaces being molded to and bonded with said tear seam indentation and to said interior surface of said preformed leather layer including said top and peripheral side portions such that said top wall extends into said tear seam indentation and is bonded to said indentation therewithin whereby said leather layer is smoothly and uniformly secured to said top and side walls without substantial distortion and said cover is frangible along said tear pattern through said aligned tear seam indentation and top wall groove to release the air bag when pressure is applied to said top wall inner surface upon inflation of the air bag.

21. The cover of claim 20 wherein said interior surface of said leather layer includes an adhesion promoting primer which promotes adherence and bonding of said leather to said top and side wall outer surfaces.

22. A molded resinous plastic article having a covering layer of leather having a predetermined pattern therein, said article comprising:

a natural leather covering layer having inside and outside surfaces and a backing layer molded from resinous, plastic material securely joined to said inside leather surface during molding, said leather covering layer being a preformed leather piece which is preshaped and preshrunk using heat and includes a top portion and a side portion, said leather extending from said top portion to said side portion such that it generally conforms to the desired shape of said article prior to molding of said backing layer;

said outside leather layer surface having a leather graining pattern embossed therein and exposed for viewing on said article to provide a naturally appearing leather grain while helping to hide surface imperfections in said leather;

said inside leather layer surface having leather strands, filaments and projections thereon which are securely embedded within said resinous backing layer during molding such that said leather layer and resinous backing layer are strongly bonded to one another during molding.

23. The article of claim 22 wherein said outside leather layer surface also includes indicia embossed therein during molding.

24. The article of claim 22 wherein said inside surface of said leather layer includes an adhesive primer which promotes adherence and bonding of said leather to said backing layer.

25. A cover for housing an occupant restraint air bag in a vehicle, said cover comprising:

a top wall having an outer surface adapted to face toward the interior of a vehicle when installed and an inner surface, a side wall extending at an angle and joined to said top wall and having outer and inner surfaces, and at least one securing member on said top wall for attaching said cover to a fixed vehicle portion over an inflatable air bag, at least said top wall and side wall being molded from resinous plastic material;

a natural leather covering layer extending over and securely joined to said resinous, plastic top and side walls during molding of said top and side walls and having inside and outside surfaces, said leather covering layer being a preformed leather piece which is preshaped and preshrunk using heat and includes a top portion and a side portion, said leather extending from said top portion to said side portion such that it generally conforms to the desired shape of said cover prior to molding of said top and side walls, said inside surface of said leather layer having strands, filaments and projections thereon which are securely embedded within said resinous top and side walls during molding such that said leather covering layer and said resinous top wall are securely bonded to one another during molding with said top and side walls forming a backing layer for said leather covering layer;

at least one of said top wall and said leather covering layer having a reduced thickness portion defining a desired frangible tear pattern in said cover whereby said cover is frangible along said tear pattern to release the air bag when pressure is applied to said top wall inner surface upon inflation of the air bag.

26. The cover of claim 25 wherein said outside surface of said leather covering layer includes a leather graining pattern embossed therein and exposed for viewing on said cover to provide a naturally appearing leather grain while helping to hide surface imperfections in said leather layer.

27. A molded resinous plastic article having a covering layer of leather comprising:

a natural leather covering layer having inside and outside surfaces and a backing layer molded from resinous, plastic material securely joined to said inside leather surface during molding, said leather covering layer being a preformed leather piece which is preshaped and preshrunk and includes a top portion and a side portion, said leather extending from said top portion to said side portion such that it generally conforms to the desired shape of said article prior to molding of said backing layer;

said inside leather layer surface being securely bonded to said resinous backing layer during molding whereby said leather layer is smoothly and uniformly attached to said backing layer without substantial distortion.