Supplemental inflatable restraint cover assembly with a perforated substrate
First Claim
1. A cover assembly for concealing a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- a substrate of ductile metal secured beneath a trim panel in a vehicle passenger compartment;
the substrate having a perforated portion that has a plurality of holes that create a lattice of stretchable members, selected ones of the members being weakened to define a door edge that creates a crescent shaped opening in the trim panel for deployment of an airbag when an inflating airbag exerts a predetermined pressure on the perforated portion of the substrate and pushes the lattice outwardly to create a dome.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cover assembly for concealing a supplemental inflatable restraint (SIR) system in a vehicle passenger compartment is formed as an integral part of an automotive instrument panel. The cover assembly has a perforated substrate of ductile metal. The perforations are diamond shaped and form a lattice of stretchable cross members. Selected cross members are weakened to define a door edge. The inflating airbag pushes against the lattice to stretch and deform the cross members so as to create an opening at the door edge for deployment of the airbag into the passenger compartment. The cover assembly includes a decorative vinyl shell and a foam layer between the shell and substrate. The vinyl shell includes weakened sections aligned with the door edge of the substrate.
62 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A cover assembly for concealing a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
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a substrate of ductile metal secured beneath a trim panel in a vehicle passenger compartment; the substrate having a perforated portion that has a plurality of holes that create a lattice of stretchable members, selected ones of the members being weakened to define a door edge that creates a crescent shaped opening in the trim panel for deployment of an airbag when an inflating airbag exerts a predetermined pressure on the perforated portion of the substrate and pushes the lattice outwardly to create a dome. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A cover assembly for concealing a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
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a substrate of ductile metal secured beneath a trim panel in a vehicle passenger compartment; the substrate having a perforated portion that has a plurality of holes that create a lattice of stretchable cross bars, selected ones of the cross bars being weakened to define a door edge that creates a crescent shaped opening in the trim panel for deployment of an airbag when an inflating airbag exerts a predetermined pressure on the perforated portion of the substrate to create a dome. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A cover assembly for concealing a supplement inflatable restraint assembly in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
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a substrate of ductile metal secured beneath a horizontal trim panel in a vehicular passenger compartment; the substrate having a perforated portion that has a pattern of diamond shaped holes which create a lattice of stretchable cross bars, selected ones of the cross bars being weakened to define a door edge that extends in a cross car direction and that creates a crescent shaped opening in the trim panel for deployment of an airbag when the inflating airbag exerts a predetermined pressure on the perforated portion of the substrate to create a dome. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A cover assembly for concealing supplemental inflatable restraint assembly in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
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a substrate of ductile metal secured beneath a horizontal trim panel in a vehicle passenger compartment; the substrate having a perforated portion that has a pattern of diamond shaped holes which create a lattice of cross bars, selected ones of the cross bars being weakened to define a door edge that extends in a cross car direction and that crates an opening in the trim panel for deployment of an airbag when the inflating airbag exerts a predetermined pressure on the perforated portion of the substrate, the diamond shaped holes being elongated and oriented so that their shorter diagonal is in the cross car direction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification