Invisible airbag door having reinforced PVC shell
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An invisible airbag door arrangement for providing an opening in a decorative panel for the deployment of an airbag that is covered by the decorative panel comprising;
- a substrate that is adapted for securement between a deflated airbag and the decorative panel covering the deflated airbag and that defines an opening for deployment of the airbag,at least one door that is connected to the substrate for swinging from a closed position behind the decorative panel to an open position extending through the decorative panel, anda rupturable thermoplastic shell covering the substrate and the door,the plastic shell being reinforced with an adhesive coating that is flexible and remains pliable throughout the operational temperature range of the invisible airbag door, and that is equal to at least about 40% the thickness of the shell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An invisible airbag door arrangement is integrated into a decorative automotive instrument panel to create an opening for airbag deployment. The arrangement comprises two self hinging sheet metal doors that are attached to a substrate frame and a cast polyvinyl chloride thermoplastic (PVC) shell that forms part of the decorative covering of the instrument panel. The back side of the PVC shell is reinforced with a urethane adhesive coating that also the bonds PVC shell to a layer of elastomeric urethane foam that is foamed in place beneath the PVC shell.
61 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An invisible airbag door arrangement for providing an opening in a decorative panel for the deployment of an airbag that is covered by the decorative panel comprising;
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a substrate that is adapted for securement between a deflated airbag and the decorative panel covering the deflated airbag and that defines an opening for deployment of the airbag, at least one door that is connected to the substrate for swinging from a closed position behind the decorative panel to an open position extending through the decorative panel, and a rupturable thermoplastic shell covering the substrate and the door, the plastic shell being reinforced with an adhesive coating that is flexible and remains pliable throughout the operational temperature range of the invisible airbag door, and that is equal to at least about 40% the thickness of the shell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 22)
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10. An invisible airbag door arrangement for providing an opening in a decorative panel for the deployment of an airbag that is covered by the decorative panel comprising;
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a substrate that is adapted for securement between a deflated airbag and the decorative panel covering the deflated airbag and that defines an opening for deployment of the airbag, at least one door that is connected to the substrate for swinging from a closed position behind the decorative panel to an open position extending through the decorative panel, and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shell covering the substrate and the door, the PVC shell being reinforced with an adhesive coating that is flexible and remains pliable throughout an operational temperature range from about -20 degrees fahrenheit to about 170 degrees fahrenheit to reduce fragmentation of the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at low temperatures and to reduce stretching of the PVC shell and the time required to rupture the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at high temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An invisible airbag door arrangement for providing an opening in a decorative panel for the deployment of an airbag that is covered by the decorative panel comprising;
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a substrate that is adapted for securement between a deflated airbag and the decorative panel covering the deflated airbag and that defines an opening for deployment of the airbag, at least one door that is connected to the substrate for swinging from a closed position behind the decorative panel to an open position extending through the decorative panel, and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shell covering the substrate and the door, the PVC shell being reinforced with a thermosetting urethane adhesive that cures to form a non-porous coating on the back side of the PVC shell that is flexible and remains pliable throughout an operational temperature range from about -20°
F. to about 170°
F. to reduce fragmentation of the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at low temperatures and to reduce stretching of the PVC shell and the time required to rupture the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at high temperatures,the coating being cut through and the back side of the PVC shell being scored or notched to provide weakened areas or tear lines that define an area for creating an airbag opening in the PVC shell, and an elastomeric urethane foam layer that is bonded to the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shell by the urethane adhesive coating.
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20. An invisible airbag door arrangement for providing an opening in a decorative panel for the deployment of an airbag that is covered by the decorative panel comprising;
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a substrate that is adapted for securement between a deflated airbag and the decorative panel covering the deflated airbag and that defines an opening for deployment of the airbag, at least one door that is connected to the substrate for swinging from a closed position behind the decorative panel to an open position extending through the decorative panel, and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shell covering the substrate and the door, the PVC shell being reinforced with a thermosetting urethane adhesive that cures to form a non-porous coating on the back side of the PVC shell that is flexible and remains pliable throughout an operational temperature range from about -20°
F. to about 170°
F. to reduce fragmentation of the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at low temperatures and to reduce stretching of the PVC shell and the time required to rupture the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at high temperatures,the coating being cut through and the back side of the PVC shell being scored or notched to provide weakened areas or tear lines that define an area for creating an airbag opening in the PVC shell, an elastomeric urethane foam layer that is bonded to the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shell by the urethane adhesive coating, and the PVC shell having a thickness in a range from about 0.030 inches to about 0.050 inches and the urethane adhesive coating having a thickness in a range from about 0.020 inches to about 0.040 inches.
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21. An invisible airbag door arrangement for providing an opening in a decorative panel for the deployment of an airbag that is covered by the decorative panel comprising;
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a substrate that is adapted for securement between a deflated airbag and a decorative panel covering the deflated airbag and that defines an opening for deployment of the airbag; at least one door that is connected to the substrate for swinging from a closed position behind the decorative panel to an open position extending through the decorative panel, and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shell covering the substrate and the door, the PVC shell being reinforced with an adhesive coating that is flexible and remains pliable throughout an operational temperature range from about -20 degrees fahrenheit to about 170 degrees fahrenheit to reduce fragmentation of the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at low temperatures and to reduce stretching of the PVC shell and the time required to rupture the PVC shell when the airbag is deployed at high temperatures, and the PVC shell having a thickness in a range from about 0.030 inches to about 0.050 inches and the urethane adhesive coating having a thickness in a range from about 0.020 inches to about 0.040 inches.
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23. An invisible airbag door arrangement for providing an opening in a decorative panel for the deployment of an airbag that is covered by the decorative panel comprising;
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a substrate that is adapted for securement between a deflated airbag and a decorative panel covering the deflated airbag and that defines an opening for deployment of the airbag, at least one door that is connected to the substrate for swinging from a closed position behind the decorative panel to an open position extending through the decorative panel, and a polyvinyl chloride shell covering the substrate and the door that has a thickness in a range from about 0.030 inches to about 0.050 inches, and the shell being reinforced with an adhesive coating that has a thickness in a range from about 0.020 inches to about 0.040 inches. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification