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Air bag installation using integrated energy device to form trim piece air bag deployment openings

  • US 5,496,059 A
  • Filed: 10/26/1994
  • Issued: 03/05/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In combination, an air bag assembly including an air bag receptacle container, a folded air bag and an inflator device for generating an inflating gas flow, and an initiator circuit for activating said inflator device;

  • an interior trim structure having a substrate panel and a covering layer;

    a deployment opening formed in said interior trim structure substrate panel with a hinge deployment door panel fit in said deployment opening, said covering layer smoothly extending over said deployment door panel and adjacent regions of said substrate panel;

    said air bag receptacle mounted aligned with said deployment opening;

    a flattened tube mounted beneath said covering layer and extending around said deployment opening;

    an outwardly directed cutting edge extending along said flattened tube and located to be forced into said covering layer upon expansion of said flattened tube;

    a gas pressure source activatable to generate a gas flow upon initiation of said air bag inflation; and

    ,a fluid passage connecting said gas pressure source and said flattened tube causing a gas flow into said flattened tube to occur upon initiation of said air bag inflation to cause said flattened tube to expand and said cutting edge to be driven to sever said covering layer about said substrate panel deployment opening.

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