Deployment door assembly

• US 5,615,908 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 04/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huron Plastics Group Incorporated, TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Huron Plastics Group Incorporated, TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Barton, Richard J., Klomhaus, Jamie L., Meyers, Gary M., Phillion, Jack A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/478,711
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.3, 280/728.2, 280/732, 280/731, 280/730.1, 280/728.1, 280/752
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

A deployment door assembly (28) covers an inflatable air bag (12) contained in a reaction canister (24) mounted in a vehicle (16). The deployment door assembly (28) includes first and second continuous pieces of plastic material. The first piece defines a substrate (50) having a panel portion (56), first wall portions (170-174), and second wall portions (180-188). The panel portion (56) closes an opening (49) in the vehicle (16), and defines boundaries of a deployment door (32). The first wall portions (170-174) extend across the deployment door (32), and project inward from the deployment door (32). The second wall portions (180-188) surround the deployment door (32), and direct the inflating air bag (12) to move outward from the reaction canister (24) toward and against the first wall portions (170-174). The second continuous piece of plastic material defines an outer layer (52) which covers the substrate (50) in overlying surface contact. An outer side surface (72) of the outer layer (52) continues the trim theme of the vehicle (16) across and around the deployment door (32).

Claims

1. Apparatus for covering an inflatable occupant restraint contained in a canister in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a first continuous piece of plastic material defining a substrate, said substrate having a panel portion, first wall portions, and second wall portions;

said panel portion comprising means for closing an opening in the vehicle, said panel portion having a peripheral edge surface and including means for defining boundaries of a deployment door which is spaced fully from said peripheral edge surface, said panel portion further having oppositely facing inner and outer side surfaces bounded by said peripheral edge surface and extending across and around said deployment door;

said first wall portions extending across said deployment door and projecting inward from said inner side surface at said deployment door;

said second wall portions comprising means for directing the inflatable restraint to move outward from the canister toward and against said first wall portions when the inflatable restraint is inflating, said second wall portions projecting inward from said inner side surface and surrounding said deployment door; and

a second continuous piece of plastic material defining an outer layer having oppositely facing inner and outer side surfaces, said inner side surface of said outer layer covering said outer side surface on said substrate in overlying surface contact, said outer side surface of said outer layer comprising means for continuing a trim theme of the vehicle across and around said deployment door;

said substrate further having mounting portions comprising means for mounting said apparatus on the vehicle at locations spaced from the canister, said mounting portions projecting inward from said panel portion at locations between said wall portions and said peripheral edge surface;

said mounting portions of said substrate comprising mounting bosses projecting inward from said panel portion along respective central axes, said axes being parallel to each other and inclined from a vertical line at a first angle, each of said first wall portions being inclined from a vertical plane at a second angle equal to said first angle.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a pair of said second wall portions are inclined from a vertical plane at a third angle equal to said first and second angles.

3. Apparatus for covering an inflatable occupant restraint contained in a canister in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a part having a panel portion, first wall portions, second wall portions, and mounting portions;

said panel portion comprising means for closing an opening in the vehicle, said panel portion having a peripheral edge surface and including a deployment door spaced fully from said peripheral edge surface;

said first wall portions extending across said deployment door and projecting inward from said panel portion;

said second wall portions surrounding said deployment door and projecting inward from said panel portion;

said mounting portions comprising means for mounting said part on the vehicle at locations spaced from the canister, said mounting portions projecting inward from said panel portion at locations between said second wall portions and said peripheral edge surface;

said mounting portions comprising mounting bosses projecting inward from said panel portion along respective central axes, said axes being parallel to each other and inclined from a vertical line at a first angle, each of said first wall portions being inclined from a vertical plane at a second angle equal to said first angle.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein a pair of said second wall portions are inclined from a vertical plane at a third angle equal to said first and second angles.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said second wall portions intersect said panel portion at locations where said panel portion has a first thickness, each of said second wall portions having a lesser thickness and being continuous with said panel portion throughout a distance which is measured across said lesser thickness and which is not greater than 60 percent of said first thickness.

6. Apparatus for covering an inflatable occupant restraint contained in a canister in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a continuous piece of a first plastic material defining a substrate, said substrate having a panel portion comprising means for closing an opening in the vehicle, said panel portion of said substrate having a peripheral edge surface and including means for defining boundaries of a deployment door which is spaced fully from said peripheral edge surface, and wall portions surrounding said deployment door and projecting inward from said panel portion; and

a continuous piece of a second plastic material defining an outer layer covering said panel portion of said substrate in overlying surface contact with said panel portion, said outer layer comprising means for continuing a trim theme of the vehicle across and around said deployment door;

said wall portions of said substrate intersecting said panel portion at locations where said panel portion has a first thickness, each of said wall portions having a lesser thickness and being continuous with said panel portion throughout a distance which is measured across said lesser thickness and which is not greater than 60 percent of said first thickness.