Deployment door assembly

• US 5,681,051 A
• Filed: 06/05/1995
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Phillion, Jack A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US08/462,805
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.3, 280/728.1, 280/732, 280/731, 280/728.2
• 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) in a vehicle (16). The deployment door assembly (28) is a part which has a panel portion (30), wall portions (180-188), and mounting portions (54). The panel portion (30) closes an opening (49) in the vehicle (16). The panel portion (30) has a peripheral edge surface (80), and includes a deployment door (32) which is spaced fully from the peripheral edge surface (80). The wall portions (180-188) direct the inflating air bag (12) to move outward from the reaction canister (24) toward the deployment door (32). The wall portions (180-188) surround the deployment door (32) and project inward from the panel portion (30). The mounting portions (54) mount the deployment door assembly (28) on the vehicle (16) at locations spaced from the reaction canister (24). The mounting portions (54) project inward from the panel portion (30) at locations between the wall portions (180-188) and the peripheral edge surface (80).

Claims

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

a part having a panel portion, 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 wall portions comprising means for directing the inflatable restraint to move outward from the canister toward said deployment door when the inflatable restraint is inflating, said 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 wall portions and said peripheral edge surface;

said part comprising a continuous piece of a first plastic material which includes said wall portions, said part further comprising a continuous piece of a second, less rigid plastic material which includes said panel portion;

said continuous piece of said second plastic material further including said mounting portions of said part.

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

a part having a panel portion, 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 wall portions comprising means for directing the inflatable restraint to move outward from the canister toward said deployment door when the inflatable restraint is inflating, said 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 wall portions and said peripheral edge surface;

said panel portion of said part including means for defining an elongated stress riser, said stress riser extending partially around said deployment door and being rupturable to define an elongated tear, said stress riser having opposite end portions, each of said end portions extending along a hook-shaped path to a corresponding terminal end of said stress riser;

said panel portion of said part further including means for defining an elongated hinge, said hinge extending longitudinally between said opposite end portions of said stress riser, said part including blocking means for blocking said tear from propagating beyond said terminal ends of said stress riser in directions extending along said hinge;

said blocking means comprising a pair of gussets extending across said hinge at locations adjacent to said opposite end portions of said stress riser.

3. 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 and 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 wall portions comprising means for directing the inflatable restraint to move outward from the canister toward said deployment door when the inflatable restraint is inflating, said wall portions surrounding said deployment door and projecting inward from said panel portion; and

a second continuous piece of plastic material defining an outer layer, said outer layer having oppositely facing inner and outer side surfaces with the same size, shape, and contour, said inner side surface of said outer layer covering said outer side surface of 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 and said outer layer together including means for defining an elongated stress riser, said stress riser extending partially around said deployment door and being rupturable to define an elongated tear, said stress riser having opposite end portions, each of said end portion extending along a hook-shaped path to a corresponding terminal end of said stress riser;

said substrate and said outer layer together including means for defining an elongated hinge, said hinge extending longitudinally between said opposite end portions of said stress riser, said panel portion of said substrate further including blocking means for blocking said tear from propagating beyond said terminal ends of said stress riser in directions extending along said hinge;

said substrate including gussets extending between said panel portion and said wall portions, said blocking means comprising a pair of said gussets which extend across said hinge at locations adjacent to said opposite end portions of said stress riser.

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

a part having a panel portion, 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 wall portions comprising means for directing the inflatable restraint to move outward from the canister toward said deployment door when the inflatable restraint is inflating, said 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 within the opening in the vehicle, said mounting portions projecting inward from said panel portion at locations between said wall portions and said peripheral edge surface;

said panel portion of said part including means for defining an elongated stress riser, said stress riser extending partially around said deployment door and being rupturable to define an elongated tear, said means for defining a stress riser including a recessed surface of said panel portion of said part, said recessed surface defining a groove extending along said stress riser and having opposite end portions at opposite end portions of said stress riser, each of said end portions of said groove having a depth which gradually decreases along the corresponding end portion of said stress riser to reach a depth of zero at a corresponding terminal end of said stress riser.

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

a part having a panel portion, 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 wall portions comprising means for directing the inflatable restraint to move outward from the canister toward said deployment door when the inflatable restraint is inflating, said 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 within the opening in the vehicle, said mounting portions projecting inward from said panel portion at locations between said wall portions and said peripheral edge surface;

said panel portion of said part including means for defining an elongated stress riser, said stress riser extending partially around said deployment door and being rupturable to define an elongated tear, said panel portion of said part further including means for defining an elongated hinge, said hinge extending longitudinally between opposite end portions of said stress riser, said part including blocking means for blocking said tear from propagating beyond said opposite end portions of said stress riser in directions extending along said hinge;

said blocking means projecting inward from said panel portion at locations between said wall portions and said opposite end portions of said stress riser.

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

a part having a panel portion including a deployment door and means for defining an elongated stress riser extending partially around said deployment door, said stress riser being rupturable to define an elongated tear under the influence of said restraint;

said means for defining a stress riser including a recessed surface of said panel portion of said part, said recessed surface defining a groove extending along said stress riser and having opposite end portions at opposite end portions of said stress riser, each of said end portions of said groove having a depth which gradually decreases along the corresponding end portion of said stress riser to reach a depth of zero at a corresponding terminal end of said stress riser.