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Automotive trim piece and method to form an air bag opening

  • US 5,797,619 A
  • Filed: 05/05/1997
  • Issued: 08/25/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of forming an air bag deployment opening within an expanse of a plastic covering layer of an interior trim piece extending within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, said deployment opening occupying a limited area of said expanse at a particular location within said covering layer expanse, said covering layer overlying a folded air bag stored behind said interior trim piece at said particular location, said covering layer smoothly and uninterruptedly overlying said particular location and adjacent regions of said interior trim piece, the method comprising the steps of preweakening the covering layer after the covering layer is first formed by cutting a groove extending partially into the inside of the covering layer in a deployment opening pattern, said deployment opening pattern occupying a limited area within said trim piece covering layer expanse;

  • and molding a supporting layer of foam against the inside of said covering layer including a region lying beneath said groove cut into the inside of said covering layer, whereby inflation of the air bag causes severing of the covering layer along the groove to form a deployment opening in said covering layer at said particular location within a greater expanse of said plastic covering layer.

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