Instrument panel for air bag

• US 6,065,771 A
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TOYO Tire & Rubber Company Limited (Toyo Tire Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TOYO Tire & Rubber Company Limited (Toyo Tire Corporation)
• Inventors: Yanagihara, Masahiko, Yamaji, Takeshi, Ozaki, Shiro, Yoshioka, Kazuhiko, Kawakubo, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US09/171,300
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.3, 280/728 B, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/007 Forming single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines, weak spots by moulding B29C37/0057; folding lines B29C53/06; in metal articles B21D17/00; by cutting B26D3/08
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3038 Air bag covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21652 the tearing being done or assisted by cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

In order to reconcile the cleaving performance and the quality of appearance of an instrument panel for an bag, an instrument panel is provided having a skin member of a single layer structure, a cleaving section formed by a groove provided on the back of the skin member is composed of a longitudinal cleaving section which is substantially linear and a pair of "V " shaped lateral cleaving sections which are ramified respectively from both ends of the longitudinal cleaving section and which open forward and extend obliquely with respect to the direction of extension of the longitudinal cleaving section. Furthermore, where a skin member of a double-layered structure in which at least a cushion layer is disposed on the back of a skin layer, a door member is formed on the back of a skin member, in which a brittle section is created, as one body there with by injection-molding a resin material and a brittle section of the door member facing the brittle section of the skin member.

Claims

1. An instrument panel for use with an air bag which cleaves to permit deployment of the air bag, the instrument panel comprising:

a skin member having an front surface and a back surface opposite said front surface, and

said skin member having a cleaving section defined on said back surface which cleaves apart as the air bag inflates and applies pressure to said back surface, said cleaving section including;

a longitudinal cleaving section which is a substantially linear groove, defined by said back surface, having inclined groove side surfaces opposing one another, a substantially flat planar groove bottom surface extending between said groove side surfaces, and first and second ends; and

first and second V-shaped lateral cleaving sections which are branching grooves, defined by said back surface, each having inclined branch groove side surfaces opposing one another, a substantially flat planar branch groove bottom surface extending between said groove side surfaces, contiguous with and ramified respectively from said first and second ends extending obliquely with respect to virtual longitudinal extensions of said longitudinal cleaving section extending in a longitudinal direction of said longitudinal cleaving section.

2. The instrument panel for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said cleaving section includes said substantially flat planar groove bottom surface and said substantially flat planar branch groove bottom surfaces forming a ramified bottom portion centered about each of said first and second ends and whereat said substantially flat planar groove bottom surface and said substantially flat planar branch groove bottom surfaces are wider than at adjacent portions thereof to form a substantially triangular shape with sides inversely tapered toward a center of said ramified bottom portion.

3. The instrument panel for an air bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cleaving section includes an initial cleaving section substantially at a longitudinal center thereof whereat said substantially flat planar groove bottom surface is wider than at adjacent portions of said substantially flat planar groove bottom surface outside of said initial cleaving section.

4. The instrument panel for an air bag according to any one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising:

a door member;

a cushion layer formed between said door member and said skin member to form one body by injecting and foaming a foam material between said skin member and said door member which is disposed so as to face toward said skin member and open as the air bag inflates; and

said door member having a projection projecting toward the cleaving section of said skin member so as to effect cleaving of said cleaving section as said air bag inflates and pushes said door open.

5. An instrument panel for use with an air bag which cleaves to permit deployment of the air bag, the instrument panel comprising:

a skin member having an front surface and a back surface opposite said front surface;

said skin member having a cleaving section defined on said back surface which cleaves apart as the air bag inflates and applies pressure to said back surface, said cleaving section including;

a longitudinal cleaving section which is a substantially linear groove, defined by said back surface, having first and second ends; and

first and second V-shaped lateral cleaving sections which are branching grooves, defined by said back surface, each contiguous with and ramified respectively from said first and second ends extending obliquely with respect to virtual longitudinal extensions of said longitudinal cleaving section extending in a longitudinal direction of said longitudinal cleaving section;

a door member;

a cushion layer formed between said door member and said skin member to form one body by injecting and foaming a foam material between said skin member and said door member which is disposed so as to face toward said skin member and open as the air bag inflates;

said door member having a projection projecting toward the cleaving section of said skin member so as to effect cleaving of said cleaving section as said air bag inflates and pushes said door open;

said substantially linear groove including an initial cleaving section substantially at a longitudinal center thereof whereat said substantially linear groove is wider than at adjacent portions of said substantially linear groove outside of said initial cleaving section; and

said projection having at least one initial cleaving projection portion projecting toward said initial cleaving section having a height higher than a remainder of said projection to project closer to said cleaving section than said remainder of said projection.

6. The instrument panel for an air bag according to claim 5, wherein:

said substantially linear groove has inclined groove side surfaces opposing one another, a substantially flat planar groove bottom surface extending between said groove side surfaces; and

said branching grooves each have inclined branch groove side surfaces opposing one another, a substantially flat planar branch groove bottom surface extending between said groove side surfaces.

7. The instrument panel for an air bag according to claim 6, wherein said cleaving section includes said substantially flat planar groove bottom surface and said substantially flat planar branch groove bottom surfaces forming a ramified bottom portion centered about each of said first and second ends and whereat said substantially flat planar groove bottom surface and said substantially flat planar branch groove bottom surfaces are wider than at adjacent portions thereof to form a substantially triangular shape with sides inversely tapered toward a center of said ramified bottom portion.

8. The instrument panel for an air bag according to claim 7, wherein said projection includes at least a second initial cleaving projection portion projecting toward at least and said ramified bottom portion having a height higher than a reminder of said projection, excluding said at least one initial cleaving projection, to project closer to said cleaving section than said remainder of said projection.

9. An instrument panel for use with an air bag which cleaves to permit deployment of the air bag, the instrument panel comprising:

a skin member having a front skin member surface and a back skin member surface, said skin member including a skin layer having a front surface, forming said front skin member surface, and a back surface and at least a cushion layer made of foam resin and disposed on the back surface of said skin layer;

said skin member having a frangible skin section formed in at least said cushion layer, but not in said skin layer, at a part corresponding to an air bag deployment section;

a door member, made of synthetic resin, having a frangible door section at a position corresponding to said air bag deployment section which is formed by a portion of said door member which is thinner than adjacent portions of said door member; and

said skin member being formed as one body with said door member by injection-molding said synthetic resin on said back skin member surface so that said frangible skin section and said frangible door section face each other.

10. The instrument panel for an air bag according to claim 9, wherein said frangible skin section of said skin member is formed by a cut in said cushion layer having a depth not reaching said skin layer.

11. The instrument panel for an air bag according to claim 10, wherein said cut is disposed obliquely with respect to said back skin member surface.

12. An instrument panel for an air bag, comprising:

a skin member having a front skin member surface and a back skin member surface, said skin member including a skin layer having a front surface, forming said front skin member surface, and a back surface and at least a cushion layer made of foam resin and disposed on the back surface of said skin layer;

a door member made of synthetic resin, having a frangible door section at a position corresponding to said air bag deployment section;

said skin member being formed as one body with said door member by injection-molding said synthetic resin of said door member on the back skin member surface of said skin member so said one body has a uniform thicknes;

said door member having a thin door portion, including said frangible door section, which is thinner than adjacent portions of said door member and said skin member having a thick skin member portion, facing said thin door portion, that is thicker than adjacent portions of said skin member.

13. An instrument panel for use with an air bag which cleaves to permit deployment of the air bag, the instrument panel comprising:

a skin member having an front surface and a back surface opposite said front surface;

said skin member having a cleaving section defined on said back surface which cleaves apart as the air bag inflates and applies pressure to said back surface, said cleaving section including;

a longitudinal cleaving section which is a substantially linear groove, defined by said back surface and having first and second ends; and

first and second V-shaped lateral cleaving sections which are branching grooves, defined by said back surface, contiguous with and ramified respectively from said first and second ends extending obliquely with respect to virtual longitudinal extensions of said longitudinal cleaving section extending in a longitudinal direction of said longitudinal cleaving section; and

said cleaving section including said substantially linear groove and said branching grooves forming a ramified portion centered about each of said first and second ends and whereat said substantially linear groove and said branching grooves are wider than at adjacent portions thereof to form a substantially triangular shape with sides inversely tapered toward a center of said ramified portion.

14. The instrument panel for an air bag according claim 13 wherein said cleaving section includes an initial cleaving section substantially at a longitudinal center thereof whereat said substantially linear groove is wider than at adjacent portions of said substantially linear groove outside of said initial cleaving section.

15. An instrument panel for use with an air bag which cleaves to permit deployment of the air bag, the instrument panel comprising:

a skin member having an front surface and a back surface opposite said front surface;

said skin member having a cleaving section defined on said back surface which cleaves apart as the air bag inflates and applies pressure to said back surface, said cleaving section including;

a longitudinal cleaving section which is a substantially linear groove, defined by said back surface and having first and second ends; and

first and second V-shaped lateral cleaving sections which are branching grooves, defined by said back surface, contiguous with and ramified respectively from said first and second ends extending obliquely with respect to virtual longitudinal extensions of said longitudinal cleaving section extending in a longitudinal direction of said longitudinal cleaving section; and

said cleaving section including an initial cleaving section substantially at a longitudinal center thereof whereat said substantially linear groove is wider than at adjacent portions of said substantially linear groove outside of said initial cleaving section.