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Airbag cover

  • US 6,337,461 B1
  • Filed: 10/19/1999
  • Issued: 01/08/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of producing an air bag cover by using a laser to form a line of mechanical weakness in a motor vehicle trim piece or panel, said method comprising the steps of:

  • i) scoring the trim piece from its underside with a laser beam to form a line of mechanical weakness, and ii) forming a plurality of microperforations along said line of mechanical weakness, iii) sensing the energy of the laser beam penetrating each microperforation and utilizing the microperforation as a calibration point to control the energy of the laser between sequential microperforations to thereby maintain a substantially constant thickness of intact material between microperforations along said line of mechanical weakness.

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