Airbag cover
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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Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag cover and method is disclosed. The cover comprises a laminate formed from a thermoplastic substrate base layer, a foamed thermoplastic intermediate layer and a thermoplastic decorative foil layer, wherein a panel for permitting release of an airbag is outlined in the cover by laser cuts extending into the laminate from said base layer, said laser cuts having a substantially uniform depth into the laminate.
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Citations
18 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification