Knitted fabric comprising inlaid yarns for airbag flap

• US 7,878,528 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LISA Draxlmaier GmbH
• Original Assignee: LISA Drã¤Xlmaier GmbH (Fritz Dräxlmaier Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Dorn, Felix
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gooden, Jr.; Barry
• Application Number:
  US12/176,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20090026740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.3
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21537 characterised by hinges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/216 comprising tether means for limitation of cover motion during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

A hinge for an airbag flap in a motor vehicle. The hinge is formed of a knitted fabric which is connected in a form-fitting manner both to the airbag flap and to regions surrounding the airbag flap. The knitted fabric has a plurality of inlaid or standing yarns arranged at an angle of at least 15° in relation to the longitudinal extension of the hinge-side edge of the airbag flap. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing the hinge is provided where the knitted fabric is arranged in relation to the airbag flap and also the regions surrounding the airbag flap in such a manner that the inlaid or standing yarns are arranged at an angle of at least 15° in relation to the longitudinal extension of the hinge-side edge of the airbag flap. The knitted fabric and at least parts of both the airbag flap and the regions surrounding the airbag flap are sheathed with plastic material so as to form a form-fitting connection.

Claims

1. A hinge for an airbag flap for use in a motor vehicle, the hinge allowing the airbag flap to be folded open or down without tearing the airbag flap in the event of triggering of an airbag arranged below the airbag flap, the hinge comprising:

a knitted fabric sheathed on both surfaces of the knitted fabric by a plastic material and connected in a form-fitting manner both to the airbag flap and to a region adjoining the airbag flap to an instrument panel of the motor vehicle;

wherein, the knitted fabric has a plurality of inlaid or standing yarns arranged at an angle between 15° and

165°

in relation to a longitudinal extension of a hinge-side edge of the airbag flap.

2. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1, wherein all of the inlaid or standing yarns are arranged substantially parallel and at a uniform distance from one another in the knitted fabric.

5. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein a resistance of the inlaid or standing yarns to at least partial extraction from the knitted fabric is greater than a force required to introduce substantial longitudinal stretching into the inlaid or standing yarns.

6. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the inlaid or standing yarns have a coating with a release agent or adhesion promoter for adjusting the adhesiveness of the sheathed plastics material.

7. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the inlaid or standing yarns each have a fineness of at least 500 dtex.

8. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the airbag flap is arranged in an inner lining of the motor vehicle, in a region of the instrument panel.

9. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the hinge prevents folding-down of the airbag flap through a defined angle from a rest position, to prevent contact with a side window or a windscreen of the motor vehicle.

10. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the hinge displays elongation at a tear of at least 40% and at a tear strength of at least 70 N/cm.

11. The hinge according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the hinge is made substantially of a textile.

12. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the inlaid or standing yarns each have a fineness of approximately 2,000 dtex.

13. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the knitted fabric has a mesh structure which consists of loops and has knitted yarns which intersect at an angle of approximately 45°

and loop partly around one another at the respective points of intersection.

14. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 13, wherein the knitted yarns of the knitted fabric each have an average diameter of more than 1.0 mm.

15. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 13, wherein the knitted yarns each have a fineness of approximately 150 dtex to approximately 600 dtex.

16. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 13, wherein the knitted fabric has an additional inlaid or standing yarn in the mesh structure.

17. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 13, wherein the knitted yarns of the knitted fabric each have an average diameter of approximately 1.5 mm.

18. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 13, wherein the plastic material surrounding the knitted fabric by sheathing is provided on top and bottom surfaces of the knitted fabric and also in gaps of the knitted fabric, the gaps formed by the knitted yarns.

19. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 18, wherein the gaps have an average diameter of at least 2.5 mm.

20. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 18, wherein the gaps have an average diameter of at least 3.5 mm.

3. A hinge for an airbag flap for use in a motor vehicle, the hinge allowing the airbag flap to be folded open or down without tearing the airbag flap in the event of triggering of an airbag arranged below the airbag flap, the hinge comprising:

a knitted fabric sheathed on both surfaces of the knitted fabric by a plastic material and connected in a form-fitting manner both to the airbag flap and to a region adjoining the airbag flap to an instrument panel of the motor vehicle;

wherein the knitted fabric has a plurality of inlaid or standing yarns and at least a portion of the inlaid or standing yarns are arranged substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal extension of a hinge-side edge of the airbag flap.

4. The hinge for an airbag flap according to claim 3, wherein all of the plurality of inlaid or standing yarns are arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension of the hinge-side edge of the airbag flap.

21. A method for manufacturing a hinge for an airbag flap for use in a motor vehicle, comprising:

arranging a knitted fabric comprising a plurality of inlaid yarns in relation to the airbag flap and to regions surrounding the airbag flap in such a manner that the inlaid yarns are arranged at an angle between 15° and

165°

in relation to a longitudinal extension of a hinge-side edge of the airbag flap,

sheathing both surfaces of the knitted fabric and at least parts both of the airbag flap and the regions surrounding the airbag flap with plastic material so as to form a form-fitting connection.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the knitted fabric is produced with a fineness of at least 100 dtex.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the knitted fabric is formed with at least 9 meshes per cm.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the knitted fabric is sheathed in an injection-molding machine.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the knitted fabric is knitted and cut to size.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the knitted fabric is subsequently provided with receiving holes for receiving fixing pins of the injection-molding machine.