Interior panels including substrates with inserts for defining integrated airbag deployment doors for motor vehicles and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10369953-B2
Application number	US-201514695679-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2015
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

Interior panels having integrated airbag deployment doors for motor vehicles and methods for making such interior panels are provided. In one example, an interior panel for a motor vehicle includes a substrate. The substrate includes a substrate section and an insert. The insert is disposed in the substrate section such that a frangible tear seam is formed along an interface between the insert and the substrate section defining an integrated airbag deployment door in the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An interior panel for a motor vehicle comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a substrate section; and
an insert disposed in the substrate section such that a frangible tear seam is formed along an interface between the insert and the substrate section defining an integrated airbag deployment door in the substrate,
wherein the substrate has an outer surface and an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface and has a beveled outer edge that extends along the interface and that is at an incline at an angle from the inner surface towards the outer surface, the integrated airbag deployment door is disposed in the substrate section laterally adjacent to the insert, and the insert extends longitudinally along a door flap shape-defining direction and is defined by projection of an optionally variable cross-section along the door flap shape-defining direction, and wherein the optionally variable cross-section has an airbag deployment door facing sidewall which extends along the interface at the incline such that at least a portion of the optionally variable cross-section that faces the integrated airbag deployment door tapers inwardly from the inner surface towards the outer surface, and

wherein the optionally variable cross-section has an outer sidewall facing opposite the airbag deployment door facing sidewall, and wherein the outer sidewall defines an interlock step for securing the insert to the substrate section during airbag deployment.

2. The interior panel of claim 1 , wherein the integrated airbag deployment door has a beveled outer edge matchingly interfacing with the airbag deployment door facing sidewall.

3. The interior panel of claim 1 , wherein the angle at which the airbag deployment door facing sidewall extends from the inner surface towards the outer surface is from 91 to 135 degrees.

4. The interior panel of claim 1 , wherein the optionally variable cross-section is configured as a variable substantially L-shaped cross-section.

5. The interior panel of claim 1 , wherein the optionally variable cross-section has an intermediate upper section that is disposed between and spaced apart from the outer surface and the inner surface of the substrate.

6. The interior panel of claim 1 , wherein the door flap shape-defining direction is configured to define a substantially U-shaped integrated airbag deployment door.

7. An interior panel for a motor vehicle comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a substrate section; and
an insert disposed in the substrate section such that a frangible tear seam is formed along an interface between the insert and the substrate section defining an integrated airbag deployment door in the substrate,
wherein the substrate has an outer surface and an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface and has a beveled outer edge that extends along the interface and that is at an incline at an angle from the inner surface towards the outer surface, the integrated airbag deployment door is disposed in the substrate section laterally adjacent to the insert, and the insert extends longitudinally along a door flap shape-defining direction and is defined by projection of an optionally variable cross-section along the door flap shape-defining direction, and wherein the optionally variable cross-section has an airbag deployment door facing sidewall which extends along the interface at the incline such that at least a portion of the optionally variable cross-section that faces the integrated airbag deployment door tapers inwardly from the inner surface towards the outer surface, and wherein
the optionally variable cross-section has a base section that is generally planar with the inner surface of the substrate section and the insert has a down standing rib that extends from the base section.

8. The interior panel of claim 7 , further comprising a chute operatively coupled to the insert along the base section laterally adjacent to the integrated airbag deployment door.

9. An interior panel for a motor vehicle comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a substrate section; and
an insert disposed in the substrate section such that a frangible tear seam is formed along an interface between the insert and the substrate section defining an integrated airbag deployment door in the substrate,
wherein the substrate has an outer surface and an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface and has a beveled outer edge that extends along the interface and that is at an incline at an angle from the inner surface towards the outer surface, the integrated airbag deployment door is disposed in the substrate section laterally adjacent to the insert, and the insert extends longitudinally along a door flap shape-defining direction and is defined by projection of an optionally variable cross-section along the door flap shape-defining direction, and wherein the optionally variable cross-section has an airbag deployment door facing sidewall which extends along the interface at the incline such that at least a portion of the optionally variable cross-section that faces the integrated airbag deployment door tapers inwardly from the inner surface towards the outer surface, and wherein
the insert has a plurality of standoffs that extend from the intermediate upper section of the insert to the outer surface of the substrate.

10. The interior panel of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of standoffs are spaced apart from each other a distance of from 15 to 75 mm.

Assignees

• Faurecia Interior Systems Inc

Inventors

• Twork Michael J
• Kusky Bradley P

Classifications

• B29C45/14

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C45/1671 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R21/2165 Primary

  characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening · CPC title

• B29C45/0081

  of objects with parts connected by a thin section, e.g. hinge, tear line · CPC title

• B60R21/215

  characterised by the covers for the inflatable member {(B60R21/2176 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29L2031/3041

  Trim panels · CPC title