초록

An arrangement and method are disclosed for enabling formation of a deployment opening for an air bag in a hard plastic trim piece with or without vinyl cladding in which a hinged reinforcing patch panel is fixedly attached to a section of the hard plastic defined by a preweakening groove pattern.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] In combination with an automotive trim piece mounted in a passenger compartment, said trim piece formed by a hard plastic substrate panel having an outer cosmetic surface treatment on an outer side thereof, an arrangement for forming an air bag deployment door comprising:said subst

[ We claim:] [1.] In combination with an automotive trim piece mounted in a passenger compartment, said trim piece formed by a hard plastic substrate panel having an outer cosmetic surface treatment on an outer side thereof, an arrangement for forming an air bag deployment door comprising:said substrate panel having a section defined by a preweakening groove pattern formed in an inner side of said substrate panel but not extending through said cosmetic surface treatment, said section defining at least in part an air bag deployment door in said substrate panel;a reinforcing patch panel fixedly attached to said inner side of said substrate panel, said patch panel having an inner portion substantially coextensive with said substrate panel section which is fixedly attached thereto all across said substrate panel section to reinforce said substrate panel section, said patch panel also having an outer perimeter portion lying beyond said preweakening groove pattern and immediately beneath adjacent regions of said substrate panel outside said preweakening groove pattern so as to bridge said preweakening groove pattern and to reinforce said substrate panel across said preweakening groove pattern in said substrate panel, said patch panel also having one side fixed to structure anchored in said passenger compartment so as to define a hinging axis.