Abstract: A trim element having a visible side (12) formed of a skin (10), the element includes a skin (10) laid on a plastic foam (24) bonded to the skin by a continuous bonding layer (26) formed spontaneously at the skin-foam interface during the foaming operation, the skin (10) has a preferential rupture initiator comprising at least one scored feature. Throughout the region in which the scored feature lays, the bonding layer (26) is in contact only with the skin (10) and the foam (24), and, at the scored feature and in the direction of the thickness of the skin, the bonding layer (26) is laid over the opening with a thickness very much smaller than the depth of the scored feature.

Abstract: The invention relates to a trim element. It relates to a trim element having a visible side (12) formed of a skin (10), the element comprising a skin (10) laid on a plastic foam (24) bonded to the skin by a continuous bonding layer (26) formed spontaneously at the skin-foam interface during the foaming operation, the skin (10) having a preferential rupture initiator comprising at least one scored feature. Throughout the region in which the scored feature lays, the bonding layer (26) is in contact only with the skin (10) and the foam (24), and, at the scored feature and in the direction of the thickness of the skin, the bonding layer (26) is laid over the opening with a thickness very much smaller than the depth of the scored feature. Application to the interior trim of motor vehicles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a trim element. It relates to a trim element having a visible side (12) formed of a skin (10), the element comprising a skin (10) laid on a plastic foam (24) bonded to the skin by a continuous bonding layer (26) formed spontaneously at the skin-foam interface during the foaming operation, the skin (10) having a preferential rupture initiator comprising at least one scored feature. Throughout the region in which the scored feature lays, the bonding layer (26) is in contact only with the skin (10) and the foam (24), and, at the scored feature and in the direction of the thickness of the skin, the bonding layer (26) is laid over the opening with a thickness very much smaller than the depth of the scored feature. Application to the interior trim of motor vehicles.

Abstract: The invention concerns a ventilating cross-member, and more precisely it concerns a method for making a ventilating cross-member comprising a metal beam (10) and a duct (16) designed to connect two openings (12, 14) between which it follows a winding path. The method includes making a beam (10) which delimits an enclosing volume for receiving the duct between the two openings (12, 14), making the duct (16) which is specifically reversibly deformable between a working state and a retracted inserting state, placing the duct (16) in its inserting state, inserting the duct (16) in the beam (10) through an opening (12, 14) thereof, and placing the duct (16) in its working state. The invention is applicable to motor vehicles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a facia panel for allowing an inflated airbag to pass through. In accordance with the invention, a composite finished part includes a support element made of plastic and having a reduced thickness in comparison to its other dimensions, and a connecting sheet joined to the support element and not extending over the whole surface of the support element. The part presents a special zone which forms a door for an airbag and is designed to make it possible to create a passageway for the airbag. The zone is delimited by a periphery constituted by an embrittled portion presenting two extremities and by an articulating portion which defines, between the two extremities, a articulation axis overlapped by the connecting sheet. The connecting sheet is present over the greater part of the special zone present, along at least the major part of the embrittled portion end on either side of the embrittled portion, and encompassed in the support element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dashboard cross-member for a motor vehicle, the cross-member comprising a tubular metal structural element assembled to the front pillars of the motor vehicle and at least one air flow duct of plastics material for transporting air to the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and having at least one segment disposed inside the metal structural element. According to the invention, the metal structural element comprises two assembled-together metal half-shells, and the air flow duct is independent of the two half-shells and has at least a fraction of its segment disposed inside the metal structural element subjected to elastic stress in at least one transverse direction, so that it is pressed at at least two opposite points against the inside face of the structural element under the action of the reaction force against said elastic stress.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dashboard cross-member for a motor vehicle, the cross-member comprising a tubular metal structural element assembled to the front pillars of the motor vehicle and at least one air flow duct of plastics material for transporting air to the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and having at least one segment disposed inside the metal structural element. According to the invention, the metal structural element comprises two assembled-together metal half-shells, and the air flow duct is independent of the two half-shells and has at least a fraction of its segment disposed inside the metal structural element subjected to elastic stress in at least one transverse direction, so that it is pressed at at least two opposite points against the inside face of the structural element under the action of the reaction force against said elastic stress.

Abstract: The invention relates to a facia panel for allowing an inflated airbag to pass through. In accordance with the invention, a composite finished part includes a support element made of plastic and having a reduced thickness in comparison to its other dimensions, and a connecting sheet joined to the support element and not extending over the whole surface of the support element. The part presents a special zone which forms a door for an airbag and is designed to make it possible to create a passageway for the airbag. The zone is delimited by a periphery constituted by an embrittled portion presenting two extremities and by an articulating portion which defines, between the two extremities, a articulation axis overlapped by the connecting sheet. The connecting sheet is present over the greater part of the special zone present, along at least the major part of the embrittled portion end on either side of the embrittled portion, and encompassed in the support element.

Abstract: The invention relates in particular to a facia panel designed to make it possible for an airbag to pass through it at the time the airbag is inflated. In accordance with the invention, the part includes a plastic support element (8) having a reduced thickness in comparison to its other dimensions; a connecting sheet (6) joined to the support element; the part presenting a special zone (15) which forms a door and is designed to make it possible to create a passageway, the zone being delimited by a periphery constituted by an embrittled portion (14) presenting two extremities of an articulating portion which defines, between the two extremities, an articulation axis overlapped by the sheet; along at least the major part of the embrittled portion, the sheet is present on either side of the embrittled portion; and the sheet is present over the greater part of the special zone.

Abstract: A process for substantially covering with at least one non-rigid decorative foil a visible face of a support part of plastic material, so as to obtain a finished part including a decorative inset, including the steps of a) inserting into the mould the foil having a decorative area with the foil having a decorative area, intended to form the inset, and a further area, b) closing the mould at least partially by moving the two mould parts together such that the foil creates a continuous separation of the moulding cavity into a first space and a second space, c) inside the moulding cavity, cutting at least one aperture in the foil at the location of the further area, such that the first and second spaces of the cavity are placed in fluid communication by the at least one aperture which henceforth interrupts the separation between these two spaces so as to enable the plastic material to pass through the at least one aperture, leaving a cut end of the foil in the moulding cavity, d) before and/or after steps b) and