Abstract: An instrument panel for a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle comprises a molded plastic substrate and a skin covering the substrate. The substrate has inner and outer surfaces, and is adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment adjacent a windshield. The inner surface is adapted to receive an air bag chute assembly for deploying an air bag. The inner surface is inscribed by a door groove defining a deployment door at least partially tearing open to expel the air bag. The outer surface is inscribed by a hinge groove following a chord path bisecting the outer surface of the deployment door and configured to bend in response to an edge of the deployment door impacting the windshield. The impact force against the windshield is reduced while stiffness of the door against the air bag remains high to facilitate tearing open of the door by the air bag.

Abstract: An instrument panel for a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle comprises a molded plastic substrate and a skin covering the substrate. The substrate has inner and outer surfaces, and is adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment adjacent a windshield. The inner surface is adapted to receive an air bag chute assembly for deploying an air bag. The inner surface is inscribed by a door groove defining a deployment door at least partially tearing open to expel the air bag. The outer surface is inscribed by a hinge groove following a chord path bisecting the outer surface of the deployment door and configured to bend in response to an edge of the deployment door impacting the windshield. The impact force against the windshield is reduced while stiffness of the door against the air bag remains high to facilitate tearing open of the door by the air bag.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly for an automotive instrument panel is injection molded to form an integral deployment chute, door, and attachment flange, The flange attaches to the instrument panel around an aperture in the instrument panel. The tubular chute extends interiorly from the flange to a lower end configured to receive an inflating air bag from an air bag module and defines a deployment path along a longitudinal axis. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute rotatable from the flange to emerge through the aperture. The flap has an interior side impacted by the inflating air bag carrying a plurality of raised strengthening ribs. The flap has at least one closed-section hollow channel protruding from the interior side to a channel height extending beyond the strengthening ribs formed by gas-assist injection molding.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly for an automotive instrument panel is injection molded to form an integral deployment chute, door, and attachment flange, The flange attaches to the instrument panel around an aperture in the instrument panel. The tubular chute extends interiorly from the flange to a lower end configured to receive an inflating air bag from an air bag module and defines a deployment path along a longitudinal axis. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute rotatable from the flange to emerge through the aperture. The flap has an interior side impacted by the inflating air bag carrying a plurality of raised strengthening ribs. The flap has at least one closed-section hollow channel protruding from the interior side to a channel height extending beyond the strengthening ribs formed by gas-assist injection molding.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly mounts a passenger air bag module to an automotive instrument panel. An outer flange collar of the assembly attaches to the instrument panel and defines a windshield-facing side. A tubular chute extends interiorly from the collar to a lower end that attaches to the air bag module. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute. An S-shaped hinge has a first edge attached to the door flap. An apron extends from the collar laterally into the deployment path from the windshield-facing side. A second edge of the hinge attaches to the apron so that a sweep zone of the door flap is shifted by a distance corresponding to a reduction in a width of the deployment path at the upper end caused by the apron, reducing interference between the flap and a windshield during air bag deployment.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly mounts a passenger air bag module to an automotive instrument panel. An outer flange collar of the assembly attaches to the instrument panel and defines a windshield-facing side. A tubular chute extends interiorly from the collar to a lower end that attaches to the air bag module. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute. An S-shaped hinge has a first edge attached to the door flap. An apron extends from the collar laterally into the deployment path from the windshield-facing side. A second edge of the hinge attaches to the apron so that a sweep zone of the door flap is shifted by a distance corresponding to a reduction in a width of the deployment path at the upper end caused by the apron, reducing interference between the flap and a windshield during air bag deployment.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a housing having a chute defining an opening. A panel is joined with the chute at a first end and extends over the opening to a second end opposite the first end and elevated with respect thereto. A substrate overlies the panel such that the elevated second end is closer to the substrate than the first end, and a foam layer extends from the substrate to the panel.

Abstract: An automobile air bag mounting structure includes a chute defining an opening with a first wall extending from the opening, a cover fully sealing the opening, and a hinge member extending integrally between the first wall and a portion of the cover. The hinge member extends from the first housing wall and to the cover in a direction toward the opening with at least one segment therebetween extending away from the opening.

Abstract: An air bag housing includes a chute defining an upper perimeter with a first wall extending from the upper perimeter and a cover extending over the chute integrally from the upper edge. The cover defines a tear seam extending between opposite portions of the upper perimeter remote from the first wall and a hinge area extending between the opposite portions of the upper perimeter and disposed between the first wall and the tear seam.

Abstract: An air bag housing includes a chute defining an upper perimeter with a first wall extending from the upper perimeter and a cover extending over the chute integrally from the upper edge. The cover defines a tear seam extending between opposite portions of the upper perimeter remote from the first wall and a hinge area extending between the opposite portions of the upper perimeter and disposed between the first wall and the tear seam.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a housing having a chute defining an opening. A panel is joined with the chute at a first end and extends over the opening to a second end opposite the first end and elevated with respect thereto. A substrate overlies the panel such that the elevated second end is closer to the substrate than the first end, and a foam layer extends from the substrate to the panel.

Abstract: An automobile air bag mounting structure includes a chute defining an opening with a first wall extending from the opening, a cover fully sealing the opening, and a hinge member extending integrally between the first wall and a portion of the cover. The hinge member extends from the first housing wall and to the cover in a direction toward the opening with at least one segment therebetween extending away from the opening.

Abstract: An automotive air bag system for a vehicle includes an instrument panel substrate comprised a first moldable thermoplastic characterized by a first melting temperature. The instrument panel substrate has a substantially smooth outer surface for facing a passenger compartment of the vehicle. A chute is comprised a second moldable thermoplastic characterized by a second melting temperature lower than the first melting temperature. The chute includes an in-mold tear seam and a hinge for an air bag deployment door and a passageway for guiding an inflating air bag to the deployment door. The chute is attached to an inner surface of the instrument panel substrate by insert molding in which injection of the first moldable thermoplastic causes a partial melting of the second moldable thermoplastic.

Abstract: An air bag deployment apparatus is provided for use in an air bag deployment system of an automotive vehicle. The apparatus has a support base for attachment to a rear surface of an occupant facing substrate. A door support panel has upper and lower surfaces and four side edges for attachment to the rear surface of the substrate within the area of an air bag deployment door. An air bag chute extends downward from the support base and contains a plurality of skirt walls for defining a path for deployment of an air bag from beneath the substrate. A hinge element extends from one of the skirt walls to one edge of the door support panel wherein the hinge element has upper and lower surfaces joined by a left side surface and a right side surface. At least one of the side surfaces protruding from the skirt wall includes an undercut so that a lower corner of the hinge element forms an obtuse angle, resulting in better transfer of deployment forces through the hinge element.

Abstract: An outer cover layer, for a panel that defines a rupturable deployment door of an air bag deployment system in an automotive vehicle, is formed with an invisible pre-weakened tear seam prior to being overlaid onto the panel. The outer cover layer material is pre-weakened along a defined door opening pattern by a single step impression of a variable depth scoring knife into the under surface of cover layer material. The scoring knife contains a series of cutting edges of varying depth and length along its length that coincides with the seam pattern. The scoring may be performed during the conveyance of the cover layer material by making a single impression of the scoring knife into the lower surface thereof so that the maximum cut depth does not penetrate the outer surface of the material.

Abstract: An air bag deployment apparatus is provided for use in an air bag deployment system of an automotive vehicle. The apparatus has a support base for attachment to a rear surface of an occupant facing substrate. A door support panel has upper and lower surfaces and four side edges for attachment to the rear surface of the substrate within the area of an air bag deployment door. An air bag chute extends downward from the support base and contains a plurality of skirt walls for defining a path for deployment of an air bag from beneath the substrate. A hinge element extends from one of the skirt walls to one edge of the door support panel wherein the hinge element has upper and lower surfaces joined by a left side surface and a right side surface. At least one of the side surfaces protruding from the skirt wall includes an undercut so that a lower corner of the hinge element forms an obtuse angle, resulting in better transfer of deployment forces through the hinge element.

Abstract: An integrated air bag chute structure that provides means for providing automatic interlocking attachment of the chute to the substrate of an instrument panel. By inserting the air bag chute into a substrate aperture and utilizing slots, depressions and notches formed in the chute structure beneath a surrounding flange, the aperture edges are captured and retained to thereby lock the chute in place.

Abstract: An integrated air bag support structure that functions to dissipate excessive energy from a door panel during air bag deployment includes a support base configured to surround a door support panel. An air bag chute tube extends downward from the support base and contains a plurality of skirt walls. The door support panel separated from the support base by a gap on all four sides. A hinge element extends between one of the skirt walls of the air bag chute tube and one edge of the door support panel, and includes a plurality of pivoting elements and an arm extension to absorb energy during deployment.

Abstract: An integrated air bag support structure that includes a support base for attachment to the rear side of a substrate. The support base is configured to surround a door support panel and both are configured for attachment to the rear side of a substrate in an area that is pre-weakened to define an air bag deployment door in a vehicle instrument panel or a steering wheel air bag module. The upper surfaces of the support base and door support panel are attached to the rear surface of the substrate, and a test tab extends from the base that is attached to the rear surface of the substrate in the same manner as the support base and the door support panel. The test tab has an unattached extension portion for the purpose of gripping and pulling to test the integrity of the attachment without affecting the attachment of the support panel.

Abstract: An integrated air bag support structure that includes a support base for attachment to the rear side of a substrate. The support base is configured to surround a door support panel and both are configured for attachment to the rear side of a substrate in an area that is pre-weakened to define an air bag deployment door in a vehicle instrument panel or a steering wheel air bag module. The upper surfaces of the support base and door support panel are attached to the rear surface of the substrate, and a test tab extends from the base that is attached to the rear surface of the substrate in the same manner as the support base and the door support panel. The test tab has an unattached extension portion for the purpose of gripping and pulling to test the integrity of the attachment without affecting the attachment of the support panel.