GB2314299A

GB2314299A - Foil covering an airbag housing that delaminates from a surrounding flange when the door opens

Info

Publication number: GB2314299A
Application number: GB9612718A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean-Marie Doncker; Antoine Rouiller; Charles Haesaert
Original assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Current assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Priority date: 1996-06-18
Filing date: 1996-06-18
Publication date: 1997-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-18
Also published as: GB9612718D0; GB2314299B

Abstract

An air-bag housing has a cover 9 hingedly connected to one side wall and is formed integrally with a flange 8 that extends substantially horizontally from the top of the remaining side walls 2,3,4. An upper layer or foil 11 extends across the cover and across the flange. There is no line of mechanical weakness formed in the foil 11 in alignment with the cover 9. When the cover 9 opens, part of the foil 11 de-laminates from the supporting flange 8.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO AN AIR-BAG HOUSING" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to an air-bag housing, and more particularly relates to an air-bag housing intended for use in a motor vehicle.

Air-bags are provided in motor vehicles and are adapted to be inflated in the event that an accident should arise. The inflated air-bag forms a cushion to protect the driver or occupant of the vehicle.

An air-bag which is intended to protect the occupant of a front seat of a motor vehicle is often stored in a housing that is formed within the steering wheel or under the front dashboard of the vehicle. Typically, the housing has one or more flaps or doors which open when the air-bag is deployed. The flaps or doors may be formed integrally with the central panel of the steering wheel or the facia of the dashboard.

The said panel or facia may be made of a laminate comprising a relatively strong, hard, lower layer, or substrate, and a softer or decorative upper layer or foil.

The flaps or doors are usually defined by lines of mechanical weakness or intended split-lines, formed in super-imposed positions in both the substrate and the foil.

Typically, such split-lines are clearly visible and can thus be obtrusive.

The present invention seek to provide an improved housing for an air-bag.

According to this invention there is provided a housing for an air-bag, the housing comprising a plurality of side walls defining a receptacle to receive the air-bag, a cover being hinged to one side wall and being adapted to close the receptacle, the side walls being provided with outwardly directed flanges, the housing being provided with an upper layer or foil extending across and bonded to the cover and the flange, the arrangement being such that, on activation of the air-bag, the cover moves from an initial closed position to an open position, at least part of the upper layer or foil initially connected to the flange delaminating from the flange and moving with the cover.

Preferably the cover is initially connected to the side walls defining the receptacle by means of a line of mechanical weakness.

Conveniently a line of mechanical weakness is provided in the upper layer or foil separating said part of the upper layer or foil which is adapted to move with the cover, when the cover moves to the open position, from an area which is not adapted to move with the cover.

Advantageously the said line of mechanical weakness extends between two opposed edges of the said flange.

Preferably the cover, the flange and the upper layer or foil together form at least part of a steering wheel or a dashboard of a motor vehicle.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a housing for an air-bag in accordance with the invention before deployment of the air-bag, FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II II of Figure 1, and FIGURE 3 is a perspective view corresponding to Figure 2 illustrating the housing for the air-bag after deployment of the air-bag.

For the sake of clarity of illustration, the airbag itself is not illustrated.

Referring to the drawings, a housing for an air-bag comprises a receptacle 1. The receptacle is provided with vertically extending side walls 2,3,4,5. The bottom of the receptacle 6 is open to enable a module comprising an airbag and a gas generator to be connected to the housing.

The side walls of the receptacle may be provided with various fixing means, to co-operate with corresponding fixing means provided on the module, to enable the module to be fixed in position. The fixing means may comprise, for example, an apertured lug 6 or apertures 7 formed in the side walls.

The side walls 2,3,4,5 are formed of a substantially rigid plastics material and extending outwardly from the upper edges of the side walls 2, 3 and 4 is a substantially horizontally extending flange 8. The flange 8 has a moulded and shaped configuration, since the form of the flange 8 defines the form and appearance of a dashboard in a motor vehicle.

Formed of the same hard plastic that forms the side walls 2,3,4,5 and the flange 8 is a moveable cover 9. The cover 9 is formed integrally with the side walls 2,3,4,5 and the flange 8, but is separated from the material forming the flange 8 by a line of mechanical weakness or split-line 10. A connection between one side of the cover 9 and the side walls is adapted to act as a hinge.

An upper layer or foil of relatively soft or decorative plastic material 11 is provided which is superimposed on the cover 9 and the flange 8. The foil 11 extends to the opposed edges 12,13 of the upper flange 8.

A transverse split-line 14 is provided in the upper foil 11 extending between the opposed edges 12 and 13 of the upper flange 8, which separates a region of the foil which overlies the cover 9 from a second region of the foil.

It is to be appreciated that in the event that the air-bag contained within the receptacle 1 is deployed, the split-line 10 between the cover 9 and the flange 8 breaks, enabling the cover 9 to hinge upwardly about a connection between the cover 9 and the side wall 5 to have the position illustrated in Figure 3. As the cover 9 hinges upwardly, the foil 11 delaminates from the flange 8 and also moves upwardly. The region of the foil 11 which overlies the cover 9, separates from the second region of foil along the split-line 14 so that the second region of the foil remains in position on that part of the dashboard which is separated from the region containing the cover 9 by the outer split-line 14.

It is to be appreciated that in the described embodiment of the invention, the split-line 10 separating the cover 9 from the flange 8 is not visible, since the split-line is covered by the outer foil 11. The splitline 14 that is formed in the outer foil 11 may be visible, but this split-line may be configured to form part of patterning provided in the outer foil 11, the split-line 14 thus not being obtrusive.

It is to be appreciated that in the described embodiment the housing 1 may be formed of a relatively hard plastic material, whereas the foil 11 may comprise a relatively soft plastic material, the exterior surface of which may be embossed to provide a pleasing appearance.

The relatively soft plastics material may comprise material which in a lower region, adjacent the substrate, is substantially foamed and which in an upper region forms an impervious skin.

The described housing may be incorporated in a motor vehicle. The cover 9, flange 8 and associated upper layer or foil 11 may form at least part of the dashboard of the vehicle. Alternatively, the cover and the flange, and the associated upper layer or foil, may form the central panel of a steering wheel.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A housing for an air-bag, the housing comprising a plurality of side walls defining a receptacle to receive the air-bag, a cover being hinged to one side wall and being adapted to close the receptacle, the side walls being provided with outwardly directed flanges, the housing being provided with an upper layer or foil extending across and bonded to the cover and the flange, the arrangement being such that, on activation of the air-bag, the cover moves from an initial closed position to an open position, at least part of the upper layer or foil initially connected to the flange delaminating from the flange and moving with the cover.

2. A housing according to Claim 1 wherein the cover is initially connected to the side walls defining the receptacle by means of a line of mechanical weakness.

3. A housing according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein a line of mechanical weakness is provided in the upper layer or foil separating said part of the upper layer or foil which is adapted to move with the cover, when the cover moves to the open position, from an area which is not adapted to move with the cover.

4. A housing according to Claim 3 wherein the said line of mechanical weakness extends between two opposed edges of the said flange.

5. A housing according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the cover, the flange and the upper layer or foil together form at least part of a steering wheel or dashboard of a motor vehicle.

6. A housing for an air-bag substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.