Trim panel having integral door cover

Abstract

An instrument panel has an integral door cover for concealing a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle passenger compartment. The door cover includes a flap that is an integral part of a flexible plastic skin of the instrument panel. The plastic skin is cast in a special mold with a raised apexed rib that forms grooves outlining the flap that have a thin tear seam at their bottom.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
       1. A trim panel having a door cover for concealing an airbag system in a vehicle passenger compartment and a flexible plastic skin that includes a flap that is an integral part of the door cover comprising: 
       the flexible plastic skin having a depending portion that contains a groove for providing a tear seam between the flap and the remaining part of the polymeric skin,  
       a layer of energy absorbing elastomeric foam underlying the plastic skin, and  
       the groove being formed so that it has a weakened section in the layer of energy absorbing elastomeric foam that can be fractured by deployment of an airbag without any need for cutting the groove.  
     
     
       2. The trim panel as defined in  claim 1  wherein the flexible plastic skin is cast in a mold having a raised rib that forms the groove so that it has a thinner section at its bottom. 
     
     
       3. The trim panel as defined in  claim 2  wherein the flexible plastic skin is cast in a mold having a raised rib that forms the groove so that the groove is gull wing shaped. 
     
     
       4. The trim panel as defined in  claim 1  wherein the flexible plastic skin is cast in a mold with a raised rib so that the groove has a bottom that includes a thin section that provides a tear seam that can be fractured by deployment of an air bag without any need for cutting the plastic skin after it is cast. 
     
     
       5. The trim panel as defined in  claim 1  wherein the thin section has a thickness that is in the range of about 25% to 50% of the nominal thickness of the remainder of the skin. 
     
     
       6. A method for making a trim panel having a door cover for concealing an airbag system in a vehicle passenger compartment and a flexible plastic skin that includes a flap that is an integral part of the door cover comprising: 
       casting a flexible plastic skin in a mold that has a raised rib so that the skin has a depending portion that contains a groove that conforms to the shape of the raised rib, and  
       the raised rib having a top that has an apex so that the groove is formed with a bottom that is cast with a thin section that forms over the apex to provide a tear seam for the skin flap that can be fractured by deployment of an airbag without any need for cutting the bottom of the groove.  
     
     
       7. The method for making a trim panel as defined in  claim 6  further comprising: 
       placing the cast skin in a closeable mold, and  
       foaming an elastomeric layer in place beneath the polymeric skin so that the depending portion is disposed in the layer generated in the foaming process.  
     
     
       8. The method for making a trim panel as defined in  claim 6  wherein the top of the raised rib has a V-like apex. 
     
     
       9. The method for making a trim panel as defined in  claim 6  wherein the raised rib has concave sides that provide a cusp-like apex at the top of the raised rib. 
     
     
       10. A mold for casting a flexible plastic skin for a trim panel having a door cover for concealing an airbag system in a vehicle passenger compartment wherein the flexible plastic skin includes a flap that is an integral part of the door cover, the mold comprising: 
       a raised rib that forms a depending portion in the flexible plastic skin that contains a groove that conforms to the shape of the raised rib when the flexible plastic skin is cast in the mold, and  
       the raised rib having a top that has an apex so that the groove is formed with a bottom that is cast with a thin section that forms over the apex to provide a tear seam for the flap that can be fractured by deployment of an airbag without any need for cutting the bottom of the groove.  
     
     
       11. The mold for making a trim panel as defined in  claim 10  wherein the raised rib has a height to width ratio of about 2 to 1. 
     
     
       12. The mold for making a trim panel as defined in  claim 10  wherein the top of the raised rib has a V-like apex. 
     
     
       13. The mold for making a trim panel as defined in  claim 10  wherein the raised rib has concave sides that provide a cusp-like apex at the top of the raised rib. 
     
     
       14. A method for making a trim panel having a door cover for concealing an airbag system in a vehicle passenger compartment and a flexible plastic skin that includes a flap that is an integral part of the door cover comprising: 
       
         casting a flexible plastic skin in a mold that has a raised rib so that the skin contains a groove that conforms to the shape of the raised rib,  
       
       
         the raised rib having a top so that the groove is formed with a bottom with a thin section to provide a tear seam for the skin flap that can be fractured by deployment of an airbag without any need for weakening the bottom of the groove;  
       
       
         placing the cast skin in a closable mold; and  
       
       
         foaming an elastomeric layer in place beneath the plastic skin.  
       
     
     
       15. A method for making a trim panel having a door cover for concealing an airbag system in a vehicle passenger compartment and a flexible plastic skin that includes a flap that is an integral part of the door cover comprising: 
       
         forming a flexible plastic skin in a mold that has a raised rib so that the skin contains a groove that conforms to the shape of the raised rib,  
       
       
         the raised rib having a top so that the groove is formed with a bottom with a thin section to provide a tear seam for the skin flap that can be fractured by deployment of an airbag without any need for weakening the bottom of the groove; and  
       
       
         forming a foam layer beneath the plastic skin.