Air bag assembly with an air bag guide and an interior trim component and method for producing the same
AssigneeMotherson Innovations Company Limited
InventorEric Nogaret
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air bag guide for a motor vehicle, includes a molded component defining a guide channel with an exit opening so the air bag can exit from the guide channel. The molded component is a thermoplastic material or a thermoplastic matrix and includes an insert inserted into the molded component. A first section of the insert, connects the insert with the molded component. A second section hingedly connects to the first section that is movable and opens under the action of the air bag upon exiting the guide channel then closes the exit opening. The insert is of the same thermoplastic material as the molded component or includes the same thermoplastic matrix and is self-reinforcing at least in the second section.
Claims14
An air bag guide for guiding an air bag of a motor vehicle, comprising
- a molded component defining a guide channel with an exit opening for exiting of the air bag from the guide channel,
- an insert inserted into the molded component, the insert having a first section materially connecting the first section with the molded component, and
- at least a second section hingedly connected to the first section and movable relative to the first section,
- wherein the exit opening is opened by the second section under an action of the air bag upon exiting from the guide channel, and
- wherein the molded component is from a thermoplastic material or has a thermoplastic matrix, and the insert is composed of the same thermoplastic material as the molded component or comprises the same thermoplastic matrix as the molded component, with at least the second section being of self-reinforcing thermoplastic material or thermoplastic matrix.
A method for producing an interior trim component comprising the following steps:
- injection-molding a molded component made of a thermoplastic material or of a thermoplastic matrix, wherein the molded component defines a guide channel for the air bag with an exit opening, via which the air bag can exit from the guide channel,
- injection-molding an insert inserted in the molded component and made of the same thermoplastic material or of the same thermoplastic matrix, wherein the insert has a first section with which the insertion part is materially connected with the molded part, and at least a second section, which is hingedly connected to the first section and movable relative to the first section, and the second section closes the exit opening and opens under the effect of the air bag when exiting the guide channel, wherein the thermoplastic material or the thermoplastic matrix is self-reinforcing at least in the second section, and,
- attaching a support component on the air bag guide, which is formed by the molded component and the insert, in the region of the exit opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.