Flexible molded skin
AssigneesMCPP Innovation LLC, Mcpp Belgium Bvba
InventorsRaf Bussels, Ben Bouwman, Benny Trekels, Stefan Bemelmans
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a flexible molded skin as part of a composite structure for an airbag cover, and to a composition for producing such a skin using slush molding. The composition and flexible molded skin have a thermoplastic plasticized vinyl polymer, and a tear promoting agent selected from the group of one or more particulate blowing agents, inorganic mineral materials, organic filler materials and microspheres or a mixture of two or more of the afore mentioned materials. The particles of the particulate tear promoting agent have an average particle size of between 0.005 and 50 μm, preferably between 0.005 and 40 μm.
Claims15
A flexible molded skin for an airbag cover, wherein the skin comprises a sheet of a plasticized thermoplastic vinyl polymer material having particles of a tear promoting agent dispersed therein,
- wherein the amount of vinyl polymer is 40 to 60 wt % with respect to the total weight of the sheet,
- wherein the amount of plasticizer is 30 to 50 wt % with respect to the total weight of the sheet,
- wherein the particles of the tear promoting agent have a melting temperature above the melting temperature of the vinyl polymer material,
- wherein the particles of tear promoting agent are adsorbed on the external surface of the vinyl polymer particles, and
- wherein the tear promoting agent is an expandable polymeric microsphere of 6 to 300 micrometers in average diameter and a density of 900 to 1400 kg/m3,
- wherein said tear promoting agent is mixed with the vinyl polymer and then subjected to slush molding to produce the sheet of plasticized thermoplastic vinyl polymer material, said tear promoting agent being contained in the sheet of plasticized thermoplastic vinyl polymer material in an amount of from 0.05 wt % to 7.5 wt % such that the sheet of plasticized thermoplastic vinyl polymer material has an elongation at break of between 200.0% and 400.0% at room temperature measured according to ISO 527 part 1 and 2 test piece 5A, and a trouser tear strength of 25 N/mm or less measured according to ISO 34-1 Method A.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.