Molded seamless vehicle interior panel for concealing an airbag

A vehicle interior panel having a seamless airbag door for deploying an airbag therethrough, the panel comprising:

• a retainer portion disposed adjacent the airbag, the retainer portion having an opening to define a void over the airbag, the retainer portion having an appearance finish;
• and
• a door portion disposed within the void integrally circumscribed by the retainer portion to define the seamless airbag door through which the airbag deploys, the door portion having an appearance finish compatible to the appearance finish of the retainer portion such that no seam is visible, and
• the door portion being molded together with the retainer portion and formed of a material different than the material of the retainer portion.

A method of making a vehicle seamless panel for concealing an airbag, the method comprising:

• providing a first mold member and a second mold member having a first portion and a second portion, the first mold member and the first portion cooperating to define a first closed mold cavity configured to form a retainer portion of the panel to be disposed adjacent the airbag, the retainer portion having an opening to define a void over the airbag, the first mold member and the second portion cooperating to define a second closed mold cavity configured to hold the molded retainer portion and to form a door portion of the panel to be disposed within the void, the door portion being integrally circumscribed by the retainer portion;
• moving the first portion into contact with the first mold member to cooperate with the first mold member to form the first closed mold cavity;
• injecting a first material into the first closed mold cavity to form the retainer portion of the panel;
• moving the second portion into contact with the first mold member to cooperate with the first mold member to form the second closed mold cavity;
• and
• injecting a second material into the second closed mold cavity to form the door portion of the panel.

A method of making a vehicle seamless panel for concealing an airbag, the method comprising:

• providing a first mold member and a second mold member, the second mold member having a movable part operative to selectively vary the configuration of a mold cavity formed by the first and second mold members when the part is moved between first and second positions, the first mold member cooperating with the second mold member with the movable part in the first position to define a first closed mold cavity configured to form a retainer portion of the panel to be disposed adjacent the airbag, the retainer portion having an opening to define a void over the airbag, the first mold member cooperating with the second mold member when the part is placed in the second position to define a second closed mold cavity configured to hold the molded retainer portion and to form a door portion of the panel to be disposed within the opening integrally circumscribed by the retainer portion;
• placing the part of the second mold member in the first position to cooperate with the first mold member to provide the first closed mold cavity;
• injecting a first material into the first closed mold cavity to form the retainer portion of the panel;
• moving the part of the second mold member to the second position to cooperate with the first mold member to provide the second mold cavity;
• and
• injecting a second material into the second closed mold cavity to form the door portion of the panel.