Cover for vehicular air bag
AssigneeNihon Plast Co., Ltd.
InventorsKazuyoshi Nishijima, Kazuo Inaba
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air bag cover for a vehicle has a main body formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and a skin layer applied over the main body. The skin layer is preferably of an `integral skin` reaction type polyurethane and is applied over the main body. Break lines may be formed in the main body portion of the airbag cover for permitting an inflated air bag to rip the cover for emerging into the vehicle cabin. The polyurethane elastomer of the main body preferably has a Shore A hardness rating of over 80.
Claims29
An air bag cover for a vehicular air bag, comprising:
- a main body formed of an ester type, ether type, or ether carbonate type thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer having a Shore A hardness of at least 80, formed in a predetermined shape by injection molding;
- a skin layer disposed over said main body and formed of a polyurethane based material having a thickness of at least 15.mu., adherence between said skin layer and said main body being effected by application of said skin layer over said main body in liquid form so as to induce suitable adhesion between said skin layer and said main body according to at least one of drying and curing of said skin layer.
A method of forming an air bag cover for a vehicular air bag, comprising:
- molding a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer into a predetermined shape to form a main body portion of said air bag cover by injection molding;
- cleaning an outer surface of said polyurethane elastomer;
- at least one of drying or curing said thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer;
- applying a skin layer of polyurethane in liquid form having a thickness of at least 15.mu.;
- drying or curing said skin layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.