Closure for an inflatable restraint system

A closure having a selected initial opening site for an air bag deployment opening of an air bag assembly adapted to be integrated into a vehicle with the assembly including a housing for accommodating a collapsed inflatable air bag wherein the closure comprises a homogeneous plastic material and includes:

• a) a mounting portion securable to the housing,
• b) a substantially flat face portion defining therein weakened tear ways of substantially uniform thickness which tear and form, under the influence of inflating of the air bag, release doors extending substantially across the width of said face portion with said selected initial opening site being adjacent a first side of at least a first of said release doors, and
• c) a hinge portion of a width substantially less than the width of said doors and joining said at least a first of said release doors with said mounting portion after the formation of said doors, said hinge portion being joined to said at least a first of said release doors at a side opposite said first side,
• said closure additionally includes a first stress concentration feature whereby, under the influence of the inflating bag, an initial opening in said face portion is formed, said feature comprising at least one reinforcing rib extending the length of said at least a first of said doors from the initial opening site to the hinge portion joining said door with said mounting portion.

A closure for an air bag deployment opening of an air bag assembly adapted to be integrated into a vehicle with the assembly including a housing for accommodating a collapsed inflatable air bag wherein the closure comprises a homogeneous plastic material and includes:

• a) a mounting portion securable to the housing,
• b) a face portion defining therein weakened tear ways of substantially uniform thickness which tear and form, under the influence of inflating of the air bag, release doors extending substantially across the width of said face portion, and
• c) a hinge portion of a width substantially less than that of said doors and joining at least one of said release doors with said mounting portion after the formation of said doors,
• said closure additionally includes a first stress concentration feature whereby, under the influence of the inflating bag, an initial opening is formed at a selected site on said face portion for the deployment of the air bag, said feature comprising a V-shaped groove tear way at the site of the initial opening with a more rounded groove tear way adjacent said V-shaped groove tear way.