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US 6,318,752 B1Granted
Instrument panel for a motor vehicle
AssigneeSommer Allibert-Lignotock GmbH
InventorsFrank Warnecke, Günter Grübler, Thomas Kunkel, Andreas Flick
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AssigneeSommer Allibert-Lignotock GmbH
InventorsFrank Warnecke, Günter Grübler, Thomas Kunkel, Andreas Flick
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to an instrument panel for motor vehicles, made of a thermoplastic material and providing an invisible cover for an airbag system which, as seen from the inside of the motor vehicle, is positioned behind the instrument panel (rear side). The instrument panel is characterized in that it has a weakened section on the rear side which defines an opening area in the instrument panel for the airbag and fully surrounds said opening area, and in that it has an ejection channel for the airbag fixed to it. The opening area in the instrument panel designed for the airbag is connected with the ejection channel by means ofa polymer hinge. Both the ejection channel and the polymer hinge are fixed at least to the opening area of the instrument panel designed for the air bag by means of a welded material. The instrument panel, ejection channel and polymer hinge are made ofa thermoplastic material having the same polymer basis but flexibilized in different ways.
Instrument panel made from thermoplastic material, for a motor vehicle, having an invisible cover for an airbag system which, as seen from the interior of the motor vehicle, is arranged behind the instrument panel, characterized by a rear-side cross-sectional weakening in the instrument panel, said weakening defines an opening area in the instrument panel for the airbag and completely surrounds the opening area, an ejection channel for the airbag, which is fitted on the instrument panel, the opening area in the instrument panel for the airbag being connected to the ejection channel by means of an integral polymer hinge, and both the ejection channel on the instrument panel and the integral polymer hinge being attached at least to the opening area in the instrument panel for the airbag by means of welded material, and the instrument panel, ejection channel and integral polymer hinge comprising a thermoplastic of the same polymer base, but differently flexibilized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.