# US 8,465,048 B2 · Airbag cover

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- Number: US 8,465,048 B2
- Document ID: US8465048B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/329,586
- Filed: 2011-12-19
- Published: 2012-09-27
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-25
- Assignees: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Mikine Hayashi; Hitoshi Iida
- Inventors: Mikine Hayashi; Hitoshi Iida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465048B2

## CPC

- B60R 21/2155: with complex motion of the cover; Retraction under the lining during opening
- B60R 21/21656: {Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers}
- B60R 21/203: in steering wheels or steering columns
- B60R 21/216: comprising tether means for limitation of cover motion during deployment
- B60R 2021/21537: {characterised by hinges}
- B60R 2021/21543: {with emblems}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An airbag cover including a front door located in a front area of the airbag cover so as to be openable forward and an ornament located on a top face of the front door. The front door includes a mounting section for mounting the ornament thereon, and the mounting section partially protrudes rearward from the rear edge of the front door. The front door further includes an auxiliary breakable portion that is located at the front edge of the mounting section so as to be breakable when an obstacle contacts with the ornament, and a pair of second hinges located at left and right ends of the auxiliary breakable portion. The mounting section bends about the second hinges relative to the front door in an opposite direction to an opening direction of the front door at breakage of the auxiliary breakable portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An airbag cover made from synthetic resin for covering a folded-up airbag of an airbag apparatus for a steering wheel, the airbag cover comprising:
a door section that is openable when pushed by the airbag at deployment, the door section including at least two doors;
a front door that is located in a front area of the airbag cover covering the airbag as a part of the door section and openable forward;
an ornament located on a top face of the front door;
a first hinge that is located at a front edge of the front door so as to allow the front door to open there around such that a rear edge of the front door turns forward;
a mounting section for mounting the ornament thereon, the mounting section being located generally at a center in a left and right direction of the rear edge of the front door and partially protruding rearward from the rear edge of the front door;
a breakable portion that is located at the rear edge of the front door and extends generally in a left and right direction in such a manner as to circumvent the mounting section;
an auxiliary breakable portion that is located at a front edge of the mounting section and extends generally along the ornament, the auxiliary breakable portion being thinner than the front door and breakable when an obstacle contacts with the ornament during opening of the front door; and
a pair of second hinges located at left and right ends of the auxiliary breakable portion and between the auxiliary breakable portion and the breakable portion, whereby allowing the mounting section to bend about the second hinges relative to the front door in an opposite direction to an opening direction of the front door at breakage of the auxiliary breakable portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The airbag cover as in claim 1, further comprising in a vicinity of a border of the auxiliary breakable portion and the second hinges a pair of thick portions that are thicker than the second hinges.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The airbag cover as in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary breakable portion is formed by denting a top face of the mounting section along and adjoining the ornament.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The airbag cover as in claim 3, wherein:
the ornament is mounted on and integrated with the mounting section of the front door by film insert molding at manufacturing of the airbag cover; and
the ornament protrudes partially from a top face of the front door.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The airbag cover as in claim 1, wherein:
the ornament is originally prepared separate from the airbag cover so as to be mountable on the mounting section; and
the ornament protrudes partially from a top face of the front door.