Weld seam stress relief for active bolster with plastic-molded bladder

摘要

An active bolster at an interior trim surface of an automotive vehicle has a plastic-molded outer trim panel and a plastic-molded expandable bladder member. The bladder member has a central attachment section configured to attach to a support structure of the vehicle, a welding flange welded to the trim panel, and a baffle section between the attachment section and the welding flange. An inflator couples an inflation gas into a space between the trim panel and bladder member to expand the bladder member in response to a crash event of the vehicle. The welding flange has a generally-rectangular profile with a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges. The baffle section includes circumferential pleats providing an expansion length of the bladder member that is greater at the long edges than at the short edges to reduce stress on the weld along its weakest point.

主权项

1. An active bolster for mounting at an interior trim surface of an automotive vehicle, comprising:
a plastic-molded outer trim panel; a plastic-molded expandable bladder member having a central attachment section configured to attach to a support structure of the vehicle, a welding flange welded to the trim panel, and a baffle section between the attachment section and the welding flange; and an inflator for coupling an inflation gas into a space between the trim panel and bladder member to expand the bladder member in response to a crash event of the vehicle; wherein the welding flange has a generally-rectangular profile with a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges; and wherein the baffle section includes circumferential pleats providing an expansion length of the bladder member that is greater at the long edges than at the short edges.