Airbag tear seam shapes

摘要

A vehicle interior panel for use over an airbag includes a substrate having an airbag door region and a decorative covering disposed over the airbag door region. A tear seam is formed in the decorative covering along a path having an end portion that is non-orthogonal with respect to a hinge side of the airbag door region. The tear seam path may include a central portion that lies along a side of the airbag door region opposite the hinge side, along with end portions that form obtuse included angles with the central portion. In some cases, the end portions diverge from a perimeter of the airbag door region and may generally extend along high deployment stress regions of the covering. Tear seams formed along such a path may reduce airbag inflation energy losses associated with tearing the covering material(s) during airbag deployment.

主权项

1. A vehicle interior panel for use over an airbag, comprising:
a substrate having an outer surface and an airbag door region, the airbag door region having a perimeter associated with a deployment opening formed during airbag deployment; a decorative covering disposed over the outer surface and over the airbag door region of the substrate; and a tear seam formed in the decorative covering along a path, wherein a portion of the path follows a portion of the perimeter and another portion of the path diverges from the perimeter toward a location outside the airbag door region.