A method of making a vehicle interior panel having a molded-in airbag door includes cutting a hinge layer of the panel while the hinge layer is supported in a panel molding tool. The hinge layer can be in the form of a reinforcing net and is cut along a perimeter of the airbag door away from the airbag door hinge. The cutting occurs in the molding tool either before or after molding material is introduced into the mold cavity. The cutting also occurs before, during, or after the molding tool is closed from an open condition. A cutter of the molding tool is either stationary or moveable with respect to the portion of the molding tool from which it extends.

An airbag chute-integrated crash pad assembly includes: a main core that includes a door portion expanding when an airbag expands, and a cover portion mounted on a dash board. In particular, the main core is formed with a reinforcement portion extending downward from a lower surface of the cover portion, and the door portion and the cover portion are separated by a hinge groove that is formed in a lower surface of the main core and forms an expansion line. The reinforcement portion is combined with an airbag accommodation body that accommodates a passenger airbag (PAB). Thus, process optimization can be realized by omitting a process of machining a score and fusing a PAB chute, and also a problem of damage to the PAB chute can be solved.

The present disclosure relates to a method of producing a composite skin-foam-carrier component for a motor vehicle, including the steps of injection-molding a carrier having one or more airbag flaps delimited by a hinge area and by a predefined tear line, wherein a raised contour with a groove-shaped cross-section is created along a segment of the tear line, producing a foam layer between a skin and the injection-molded carrier, producing gaps in the raised contour by guiding a tool over the raised contour after the production of the foam layer, and removing a portion of the raised contour. The present disclosure also relates to a composite skin-foam-carrier component for a motor vehicle.

A method for manufacturing a vehicle interior trim part intended for covering an airbag. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a support having an opening; b) providing a chute channel defining a passage to guide deployment of the airbag and integral with a cover member; c) fastening the chute channel to the support by a continuous peripheral bead of adhesive extending along the periphery of the opening; d) bringing a mold element to face the support and chute channel so as to define a closed cavity; and e) injecting foam into the cavity.

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus can be a dashboard member. The dashboard member can include a panel member. The panel member can include a weakening portion integrally molded with the panel member to create a tear seam. The dashboard member can include a chute member integrally molded with the panel member. The chute member can support an air bag and direct the air bag through the tear seam.

A trim component for a vehicle interior configured to provide an opening for deployment of an airbag is disclosed. The component may comprise a weakened substrate and insert to direct deployment of the airbag. The insert may comprise a film formed from a polypropylene composition and may be secured between an airbag chute and the substrate. The film may be bonded to the substrate. The chute may be welded to the film and the substrate. The polypropylene composition may comprise polypropylene, an elastomer and polyethylene. The chute may be formed from a thermoplastic polyolefin material. A weakened portion of the insert and a weakened portion of the substrate may be formed concurrently. Thermoplastic polypropylene material may be injected into a mold at a temperature to form the substrate and melt the film in order to bond the film to the substrate.

The invention relates to an airbag arrangement comprising a flap, which closes a passage opening for an airbag, a hinge section along a side of the flap, an chute wall, which is connected to the flap via the hinge section; and a material web, which is partially arranged in the flap and partially in the chute wall, and transverses the hinge section, wherein the material web is molded into the chute wall and is anchored in the material of the chute wall.

A housing for an airbag module for accommodating a folded gas bag. The housing including a base portion and at least one lateral portion projecting from the base portion. At least one of the portions comprises at least two layers of a flexible material, which are arranged one above the other and are cohesively connected with each other.

Methods for making inflatable interior panel arrangements for motor vehicles are provided. In one example, a method includes introducing a first molding material into a molding tool that has tooling surfaces. A second molding material is introduced into the molding tool. The molding tool is advanced to a closed configuration such that the tooling surfaces define a substantially enclosed cavity in the molding tool. An inflatable interior panel is formed including rotating the molding tool to cover the tooling surfaces of the substantially enclosed cavity with the first molding material and/or the second molding material. The inflatable interior panel includes an inflatable bladder section and an outer panel section that is integrally coupled to the inflatable bladder section and that has a panel portion stiffness greater than a bladder portion stiffness of the inflatable bladder section.

This vibration welding device is a device that vibration welds an airbag holding box and an installment panel having a tear line. The vibration welding device is provided with a support jig that carries and affixes the installment panel during vibration welding. The support jig is provided with a groove that permits thermal expansion during vibration welding of the installment panel at a position differing from the tear line.