Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-01
2001-11-27
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S728300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322101
ABSTRACT:
The disclosed contents of Japanese Patent Applications Nos. HEI 9-277350 filed on Oct. 9, 1997 and HEI 10-201812 filed on Jul. 16, 1998 including the specifications, drawings and abstracts are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instrument panel integrally equipped with an air bag door portion and, more particularly, relates to an instrument panel integrally equipped with an instrument panel of a type that is divided into upper and lower portions or into front and rear portions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 5-58517 discloses an example of a construction wherein an air bag door portion of passenger-side air bag device is integrated into an instrument panel.
As shown in
FIG. 28
, an instrument panel
200
, which is integrally equipped with the air bag door portion, has a three-layer structure composed of an instrument panel insert
202
, a foamed layer
204
and a skin
206
. An opening
208
is formed through the instrument panel insert
202
at a predetermined location on the passenger-side. An air bag device
212
is disposed at a location that faces the opening
208
. The air bag device
212
causes an air bag body
210
to swell toward the passenger-side when a predetermined high load is applied.
Door inserts
214
,
216
are fixed to the opening
208
of the instrument panel insert
202
through a fastening member
218
such as a rivet or the like, whereby the opening
208
is closed. A breakage line
220
, which is to be broken at the time of deployment of the air bag body, is formed in the skin
206
at a location close to the border between the door inserts
214
,
216
.
However, according to the thus-constructed instrument panel integrally equipped with the air bag door portion, the tear line (breakage line) for cleavage of the door portion is exposed to a design surface, so that the designing freedom is restricted and the overall quality of the outward appearance deteriorates. Especially when the instrument panel is of a type divided into upper and lower portions or into front and rear portions, a parting line that separates those divided portions from each other is also exposed to the design surface. As a result, the designing freedom is further restricted and the overall quality of the outward appearance further deteriorates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned facts, the present invention aims at providing an instrument panel equipped with an air bag door portion of a divided type that is capable of reducing restrictions on designing freedom resulting from a break line and a parting line of the air bag door portion and inhibiting the overall quality of the outward appearance from deteriorating.
A first aspect of the present invention provides an instrument panel integrally equipped with an air bag door portion of a type that is divided into upper and lower instrument panels. This instrument panel includes a base of an upper air bag door portion for closing an opening for deployment of an air bag body and a base of a lower air bag door portion for closing an opening for deployment of the air bag body- The former opening is formed in a base of the upper instrument panel and the latter opening is formed in a base of the lower instrument panel. In this instrument panel, one end of the base of the upper air bag door portion and one end of the base of the lower air bag door portion are fixed to the base of the upper instrument panel and the base of the lower instrument panel respectively, and the other free end of the base of the upper air bag door portion and the other free end of the base of the lower air bag door portion are disposed along a parting line that separates the upper instrument panel from the lower instrument panel. Also, at least the free end of the base of the lower air bag door portion is set wider than the fixed end thereof. In addition, the lower instrument panel including the lower air bag door portion is entirely covered with a single skin.
Accordingly, when the air bag body is deployed, the base of the upper air bag door portion and the base of the lower air bag door portion are pressed against the air bag body and displaced from the sides of the respective free ends toward the inside of a passenger compartment. Hence, the upper and lower air bag door portions are cloven respectively along the parting line of the instrument panel. Furthermore, since at least the free end of the base of the lower air bag door portion is set wider than the fixed end thereof, the air bag door portion of the lower instrument panel is cloven like a fish mouth along the parting line of the instrument panel. In addition, the cleavage line between the air bag door portions of the upper and lower instrument panels coincides with the parting line of the instrument panel, and the lower instrument panel including the lower air bag door portion is entirely covered with a single skin. Therefore, the contour of the air bag door portion of the lower instrument panel becomes apparently indiscernible (invisible), whereby a high degree of designing freedom as well as an attractive outward appearance can be achieved. Moreover, the cleavage line of the upper and lower air bag door portions coincides with the parting line of the instrument panel, and the upper and lower air bag door portions are separated from each other. Thus, the air bag body can be deployed at a lower pressure and the instrument panel can be formed with ease.
A second aspect of the present invention provides an instrument panel integrally equipped with an air bag door portion of a type that is divided into front and rear instrument panels. This instrument panel includes a base of a front air bag door portion for closing an opening for deployment of an air bag body and a base of a rear air bag door portion for closing an opening for deployment of the air bag body. The former opening is formed in a base of the front instrument panel, and the latter opening is formed in a base of the rear instrument panel. In this instrument panel, one end of the base of the front air bag door portion and one end of the base of the rear air bag door portion are fixed to the base of the front instrument panel and the base of the rear instrument panel respectively, and the other free end of the base of the front air bag door portion and the other free end of the base of the rear air bag door portion are disposed along a parting line that separates the front instrument panel from the rear instrument panel. Also, at least the free end of the base of the rear air bag door portion is set wider than an air bag case, and the rear air bag door portion is set to such a dimension as to reach a point where an extended line of a hinge line of the rear air bag door portion intersects with the parting line and to reach a vehicle lateral outside end portion of the rear instrument panel.
Accordingly, when the air bag body is deployed, the base of the front air bag door portion and the base of the rear air bag door portion are pressed against the air bag body and displaced from the sides of the respective free ends toward the inside of the passenger compartment. Hence, the front and rear air bag door portions are cloven respectively along the parting line of the instrument panel. Furthermore, at least the free end of the base of the rear air bag door portion is set wider than the air bag case, and the rear air bag door portion is set to such a dimension as to reach a point where an extended line of a hinge line of the rear air bag door portion intersects with the parting line and to reach a vehicle lateral outside end portion of the rear instrument panel. Therefore, the air bag door portion of the rear instrument panel is cloven solely along the parting line of the instrument panel. Furthermore, since the contour of the air bag door portion of at least the rear instrument panel is invisible, a high degree of designing freedom as well as an attractive outward appearance can be ach
Higashiura Takuya
Kobayashi Kazuo
Nakamura Toshihiko
Sugiura Atsushi
Suizu Yasushi
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Swann J. J.
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
Zeender F.
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