Method and treatment for forming an air bag deployment opening in leather covered trim
US5611564A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 18, 1993 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 18, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60R2021/21652
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A pretreatment for a decorative leather covering layer overlying an air bag deployment opening in an automotive trim piece, the pretreatment results in an effective preweakening of the leather to be readily severed by the forced opening of an underlying hinged door panel. The pretreatment uses a hardening agent applied to the inside of the leather coveringlayer along a strip area extending in a pattern to match the unhinged sides of the door panel. The hardening agent saturates the leather in the strip area to 50-75% of the skin thickness. The leather covering layer has a notch groove formed therein extending along the middle of the strip area in the door pattern, the hardening rendering the leather notch sensitive so as to be effectively preweakened.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.