Patent ID: 6254122
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: B29C,B29L,B60R

Abstract:
A trim cover for a vehicle seat assembly having an inflatable airbag at least partially surrounded by a pad, the trim cover forming an exterior surface of the seat assembly, cooperating with the pad to substantially envelop the inflatable airbag, and comprising:multiple pieces of flexible sheet material joined to one another along edges thereof to form the trim cover forming the exterior surface of the seat assembly;one piece of the multiple pieces having a flexible outer layer and a flexible inner reinforcing layer, the inner reinforcing layer being connected at one or more locations to the outer layer, the one piece being located in a region of the trim cover overlying the inflatable airbag; anda weakened zone in the inner reinforcing layer of the one piece forming a tear line at which the one piece fails from tensile stress when subjected to airbag inflation forces caused by the inflatable airbag and concentrated by the pad and the trim cover;wherein the one piece further includes an intermediate layer whereby the one piece is a multiple layer structure, the inner reinforcing layer of a material being less stretchable than the outer layer, the inner reinforcing layer having a cut extending through all but the outer layer of the multiple layer structure to form the weakened zone.