Patent ID: 6267918
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: B23K,B29C,B29L,B60R

Abstract:
A process for constructing a preweakened automotive interior trim piece covering an air bag installation, said preweakening applied in a predetermined pattern in a particular location so as to enable formation of an air bag deployment opening in said trim piece, said opening formed by pressure exerted by deployment of an air bag from said installation, said trim piece having a cover layer with an outer surface visible from within said vehicle interior and extending smoothly and uninterruptedly across said preweakening at said particular location, said trim piece also having an inside surface, said process including the steps of:preweakening said trim piece by directing a CO.sub.2 laser beam along said inside surface of said trim piece to produce said preweakening by removing material from said trim piece along said predetermined pattern;monitoring the extent of material remaining during removal of material by said laser beam; and,controlling the extent of material removed by said laser beam in accordance with the results of said monitoring step to effect a predetermined preweakening of said trim piece in said predetermined pattern by removing material on an inner side of said cover layer to remove material so as to produce a series of spaced apart partial penetrations in said cover layer spaced along said predetermined pattern, said partial penetrations not extending into said outer surface of said cover layer to form a stepped depth configuration.