Patent ID: 6423933
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: B23K,B29C,B29L,B60R

Abstract:
A process for forming lines of weakness in an automotive trim piece covering an airbag installation, said airbag installation including an airbag adapted to be inflated and deployed upon detection of a collision, said weakening enabling formation of an air bag deployment door opening, said trim piece having at least one layer, comprising the steps of:scoring a surface of the trim piece by directing a cutting beam from a cutting beam source onto to said surface and moving said trim piece relative to a source of said cutting beam in a predetermined scoring pattern; monitoring the scoring effect produced by said cutting beam by sensor beams produced from a first sensor and a second outer sensor respectively located on opposite sides of said trim piece and directed towards the trim piece location being scored by said cutting beam, said first sensor located on the same side of said trim piece as said cutting beam source; combining said first sensor sensing beam with said cutting beam so that combined respective segments are collinear with each other when impinging said trim piece surface so as to be continuously directed at the same points along said scoring pattern; controlling the extent of material removed by said cutting beam at each point along said predetermined pattern by controlling said scoring in correspondence with feedback signals generated by said first and second sensors during said scoring; and, moving said trim piece relative to said cutting beam to score said trim piece along said predetermined scoring pattern.