Patent ID: 7543845

Claim:
An instrument panel for an automobile passenger compartment comprising: a substrate having an outer surface and an inner surface and defining an opening extending therethrough; an air bag door assembly mounted to the substrate; and an air bag device mounted adjacent the inner surface of the substrate and aligned with the opening formed within the substrate; the air bag door assembly including a door panel that is mounted adjacent the opening formed within the substrate in a closed position, the door panel being formed from a material having an ultimate elongation of at least five percent, and an elastic recovery of at least twenty-five percent after being elongated to twenty-five percent of the ultimate elongation, such that the door panel will substantially return to the closed position after deployment of the air bag through the opening within the substrate the panel portion and the mounting flange of the door panel are formed from a metallic material, the door panel including a hinge positioned between and interconnecting the panel portion and the mounting flange of the door panel, the hinge being formed from woven polypropelene having an ultimate elongation of at least fifteen percent and an elastic recovery of at least fifty percent.