Patent ID: 7025374

Claim:
An airbag cover having a tear seam, said tear seam comprising: a transverse segment having a width extending beyond a perimeter of an underlying airbag door; and a first end segment and a second end segment opposing one another, the transverse segment extending between and intersecting each of the first end segment and the second end segment at locations distal from the perimeter of the underlying airbag door, wherein: the first end segment and second end segment, each including at least one convex segment proximal the intersection of the first end segment with the transverse segment, each convex segment adapted to be substantially perpendicular to a deployment induced stress pattern in the airbag covering, the at least one convex segment is substantially symmetric about the intersection with the transverse segment, the at least one convex segment of the first end segment comprises an upper convex segment and a lower convex segment meeting to form a valley at the intersection of the first end segment with the transverse segment, the valley is formed such that an outermost point of the at least one convex segment of the first end segment is disposed at a greater distance from the intersection of the first end segment with the transverse segment, and the at least one convex segment of the second end segment comprises an upper convex segment and a lower convex segment meeting to form a valley at the intersection of the second end segment with the transverse segment, the valley is formed such that an outermost point of the at least one convex segment of the second end segment is disposed at a greater distance from the intersection of the second end segment with the transverse segment.