Patent ID: 7029025

Claim:
A rupturable cover for a vehicle occupant protection apparatus that includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and an inflator for providing inflation fluid to inflate the protection device from a deflated condition to an inflated condition, said cover for overlying said protection device when in the deflated condition, said cover comprising: an inner cover having inner and outer side surfaces; and an outer cover overlying said inner cover, said outer cover having an inner side surface adjacent to and overlying said outer side surface of said inner cover, said outer cover also having an exposed outer side surface and a width defined between opposite right and left edges; a first groove extending into said inner side surface of said inner cover and terminating prior to reaching said outer side surface of said inner cover, a thinner part of said inner cover, located between said first groove and said outer side surface of said inner cover, forming a first tear seam; a second groove extending into said inner side surface of said outer cover and defining a void in said outer cover, said void extending continuously in a generally widthwise direction across said outer cover and connecting said right and left edges of said outer cover, a thinner part of said outer cover, located between said second groove and said exposed outer side surface of said outer cover, forming a second tear seam; said first tear seam extending widthwise across said inner cover along a first path having a first configuration, said second tear seam extending widthwise across said outer cover along a second path having a second, different configuration, said second tear seam intersecting said first tear seam at a plurality of locations spaced from one another along said first and second paths, locations of intersection of said first and second tear seams being separated by non-intersecting locations in which said first and second tear seams are spaced apart from one another.