Patent ID: 7380814

Claim:
An air bag cover assembly including an air bag deployment concentrator and at least one integrally hinged air bag door, the assembly comprising: a plastic structural carrier having an inner surface and an outer surface; a film sheet having an outer show surface and an inner surface bonded to the outer surface of the carrier to form a front panel, a first air bag door adapted to enclose an uninflated air bag and a tear seam which forms a structurally weakened area of the carrier immediately adjacent the first air bag door to allow selective air bag deployment through the weakened area and portions of the film sheet immediately adjacent the weakened area; an air bag deployment concentrator for deploying the air bag through the weakened area and the portions of the film sheet, the deployment concentrator including a peripheral wall which defines a channel through which the air bag may deploy, the peripheral wall being configured to receive the air bag within the channel to guide the air bag through the channel during deployment of the air bag wherein the tear seam is located in the inner surface of the carrier both inside and outside the channel; and a first set of hinges for hingedly connecting the first air bag door to the front panel to allow the first air bag door to swing open wherein the first set of hinges connects the first air bag door to the front panel both inside and outside the channel to facilitate pivotal movement of the first air bag door away from the air bag to allow deployment of the air bag through the channel, through the weakened area and through the portions of the film sheet during impact of the vehicle.