Patent ID: 6929280

Claim:
An airbag apparatus for an automobile, comprising: an airbag case for accommodating an airbag in a folded condition, the airbag case being disposed behind a surface panel which is made of a thermoplastic resin material and provided within the automobile; a fracture opening section of the surface panel, the fracture-opening section facing an opening of the airbag case and being defined by means of fracture grooves formed on an inside surface of the surface panel; at least one reinforcement plate member fixed to the inside surface of the surface panel in a region corresponding to the fracture-opening section; and a frame member surrounding the reinforcement plate member and fixed to the inside surface of the surface panel in a region surrounding the fracture-opening section, the frame member including a tubular body portion extending substantially perpendicular to the fracture-opening section and to which a vertical portion of the reinforcement plate member is connected, and reinforcement edge portions extending outward from the body portion, facing the inside surface of the surface panel, and fixed by means of vibration welding to the inside surface of the surface panel in a region surrounding the fracture-opening section, wherein the frame member and the reinforcement plate member are each made of a thermoplastic resin material and are fixed to the inside surface of the surface panel through vibration welding, the frame member and the vertical portion of the reinforcement plate member are coupled with each other by means of a dovetail joint, and rectangular holes for receiving and holding hooks of the airbag case are formed in the body portion of the frame member and the vertical portion of the reinforcement plate member at positions corresponding to those of the hooks.