Patent ID: 8113538

Claim:
An airbag device comprising: an airbag; an airbag cover; spaced leg portions of the cover along which the airbag is deployed; a plate portion of the cover having a generally flat configuration with generally flat top and back surfaces thereof as the plate portion extends between and across the leg portions and having a tear line so that airbag deployment causes the plate portion to rupture along the tear line; a hinge that integrally connects the plate portion and at least one of the leg portions with air bag deployment causing the plate portion to turn open about the hinge; a thin portion of the hinge having a predetermined length and width with the width being sized so that the thin portion is thinner than adjacent portions of the plate portion and the one leg portion; and a reinforcement member having an upper end surface connected to the generally flat plate portion back surface for the full extent of the upper end surface and extending down therefrom in engagement with and down along an outer surface of the hinge thin portion with the reinforcement member having a constant thickness greater than the width of the hinge thin portion and extending down from the plate portion along the hinge thin portion outer surface for a predetermined distance greater than the predetermined length of the hinge thin portion to extend downward along the entire length of the hinge thin portion and down beyond the hinge thin portion with the predetermined distance being approximately equal to or greater than a length of the full extent of the upper end surface extending along the plate portion back surface so that the reinforcement member is compressed as the airbag is deployed with the reinforcement member bending and buckling to absorb impact forces generated by the rapid turning of the plate portion during airbag deployment for keeping the plate portion connected to the one leg portion despite the hinge thin portion.