PASSENGER AIRBAG HIDDEN SEAM INSTRUMENT PANEL DYNAMIC OPENING THROUGH UTILIZATION OF HEAT/ENERGY/PRESSURE DEVICES

PASSIVE RESTRAINT GOVERNMENT STANDARDS HAVE RESULTED IN THE INTRODUCTION OF PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS (PAB) FOR MOST CARS IN 1993. RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING THE NEXT STATE-OF-THE-ART PAB DEPLOYMENT DOOR WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE CUT LINES. THE CONCEPT IS REFERRED TO AS THE HIDDEN SEAM DEPLOYMENT DOOR. THE MAJOR PARAMETER OF A SUCCESSFU HIDDEN SEAM DOOR FUNCTION IS THE SCORING OF THE BACK SURFACE OF THE SKIN. PRESENT TECHNOLOGY CAN ONLY ACCOMPLISH THIS CRITERIA BY MECHANICAL MEANS. INVESTIGATORS ARE CUTTING THE SKIN BY THE USE OF A HEAT/ENERGY/PRESSURE (PYROTECHNIC) DEVICE TO THE BACK SURFACE OF THE SKIN. AT THE TIME THE AIRBAG IS FIRED, THE SAME COMMAND SIGNAL INITIATES THE PYROTECHNIC DEVICE TO IGNITE CREATING AN INSTANT CUT LINE ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE AIRBAG OPENING. THE PYROTECHNIC DEVICES PRESENTLY BEING CONSIDERED ARE USED PRIMARILY IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY AS AN INITIATOR TO AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE. THESE DEVICES ARE BEING REVISED AND REDEVELOPED FOR APPLICATION ON THE AIRBAG DOOR. THE ANTICIPATED BENEFITS ARE TO IMPROVE SAFETY, WARRANTY, AND STYLING AT A REDUCED COST.