Driver airbag cover with emblem

1. A driver-side airbag cover ( 20 ) having a top surface ( 22 ) configured to receive a decorative emblem ( 30 ) affixed thereto, the top surface ( 22 ) and emblem ( 30 ) are configured to break when subjected to a determinable force pressuring on an undersurface ( 25 ) of the cover ( 20 ), the undersurface ( 25 ) including a tear seam ( 40 ) which breaks when subjected to a determinable pressure or load, the emblem ( 30 ) having an emblem tear seam ( 50 ), wherein the emblem tear seam ( 50 ) is displaced laterally relative to an adjacent portion of the tear seam ( 40 ), wherein the two tear seams ( 40 ) and ( 50 ) are offset by a dimension d which can be in the range of about 2 to 5 mm.

2. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 1 wherein the emblem ( 30 ) has a multi-sided ring ( 32 ), the ring ( 32 ), includes a plurality of integrally formed legs or pins ( 36 ), each leg is inserted into a respective hole ( 34 ) of the top surface ( 22 ).

3. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 2 wherein each leg or pin ( 36 ) is heat staked such as to form a head ( 38 ) to hold the emblem ( 30 ) securely to the cover ( 20 ).

4. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 1 wherein the tear seam ( 40 ) has a central leg ( 40 a ) arranged vertically, which transitions into a lateral section ( 40 b ), then into a curved section ( 40 c ), into another lateral section ( 40 d ), which then transitions into another central leg ( 40 e ) wherein a cross-sectional general shape of each section of the tear seam ( 40 ) is generally triangular.

5. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 4 wherein the cross-section of the tear seam ( 40 ) includes a generally triangular shaped portion with two opposed tapered legs ( 140 a ) and a lateral leg ( 140 b ) with a generally flat center ( 140 c ).

6. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 5 wherein a width of the flat center ( 140 c ) is approximately 0.3 mm, and an angle A, between legs ( 140 a ) and ( 140 b ) is about 40 degrees.

7. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 6 wherein emblem tear seam ( 50 ) has a cross-sectional general shape of a section of the emblem tear seam ( 50 ) that is generally triangular includes a center flat portion ( 50 a ) which is about 0.5 mm wide.

8. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 7 wherein the cross-section of a center portion of emblem tear seam ( 50 ) is generally triangular in shape with an angle B between legs ( 50 b ) and ( 50 c ) of about 10 degrees.

9. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 8 wherein emblem tear seam ( 50 ) has another triangular portion with legs ( 50 d ) and ( 50 e ), and an angle C between these legs is about 25 degrees.

10. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 9 wherein the angle between legs ( 50 b ) and ( 50 c ) is less than the angle between legs ( 50 d ) and ( 50 e ) and the angle between legs ( 140 a ) and ( 140 b ) is larger than each of the foregoing angles.

11. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 1 wherein offsetting tear seams ( 40 ) and ( 50 ) exhibits increased strength compared to when the tear seams are aligned.

12. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 11 wherein the tear seams ( 40 ) and ( 50 ) being offset form a bridge between material on the cover ( 20 ) and material of the emblem ( 30 ) creating a stronger effective tear seam region over the cover ( 20 ) and emblem ( 30 ) which is thereby self-reinforced.

13. A driver-side airbag cover ( 20 ) having a top surface ( 22 ) configured to receive a decorative emblem ( 30 ) affixed thereto, the top surface ( 22 ) and emblem ( 30 ) are configured to break when subjected to a determinable force pressuring on an undersurface ( 25 ) of the cover ( 20 ), the undersurface ( 25 ) including a tear seam ( 40 ) which breaks when subjected to a determinable pressure or load, the emblem ( 30 ) having an emblem tear seam ( 50 ), wherein the emblem tear seam ( 50 ) is displaced laterally relative to an adjacent portion of the tear seam ( 40 ), wherein the tear seam ( 40 ) has a central leg ( 40 a ) arranged vertically, which transitions into a lateral section ( 40 b ), then into a curved section ( 40 c ), into another lateral section ( 40 d ), which then transitions into another central leg ( 40 e ) wherein a cross-sectional general shape of each section of the tear seam ( 40 ) is generally triangular, wherein the cross-section of the tear seam ( 40 ) includes a generally triangular shaped portion with two opposed tapered legs ( 140 a ) and a lateral leg ( 140 b ) with a generally flat center ( 140 c ), wherein a width of the flat center ( 140 c ) is approximately 0.3 mm, and an angle A, between legs ( 140 a ) and ( 140 b ) is about 40 degrees.

14. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 13 wherein emblem tear seam ( 50 ) has a cross-sectional general shape of a section of the emblem tear seam ( 50 ) that is generally triangular includes a center flat portion ( 50 a ) which is about 0.5 mm wide.

15. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 14 wherein the cross-section of a center portion of emblem tear seam ( 50 ) is generally triangular in shape with an angle B between legs ( 50 b ) and ( 50 c ) of about 10 degrees.

16. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 15 wherein emblem tear seam ( 50 ) has another triangular portion with legs ( 50 d ) and ( 50 e ), and an angle C between these legs is about 25 degrees.

17. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 16 wherein the angle between legs ( 50 b ) and ( 50 c ) is less than the angle between legs ( 50 d ) and ( 50 e ) and the angle between legs ( 140 a ) and ( 140 b ) is larger than each of the foregoing angles.

18. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 13 wherein the two tear seams ( 40 ) and ( 50 ) are offset by a dimension d which can be in the range of about 2 to 5 mm.

19. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 13 wherein offset-ting tear seams ( 40 ) and ( 50 ) exhibits increased strength compared to when the tear seams are aligned.

20. The driver-side airbag cover of claim 19 wherein the tear seams ( 40 ) and ( 50 ) being offset form a bridge between material on the cover ( 20 ) and material of the emblem ( 30 ) creating a stronger effective tear seam region over the cover ( 20 ) and emblem ( 30 ) which is thereby self-reinforced.