| United States Patent | 6,423,933 |
| Nicholas , et al. | July 23, 2002 |
A method and apparatus is disclosed for forming lines of weakness in an automotive trim piece so as to enable formation of an airbag deployment opening in the trim piece. A cutting beam, such as a laser is directed at the trim piece surface to be scored and a sensor emits a sensing beam, and a beam combining device receives both the sensor beam and the laser beam and causes downstream beam segments to be collinear with each other as they impinge the trim piece surface. The scoring is thereby able to be carried out in a single pass, and is precise, repeatable and independent of cutting depth, angle of cutting, scoring patterns, material inconsistency, material color, and surface grain variability.
| Inventors: | Nicholas; Antonios (Belle Mead, NJ); Towler; Michael (Farmington, MI) |
| Assignee: | TIP Engineering Group, Inc. (Farmington Hills, MI) |
| Appl. No.: | 811152 |
| Filed: | March 16, 2001 |
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