US Patent 7748732 Airbag cover tear seam

An tear seam in a cover of an airbag includes multiple, non-intersecting slits defined in a fabric of the cover that may be woven with weft yarns oriented generally parallel to a longitudinal axis and warp yarns oriented generally transverse thereto. The multiple slits are diagonal with respect to the longitudinal axis and include end portions. The end portions of substantially all adjacent slits mutually overlap, to weaken the strength of the fabric along the tear seam.