Structure for attaching a fabric sheet to a vehicle body

• US 20030015859A1
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakazawa, Wataru
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/00 Washers or equivalent devices; Other devices for supporting bolt-heads or nuts circlips F16B21/18; for indicating tensile load F16B31/02; forming a whole with the bolt or nut F16B33/00; locking bolts or nuts by means of a fixed plate or ring, or washer-like resilient plates F16B39/10, F16B39/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/02 by means of fastening members using screw-thread F16B5/0004 takes precedence; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00

Abstract

A structure for attaching a fabric sheet to a vehicle body, wherein the fabric sheet may be prevented from being twisted together with the rotation of a threaded fastener such as a bolt during fixation of the fabric sheet to the vehicle body by the threaded fastener. A spacer which is generally cylindrical is fitted in a hole of a tab. The spacer comprises a cylindrical portion into which a bolt is inserted, and a pair of flanges radially overhanging from both axial ends of the cylindrical portion, respectively. The flanges, have an outer diameter which is sufficiently large in comparison to the inner diameter of the hole. The cylindrical portion is inserted into the hole. The head a of the bolt never touches the tab so that the tab is never twists together with the bolt when the bolt is screwed into the bolt hole.

Claims

1. A structure for attaching a fabric sheet to a vehicle body in which the fabric sheet is attached to the vehicle body by inserting a threaded fastener through a hole of the fabric sheet and screwing the fastener into a fastening hole formed in the vehicle body, wherein the structure comprises:

a spacer positioned in the hole of the sheet, the spacer having a cylindrical portion inserted in the hole, the diameter of the cylindrical portion being smaller than the inner diameter of the hole,

wherein the threaded fastener is inserted into the cylindrical portion, and wherein an end of the spacer is in contact with the vehicle body and another end of the spacer is provided with a flange having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the hole.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the flange is integrally formed with the cylindrical portion.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the spacer includes a spacer rear body to be in contact with the vehicle body and a spacer front body to be connected with the spacer rear body,

wherein the spacer front body includes the flange, and the spacer rear body includes an enlarged portion larger than the hole, the enlarged portion being located between the vehicle body and the fabric sheet.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the spacer includes a tacking member for tacking the spacer rear body to the vehicle body so that the tacking member engages with an engaging hole in the vehicle body.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the opening in the fabric sheet is located in an edge portion of an airbag that is intended to protect a vehicle occupant'"'"'s head.