Modular headliner and inflatable curtain assembly

• US 20030205887A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Lancaster, George E., Braun, William P., Wallner, John P., Pillsbury, Charles S. IV
• Granted Patent: US 6,793,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0293 Connection or positioning of adjacent panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/40 Clamping arrangements where clamping parts are received in recesses of elements to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0685 Joining sheets or plates to strips or bars F16B5/0692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44 Clasp, clip, support-clamp, or required component thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32532 Clamped members

Abstract

A modular headliner assembly (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) adapted to inflate away from a roof (18) of a vehicle (12) into a position between a side structure (16) of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The modular headliner assembly (10) also includes a headliner (36) for covering an interior portion (38) of the roof (18) and at least one support device (40) for supporting the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) and the headliner in the vehicle (12). The support device (40) includes a bracket (42) having a portion (44) connectable to the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14), fastener (202) for connecting the headliner (36) to the bracket, and a fastener (222) for connecting the bracket to the vehicle (12).

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is adapted to inflate away from a roof of a vehicle into a position between a side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;

a headliner for covering an interior portion of the vehicle roof; and

at least one support device for supporting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and said headliner in the vehicle, said at least one support device comprising;

a bracket having a portion connectable to said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

first fastening means for connecting said headliner to said bracket; and

second fastening means for connecting said bracket to the vehicle.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fill tube having a portion located in said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said fill tube directing inflation fluid into said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said portion of said bracket being connectable to said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2, further comprising an inflation fluid source for providing said inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said fill tube directing said inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source into said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said portion connectable to said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprises a clamp portion of said bracket, said clamp portion extending around portions of said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and clamping onto said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said bracket further comprises a flange portion extending from said clamp portion, said flange portion receiving said second fastening means.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said bracket comprises a single piece of metal material, said clamp portion comprising a portion of said metal material plastically deformed around said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to clamp onto said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said portion of said metal material plastically deformed around said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprises a portion of said metal material bent around said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a housing for enclosing said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in a stored position, said at least one support device being connectable to said housing.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said bracket extends through said housing to help connect said at least one support device to said housing.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 8, further comprising a fill tube having a portion located in said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said fill tube directing inflation fluid into said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said portion of said bracket being connectable to said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said portion of said fill tube being enclosed in said housing.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device has a generally elongated configuration extending along the side structure of the vehicle near the intersection of the side structure and the vehicle roof, said headliner having a longitudinal edge extending along the side structure of the vehicle near the intersection of the side structure and the vehicle roof, said at least one support device connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said headliner along said longitudinal edge.

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one support device comprises a plurality of support devices spaced along said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said plurality of support devices connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said headliner along said longitudinal edge.

13. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said second fastening means connects said bracket to the side structure of the vehicle.

14. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said second fastening means connects said bracket to a pillar of the vehicle.

15. Apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said pillar is one of an A pillar, B pillar and C pillar of the vehicle.

16. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said second fastening means comprises a threaded fastener.

17. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said first fastening means is a fir tree fastener.

18. Apparatus for supporting an inflatable curtain module and a headliner in a vehicle, the inflatable curtain module including an inflatable curtain and a fill tube having a portion located in said inflatable curtain, said apparatus comprising:

a bracket having a first portion extending around a portion of said inflatable curtain and said fill tube and clamping onto said inflatable curtain and said fill tube;

first fastening means for connecting said headliner to said bracket; and

second fastening means for connecting said bracket to the vehicle.

19. A modular vehicle headliner assembly comprising:

a vehicle headliner;

an inflatable curtain module; and

a bracket for connecting said inflatable curtain module to said headliner, said bracket being connectable to the vehicle to connect said headliner and said inflatable curtain module to the vehicle.

20. The modular vehicle headliner assembly recited in claim 19, wherein said inflatable curtain module comprises:

an inflatable curtain;

a fill tube having a portion position within said inflatable curtain, said fill tube delivering inflation fluid into said inflatable curtain to inflate said inflatable curtain; and

a housing for enclosing said inflatable curtain and said fill tube in a stored and deflated condition.

21. Apparatus comprising:

a vehicle headliner having a first longitudinal edge extendable along an intersection of a first side structure of a vehicle and a roof of the vehicle, said headliner having a second longitudinal edge extendable along an intersection of a second side structure of the vehicle, opposite the first side structure, and the vehicle roof;

a first inflatable curtain module;

at least one first bracket for connecting said first inflatable curtain module to said headliner along said first longitudinal edge;

a second inflatable curtain module; and

at least one second bracket for connecting said second inflatable curtain module to said headliner along said second longitudinal edge, said at least one first bracket and said at least one second bracket being connectable to the vehicle to connect said headliner, said first inflatable curtain module, and said second inflatable curtain module to the vehicle.

22. The apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein each of said first and second inflatable curtain modules comprises:

an inflatable curtain;

a fill tube having a portion position within said inflatable curtain, said fill tube delivering inflation fluid into said inflatable curtain to inflate said inflatable curtain; and

a housing for enclosing said inflatable curtain and said fill tube in a stored and deflated condition.