Sunroof drain tube mounting arrangement

• US 20060001245A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Romig, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/0084 Water draining for non-fixed roofs or roof panels for fixed roofs not integral with roof structure B60R13/06, for fixed roofs integral with roof structure B62D25/07
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/07 Water drainage or guide means not integral with roof structure B60R13/06, B60J10/25 take precedence; integral with roof structure B62D25/07; drainage openings having movable or removable closures B62D25/24
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars

Abstract

A vehicle mounting arrangement is provided for a vehicle having a sunroof with a sunroof drain tube and an inflatable airbag. The drain tube and the inflatable airbag are mounted to a vehicle roof rail of the vehicle. The vehicle mounting arrangement includes an inflatable airbag mounted to the vehicle roof rail. The inflatable airbag is expandable toward an interior side of the vehicle. A sunroof drain tube is pivotally mounted to the vehicle roof rail and positioned adjacent the inflatable airbag so that the drain tube is pivotally displaced upon expansion of the inflatable airbag.

Claims

1. A vehicle mounting arrangement for a vehicle having a sunroof with a sunroof drain tube and an inflatable airbag, said drain tube and said inflatable airbag mounted to a vehicle roof rail of the vehicle, said vehicle mounting arrangement comprising:

an inflatable airbag mounted to the vehicle roof rail, said inflatable airbag expandable toward an interior side of the vehicle; and

a sunroof drain tube pivotally mounted to the vehicle roof rail and positioned adjacent said inflatable airbag so that said drain tube is pivotally displaced upon expansion of said inflatable airbag.

2. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein said drain tube is pivotally moved upward about said vehicle roof rail upon expansion of said inflatable airbag so as to avoid being projected into a passenger compartment of said vehicle.

3. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein said inflatable airbag is a side curtain airbag.

4. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 1 further including:

a sling pivotally connecting said sunroof drain tube to the vehicle roof rail.

5. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 1 further including:

a canvas sling mounted to the vehicle roof rail and carrying said drain tube adjacent said inflatable airbag.

6. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein said sunroof drain tube is mounted toward the interior side of the vehicle relative to the inflatable airbag.

7. A drain tube mounting arrangement in a vehicle, comprising:

an inflatable member mounted to a vehicle roof rail and expandable away from said vehicle roof rail along a passenger compartment of said vehicle; and

a conduit pivotally mounted to said vehicle roof rail along said inflatable member so that upon deployment of said inflatable member said conduit is pivotally moved toward a roof of said vehicle.

8. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 7 wherein said inflatable member is a side curtain airbag.

9. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 7 further including at least one mount connecting said inflatable member to said vehicle roof rail.

10. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 7 further including:

a canvass sling hingedly supporting said conduit from said vehicle roof rail adjacent said inflatable member.

11. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 7 further including:

a sling mounted to said vehicle roof rail and carrying said conduit closely adjacent said inflatable member, said sling enabling said conduit to move toward said roof upon deployment of said inflatable member.

12. The vehicle mounting arrangement of claim 7 wherein conduit is a sunroof drain tube having an inlet for receiving water drainage from an area around a sunroof of said vehicle and an outlet for draining said water drainage to ambient.

13. A vehicle having a frame including a roof rail for supporting a roof over a passenger cabin and a side airbag mounted to the roof rail for selectively creating an inflatable barrier extending from the roof rail along the passenger cabin, the vehicle comprising:

an elongated conduit extending along a length of the roof rail; and

a sling hingedly connecting the conduit to the roof rail along an interior side of the side airbag.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein said sling carries said elongated conduit so that upon inflation of the side airbag said conduit is moveable in a direction away from the passenger cabin while remaining connected to the roof rail.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein said conduit is a sunroof drain tube fluidly connected to an area around a sunroof of the vehicle for carrying drainage from said area.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein said sling is a canvas sling having a secured end connected to the roof rail by fasteners and a looped end for carrying said conduit.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein said sling is positioned between two mounts that secure the side airbag to the roof rail.

18. A sunroof drain tube mounting arrangement, comprising:

a curtain airbag mounted along one side of a vehicle roof; and

a sunroof drain tube pivotally mounted along said one side of said vehicle roof adjacent an interior side of said curtain airbag so that said drain tube is pivotally directed toward said vehicle roof and away from occupants carried beneath said roof upon deployment of said curtain airbag.