Integrated inflatable curtain deployment ramp into vehicle body trim

• US 20070216141A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Downey, Brian, Bunce, Michael, Peruski, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,607,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars

Abstract

A pillar trim component can include a main body portion and an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion. An attachment portion can include an outwardly extending portion connected to the airbag support portion, an angled portion connected to an outer end of the outwardly extending portion, and an inboard stabilizing web extending between the outwardly extending portion and the angled portion. An airbag positioning portion can be defined by at least a portion of an upwardly extending wall of the airbag support portion angled inboard toward the main body portion. An airbag guide portion can be defined by a deployment surface located above the main body portion and extending between the main body position and the airbag support portion. A headliner retaining portion can be defined by a recess formed between the deployment surface and the main body portion.

Claims

1. A pillar structure for a motor vehicle having a side curtain airbag, comprising:

a pillar panel; and

a pillar trim component comprising;

a main body portion covering at least a portion of the pillar panel; and

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having an airbag guide portion, and a reinforcement portion connecting the airbag guide portion to the main body portion.

2. The pillar structure of claim 1 further comprising:

an attachment portion extending from the pillar trim component and connecting the pillar trim component to the pillar panel.

3. The pillar structure of claim 2, wherein the attachment portion extends from the airbag support portion.

4. The pillar structure of claim 1 further comprising:

an airbag positioning portion extending from the pillar trim component inboard away from the pillar panel.

5. The pillar structure of claim 4, wherein the airbag positioning portion extends from the airbag support portion inboard toward the airbag guide portion.

6. The pillar structure of claim 5 further comprising:

an attachment portion extending from the airbag support portion and connecting the pillar trim component to the pillar panel, the attachment portion located between two upwardly extending walls of the airbag positioning portion.

7. The pillar structure of claim 1, wherein the airbag guide portion is defined by a deployment surface located above the main body portion.

8. The pillar structure of claim 1 further comprising:

a roof portion; and

a pillar panel connected to the roof portion and an aperture extending through both the roof portion and the pillar panel.

9. The pillar structure of claim 8, wherein an inverted T-shaped periphery formed through both the roof portion and the pillar panel defines the aperture.

10. The pillar structure of claim 9 further comprising:

an attachment portion connecting the pillar trim component to the roof portion and pillar panel through the inverted T-shaped periphery defining the aperture.

11. The pillar structure of claim 1 further comprising:

a headliner retaining portion located between the main body portion and the airbag support portion.

12. A pillar trim component comprising:

a main body portion; and

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having an airbag guide portion, and a reinforcement portion connecting the airbag guide portion to the main body portion.

13. The pillar trim component of claim 12 further comprising:

an attachment portion extending from the airbag support portion.

14. The pillar trim component of claim 13, wherein the attachment portion is defined by an outwardly extending portion connected to the airbag support portion and an angled portion connected to an outer end of the outwardly extending portion.

15. The pillar trim component of claim 14, wherein the attachment portion is further defined by an inboard stabilizing web extending between the outwardly extending portion and the angled portion.

16. The pillar trim component of claim 12 further comprising:

an airbag positioning portion extending from the airbag support portion inboard toward the airbag guide portion.

17. The pillar trim component of claim 16, wherein the airbag positioning portion is defined by at least a portion of an upwardly extending wall of the airbag support portion angled inboard toward the airbag guide portion.

18. The pillar structure of claim 17 further comprising:

an attachment portion extending from the airbag support portion, the attachment portion located between two upwardly extending walls of the airbag positioning portion.

19. The pillar trim component of claim 12, wherein the airbag guide portion is defined by a deployment surface located above the main body portion and extending between the main body portion and the airbag support portion.

20. The pillar trim component of claim 12 further comprising:

a headliner retaining portion located between the main body portion and the airbag support portion.

21. The pillar trim component of claim 20, wherein the headliner retaining portion is defined by a recess formed between the airbag support portion and the main body portion.

22. A pillar trim component comprising:

a main body portion;

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having an airbag guide portion;

an attachment portion extending from the airbag support portion, wherein the attachment portion is defined by an outwardly extending portion connected to the airbag support portion and an angled portion connected to an outer end of the outwardly extending portion, and an inboard stabilizing web extending between the outwardly extending portion and the angled portion;

an airbag positioning portion extending from the airbag support portion inboard toward the airbag guide portion, wherein the airbag positioning portion is defined by at least a portion of an upwardly extending wall of the airbag support portion angled inboard toward the airbag guide portion, wherein the airbag guide portion is defined by a deployment surface located above the main body portion, and the deployment surface extends between the main body portion and the airbag support portion; and

a headliner retaining portion located between the main body portion and the airbag support portion, wherein the headliner retaining portion is defined by a recess formed between the airbag support portion and the main body portion.

23. A pillar structure for a motor vehicle having a side curtain airbag, comprising:

a pillar panel; and

a pillar trim component comprising;

a main body portion covering at least a portion of the pillar panel; and

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having an airbag positioning portion extending in a direction inboard away from the pillar panel, and an attachment portion extending in a direction outboard toward the pillar panel and connecting the pillar trim component to the pillar panel.

24. A pillar trim component comprising:

a main body portion; and

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having an airbag positioning portion extending in a direction inboard toward the main body portion, and an attachment portion extending in a direction outboard away from the main body portion.

25. A pillar trim component comprising:

a main body portion; and

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having an airbag positioning portion extending in a direction inboard toward the main body portion, and a headliner retaining portion located between the main body portion and the airbag support portion.

26. A pillar trim component comprising:

a main body portion; and

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having at least two portions selected from a group consisting of an airbag-positioning portion extending in a direction inboard toward the main body portion, an attachment portion extending in a direction outboard away from the main body portion, a headliner-retaining portion located between the main body portion and the airbag support portion, and any combination thereof.

27. The pillar trim component of claim 26, wherein the airbag positioning portion is defined by at least a portion of an upwardly extending wall of the airbag support portion angled inboard toward the main body portion.

28. The pillar trim component of claim 27 further comprising:

an attachment portion extending from the airbag support portion, the attachment portion located between two upwardly extending walls of the airbag positioning portion.

29. The pillar trim component of claim 26, wherein the attachment portion is defined by an outwardly extending portion connected to the airbag support portion, an angled portion connected to an outer end of the outwardly extending portion, and an inboard stabilizing web extending between the outwardly extending portion and the angled portion.

30. The pillar trim component of claim 26, wherein the headliner retaining portion is defined by a recess formed between the airbag support portion and the main body portion.

31. The pillar trim component of claim 26 further comprising:

an airbag guide portion defined by an airbag deployment surface located between the main body portion and the airbag support portion.

32. The pillar trim component of claim 26 further comprising:

a reinforcement portion defined by an integral wall connecting the main body portion and the airbag support portion.

33. A method for installing an airbag in a vehicle comprising:

slipping an airbag-positioning portion of a trim component between a vehicle body element and a previously installed airbag connected to the vehicle body element; and

repositioning the airbag slightly inboard from the vehicle body element while connecting the trim component to the vehicle body element.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the airbag is a side curtain airbag, the vehicle body element is a roof rail, and the trim component is a pillar trim component operable to move the side curtain airbag away from the roof rail during installation of the pillar trim component.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

supporting the airbag on an airbag support portion of the trim component.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

inserting an attachment portion extending outboard from the airbag positioning portion of the trim component into an aperture formed through the vehicle body element.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein inserting an attachment portion further comprises:

inserting an upwardly extending part of the attachment portion into an inverted T-shaped aperture formed in the vehicle body element; and

moving a lower portion of the trim component outboard and upward to engage an inverted T-shaped cross section of the attachment portion through the inverted T-shaped aperture formed in the vehicle body element as the airbag positioning portion of the trim component moves the airbag in an inboard direction away from the vehicle body element.

38. A pillar trim component comprising:

a main body portion; and

an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion, the airbag support portion having a headliner-retaining portion located between the main body portion and the airbag support portion, and an airbag guide portion defined by an airbag deployment surface located between the airbag support portion and the headliner-retaining portion, the airbag deployment surface extending inboard at an angle of sufficient magnitude to prevent contact by a deploying airbag with an upper edge of the headliner-retaining portion.

39. The pillar trim component of claim 38 further comprising:

an airbag-positioning portion extending from the airbag support portion toward the main body portion.

40. The pillar trim component of claim 39, wherein the airbag positioning portion is defined by at least a portion of an upwardly extending wall of the airbag support portion angled inboard toward the main body portion.

41. The pillar trim component of claim 40 further comprising:

an attachment portion extending from the airbag support portion, the attachment portion located between two upwardly extending walls of the airbag positioning portion.

42. The pillar trim component of claim 38 further comprising:

an attachment portion extending from the airbag support portion in a direction outboard away from the main body portion.

43. The pillar trim component of claim 42, wherein the attachment portion is defined by an outwardly extending portion connected to the airbag support portion, an angled portion connected to an outer end of the outwardly extending portion, and an inboard stabilizing web extending between the outwardly extending portion and the angled portion.

44. The pillar trim component of claim 38, wherein the headliner retaining portion is defined by a recess formed between the airbag support portion and the main body portion.

45. The pillar trim component of claim 38 further comprising:

a reinforcement portion defined by an integral wall connecting the main body portion and the airbag support portion.