Vehicle Pillar Trim Panel Assembly
First Claim
1. A trim panel selectively attached to a structural pillar of an automotive vehicle for use in covering an expandable side curtain air bag, the trim panel comprising:
- a unitary molded body having an inner surface configured to face the structural pillar and an opposed outer surface, the unitary molded body also having an upper edge, a lower edge, leading side edge and a trailing side edge, the unitary molded body having a first body portion and a second body portion connected to the first body portion at a connection area, wherein the first body portion extends from the upper edge to the lower edge of the unitary molded body and wherein the second body portion is positioned proximate to the upper edge of the unitary molded body and defines at least a portion of the trailing side edge of the unitary molded body;
wherein the first body portion is formed of a first polymeric material having a first modulus of elasticity and the second body portion is formed of a second polymeric material having a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first modulus of elasticity, wherein the distal edge of the second body portion is operably deformable between a first position in overlying relationship with the side curtain airbag in a non-deployed state and a second deflected position upon deployment of the side curtain airbag.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A trim panel attachable to a structural pillar of an automotive vehicle for covering an expandable side-curtain air bag. The trim panel can also be part of a vehicular pillar structure or a vehicle subassembly. The trim panel is composed of a unitary molded body having first and second body portions connected to each other. The first body portion is formed of a first material and the second body portion is formed of a second polymeric material that is more flexible than the first material. The second body portion is configured as a deflectable flap movable between a first position in overlying relationship with the side-curtain airbag in a non-deployed state and a second deflected position upon deployment of the side-curtain airbag.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A trim panel selectively attached to a structural pillar of an automotive vehicle for use in covering an expandable side curtain air bag, the trim panel comprising:
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a unitary molded body having an inner surface configured to face the structural pillar and an opposed outer surface, the unitary molded body also having an upper edge, a lower edge, leading side edge and a trailing side edge, the unitary molded body having a first body portion and a second body portion connected to the first body portion at a connection area, wherein the first body portion extends from the upper edge to the lower edge of the unitary molded body and wherein the second body portion is positioned proximate to the upper edge of the unitary molded body and defines at least a portion of the trailing side edge of the unitary molded body; wherein the first body portion is formed of a first polymeric material having a first modulus of elasticity and the second body portion is formed of a second polymeric material having a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first modulus of elasticity, wherein the distal edge of the second body portion is operably deformable between a first position in overlying relationship with the side curtain airbag in a non-deployed state and a second deflected position upon deployment of the side curtain airbag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A trim panel selectively attachable to a structural vehicular pillar for use in concealing an expandable air bag, the trim panel comprising:
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a first body portion composed of a first material having a first modulus of elasticity; a second body portion connected to the first body portion at a connection area, the second body portion composed of a second material, wherein the second material is a moldable polymer having a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first modulus of elasticity, the first body portion and the second body portion cooperatively defining a side-curtain airbag storage chamber configured to conceal at least a portion of an expandable side-curtain airbag in a stowed orientation, wherein a distal region of the second body portion is operably deformable relative to the first body portion in response to deployment of the side-curtain airbag to define a flexible airbag deployment flap, the first body portion substantially defining the airbag storage chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A pillar assembly for a motor vehicle having a roof region and a body, the motor vehicle pillar assembly comprising:
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a pillar structure extending between the vehicle body region and the vehicle roof region; a pillar trim panel member coupled to the pillar structure, the pillar trim panel member having an inner surface and an opposed outer surface, the pillar trim member covering a portion of the pillar structure to define an airbag storage area between the inner surface of the pillar trim member and an outwardly facing surface of the pillar structure, the pillar trim panel member at least partially defined by an upper edge, a lower edge, leading side edge and a trailing side edge, the trailing side edge configured to be proximate to a vehicular side window; and an inflatable side-curtain airbag coupled to the pillar structure and at least partially disposed in the airbag storage area defined by the pillar trim member and the pillar structure; wherein the pillar trim panel member is a unitary molded member including a first body portion configured to substantially define the airbag storage area, the first body portion adapted to secure the pillar trim panel member to the pillar structure, and a second body portion connected to the first body portion at a connection area and deformable relative to the first body portion, the second deformable body portion defining a remaining portion of the airbag storage area, the second body portion configured to selectively deform relative to the first region in response to deployment of the airbag. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification