SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DIRECTIONAL DEPLOYMENT APPARATUS

• US 20080238053A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Downey, Brian, Elliott-Rumberger, Kristi, Osterhout, Neal
• Granted Patent: US 7,784,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

At least one guide member extends longitudinally along at least a portion of a stowed side curtain airbag. At least one guide ramp directs deployment of the side curtain airbag toward the openable passage defined at least in part by one or more trim pieces. The guide member surrounds the side curtain airbag on three sides to define an airbag deployment opening facing a rear surface of the one or more trim pieces adjacent the openable passage. The interior trim structure covers the stowed side curtain airbag and allows deployment of the side curtain airbag through an interface joint to a position along a sidewall of a passenger compartment adjacent a rear seat location of a two-door coupe style vehicle. The interface joint defines an openable passage along the first and second abutting edges allowing deployment of a side curtain airbag through the interface joint.

Claims

1. An apparatus for guiding deployment of a stowed side curtain airbag along a side wall of a passenger compartment of a vehicle comprising:

at least one trim piece defining at least a portion of an openable passage allowing deployment of a side curtain airbag; and

at least one guide member extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the stowed side curtain airbag and including at least one guide ramp directing deployment of the side curtain airbag toward the openable passage defined at least in part by the trim piece, the guide member surrounding the side curtain airbag on three sides to define an airbag deployment opening facing a rear surface of the trim piece adjacent the openable passage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide member is associated with at least one of the trim piece, a body bracket, and a pillar bracket.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide member positions a stowed side curtain airbag at a constant distance from a back side of the at least one trim piece along a corresponding length of the guide member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide member is shaped to follow a styling path of a structural pillar of a vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide member extends inwardly from a structural pillar of a vehicle toward a back side of the at least one trim piece, and includes a generally U-shaped cross section.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the U-shaped cross section of the guide member includes a rear wall portion spaced from the at least one trim piece and two side wall portions extending from opposite edges of the rear wall portion toward the at least one trim piece, each side wall portion defining an obtuse angle with respect to the rear wall portion of the guide member.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one guide member extends longitudinally along the structural pillar between a forward location and rearward location with respect to the vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide member is formed with an energy absorbing guide ramp of sufficient strength to guide deployment of the side curtain airbag toward an interior passenger compartment of the vehicle, while being formed to absorb energy from an impact originating internally from within the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an interface joint defining at least a portion of the openable passage located between a first edge of the trim piece and a second edge.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the at least one trim piece including a first trim piece having at least one aperture along a first edge, and a second trim piece having at least one low-retention force projection receivable within the aperture formed in the first trim piece, the projection formed along a second edge and located in complementary position with respect to the aperture of the first edge to temporarily secure an interface joint defined between the first and second edges along the first and second trim pieces with respect to one another when in a closed position and to define an openable passage along the interface joint between the first and second edges allowing deployment of a side curtain airbag.

11. An interior trim structure for guiding deployment of a stowed side curtain airbag along a side wall of a passenger compartment of a vehicle comprising:

a first trim piece having at least one aperture along a first edge;

a second trim piece having at least one low-retention force projection receivable within the aperture formed in the first trim piece, the projection formed along a second edge and located in complementary position with respect to the aperture of the first edge to temporarily secure an interface joint defined between the first and second edges along the first and second trim pieces with respect to one another when in a closed position and to define an openable passage along the interface joint between the first and second edges allowing deployment of a side curtain airbag; and

at least one guide member extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the stowed side curtain airbag and including at least one guide ramp directing deployment of the side curtain airbag toward the first and second trim pieces, the guide member surrounding the side curtain airbag on three sides to define an opening facing the first and second trim pieces.

12. The interior trim structure of claim 11, wherein the at least one guide member directs airbag deployment toward the openable passage defined along the interface joint between the first and second edges.

13. The interior trim structure of claim 11, wherein the at least one guide member positions a stowed side curtain airbag at a constant distance from a back side of the at least one trim piece along a corresponding length of the guide member.

14. The interior trim structure of claim 11, wherein the at least one guide member extends inwardly from a structural pillar of a vehicle toward a back side of the at least one trim piece, and includes a generally U-shaped cross section, wherein the U-shaped cross section of the guide member includes a rear wall portion spaced from the at least one trim piece and two side wall portions extending from opposite edges of the rear wall portion toward the at least one trim piece, each side wall portion defining an obtuse angle with respect to the rear wall portion of the guide member.

15. The interior trim structure of claim 11, wherein the projection further comprises:

an elongate, generally L-shaped, member having a locking tab located on a distal end for releasable engagement with a shoulder defining a portion of the corresponding aperture.

16. The interior trim structure of claim 11, wherein the projection further comprises:

an elongate member having a periphery slidingly engagable with a guiding surface associated with the corresponding aperture for locating the trim pieces with respect to one another.

17. In an interior trim structure for deployment of a side curtain airbag along a side wall of a passenger compartment adjacent a rear seat location of a vehicle, the improvement comprising:

a group of low-retention force projections and complementary interlocking apertures formed along abutting first and second edges of a rear pillar trim piece and a center pillar trim piece to temporarily secure an interface joint defined between the abutting first and second edges along the trim pieces with respect to one another when in a closed position and to define an openable passage through the interface joint between the first and second edges allowing deployment of a side curtain airbag; and

at least one guide member extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the stowed side curtain airbag and including at least one guide ramp directing deployment of the side curtain airbag toward the openable passage, the guide member surrounding the side curtain airbag on three sides to define an airbag deployment opening facing a rear surface of the trim piece adjacent the openable passage.

18. The improvement of claim 17, wherein the at least one guide member extends inwardly from a structural pillar of a vehicle toward a back side of the at least one trim piece, and includes a generally U-shaped cross section, wherein the U-shaped cross section of the guide member includes a rear wall portion spaced from the at least one trim piece and two side wall portions extending from opposite edges of the rear wall portion toward the at least one trim piece, at least one side wall portion defining an obtuse angle with respect to the rear wall portion of the guide member.

19. The improvement of claim 17, wherein the projection further comprises:

an elongate, generally L-shaped, member having a locking tab located on a distal end for releasable engagement with a shoulder defining a portion of the corresponding aperture, and an elongate member having a periphery slidingly engagable with a guiding surface associated with the corresponding aperture for locating the trim pieces with respect to one another.

20. An interior trim structure for covering a stowed side curtain airbag and for allowing deployment of the side curtain airbag through the interior trim structure to a position along a side wall of a passenger compartment adjacent a rear seat location of a two door coupe style vehicle comprising:

a center pillar trim piece;

a rear pillar trim piece to be assembled to the center pillar trim piece;

at least one projection receivable within and releasably interlocking with a corresponding aperture formed in one of the trim pieces, the projection formed along a second edge of another of the trim pieces, each projection located in a complementary position with respect to the corresponding aperture formed along the first edge to temporarily secure an interface joint defined between the first and second edges when in an abutting relationship with respect to one another in a closed position and to define an openable passage along the interface joint between the first and second edges allowing deployment of a side curtain airbag through the interface joint; and

at least one guide member extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the stowed side curtain airbag and including at least one guide ramp directing deployment of the side curtain airbag toward the openable passage, the guide member surrounding the side curtain airbag on three sides to define an airbag deployment opening facing a rear surface of the trim piece adjacent the openable passage, wherein the at least one guide member extends inwardly from a structural pillar of a vehicle toward a back side of at least one of the trim pieces, and includes a generally U-shaped cross section, wherein the U-shaped cross section of the guide member includes a rear wall portion spaced from at least one of the trim pieces and two side wall portions extending from opposite edges of the rear wall portion toward at least one of the trim pieces.