VEHICLE BODY STRUCTURE

• US 20150130172A1
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: MUELLER, Joseph, OSTERHOUT, Neal, DIX, Jeffery
• Granted Patent: US 9,321,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A vehicle body structure includes a pillar, a roof rail, a pillar trim panel mounted to the pillar, a pillar airbag and a curtain airbag. The pillar airbag is mounted to the pillar in a stowed orientation between the pillar trim panel and the pillar. The pillar airbag is arranged to be deployed in a first direction extending away from the pillar in a deployed orientation. The curtain airbag is mounted to the roof rail in a stowed orientation along the roof rail, and is arranged to be deployed in a downward direction extending away from the roof rail to a deployed orientation. The pillar airbag is positioned outboard of the curtain airbag with the curtain airbag overlaying a portion of the pillar airbag with respect to a second direction transverse to the first direction while the pillar airbag and the curtain airbag are in their deployed orientations, respectively.

Claims

1. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a pillar;

a roof structure located above the pillar;

a body structure section having a first side window edge and an upper window edge that together at least partially define a window opening, the side window edge being located adjacent the pillar and the upper window edge being located adjacent the roof structure;

a curtain airbag mounted to the roof structure for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation, such that in the stowed orientation the curtain airbag extends along the roof structure and in the deployed orientation the curtain airbag extends downward from the roof structure covering at least a portion of the the upper window edge with a first side edge of the curtain airbag closest to the side window edge being spaced apart from the side window edge by a first distance; and

a pillar airbag mounted to the pillar for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation the pillar airbag extends along the pillar and in the deployed orientation the pillar airbag extends from the pillar across the side window edge, with a distal end of the pillar airbag being positioned at a second distance from the side window edge, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that the first side edge of the curtain airbag is positioned inboard of the pillar airbag, and the curtain airbag overlaps a portion of the pillar airbag such that the distal end of the pillar airbag is positioned between the curtain airbag and the window opening.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the body structure section defines a door opening and includes a sliding door movable between a closed position covering the door opening and an open position exposing the door opening, the side window edge, the upper window edge and the window opening being defined on the sliding door.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the body structure section further has a second side window edge opposite the first side window edge and a lower window edge, the upper window edge extending between respective upper ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the lower window edge extending between respective lower ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the first side window edge, the second side window edge, the upper window edge and the lower window edge defining the window opening, the window opening being divided into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the first side window edge below a first section of the upper window edge and above a first section of the lower window edge, and the second portion extending from the second side window edge toward the first side window edge below a remainder of the upper window edge and above a remainder of the lower window edge,

in their respective deployed orientations the pillar airbag covers at least the first portion of the window opening and the curtain airbag covers the second portion of the window opening and does not cover the first portion of the window opening.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle frontward direction while in the deployed orientation.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle lateral direction while in the deployed orientation.

7. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, further comprising

a guide rail extending along an area above the window opening, with an upper end of the pillar airbag being movably coupled to the guide rail.

8. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a pillar;

a roof structure located above the pillar;

a body structure section having a first side window edge, a second side window edge opposite the first side window edge, an upper window edge and a lower window edge, the upper window edge extending between respective upper ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the lower window edge extending between respective lower ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the first side window edge, the second side window edge, the upper window edge and the lower window edge defining a window opening, the first side window edge being located adjacent the pillar and the upper window edge being located adjacent the roof structure, the window opening further being divided into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the first side window edge below a first section of the upper window edge and above a first section of the lower window edge, and the second portion extending from the second side window edge toward the first side window edge below a second section of the upper window edge and above a second section of the lower window edge;

a pillar airbag mounted to the pillar for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation the pillar airbag extends along the pillar and in the deployed orientation the pillar airbag extends from the pillar across the first side window edge covering at least the first portion of the window opening; and

a curtain airbag mounted to the roof structure for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation the curtain airbag extends along the roof structure and in the deployed orientation the curtain airbag extends downward from the roof structure covering the second section of the upper window edge of the window opening and covering only the second portion of the window opening and not covering the first portion of the window opening such that the entire window opening is covered by the curtain airbag and the pillar airbag with the curtain airbag and the pillar airbag in their respective deployed orientations.

9. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8, wherein

the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

10. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8, wherein

the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle frontward direction while in the deployed orientation.

11. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8, wherein

the body structure section defines a door opening and includes a sliding door movable between a closed position covering the door opening and an open position exposing the door opening, the first side window edge, the second side window edge, the upper window edge, the lower window edge and the window opening all being located on the sliding door.

12. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8, wherein

in their respective deployed orientations, a first side edge of the curtain airbag closest to the first side window edge is spaced apart from the first side window edge by a first distance, and a distal end of the pillar airbag is positioned at a second distance from the first side window edge, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that the first side edge of the curtain airbag is positioned inboard of the pillar airbag, and the curtain airbag overlaps a portion of the pillar airbag such that the distal end of the pillar airbag is positioned between the curtain airbag and the window opening.

13. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8, further comprising

a guide rail extending along an area above the window opening, with an upper end of the pillar airbag being movably coupled to the guide rail.

14. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8, wherein

the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle lateral direction while in the deployed orientation.

15. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a pillar;

a roof side structure that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and includes a first roof side section, a second roof side section and a third roof side section, the first roof side section being located above the pillar, the second roof side section extending from the first roof side section away from the pillar to the third roof side section and including an inboard protruding structure, and the third roof side section extending from the second roof side structure away from the inboard protruding structure;

a vehicle side structure extending beneath second and third roof side sections of the roof side structure and defining a window opening, the window opening having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being defined directly beneath the inboard protruding structure and the second portion being defined beneath the third roof side section of the roof side structure, the second portion of the window opening being located adjacent to the first portion;

a pillar airbag mounted to the pillar for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation the pillar airbag extends along the pillar and in the deployed orientation the pillar airbag extends from the pillar under the inboard protruding structure of the roof side structure covering at least the first portion of the window opening; and

a curtain airbag mounted to the third roof side section of the roof side structure for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation a first side edge of the curtain airbag is located adjacent to one side of the inboard protruding structure and a remainder of the curtain airbag extends along the third roof side section of the roof side structure in a direction away from the inboard protruding structure, and in the deployed orientation the curtain airbag extends downward from the roof side structure covering the second portion of the window opening with an upper portion of the first side edge adjacent to the one side of the inboard protruding structure and a remainder of the first side edge of the curtain airbag extending down from upper portion such that the window opening is completely covered by the curtain airbag and the pillar airbag with the curtain airbag and the pillar airbag in their respective deployed orientations.

16. The vehicle body structure according to claim 15, wherein

the vehicle side structure defines a door opening and includes a sliding door movable between a closed position covering the door opening and an open position exposing the door opening, the window opening being located on the sliding door.

17. The vehicle body structure according to claim 16, wherein

the roof side structure further includes a slide rail that includes a curved portion and a track portion, the curved portion being located adjacent the pillar within inboard protruding structure and the track portion extending along the third roof side section in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and

the sliding door is configured to slide along the slide rail between the open position and the closed position.

18. The vehicle body structure according to claim 15, wherein

the curtain airbag is located rearward of the pillar airbag, and the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in the vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

19. The vehicle body structure according to claim 15, wherein

the curtain airbag is located frontward of the pillar airbag, and the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in the vehicle frontward direction while in the deployed orientation.

20. The vehicle body structure according to claim 15, further comprising

a guide rail extending along an area above the window opening, with an upper end of the pillar airbag being movably coupled to the guide rail.

21. The vehicle body structure according to claim 15, wherein in their respective deployed orientations the pillar airbag covers at least the first portion of the window opening and the curtain airbag covers only the second portion of the window opening and not the first portion of the window opening.