Center pillar structure for a vehicle

• US 4,971,359 A
• Filed: 11/02/1989
• Issued: 11/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Ichiro, Matsushima, Haruo, Kakizaki, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOGE, GARY CHAPMAN
• Application Number:
  US07/430,460
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 296/30, 296/203, 296/202, 280/801, 280/808
• US Class Current: 280/801.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/203 the locking means being movably mounted on the slider

Abstract

The present invention relates to a center pillar designed for a vehicle. According to the invention, an anchor rail, supporting a seat belt anchor in a vertically movable manner, is fixedly provided on a center pillar of a vehicle. A reinforcing frame, containing the anchor rail therein, is fixedly mounted on an inner panel of the center pillar to which the anchor rail is attached. The reinforcing frame has a window facing the anchor rail. In another embodiment, the anchor rail is attached to a rail bracket. The rail bracket is fixedly mounted within the inner panel of the center pillar. A window in the interior side surface of the inner panel faces the anchor rail. In this embodiment, the center pillar is reinforced by the rail bracket.

Claims

1. A center pillar structure for a vehicle comprising:

a center pillar of the vehicle, said center pillar having an inner panel;

a seat belt anchor;

anchor rail supporting said seat belt anchor in a vertically movable manner, said anchor rail being fixedly provided on said inner panel; and

a reinforcing frame, containing said anchor rail therein, fixedly mounted on said inner panel of the center pillar, said reinforcing frame having a window facing the anchor rail.

2. A center pillar structure for a vehicle comprising:

a center pillar of said vehicle, said center pillar having an inner panel, said inner panel having a window in an interior side surface thereof;

a seat belt anchor;

an anchor rail supporting said seat belt anchor in a vertically movable manner; and

a rail bracket, to which said anchor rail is attached, is fixedly mounted within said inner panel of the center pillar at a distance from said window equal to a thickness of said anchor rail, said window of said inner panel facing the anchor rail.