Garnish members having an air bag

• US 5,791,683 A
• Filed: 03/11/1997
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagano, Akiyoshi, Katagiri, Katsuhiro, Shibata, Minoru, Tanase, Toshinori, Tsuge, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US08/815,464
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/728.1, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

Garnish members according to this invention are installed and fixed to peripheries of a door opening in the interior of a vehicle body. The garnish members have an air bag therein and include elongate garnish bodies disposed in the interior of a vehicle body fixing portions. The fixing portions are hinged to the garnish bodies at a rear side of the garnish bodies and can be fixed to the body. The fixing portions include brackets capable of maintaining folding conditions of the air bag, which brackets can be ruptured when the air bag is inflated.

Claims

1. Garnish members having an air bag therein, the garnish members being constructed and arranged to be installed and fixed to peripheries of a door opening in an interior of a vehicle body, said garnish members comprising:

elongate garnish bodies adapted to be disposed in the interior of the vehicle body;

at least one fixing portion hinged to said garnish bodies at an outward side of said garnish bodies, said fixing portion being constructed and arranged to be fixed to the vehicle body, said fixing portion also being constructed and arranged to temporarily fix said air bag to the vehicle body so that said air bag can be mounted on said body; and

brackets provided at said fixing portion so as to maintain a folded condition of said air bag, said brackets being constructed and arranged to be ruptured when said air bag is inflated.

2. Garnish members as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for installing said air bag to said body and means for installing said at least one fixing portion to said body.

3. Garnish members as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one fixing portion comprises:

a connecting piece to be connected to said garnish body;

a connecting plate connected to said connecting piece, said plate having a plurality of fixing legs and a mounting hole through for receiving a bolt for use in installation to said body; and

a concave storage portion constructed and arranged to store the air bag in a folded condition connected to one of said brackets, and said one bracket is hinged with respect to said concave storage portion thereby forming a hinged portion and comprises;

a plurality of fixing holes for fixing said fixing legs;

a mounting hole through which said bolt can be inserted; and

a rupture part constructed and arranged to be ruptured when said air bag is inflated, said air bag being stored in said concave storage portion in a folded condition and being temporarily fixed to said fixing portion by turning said bracket with respect to said hinged portion of said bracket so as to fix said fixing legs to peripheral parts around said fixing holes, and further said air bag stored in said concave storage portion in a folded condition being mounted to said body by tightly engaging said bolt to said body via mounting holes in said bracket and in said connecting plate.

4. Garnish members as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one fixing portion is divided into plural sections and a plurality of said plural sections of said fixing portions are disposed on an outward side of said garnish body.

5. Garnish members as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing portion is divided into plural sections and a plurality of said plural sections of said fixing portions are disposed on an outward side of said garnish body and said fixing portions comprise:

a connecting piece to be connected to said garnish body;

a connecting plate connected to said connecting piece, the plate having a plurality of fixing legs and a mounting hole for receiving a bolt for use in installation to said body; and

a concave storage portion capable of storing said air bag in a folded condition connected to at least one of said brackets, and said one bracket being hinged with respect to said concave storage portion and comprises;

fixing holes for fixing said fixing legs;

a mounting hole for receiving said bolt; and

a rupture part constructed and arranged to be ruptured when said air bag is inflated, said air bag stored in said storage concave portion in a folded condition being temporarily fixed to said fixing portions by turning one said bracket with respect to said hinged portion so as to fix said fixing legs to peripheral parts around said fixing holes, and further said air bag stored in said storage concave portion in a folded condition being capable of being mounted to said body by tightly engaging said bolt to said body via mounting holes in said bracket and in said connecting plate.

6. Garnish members having an air bag therein, the garnish members being installed and fixed to peripheries of a door opening in an interior of a vehicle body, said garnish members comprising:

elongate garnish bodies disposed in the interior of the vehicle body;

fixing portions hinged to said garnish bodies at an outward side of said garnish bodies, said fixing portions being fixed to the vehicle body, said fixing portions temporarily fixing said air bag to the vehicle body so that said air bag can be mounted on said body; and

brackets provided at said fixing portions so as to maintain a folded condition of said air bag, said brackets being constructed and arranged to be ruptured when said air bag is inflated.