Vehicle inflatable restraint system trim with trim deploying module

• US 6,152,482 A
• Filed: 05/26/1999
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Blackson, Jay, Chickola, Jeffrey Alan, Patel, Rasik N., Ursaki, Glen Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINNER, TONY H
• Application Number:
  US09/318,948
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0442 associated with the roof panel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover

Abstract

An inflatable restraint module for an automotive vehicle has a module housing longitudinally mounted adjacent a roof rail with an inflatable restraint mounted therein for movement from a stowed position to an inflated position along an interior of the vehicle body side. The module housing has a flap member, deployable by inflation of the inflatable restraint, to operatively force a headliner assembly over a pillar trim piece and to route the inflatable restraint past the pillar trim.

Claims

1. In an automotive vehicle having a body including a passenger compartment extending longitudinally of the vehicle with an upper end bounded by a roof supported by a plurality of pillars extending from a body side defining window openings therebetween and having a longitudinally extending roof side rail, each of the plurality of pillars covered by a trim piece inwardly covered with a headliner assembly, an inflatable restraint system comprising:

a module housing longitudinally mounted on a laterally inner surface roof rail;

an inflator for discharging inflator gas;

an inflatable restraint mounted within the housing within a stowed position and operatively connected with the inflator to receive inflator gas therefrom for movement to an inflated position along an interior surface of the vehicle side; and

a flap member integral with the module housing when the inflatable restraint is in the stowed position and movable to a chute position, the flap member operative to engage an inner surface of the headliner to force a lower edge thereof past an upper edge of the trim panel when moving to the chute position, the flap member resting upon the upper edge of the panel when in the chute position to route the inflatable restraint thereover.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the module housing has a tear seam on a laterally inward side thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inflatable restraint deploys sideways through the module housing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flap member has at least two bendable sections.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the inflatable restraint is an airbag folded within the module housing in fluid communication with the inflator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the inflatable restraint substantially covers the longitudinal extent of the passenger compartment when the inflatable restraint is in the inflated position.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the headliner assembly is formed of a resilient material operative to deflect away at its lower edge from the roof side rail as the inflatable restraint expands to the inflated position.