Interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating head-protecting air bag body

• US 6,334,626 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Hiroki, Watanabe, Toshimitu
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/729,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 296/97.1, 296/97.12
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0206 Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings devices for fastening or securing F16B
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0212 Roof or head liners movable head-liners B60J7/0007
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0225 self supporting head liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0275 comprising removable or hinged parts for accessing storage compartments B60R7/04; for airbag deployment B60R21/215
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/06 Sealing strips sealing arrangements for vehicle windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors, or similar devices B60J10/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/055 Padded or energy-absorbing fittings , e.g. seat belt anchors sun visors B60J3/00; head rests B60N2/80
• 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

An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body, a roof head lining, which is deformed at the time of expansion of the air bag body, includes a sun visor and an arm. The sun visor is connected to a vehicle body and is movable from an accommodated state to at least one predetermined position for use. The sun visor is connected to the vehicle body by the arm. The sun visor is formed by a main body portion and by an overhang portion. When a load of a predetermined value or more acts on the overhang portion by the expansion of the air bag body, the overhang portion is easily deformable with respect to the main body portion.

Claims

1. An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body which unfolds and forms an air-filled cushion in a region from a front pillar to a roof side rail, a roof head lining being deformed toward a vehicle-interior side at the time of expansion of the air bag body, comprising:

a sun visor connected to a vehicle body and provided to be movable from an accommodated state, in which said sun visor is disposed along a vehicle transverse direction and near to a front end of the roof head lining and substantially parallel to the roof head lining, to at least one predetermined position for use; and

an arm by which said sun visor is connected to the vehicle body,

wherein said sun visor is formed by a main body portion, which is, in the accommodated state of the sun visor, disposed further toward a vehicle-interior side than a point at which the arm is mounted to the vehicle body, and by an overhang portion which projects, in the accommodated state of the sun visor, further toward a vehicle-exterior side than the mounting point of the arm, and when load of a predetermined value or more acts on the overhang portion by the expansion of the air bag body, the overhang portion is easily deformable with respect to the main body portion.

2. An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body according to claim 1, wherein a frame of said sun visor is divided into two parts, one part being at the overhang portion and the other part being at the main body portion, and at least one portion of each of the two separated parts of the frame of the sun visor are connected to each other.

3. An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body according to claim 2, wherein at least one portion of each of the two separated parts of the frame of the sun visor are connected to each other so that, when a load of a predetermined value or greater acts on the overhang portion via the roof head lining at the time of expansion of the air bag body, connected portions of the separated parts of the frame separate from each other.

4. An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body according to claim 1, wherein a frame of said sun visor is divided into two parts, one part being at the overhang portion and the other part being at the main body portion, and at least one portion of each of the two separated parts of the frame of the sun visor are connected to each other by welding.

5. An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body which unfolds and forms an air-filled cushion in a region from a front pillar to a roof side rail, a roof head lining being deformed toward a vehicle-interior side at the time of expansion of the air bag body, comprising:

a sun visor connected to a vehicle body and provided to be movable from an accommodated state, in which said sun visor is disposed along a vehicle transverse direction and near to a front end of the roof head lining and substantially parallel to the roof head lining, to at least one predetermined position for use; and

an arm by which said sun visor is connected to the vehicle body,

wherein said sun visor includes an air bag-side portion which is opposed to the air bag body, and a non air-bag-side portion which is disposed further inwardly in a vehicle transverse direction than the air bag-side portion and which is supported by said arm, said sun visor further includes a frame, the frame being divided into two parts, one part being provided within the non air-bag-side portion of the sun visor and the other part being provided within the air bag-side portion of the sun visor, the one part and the other part of the frame are connected to each other at at least one portion such that connected portions of the frame separate from each other when a load is applied to the air bag-side portion by the air bag body, and a deformable portion provided between the air bag-side portion and the non air-bag-side portion.

6. An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body according to claim 5, wherein the deformable portion is a fragile portion which connects the air bag-side portion and the non air-bag-side portion.