Vehicle interior material

• US 6,357,812 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
• Inventors: Adachi, Nagayoshi, Ishii, Miwa, Nakatani, Kazushi, Mekata, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Stephen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coletta, Lori L.
• Application Number:
  US09/634,373
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 296/39.1, 296/188, 296/189, 296/146.6, 296/146.7, 296/203.08, 296/203.01, 280/748, 280/751, 280/752
• US Class Current: 296/39.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0414 using energy absorbing ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0435 associated with the side or roof pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings

Abstract

A vehicle interior material is provided that efficiently dampens impact forces with ribs protruding into a limited space enclosed by a vehicle panel and a facer, and that reduces the protrusion height of the ribs, thereby curbing the amount that the vehicle interior material bulges into the space of the vehicle interior. The vehicle interior material includes a facer (2) with a substantially C-shaped cross-section covering a panel ridge (7) extending in a longitudinal direction on the vehicle compartment side of a vehicle panel, a space (4) being provided between the panel ridge and the facer; and a plurality of plate-shaped ribs (3) which are arranged independently from one another, bridging side walls of the facer, the ribs protruding from a rear face of the facer (2) opposite the vehicle panel into the space (4) and arranged at substantially right angles with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle panel. The shape of a protruding edge of the plate-shaped ribs (3) substantially follows at least a protrusion end face of the panel ridge (7) and the passenger-opposing lateral face formed in continuation thereof to one side. The vehicle interior material further includes a deformation-inducing means (30) causing a rib portion (3B) protruding towards the protrusion end face of the panel ridge (7) to buckle at an intermediate protrusion position when subjected to an impact by a passenger.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior material, comprising:

a facer with a substantially C-shaped cross-section covering a panel ridge on a vehicle compartment side of a vehicle panel, the panel ridge having a protrusion end face extending in a longitudinal direction and two lateral faces in continuation of the end face, a space being provided between the panel ridge and the facer; and

a plurality of plate-shaped ribs, which are arranged independently from one another, each of the plate-shaped ribs extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle panel to bridge side walls of the facer, the ribs protruding from a rear face of the facer opposing the vehicle panel into the space and intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle panel;

wherein the shape of a protruding edge of the plate-shaped ribs substantially follows at least a protrusion end face of the panel ridge and the passenger-opposing lateral face formed in continuation thereof to one side; and

wherein the vehicle interior material further comprises a deformation-including means, causing a portion of the plate-shaped ribs protruding towards the protrusion end face of the panel ridge to buckle at an intermediate protrusion position when subjected to an impact by a passenger.

6. The vehicle interior material of any of claims 1, 2 or 3, used as a center pillar garnish or a roof side rail garnish of an automobile.

2. A vehicle interior material, comprising:

a facer with a substantially C-shaped cross-section covering a panel ridge on a vehicle compartment side of a vehicle panel, the panel ridge having a protrusion end face extending in a longitudinal direction and two lateral faces in continuation of the end face, a space being provided between the panel ridge and the facer; and

a plurality of ribs, which are arranged independently from one another, bridging side walls of the facer, the ribs protruding from a rear face of the facer opposing the vehicle panel into the space and intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle panel;

wherein the shape of a protruding edge of the plate-shaped ribs substantially follows at least a protrusion end face of the panel ridge and the passenger-opposing lateral face formed in continuation thereof to one side,

the vehicle interior material further comprises a deformation-including means, causing a portion of the plate-shaped ribs protruding towards the protrusion end face of the panel ridge to buckle at an intermediate protrusion position when subjected to an impact by a passenger, and

the deformation-inducing means comprises a main notch opened in the protruding edge of the plate-shaped ribs in opposition to a region where the protrusion end face of the panel ridge abuts against the passenger-opposing lateral face formed in continuation on one side thereof, and at least one auxiliary notch provided in the protruding edge of the plate-shaped ribs in opposition to or nearly opposite the region where the protrusion end face of the panel ridge abuts against the lateral face formed in continuation on the other side thereof.

3. The vehicle interior material of claim 2, provided with a thin-walled portion instead of the main notch, the thin-walled portion having the same cross-section as the main notch.

4. The vehicle interior material of claim 2 or 3, wherein each of the plate-shaped ribs is partitioned, by a virtual line extending from the structural portion of the deformation-inducing means toward the facer, into at least two portions of different thickness distribution along a protrusion direction and different average thickness, an overall average thickness of the plate-shaped ribs being in the range of 0.8 to 2.8 mm.

5. The vehicle interior material of claim 2 or 3, wherein the facer and the plate-shaped ribs are integrated by injection molding using the same kind of thermoplastic resin.