Vehicle body structure with head protecting airbag

• US 6,883,828 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• 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: Ohki, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/357,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 296/218, 296/220.01, 527/166, 527/165, 527/170.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• 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 13/0225 self supporting head liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0293 Connection or positioning of adjacent panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21543 with emblems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/24 secured to the side, door, or roof of the vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle body structure with a head protecting airbag includes a rear pillar garnish having a frame portion disposed in such a manner as to extend along an upper portion of a rear side window glass frame member, and a rear projecting portion projecting upwardly from a rear end of said frame portion to a rear window glass, the rear projecting portion being attached to a vehicle body panel via a clip boss; a roof lining having a side portion and a rear portion disposed so as to overlap a back surface of the frame portion and a back surface of the rear projecting portion, respectively; the head protecting airbag disposed on a back surface of the roof lining; and a supporting bracket attached to a back surface of a vicinity of a rear portion of the roof lining, the supporting bracket being attached to the vehicle body panel.

Claims

1. A vehicle body structure with a head protecting airbag, comprising:

a rear pillar garnish having a frame portion disposed in such a manner as to extend along an upper portion of a rear side window glass frame member, and a rear projecting portion projecting upwardly from a rear end of said frame portion to a rear window glass, said rear projecting portion being attached to a vehicle body panel via a clip boss;

a roof lining having a side portion and a rear portion disposed so as to overlap a back surface of said frame portion and a back surface of said rear projecting portion, respectively;

said head protecting airbag disposed on a back surface of said roof lining; and

a supporting bracket attached to a back surface of a vicinity of the rear portion of said roof lining, said supporting bracket being attached to said vehicle body panel.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein said supporting bracket includes an extending portion extending rearward toward said rear projecting portion, and

wherein said extending portion defines a positioning opening into which said clip boss is fitted.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein said extending portion has a stay abutting with said vehicle body panel at a front end of said extending portion.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein said clip boss is integrally formed on said rear projecting portion of rear pillar garnish, and a front end of said clip boss is abutted with said vehicle body panel.

5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein said roof lining and said rear pillar garnish are disposed so that said side portion of said roof lining is adapted to be dislocated from said frame portion of said rear pillar garnish by virtue of an expansion pressure resulting when said head protecting airbag is expanded, whereby said head protecting airbag is allowed to expand into a passenger compartment through a gap so resulting between said frame portion and said roof lining.