Occupant restraint system

• US 7,134,682 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Company
• Inventors: Saito, Yuichi, Aoki, Takashi, Totsuka, Hirofumi, Takemura, Naoki, Utsumi, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Drew J.
• Application Number:
  US10/742,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20040178609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 280/728.1, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• 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 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0293 Connection or positioning of adjacent panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An occupant restraint system includes an air bag arranged inside a roof side rail in a folded state. When a vehicle is involved in a collision, the air bag so arranged is inflated with a gas generated by an inflator so as to be deployed along an inner surface of a side portion of a passenger compartment in a curtain-like fashion. In a pillar garnish which covers a side of a pillar inner of a B pillar which faces a passenger compartment side, a rod-like projection provided on an inner surface of the pillar garnish at an upper portion thereof in such a manner as to project therefrom is inserted into a hole formed in the pillar inner. Even in case the air bag which is being deployed pushes against an upper end of the pillar garnish, the dislocation of the pillar garnish from the pillar inner is prevented.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint system comprising:

an air bag in a folded state being arranged in such a manner as to extend along a side portion of a roof, the air bag being inflated with a gas generated by an inflator so as to be deployed in a curtain-like fashion along an inner surface of a side portion of a passenger compartment when a vehicle is involved in a collision; and

a pillar garnish covering a side of a pillar continuously extending downwardly from the side portion of the roof which faces the passenger compartment, the pillar garnish including a rod shaped projection which is formed on an inner surface of the pillar garnish,

the projection having a distal end adapted to be inserted in a hole formed in the pillar and wherein the projection is linear and comprises a cross-sectional shape which is uniform in both size and shape along the length of the projection.

2. An occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the projection is integrally formed on the inner surface of the pillar garnish.

3. An occupant restraint system according to claim 2, wherein the pillar garnish includes a triangular reinforcing portion for reinforcing a root of the projection.

4. An occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the pillar garnish includes a triangular reinforcing portion for reinforcing a root of the projection.

5. An occupant restraint system according to claim 1, further comprising a clip which secures the pillar garnish to the pillar.

6. An occupant restraint system according to claim 5, wherein said projection is disposed adjacent to said clip.

7. An occupant restraint system according to claim 6, wherein the clip and the projection are oriented in the same direction.

8. An occupant restraint system according to claim 5, wherein said projection and said clip are provided at an upper portion of said pillar garnish.

9. An occupant restraint system according to claim 5, wherein said clip dislocates from said pillar when said air bag is deployed.

10. An occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said distal end of said projection is adapted to be loosely disposed in said hole formed in the pillar.

11. An occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said projection is molded integrally with said pillar garnish.