Occupant restraint system

• US 7,172,211 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hirose, Toshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To; Toan C.
• Application Number:
  US10/889,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/728.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0225 self supporting head liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0276 for rear passenger use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0288 Apparatus made of several modules independently mounted
• 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 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06

Abstract

An end edge of a roof lining is engaged in a roof lining engaging groove extending along a side surface of an upper end portion of a pillar garnish at a side of a pillar, thereby eliminating a gap in a connecting portion between the pillar garnish and the roof lining to improve the appearance. Airbag deployment guide walls extend to an outside of a vehicle compartment from an upper end of a roof lining engaging groove at the side of the pillar, and an airbag module is disposed at a position sandwiched by the pillar and the roof lining, above the airbag deployment guide walls. Therefore, an inflating airbag is guided to the side of the vehicle compartment so as not to be caught by the upper end of the pillar garnish and can be deployed into the vehicle compartment by reliably pressing to open the roof lining, without providing a special guide member.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint system in which an airbag module accommodating an airbag in a folded state is placed along a side edge of a roof, and the airbag inflated at a time of collision of a vehicle presses to open a connecting portion between a roof lining covering the roof from a side of a vehicle compartment and a pillar garnish covering a pillar from the side of the vehicle compartment, and deploys downward into the vehicle compartment,

wherein the pillar garnish comprises a roof lining engaging groove which extends along a side surface of its upper end portion at a side of the pillar, an airbag deployment guide wall which extends to an outside of the vehicle compartment from an upper end of the roof lining engaging groove at the side of the pillar, and a locking projection which extends upward from an end portion of the airbag deployment guide wall at the outside of the vehicle compartment, and

wherein an end edge of the roof lining is engaged in the roof lining engaging groove of the pillar garnish, the locking projection of the pillar garnish is engaged in a locking hole formed in the pillar, and the airbag module is disposed at a position sandwiched by the pillar and the roof lining, above the airbag deployment guide wall.

2. The occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein a rib, which bites into the end edge of the roof lining engaging in the roof lining engaging groove, is provided at an inner surface of the roof lining engaging groove, which is near the pillar.

3. The occupant restraint system according to claim 2, wherein the rib extends to a bottom wall of the roof lining engaging groove from the inner surface of the roof lining engaging groove, which is near the pillar.

4. The occupant restraint system according to claim 3, wherein a position of the end edge of the roof lining at a room temperature is located within a first predetermined distance upward from an upper end of the rib in the bottom wall of the roof lining engaging groove, and is located outside a second predetermined distance downward from an upper end of the inner surface of the roof lining engaging groove, which is near the vehicle compartment.

5. The occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the rib is projectingly provided at the pillar garnish below the roof lining engaging groove to abut to the pillar.

6. The occupant restraint system according to claim 5, wherein the locking projection of the pillar garnish is engaged with an upper edge of the locking hole of the pillar.

7. The occupant restraint system according to claim 2, wherein the rib is projectingly provided at the pillar garnish below the roof lining engaging groove to abut to the pillar.

8. The occupant restraint system according to claim 7, wherein the locking projection of the pillar garnish is engaged with an upper edge of the locking hole of the pillar.

9. The occupant restraint system according to claim 3, wherein the rib is projectingly provided at the pillar garnish below the roof lining engaging groove to abut to the pillar.

10. The occupant restraint system according to claim 9, wherein the locking projection of the pillar garnish is engaged with an upper edge of the locking hole of the pillar.

11. The occupant restraint system according to claim 4, wherein the rib is projectingly provided at the pillar garnish below the roof lining engaging groove to abut to the pillar.

12. The occupant restraint system according to claim 11, wherein the locking projection of the pillar garnish is engaged with an upper edge of the locking hole of the pillar.