Vehicle roof-lining comprising integrated lateral airbag modules for the head

• US 7,481,448 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc), TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc), TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Müller, Wolfgang, Heigl, Jürgen, Gerecke, Ralf, Heyer, Rainer, Eyrainer, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; John Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spisich; George D.
• Application Number:
  US10/488,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20040251663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,336 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0414 using energy absorbing ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0442 associated with the roof panel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

The vehicle headliner has integrated head-side airbag modules. Each module has an elongated accommodation housing (12) for a folded airbag (14). The accommodation housings (12) are arranged along the side edges of the headliner (10). At the side of the headliner (10), the accommodation housing (12) is connected to a support structure (18) that has support ribs and that is joined to the headliner by means of gluing. On the opposite side, facing the vehicle body, the accommodation housing (12) is covered by a further support structure (20) having numerous support ribs.

Claims

1. A method for producing a head-side airbag module for integration along a side edge portion of a vehicle headliner, comprising the following steps:

providing first and second body parts connected to each other by a first hinge line that runs in a lengthwise direction of the accommodation housing, said first and second body parts each comprising a semi-cylindrical portion, an airbag receiving portion, and a portion of reduced material thickness between the semi-cylindrical portions, said portion of reduced material thickness comprising the first hinge line; and

folding said accommodation housing about the first hinge line so that said semi-cylindrical portions engage each other and define a closed hollow cylindrical accommodation space for receiving a gas distribution tube, said airbag receiving portions together defining an accommodation space for receiving a folded airbag.

2. The method for producing an accommodation housing recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of arranging said airbag modules along the side edges of said headliner.

3. The method for producing an accommodation housing recited in claim 1, wherein said step of providing said first and second body parts comprises the steps of:

providing a first support structure formed at least partially as a portion of said first body part, said first support structure being adapted for connection to the headliner; and

providing a second support structure formed at least partially as a portion of said second body part, said second support structure being adapted for connection to a body of the vehicle.

4. A head-side airbag module for integration along a side edge portion of a vehicle headliner, said head-side airbag module comprising:

an accommodation housing for receiving an airbag, said accommodation housing comprising first and second body parts connected to each other by a first hinge line that runs in a lengthwise direction of the accommodation housing, said first and second body parts each comprising a semi-cylindrical portion, an airbag receiving portion, and a portion of reduced material thickness between the semi-cylindrical portions, said portion of reduced material thickness comprising the first hinge line, said accommodation housing being folded about the first hinge line so that said semi-cylindrical portions engage each other and define a closed hollow cylindrical accommodation space for receiving a gas distribution tube, said airbag receiving portions together defining an accommodation space for receiving a folded airbag.

5. The head-side airbag module according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first support structure formed at least partially as a portion of said first body part, said first support structure being adapted for connection to the headliner; and

a second support structure formed at least partially as a portion of said second body part, said second support structure being adapted for connection to a body of the vehicle.

6. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein said accommodation housing when folded about said first fold line forming an elongated open ejection channel having a U-shaped cross section comprising a first leg that faces away from said headliner and a second leg that faces towards said headliner, said first support structure being joined to said first leg of the accommodation housing and extending beyond the accommodation housing towards the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

7. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein said second support structure comprises support ribs.

8. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein the second support structure is adapted to be connected to the vehicle body such that the headliner with the airbag module is mounted as a whole onto the vehicle body.

9. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein the first support structure has a multitude of support ribs spaced apart from each other in the lengthwise direction.

10. The head-side airbag module according to claim 9, wherein the first support structure is made in one piece with the accommodation housing.

11. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein the first hinge line extends between and connects the semi-cylindrical portions of said first and second body parts.

12. The head-side airbag module according to claim 11, further comprising a second hinge line along an edge of said first body part opposite said first hinge line, said second hinge line connecting said first support structure to said first body part, said first support structure being adapted to be folded relative to said first body part about said second hinge line to engage said first body part.

13. The head-side airbag module according to claim 11, wherein connection webs are connected to said first body portion via a second hinge line.

14. The head-side airbag module according to claim 11, wherein the semi-cylindrical portions of the first and second body parts engage and interlock with each other at ends of said semi-cylindrical portions opposite said first fold line.

15. The head-side airbag module according to claim 14, wherein the first and second body parts define an essentially rectangular parallelepiped accommodation channel for the folded airbag when the semi-cylindrical portions of the first and second body parts engage and interlock with each other.

16. The head-side airbag module according to claim 14, wherein, on a projection of the headliner facing a C-column of the vehicle, there is arranged a gas generator connectable with an end of a gas distribution tube that protrudes from the accommodation housing.

17. The head-side airbag module according to claim 16, wherein the gas generator is provided with attachment elements for attaching said gas generator to the C-column of the vehicle.

18. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein said headliner comprises an edge strip that extends beyond the accommodation housing towards the middle of the headliner, said first support structure being joined to said edge strip of the headliner.

19. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein the first support structure is glued across the entire surface of said first support structure to the headliner.

20. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein said first support structure has support ribs, said headliner when connected to said first support structure forming an energy-absorbing impact protection structure.

21. The head-side airbag module according to claim 5, wherein the first support structure is provided with a folding line having a reduction of the material thickness, said headliner folding aside along said folding line after activation of the airbag module.

22. The head-side airbag module according to claim 4, further comprising a rigid gas distribution tube arranged within the accommodation housing.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a vehicle headliner; and

at least one head-side airbag module integrated with said headliner, said head-side airbag module formed as a one-piece molded article comprising;

a first area comprising complimentary first and second halves, each half comprising a semi-cylindrical portion, the first area further comprising a portion of reduced material thickness between the semi-cylindrical portions, the portion of reduced material thickness comprising a first fold line, said first area being folded about said first fold line to bring said complimentary halves into engagement with each other to define an accommodation housing, said accommodation housing comprising a first portion for receiving a head-side airbag a second portion for receiving a gas distribution tube;

a second area connected to said first area along one of said first and second halves by a second fold line, said second area comprising a plurality of connection webs; and

a third area connected to said second area by a third fold line, said third area comprising a plurality of support ribs and defining a support structure;

said one-piece molded article being folded about said second and third fold lines to position said second area sandwiched between said accommodation housing and said support structure, said support structure being secured to said headliner to integrate said head-side airbag module with said headliner.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said semi-cylindrical portions of said complimentary first and second halves together define a substantially cylindrical hollow elongated accommodation space for receiving a gas distribution tube.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said complimentary first and second halves of said first area each comprise portions that together define a rectangular hollow elongated accommodation space for receiving a folded airbag.