Side airbag curtain directional deployment bracket
First Claim
1. In an inflatable passenger protection system for a vehicle having a structural front pillar frame member to be covered by a separate interior trim component, and a side curtain airbag to be positioned in a stowed condition between the front pillar frame member and an inner surface of the interior trim component, the interior trim component having at least a portion movable between a covered position enclosing the side curtain airbag in the stowed condition and an opened position in response to inflation of the side curtain airbag to the deployed condition, the improvement comprising:
- an extruded support bracket having an inner surface engageable with the front pillar frame member, a guide surface that extends outward from the inner surface to an outer surface that is spaced from the inner surface and the front pillar member and is engageable with the interior trim component, the bracket having a primary attachment point formed on the outer surface thereof and a secondary attachment point formed on the outer surface thereof for supporting the interior trim component, and the outer surface of the bracket being substantially continuous and in continuous contact with the inner surface of the interior trim component between the primary attachment point and the secondary attachment point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inflatable passenger protection system for a vehicle having a structural front pillar frame member to be covered by a separate interior trim component, and a side curtain airbag to be positioned in a stowed condition between the front pillar frame member and the interior trim component, the interior trim component having at least a portion movable between a covered position enclosing the side curtain airbag in the stowed condition and an opened position in response to inflation of the side curtain airbag to the deployed condition, includes an extruded support bracket extending between the front pillar frame member and the interior trim component. The bracket has a primary attachment point and a secondary attachment point for supporting the interior trim component.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. In an inflatable passenger protection system for a vehicle having a structural front pillar frame member to be covered by a separate interior trim component, and a side curtain airbag to be positioned in a stowed condition between the front pillar frame member and an inner surface of the interior trim component, the interior trim component having at least a portion movable between a covered position enclosing the side curtain airbag in the stowed condition and an opened position in response to inflation of the side curtain airbag to the deployed condition, the improvement comprising:
an extruded support bracket having an inner surface engageable with the front pillar frame member, a guide surface that extends outward from the inner surface to an outer surface that is spaced from the inner surface and the front pillar member and is engageable with the interior trim component, the bracket having a primary attachment point formed on the outer surface thereof and a secondary attachment point formed on the outer surface thereof for supporting the interior trim component, and the outer surface of the bracket being substantially continuous and in continuous contact with the inner surface of the interior trim component between the primary attachment point and the secondary attachment point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An inflatable passenger protection system comprising:
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an airbag to be stored in a folded state along a pillar portion of a vehicle body and a roof side rail, the airbag designed to be inflated into the shape of a curtain in a lateral region of a passenger compartment by being supplied with gas from an inflator; an energy-absorbing support bracket member rigidly connected to the pillar Portion, located extending in a longitudinal direction of the pillar portion and extending between the pillar portion and an interior trim component for covering the pillar portion in such a manner as to define a hollow passage where the airbag is stored in a folded state between the pillar portion and the interior trim component, wherein the pillar portion is an A-pillar or a C-pillar, the energy absorbing support bracket member having an outside surface opposite the pillar portion; an interior trim component supported from the outside surface of the energy-absorbing support bracket member and having at least a portion moveable between a closed position covering the folded airbag and an opened position in response to forces applied to a backside surface of the interior trim component during inflation of the airbag to a deployed condition; a substantially arcuate guide surface adjacent to the hollow passage for guiding the airbag during deployment of the airbag being formed on one lateral surface of the energy-absorbing support bracket member, the guide surface having at least a first portion that faces the moveable portion of the interior trim component to direct the airbag toward the moveable portion of the interior trim component and a second portion opposite the outside surface to prevent engagement of the airbag with the interior trim panel adjacent to the outside surface of the energy absorbing bracket member, wherein the portion of the airbag stored in a folded state in the pillar portion is disposed substantially parallel to the guide surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An inflatable passenger protection system for a vehicle, comprising:
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a structural pillar frame member; a side curtain airbag having a stowed condition and a deployed condition; an interior trim component having a hinge portion and a supporting portion, the hinge portion defined between a first lateral edge of the interior trim component and an elongate lateral hinge point and movable between a covered position enclosing the side curtain airbag in the stowed condition and an opened position in response to inflation of the side curtain airbag to the deployed condition, the supporting portion disposed between the elongate lateral hinge point and a second lateral edge of the interior trim component; a primary attachment member formed on the supporting portion of the interior trim component adjacent to the second lateral edge of the interior trim component; a secondary attachment member formed on the supporting portion adjacent to the elongate lateral hinge point; and a support bracket extending between the front pillar frame member and the interior trim component, the bracket having a primary attachment point engageable with the primary attachment member of the interior trim component and a secondary attachment point engageable with the secondary attachment member of the interior trim component. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification