Headliner system

• US 7,914,035 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grupo Antolin-Irausa, S.A.
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Withun, Matt C., Davey, Geoffrey W., Kocher, Larry F., Marceau, Normand R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLISH, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US11/559,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 296/214, 296/1.02, 280/728.2, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/728.3, 280/728.1, 280/432, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels

Abstract

An interior trim assembly including vehicle roof structure that supports a headliner-mounted component and a headliner, a separating means proximate a mounting location perimeter of the headliner-mounted component for maintaining a mounting integrity of the headliner-mounted component upon deployment of an inflatable restraint.

Claims

1. A headliner system for restricting a force transferred to a component proximate to the headliner system when an airbag is deployed through at least a portion of the headliner system, said headliner system comprising:

a headliner defining at least a portion of an air bag deployment passage, the headliner having an inboard layer having a first thickness and an outboard layer having a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is reduced surrounding at least a portion of the component to a thickness less than or equal to the first thickness, while the combination of the first thickness and the reduced second thickness is non-zero.

2. The headliner system according to claim 1, wherein the reduced thickness fully surrounds the component.

3. A headliner system for restricting energy transfer to a component arranged proximate to the headliner system when an airbag is deployed through at least a portion of the headliner system, said headliner system comprising:

a headliner having inboard and outboard layers, the headliner defining at least a portion of an air bag deployment passage, the headliner including at least one detent area remote from the portion that defines the air bag deployment passage;

wherein the detent area is adapted to at least partially surround a perimeter of the component and defines a component post passage, the inboard layer having a thickness less than or equal to a thickness of the outboard layer in the detent area to allow separation of the component from the headliner through the detent area upon an airbag deployment.

4. An interior trim assembly, comprising:

a vehicle roof structure that supports a component;

a headliner having a potential thickness defined by

an inboard layer defining a first layer thickness,

an outboard layer defining a second layer thickness, wherein each of the inboard layer and the outboard layer includes a passenger-compartment-facing-surface and a vehicle-roof-facing-surface, wherein the vehicle-roof-facing-surface of the inboard layer is disposed adjacent the passenger-compartment-facing-surface of the outboard layer, and

a component location area having a perimeter, wherein the perimeter of the component location area is frangible due to a reduced second layer thickness of the outboard layer at the perimeter, and wherein the reduced first layer thickness is less than or equal to the second layer thickness of the outboard layer.

5. The interior trim assembly according to claim 4, wherein the component includes a perimeter, and wherein the perimeter of the component location area is bounded by the perimeter of the component.

6. The interior trim assembly according to claim 4, wherein the component is arranged adjacent the first layer facing a passenger compartment area, and wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a coat hook, a grab handle, a dome light, and a storage component.

7. The interior trim assembly according to claim 4 further comprising an inflatable restraint located between the headliner and vehicle roof structure, wherein, upon deployment of the inflatable restraint, the headliner is adapted to frangibly-break proximate across at least a portion of the perimeter of the component location area due to the reduced thickness of the second layer.