Pillar trim for motor vehicle

• US 7,963,551 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daikyo Nishikawa Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Daikyo Nishikawa Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Daisuke, Onishi, Ikuko
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US12/129,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20080296928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/738.3, 280/749, 280/728.2, 296/24.3, 296/191, 296/187.01, 296/187.05, 296/187.12, 296/193.06, 296/193.05, 296/39.3
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0275 comprising removable or hinged parts for accessing storage compartments B60R7/04; for airbag deployment B60R21/215
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/06 Sealing strips sealing arrangements for vehicle windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors, or similar devices B60J10/00
• 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

Abstract

A pillar trim on the vehicle-interior side of a pillar includes a pillar trim body located below an airbag and connected at its upper end part to the lower end of a top sealing member. A plurality of guide platforms are raised from the upper end part of the pillar trim body at spaced intervals in the vehicle front-to-rear direction to guide the inflation of the airbag towards the vehicle interior. The basal ends of each adjacent guide platforms are joined by a connecting part between the adjacent guide platforms. A groove for receiving the lower end of the top sealing member is formed between the vehicle-interior sides of the guide platforms and the pillar trim body. A through hole is vertically formed at least between the connecting part and the pillar trim body to open into the groove.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle pillar trim fitted with an airbag that is placed on an interior side of a vehicle body towards a roof to extend in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body and covered with a top sealing member from an interior side of the vehicle, the pillar trim comprising:

a pillar trim body located below the airbag, connected at an upper end part thereof to a lower end of the top sealing member and covering a vehicle interior-side surface of a pillar of the vehicle body;

a plurality of guide platforms disposed at an upper end part of the pillar trim body at spaced intervals in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body to rise up beyond the upper end part of the pillar trim body and having respective guide surfaces for guiding an inflation of the airbag towards a vehicle interior; and

a connecting part joining basal ends of each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms to each other in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body, wherein

a groove is formed between vehicle interior-side surfaces of the guide platforms and the upper end part of the pillar trim body to receive the lower end of the top sealing member, and

a through hole is vertically formed at least between the connecting part and the pillar trim body to open into the groove.

2. The motor vehicle pillar trim of claim 1, wherein an insertion part is integrally formed with the connecting part between each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms to extend towards a vehicle exterior from the connecting part and then rise up and configured to be insertable into an insertion opening formed in the pillar of the vehicle body.

3. A motor vehicle pillar trim fitted with an air bag that is placed on an interior side of a vehicle body towards a roof to extend in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body and covered with a top sealing member from an interior side of the vehicle, the pillar trim comprising:

a pillar trim body located below the airbag, connected at an upper end part thereof to a lower end of the top sealing member and covering a vehicle interior-side surface of a pillar of the vehicle body;

a plurality of guide platforms disposed at an upper end part of the pillar trim body at spaced intervals in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body to rise up beyond the upper end of the pillar trim body and having respective guide surfaces for guiding an inflation of the airbag towards a vehicle interior;

a plate-shaped connecting part joining basal ends of each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms to each other in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body;

an insertion part rising up from a vehicle exterior side of the connecting part and insertable into an insertion opening formed in the pillar of the vehicle body;

an extension extending downward from the connecting part while being spaced apart from the pillar trim body towards a vehicle exterior;

a positioning pin raised from a distal end of the extension towards the vehicle exterior and fittable into a positioning hole formed in the pillar; and

a reinforcing rib integrally formed on a vehicle exterior-side surface of the extension to join the bottom surface of the connecting part to the positioning pin.

4. The motor vehicle pillar trim of claim 3, wherein the extension has integral side walls formed on both sides in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body to join the extension to the pillar trim body and thereby has a general shape of a bridge.

5. A motor vehicle pillar trim fitted with an air bag that is placed on an interior side of a vehicle body towards a roof to extend in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body and covered with a top sealing member from an interior side of the vehicle, the pillar trim comprising:

a pillar trim body located below the airbag, connected at an upper part thereof to a lower end of the top sealing member and covering a vehicle interior-side surface of a pillar of the vehicle body;

a plurality of guide platforms disposed at an upper part of the pillar trim body at spaced intervals in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body to rise up beyond the upper part of the pillar trim body and having respective guide surfaces for guiding an inflation of the airbag towards a vehicle interior; and

a connecting part joining basal ends of each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms to each other in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body, wherein

a groove is formed between vehicle interior-side surfaces of the guide platforms and an upper end part of the pillar trim body to receive a lower end of the top sealing member, and

a rib is integrally raised from the connecting part between each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms, an upper edge of the rib being substantially flush with the guide platforms, a distance between the rib and an upper end part of the pillar trim body being substantially a same as a width of the groove along the vehicle width direction,

wherein the rib comprises at least one of a first rib having two side edges extending substantially in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body and a second rib extending substantially in the vehicle width direction, and

wherein the two side edges of the first rib in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body are integrally joined to the adjacent guide platforms.

6. A motor vehicle pillar trim fitted with an air bag that is placed on an interior side of a vehicle body towards a roof to extend in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body and covered with a top sealing member from an interior side of the vehicle, the pillar trim comprising:

a pillar trim body located below the airbag, connected at an upper part thereof to a lower end of the top sealing member and covering a vehicle interior-side surface of a pillar of the vehicle body;

a plurality of guide platforms disposed at an upper part of the pillar trim body at spaced intervals in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body to rise up beyond the upper part of the pillar trim body and having respective guide surfaces for guiding an inflation of the airbag towards a vehicle interior; and

a connecting part joining basal ends of each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms to each other in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body, wherein

a groove is formed between vehicle interior-side surfaces of the guide platforms and an upper end part of the pillar trim body to receive a lower end of the top sealing member,

a rib is integrally raised from the connecting part between each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms, an upper edge of the rib being substantially flush with the guide platforms, a distance between the rib and an upper end part of the pillar trim body being substantially a same as a width of the groove along the vehicle width direction, and

an insertion part rising up from a vehicle exterior side of the connecting part and insertable into an insertion opening formed in the pillar of the vehicle body, wherein a clearance at least corresponding to the thickness of the peripheral edge of the insertion opening in the pillar is left between the insertion part and the rib.

7. A motor vehicle pillar trim fitted with an air bag that is placed on an interior side of a vehicle body towards a roof to extend in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body and covered with a top sealing member from an interior side of the vehicle, the pillar trim comprising:

a pillar trim body located below the airbag, connected at an upper part thereof to a lower end of the top sealing member and covering a vehicle interior-side surface of a pillar of the vehicle body;

a plurality of guide platforms disposed at an upper part of the pillar trim body at spaced intervals in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body to rise up beyond the upper part of the pillar trim body and having respective guide surfaces for guiding an inflation of the airbag towards a vehicle interior; and

a connecting part joining basal ends of each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms to each other in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body, wherein

a groove is formed between vehicle interior-side surfaces of the guide platforms and an upper end part of the pillar trim body to receive a lower end of the top sealing member, and

a rib is integrally raised from the connecting part between each adjacent pair of the plurality of guide platforms, an upper edge of the rib being substantially flush with the guide platforms, a distance between the rib and an upper end part of the pillar trim body being substantially a same as a width of the groove along the vehicle width direction,

wherein the rib comprises at least one of a first rib having two side edges extending substantially in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body and a second rib extending substantially in the vehicle width direction,

an insertion part rising up from a vehicle exterior side of the connecting part and insertable into an insertion opening formed in the pillar of the vehicle body, wherein a clearance at least corresponding to the thickness of the peripheral edge of the insertion opening in the pillar is left between the insertion part and the rib.