Pillar garnish

• US 8,746,733 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayashi Telempu Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hayashi Telempu Company Limited
• Inventors: Hayashi, Ken-ichi, Omiya, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US13/717,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20130249198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 296/187.12, 296/193.06
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/055 Padded or energy-absorbing fittings , e.g. seat belt anchors sun visors B60J3/00; head rests B60N2/80
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars

Abstract

The pillar garnish has a main body, an extension part that is formed integrally with the main body, including a guide surface at an upper end of the extension part, the guide surface controlling a direction in which the air bag apparatus is unfolded so that the air bag apparatus is unfolded into the interior of the vehicle when the air bag apparatus is inflated, and a box portion that is formed integrally with the main body and the extension part, the box portion being positioned between the main body and the pillar. The box portion has a back wall portion and a pair of side wall portions that are adjacent to the back wall portion and the main body. The side wall portion has a thick portion and a thin portion, the thin portion being disposed closer to the main body than to the back wall portion.

Claims

1. A pillar garnish configured to be mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle being provided with an air bag apparatus which is disposed between a left or right edge of a roof trim and a vehicle body panel and which extends in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, wherein the air bag apparatus is unfolded downwards from a left or right side of the vehicle into an interior of the vehicle due to an impact load, the pillar garnish comprising:

a main body that covers a pillar of the vehicle from the interior of the vehicle;

an extension part that is formed integrally with the main body, the extension part being positioned on an upper side of the main body when the pillar garnish is mounted on the vehicle, wherein the extension part includes a guide surface at an upper end of the extension part, the guide surface controlling a direction in which the air bag apparatus is unfolded so that the air bag apparatus is unfolded into the interior of the vehicle when the air bag apparatus is inflated; and

a box portion that is formed integrally with the main body and the extension part, the box portion being positioned between the main body and the pillar when the pillar garnish is mounted on the vehicle,

wherein the box portion comprises;

a back wall portion that extends in a vertical direction and that faces the pillar when the pillar garnish is mounted on the vehicle;

a pair of side wall portions that are adjacent to the back wall portion and the main body and that extend in the vertical direction when the pillar garnish is mounted on the vehicle; and

a fixing portion that is disposed near the back wall portion, the fixing portion fixing the pillar garnish to the pillar,

wherein at least one of the side wall portions comprises a thick portion and a thin portion, the thin portion being disposed closer to the main body than to the back wall portion and the at least one of the side wall portions has a groove on the thick portion, the groove extending in the vertical direction when the pillar garnish is mounted on the vehicle.

2. The pillar garnish according to claim 1, wherein the box portion comprises a bottom wall portion that connects the back wall portion to the main body, wherein the bottom wall portion comprises a thick portion and a thin portion, the thin portion of the bottom wall portion being disposed closer to the main body than to the back wall portion.

3. The pillar garnish according to claim 2, wherein the bottom wall portion has a groove on the thick portion of the bottom wall portion, the groove extending in a horizontal direction when the pillar garnish is mounted on the vehicle.

4. The pillar garnish according to claim 2, wherein the bottom wall portion comprises a slit that is disposed adjacent to the side wall portion and that extends in a horizontal direction when the pillar garnish is mounted on the vehicle.

5. The pillar garnish according to claim 3, wherein a boundary line of the thin portion of the side wall portion on a side of the back wall portion and the groove of the bottom wall portion are located at a same distance from the main body.