Vehicle body structure

• US 8,967,661 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dix, Jeffery, Mueller, Joseph, Osterhout, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): ENGLISH, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US13/900,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20140346758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A vehicle body structure includes a pillar, a roof rail, a pillar trim panel mounted to the pillar, a pillar airbag and a curtain airbag. The pillar airbag is mounted to the pillar in a stowed orientation between the pillar trim panel and the pillar. The pillar airbag is arranged to be deployed in a first direction extending away from the pillar in a deployed orientation. The curtain airbag is mounted to the roof rail in a stowed orientation along the roof rail, and is arranged to be deployed in a downward direction extending away from the roof rail to a deployed orientation. The pillar airbag is positioned outboard of the curtain airbag with the curtain airbag overlaying a portion of the pillar airbag with respect to a second direction transverse to the first direction while the pillar airbag and the curtain airbag are in their deployed orientations, respectively.

Claims

1. A vehicle body structure comprising

a pillar;

a roof rail located above the pillar;

a pillar trim panel mounted to the pillar;

a window positioned adjacent to the pillar and beneath the roof rail;

a guide rail extending along an area above the window and along the roof rail;

a pillar airbag mounted to the pillar in a stowed orientation between the pillar trim panel and the pillar, an upper end of the pillar airbag being movably coupled to the guide rail and arranged to be deployed in a first direction extending away from the pillar in a deployed orientation;

a curtain airbag mounted along the roof rail in a stowed orientation, and arranged to be deployed in a downward direction extending away from the roof rail to a deployed orientation, the pillar airbag being arranged to be positioned outboard of the curtain airbag with the curtain airbag overlaying a portion of the pillar airbag with respect to a second direction transverse to the first direction while the pillar airbag and the curtain airbag are in their deployed orientations, respectively.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the curtain airbag has a forward edge that is spaced apart from the pillar in the first direction by a first distance while in the deployed orientation, and

the pillar airbag spans the first distance while in the deployed orientation.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the pillar trim panel includes a body portion, a movable portion, a pillar facing surface and an interior facing surface opposite the pillar facing surface, the pillar facing surface having a vertical ditch line formed along a vertical length of the pillar trim panel, the vertical ditch line being a region of reduced thickness defining a hinge between the body portion and the movable portion, with the movable portion moving relative to the body portion in response to the pillar airbag moving from the stowed orientation to the deployed orientation.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 3, wherein

the movable portion is positioned on a rearward side of the pillar, and the pillar airbag extends in the vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 3, wherein

the movable portion is positioned on a forward side of the pillar, and the pillar airbag extends in the vehicle frontward direction while in the deployed orientation.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 3, wherein

the movable portion is positioned on a lateral side of the pillar, and the pillar airbag extends in the vehicle lateral direction while in the deployed orientation.

7. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the pillar airbag covers at least a first portion of the window while in the deployed orientation and the curtain airbag covers at least a second portion of the window while in the deployed orientation such that the window is completely covered by the pillar airbag and the curtain airbag.

8. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, further comprising

a door located adjacent to the pillar, the window being installed to the door, with the pillar airbag covering at least a first portion of the window while in the deployed orientation and the curtain airbag covering at least a second portion of the window while in the deployed orientation such that the window is completely covered by the pillar airbag and the curtain airbag.

9. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the curtain airbag is located rearward of the pillar airbag, and the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in the vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

10. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein

the curtain airbag is located frontward of the pillar airbag, and the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in the vehicle frontward direction while in the deployed orientation.

11. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a body side structure including a pillar, a roof rail and a slide rail, the roof rail being located above the pillar, and the slide rail having a track portion that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and a curved portion located adjacent the pillar, the pillar and the roof rail at least partially defining a door opening in the body side structure, with at least a portion of the slide rail being positioned along an upper area of the door opening;

a guide rail extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the curved portion of the slide rail;

a pillar trim panel mounted to the pillar;

a sliding door having a window with a first portion and a second portion, the sliding door being coupled to the slide rail to move along the slide rail between a closed position covering the door opening and an open position exposing the door opening;

a curtain airbag mounted along the roof rail at the track portion of the slide rail in a stowed orientation, and arranged to be deployed in a downward direction extending away from the roof rail to a deployed orientation covering the first portion of the window; and

a pillar airbag mounted to the pillar in a stowed orientation between the pillar trim panel and the pillar, and arranged to be deployed in a vehicle longitudinal direction extending away from the pillar in a deployed orientation covering the second portion of the window, an upper end of the pillar airbag being movably coupled to the guide rail, wherein the window is entirely covered by the pillar airbag and the curtain airbag while in their deployed orientations, respectively.

12. The vehicle body structure according to claim 11, wherein

the pillar airbag is arranged to be positioned outboard of the curtain airbag with the curtain airbag overlaying a portion of the pillar airbag with respect to a vehicle lateral direction while the pillar airbag and the curtain airbag are in their deployed orientations, respectively.

13. The vehicle body structure according to claim 11, wherein

the curtain airbag has a forward edge that is spaced apart from the pillar in the vehicle longitudinal direction by a first distance while in the deployed orientation, and

the pillar airbag spans the first distance while in the deployed orientation.

14. The vehicle body structure according to claim 11, wherein

the pillar trim panel includes a body portion, a movable portion, a pillar facing surface and an interior facing surface opposite the pillar facing surface, the pillar facing surface having a vertical ditch line formed along a vertical length of the pillar trim panel, the vertical ditch line being a region of reduced thickness defining a hinge between the body portion and the movable portion, with the movable portion moving relative to the body portion in response to the pillar airbag moving from the stowed orientation to the deployed orientation.

15. The vehicle body structure according to claim 14, wherein

the movable portion is positioned on a rearward side of the pillar, and the pillar airbag extends in the vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

16. The vehicle body structure according to claim 11, wherein

the window is positioned adjacent to the pillar with the sliding door in the closed position.

17. The vehicle body structure according to claim 11, wherein

the curtain airbag is located rearward of the pillar airbag, and the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in the vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.