Inner lining for the roof of a motor vehicle

• US 5,988,735 A
• Filed: 08/08/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inova GmbH - Technische Entwicklungen
• Original Assignee: Inova GmbH - Technische Entwicklungen
• Inventors: Muller, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wells, Chad D.
• Application Number:
  US08/910,926
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 296/214, 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/751, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 296/214
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0225 self supporting head liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23192 Roof bags, i.e. protecting the occupant in a roll-over situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

An inner lining for a motor vehicle with a finished ceiling made of a self-supporting form piece attachable to the edge of the motor vehicle structure includes at least one air-bag which is premounted on the self-supporting form piece before the ceiling is installed in the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. An inner lining for a roof of a motor vehicle, having a finished ceiling attachable to a roof frame of the motor vehicle, said finished ceiling, before installation in the motor vehicle, comprising:

a self-supporting form piece which can be attached to the roof frame of the motor vehicle,

at least one air-bag arrangement mounted on a carrier arrangement supported by at least one strip-shaped stiffening element of the form piece, said stiffening element extending transversely to a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle after installation in the motor vehicle, and

predetermined break points provided on the form piece which are to be opened by a filling pressure when filling a corresponding airbag of the at least one airbag arrangement.

2. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein the at least one airbag arrangement is arranged above the form.

3. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein the carrier arrangement includes strip-shaped carrier elements supported by at least two stiffening elements.

4. An inner lining according to claim 3, wherein the airbag arrangement has at least one airbag that can be supplied with filling gas and that is anchored over substantially its total length on one of said strip-shaped carrier elements.

5. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein the length of each of the predetermined break points corresponds substantially to the length of a corresponding airbag.

6. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein said at least one airbag arrangement is a side airbag arrangement including an airbag extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle when filled.

7. An inner lining according to claim 6, and further comprising attachment means which attach the finished ceiling to the roof frame, wherein said side airbag arrangement is located below said attachment means when said finished ceiling is attached to the roof frame of the motor vehicle.

8. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein said at least one airbag arrangement is provided on a longitudinal middle plane of the motor vehicle when said finished ceiling is attached to the roof frame of the motor vehicle.

9. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein said at least one airbag arrangement is provided in an area of a windshield of the motor vehicle when said finished ceiling is attached to the roof frame of the motor vehicle.

10. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein said at least one airbag arrangement is is provided for protection of rear passengers of the motor vehicle when said finished ceiling is attached to the roof frame of the motor vehicle.

11. An inner lining according to claim 1, wherein said at least one airbag arrangement is provided for protection of a passenger sitting in the middle of a rear seat of the motor vehicle when said finished ceiling is attached to the roof frame of the motor vehicle.