Vehicle body structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9321422-B2
Application number	US-201514597358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2015
Priority date	May 23, 2013
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle body structure comprising:
a pillar;
a roof structure located above the pillar;
a body structure section having a first side window edge and an upper window edge that together at least partially define a window opening, the side window edge being located adjacent the pillar and the upper window edge being located adjacent the roof structure;
a curtain airbag mounted to the roof structure for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation, such that in the stowed orientation the curtain airbag extends along the roof structure and in the deployed orientation the curtain airbag extends downward from the roof structure covering at least a portion of the upper window edge with a first side edge of the curtain airbag closest to the side window edge being spaced apart from the side window edge by a first distance; and
a pillar airbag mounted to the pillar for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation the pillar airbag extends along the pillar and in the deployed orientation the pillar airbag extends from the pillar across the side window edge, with a distal end of the pillar airbag being positioned at a second distance from the side window edge, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that the first side edge of the curtain airbag is positioned inboard of the pillar airbag, and the curtain airbag overlaps a portion of the pillar airbag such that the distal end of the pillar airbag is positioned between the curtain airbag and the window opening.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the body structure section defines a door opening and includes a sliding door movable between a closed position covering the door opening and an open position exposing the door opening, the side window edge, the upper window edge and the window opening being defined on the sliding door.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the body structure section further has a second side window edge opposite the first side window edge and a lower window edge, the upper window edge extending between respective upper ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the lower window edge extending between respective lower ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the first side window edge, the second side window edge, the upper window edge and the lower window edge defining the window opening, the window opening being divided into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the first side window edge below a first section of the upper window edge and above a first section of the lower window edge, and the second portion extending from the second side window edge toward the first side window edge below a remainder of the upper window edge and above a remainder of the lower window edge,
in their respective deployed orientations the pillar airbag covers at least the first portion of the window opening and the curtain airbag covers the second portion of the window opening and does not cover the first portion of the window opening.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle frontward direction while in the deployed orientation.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle lateral direction while in the deployed orientation.

7. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , further comprising
a guide rail extending along an area above the window opening, with an upper end of the pillar airbag being movably coupled to the guide rail.

8. A vehicle body structure comprising:
a pillar;
a roof structure located above the pillar;
a body structure section having a first side window edge, a second side window edge opposite the first side window edge, an upper window edge and a lower window edge, the upper window edge extending between respective upper ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the lower window edge extending between respective lower ends of the first side window edge and the second side window edge, the first side window edge, the second side window edge, the upper window edge and the lower window edge defining a window opening, the first side window edge being located adjacent the pillar and the upper window edge being located adjacent the roof structure, the window opening further being divided into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the first side window edge below a first section of the upper window edge and above a first section of the lower window edge, and the second portion extending from the second side window edge toward the first side window edge below a second section of the upper window edge and above a second section of the lower window edge;
a pillar airbag mounted to the pillar for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation the pillar airbag extends along the pillar and in the deployed orientation the pillar airbag extends from the pillar across the first side window edge covering at least the first portion of the window opening; and
a curtain airbag mounted to the roof structure for deployment from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation such that in the stowed orientation the curtain airbag extends along the roof structure and in the deployed orientation the curtain airbag extends downward from the roof structure covering the second section of the upper window edge of the window opening and covering only the second portion of the window opening and not covering the first portion of the window opening such that the entire window opening is covered by the curtain airbag and the pillar airbag with the curtain airbag and the pillar airbag in their respective deployed orientations.

9. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle rearward direction while in the deployed orientation.

10. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the pillar airbag extends from the pillar in a vehicle frontward direction while in the deployed orientation.

11. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the body structure section defines a door opening and includes a sliding door movable between a closed position covering the door opening and an open position exposing the door opening, the first side window edge, the second side window edge, the upper window edge, the lower window edge and the window opening all being located on the sliding door.

12. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8 , wherein
in their respective deployed orientations, a first side edge of the curtain airbag closest to the first side window edge is spaced apart from the first side window edge by a first distance, and a distal end of the pillar airbag is positioned at a second distance from the first side window edge, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that the first side edge of the curtain airbag is positioned inboard of the pillar airbag, and the curtain airbag overlaps a portion of the pillar airbag such that the distal end of the pillar airbag is positioned between the curtain airbag and the window opening.

13. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8 , further comprising
a guide rail extending

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Mueller Joseph
• Osterhout Neal
• Dix Jeffery

Classifications

• B60R21/213 Primary

  in vehicle roof frames or pillars · CPC title

• B60R2021/23107

  the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system · CPC title

• B60R21/231

  characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration · CPC title

• B60R21/214

  in roof panels · CPC title

• B60R21/23138 Primary

  specially adapted for side protection (B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence) · CPC title