Body-in-white for a motor vehicle with window bay accommodating structure and method of making same
OwnerWerner Bacher, Andreas Hirth +1inventors
InventorsWERNER BACHER, ANDREAS HIRTH, IAN TURNER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Inflatable head protector units are located at a unitized passenger compartment in the vicinity of roof frame sections with an energy-absorbent molded part being provided as a head impact protector at the level of each inflatable head protector unit. The molded part is designed as a launch ramp to guide an expanding airbag of the head protector unit into the desired protective position and located so that the molded part remains positioned at least largely dimensionally stably during the expansion of the airbag.
Claims18
Body-in-white for a motor vehicle with roof frame sections located in the vicinity of a passenger compartment above window cutouts, with inflatable head protector units associated with said sections, with an energy-absorbent molded part being provided at the level of each inflatable head protector unit as a head impact protector,
- wherein the molded part is designed as a launch ramp to guide an expanding airbag of the head protector unit into the desired protective position and disposed so that molded part remains at least largely dimensionally stably positioned during the expansion of the airbag.
Passenger motor vehicle assembly comprising:
- a passenger compartment with a roof frame section disposed above side window cutouts opening into the passenger compartment,
- an inflatable head protector unit disposed at the roof frame section, and
- an energy absorbing molded part provided at a level of the head protector unit and operable as a vehicle occupant head impact protector,
- wherein said molded part is configured to also form a substantially dimensionally stable airbag launching ramp to guide an expanding airbag of the head protector unit toward an occupant protecting position between the occupant and a vehicle side wall and window section.
A method of making a body-in-white for a passenger vehicle comprising:
- forming a unitized body with a roof frame section disposed above side window cutouts in a side wall adjacent a passenger compartment,
- attaching an inflatable head protector unit with said roof frame section, said head protector unit including an inflatable airbag which in use expands downwardly to a protective position between a vehicle occupant and the side wall, and
- forming a molded energy absorbing part and connecting the molded part to the roof frame sections at a level of the head protector unit so as to be operable as a vehicle occupant head impact protector,
- wherein said molded part is configured to also form a substantially dimensionally stable airbag launching ramp to guide an expanding airbag of the head protector unit toward an occupant protecting position between the occupant and a vehicle side wall and window section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.