Deployable vehicle interior door panel
AssigneeFaurecia Interior Systems, Inc.
InventorsBrett SCHNUR, Maxime SALANDRE, Nicholas NATALE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A door module is equipped with an inflatable bladder configured to move an interior trim panel away from the door and toward a vehicle occupant in the event of a collision. The result is reduced occupant movement, additional absorption of kinetic energy, and distribution of remaining energy over an increased surface area. The bladder can have an accordion-like configuration that unfolds when changing from a deflated state to an inflated state, and more than one bladder can be used to control which portions of the trim panel move relative to each other.
Claims14
A vehicle door module for attachment to an interior side of a vehicle door, the door module comprising:
- a trim panel having a decorative side that faces an interior of a passenger cabin of a vehicle when the door module is attached to the vehicle door;
- and
- an inflatable bladder on a back side of the trim panel opposite the decorative side, the bladder having a deflated state and being configured to change to an inflated state in the event of a collision,
- wherein the inflatable bladder forces the trim panel away from the vehicle door when the bladder changes to the inflated state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.