Inflatable restraint deployment ramp

An inflatable restraint assembly, comprising:

• a vehicle pillar;
• a pillar trim component that is attached to the vehicle pillar, the pillar trim component having an upper end and an inboard surface;
• a curtain airbag module that is located adjacent to the upper end of the pillar trim component, the curtain airbag module having an inflatable curtain portion that is disposed in a stowed configuration prior to deployment and moves to a deployed configuration subsequent to deployment;
• a headliner that is located adjacent to the upper end of the pillar trim component and conceals the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module when the inflatable curtain portion is in the stowed configuration and is separated from the upper end of the pillar trim component when the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module is in the deployed configuration;
• and
• a ramp assembly having a pivoting portion that is moveable from a closed position to an open position in response to deployment of the inflatable curtain portion, a separable retainer portion that retains the pivoting portion in the closed position prior to deployment of the inflatable curtain portion, and a biasing structure that biases the ramp assembly toward the open position, wherein the ramp assembly is configured to guide the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module past the inboard surface of the pillar trim component during deployment of the inflatable curtain portion.

An inflatable restraint assembly, comprising:

• a vehicle pillar;
• a pillar trim component that is attached to the vehicle pillar, the pillar trim component having an upper end and an inboard surface;
• a curtain airbag module that is located adjacent to the upper end of the pillar trim component, the curtain airbag module having an inflatable curtain portion that is disposed in a stowed configuration prior to deployment and moves to a deployed configuration subsequent to deployment;
• a headliner that is located adjacent to the upper end of the pillar trim component and conceals the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module when the inflatable curtain portion is in the stowed configuration and is separated from the upper end of the pillar trim component when the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module is in the deployed configuration;
• and
• a ramp assembly having a base portion, a pivoting portion that is pivotally connected to the base portion by at least one hinge member and is moveable from a closed position to an open position in response to deployment of the inflatable curtain portion, a connecting portion, a separable retainer portion that retains the pivoting portion in the closed position in which the pivoting portion is connected to the connecting portion prior to deployment of the inflatable curtain portion, and a biasing structure including at least one spring that biases the ramp assembly toward the open position, wherein the ramp assembly is configured to guide the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module past the inboard surface of the pillar trim component during deployment of the inflatable curtain portion.