Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-18
2004-02-03
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S097110, C296S214000, C280S728100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06685257
ABSTRACT:
Cross-reference to related patent applications, if any: None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of vehicle occupant protection systems and more particularly to systems used to absorb energy and to decelerate portions of an occupants body in the event of an accident/impact. Still more specifically, the invention relates to an extrusion attached in the vicinity of the vehicle siderails which provides energy absorbing capability, as well as a platform for the attachment of a variety of siderail components and visors. In its most preferred embodiment, each extrusion allows siderail components to slide along its length and to be locked in the desired location. Furthermore, the extrusion can be hollow to receive additional components, such as side impact air bags.
2. Description of the Prior Art
New standards in the United States (e.g., FMVSS 201) mandate that vehicle components must be able to absorb energy to decelerate an occupant in the case of an accident/impact. It has been known for some time that the siderails, as well as other vehicle components can provide assistance in reducing injuries from side impacts, roll-over accidents, and the like. Several prior art references discuss siderail protection elements. For example, Kalazny, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,930, issued Feb. 20, 2001, and entitled “Joint Between Side Rail and Cross Member in a Vehicle Frame Assembly”, a joint between a siderail and a cross member includes separate webs extending from grooves at the upper and lower portions of the siderail. A general representation of the prior art is shown in
FIG. 1
of U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,930.
Nakajima et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,990, issued Jan. 16, 2001, and entitled “Interior Equipment Mounting Structure for a Vehicle Incorporating Head-Protecting Air Bag Body” describes the mounting of a side impact air bag adjacent to the siderail of a vehicle, the structure being particularly designed for the plastic deformation of a component without interference with other interior equipment, such as sun visors.
An “Energy Absorbing Automotive Vehicle Body Structure” is described in Patel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,271, issued Mar. 10, 1998. In this device, a structural member (such as a siderail) of a vehicle serves as the mounting structure for trim components which include spring-like serpentine elements to assist in energy absorption. The trim members are separated from the structural members using such serpentine elements. A plurality of serpentine elements may be used for particular trim components.
A different energy absorbing system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,678, issued Nov. 23, 1999, to Nakamura et al., and entitled “Structure for Mounting of Internal Part for Vehicle.” In this device, especially that shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, an energy absorbing pad is mounted to the siderail and between the siderail and the vehicle headliner. The patent does not show any type of extrusion structure to which individual vehicle components can be added.
A still further occupant protection system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,500, issued Nov. 19, 1996, to Mimura et al., and entitled “Occupant Protecting Structures of Vehicle Body Upper Portions”. In this device, the pillar components include energy absorbing devices located between the pillar inner panel and pillar outer panels as shown in
FIG. 1. A
variety of different embodiments are also discussed in this patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,908, issued Nov. 14, 2000, to Deb et al., and entitled “Energy Absorbing Continuously Compliant Swept Arch for Interior Trim” describes an energy absorbing system located, for example, on the “A” pillar of a vehicle.
Other vehicle frame and energy management systems are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,204, issued Jan. 2, 2001, to Beckman for “Vehicle Frame Assembly Having Integral Support Structures”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,394, issued Jan. 5, 1999, to Horton et al., for “Motor Vehicle Frame Assembly and Method of Forming the Same”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,204, issued Oct. 13, 1998, to Masuda et al., for “Body Structure for a Motor Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,353, issued Feb. 25, 1997, to Moss et al., for “Vehicle Chassis With Energy Management.”
While these different solutions have been proposed in the past, many of them are non-compliant with new federal regulations for head impact. Moreover, there has been a continuing, and as of yet unresolved, conflict between providing sufficient energy absorption in the siderail area and providing sufficient room in the vehicle interior, especially head room. The greater the amount of impact absorption material (such as urethane foam or the like), the more space within the vehicle is occupied by such a device. The less material used, the less the impact countermeasure.
In addition to the aforementioned issues involving occupant protection, another need in vehicle design is the proper location and installation of various vehicle accessories, such as grab handles, visors, coat hooks, siderail lighting, as well as a wide variety of new overhead components being devised by vehicle manufacturers for educational, entertainment or informational purposes. Such uses include, but certainly are not limited to, ports for computer connections, navigation systems and the like. While it is most desirable that these features be added at the location where the overhead system is assembled, with some vehicle designs, it may be necessary to install them at the final assembly plant. Such assembly can be time consuming and therefore costly. Moreover, most of such accessories can only be located at a specific location, i.e., where holes are provided for the attachment to the sheet metal of the vehicle or the siderails.
A head impact countermeasure system which would occupy little space, provide sufficient countermeasure to achieve compliance with regulations and which also could optionally have the additional feature of being able to support siderail components would be a substantial advance in this art.
FEATURES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary feature of the present invention is to provide a siderail head impact countermeasure which is compact and readily adaptable to a wide variety of vehicle designs.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a siderail head impact countermeasure which can serve as a platform for the mounting of a variety of vehicle accessories.
A different feature of the present invention is to provide a siderail head impact countermeasure which can store and permit deployment of a side air bag.
Yet a further feature of the present invention is to provide a head impact countermeasure extrusion which can be attached to the siderail or the front and/or back headers, and which additionally can serve as a track for movable accessories, such as sun visors.
A different feature of the present invention is to provide an extrusion for impact countermeasure which may be made from a variety of different materials.
A related but still further feature of the present invention is to provide a head impact countermeasure for vehicles which may be easily matched in appearance to the remaining components of the interior of a vehicle.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a head impact countermeasure for vehicles which allows an air bag to be easily installed in a roomy location. Furthermore, the countermeasure protects the air bag during installation.
How these and other features of the invention are accomplished, individually, collective, or in various subcombinations, will be described in the following detailed description of the preferred and alternate embodiments, taken in conjunction with the FIGURES. Generally, however, they are accomplished in the preferred embodiment by a siderail head impact countermeasure which includes a hollow extrusion attached to the vehicle siderail. The material for the extrusion is selected from metals, metal alloys or plastics which have certain deformation characteristics which will be discussed in detail below. The extrusion may furthermore
Beland William R.
Meyer Kirk
Dayoan D. Glenn
Gutman H.
Johnson Controls Technology Company
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