Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-03
2001-11-20
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C296S182100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318755
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to crash pads which are placed at various locations within a vehicle to reduce injuries caused when occupants hit interior surfaces of the vehicle during a crash. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of interior crash pads which utilize a honeycomb structure as the principal energy absorbing element.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been and continues to be major effort to develop and design vehicle interiors which protect occupants as much as possible during the extreme forces experienced during crashes. One approach has involved the placement of crash or crush pads at various locations within the vehicle interior. The crash pads are designed to absorb the energy of impact as the occupant contacts the vehicle interior during a crash.
Initial crash pads were made from elastomeric materials, such as rubber, or from foamed plastics. Although these materials provide some protection, they are not particularly efficient and they may release stored energy during impact. This release of stored energy, commonly referred to as “rebound,” can actually exacerbate injuries suffered during a crash. In addition, foam products suitable for use as crash pads tend to be bulky. As a result, they are not well-suited for use in vehicle interiors where space is limited. In order to reduce the bulk of foamed plastics, they must be made to high densities. However, such high density foams tend to be difficult to manufacture.
Honeycomb structures have been used in crash pads as an alternative to elastomers and foams. Honeycomb structures are advantageous because they are capable of efficiently absorbing large amounts of energy. One example of a honeycomb-based crash pad is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,721. The crash pad is designed for aircraft interiors and utilizes an aluminum honeycomb as the basic energy absorbing material.
There are a number of different problems which must be taken into account when developing a crash pad for use in vehicle interiors. The pad must provide adequate energy absorption without being so bulky that it intrudes into the vehicle interior. The pad should be light weight. The pad must be capable of being mounted in close proximity to the interior surface of the vehicle shell without causing squeaking, buzzing or rattling. The pad should also be amenable to installation in a wide variety of locations within the vehicle interior. In addition, the pad should be capable of accurate and efficient installation into the vehicle interior in mass production situations such as those present in an automotive assembly line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a crash pad is provided which is suitable for use in a wide variety of locations within the interior of vehicles. The crash pad is capable of absorbing large amounts of impact energy and includes features which reduce squeaks, rattles and buzz. The crash pad is especially well-suited for use in headliners to protect passengers from head injuries.
The crash pad of the present invention includes a honeycomb which is made from energy-absorbing material. The honeycomb includes a first face which is located nearest to the interior surface of the vehicle when the honeycomb crash pad is located adjacent to the interior surface. The honeycomb further includes a second face which is located furthest from the interior surface of the vehicle when the honeycomb crash pad is located adjacent thereto. The honeycomb has a side surface which extends between the first and second faces around the perimeters thereof.
As a feature of the present invention, a cover plate is provided which has an outside surface, an inside surface, and a perimeter wherein the outside surface is shaped to match the interior surface of the vehicle. The inside surface of the cover plate is attached to the first face of the honeycomb. The cover plate can be molded or press fit onto the honeycomb. Alternatively, an adhesive layer which is located between the cover plate and the honeycomb first surface can be used to provide attachment of the cover plate to the honeycomb.
The cover plate provides positioning of the crash pad on the interior surface of the vehicle in a manner which eliminates or substantially reduces the amount of squeaking, rattling and buzzing which may result due to contact between the crash pad and the interior surface of the vehicle. As another feature of the present invention, the honeycomb material used in the crash pad is aluminum and the cover plate is made from a plastic material. This combination of energy-absorbing material and cover plate material is especially well-suited for absorbing impact energy between passengers and the vehicle interior surface, while at the same time minimizing noise generated by contact between the crash pad and vehicle interior during normal vehicle operation.
As a further feature of the present invention, the cover plate may include a lip around its perimeter which extends only partially over the side surface of the honeycomb. In this configuration, the cover plate forms a cap which covers the honeycomb edges to prevent noise generated by contact between the edges and the vehicle interior surface. Sharp protrusions, commonly referred to as “dog ears,” may occur at the honeycomb edge. These sharp protrusions can generate a substantial amount of noise when they rub against or otherwise contact the vehicle interior surface during normal operation of the vehicle. As a feature of the present invention, the dog ears are folded over to remove this possible source of noise.
In addition to the basic honeycomb crash pad, the present invention also includes panels for use in the interior of a vehicle wherein the panel is located adjacent to an interior surface of the vehicle. The panel includes a liner which is attached to the honeycomb crash pad on the surface opposite the cover plate. Panels where the liner is a headliner are preferred. The present invention also covers vehicles which include at least one interior surface on which a panel in accordance with the present invention is mounted.
As a further feature of the present invention, the cover plate includes one or more positioning elements which are located on the outside surface of the cover plate. The positioning elements are useful during fabrication of headliner panels wherein the honeycomb is held in place by tooling during application of the headliner to the honeycomb surface. The positioning elements may also be used to mate with corresponding positioning elements on the vehicle in order to allow accurate and reproducible placement of the crash pad in mass-produced vehicles, such as automobiles.
As another feature of the present invention, protuberances are provided on the outside surface of the cover plate. These protuberances may be in the form of ridges or small bumps which help to position the crash pad in close proximity adjacent to the vehicle interior surface. Protuberances on the cover plate surface are used when the interior surface of the vehicle is built to manufacturing tolerances which may create cavities or contact points between the interior surface and the crash pad. The protuberances provide for localized contact between the cover plate and the interior surface of the vehicle to hold the crash pad in place.
The cover plate provides a number of advantages when used in combination with the energy absorbing honeycomb. For example, it is difficult to maintain a given crash pad shape when using thin and/or flexible honeycombs. The cover plate provides sufficient rigidity to the combined structure to insure that the desired crash pad shape is retained. In addition, the edges of honeycombs tend to be ragged and not well-defined. The cover plate provides a definite perimeter which is useful in many situations where the size and shape of the crash pad must meet certain tolerances. Further, the cover plate acts as a protective cap which protects the honeycomb portion of the crash pad during transport,
Dixon G. Douglass
Hull H. Robert
Nusser Lori A.
Dickson Paul N.
Hexcel Corporation
Shapiro, Borenstein & Dupont LLP
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