Chrysler Group LLC

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Joseph G Lemmon

Shawn Robert Williams

Robert P Kuhr

D Scott Bittinger

John C Rust

Jeffrey S Rausch

Michael A Warnez

Jerry D Loman

Babak R Famili

Rajkumar Rajagopalan

Steven M Johnson

Thomas A Lariviere

Neil Thomas

Matthew W Liddane

Catherine Oddo-Long

Cedric Stokes

Jennifer A Head

An airbag deployment system for a vehicle is provided. The system can include an airbag positioned between a vehicle frame and a headliner, and a trim member positioned inboard of the frame. The system can also include a deployment ramp coupled to the frame and the trim member. The deployment ramp can have a ramp surface. The ramp surface can be positioned and configured such that when the airbag is deployed a portion of the airbag engages the ramp surface and the trim member to urge the trim member in an outboard direction toward the frame.

Side airbag deployment arrangement

An attachment clip for coupling an airbag to a motor vehicle is provided. The clip can include a first leg having a first aperture, a second aperture and a protrusion extending from an edge of the second aperture in an outward direction from the first leg. The clip can include a second leg spaced from the first leg and coupled to the first leg. The second leg has a threaded aperture substantially coaxial with the first aperture of the first leg. The space between the first and second legs can slidably receive a mounting member and a portion of the airbag. The protrusion can engage the portion of the airbag, and a fastener can extend through the first aperture of the first leg, through the portion of the airbag and through the mounting member to engage the threaded aperture of the second leg for attaching the airbag to the vehicle.

Attachment clip

An overhead trim system for a motor vehicle has a mounting bracket coupled to an overhead area of the motor vehicle and an integrally formed trim member. The integrally formed trim member is configured to extend along a selected length of a perimeter of the overhead area and defines a hinge. The integrally formed trim member is coupled to the mounting bracket to define a cavity configured for receipt of an airbag module. The hinge in a first position is capable of retaining the airbag module within the cavity and in a second position is capable of enabling the airbag module to expand.

Integrated overhead side airbag module

A blow molded (HIC) formation with energy buffers provides absorption of vehicle occupant cranial impacts. A generally plastic, forced air, expanded formation defines a cavity, the formation walls being of varied geometric shapes having calculated wall thicknesses, each shape having an energy absorbing and resiliency characteristic. The formation of geometric shapes is positioned depending upon the vehicle stiffness characteristics and the degree of impact absorption required. Geometric shapes employed may consist of sinusoidal waveforms, a gabled design, or either of the preceding with an internal strengthening rib employed to alter formation impact absorbing characteristics. The formation contains an orifice to ensure that vehicle occupant energy is efficiently absorbed during the concurrent events of formation compaction and air expulsion through the orifice. The blow molded formation may be glued or otherwise suitably fastened to an automobile headliner, door panel, pillar, or other location.

Blow molded (HIC) formation with energy buffers

An impact energy absorbing arrangement is provided for a vehicle interior having a protuberance designed and configured as part of an interior surface covering a vehicle pillar and butting into a headliner surface. The protuberance is arranged so that if an occupant's head forcibly strikes the roof headliner directly above the pillar, the protuberance on the pillar surface would absorb at least a portion of the impact force as well as minimize potential rotation of the head about the occupant's neck by being positioned so as to contact a portion of the occupant's head at approximately the same time as contact would occur with the headliner.

Vehicle pillar having an interior protuberance at the roof headliner

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Chesterfield, MI, United States of America

Joseph G Lemmon