Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Lee A Walker

Srinivasan Sundararajan

Geoffrey D Fletcher

Rasik N Patel

Samuel Farrow

Daniel J Dillman

Daniel J Dillmann

Aaron S Wisniewski

Paul E Debbaudt

A vehicle trim system for an automotive vehicle with a side airbag provides energy absorption for conditions not requiring side airbag deployment. The system has an inflatable restraint mounted on an interior facing surface of an interior body structure, such as an A-pillar or roof rail, and an energy absorbing member spaceably mounted therefrom defining a first cavity having a first section containing the inflatable restraint and a second section spaced from an innermost surface of the vehicle body structure. A trim piece is spaceably mounted to the energy absorbing member and cooperative therewith to move from a covering position covering the inflatable restraint when in an uninflated state to a deployed position so as to partially deflect from the vehicle body structure to allow the inflatable restraint to inflate along the surfaces adjacent the vehicle body structure.

Energy absorbing vehicle trim with airbag

The present invention relates to a method of producing a carpeted vehicle interior panel. A rigid backing having a carpeted surface and a mating surface is molded such that the backing mating surface is 3-dimensional and self-supporting after molding. The backing is overlaid atop the panel with the mating surface juxtaposed a mating surface of the panel. The backing is secured to the panel by linear welding.

Method for manufacturing a linear vibration welded carpeted panel

An automotive vehicle occupant compartment is bounded by an energy absorbing vehicle door comprising an outer panel, an inner panel joined to the outer panel and defining a space therebetween, a guard beam mounted longitudinally in the space, a trim panel mounted on an occupant compartment side of the inner panel and having a plurality of energy absorbing bolsters attached thereto generally laterally adjacent the guard beam, and load distribution means mounted in the space laterally between the guard beam and the energy absorbing bolsters for distributing a load imparted to the guard beam evenly across the energy absorbing bolsters so as to preserve the energy absorption bolsters in a substantially undeformed state prior to occupant contact with the door during a side impact type collision.

Energy absorbing vehicle door with guard beam load distributor

An automotive vehicle occupant compartment is bounded by an energy absorbing vehicle door including an outer panel, an inner panel joined to the outer panel and defining a space therebetween, a guard beam mounted longitudinally in the space, a trim panel mounted on an occupant compartment side of the inner panel and having a plurality of energy absorbing bolsters attached generally laterally adjacent the guard beam, and a load distribuler mounted in the space laterally between the guard beam and the energy absorbing bolsters for distributing a load imparted to the guard beam evenly across the energy absorbing bolsters so as to preserve the energy absorption bolsters in a substantially undeformed state prior to occupant contact with the door during a side impact type collision.

An automotive vehicle occupant compartment is bounded by an energy absorbing vehicle door comprising an outer panel, an inner panel laterally joined to the outer panel, a trim panel releasably attached to an occupant compartment facing side of the inner panel and defining a space between the outer panel and the trim panel with the inner panel therein, and energy absorbing member in the form of bolster blocks mounted in the space so that when an externally originating load is applied generally normal to the door the trim panel deploys into the occupant compartment presenting the energy absorbing member in a substantially undeformed state to the occupant seating area.

Growing community of inventors

Shelby Township, MI, United States of America

Lee A Walker