MXPA96003646A - Internal absorbent energy paravehic dress - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, and a cover having a generally curvilinear configuration with opposite ends thereon, and including a surface internal curve and an energy absorbing arrangement having an undeformed position and a deformed position, which is plastically buckled by the cover when impacted, and the energy absorbing arrangement has a first segment, on it, coupled with the curved inner surface of the cover and a second segment coupled with the body member to form a plastic and / or elastically deformable structure that will absorb energy by buckling or elastic deformation as the cover is impacted, characterized by: a plurality of columnar elements interposed between the cover and the body member, each of which will be broken It will bend when the cover is impacted, to absorb energy by deformation and be plastic or elastic.

Description

INTERIOR ABSORBENT ENERGY VESSEL FOR VEHICLE TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a garment assembly for a vehicle, which provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, and more particularly to such garment assemblies for covering carriers. vehicles or lining bars. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] At present, the molding of interior garments to cover most of the frame components of a vehicle, such as longitudinal support posts, is made of hard plastic, injection molded materials, which define a decorative cover but do not respond to the impact load to absorb energy. The Regulation of 'Federal Security of the Future requires that such garment mounds be configured to absorb energy on the impact to offer a better protection against the impact to the occupants of the vehicle, in the case of an accident. The support posts, side rails and other similar parts of the body of a vehicle are currently covered by polymer injection molded parts, which can be covered by decorative skins, including cloth. Since the arrangements have an aesthetic appearance, they do not provide a controlled energy absorption of the kinetic energy through the absorption of energy. One purpose for said energy absorption is set forth in U.S. Patent No. 5,163,730, which includes a cover, a support and an interposed bracket that buckle and deform to absorb kinetic energy. The arrangement requires the mounting of fasteners separately, to connect an elastically deformable side portion of the bracket to a body member. Another garment cover is shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,797,857 which describes a multi-piece garment strip, with a molded PVC channel and a metal strip reinforcement that is attached to flanges of a windshield mount or a side rail. The clothing strip is described in the. embodiments of Figures 3 and 4 presenting an elastic plastic pad located on the interior surface of the clothing arrangement. U.S. Patent No. 3,779,595 discloses a cover arrangement for a central support or support quarter of the body of a vehicle having inner and outer channel members forming the support. The support is covered by a garment panel that includes a substrate that is connected to the inner channel member by plastically deformable support arms, or a plate to shock absorber.

Although suitable for their intended use, the prior art arrangements do not provide a structure that includes integral portions thereof, that are easily connected to vehicle body members, without the need for separate fasteners, thus providing ease of assembly and the precise location of an energy absorbing arrangement prior to the installation of a decorative cover member; furthermore, none of the prior art arrangements provide the ability to control or adjust the level of energy absorption for a given application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES The present invention is directed to the problem of connecting an energy absorbing component in a garment component assembly, which. have a body member and a decorative cover member, separately, so that the energy absorbing component includes integral portions that eliminate the need for separate fasteners, to secure it in place, to install the outer decorative cover, while an absorption of energy is provided either plastic and / or elastic. An object of the present invention is to provide a garment assembly for a vehicle, which provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover and a plastic and / or elastically deformable structure, which will absorb energy buckling or elastically deforming, as the cover is impacted, wherein the energy absorption is provided by a plurality of columnar elements interposed between the cover and the body member, each of which will break, It will buckle or buckle when the cover is impacted to absorb energy by plastic or elastic deformation. It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide the aforementioned garment assembly for a vehicle, providing energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover having columnar elements integrally molded with the cover and sized to form varying degrees. of energy absorption, at separate points, between the cover of the garment and the body member. Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide the garment assembly for a vehicle, mentioned above, by providing energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, wherein the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover during a second material injection stage. A further aspect of the invention is to provide the garment assembly for a vehicle, mentioned above, that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, wherein the columnar elements are of uniform cross section. Yet, a further aspect of the invention is to provide the garment assembly for a vehicle, mentioned above, that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, wherein the columnar elements are of circular cross section. A further aspect is to provide said garment assembly, wherein the columnar elements are of polygonal cross section. Another aspect is to provide said garment assembly, wherein the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that engages with the body member. Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide the columnar elements in the garment assemblies with different transverse areas. Another object of the present invention is to provide the garment assemblies that include a matrix with different columnar densities in different parts of the matrix. A further object of the present invention is to provide the garment assemblies, wherein the elements are made by forming a matrix and the columnar elements are made from different materials in different parts of the matrix. Still a further object of the present invention is to provide said garment assembly, wherein the columnar elements form a matrix having different columnar elements, dimensioned, in different parts of the matrix. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The presently preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle, showing a garment assembly of the present invention covering a front support post; Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view, partially broken away, of the garment assembly shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3; Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 3; and Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of a fragment of a pin or fin arrangement having a variable pin / fin density. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 illustrates a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle 10, in which a frame 12 of the vehicle is shown extended around an adjacent window 14 and including a garment assembly 15, constructed in accordance with the present invention. In the illustrated arrangement, the frame assembly is associated with the A-post or straight-front 16 of the vehicle, it being understood that. The invention is suitable for side rail components of the interior skin of a vehicle including, but not limited to, the window frame components and the straight B-post or rear portion of the frame and interconnecting the extending roof structure rails. between the upper ends of the post portions A and B, all of these components are well known to those skilled in the art since they include structural sections that will provide desired support and stiffness to the body sections of a motor vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the garment assembly 15 has the same general shape and configuration as the front A-post 16, on which it is mounted, and in the illustrated embodiment, the garment assembly 15 includes a decorative garment cover 18, which it is associated with an energy absorbing arrangement 20 which can be either integrally molded from or adhesively connected to the inner surface 22 of the cover 18, in a manner which will be described below. According to a principle of the present invention, the energy absorbing arrangement 20 includes a plurality of columnar elements formed as pins or fins 24 which can be frictionally adjusted or adjusted by jumping on a body member 26. Specifically, in the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, the energy absorbing arrangement 20 includes pins or fins 24 having a base portion 28 that is integrally formed with and generally extends inwardly from the inner surface of a curved segment 30 of the cover 18. The curved segment 30 The cover can be formed integrally from the energy absorbing arrangement 20 or can be connected thereto by a secondary injection passage, followed by the injection molding of the cover 18. The energy absorbing arrangement 20 can include pins or fins. of various shapes and cross sections. For illustrative purposes, in the energy absorbing arrangement 20 of Figures 2 and 3, some of the pins or fins have a circular cross section, which is uniform over its entire length, as shown in the cross-sectional view of the Figure 4. Other pins or fins have a generally rectangular cross section, as shown in Figure 5. Still others may have a polygonal shape, such as a triangular cross section, as shown in Figure 6. In the illustrated arrangement , the pins or fins 24 have a uniform cross section along their length, but may have a section that increases in cross section, uniformly, along the length of the pins or fins, as shown in the pin at fin 24a; or it can be varied along the length, as shown in the pin or flap 24b; or it can be of different length, as shown in the pin 24c. The resulting arrangement can be composed of the same type of plurality of columnar elements 24, interposed between the cover 18 and the body member 26, each of which will break or bend when the cover of the garment is impacted to absorb energy by deformation either plastic or elastic.

The pins or flaps 24, which comprise the columnar elements 24a-24c, can be integrally molded with the cover 18 and sized to form varying degrees of energy absorption, at separate points, between the cover 18 and the body member 26 Since the columnar elements or pins and fins 24 can be connected to the garment cover by integrally forming during the initial injection of material, these can also be formed during a second material injection step. The pins or flaps 24 are separated to fit over a portion 26a or the body member 26. They also have a free end 32 that can be engaged with the body member and can also include a matrix having different materials in the columnar elements. , in different parts of the matrix. Alternatively, the matrix of the pins or fins 24 forming the energy absorbing arrangement 20, may have different columnar densities in different parts of the matrix, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 7 in 34. The materials used in the cover and in the matrix will depend on the particular application. However, in many cases, the cover can be formed of a suitable thermoplastic, injection molded material, such as thermoplastic urethane or thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride, or alloys thereof. If the pins or fins are formed as a second injection stage, other thermoplastic materials different from those forming the cover can be used. Alternatively, for the pins, heat-resistant materials, such as ABS or polycarbonates, may be used, depending on the type of energy absorption desired, for example, fracture or bending in the elastomeric scale. The invention has been described in an illustrative manner with respect to the currently preferred embodiments, and it should be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be of the nature of the words in the description, rather than words of limitation. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention can be made in view of the above teachings. Therefore, it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced in a manner different from that specifically shown and described.

Claims (16)

1. CLAIMS 1. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, and a cover having a generally curvilinear configuration with opposite ends thereon, and including a curved inner surface and an energy absorbing arrangement having a non-deformed position and a deformed position, which is plastically buckled by the cover when impacted, and the energy absorbing arrangement has a first segment, thereon, engaged with the curved inner surface of the cover and a second segment coupled with the body member to form a plastic and / or elastically deformable structure that will absorb energy by buckling or elastic deformation as the cover is flared, characterized by: a plurality of columnar elements interposed between the cover and the body member, each of which will break or bend when The cover of the garment is impacted, to absorb energy by plastic or elastic deformation.
2. 2. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, further characterized by comprising: columnar elements integrally molded with the cover and sized to form the degrees energy absorption variables, at separate points, between the cover of the garment and the body member.
3. 3. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover during a second injection stage. of material.
4. 4. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, characterized in that the columnar elements are of a uniform cross section,
5. 5. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 4, characterized in that the columnar elements are of circular cross section.
6. 6. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, characterized in that the columnar elements are of polygonal cross section.
7. 7. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 4, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that can be mate with the body member.
8. 8. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 5, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that it can be coupled with the body member.
9. 9. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 6, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that it can be coupled with the body member.
10. 10. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that it can be coupled with the body member, and also include different transverse areas.
11. 11. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that can be coupling with the body member, and further include a matrix having different columnar densities in different parts of the matrix.
12. 12. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that it can be coupled with the body member, and further include a matrix having different materials in the columnar elements in different parts of the matrix.
13. 13. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 1, characterized in that the columnar elements are connected to the garment cover and include a free end that it can be coupled with the body member, and further include a matrix having different columnar elements sized in different parts of the matrix.
14. 14. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 13, characterized in that the columnar elements include different transverse areas.
15. 15. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 13, characterized in that the columnar elements have different columnar densities in different parts of the matrix.
16. 16. A garment assembly for a vehicle that provides energy absorption between a body member and a garment cover, according to claim 13, characterized in that the columnar elements have different materials in the columnar elements in different parts of the matrix. .