Most motor vehicles have a fabric covered board that covers the roof portion of the vehicle interior. This fabric covered board is known as a headliner and is usually made from a pressed material, much like cardboard. The headliner covers sheet metal material, wiring, and the like. As such, the headliner adds aesthetic value to the interior of a motor vehicle.
With the advent of curtain side airbags (CSA), headliners have been developed that conceal the CSA from view and afford for the proper deployment of the CSA during a collision. In some headliners, the board material, also known as the substrate, has a weakened region outlining where the curtain side airbag is stored, the weakened region allowing the curtain side airbag to burst through the headliner during deployment and properly protect occupants within the motor vehicle.
Most motor vehicles also have assist grips located in the interior above side windows. As the name implies, the assist grips are grip structures that can be grasped by an individual and assist them with entering or leaving the motor vehicle, shifting their weight, stabilizing their selves while the vehicle is turning, and the like. Assist grips typically penetrate through the headliner and attach to sheet metal material of the interior roof and located on a backside of the headliner. In some instances, the deployment of the curtain side airbag out from under the headliner can cause an assist grip to be detached from the sheet metal underneath. In this situation, the assist grip can become a flying object during an accident and possibly injure an occupant. Therefore, a headliner that affords for assist grips located proximate to the CSA to remain attached to the motor vehicle frame during deployment of the CSA would be desirable.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds