Patent ID: 6179324
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A vehicle occupant safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof, a side structure, and a headliner extending adjacent the roof, the roof and side structure at least partially defining a safety apparatus mounting chamber in the vehicle, the side structure and headliner at least partially defining a vehicle occupant compartment, the mounting chamber having an opening defined between an edge portion of the headliner and the vehicle side structure, said safety apparatus comprising:an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and having an inflated condition in which said protection device is inflated between the occupant and the vehicle side structure; anda cover at least partially enclosing said protection device within the mounting chamber when said protection device is in the deflated condition, said cover being separate from the headliner,said cover having an arc-shaped base positioned in the mounting chamber and inner and outer legs that extend from opposite ends of said base in the mounting chamber, said outer leg being in abutting engagement with the vehicle side structure, said inner leg having a first portion extending from said base and a second portion hingedly connected to said first portion and pivotal relative to said first portion, said cover having a closed condition wherein said second portion is in abutting engagement with said inner leg portion to at least partially enclose said protection device in said cover when the protection device is in the deflated condition,said cover having a trim portion extending from an outer surface of said second portion and pivotal with said second portion relative to said first portion, said trim portion having an inner edge portion that overlies a portion of the headliner in abutting engagement with the headliner and an outer edge portion in abutting engagement with the vehicle side structure, said trim portion closing the opening and having an outer surface exposed to the vehicle occupant compartment when said cover is in said closed condition.