Abstract: A door lock release mechanism includes a spacer 40, which is fixed to a handle base 14 and restricts depression of an outside handle in an inward direction of a vehicle when a door of the vehicle is deformed, and an engagement portion 40a, which is formed in the spacer 40 and arranged at a position outside the normal path of an opening operation of the door lock release mechanism. The engagement portion 40a is moved to a position in the path of the opening operation of the door lock release mechanism to restrict the opening operation of a latch open lever 30 through deformation of the door of the vehicle when a side collision occurs. As a result, simply through the engagement portion 40a formed in the spacer 40, which restricts displacement of the outside handle 16 in the inward direction of the vehicle, the unlocking operation of the latch open lever 30 is prevented to avoid unlocking of the door when the door is deformed through the side collision.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to prevent a vehicle door from protruding into a vehicle cabin when a collision load is applied to the door from a lateral side thereof, and to reduce costs that are required for measures to prevent the door from protruding into the vehicle cabin.

Abstract: An automobile roof structure in which each end of the roof reinforcement member is connected to a roof side rail via a bracket, the base end of the bracket is fixed to the end of the roof reinforcement member, a base plate of the bracket has upstanding sections that extend to a head edge of the base plate, the upper end of an upstanding end edge of each upstanding section abuts the upper end of a vehicle interior side-surface of the roof side rail, a gap is provided between the lower portion of the upstanding end edge and the side surface. A rotational moment M that is induced in the roof side rail by a collision load acting from the center pillar is not transmitted to the roof reinforcement member 4.

Abstract: A door lock release mechanism includes a spacer 40, which is fixed to a handle base 14 and restricts depression of an outside handle in an inward direction of a vehicle when a door of the vehicle is deformed, and an engagement portion 40a, which is formed in the spacer 40 and arranged at a position outside the normal path of an opening operation of the door lock release mechanism. The engagement portion 40a is moved to a position in the path of the opening operation of the door lock release mechanism to restrict the opening operation of a latch open lever 30 through deformation of the door of the vehicle when a side collision occurs. As a result, simply through the engagement portion 40a formed in the spacer 40, which restricts displacement of the outside handle 16 in the inward direction of the vehicle, the unlocking operation of the latch open lever 30 is prevented to avoid unlocking of the door when the door is deformed through the side collision.

Abstract: An automobile roof structure in which each end of the roof reinforcement member is connected to a roof side rail via a bracket, the base end of the bracket is fixed to the end of the roof reinforcement member, a base plate of the bracket has upstanding sections that extend to a head edge of the base plate, the upper end of an upstanding end edge of each upstanding section abuts the upper end of a vehicle interior side-surface of the roof side rail, a gap is provided between the lower portion of the upstanding end edge and the side surface. A rotational moment M that is induced in the roof side rail by a collision load acting from the center pillar is not transmitted to the roof reinforcement member 4.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint apparatus is provided that can restrict the movement of the rear end side of an airbag to the outside of a vehicle. A folded body of the airbag 1 is installed along a roof side rail 3 and is inflatable by means of at least one inflator 4. Guide plates for guiding the extension of the airbag are provided on the roof side rail 3 above each pillar. An extended piece 1c of the airbag 1 is fastened to the rearmost guide plate 7, and thereby the movement of the inflated airbag 1 toward the outside of the vehicle is restricted.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a vehicle body structure in which a collision load applied to one of vehicle doors from a lateral side thereof is received by a load receiving member of a body via an impact beam and a door box of the door and is transmitted from the load receiving member to a cross member. The load receiving member includes a load receiving pipe that is formed as a linear tubular body disposed between the right and left doors so as to extend in a vehicle widthwise direction and is capable of transmitting the collision load from the door box of one of the doors to a door box of the other of the doors, and connecting portions that are capable of supporting the load receiving pipe at positions adjacent to the right and left doors and connecting the load receiving pipe to the cross member.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint apparatus is provided that can restrict the movement of the rear end side of an airbag to the outside of a vehicle. A folded body of the airbag 1 is installed along a roof side rail 3 and is inflatable by means of at least one inflator 4. Guide plates for guiding the extension of the airbag are provided on the roof side rail 3 above each pillar. An extended piece 1c of the airbag 1 is fastened to the rearmost guide plate 7, and thereby the movement of the inflated airbag 1 toward the outside of the vehicle is restricted.

Abstract: There is provided a vehicle-occupant restraint system in which a rear end portion of a curtain airbag is deployed smoothly. A folded unit of an airbag 1 is mounted along a roof side rail 3, and can be inflated by an inflator 4. A rear end portion 1r of the long and narrow folded unit of the airbag 1 is first folded forward and upward once, and a leading end portion of the folded portion is folded upward and rearward. Consequently, the rear end portion of the airbag 1 is folded in three layers stacked on the upper side thereof.