JPH09136597A - Collision detecting switch for vehicle occupant crash protection - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dissolve problems with the protection and easy mounting of a sensor body by passing plural locating pins for a first plate electrode to pinchingly hold a switch element through an outer panel for a vehicle and mounting pins on the panel. SOLUTION: A first electrode 21 is adhered and fixed into a recess formed inside the slant rising face 20a of a side guard molding 20 with a double coated tape. An insulating member 23 is dropped in a locate pin 22 and a conductive rubber 24 and the second electrode 25 are additionally dropped in sequence therein. Then, te locate pin 22 is fitted into a mounting hole previously made in place of an outer panel including a door for a vehicle and fixed at the back with a fixing member to be prevented from looseness. When a given value or more of outer force is applied to a collision detecting switch mounted on a vehicle in this way, the conductive rubber 24 is deformed, so that a resistance between the first and second electrodes 21, 25 is changed to generate and electric signal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a collision detection switch for a vehicle occupant protection device used for a device for protecting an occupant from an accident by instantly inflating an airbag in a vehicle collision accident from the side. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A similar type of conventional collision detection switch for a vehicle occupant protection device of this type is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-25054.
No. 6 is shown in FIG. 5 and is described with reference to FIGS. That is, the front bumper 1 and the door 2 for an automobile
A sensor main body 4 is provided on the rear bumper 3 and the like (of the left and right doors, the left door is shown as a representative in FIG. 5). The sensor body 4 is mainly composed of a strain-sensitive conductive rubber 5 whose electric resistance value changes when strain occurs,
It is formed in a band shape along the lateral direction of the vehicle, and is attached to the back side of the bumper face 1a over substantially the entire length of the front bumper 1, for example. A plurality of pairs of electrodes 6 and 7 are arranged on the back surface side of the sensor body 4 at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the sensor body 4, and a signal line 8 is connected to each of the electrodes 6 and 7.

The signal line 8 is covered with a cover 9, and each signal line 8 is connected to the electric circuit section 1 as shown in FIG.
Connected to 0. The electric circuit section 10 detects the change in the electric resistance value between the electrodes 6 and 7, and can specify the electrodes 6 and 7 with the changed electric resistance value, that is, the portion to which the pressure is applied, by the controller 11. . The electric circuit unit 10 includes, for example, an interface 13,
The OR circuit 14, the collision detection circuit 15, and the airbag drive circuit 12 are connected to each other. When the collision detection circuit 15 detects a change in electric resistance exceeding a predetermined value and determines that a collision occurs,
An electric signal for inflating the airbag is sent to the drive circuit 12 to inflate the airbag.

Since the sensor body 4 is provided on the front bumper 1, the door 2, the rear bumper 3 and the like as described above, signals from these sensor bodies also have the same circuits as those shown in FIG. It is input to the collision detection circuit 15 (common to all) via the. When the collision detection circuit 15 is turned on, the process enters into the circulation loop of the start step 100, step 110, step 120, step 130 and step 140 of FIG.
If it is determined that a collision has occurred at 0, 120, 130 or 140, steps 150, 160, 170 or 1
80, the airbag is deployed.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned collision detection switch of the vehicle occupant protection device,
The sensor main body 4 is provided around the body of the vehicle body, and the detection of the collision by the sensor main body 4 is set as the condition for deploying the airbag. Electrodes 6 and 7 must be provided,
There is a problem that the structure becomes complicated and the cost becomes high when the development is specifically promoted. Further, the design specifications such as protection of the sensor body 4 and ease of mounting must be satisfied, and there is a problem that it is not possible to easily obtain a product that satisfies these specifications.

In view of this, the present invention utilizes the side guard molding 16 mounted on the side surface of the vehicle as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 to protect the sensor body as described above and to facilitate mounting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a collision detection switch for a vehicle occupant protection device that solves the above problem. 10 and 11, 2a is an outer panel of the door 2, 17 is an adhesive layer made of double-sided tape or the like, and 18 is a locating pin integrally formed with the side guard molding 16 and is provided on the outer panel 2a of the door. It is fitted into the hole and attached.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a detonator, a switching transistor connected in series with the detonator, and a belt-like strip along a front-rear direction on a side surface of the vehicle. In the vehicle occupant protection device, which is disposed in a vehicle and includes a collision detection switch that detects a collision from the side of the vehicle and turns on the switching transistor, the collision detection switch has a rising edge formed on a peripheral portion thereof. An elongated insulating case with a flat surface formed inside and a plurality of locating pins are erected,
A first plate-shaped electrode fixed to the flat surface of the case; and a switch element part having a shape substantially the same as the first plate-shaped electrode and having a hole through which a locate pin of the first plate-shaped electrode penetrates, A second plate-shaped electrode formed in the same shape as the first plate-shaped electrode and which cooperates with the first plate-shaped electrode to hold the switch element portion. The plurality of locate pins penetrate the outer panel of the vehicle and are attached to the outer panel.

A second aspect of the invention is to detect a collision from a side of a vehicle by arranging a detonator, a switching transistor connected in series with the detonator, and a belt-like structure on a side surface of the vehicle along a front-rear direction. In a vehicle occupant protection device including a collision detection switch for turning on the switching transistor, the collision detection switch has a flat surface formed inside a rising surface formed at a peripheral portion, and the flat surface is formed. A plurality of locating pins are integrally formed and erected, and an elongated insulating case, and holes are formed corresponding to the erected positions of the locating pins of the insulating case. A first plate-shaped electrode in which the locating pin is inserted and the case is housed, and a hole having a substantially same shape as the first plate-shaped electrode and through which the locating pin of the case passes. The locating pin is inserted into the hole to form the switch element portion in the case having the same shape as the first plate electrode, and the switch element cooperates with the first plate electrode. A second plate-shaped electrode sandwiching a portion, and a plurality of locating pins of the first plate-shaped electrode penetrate the outer panel of the vehicle,
It is attached to the outer panel.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Embodiment 1.20 is a side guard molding body, in which a peripheral portion is formed with an oblique rising surface 20a over the entire circumference,
Moreover, a flat surface 20b is formed inside the oblique rising surface 20a. 21 is a connector mounting portion 21a at one end
Is a thin plate-shaped first electrode on which the locating pins 22 are arranged upright at equal intervals on the lower side surface thereof, and
A double-sided tape (not shown) is attached to the upper side surface and attached to the flat surface 20b of the side guard molding 20. The flat surface 2 of the side guard molding body 20
The shape is almost the same as that of 0b.

Reference numeral 23 is a cylindrical insulating member, and a through hole 23a is formed at the center thereof, and the locate pin 22 passes through the through hole 23a. 24 is a plate-shaped conductive rubber,
The electrode 21 has substantially the same shape as the electrode 21, and a plurality of fixing holes 24a are formed therein, and the cylindrical insulating member 23 passes through the holes 24a for positioning. Reference numeral 25 denotes a thin plate-shaped second electrode having a connector mounting portion 25b formed at one end thereof, which has substantially the same shape as the first electrode 21, and
A fixing hole 25a is formed at the same position as the hole 24b provided in the conductive rubber 24, and the cylindrical insulating member 23 passes through the hole 25a to be positioned and short-circuited with the first electrode 21. Is being prevented.

The above structure is assembled as shown in FIG. That is, the side guard molding 20 is turned upside down (a state in which the vertical position relationship of the side guard molding sides shown in FIG. 1 is reversed), and the diagonal rising surface 20 thereof is
After the first electrode 21 is attached and fixed with double-sided tape in the recess formed inside a, the insulating member 23 is dropped into the locate pin 22, and then the conductive rubber 24 and the second electrode 25 are dropped in order. The locating pin 22 is inserted into a mounting hole that is predrilled at a predetermined position of the outer panel 26 of the vehicle door 2 or the like, and the fixing member 27 is inserted from the back side thereof.
Secure with and prevent it from coming off. When the conductive rubber 24 is attached to the vehicle as described above and laterally collides, an external force larger than a predetermined amount is applied to the collision detection switch, and the conductive rubber 24 is deformed.
The resistance between the second electrode 21 and the second electrode 25 changes, and the electric signal is processed by a circuit having substantially the same function as the circuit shown in FIG.

Embodiment 2. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Reference numeral 30 denotes a side guard molding body, which has an oblique rising surface 30a formed along the entire periphery and has an oblique rising surface 30a.
A flat surface 30b is formed on the inner side of a, and a plurality of locate pins 30c are integrally formed with the side guard molding body 30 from the flat surface 30b and are provided upright at equal intervals. Reference numeral 31 is a thin plate-shaped first electrode having a connector mounting portion 31a formed at one end thereof, and a double-sided tape (not shown) is attached to the upper side surface thereof to be attached to the flat surface 20b of the side guard molding 20. A plurality of holes 31b through which the locate pin 30c passes are formed. The first electrode 31 has substantially the same shape as the flat surface 20b of the side guard molding body 20.

Reference numeral 32 is a plate-shaped conductive rubber, which is used for the first electrode 31.
And a plurality of fixing holes 32 having the same shape as
a is provided at a position corresponding to the locate pin 30c, and the locate pin 30c passes through the hole 32a for positioning. 33 is a connector mounting portion 3 at one end
3a is a thin plate-shaped second electrode, and the first electrode 3
It has the same shape as 1.

The above-mentioned structure is assembled as shown in FIG. That is, the side electrode molding 30 is turned upside down (the vertical positional relationship shown in FIG. 3 is reversed), and the locating pin 30c and the hole 31b are aligned in the concave portion formed by the diagonal rising surface 30a of the first electrode. 31 is fixed with double-sided tape. After that, the hole positions of the conductive rubber 32 and the second electrode 33 are aligned and dropped in order, and the locate pin 30c is fitted into a mounting hole previously drilled at a predetermined position of the outer panel 34 of the vehicle door 2 or the like. The fixing member 36 is fixed from the back side to prevent it from coming off. In this way, when the collision detection switch is mounted on the vehicle and a lateral force is applied to the collision detection switch and an external force of a predetermined amount or more is applied to deform the conductive rubber 32, the first and second electrodes 31,
The resistance between 33 is changed, and an electric signal is processed by a circuit having substantially the same function as the circuit shown in FIG.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The effect that the points such as protection of the sensor body and ease of mounting can be improved is exhibited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded explanatory diagram for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an assembly explanatory view of what is shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded explanatory view for explaining the second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an assembly explanatory diagram of what is shown in FIG. 3. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view of a conventional example.

6 is a front bumper 1 shown in FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which attached.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a main part of the diagram shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a circuit block used in the description of the conventional example.

9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the collision detection circuit 15 in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory diagram for explaining the points of interest of the present invention.

11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20,30 Side guard molding 21,25,31,33 Electrode 22,30c Locate pin 23 Insulation member 24,32 Conductive rubber

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A detonator, a switching transistor connected in series to the detonator, and strips arranged along the front-rear direction on the side surface of the vehicle to detect a collision from the side of the vehicle and turn on the switching transistor. In the vehicle occupant protection device including the collision detection switch, the collision detection switch includes an elongated insulating case in which a flat surface is formed inside a rising surface formed in a peripheral portion, and a plurality of locate pins. And a first plate-shaped electrode fixed to the flat surface of the case, and a hole having substantially the same shape as the first plate-shaped electrode and through which the locate pin of the first plate-shaped electrode passes. A switch element portion and a second plate electrode formed in the same shape as the first plate electrode and holding the switch element portion in cooperation with the first plate electrode; 1 plate A plurality of locate pins of the electrode penetrates an outer panel of the vehicle and is attached to the outer panel of the vehicle. 2. A detonator, a switching transistor serially connected to the detonator, and strips arranged on the side surface of the vehicle along the front-rear direction to detect a collision from the side of the vehicle and turn on the switching transistor. In the vehicle occupant protection device including the collision detection switch, the collision detection switch has a flat surface formed inside the rising surface formed at the peripheral portion, and a plurality of locate pins are formed from the flat surface. An elongated insulating case formed integrally and erected, and holes are formed corresponding to the positions where the locate pins of the insulating case are erected, and the locate pins pass through the holes. And a first plate electrode housed in the case and having a substantially same shape as the first plate electrode, and a hole through which a locate pin of the case passes is formed, and the hole is formed in the hole. The switch element portion housed in the case by the passage of the locate pin;
A plurality of locate pins of the first plate electrode, the second plate electrode having the same shape as the plate electrode and cooperating with the first plate electrode to sandwich the switch element portion; Is a collision detection switch for an occupant protection device for a vehicle, which penetrates an outer panel of a vehicle and is attached to the outer panel.