JP2001122073A - Pillar garnish fitting structure in vehicle equipped with head protective air bag - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an air bag in the middle of expansion from getting into a clearance between an upper end corner part of a pillar garnish and opening flanges of a pillar. SOLUTION: In a vehicle equipped with a head protective air bag of such constitution that an air bag expanded in curtain shape across a pillar and a roof side rail at a side part in a cabin being supplied with gas from an inflator is enclosed in a folded state along the roof side rail, an upper end corner part of a pillar garnish 32 fitted to the cabin inner side of the pillar 22, and opening flanges 22e, 22f, 22h, 22i of the pillar 22 are connected by connecting arms 32d, 32e having hooks 32d1, 32d1 at the tips.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pillar garnish mounting structure for a vehicle equipped with a head protection airbag.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle equipped with a head protection airbag,
When the gas is supplied from the inflator, the airbag that expands and deploys in a curtain shape across the pillar and the roof side rail at the side part in the vehicle compartment is stored along the roof side rail in a folded state. For example, it is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-91490.

In this publication, a guide wall extending toward the roof side rail is integrally formed at the upper end of the center pillar garnish, or an upper end of the center pillar garnish having an L-shaped cross section is formed on the roof side rail corresponding to the center pillar garnish. A configuration is shown in which a guide plate (jump table) extending toward the portion is provided to control the deployment direction of the airbag so that the airbag during inflation and deployment does not contact the upper end of the center pillar garnish.

[0004]

In the structure disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, the gap between the upper end of the center pillar garnish and the center pillar remains as it is in the prior art. If the function is not sufficiently exhibited, the airbag in the course of inflation and deployment may enter the gap (particularly, the gap between the upper corner of the center pillar garnish and the opening flange of the center pillar).

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and the gas is supplied from an inflator to straddle a pillar and a roof side rail at a side portion in a vehicle cabin. In a vehicle equipped with a head protection airbag in which an airbag that expands and deploys in a curtain shape is stored along the roof side rail in a folded state, an upper end of a pillar garnish attached to a vehicle cabin side of the pillar The corner portion and the opening flange of the pillar are connected by connecting means.

The above-mentioned connecting means is a connecting arm integrally formed at the upper end corner of the pillar garnish, protruding outside the vehicle cabin, and engaging with the opening flange with a hook provided at the tip. A pin clip integrally formed at an upper end corner of the pillar garnish, protruding outside the vehicle cabin, and fitted and engaged with a mounting hole provided in the opening flange at a tip. Is also good.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the upper corner of the pillar garnish attached to the interior side of the pillar and the opening flange of the pillar are joined by joining means. The gap between the upper corner of the garnish and the opening flange of the pillar disappears. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the airbag in the course of inflation and deployment from entering the gap between the pillars and the upper corners of the pillar garnish, and to smoothly inflate and deploy the airbag. Further, in the present invention, since the upper end corner of the pillar garnish and the opening flange of the pillar are connected by the connecting means, the mounting structure for mounting the upper end of the pillar garnish to the pillar can be simplified. .

[0008] In implementing the present invention, as a coupling means, a coupling formed integrally with the upper end corner of the pillar garnish, protruding outside the vehicle cabin, and engaging with the opening flange by a hook provided at the tip. When using a pin clip that is formed integrally with the upper corner of the arm or pillar garnish and protrudes outside the cabin, and that fits into the mounting hole provided in the opening flange at the tip and engages with it. , Simple configuration (configuration with good manufacturability and assemblability)
Thus, the above-mentioned excellent effects can be achieved, and an economic effect can also be expected.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the head protection airbag device 10 is mounted on each pillar 21, 22, 22 of a vehicle body at a side portion in a vehicle cabin. An airbag 11 which inflates and deploys in a curtain shape over the roof 23 and the roof side rail 24 to protect the head Hf of the front seat occupant and the head Hr of the rear seat occupant; and an inflator for supplying gas to the airbag 11 12 and
Tension belt 1 for tensioning the entire airbag 11
3 and so on.

The airbag 11 has a front inflatable portion 11b and a rear inflatable portion 11c in front of and behind the central non-inflatable portion 11a.
, A gas introducing portion 11d at the rear upper portion, a front non-inflatable portion 11e at the lower front portion, and a plurality of mounting pieces 11f at the upper edge portion. The airbag 11 is assembled to the front pillar 21, the roof side rail 24, and the quarter pillar 23 by using bolts and nuts (not shown) at each mounting piece 11f.

The airbag 11 is folded in an up-and-down direction in a bellows shape (see FIG. 2), the upper part of the front pillar garnish 31, the side peripheral edge of the roof head lining 34, and the quarter pillar. The front pillar 21 is covered by the upper portion of the garnish 33.
, The roof side rail 24 and the quarter pillar 23. The airbag 11 folded in a bellows shape is bound at appropriate intervals by a tape 14 (see FIG. 2) that breaks when the airbag 11 is inflated and deployed.

The airbag 11 is provided with an inflator 1.
2 has an opening connected to the front end and has a gas introduction path Pa that extends obliquely downward toward the front with an opening at the rear end;
An upper front-seat expansion chamber Pb communicating with the front end of the gas introduction passage Pa and extending rearward, and a lower front-seat expansion chamber Pc extending in the front-rear direction communicating with the front end and the middle front of the gas introduction passage Pa. And a pair of upper and lower rear-seat expansion chambers Pe and Pf that communicate with each other through a rear-seat gas inflow path Pd and extend rearward behind an intermediate portion of the gas introduction path Pa.

The inflatable portion 11b for the front seat of the airbag 11
It is mainly constituted by a front portion of the gas introduction passage Pa and a pair of upper and lower expansion chambers Pb and Pc for front seats. The rear inflation portion 11c of the airbag 11 mainly includes a rear portion of the gas introduction passage Pa and a pair of upper and lower rear inflation chambers Pe and Pf.
It is constituted by. The upper front seat expansion chamber P
b, an expansion chamber Pg extending forward is formed continuously, and the head H of the front occupant is formed by the expansion chamber Pg.
The shock when the f contacts the front pillar 21 is reduced.

The inflator 12 is for injecting gas toward the airbag 11 at the time of a side collision of the vehicle (detected by a sensor (not shown)) or the like, and is disposed obliquely along the quarter pillar 23. And is attached to the quarter pillar 23 using a bolt 41 with a bracket 12a provided at the center, and the front end thereof is
It is airtightly fitted in the first gas introduction portion 11d. The inflator 12 is housed in a quarter pillar garnish 33 together with the rear end of the gas introduction section 11 d of the airbag 11.

The tension belt 13 is formed of a material that is easy to fold and is difficult to extend (for example, a woven fabric using polyamide yarn or the like) to a desired width, and has one end 13a above the front non-inflation portion 11e of the airbag 11. The intermediate portion is movably inserted into a through hole (slit) 11 h provided at a lower position in the front non-inflation portion 11 e of the airbag 11, and the other end 13 b is bolted to the lower portion of the front pillar 21. Fixture (not shown)
It is fixed by using.

The tension belt 13 has one end 13.
a extending from the center portion a to the intermediate portion along the front edge of the front seat inflatable portion 11b, so that a predetermined tension is generated by the inflation deformation of the front seat inflatable portion 11b (the airbag 11 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the belt length is set so that a predetermined tension is generated when the belt is inflated and deployed. The tension belt 13 extends along the front pillar 21 when the airbag 11 is stored along the front pillar 21, the roof side rail 24, and the quarter pillar 23 in a state where the airbag 11 is folded. The garnish 31 covers and is stored.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the center pillar garnish 32 is formed by a projection 32a (see FIG. 5) provided at the center of the upper end of the base material 32A. It is fitted and fixed in a mounting hole 22b provided in 22a. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of mounting holes 32b and 32c (see FIG. 5) provided at the lower end of the base material 32A are used to provide the inner pillar 22a of the center pillar 22 using the respective screws 42. Are fixed to the mounting holes 22c and 22d.

Further, the center pillar garnish 32
As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of connecting arms 32d, 3 provided at the front upper corner and the rear upper corner of the base material 32A.
At 2e (see FIG. 5), it is engaged with the opening flanges 22e and 22f of the center pillar 22. The center pillar garnish 32 is composed of a base material 32A and a skin material 32B adhered to the surface.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2 and schematically in FIG. 5, the projection 32a is formed integrally with a guide wall 32f formed on the rear surface (outside surface of the vehicle compartment) of the upper end portion of the base material 32A. And is formed by a resin 32a1 and a metal plate 32a2 embedded in the resin.
It is reinforced by the rib 32a3. The projection 32
a shows a state in which the center pillar garnish 32 is attached to the center pillar 22 and the inner panel 22 a
Resiliently against the outside surface of the vehicle compartment.

As shown in detail in FIG. 3 and schematically shown in FIG. 5, each of the mounting holes 32b and 32c is formed at the time of molding the base material 32A, and includes the resins 32b1 and 32c1 and the resin 32b1 and 32c1. Buried annular metal plates 32b2, 32c
2. The resin 32b1, 32c1 constituting each of the mounting holes 32b, 32c and the annular metal plates 32b2, 32c2 are formed by the center pillar garnish 3
2 is assembled to the center pillar 22, and FIG.
As shown in (2), the inner panel 22a is sandwiched between the inner panel 22a and the head of the screw 42 on the inner side surface of the vehicle.

As shown in detail in FIG. 4 and schematically in FIG. 5, each connecting arm 32d, 32e
Is formed integrally at the upper end corner, is made of resin only, protrudes outside the vehicle compartment, and has a hook 3
2d1 and 32e1. Each hook 32d1,3
2e1 are notches 51a, 52a provided in the opening weather strips 51, 52 and the opening flange of the inner panel 22a in a state where the center pillar garnish 32 is attached to the center pillar 22, as shown in FIG. Notches 22 provided in 22e and 22f
e1, 22f1, notches 22h1, 22h2 provided in opening flanges 22h, 22i of outer panel 22g.
2i1, projecting through the opening flange 22e,
22f is resiliently engaged with the outside surface of the cabin (see FIG. 6).

As shown in detail in FIG. 4 and schematically in FIG. 5, the guide wall 32f is formed integrally with the back surface of the upper end portion of the base material 32A, and is formed on the inner side surface of the inner panel 22a. , And its extending end is close to the inner side surface of the inner panel 22a. Therefore, the gap S between the guide wall 32f and the inner panel 22a is minimized.

In the first embodiment configured as described above, gas is blown out of the inflator 12 at the time of a side collision of the vehicle or the like, and the gas is blown out of the gas introduction portion 1 of the airbag 11.
Airbag 11 folded and stored through 1d
When the airbag 11 is supplied to the inside, the airbag 11 is connected to the upper lower edge of the front pillar garnish 31 and the roof head lining 3.
The outer peripheral portion 4 is deformed toward the vehicle interior and expanded downward, and expands and expands in a curtain shape at the side portion in the interior of the vehicle interior as shown in FIG.

By the way, in the first embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 4, the center pillar garnish 32
Of the center pillar 22 and the opening flanges 22e and 22f of the center pillar 22 are connected by connecting arms 32d and 32e. Opening flange 2 of center pillar 22
The gap between 2e and 22f has disappeared.

Therefore, the airbag 11 which is being inflated and deployed with the center pillar 22 in the configuration of the first embodiment described above (the configuration without a guide wall and a guide plate disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-91490). It is possible to prevent the airbag 11 from entering the gap between the upper corners of the center pillar garnish 32 and to smoothly inflate and deploy the airbag 11. In addition, center pillar garnish 3
2 and the opening flanges 22e and 22f of the center pillar 22 are connected by connecting arms 32d and 32e, so that the center pillar garnish 32
It is also possible to simplify the mounting structure (the structure shown in FIG. 2) for mounting the upper end portion to the center pillar 22.

In the first embodiment, the upper corners of the center pillar garnish 32 and the center pillars 2 are formed by the connecting arms 32d and 32e formed integrally with the upper corners of the center pillar garnish 32.
Since the two opening flanges 22e and 22f are connected to each other, the above excellent effects can be achieved with a simple configuration (a configuration having good manufacturability and assemblability), and an economical effect can be expected. it can.

In the first embodiment, the notches 22e1 and 22f1 are provided on the opening flanges 22e and 22f of the inner panel 22a, and the notches 22h1 and 22i1 are provided on the opening flanges 22h and 22i of the outer panel 22g. However, even when configured and implemented as in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, it is possible to obtain the same operational effects as in the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (the rear part is not shown), a part of the opening flange 22e of the inner panel 22a bulges toward the interior of the vehicle. A notch 22e1 is provided in the part (the back part). In the second embodiment, the opening flange 22 of the outer panel 22g is provided.
No notch is required for h (see 22h1 in FIG. 4). The other configurations are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment, and thus the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the upper corner of the center pillar garnish 32 and the opening flange 22 of the center pillar 22 are arranged.
e and 22h are connected by connecting arms 32d and 32e. However, as in the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 (the rear part is not shown), connecting arms 32d and 32e are not shown.
It is also possible to employ a pin clip 32g instead of e.

In the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a part of the opening flange 22e of the inner panel 22a bulges toward the vehicle interior as in the second embodiment. A rectangular mounting hole 22e2 is provided in the portion (the back cutting portion). Further, a pin clip 32g is formed integrally with the upper end corner of the center pillar garnish 32 and protrudes outside the vehicle compartment,
The umbrella-shaped tip 32g1 is fitted and engaged with the mounting hole 22e2. Other configurations are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

Also in the third embodiment configured as described above, the gap between the upper end corner of the center pillar garnish 32 and the opening flange 22e of the center pillar 22 is eliminated at the connecting portion by the pin clip 32g. Further, since the pin clip 32g is formed integrally with the center pillar garnish 32, the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In each of the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to the front upper corner and the rear upper corner of the center pillar garnish 32. However, the present invention is similarly applied to the front upper corner of the quarter pillar garnish. The present invention can be implemented and is not limited to the above embodiments. In each of the above-described embodiments, the connecting arms 32d and 32e formed integrally with the center pillar garnish 32 are used as connecting means for connecting the upper end corner of the center pillar garnish 32 and the opening flange of the center pillar 22. Although the pin clip 32g was adopted, this connecting means may be any as long as it connects the upper end corner of the pillar garnish and the opening flange of the pillar, and need not be integrated with the pillar garnish.
The present invention can be implemented with appropriate changes.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a vehicle equipped with a head protection airbag.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a lower mounting structure of the center pillar garnish shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of a main part showing a mounting structure (first embodiment of the present invention) of an upper corner portion of the center pillar garnish shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the center pillar garnish shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of a center pillar, a center pillar garnish, an opening weather strip, and the like shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of the center pillar shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional plan view of a main part showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a main part of the center pillar shown in FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Head protection airbag device, 11 ... Airbag, 1
2 ... inflator, 13 ... tension belt, 21 ... front pillar, 22 ... center pillar, 22a ... inner panel, 22b ... mounting hole, 22c, 22d ... mounting hole,
22e, 22f: Opening flange, 22e1, 22e
2f1 notch, 22e2 mounting hole, 22g outer panel, 22h, 22i opening flange, 22
h1, 22i1 ... notch, 23 ... quarter pillar, 2
4: Roof side rail, 31: Front pillar garnish, 32: Center pillar garnish, 32a ...
Projections, 32b, 32c mounting holes, 32d, 32e connecting arms, 32d1, 32e1 hooks, 32f guide walls, 32g pin clips, 33 quarter pillar garnish, 34 roof roof lining, 51,5
2. Opening weather strip, 51a, 52a
... notch.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An airbag which inflates and deploys in a curtain shape across a pillar and a roof side rail at a side portion in a vehicle cabin by supplying gas from an inflator along the roof side rail in a folded state. In the vehicle equipped with a head protection airbag which is configured to be accommodated, an upper corner portion of a pillar garnish attached to the interior side of the pillar and an opening flange of the pillar are coupled by coupling means. Mounting structure for pillar garnish in vehicles equipped with head protection airbags. 2. A coupling arm integrally formed at an upper end corner of the pillar garnish, protruding outside the vehicle compartment, and engaged with the opening flange by a hook provided at a tip end is used as the coupling means. The mounting structure for a pillar garnish in a vehicle equipped with a head protection airbag according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The connecting means is formed integrally with an upper end corner of the pillar garnish, protrudes outside the vehicle cabin, and is fitted and engaged with a mounting hole provided in the opening flange at a distal end. The mounting structure for a pillar garnish in a vehicle equipped with a head protection airbag according to claim 1, wherein a pin clip is used.