JP2002211341A - Interior member for vehicle with air bag door - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive interior member for a vehicle with an air bag door having high shock strength. SOLUTION: A door part 9 of the air bag door 5 made of thermoplastic elastomer is inserted into an instrument panel body 3 made of thermoplastic olefin resin. Many through holes 23 are formed in the door part 9 and reinforcing ribs 25 projecting to the inside of the air bag door 5 are formed on a rear face of the door part 9 around each through hole 23. A thermoplastic olefin resin raw material constituting the instrument panel body 3 is filled into each through hole 23.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interior member for a vehicle with an airbag door provided with an airbag door whose door portion opens when the airbag is deployed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The following technologies have been developed as interior members for vehicles with an airbag door.

<Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-32914-Conventional Example 1>
-> The airbag door is reinforced by inserting punched metal into the airbag door of the instrument panel body as the interior member body.

<Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-291078-Conventional Example 2> A boss for thermal caulking is protruded from an airbag door portion on the back of an instrument panel body as an interior member body, and the boss is provided in a through hole of a reinforcing plate. The boss is inserted and the reinforcing plate is fixed to the airbag door portion by thermal caulking to reinforce the airbag door portion.

<Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-318564-Conventional Example 3> Polypropylene (P
The door portion of an airbag door made of an olefin elastomer (TPO) is integrally joined to the back side of the airbag device mounting portion of the P) -made vehicle-side member when the vehicle-side member is molded, and the door portion is formed. The olefin elastomer is used to provide toughness for reinforcement.

<Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-109816-Conventional Example 4> As in Conventional Example 3, the vehicle interior side member made of polypropylene (PP) as the interior member main body is provided on the back surface of the airbag device mounting portion. When molding the chamber side member, the door portion of the olefin-based elastomer (TPO) airbag door is integrally joined, and the door portion is joined to the olefin-based elastomer (TPO).
(PO) to provide toughness for reinforcement. Further, a through hole is formed in the door portion, and a thermoplastic olefin resin, which is a raw material of the vehicle interior side member, is filled in the through hole to increase the bonding strength between the two.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example 1, the punch metal as the reinforcing material is heavier and more expensive than the resin, so that the weight of the vehicle body increases and the manufacturing cost increases.

In Conventional Example 2, since the joining means is heat caulking, it takes time to work.

In the conventional examples 3 and 4, since the door portion is reinforced with resin, it is lighter and less expensive than the punch metal of the conventional example 1, so that the weight of the vehicle body can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. However, when the passenger compartment side member and the airbag door are molded with different kinds of resins, the joining strength is not always satisfactory as compared with the case where they are molded with the same kind of resin. In this regard, in Conventional Example 4, the bonding strength is increased by filling the through-hole of the door portion of the airbag door with the thermoplastic olefin resin which is the raw material of the vehicle interior member, but the airbag door is subjected to a large impact. In such a case, it is required from a safety point of view that thorough measures are taken to prevent the door portion from scattering due to the impact of the deployment of the airbag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an interior member for a vehicle with an airbag door which is inexpensive and has high impact strength.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is characterized in that the door portion of the airbag door has a rigid structure in addition to the solution adopted in the fourth conventional example.

Specifically, the present invention relates to an interior member main body in which a breakable portion which breaks when the airbag is deployed is formed,
An airbag door having a door portion which is integrally joined to the back surface of the interior member main body and which is opened integrally with a part of the interior member main body by opening the hinge portion as a fulcrum by breaking the expected break portion when the airbag is deployed. The following solution was taken for interior parts for vehicles equipped with an airbag door.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the interior member body is formed of a thermoplastic olefin resin, while the airbag door is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the door portion has a large number of through holes. Are formed, and reinforcing ribs protruding inwardly of the airbag door are formed on the back surface of the door portion around the respective through holes, and the thermoplastic olefin resin raw material passes through the respective through holes when the interior member body is molded. The door is filled in the hole and the door part is inserted into the interior member body.

According to the above construction, in the first aspect of the present invention, the joint portion between the interior member main body and the door portion of the airbag door is thickened by overlapping the two.
The door portion is reinforced with reinforcing ribs, and the airbag door is made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the door portion has toughness. In addition, the thermoplastic olefin resin material constituting the interior member body is made of The door portion is not scattered even if an impact due to the deployment of the airbag acts because it is engaged with the through hole of the door portion and the joint strength between the two is increased.
Further, since the interior member body is formed of a relatively inexpensive general-purpose resin, the product cost is reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the reinforcing rib is formed so as to extend substantially perpendicularly to a hinge axis of the hinge portion.

According to the above construction, when the door is opened, a force is applied to the door so as to bend substantially in parallel with the hinge axis. The orientation ensures effective reinforcement and rigidity.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows a front portion of a passenger seat of an instrument panel 1 as an interior member for a vehicle with an airbag door according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, an airbag device 13 (see FIG. 2) described later is a front airbag device disposed in front of a passenger seat on the side of a driver's seat, and the airbag device 13 protects an occupant from an impact from the vehicle front-rear direction. However, the present invention can also be applied to a steering wheel pad to protect a driver. In addition, the present invention can also be applied to a case where the airbag device 13 is mounted on a vehicle interior member such as a center pillar garnish. The airbag device 13 is a so-called seamless type in which a mounting position is not known from the outside.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the instrument panel 1 has an instrument panel main body 3 as an interior member main body, and the instrument panel main body 3 has a back surface at a place where the airbag device 13 is mounted. The door body 8 of the airbag door 5 described later is integrally joined. The instrument panel body 3 is made of a general-purpose resin and relatively inexpensive thermoplastic olefin resin such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), and the airbag door 5 is made of an olefin elastomer having toughness and impact resistance. (TPO), polyester elastomer (TPEE) and styrene elastomer (T
(PS) and other thermoplastic elastomers.

The instrument panel body 3
A concave portion 7 having a V-shaped cross section is formed on the back surface of the mounting position of the airbag device 13, and the concave portion 7 includes, as shown by a broken line in FIG. Left and right two vertically long recesses 7 extending from both ends of 7a toward the front of the vehicle
b is formed in a substantially U-shape in plan view. And
The concave portion 7 forms a thin-walled rupture portion 6 that is broken by the deployment pressure of the airbag 15 to form a thin-walled fragile portion that is thinner than the general portion. The left and right longitudinally ruptured portions 6a and the two left and right longitudinally ruptured portions 6b extending forward from both ends of the laterally ruptured portion 6a are formed in a substantially U-shape in plan view.

On the other hand, the airbag door 5 has a rectangular door body 8 in plan view integrally joined to the back surface of the instrument panel body 3 where the airbag device 13 is mounted.
It consists of two front and rear mounting plates 11 integrally projecting from the back surface of the door body 8 at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction,
The airbag device 13 is mounted on the two mounting plates 11.

The airbag device 13 has an airbag case 19 in which an airbag 15 and an inflator 17 are stored in a folded state.
9 is attached to the mounting plate 11 by engaging the locking claws 21a of the locking plate 21 with the engaging holes 11a of the two mounting plates 11, and the airbag device 13 is mounted on the back surface of the instrument panel body 3. Are located in

Further, the door body 8 is integrally formed with a door part 9 which is a main body and is rectangular in a plan view and a flange part 10 surrounding the outer periphery thereof. As shown in FIG. 3, a slit 8 a is formed in a notch in a substantially U-shape in plan view corresponding to the breakable portion 6 of the instrument panel body 3. Further, a recessed portion 8b having a V-shaped cross section shallower than the recessed portion 7 is formed in the door portion 9 at the base end of the mounting plate 11 on the vehicle front side (right side in FIG. 1) of the two mounting plates 11. , A hinge portion 12 is formed, and the concave portion 8 b forming the hinge portion 12 is
The longitudinally extending concave portions 7b of the concave portion 7 are formed to extend linearly and parallel to the vehicle width direction at the vehicle front end, and connect the vehicle front ends of the longitudinally concave portions 7b to each other (see a chain line in FIG. 1).

In this embodiment, when the vehicle collides, the airbag 15 is deployed by the operation of the inflator 17 and the portion to be broken 6 is broken by the deployed pressure, so that the door 9 is connected to the instrument panel body 3. , I.e., a rectangular area surrounded by the breakable portion 6 and the hinge portion 12 so as to be opened upward in the front of the vehicle around the hinge portion 12 as a fulcrum.

As a feature of the present invention, a large number of through holes 23 are formed in the door main body 8 (door portion 9 and flange portion 10) of the airbag door 5 at intervals vertically and horizontally, and the slit A reinforcing rib 25 protruding inward into the airbag door 5 is provided on the back surface of the door portion 9 around the through hole 23 surrounded by the recess 8 b forming the hinge portion 12.
Are formed in a lattice shape so as to surround each through hole 23.
An undercut portion 27 is formed at a location surrounded by the reinforcing rib 25 around the through hole 23 in a C-shaped cross section.

The door body 8 of the airbag door 5 is provided.
(The door section 9 and the flange section 10) are filled with the thermoplastic olefin resin raw material into the through holes 23 and the undercut section 27 and inserted into the instrument panel body 3 when the instrument panel body 3 is formed. The door body 8 (the door section 9 and the flange section 10) is integrally joined to the back surface of the instrument panel body 3.

As described above, the joint between the instrument panel main body 3 and the door main body 8 (the door portion 9 and the flange portion 10) of the airbag door 5 is made thick by overlapping the two, and the door portion 9 is made thick. The airbag door 5 is reinforced with a reinforcing rib 25, and the airbag door 5 is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer resin to impart toughness to the door portion 9 and, in addition, a thermoplastic olefin resin material constituting the instrument panel body 3 is made of the door portion. 9 each through-hole 23 and undercut portion 2
7, the joint strength between the two is increased, so that even if an impact due to the deployment of the airbag 15 acts on the door 9, the door 9 can be prevented from scattering. Further, since the instrument panel main body 3, which is a wide area other than the airbag door 5, is formed of a relatively inexpensive general-purpose resin, product cost can be reduced.

Further, the airbag door 5 can be prevented from detaching from the instrument panel main body 3 by the anchor effect of the undercut portion 27 around each through hole 23.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the airbag door 5.
In this modification, an elongated through hole 2 elongated in the vehicle front-rear direction is used.
3 'is a slit 8a and a concave portion 8b forming a hinge portion 12
And four elongated ribs 25 ′ are adjacent to each other so as to extend substantially vertically with respect to the hinge axis of the hinge 12. This embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that one is formed between the matching elongated through holes 23 ′, and the others are configured in the same manner as the embodiment. The detailed description is omitted.

Therefore, in this modification, the same operation and effect as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. In addition, when the door portion 9 is opened, even if a force to bend substantially parallel to the hinge axis acts on the door portion 9, the door portion 9 is effectively reinforced by the orientation of the reinforcing ribs 25 '. And rigidity can be secured.

In each of the above examples, the case where the instrument panel main body 3 is the instrument panel 1 of the type exposed to the outside is shown, but a foam layer and a skin are laminated on the surface of the instrument panel main body 3. The instrument panel 1 of the type described above may be used. further,
An opening may be formed in the instrument panel body 3, and the airbag door 5 may be fitted into the opening.

In addition, the shape of the breakable portion 6 is not limited to a substantially U-shape, but may be an H-shape having a double door opening upward in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the door portion of the airbag door made of a thermoplastic elastomer is inserted into the interior member body made of a thermoplastic olefin resin. Reinforcing ribs projecting inward of the airbag door were formed on the rear surface of the door portion around a number of through holes formed in the portion, and a thermoplastic olefin resin material constituting the interior member body was filled in each of the through holes. Therefore, the thickness of the airbag door portion is increased by the overlap between the door portion and the interior member body, the rigidity is increased by the reinforcing rib, the toughness is imparted by the material of the airbag door, and the resin of the interior member body is provided to each through hole of the door portion. The strength is increased by biting or the like, and scattering due to the operation of the airbag at the door portion can be prevented. Also, the product cost can be reduced by molding the interior member body with a relatively inexpensive general-purpose resin.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the door can be reinforced by the orientation of the reinforcing rib.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a joint portion between an instrument panel main body and an airbag door.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the line AA of FIG. 5 in one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an airbag door according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an airbag door showing a modification.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a front portion of a passenger seat of an instrument panel provided with an airbag door.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument panel (interior member) 3 Instrument panel main body (interior member main body) 5 Airbag door 6 Planned break part 9 Door part 12 Hinge part 15 Airbag 23, 23 'Through hole 25, 25' Reinforcement rib

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An interior member main body in which a rupture portion to be broken when the airbag is deployed is formed, and the interior member body is integrally joined to a back surface of the interior member body, and the rupture portion is broken when the airbag is deployed. An interior member for a vehicle with an airbag door having an airbag door having a door portion that opens at a hinge portion as a fulcrum integrally with a part of the interior member body, wherein the interior member body is formed of a thermoplastic olefin resin, On the other hand, the airbag door is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer, and a large number of through holes are formed in the door portion, and a reinforcement projecting inward of the airbag door is formed on the back surface of the door portion around each of the through holes. A rib is formed, and at the time of molding the interior member body, a thermoplastic olefin resin raw material is filled in each of the through holes, and the door portion is inserted into the interior member body. Vehicle interior member with the air bag door, characterized in that is. 2. The interior member for a vehicle with an airbag door according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing rib is formed so as to extend substantially vertically with respect to a hinge axis of the hinge portion. Interior parts for vehicles.