JP2002347555A - Invisible air bag structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To tear a tear line promptly and at a targeted position when the air bag body is expanded. SOLUTION: When the air bag body is expanded, a downward expanding reaction F6 acts on the air bag module 30 to move it downward. While downward forces F7, F8 act on the vertical wall parts 16B, 16C of the frame body 16 with which the engaging nails 33, 34 of the air bag module 30 are respectively engaged. Nearly downward force F9, F10 are to act on projecting parts 10B, 10C of the instrument panel 10 respectively connected to the vertical wall parts 16B, 16C. Thus, shearing force by the upper force F4, F5 and nearly lower force F9, F10 acts on the bent parts 14D, 14E of the tear line 14 adjacent to the projecting parts 10B, 10D of the instrument panel 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an invisible airbag structure, and more particularly, to an invisible airbag structure mounted on an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an example of an invisible airbag structure mounted on an automobile is disclosed in JP-A-10-44910.
There is an official gazette.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the invisible airbag structure, an airbag door 100 is formed integrally with an instrument panel 102. Further, on the back side of the airbag door portion 100, plate members 104 and 106 which are separate members are disposed, and these plate members 104 and 106 are reinforced and fixed to the mounting portion 102A of the instrument panel 102. It is fixed to a bracket 108. In addition, a tear line 110 that is a bent portion or a broken portion when the airbag door unit 100 is deployed is formed on the back side (invisible side) of the instrument panel 102. ,
Along the tear line 110, the air bag body is broken by the deployment force of the air bag body and is deployed in the direction of arrow S in FIG.

[0004]

However, in such an invisible airbag structure, the deployment force of the airbag bag bulging from the airbag module is reduced by the plate material 10.
4 and 106 and the reinforcing bracket 108 to receive the entire airbag door portion 100 of the instrument panel 102. As a result, a structure is obtained in which a desired deformation force, particularly a vertical shear force as shown by an arrow F in FIG. For this reason, the tear line 110 was not easily broken, and the airbag door portion 100 was difficult to deploy smoothly. In addition, the portion 110A of the tear line 110 serving as a hinge portion when unfolded may be cracked at a place other than the intended place.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an invisible airbag structure that can tear a tear line quickly and at a target position when an airbag bag is deployed.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag door unit integrally formed with an instrument panel, and an airbag is provided inside the instrument panel in opposition to the airbag door unit. In the invisible airbag structure in which a bag module is arranged, the instrument panel is ruptured by a deployment force of an airbag body, and a tier for separating the airbag door portion from another portion of the instrument panel. A connection portion with the airbag module is formed in a portion of the instrument panel adjacent to the tear line in another portion of the instrument panel.

Therefore, when the airbag bag is deployed, the deployment force of the airbag bag is transmitted to the airbag door portion of the instrument panel, and the deployment reaction force of the airbag bag applied to the airbag module is connected. Through the part, it is transmitted to a part of the instrument panel other than the airbag door part and adjacent to the tear line. As a result, two forces, a deployment force of the airbag body and a reaction force thereof, act on the tear line as a shearing force. As a result, a desired shearing force can be applied to the tear line. For this reason, the tear line can be broken quickly and at a target position when the airbag bag is deployed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the invisible airbag structure according to the first aspect, the airbag module is connected to the vehicle body structure, and the airbag is expanded by a deployment reaction force of the airbag body. It is characterized by having a connecting means for connecting the module to the vehicle body structure portion so as to be displaceable.

Therefore, in addition to the contents described in claim 1,
When the airbag body is deployed, the airbag module is displaced relative to the vehicle body structure due to the deployment reaction force of the airbag body. As a result, since the deployment reaction force of the airbag body can be reliably transmitted to the tear line, the tear line can be broken earlier and at the intended position when the airbag body is deployed.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the invisible airbag structure of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the drawings, arrow FR indicates the forward direction of the vehicle, and arrow UP indicates the upward direction of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3, an airbag door portion 10A opposed to an airbag module 12 disposed inside the instrument panel 10 is integrally provided on the passenger seat side of the instrument panel 10 of the present embodiment. Is formed. A tear line 14 is formed on the back side of the instrument panel 10. The tear line 14 has H-shaped breaks 14A, 14B, and 14C that break when the airbag door unit 10A is deployed. The bag door 10A includes bent portions 14D and 14E for breaking the airbag door 10A at a position other than the airbag door 10A.

[0013] As shown in FIG.
Has a substantially triangular cross-section when viewed from the direction in which it is extended. Further, at a portion of the instrument panel 10 adjacent to the front side of the bent portion 14D on the front side of the vehicle, a convex portion 10B serving as a connection portion with the airbag module 12 is provided along the vehicle width direction. Rear folded part 14E
The airbag module 12
A convex portion 10C serving as a connecting portion with the vehicle is disposed along the vehicle width direction.

The instrument panel 10 includes, for example,
An iron plate 15 is provided on a portion of the instrument panel 10 that is on the back surface (lower surface) side of the airbag door unit 10A, such as a PP material. The iron plate 15 is divided into two at the front and rear at a break portion 14A of the tear line 14, and a portion of the tear line 14 facing the bent portions 14D and 14E has a hinge of the airbag door portion 10A when the airbag body is deployed. Section U to be the part
B-shaped bent portions 15A and 15B are respectively formed. Metal, TSOP is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the airbag door portion 10A on the back surface of the instrument panel 10.
A frame 16 made of a material or the like is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 16 has a rectangular cylindrical shape, and a flange 16A is formed on the outer periphery of the upper end. Further, the vertical wall portion 16B on the vehicle front side and the vertical wall portion 16C on the vehicle rear side of the frame 16 serve as a connection portion with the airbag module 12. Further, a plurality of openings 18 are formed in the upper and lower intermediate portions of the vertical wall portion 16B on the vehicle front side along the vehicle width direction, and the upper and lower intermediate portions of the vertical wall portion 16C on the vehicle rear side are formed in the upper and lower intermediate portions. A plurality of openings 20 are formed along the vehicle width direction.

A vertical wall portion 16 of the frame body 16 on the front side of the vehicle.
At the upper end of B, there is an inclined surface 16 facing obliquely upward and rearward of the vehicle.
D is formed, and a plurality of through holes 22 are formed in the inclined surface 16D along the vehicle width direction. Further, an inclined surface 16E facing obliquely upward in front of the vehicle is formed at an upper end portion of the vertical wall portion 16C on the vehicle rear side of the frame body 16, and a plurality of inclined surfaces 16E are formed along the vehicle width direction. Are formed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inclined surface 1 of the frame 16
6D is a projection 10 on the instrument panel 10.
The frame 16 is fixed to the projection 10B by a screw 26 which is in contact with the top surface 10D of B and is inserted into the through hole 22 from below. Further, the inclined surface 16E of the frame body 16 is formed on the top surface 10
E, and the frame 16 is fixed to the projection 10C by a screw 28 (which may be welded) inserted into the through hole 24 from below.
It is fixed to.

The airbag module 12 includes an airbag case 30, a substantially cylindrical inflator 32 fixed in the airbag case 30, and the inflator 32.
Air bag 3 disposed in a folded state on the outer periphery of the air bag
5 and has a well-known configuration.

At the upper part of the front wall portion 30A of the airbag case 30, a plurality of engaging claws 33 each having a tip directed substantially downward are formed at predetermined intervals along the vehicle width direction. 33 are respectively engaged with the openings 18 of the frame body 16. In addition, a plurality of engaging claws 34 whose front ends are directed substantially downward are formed at predetermined intervals along the vehicle width direction on the upper portion of the rear wall portion 30B of the airbag case 30. Are respectively engaged with the openings 20 of the frame body 16.

On the other hand, the bottom 30C of the airbag case 30
The mounting bracket 40 is welded to the lower surface side of
The mounting bracket 40 has a flange 40A.

As shown in FIG.
A circular mounting hole 42 is formed substantially in the center of the flange 40A. On the other hand, an instrument panel reinforcement 44 as a vehicle body structure is disposed along the vehicle width direction at a position obliquely below the airbag case 30 in front of the vehicle. An attachment portion 44A as a connecting means extends toward the end. Further, the mounting portion 44A is formed with a mounting hole 46 which is a long hole extending in the extending direction of the mounting portion 44A, that is, substantially vertically above and below the vehicle. In addition,
Only the mounting hole 42 formed on the mounting bracket 40 side may be a long hole, and both the mounting hole 42 and the mounting hole 46 may be long holes.

As shown in FIG. 1, a bolt 48 is inserted into the long hole 46 of the instrument panel reinforcement 44 and the mounting hole 42 of the mounting bracket 40 from the front side of the vehicle. A nut 50 is screwed from the rear side. Note that the bolt 48 is
Is fixed to the upper end portion 46A side of the airbag bag 35 by the tightening torque of the bolt 48 and the nut 50.
The airbag module 12 can be displaced downward with respect to the instrument panel reinforcement 44 by the deployment reaction force of the airbag module.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

In the present embodiment, when the airbag body is deployed, the airbag body 35 is inflated together with the iron plate 15 by the inflatable airbag body 35 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
0A is pushed by the pressing force F1 toward the inside of the vehicle compartment, and upward forces F2 and F3 act on the airbag door portion 10A, and upward forces F4 and F5 act on the bent portions 14D and 14E. On the other hand, when the airbag bag is deployed, the airbag module 1
2, a downward reaction force F6 acts. At this time, the bolt 48 is inserted into the long hole 4 of the instrument panel reinforcement 44.
By moving the airbag module 6 downward (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1), the airbag module 12 moves downward (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1).

As a result, the vertical wall portion 16B on the vehicle front side and the vertical wall portion 16C on the vehicle rear side of the frame 16 with which the engaging claws 33 and 34 of the airbag module 12 are engaged respectively have lower portions. Force F7, F8 acts, and the vertical wall portions 16B, 16
C, a substantially downward force F9, F10 is applied to the convex portion 10B and the convex portion 10C of the instrument panel 10 respectively connected to the instrument panel C.
Works.

For this reason, a shear force acts on the bent portion 14D of the tear line 14 adjacent to the rear of the vehicle of the convex portion 10B of the instrument panel 10 by the upward force F4 and the substantially downward force F9, and the instrument Panel 1
Tier line 14 adjacent to the front of the vehicle of the convex portion 10C of 0
An upper force F5 and a substantially lower force F10
A shear force acts on it.

As described above, in the present embodiment, a desired shearing force can be applied to the bent portions 14D and 14E of the tear line 14. Therefore, when the airbag bag body is deployed, the bent portions 14D and 14E of the tear line 14 break quickly and at a target position.
The bent portions 15A and 15B of the iron plate 15 are smoothly deployed as hinge portions.

In this embodiment, the bolt 48 for attaching the airbag module 12 to the instrument panel reinforcement 44 is fastened to the long hole 46 with a predetermined tightening torque. The bag module 12 is displaced below the vehicle with respect to the instrument panel reinforcement 44. As a result, since the deployment reaction force can be reliably transmitted to the bent portions 14D and 14E of the tear line 14, the bent portions 14D and 14E of the tear line 14 can be deployed more quickly and at a target position.

In the above, the present invention has been described in detail with respect to a specific embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various other embodiments are included within the scope of the present invention. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that is possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the instrument panel 10 and the frame body 16 that engages with the airbag module 12 are separate members. However, as shown in FIG. The vertical wall portions 16B and 16C which engage the bag module 12 may be formed integrally.

In the above-described embodiment, the airbag module 12 is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement 44 as a vehicle body structure. However, the airbag module 12 is fixed to another vehicle body structure instead of the instrument panel reinforcement 44. May be.

In the above-described embodiment, a so-called double-opening type airbag door portion 10A is used. However, the invisible airbag structure of the present invention is an invisible airbag structure having a so-called single-opening type airbag door portion. Is also applicable.

Further, the present invention provides a three-layer structure comprising a skin arranged on the vehicle interior side, an instrument panel insert spaced apart from the skin, and a foam layer filled between the skin and the instrument panel insert. The present invention is also applicable to an instrument panel having a multilayer structure such as a layer structure.

[0033]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an airbag door is formed integrally with an instrument panel, and an airbag module is disposed inside the instrument panel so as to face the airbag door. In the airbag structure, the instrument panel has a tear line for breaking the airbag body by the deployment force of the airbag body and separating the airbag door from other parts of the instrument panel. Since the connection portion with the airbag module is formed in a portion adjacent to the tear line in another portion, there is an excellent effect that the tear line can be broken quickly and at a target position when the airbag body is deployed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the invisible airbag structure according to the first aspect, the airbag module and the vehicle body structure are connected to each other, and the airbag module is opened by a reaction force of deployment of the airbag body. Since the connection means is provided so as to be displaceably connected to the vehicle body structure, the tear line can be broken more quickly and at a target position when the airbag bag is deployed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 1-1 in FIG.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the invisible airbag structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an instrument panel having an invisible airbag structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the rear of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing an invisible airbag structure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a conventional invisible airbag structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Instrument panel 10A Airbag door part of instrument panel 10B Convex part of instrument panel (connection part with airbag module) 10C Convex part of instrument panel (connection part with airbag module) 12 Airbag module 14 Tear line 14A Tear line break 14B Tear line break 14C Tear line break 14D Tear line break 14E Tear line break 16 Frame 16B Vertical wall on front side of vehicle (connection with airbag module) 16C Vertical wall part on the rear side of the vehicle (connection part with airbag module) 18 Opening 20 Opening 30 Airbag case 33 Engaging claw 34 Engaging claw 35 Airbag bag 40 Mounting bracket 44 Instrument panel reinforcement ( Bodywork Forging part) 44A Mounting part of instrument panel reinforcement (connection means) 46 Slot

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3D023 BA01 BB25 BD12 BD27 3D044 BA11 BB01 BC02 BC15 3D054 AA03 AA07 AA14 BB09 EE19

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An invisible airbag structure in which an airbag door portion is formed integrally with an instrument panel, and an airbag module is disposed inside the instrument panel so as to face the airbag door portion. The panel has a tear line for breaking the airbag body by the deployment force of the airbag body and separating the airbag door portion from other parts of the instrument panel. An invisible airbag structure, wherein a connection portion with the airbag module is formed at a portion adjacent to the tear line. And a connecting means for connecting the airbag module to the vehicle body structure portion and displaceably connecting the airbag module to the vehicle body structure portion by a deployment reaction force of the airbag bag. The invisible airbag structure according to claim 1, wherein: