JP2004352100A - Occupant protection device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To vary each working force of a plurality of lower limb restricting means with one gas supply means. <P>SOLUTION: When a control circuit 14 operates an inflater 36, gas from an inflater 36 is discharged via a gas passage 38 to each actuator 32 of left and right active knee bolsters 24 and 25 and to an actuator 46 of an active knee bolster 42. The pressure receiving area V of an actuator 46 of the active knee bolster 42 is smaller than pressure receiving areas S1 and S2 of the actuator 32 of the left and right active knee bolsters 24 and 25 (V < S2 < S1). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device, and more particularly to a vehicle occupant protection device mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vehicle occupant protection device that is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile and restrains a lower leg of the occupant in the event of a collision, an air bag is disposed substantially in front of a knee of an occupant seated in a front seat of the vehicle, and an air bag is disposed in front of the vehicle body. There is known a configuration in which, when an impact equal to or more than a predetermined value is applied, gas flows into the air bag and the air bag is inflated and deployed, thereby restraining the movement of the lower limb of the occupant (for example, Patent Reference 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Published Japanese Utility Model Application No. Sho 62-61756
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional technique, when the vehicle body impact sensor is operated, the switching valve directed to the passage connecting the cylinder as the gas supply means containing the compressed gas and the air bag is switched, and the inside of the cylinder is switched. Gas enters the air bag. As a result, when there are a plurality of air bags for the right leg and the left leg, or for the driver's seat and the passenger's seat, the operating force of each air bag is not considered.
[0005]
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle occupant protection device that can change the operating force of a plurality of lower limb restraining means with one gas supply means.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention according to claim 1, a collision determination unit that performs at least one of a vehicle collision detection and a collision prediction,
A plurality of lower limb restraining means comprising a driving means operated by gas, moving the lower limb restraint by the driving means, and preventing the leg of the target occupant from jumping up by the lower limb restraint;
One gas supply unit that receives an output signal of the collision determination unit and supplies gas to each drive unit of the lower limb restraint unit unit,
Has,
The pressure receiving area of each of the driving means is different.
[0007]
Therefore, one gas supply means receives the output signal of the collision determination means and supplies gas to each driving means of the plurality of lower limb restraining means, and the plurality of lower limb restraining means moves the lower limb restraining part by the driving means, and The restraining portion prevents the leg of the target occupant from jumping up. At this time, since the pressure receiving areas of the respective driving units are different, the operating forces of the plurality of lower limb restraining units can be easily changed by the gas supplied from one gas supplying unit.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect, the pressure receiving area of the driving means of the lower limb restraining means disposed at a portion having a large distance from the lower limb of the target occupant is determined. The pressure receiving area of the driving means of the lower limb restraining means disposed at a portion where the distance from the lower limb is small is larger than the pressure receiving area.
[0009]
Therefore, in addition to the contents described in claim 1, the pressure receiving area of the driving means of the lower limb restraining means disposed in a portion having a large distance with the lower limb of the target occupant can be reduced by increasing the pressure receiving area with the lower limb of the target occupant. The operating force of the lower limb restraining portion of the lower limb restraining means disposed at a portion where the distance to the lower limb of the target occupant is large is larger than the pressure receiving area of the driving means of the lower limb restraining means provided in the target occupant. The operating force of the lower limb restraining portion of the lower limb restraining means disposed at a portion having a small distance from the lower limb restraint portion. As a result, the movement of the lower limb restraint disposed at the site where the distance between the target occupant and the lower limb is large is faster than the movement of the lower limb restraint disposed at the site where the distance between the target occupant and the lower limb is small. be able to. For this reason, both the lower limb restraint arranged at the part where the distance between the target occupant and the lower limb is large and the lower limb restraint arranged at the part where the distance between the target occupant and the lower limb are small almost simultaneously The lower limb of the occupant can be restrained, and the lower limb restraint performance can be improved.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
One embodiment of a vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0011]
In the drawings, an arrow FR indicates a forward direction of the vehicle body, an arrow UP indicates an upward direction of the vehicle body, and an arrow IN indicates an inward direction of the vehicle width.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle occupant protection device of the present embodiment includes a radar 12 as a collision detection unit that detects an object ahead of the vehicle body 10 and predicts a collision of the vehicle body 10. Further, the radar 12 is provided at a front part of the vehicle body 10 and is connected to a control circuit 14 as a control means having a microcomputer.
[0013]
On the instrument panel 18 of the vehicle body 10, a pair of left and right active knee bolsters 24 and 25 as lower limb restraining means are disposed at a position diagonally forward and above the seat cushion 22 of the driver's seat 20. The pair of left and right active knee bolsters 24 and 25 includes a lower limb restraining portion 30 as a lower limb restraining portion that restrains the left and right lower limbs (particularly, knees) 28A of the occupant 28 seated on the driver's seat 20 from the upper front of the vehicle body. And an actuator 32 as a driving means for moving the lower limb restraining portion 30 toward the lower limb portion 28A of the occupant 28.
[0014]
On the column cover 40 of the vehicle body 10, an active knee bolster 42 as a lower limb restraining means is disposed at a position diagonally forward and above the seat cushion 22 of the driver's seat 20. The active knee bolster 42 is a lower limb that restrains the lower limb portion 28A from a diagonally upper front side of the vehicle body when the left and right lower limb portions (particularly, knee portions) 28A of the occupant 28 sitting on the driver's seat 20 are below the column cover 40. A lower limb restraining portion 44 as a restraining portion, and an actuator 46 as a driving means for moving the lower limb restraining portion 44 toward the lower limb portion 28A of the occupant 28 are configured.
[0015]
The lower limb restraints 30 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 are constituted by a part 18B of the general surface 18A of the instrument panel 18. The lower limb restraining portion 44 of the active knee bolster 42 is constituted by a lower portion 40 </ b> A of the column cover 40.
[0016]
The actuators 32 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 are fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement 35 via a bracket 37, and the actuators 46 of the active knee bolster 42 are fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement 35 via a bracket 39.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2, the actuators 32 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 and the actuator 46 of the active knee bolster 42 are constituted by gas-operated cylinders, and a metal pipe is attached to one inflator 36 as gas supply means. Are connected by a gas passage 38 composed of The inflator 36 is operated by a squib connected to the control circuit 14, and when the generated gas is released to the actuators 32, 46 via the gas passage 38, the actuators 32, 46 are operated by the gas pressure. It has become.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 1, when the actuators 32 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 operate, the lower limb restraints 30 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 move in the same linear motion as the rods 32A of the actuators 32 in FIG. From the storage position shown by the solid line, the occupant moves linearly toward the lower limb (in the direction of arrow A) and moves to the lower limb restraining position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 2, when the actuator 46 of the active knee bolster 42 operates, the lower limb restraining portion 44 of the active knee bolster 42 rotates about a shaft 48 disposed at the lower end along the vehicle width direction, From the storage position shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, the occupant rotates and moves toward the lower limb (in the direction of arrow B) and moves to the lower limb restraining position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 4, the pressure receiving surface 32C of the piston 32B to which the end of the rod 32A of the actuator 32 in the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 is connected has a circular shape with a diameter D, and the pressure receiving area S is S = ( D / 2) ² }.
[0021]
In addition, the code | symbol 33 of FIG. 4 has shown the sealing material.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 1, in the vehicle body 10 of the present embodiment, due to the shape of the instrument panel 18, the lower limb portion 28 </ b> A of the active knee bolster 25 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and the occupant 28 sitting on the driver's seat 20. Is longer than the distance L2 between the lower limb restraint portion 30 of the active knee bolster 24 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and the lower limb portion 28A of the occupant 28 seated on the driver's seat 20 (L1> L2). Therefore, the pressure receiving area S1 of the actuator 32 of the active knee bolster 25 is made larger than the pressure receiving area S2 of the actuator 32 of the active knee bolster 24 (S1> S2).
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 5, the pressure receiving surface 46C of the piston 46B of the active knee bolster 42 to which the end of the rod 46A of the actuator 46 is connected has a circular shape with a diameter E, and the pressure receiving area V is V = (E / ^{2) 2} and has a Π. The pressure receiving area V of the actuator 46 of the active knee bolster 42 is smaller than the pressure receiving areas S1 and S2 of the actuator 32 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 (V <S2 <S1).
[0024]
Note that reference numeral 47 in FIG. 5 indicates a sealing material.
[0025]
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, airbags 52 for a passenger seat and a driver seat are disposed on the upper portion 18C of the instrument panel 18 and the steering wheel 50 (in FIG. 3, the driver seat). Only the airbags used for operating the airbags are connected to the control circuit 14.
[0026]
Note that reference numeral 56 in FIG. 3 indicates a seat belt.
[0027]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
[0028]
In the present embodiment, when the vehicle is about to collide, the control circuit 14 first determines whether or not the vehicle body 10 is likely to collide based on an input signal from the radar 12. That is, collision prediction is performed.
[0029]
When it is determined that the vehicle body 10 is about to collide, the control circuit 14 operates the inflator 36. As a result, the gas generated from the inflator 36 is released to the actuators 32 of the left and right active knee bolsters 24 and 25 and the actuator 46 of the active knee bolster 42 via the gas passage 38, and the left and right active knee bolsters 24 and 25 are discharged. The actuators 32 of the active knee bolster 42 and the actuators 32 of the active knee bolster 42 operate.
[0030]
Therefore, the lower limb restraints 30 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 move from the storage position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 to the lower limb restraint position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. , 28B. Further, the lower leg restraining portion 44 of the active knee bolster 42 rotates about a shaft 48 disposed at the lower end along the vehicle width direction, and moves from the storage position shown by the solid line in FIG. Move to the lower limb restraining position indicated by.
[0031]
At this time, in the present embodiment, the pressure receiving area V of the actuator 46 of the active knee bolster 42 is smaller than the pressure receiving areas S1 and S2 of the actuator 32 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 (V <S2 <S1). As a result, by the gas supplied from one inflator 36, the operating force (propulsion) of each lower limb restraint 30 of the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 and the operating force (propulsion) of the lower limb restraint 44 of the active knee bolster 42 are increased. ) Can be easily changed, and a thrust as required can be obtained for each active knee bolster 24, 25, 46.
[0032]
Further, in the present embodiment, the pressure receiving area S1 of the actuator 32 of the active knee bolster 25 disposed at a portion where the distance L1 between the occupant 28 and the lower limb 28A is large is set such that the distance L2 between the occupant 28 and the lower limb 28A is small. Since the pressure receiving area S2 of the actuator 32 of the active knee bolster 24 provided at the site is larger than the pressure receiving area S2 (S1> S2), the operating force of the lower limb restraining portion 30 of the active knee bolster 24 is reduced. It becomes larger than the operating force.
[0033]
As a result, the movement of the lower limb restraining portion 30 of the active knee bolster 25 disposed at a position where the distance to the lower limb portion 28A of the occupant 28 is large is disposed at a position where the distance to the lower limb portion 28A of the occupant 28 is small. The movement can be faster than the movement of the lower limb restraint 30 of the active knee bolster 24. Therefore, the lower limb portion 28A of the occupant 28 can be restrained substantially simultaneously by both the lower limb restraint portion 30 of the active knee bolster 25 and the lower limb restraint portion 30 of the active knee bolster 24, and the lower limb restraint performance can be improved.
[0034]
In the above, the present invention has been described in detail with respect to a specific embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. Some will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the radar 12 is used as the collision determination means, but instead, an acceleration sensor or the like is used to detect the collision of the vehicle, and the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 and the active knee bolster 42 are activated. It is good also as a structure to make it.
[0035]
Further, in the above embodiment, the pressure receiving surface 32C of the piston 32B to which the ends of the rods 32A of the actuators 32 in the active knee bolsters 24 and 25 are connected, and the ends of the rods 46A of the actuators 46 in the active knee bolster 42 are connected. Although the pressure receiving surface 46C of the piston 46B is circular, the shape of the pressure receiving surfaces 32C and 46C is not limited to a circle, and may be another shape.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention according to claim 1 includes a collision determination unit that performs at least one of a vehicle collision detection and a collision prediction, and a driving unit that is operated by gas. A plurality of lower limb restraining means for preventing the leg of the target occupant from jumping up by a unit, and one gas supply means for receiving the output signal of the collision determining means and supplying gas to each driving means of the lower limb restraining means. However, since the pressure receiving areas of the respective driving means are different, there is an excellent effect that each operating force of the plurality of lower limb restraining means can be easily changed by the gas supplied from one gas supply means.
[0037]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect, the pressure receiving area of the driving means of the lower limb restraining means disposed at a portion having a large distance from the lower limb of the target occupant is determined. Since the pressure receiving area of the driving means of the lower limb restraining means disposed at a portion where the distance between the lower limb and the lower limb is small is larger than that of the first aspect, there is an excellent effect that the lower limb restraining performance can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a main part of a vehicle occupant protection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from a diagonally rearward side of the vehicle body.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side sectional view showing a front portion of a vehicle compartment to which a vehicle occupant protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an actuator of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front of the vehicle body.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the actuator of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from diagonally forward of the vehicle body.
[Explanation of symbols]
12 acceleration sensor (collision determination means)
14 control circuit (collision determination means)
18 Instrument panel 20 Driver's seat 24 Left knee knee bolster (lower limb restraining means)
25 Right knee knee bolster (lower limb restraint)
30 Active knee bolster lower limb restraint (lower limb restraint)
32 Active knee bolster actuator (drive means)
36 inflator 38 gas passage 42 active knee bolster (lower limb restraining means)
44 Active knee bolster lower limb restraint (lower limb restraint)
46 Active knee bolster actuator (drive means)

Claims (2)

Collision determination means for performing at least one of vehicle collision detection and collision prediction,
A plurality of lower limb restraining means comprising a driving means operated by gas, moving the lower limb restraint by the driving means, and preventing the leg of the target occupant from jumping up by the lower limb restraint;
One gas supply unit that receives an output signal of the collision determination unit and supplies gas to each drive unit of the lower limb restraint unit unit,
Has,
The occupant protection device for a vehicle, wherein the pressure receiving areas of the respective driving means are different. The pressure receiving area of the driving means of the lower limb restraining means disposed at a portion where the distance between the target occupant and the lower limb portion is large, The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure receiving area is larger than the pressure receiving area.

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