JP2007137244A - Hinge structure of air bag door - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hinge structure of an air bag door capable of favorably preventing damage of a hinge part by pressing force of an air bag. <P>SOLUTION: A deformation regulating part 50 to regulate deformation of an end edge part on the hinge part 30 is provided on a corner part on a boundary part 32 of a fixed supporting part 24 to support a base material on a peripheral portion of an air bag door from the back side and the hinge part 30 to connect a movable supporting part 22 to support the air bag door and the fixed supporting part to each other from the back side in a curved state. The deformation regulating part 50 is constituted of a plurality of ribs provided with each of required intervals in the longitudinal direction of the hinge part 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a hinge structure of an air bag door, and more specifically, a movable support portion that supports an air bag door provided at a required position of the base material from the back side, and the base material at a peripheral portion of the air bag door. The present invention relates to a hinge structure of an airbag door having a hinge portion that connects a fixed support portion supported from the back side in a curved state.

  An instrument panel, which is a vehicle interior member, is installed in front of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and an airbag device for protecting the passenger on the passenger seat is stored inside the instrument panel on the passenger seat side. For this reason, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the base material 12 constituting the instrument panel 10 is provided with an airbag door 14 at a portion corresponding to the airbag device 54 and is inflated when the airbag device 54 is operated. When the pressing force of the airbag 56 is received, the airbag door 14 opens to the passenger compartment side. In addition, in FIG. 9, the double opening type which consists of the two airbag doors 14 and 14 is illustrated.

  In the instrument panel having the single-layer structure described above, that is, the instrument panel 10 in which the base 12 is exposed to the passenger compartment (outside), the airbag door 14 is formed integrally with the base 12, A planned fracture portion 16 extends along the outer edge line of the airbag door 14. In the double opening type consisting of the two airbag doors 14, 14, the planned fracture portion 16 is extended in a “Japanese character shape”, and the outer edge planned fracture portion 16 A extending outside the airbag doors 14, 14, It is comprised from the center fracture | rupture planned part 16B extended along a boundary line. Thus, the airbag doors 14 and 14 are configured to form a part of the base material 12 before opening, and when the airbag apparatus 54 is operated, the airbag doors 14 and 14 are previously described by the pressing force of the inflated airbag 56. When the planned fracture portion 16 breaks, it is allowed to separate from the base material 12 and open outward.

  By the way, the base material 12 mentioned above is formed from comparatively hard synthetic resin materials, such as PP (polypropylene) and ASG, in order to ensure the rigidity and intensity | strength requested | required of the instrument panel 10, for example. In addition, in order to reinforce the base material 12, the door support member 20 is often mounted on the back side of the base material 12.

  In the case of the double opening type, the door support member 20 is fixed to the back surface of each airbag door 14, 14 and supports the corresponding airbag door 14, 14 from the back side, and the airbag door 14. Are fixed to the back surface of the base material 12 at the peripheral portion thereof, and are fixedly joined to the fixed support portion 24 that supports the base material 12 from the back side, and the edge portion of the movable support portion 22 and the inner wall portion of the fixed support portion 24. It is comprised from the strip | belt-shaped hinge parts 30 and 30. FIG. Each movable support portion 22 is formed in a size slightly smaller than the corresponding airbag door 14 and is fixed to the back surface of the airbag door 14 by welding or the like. The fixed support portion 24 surrounds the airbag doors 14 and 14 and is connected to the airbag device 54. The fixed support portion 24 is formed on the upper edge of the cylindrical portion 26 and fixed to the base member 12. Part 28.

Each of the hinge portions 30, 30 is in a curved state before the operation of the airbag device 54. Specifically, the hinge portions 30, 30 have an expanded U-shaped cross-sectional shape that opens upward, and the rear surface of the airbag door 14. Extends along. As a result, when the breakage of the planned breakage portion 16 is completed, the hinge portion 30 opens the air bag while allowing the airbag door 14 to float from the base material 12 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The bag door 14 and the movable support portion 22 are connected to and supported by the fixed support portion 24. Such a hinge structure of an airbag door is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.
JP 2003-137056 A

  The door support member 20 described above is formed of a flexible synthetic resin material such as TPO (olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer), for example, so that the door support member 20 is not easily damaged even when a strong pressing force of the airbag 56 is applied. . However, since the automobile may be used in a cold region where the temperature is -20 ° C or lower, the door support member 20 exposed to such a low temperature is made of a flexible synthetic resin material. Even if formed, the conventional hinge structure described above has the following problems.

  That is, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the hinge portion 30 is generally set to have substantially the same thickness as a whole. For this reason, the hinge portion 30 is less likely to exhibit partial bending deformation at an appropriate portion. When the hinge portion 30 is stretched while being pulled upward, the inner wall portion of the cylindrical body portion 26 (fixed support portion 24). And the boundary portion 32 between the hinge portion 30 and the edge portion of the hinge portion 30 bends rapidly. Therefore, since stress concentrates locally on the boundary portion 32, cracks may occur due to low temperature brittleness especially at low temperatures as described above, and expensive materials that are not easily brittle even at low temperatures in cold regions. Had to be selected, leading to an increase in cost.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge structure for an airbag door that can suitably prevent the hinge portion from being damaged by the pressing force of the airbag without using an expensive material.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the intended purpose, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application provides:
A hinge part that connects in a curved state a movable support part that supports an airbag door provided at a required position of the base material from the back side and a fixed support part that supports the base material from the back side in a peripheral part of the airbag door In the hinge structure of the airbag door having
The gist is that a deformation restricting portion for restricting deformation of an end edge portion of the hinge portion is provided at a corner portion at a boundary portion between the fixed support portion and the hinge portion.

  Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the bending deformation of the hinge part that is deformed in an extensible manner is only the part that is spaced from the boundary part, and the boundary part and its vicinity are moderately deformed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a crack from occurring at this boundary portion.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the deformation restricting portion is composed of a plurality of ribs provided at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the hinge portion.
Therefore, according to the invention which concerns on Claim 2, since the rib is moderately buckled and deformed, the hinge part pulled upward with a strong force by the pressing force of the airbag is deformed rapidly at the end of the deformation restricting part. It is possible to prevent excessive stress from being applied to this portion.

The gist of the invention of claim 3 is that, in the invention of claim 2, the rib is curved between the fixed support portion and the hinge portion.
Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, when the hinge part that is stretched while being pulled upward moves close to the fixed support part side, each rib is likely to be stably buckled, and the fixed support is provided. Local stress concentration in the vicinity of the boundary between the part and the hinge part can be preferably avoided.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 2, wherein the rib is bent between the fixed support portion and the hinge portion.
Therefore, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the hinge part that is stretched while being pulled upward moves close to the fixed support part side, each rib is likely to be stably buckled, and the fixed support is provided. Local stress concentration in the vicinity of the boundary between the part and the hinge part can be preferably avoided.

  According to the hinge structure of the airbag door according to the present invention, there is a beneficial effect that can suitably prevent the hinge portion from being damaged by the pressing force of the airbag.

  Next, a preferred embodiment of the airbag door hinge structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same members / parts as those already shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 will be described with the same reference numerals.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of an instrument panel provided with an airbag door that employs a hinge structure according to the present embodiment. The illustrated instrument panel 10 is a single-layer type composed of a synthetic resin base material 12 molded into a required shape from polypropylene (PP) or the like. When installed in front of the vehicle passenger compartment, the airbag device 54 that is fixedly attached to the vehicle body constituting member is entirely covered, and the airbag doors 14 and 14 provided on the base member 12 are provided with the air bag. Align with the bag device 54.

  The airbag doors 14 and 14 provided on the base material 12 are formed on the back surface of the base material 12 with a “day-shaped” planned fracture portion 16 composed of an outer edge planned fracture portion 16A and a central fracture planned portion 16B. A part of the substrate 12 is formed before opening. When the pressing force of the airbag 56 inflated by the operation of the airbag device 54 is applied, the above-described planned fracture portion 16 (outer edge fracture planned portion 16A and central fracture planned portion 16B) breaks in a timely manner. Opening to the outside is allowed.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the door support member 20 fixed to the back side of the airbag door 14 and the back side of the peripheral portion is made of TPO or the like so as to correspond to the double opening type including the two airbag doors 14 and 14. It is integrally molded from a synthetic resin. Specifically, the movable support portions 22 and 22 are fixed to the back surfaces of the airbag doors 14 and 14 and support the corresponding airbag doors 14 and 14 from the back side, and the peripheral portions of the airbag doors 14 and 14. A cylindrical fixed support portion 24 that is fixed to the back surface of the base material 12 and supports the base material 12 from the back side, and the edge portions of the movable support portions 22 and 22 and the inner wall portion of the fixed support portion 24 are curved. And the hinge portions 30 and 30 having curved strips that are joined together. In addition, since the movable support parts 22 and 22 and the fixed support part 24 are the same as the conventional thing illustrated in FIG. 9, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same site | part and a part, and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Since both hinge parts 30 and 30 which join each movable support part 22 and 22 and fixed support part 24 have the same shape fundamentally, only the left hinge part 30 in Drawing 1 is explained here, The right hinge 30 is designated by the same reference numeral, and description thereof is omitted. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hinge portion 30 is substantially the same as the entire length of the movable support portion 22 between the end edge portion of the movable support portion 22 and the inner wall portion of the cylindrical body portion 26 in the fixed support portion 24. The same length is extended along the back surface of the corresponding airbag door 14. And the cross-sectional shape exhibits an expanded U-shape opened upward, and is in a curved state (a state in which it can be deformed in an extensible manner). Therefore, when the breakage of the planned breakage portion 16 is completed, the hinge portion 30 is deformed so as to be stretched to a substantially linear state by the pressing force of the airbag 56 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The airbag door 14 and the movable support portion 22 that are opened and displaced are connected to and supported by the fixed support portion 24 while allowing the air bag 14 to float from the base material 12.

  And in the hinge structure of the present Example in the hinge part 30 provided in the door support member 20 mentioned above, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, the fixed support part 24 (cylinder part 26) and the hinge part 30 are the same. In the corner portion in the boundary portion 32, that is, in the upper corner portion defined by the inner wall portion of the cylindrical body portion 26 and the upper surface of the hinge portion 30, an end edge portion (adjacent to the boundary portion 32) of the hinge portion 30 is formed. A deformation restricting portion 50 for restricting deformation of the end edge portion is provided. The deformation restricting portion 50 includes a plurality of ribs 52 provided in the hinge portion 30 in the longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction) at required intervals (about 15 to 20 mm). Each rib 52 has a thickness S of about 0.5 to 1 mm and a width W of about 5 mm.

  Therefore, when the hinge portion 30 is deformed in an extended manner, the portion that is allowed to be flexibly deformed has a width W from the boundary portion 32 as illustrated in FIG. 6 due to the presence of each rib 52 of the deformation restricting portion 50. The point P is separated from the point P separated by a corresponding distance, and the boundary portion 32 and the vicinity thereof have a structure in which stress is hardly applied since the deformation amount is small. As a result, the edge portion adjacent to the boundary portion 32 of the hinge portion 30 is reinforced by the presence of the ribs 52 of the deformation restricting portion 50, and stress is not concentrated locally. It is preferable to prevent cracks from occurring.

  Further, since each rib 52 in the deformation restricting portion 50 has the above-mentioned thin wall size setting, when the hinge portion 30 moves close to the fixed support portion 24 side while being deformed in an extensible manner, FIG. 5 and FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 7, when the pressure is applied between the hinge portion 30 and the fixed support portion 24, the force causes buckling deformation. Therefore, the hinge part 30 pulled with a strong force upward by the pressing force of the air bag 56 causes the rib 52 described above to buckle and deform appropriately, so that the gap between the edge part adjacent to the boundary part 32 and the point P is increased. Is gradually deformed, and stress is not concentrated on the point P, so that the boundary portion 32 is preferably prevented from cracking.

  According to the hinge structure of the airbag door according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the following operational effects can be obtained. That is, by providing the deformation restricting portion 50 at the corner portion of the boundary portion 32 of the hinge portion 30 that extends with the required width along the inner wall portion of the fixed support portion 24 and the fixed support portion 24, the hinge portion 30 is The portion where the bending deformation of the hinge portion 30 is allowed to be deformed in an extensional manner is only a portion ahead of the point P separated from the boundary portion 32. Therefore, in the hinge portion 30, the deformation of the boundary portion 32 and the vicinity thereof is moderately regulated, and the boundary portion 32 is hardly stressed. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is possible to prevent the boundary portion 32 from being cracked. As a result, it is not necessary to select an expensive material that is not easily brittle even at low temperatures in cold regions, and it is possible to use an inexpensive material, thereby suppressing an increase in cost.

  And since the deformation | transformation control part 50 is comprised from the some rib 52, when the hinge part 30 is pulled by strong force upwards with the pressing force of the airbag 56, this rib 52 will carry out buckling deformation | transformation moderately. Thus, the hinge part 30 is prevented from being suddenly deformed at the point P which is the end part of the deformation restricting part 50, and there is an advantage that it is possible to avoid applying excessive stress to this part.

  In the embodiment described above, the case where the plurality of ribs 52 are formed as the deformation restricting portion 50 is illustrated, but the form of the deformation restricting portion 50 is not limited to this, and is adjacent to the boundary portion 32 in the hinge portion 30. For example, the form illustrated in FIG. 8 may be used as long as the deformation at the edge portion can be appropriately regulated.

  In FIG. 8A, each rib 52 has a shape curved between the fixed support portion 24 and the hinge portion 30, that is, from the fixed support portion 24 toward the hinge portion 30. That is, each rib 52 has a shape curved to the right side in the figure with respect to a reference line L connecting the joint portions of the fixed support portion 24 and the hinge portion 30. Therefore, when the hinge part 30 that is stretched and deformed while being pulled upward moves close to the fixed support part 24 side, each rib 52 is likely to be stably buckled, and the fixed support part 24 and the hinge part 30. Thus, local stress concentration in the vicinity of the boundary between the two can be suitably avoided. Further, since the ribs 52 are actively buckled, the root portion of the hinge portion 30 does not protrude into the passage region of the airbag 56, and the hinge portion 30 prevents the airbag passage region from being narrowed. it can.

  FIG. 8B shows the ribs 52 bent between the fixed support portion 24 and the hinge portion 30, that is, from the fixed support portion 24 toward the hinge portion 30. That is, each rib 52 has a substantially “letter shape” bent to the right side in the figure with respect to a reference line L connecting the joint portions of the fixed support portion 24 and the hinge portion 30. Therefore, when the hinge part 30 that is stretched and deformed while being pulled upward moves close to the fixed support part 24 side, each rib 52 is likely to be stably buckled, and the fixed support part 24 and the hinge part 30. Thus, local stress concentration in the vicinity of the boundary between the two can be suitably avoided. Further, since the ribs 52 are actively buckled, the root portion of the hinge portion 30 does not protrude into the passage region of the airbag 56, and the hinge portion 30 prevents the airbag passage region from being narrowed. it can.

  FIG. 8C shows the ribs 52 bent in a bellows shape between the fixed support portion 24 and the hinge portion 30, that is, from the fixed support portion 24 toward the hinge portion 30. That is, each rib 52 has a shape that is alternately bent to the left and right in the drawing with respect to a reference line L that connects the joint portions of the fixed support portion 24 and the hinge portion 30. Therefore, when the hinge part 30 that is stretched and deformed while being pulled upward moves close to the fixed support part 24 side, each rib 52 is likely to be stably buckled, and the fixed support part 24 and the hinge part 30. Thus, local stress concentration in the vicinity of the boundary between the two can be suitably avoided. Further, since the ribs 52 are actively buckled, the root portion of the hinge portion 30 does not protrude into the passage region of the airbag 56, and the hinge portion 30 prevents the airbag passage region from being narrowed. it can.

  In the above-described embodiment, the hinge structure in the double opening type including the two airbag doors 14 and 14 is exemplified. However, the hinge structure of the present application may be a single opening type including one airbag door or four air bags. The present invention can also be suitably applied to a four-way opening type including a bag door.

  Moreover, although the airbag door provided in the single layer type instrument panel 10 was illustrated in the Example mentioned above, the hinge structure of this application is a two layer type instrument which stuck the skin material on the outer surface of the base material 12 The present invention can also be applied to an airbag door provided on a panel or an airbag door provided on a three-layered instrument panel made of a base material 12, a skin material and a foam. In the case of a two-layer or three-layer instrument panel, an opening is provided in the airbag door installation site of the base 12 so that the movable support portion 22 described above faces the opening as the airbag door. It can also be.

  Furthermore, the airbag door that can implement the hinge structure of the present application is not limited to the one provided in the instrument panel 10 described above, and includes, for example, one provided in a door panel or a pillar garnish.

  The hinge structure of the airbag door according to the present invention includes a movable support portion that supports the airbag door provided at a required position of the base material from the back side, and a fixing that supports the base material from the back side at a peripheral portion of the airbag door. The hinge structure of the airbag door has a hinge portion that connects the support portion in a curved state, and can be suitably implemented in an airbag door provided on various vehicle interior members such as an automobile.

The principal part sectional drawing of the instrument panel which provided the airbag door which employ | adopts the hinge structure which concerns on a present Example. The top view which abbreviate | omitted and showed the door support member which provided the hinge part partially. III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. The fragmentary perspective view which showed the hinge part in the fracture | rupture state. The partial perspective view which showed that the rib of a deformation | transformation control part deform | transforms buckling because an hinge part deform | transforms elongate. FIG. 6 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing that the hinge portion is deformed in a state where the deformation of the boundary portion is restricted by the rib of the deformation restricting portion when the airbag door is opened and displaced. FIG. 6 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing that the hinge portion is appropriately deformed by appropriately buckling deformation of the rib of the deformation restricting portion when the airbag door is opened and displaced. The fragmentary perspective view which showed another form example of the rib which comprises a deformation | transformation control part. Sectional drawing of the principal part of the instrument panel which provided the airbag door which employ | adopts the conventional hinge structure. Explanatory sectional drawing which showed the malfunction which generate | occur | produces in the conventional hinge structure.

Explanation of symbols

12 base material, 14 airbag door, 22 movable support part, 24 fixed support part,
30 hinge part, 32 boundary part, 50 deformation restricting part, 52 rib

Claims (4)

A movable support portion (22) for supporting the airbag door (14) provided at a required position of the base material (12) from the back side, and the base material (12) from the back side at a peripheral portion of the airbag door (14). In the hinge structure of the airbag door having the hinge portion (30) for connecting the fixed support portion (24) to be supported in a curved state,
A deformation restricting portion (50) for restricting deformation of an edge portion of the hinge portion (30) is provided at a corner portion at a boundary portion (32) between the fixed support portion (24) and the hinge portion (30). The hinge structure of the airbag door characterized by the above.   The airbag door hinge structure according to claim 1, wherein the deformation restricting portion (50) includes a plurality of ribs (52) provided at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the hinge portion (30).   The airbag door hinge structure according to claim 2, wherein the rib (52) is curved between the fixed support portion (24) and the hinge portion (30). The airbag door hinge structure according to claim 2, wherein the rib (52) is bent between the fixed support portion (24) and the hinge portion (30).

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