JP2008055937A - Airbag door structure for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively provide an airbag door which is not torn off and not scattered at the time of opening operation. <P>SOLUTION: Four platy hinges 11 are integrally and protrusively provided near the inside of one side of an airbag door body 9 back surface along a brittle portion 5 on one side at intervals. A hook 49 is movably engaged with a long hole 13 of the hinge 11 so as to move the hinge 11 in the front and back direction of a panel structure member 1 with the airbag door body 9. After the brittle portion 5 is broken by the deployment pressure of an airbag 23 and pushed up to the front side of the panel structure member 1 with the airbag door body 9, the hinge 11 is curved and deformed so as to be separated from an airbag device 25 by using an engaging part with the hook 49 as a fulcrum, thereby raising the airbag door body 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure of an airbag door portion that is opened by breaking a fragile portion by an operation of an airbag device, for example, in a car collision.

Patent Document 1 discloses an airbag door portion that is easy to open by configuring the hinge portion serving as a fulcrum during opening operation of the airbag door portion with two parallel thin hinges, so-called double hinges. A structure is disclosed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-310100 (pages 5 and 6, FIGS. 1 and 3)

  However, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, since the hinge portion is a thin hinge and the wall thickness is thin, the hinge portion is easily cut off, and it is dangerous if the airbag door portion is scattered by an impact when the airbag is deployed. In order to solve this, it is conceivable to mold the airbag door portion with a tough thermoplastic elastomer material, but the thermoplastic elastomer material is expensive compared to a general-purpose resin material such as polypropylene (PP). Incurs an increase in cost.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive airbag door portion that is not broken and scattered during opening operation.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that the structure of the hinge portion serving as a fulcrum when the airbag door portion is opened is devised.

  Specifically, the present invention is directed to a structure of a substantially rectangular airbag door that is surrounded by a fragile portion formed on an interior panel of an automobile, and the fragile portion is broken and opened by operation of an airbag device. The following solutions were taken.

  That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least one side of the rear surface of the airbag door body is inwardly provided with a plate-like hinge portion that engages with an engaging means provided on the airbag device side. The hinge part is integrally projected so as to be movable in the front and back direction of the interior panel by the sliding means along with the airbag door part body along the fragile part, and the fragile part is broken by the deployment pressure of the airbag. After being pushed up to the front side of the interior panel together with the airbag door main body, the airbag door main body is raised by being bent and deformed away from the airbag device with the engagement point with the engagement means as a fulcrum. It is comprised as follows.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the sliding means is a long hole formed in the hinge portion so as to extend in the front and back direction of the interior panel, and the engaging means is provided in the long hole. It is characterized by engaging in a movable manner.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the sliding means is a long hole formed in the engaging means so as to extend in the front and back direction of the interior panel. The connector fixed to the bag device side is movably engaged, and the engaging means is provided on the airbag device side.

  According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, when the airbag device is activated by the collision of the automobile, the airbag is deployed, and the deployment pressure acts on the airbag door portion (airbag door body) and is weak. The part is broken, and the hinge part is pushed up together with the airbag door body to the front side of the interior panel. In the second aspect, the push-up operation is performed by the engagement means moving through the long hole of the hinge portion. According to a third aspect of the present invention, this is performed by the connecting device on the airbag device side moving through the long hole of the engaging means. Thereafter, the hinge portion is bent and deformed so as to separate from the airbag device with the engagement point with the engagement means as a fulcrum, and the airbag door portion main body rises.

  This rising motion (curvature deformation operation of the hinge portion) is performed by the remaining force of the airbag deployment pressure that pushed up the airbag door body in the previous stage, so the airbag door body is moved at the same time as the fragile portion breaks. Compared to the case of turning up and lifting, the hinge part is not burdened, and the hinge part is formed in a plate shape that can be bent and deformed, so it effectively absorbs the deployment pressure of the airbag and is a thin-walled hinge Compared with the case of the above, it is difficult to break, and the air bag door can be prevented from being scattered. Therefore, as an anti-scattering measure, there is no need to mold the airbag door portion with a tough and expensive thermoplastic elastomer material, and an inexpensive airbag door portion can be obtained.

  Further, since the hinge portion is integrally projected at least on one side of the back surface of the airbag door main body so as to follow the weak portion on the one side, the hinge portion guides the airbag when the airbag is deployed. The number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where the airbag chute member is separately provided and the airbag chute member is provided separately.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG.1 and FIG.2 shows the panel structural member 1 which comprises the right half of the upper panel in the instrument panel as an interior panel of a motor vehicle. This panel component member 1 is for a left-hand drive vehicle, and is disposed on the passenger seat side adjacent to the right side of the driver's seat. For example, the panel component member 1 is a single injection molded with a general-purpose resin material such as polypropylene (PP) containing glass fiber or the like. Although it is made of a material, it may have a two-layer structure in which the skin material is integrally attached to the base material.

  In the portion corresponding to the passenger seat on the rear surface of the panel component 1, the fracture groove portion 3 having a substantially V-shaped cross section is formed in a substantially rectangular ring shape in plan view by molding so as not to reach the surface, and the thin wall corresponding to the fracture groove portion 3 is formed. The fragile portion 5 having a substantially rectangular annular shape in plan view is formed on the panel component 1 so as not to be identified from the surface thereof, and the airbag door portion structure according to the first embodiment is applied to the inside surrounded by the fragile portion 5. Further, a so-called seamless type airbag door portion 7 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view is formed integrally with a part of the panel constituting member 1. Note that the airbag door portion 7 may be of a type in which the fragile portion 5 can be identified from the surface of the panel constituent member 1.

  The airbag door portion 7 is of a single-open type, and extends on the vehicle body front side on the rear surface of the airbag door body 9 that forms the main body of the airbag door portion 7 (on the vehicle body front side of the breaking groove portion 3). As shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the four plate-like hinge portions 11 are spaced apart from each other along the fragile portion 5 on the one side 3a side. The air bag door portion main body 9 is integrally projected substantially vertically. Near the projecting ends of the hinge portions 11, long holes 13 as slide means are formed so as to extend in the front and back direction of the panel constituent member 1, and the long holes 13 include the horizontally long opening 13 a at the upper end and the horizontally long opening. It consists of a vertically long opening 13b continuous with the lower end of the portion 13a.

  A screw hole (see FIG. 3) is provided on the rear surface of the panel component member 1 corresponding to the other three sides (one side 3b on the rear side of the vehicle body and two sides 3c on the side side of the vehicle body) excluding the one side 3a on the vehicle body front side. A plurality of mounting boss portions 19 having a not-shown shape are integrally protruded at intervals with the reinforcing rib portions 21 being reinforced. The number of the reinforcing rib portions 21 is two for the two left and right mounting boss portions 19 at the front of the vehicle body and three for the other mounting boss portions 19, but the two left and right mounting boss portions 19 at the front of the vehicle body. The frame-shaped rigid portion 15 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view is integrally formed on the back surface of the panel constituent member 1 on the front side of the vehicle body of the airbag door portion 7 so as to extend along the side 3 a on the front side of the vehicle body of the breaking groove portion 3. Are connected together. The rigid portion 15 is integrally formed of two plate-like vertical ribs 15a on both sides in the vehicle width direction and three horizontal ribs 15b that connect the vertical ribs 15a, and the vehicle body front side of the airbag door portion 7 Although the rigidity of the panel constituent member 1 is increased, it may be provided in a thick block shape, or may be assembled with a metal reinforcing plate. Thereby, the rigid part 15 is comprised so that the inflation pressure may be resisted at the time of airbag deployment with each said attachment boss | hub part 19. FIG.

  On the back surface of the airbag door portion 7 is an airbag device that accommodates a folded airbag 23 (shown in an initial deployment state in FIG. 4 and a deployment state in FIG. 5), an inflator (not shown), and the like. The first bracket 27 is welded to the bottom surface of the airbag device 25. On the other hand, one end of the second bracket 31 is welded to the instrument panel reinforcement 29 that extends in the vehicle width direction and supports the instrument panel, and the other end of the second bracket 31 is connected to the first bracket 27 and the bolt 33. Fastened with a nut 35. Thus, the airbag device 25 is connected and supported by the instrument panel reinforcement 29 via the first and second brackets 27 and 31 so as to correspond to the fragile portion 5.

  A metal frame 37 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view is externally fitted and fixed to a substantially upper half portion of the airbag device 25. The frame body 37 includes a front wall portion 39 and a rear wall portion 41 extending in the vehicle width direction, and both side wall portions 43 extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction connecting both ends of the front wall portion 39 and the rear wall portion 41. Has been. The upper ends of the rear wall portion 41 and the both side wall portions 43 of the frame body 37 approach the other three sides 3b, 3c of the fractured groove portion 3 excluding the one side 3a on the front side of the vehicle body, or abut the periphery thereof. In addition, the peripheral edges of the three sides 3b and 3c of the breaking groove 3 are supported against the pressing force acting from the front side of the panel component 1 so that the fragile portion 5 does not break carelessly. Further, at the upper ends of the rear wall portion 41 and the side wall portions 43, mounting piece portions 45 having screw insertion holes (not shown) are bent downward so as to correspond to the mounting boss portions 19, respectively. These mounting piece portions 45 are fastened by being screwed into the screw holes of the mounting boss portions 19 through the screw insertion holes by being applied to the mounting boss portions 19.

  On the other hand, the front wall portion 39 is formed to have a significantly shorter vertical dimension than the rear wall portion 41 and the side wall portions 43, and four (only one appears in FIG. 1) at the upper end of the front wall portion 39. The hooks 49 as the engaging means are bent so as to correspond to the long holes 13 of the hinge portions 11. As shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), these hooks 49 are composed of a wide tip portion 49a and a narrow width portion 49b continuous to the wide tip portion 49a, and the wide tip portion 49a has the long hole. It is wider than the 13 vertically long openings 13b so that it cannot be removed from the vertically long openings 13b. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, in the initial opening state of the airbag door portion 7, the wide end portion 49a of the hook 49 is movable to the horizontally long opening portion 13a of the long hole 13 of the hinge portion 11. Is engaged. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 3B, in a state where the deployment pressure of the airbag 23 acts on the airbag door portion 7 and the airbag door portion 7 is pushed up to the front side of the panel component member 1, The upper ends of the narrow portions 49b of the hooks 49 are movably engaged and pressed against the lower ends of the vertically long openings 13b of the long holes 13 of the hinge portions 11. Thereby, each said hinge part 11 is integrally protrudingly provided so that it can move to the front and back direction of the panel structural member 1 with the long hole 13 with the airbag door part main body 9. As shown in FIG. And in the state which has arrange | positioned the said airbag apparatus 25 on the back surface of the airbag door part 7 via the frame 37, the said frame 37 and each hinge part 11 surround the airbag apparatus 25, and this airbag apparatus 25 of The airbag 23 that is deployed by operation is guided to the back surface of the airbag door portion 7.

  In the panel constituent member 1 having the airbag door portion 7 configured as described above, when the automobile collides, the airbag 23 of the airbag device 25 is inflated by the operation of the inflator, and the frame body 37 and each hinge portion 11 are inflated. It develops while being guided, and the weak part 5 is broken by the development pressure. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, each hinge portion 11 is pushed up together with the airbag door portion main body 9 to the front side of the panel constituent member 1, and each hook 49 moves through the long hole 13 of each hinge portion 11. The door portion 7 is separated from the panel constituent member 1 while being integrally connected to one end of the four hinge portions 11. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, each hinge portion 11 is bent and deformed away from the airbag device 25 with the engagement point with each hook 49 as a fulcrum to raise the airbag door body 9. ing. As a result, the airbag door portion 7 pivots about each hinge portion 11 and opens upward in the front of the vehicle body, and the deployed airbag 23 protects the passenger in the front passenger seat from impact in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. .

  In this way, after the airbag door portion 7 is once pushed up in the initial stage of opening operation, each hinge portion 11 is bent and deformed to rise, so this rising operation (curving deformation operation of each hinge portion 11). Is performed by the remaining pressure of the deployment pressure of the airbag 23 that pushed up the airbag door body 9 in the previous stage. Therefore, compared with the case where the airbag door main body 9 is swung up at the same time as the fragile portion 5 is broken and lifted up, the hinge portions 11 are not burdened, and the hinge portions 11 are plate-shaped that can be bent and deformed. Therefore, the deployment pressure of the airbag 23 is effectively absorbed, and the airbag door portion 7 can be prevented from being scattered because the deployment pressure of the airbag 23 is effectively absorbed compared to the case of the thin hinge. Therefore, as an anti-scattering measure, there is no need to mold the airbag door portion with a tough and expensive thermoplastic elastomer material, and an inexpensive airbag door portion can be obtained.

  Furthermore, since the four hinge portions 11 are integrally projected at intervals toward the inside of the side 3a side of the airbag door portion main body 9 on the side 3a side of the airbag door portion 9 so as to follow the fragile portion 5 on the side 3a side. The rotation resistance is distributed to the four hinge portions 11, and the rotation resistance with respect to each hinge portion 11 is reduced, so that the airbag door portion 7 can be opened smoothly. Also, each hinge 11 serves as an airbag chute member for guiding the airbag 23 together with the frame 37 when the airbag is deployed, and the airbag 37 is connected to the airbag door by the frame 37 and each hinge 11. This can be led to the rear surface of the part 7, and the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where an airbag chute member is provided separately.

  Furthermore, in a state where the hooks 49 of the frame body 37 are engaged with the long holes 13 of the hinge portions 11 and the airbag apparatus 25 is temporarily fixed, the airbag apparatus 25 is configured as a panel via the frame body 37. Since it attaches to the attachment boss | hub part 19 of the member 1 back surface, the attachment operation | work of the airbag apparatus 25 can be performed easily.

  In addition, since the panel constituent member 1 on the vehicle body front side of the airbag door portion 7 is reinforced by the rigid portion 15 formed on the back surface thereof, the breaking force of the fragile portion 5 due to the deployment pressure of the airbag 23 is the panel configuration. Even if it acts on the member 1, the panel constituent member 1 can be prevented from being deformed or damaged. Further, since the rigid portion 15 is integrally formed in a frame shape with the vertical ribs 15a and the horizontal ribs 15b, it can be configured to be lighter than the case where the rigid portion is configured with, for example, a block-like one, Since there are few constituent materials, it can shape | mold cheaply. Further, since the contact area between the rigid portion 15 and the back surface of the panel constituent member 1 becomes small, sink marks or the like hardly occur at the time of molding the panel constituent member 1, and the appearance of the panel constituent member 1 surface can be prevented from deteriorating.

(Embodiment 2)
6 and 7 show the panel constituting member 1 to which the airbag door portion structure according to the second embodiment is applied. As shown in FIG. 8, the engagement means in the second embodiment is a plate-like engagement plate 51 independent of the frame body 37, and is formed on each hinge portion 11 at the upper end of the engagement plate 51. Four hook-like engaging claws 51a that engage with the rectangular engaging holes 17 are integrally projected, and a long hole as a sliding means is provided below the adjacent engaging claws 51a. A total of three pieces 51b are formed so as to extend in the front and back direction of the panel component 1. Further, a connecting tool 53 composed of three rivets is fixed to the front wall 39 of the frame body 37 so as to correspond to the long holes 51b, and the connecting tools 53 are movable to the long holes 51b. The engagement plate 51 is attached to the front wall portion 39 of the frame body 37 by engaging with the frame. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, so the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, when the automobile collides, the airbag 23 of the airbag device 25 is inflated by the operation of the inflator and is deployed while being guided by the frame body 37 and the hinge portions 11, and the weakened portion 5 is developed by the deployment pressure. Breaks. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, each hinge portion 11 is pushed up together with the airbag door portion main body 9 to the front side of the panel constituent member 1, so that each connector 53 moves through the long hole 51 b of the engagement plate 51. The bag door portion 7 is separated from the panel constituent member 1 while being integrally connected to one end of the four hinge portions 11. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, each hinge portion 11 is bent and deformed away from the airbag device 25 with the engaging portion of the engaging plate 51 engaging with each engaging claw portion 51 a as a fulcrum. 9 is configured to get up. As a result, the airbag door portion 7 pivots about each hinge portion 11 and opens upward in the front of the vehicle body, and the deployed airbag 23 protects the passenger in the front passenger seat from impact in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. .

  Therefore, in the second embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be achieved.

  In each of the above embodiments, the four hinge portions 11 are arranged with an interval inward of the side 3a side on the front side of the vehicle body of the airbag door portion main body 9, but one piece that is long in the vehicle width direction is arranged. The hinge part 11 may be sufficient.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the weakened portion 5 is thinned by forming the fracture groove portion 3 on the back surface of the panel constituent member 1 by molding, so that the weakened portion 5 is easily broken. However, the weakened portion 5 is easily broken by laser processing or a hot blade. Also good.

  Moreover, in each said embodiment, although the airbag door part 7 was formed integrally with the panel structural member 1, the opening part was formed in the panel structural member 1, and the airbag door part 7 separately shape | molded in this opening part is provided. The airbag door portion 7 may be configured separately from the panel constituent member 1 by fitting a panel material having the same.

  Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the case where the airbag door portion 7 is a single-open type is illustrated, but the airbag door portion 7 is configured by a front door portion and a rear door portion, and the vehicle body longitudinal direction. It can also be applied to the double door spread type that opens upward. In this case, the fragile portion 5 (breaking groove portion 3) is connected to the middle side of the two sides 3c on the side of the vehicle body in the substantially rectangular shape of the breaking groove portion 3 in the plan view of the first and second embodiments by the intermediate groove portion. It will be formed into a letter shape.

  In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the interior panel is the panel component 1 of the instrument panel has been shown. However, the panel of the steering wheel at the airbag door assembly portion, the center pillar garnish with the airbag door portion And a door trim with an airbag door part etc. may be sufficient.

  The present invention is useful as a structure of an airbag door portion provided in an interior panel that needs to protect an occupant in the event of a collision, such as an instrument panel of an automobile.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the line II in FIG. 2. In Embodiment 1, it is a perspective view which shows the panel structural member of the state which the hinge part, the attachment boss | hub part, and the rigid part were shown with the continuous line, and the airbag door part closed. The engagement state of a hinge part and a hook in Embodiment 1 is shown, (a) is A arrow directional view of FIG. 1, (b) is B arrow directional view of FIG. FIG. 2 is an equivalent view of FIG. 1 illustrating an initial opening operation state of the airbag door portion in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 illustrating a state in which the airbag door portion is opened in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 of the second embodiment. 6 is a front view of an engagement plate in Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 of the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 5 of the second embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Panel component (interior panel)
5 Fragile part 7 Airbag door part 9 Airbag door part main body 11 Hinge part 13 Long hole (sliding means)
23 Airbag 25 Airbag device 49 Hook (engagement means)
51 Engagement plate (engagement means)
51b Long hole (sliding means)
53 connector

Claims (3)

It is surrounded by a fragile part formed on the interior panel of the automobile, and is a structure of a substantially rectangular airbag door part that is opened by breaking the fragile part by the operation of the airbag device,
On the inner side of at least one side of the rear surface of the airbag door main body, a plate-like hinge portion that engages with an engaging means provided on the airbag device side extends along the fragile portion on the one side and the airbag door portion. It is integrally projected so that it can move in the front and back direction of the interior panel by sliding means together with the main body,
The hinge part is pushed up to the front side of the interior panel together with the airbag door main body by breaking the weak part by the deployment pressure of the airbag, and then the airbag device with the engagement point with the engagement means as a fulcrum An airbag door portion structure for an automobile, wherein the airbag door portion main body is configured to be bent and deformed so as to be separated from the vehicle. In the automobile airbag door structure according to claim 1,
The sliding means is a long hole formed in the hinge portion so as to extend in the front and back direction of the interior panel,
An airbag door portion structure for an automobile, wherein an engaging means is movably engaged with the elongated hole. In the automobile airbag door structure according to claim 1,
The sliding means is a long hole formed in the engaging means so as to extend in the front and back direction of the interior panel,
An airbag door portion structure for an automobile, wherein the elongated hole is provided with the engagement means provided on the airbag device side by movably engaging a connector fixed to the airbag device side. .

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