JP2019142285A - Door lock switch incorrect operation prevention mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a door lock switch incorrect operation prevention mechanism which can prevent incorrect operation of a lock switch caused by interference of an occupant's body during a collision.SOLUTION: A door lock switch incorrect operation prevention mechanism includes an airbag 11 which is disposed at an interior of a door trim 22 provided with a door lock switch 3 and inflated and deployed by a gas jetted from an inflator 12 during a vehicle collision. The door trim has a fragile part 6 which breaks to allow the airbag to deploy during the collision near the door lock switch. The fragile part is disposed avoiding an area above the door lock switch in a side view of a vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a mechanism for preventing a door lock switch from being erroneously operated in the event of a vehicle collision and being locked.

  Vehicles are equipped with various safety mechanisms for protecting passengers in the event of a collision. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an airbag mechanism for protecting an occupant at the time of a frontal collision of a vehicle and Patent Document 2 at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. According to these airbag mechanisms, the impact received by the head or shoulders of the occupant (driver) seated in the driver's seat at the time of a frontal collision or a side collision of the vehicle is absorbed by the airbag, Protection can be achieved.

JP 2017-65558 A JP 2017-100600 A

  By the way, for example, when the vehicle collides with the front, the occupant's body may be shaken back and forth, and there is a risk of interference (collision) with various switches arranged on the front door. At that time, depending on how to hit, there is a possibility that the arm part or finger part of the occupant touches the switches, and the switches are mistakenly operated by that moment. For example, if the central door lock switch is operated incorrectly, all doors will be locked against the occupant's will during a collision. Such an erroneous operation may not be sufficiently prevented by a front airbag, a side airbag, or the like, and it is required to prevent this more reliably.

  The present invention has been made based on this, and the purpose thereof is to prevent the occupant's body from interfering with the door lock switch disposed on the door at the time of a collision, and to prevent erroneous operation of the lock switch. It is to provide a simple mechanism (door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism).

  The door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism of the present invention includes an airbag that is disposed inside a door trim provided with a door lock switch and that is inflated and deployed by a gas ejected from an inflator when a vehicle collides. The door trim has, in the vicinity of the door lock switch, a weakened portion that is broken at the time of collision and where the airbag is deployed. The weak part is arranged avoiding the upper side of the door lock switch in a side view of the vehicle.

  The fragile portions are arranged in pairs with the door lock switch interposed therebetween in a side view of the vehicle.

  The weakened portions forming a pair are continuous such that one end and the other end face each other in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. For example, the weakened portions forming a pair include a first portion that is continuous in a predetermined direction, a second portion that is continuous with one end of the first portion so as to intersect the first portion, and a third portion that is continuous with the other end. Each part. The first portion is arranged along the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the tips of the second portion and the tips of the third portion are both arranged in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

  The door trim includes an armrest that is disposed so that the door lock switch faces upward, and a wall that rises upward from the armrest. The weak part which makes a pair is each arrange | positioned at the wall part.

  The door lock switch is a centralized door lock switch that locks all the doors of the vehicle with one operation.

  According to the door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism of the present invention, it is possible to prevent an occupant's body from interfering with the door lock switch disposed on the door at the time of a vehicle collision, and to eliminate erroneous operation of the lock switch.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing an entire front door of a vehicle including a door lock switch erroneous operation preventing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which looked at the neighborhood of the door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism concerning the embodiment of the present invention from the slanting upper part in the vehicle interior. The top view which looked at the vicinity of the door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism which concerns on embodiment of this invention from upper direction. The top view which looked at the vicinity of the door lock switch misoperation prevention mechanism of the door trim before deployment of an airbag in embodiment of this invention from the left side of a vehicle interior. The top view which looked at the vicinity of the door lock switch misoperation prevention mechanism of the door trim after the airbag deployment in the embodiment of the present invention from the left in the vehicle interior.

  Hereinafter, a door lock switch erroneous operation preventing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The door lock switch erroneous operation preventing mechanism is a mechanism (hereinafter referred to as an airbag mechanism) that deploys an airbag in the vicinity of the door lock switch from a door trim provided with the door lock switch at the time of a vehicle collision. In the present embodiment, a frontal collision is assumed as a vehicle collision, but side collisions and rear collisions are not excluded. The door lock switch is assumed to be a centralized door lock switch that locks (or unlocks) all the doors of the vehicle with a single operation, but may be a switch that locks each door individually. In the following description, the direction indicated by the arrow D1 in FIGS. 2 to 5 is the front, the direction indicated by the arrow D2 is up, the direction indicated by the arrow D3 is left, and the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrows D1, D2, and D3 Are defined as back, bottom and right respectively. The direction along the arrow D3 corresponds to the vehicle width direction.

  1 to 3 schematically show the airbag mechanism 1 in the front door 2 on the driver's seat side of the vehicle. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entirety of a front door 2 provided with an airbag mechanism 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the airbag mechanism 1 of the front door 2 as viewed obliquely from above in the passenger compartment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vicinity of the airbag mechanism 1 of the front door 2 as viewed from above. Although the vehicle shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a right-hand drive vehicle, the airbag mechanism 1 can also be applied to a left-hand drive vehicle. The airbag mechanism 1 is not limited to the front door 2 on the driver's seat side. If the door lock switch 3 is provided, the airbag mechanism 1 may be disposed on the front door or the rear door on the passenger seat side.

  The front door 2 includes a door panel 21 and a door trim 22. The airbag mechanism 1 is disposed between the door panel 21 and the door trim 22 (inside the door trim 22). A seat 4 on which an occupant (driver) sits is disposed in the passenger compartment (left side in the present embodiment) of the front door 2.

  The door trim 22 is an interior part of the front door 2 provided with an armrest 22a and a door pocket 22b bulged to the vehicle interior side, and is disposed on the vehicle interior side of the door panel 21 (more specifically, the inner panel). Has been. While the door panel 21 is made of a metal plate such as iron or aluminum, the door trim 22 is made of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene, a wood material, or a mixture thereof.

  A switch panel 22c provided with various switches is attached to the armrest 22a. The switch panel 22c is fitted from below into an attachment hole formed by penetrating the upper surface of the armrest 22a. The switches include a door lock switch 3 and a window opening / closing switch 5. In the present embodiment, the door lock switch 3 is the above-described central door lock switch. The door lock switch 3 is disposed so as to face upward from an opening formed in the switch panel 22c, and is operated by a passenger. For example, the door lock switch 3 is an alternate button switch that switches between on and off each time it is pressed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag mechanism 1 includes an airbag 11, an inflator 12, and a control unit 13.

  The airbag 11 is normally stored in the door trim 22 in a folded state, and is inflated and deployed when the vehicle collides. The size of the airbag 11 is not particularly limited, but may be a size that can prevent contact between the occupant's arm portion P1 or finger portion P2 (see FIG. 5) and the door lock switch 3 in a deployed state. That's fine. Therefore, the airbag 11 should just be a small bag body (for example, the maximum difference dimension is about dozen centimeters) compared with a front airbag, a side airbag, etc. The airbag 11 may be provided with a vent for releasing the gas to the atmosphere (exhausting to the outside) after deployment. By providing such a vent, gas can be discharged through the vent when the internal pressure of the airbag rises excessively. Thereby, the internal pressure of an airbag can be reduced and it can maintain at an appropriate pressure. In addition, the airbag 11 may be provided with a tether that holds the shape during or after deployment.

  In the present embodiment, the airbag mechanism 1 includes two airbags 11. These airbags 11 are constituted by separate physically separated bags, and are arranged one by one corresponding to two weak portions (tear lines) 6 described later. Specifically, one airbag 11 is arranged on each side of the door trim 22 on the back side of the fragile portion 6 (the side opposite to the passenger compartment). However, the airbag 11 may be configured such that one bag body branches into two. In this case, a configuration may be adopted in which one branch portion of the airbag 11 is deployed from each of the two fragile portions (tear lines) 6.

  The inflator 12 generates gas and supplies (injects) it to the airbag 11 when the vehicle collides. In the present embodiment, since two airbags 11 are arranged, the airbag mechanism 1 includes two inflators 12, one for each airbag 11. In addition, when it is the structure where the one airbag 11 branches into two, the inflator 12 may be one. As described above, since the airbag 11 is a small (small-capacity) bag body compared to a front airbag, a side airbag, or the like, the amount of gas generated by the inflator 12 is such that gas is supplied to the front airbag and the side airbag. Less than inflator that ejects. The inflator 12 is positioned with respect to the airbag 11 with the gas jetting port (not shown) facing the gas inlet (not shown) of the airbag 11. Thereby, the gas generated from the inflator 12 is supplied to the airbag 11 from the gas outlet through the gas inlet.

  The control unit 13 activates (ignites) the inflator 12 when the vehicle collides, and generates gas to be supplied to the airbag 11. The control unit 13 is configured as a microcomputer including a CPU, a memory (storage device), an input / output circuit, a timer, and the like. The control unit 13 reads various data by the input / output circuit, performs arithmetic processing by the CPU using a program read from the memory, and controls the airbag mechanism 1 based on the processing result. For example, the control unit 13 may be configured as a vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and the inflator 12 may be activated as one of the controls executed by the vehicle ECU. Alternatively, a dedicated control unit 13 that is separate from the vehicle ECU may be used.

  When acceleration is detected by a collision sensor (front collision sensor, for example) 14 mounted on the vehicle, the control unit 13 determines the magnitude and direction of the acceleration and activates the inflator 12 based on the determination result. At that time, the activation of the inflator 12, that is, the deployment of the airbag 11 may be synchronized with the deployment of the front airbag and the side airbag (both not shown).

  The airbag mechanism 1 deploys the airbag 11 from the door trim 22 to the vicinity of the door lock switch 3 when the vehicle collides. Thereby, the airbag mechanism 1 prevents the passenger's body, in this embodiment, the passenger's arm part P1 and finger part P2 (see FIG. 5) from interfering with the door lock switch 3. By preventing the interference between the two, the erroneous operation of the door lock switch 3 at the time of the collision of the vehicle is eliminated, and all doors including the front door 2 are prevented from being locked against the occupant's will.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the door trim 22 has a fragile portion 6. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the vicinity of the airbag mechanism 1 of the door trim 22 before the airbag 11 is deployed, as viewed from the left side of the vehicle interior. The fragile portion 6 is a fragile portion in the door trim 22 that is pressed and broken by the airbag 11 that has started to be deployed when the vehicle collides. The broken weak part 6 causes the door trim 22 to have a cut (opening) where the airbag 11 is deployed. That is, the airbag 11 expands from the cut (opening) of the door trim 22 that is generated when the fragile portion 6 is broken, and inflates toward the vehicle interior. FIG. 5 shows an example of a state in which the airbag 11 is deployed from the state shown in FIG.

  The door trim 22 has a fragile portion 6 in the vicinity of the door lock switch 3. When viewed from the vehicle width direction of the vehicle (as viewed from the side), the fragile portion 6 is disposed so as to avoid the upper side of the door lock switch 3 and not to wrap in the top view. In the present embodiment, as an example, the door trim 22 has two weak portions 6 in the vicinity of the door lock switch 3. The two fragile portions 6 are arranged in pairs in the front-rear direction with the door lock switch 3 interposed therebetween when viewed from the vehicle width direction of the vehicle (as viewed from the side).

  The two fragile portions 6 are respectively continuous such that one end and the other end face each other in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, as an example, the two fragile portions 6 are each composed of three straight portions. These three portions (the first portion 6a, the second portion 6b, and the third portion 6c) are all configured in a groove shape thinner than the vicinity of the portion in the door trim 22 or as a perforation. . Hereinafter, the fragile part 6 constituted by these three parts is referred to as a tear line 6.

  Of the three parts of the tear line 6, the first part 6a is a part that is continuous in a predetermined direction, and the second part 6b and the third part 6c are continuous so as to intersect the first part 6a. Part. The second portion 6b is continuous with one end of the first portion 6a, and the third portion 6c is continuous with the other end of the first portion 6a. In the present embodiment, the two tear lines 6 are door trims so that the first portion 6a extends in the vertical direction, and the tips of the second portion 6b and the tips of the third portion 6c face each other in the front-rear direction. The two wall portions 22d are respectively disposed. The tips of the second portion 6b and the third portion 6c are opposite to the continuous end with the first portion 6a. The wall portion 22d rises upward from the mounting portion of the switch panel 22c in the armrest 22a and faces toward the passenger compartment (leftward in this embodiment).

  By configuring the tear line 6 in such a configuration, the airbag 11 is deployed one by one in the front-rear direction with the door lock switch 3 interposed therebetween. At that time, the airbag 11 interferes with the section 7 of the door trim 22. The section 7 is a part of the door trim 22 that has three sides separated from the door trim 22 and one side connected to the door trim 22 and is bent toward the passenger compartment on the one side. The three sides separated from the door trim 22 correspond to the first portion 6a, the second portion 6b, and the third portion 6c of the tear line 6. One side connected to the door trim 22 is a portion where the tips of the second portion 6b and the third portion 6c are connected in parallel to the first portion 6a.

  When gas is supplied (injected) from the inflator 12, the airbag 11 starts inflating and deploying. When the tear line 6 is broken by being pressed by the airbag 11 that has started inflating and deploying, the door trim 22 has cuts (openings) corresponding to regions surrounded by the four sides of the section 7. Then, the airbag 11 further expands and inflates from the resulting cut (opening) of the door trim 22 toward the vehicle interior.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the two sections 7 that are opposed to each other in the front-rear direction when the airbag 11 is inflated and deployed protrude toward the vehicle compartment before and after the door lock switch 3. For this reason, the two airbags 11 are deployed so as to interfere with the section 7 and open above the door lock switch 3. Therefore, even when the two airbags 11 are deployed, the upper portion of the door lock switch 3 is blocked by the deployed airbag 11 by the section 7 that is opened to a predetermined angle and becomes a guide member. And is kept open.

  Thus, even when the passenger's arm part P1 or finger part P2 is swung to the door lock switch 3 or the vicinity thereof at the time of a vehicle collision, the arm part P1 or the like is not touched to the door lock switch 3 and the air It can be made to interfere with the bag 11. As a result, it is possible to prevent an occupant's arm P1 or the like from touching the door lock switch 3 at the time of a collision and operating the door lock switch 3 by mistake. Even when the two airbags 11 are deployed, the upper portion of the door lock switch 3 is kept open without being blocked by the deployed airbag 11. It is possible to prevent the door lock switch 3 from being erroneously operated by itself.

  That is, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to reliably prevent a situation in which all doors are locked against the occupant's will during a vehicle collision.

  In addition, the occupant's arm P1 and the like can be received by the airbag 11 at the time of a collision. Therefore, for example, it can prevent that arm part P1 etc. collide with the armrest 22a, and can further aim at protection of a passenger | crew.

  The above-described embodiment is presented as an example, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Such a novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  In the present embodiment described above, the second portion 6b and the third portion 6c of the tear line 6 are both continuous with the first portion 6a at one end. Instead of this, for example, the second portion 6b and the third portion 6c may both be continuous with the first portion 6a at the intermediate portion thereof. In this case, when the tear line is broken, a cut (opening) is formed in the door trim 22 in a double-spread shape.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first portion 6a, the second portion 6b, and the third portion 6c of the tear line 6 are all linear. Instead of this, for example, the second portion 6b and the third portion 6c of the tear line 6 may be omitted, and the first portion 6a may be curved. In this case, of the two weak portions (tea lines), the front tear line may be curved to curve forward, and the rear tear line may be curved to curve backward. If two weak parts (the tear line) are arranged in this way, one end and the other end of each can face each other in the front-rear direction. Therefore, even when the two airbags 11 are deployed, they can interfere with the section of the door trim 22 and can be kept open without closing the upper portion of the door lock switch 3 with the deployed airbag 11. .

  Moreover, in this embodiment mentioned above, the tear line 6 is arrange | positioned in the wall part 22d of the door trim 22, and the airbag 11 is expanded so that it may protrude to the side of a vehicle. Instead of this, for example, a tear line may be arranged in the vicinity of the switch panel 22c of the armrest 22a, and the airbag 11 may be deployed so as to protrude above the vehicle.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Airbag mechanism, 2 ... Front door, 3 ... Door lock switch, 4 ... Seat, 5 ... Window opening / closing switch, 6 ... Tear line, 6a ... 1st part, 6b ... 2nd part, 6c ... 3rd Part: 7 ... Section, 11 ... Airbag, 12 ... Inflator, 13 ... Control part, 14 ... Collision sensor, 21 ... Door panel, 22 ... Door trim, 22a ... Arrest, 22b ... Door pocket, 22c ... Switch panel, 22d ... Wall Part, P1 ... occupant arm part, P2 ... occupant finger part.

Claims (6)

It is arranged inside a door trim provided with a door lock switch, and includes an airbag that is inflated and deployed by gas ejected from an inflator at the time of a vehicle collision,
The door trim has, in the vicinity of the door lock switch, a fragile portion that breaks at the time of the collision and expands the airbag.
The fragile portion is arranged avoiding the upper side of the door lock switch in a side view of the vehicle. A door lock switch erroneous operation preventing mechanism. The door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the fragile portions are arranged in pairs with the door lock switch interposed therebetween in a side view of the vehicle. The door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the weakened portions forming a pair are continuous such that one end and the other end face each other in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The weak parts that make a pair are
A first portion that is continuous in a predetermined direction; a second portion that is continuous with one end of the first portion so as to intersect the first portion; and a third portion that is continuous with the other end. And
The first portion is arranged along the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the tips of the second portion and the tips of the third portion are both arranged in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The door lock switch erroneous operation preventing mechanism according to claim 3. The door trim has an armrest disposed so that the door lock switch faces upward, and a wall portion that stands upward from the armrest,
The door lock switch erroneous operation preventing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the weakened portions forming a pair are respectively disposed on the wall portions. The door lock switch erroneous operation prevention mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the door lock switch is a centralized door lock switch that locks all the doors of the vehicle with one operation.

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