JP2841883B2 - Air bag cover body - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag cover which normally covers and stores an airbag which inflates and protects an occupant when the vehicle such as an automobile collides.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An airbag for an automobile or the like is housed in a central portion of a steering wheel. When the airbag is operated or inflated in a collision or the like, the cover body containing the airbag is broken and the bag inflates. This is to prevent the driver's body from colliding with a steering wheel, a windshield or the like.

Conventionally, the cover body of this airbag is formed of a soft synthetic resin material such as urethane so that it can be broken by the gas pressure from the inflator when the airbag inflates, and is provided with a thin portion. It was configured to break at that location. As an airbag cover having such a configuration, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-18454
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 9-No. And such a conventional air bag cover body has H on the top cover of the cover body.
In many cases, a broken portion was formed by providing a character-shaped thin portion.

[0004]

In the conventional airbag cover described above, the H-shaped thin portion provided on the upper cover of the cover is provided with a groove on the inner surface or the outer surface of the upper cover to cover the portion. The left and right sides of the H shape were provided at a position where the inner surface of the upper cover was continuous with the inner surface of the side wall or at the inside thereof. Since the thickness of the thin portion must be easily broken by the gas pressure generated from the inflator, it is formed to be extremely thin, for example, 0.8 to 2.0 mm. For this reason, when the rigidity of the top cover is low and the folding capacity of the airbag housed inside is small, the top cover is pushed up and deformed, and conversely when there is too much room for the folding capacity of the airbag. When the upper surface is pushed by hand, the horn does not have a rigid feeling and is easily deformed. In particular, in the case of a steering wheel in which the horn is operated by pressing the cover, the operability of the horn switch is adversely affected.

The present invention provides an airbag cover having an upper cover having sufficient rigidity and preventing the bag from being damaged when the airbag is operated, in order to solve the problems of the conventional product. The purpose is to do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an airbag cover of the present invention is formed of a soft synthetic resin, and can be broken at a predetermined portion when an airbag is inflated by gas pressure of an inflator. An airbag cover body in which a thin portion for breakage is formed in advance at the site, the upper cover portion and a side edge of the upper cover portion standing upright.
The lowered edge and the inflator and
And base plate on which airbags are attached
It constitutes a side wall portion which is fixed, its the trimmed part
A thin portion extending horizontally is formed outside of the
The thin portion breaks when the airbag is inflated.
So that the upper surface lid and the side wall are separated from each other.
It is composed .

[0007]

In the air bag cover body of the present invention constructed as described above, the top cover is not deformed by the thin portion, and when the thin portion is broken, the cover is hardened especially in cold weather. Even if the broken portion becomes tooth-shaped, the tooth-shaped portion does not touch the bag and does not damage the bag.

[0008]

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel equipped with an embodiment of the airbag cover body of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. In the main body of the steering wheel, a rim portion 1 and an airbag cover body (hereinafter abbreviated as a cover) 2 constitute a surface member.
Reference numeral 3 denotes a central horizontal thin portion provided on the upper cover 10 of the cover 2. The cover 2 is fixed by a fixing means such as a rivet 4 or the like.
The inflator 5 and the airbag 6 are fixed to a base plate 8 to which the airbag 6 is attached. Reference numeral 7 denotes a retainer ring for fixing the airbag 6 to the base plate 8.

The left and right corners 9 of the top cover 10 of the cover 2
Has a thickness equal to that of the upper surface portion, and forms a rim 11. The rim 11 extends outside the side wall of the rim 11 and extends outward.
Top cover 10 the lower surface of the thin portion 12 is the lower surface of the edging 11 that
The side wall 13 is formed so as to be located on the side and is attached to the base plate 8. Reference numeral 14 denotes a switch unit incorporating various switches. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view of the cover 2 as viewed from the side, and FIG. FIG. 5 shows a state where the cover 2 is broken and opened, and the tooth-shaped portion A formed by breaking the thin-walled portion 12 faces right and left outward.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the teeth formed by the operation of the airbag and the breakage of the cover are directed to the left and right, so that the inflating airbag is not damaged. (Embodiment 2) Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the back surface of the cover 20 of this embodiment. In this example, a beaded edge 16 provided on the left and right edges of the back surface of the top cover 15 of the cover 20 is provided.
However, only the portion of the side wall portion 17 for attachment is flush with the back surface of the top cover 15, and a groove 18 is provided at a position following the portion of the side wall portion 17 to form left and right thin portions 19. . FIG. 7 shows a state in which the cover 2 of the present embodiment is broken and opened, and the broken tooth portion is formed between the cuts of the edging 16.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the tooth portions of the left and right break portions formed when the airbag is operated are formed only in a small portion between the edges of the cover, and the edges are in the shape of a bead. It does not damage the inflating airbag.

[0014] As described above in detail, the airbag cover body of the present invention is formed of a soft synthetic resin, Lee
An air bag cover body in which a thin portion for breaking is formed in advance at a predetermined portion so that the air bag can be broken at a predetermined portion when the air bag is inflated by the gas pressure of the inflator. An edge formed from a side edge , the inflator and the airbag;
Bag is configured to have a side wall portion which is fixed to a base plate mounted, extends horizontally to the outside in the border
Forming an existing thin portion and connecting it to the side wall portion;
Because the meat portion is obtained by adapted to separating the air side wall portion and the upper surface cover portion ruptured upon inflation of the bag, there is little influence on the upper surface cover portion of the thin portion, sufficient top lid Rigidity can be ensured, and the airbag is not damaged when broken.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel equipped with a first embodiment of an airbag cover body of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the airbag cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the back surface of the airbag cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the airbag cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention is broken open.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a rear surface of an airbag cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which an airbag cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention is broken open.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 air bag cover body 6 air bag 10 top cover 12 thin section 13 side wall section 15 top cover 17 side wall section 19 thin section 20 air bag cover body

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An inflation filter formed of a soft synthetic resin.
An airbag cover body in which a thin portion for rupture is formed at a predetermined portion so that the airbag can be ruptured at a predetermined portion when the airbag is inflated by the gas pressure of the airbag. Edge formed by falling from the side edge
Taking and said inflator and airbag
And a side wall fixed to a base plate to which the
Having and extending horizontally outwardly on said edging
And characterized in that to form the thin portion is continuous with the side wall portion and the thin portion is broken upon inflation of <br/> the air bag is configured to separate the side wall portion and the upper surface cover portion Air bag cover body. 2. The lower surface of the thin portion is closer to the lower surface of the border.
Characterized in that it is formed so as to be located on the top cover side.
The airbag cover according to claim 1, wherein