JP2870729B2 - Automotive instrument panel - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instrument panel for an automobile, and more particularly, to an instrument panel body and an upper panel for covering an upper surface of the instrument panel. The present invention relates to an automotive instrument panel that is opened to open an opening for an airbag.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An airbag device provided for an occupant in a passenger seat of an automobile is configured such that a folded airbag is accommodated in an accommodating container called a canister together with an actuating device, and is provided behind an instrument panel on a passenger seat side. Often provided. An instrument panel above the airbag container is provided with an airbag opening, which is closed by an airbag door in normal times. In this airbag device, when the automobile receives a large impact due to a collision or the like, the operating device is activated, and the inflated airbag causes the airbag door to move behind the airbag door (inside).
To open the airbag opening and deploy in the vehicle interior.

As the instrument panel provided with the airbag device, there are a retrofit type airbag door and an integrated type. In the retrofit type, an opening for an airbag is formed on the passenger side of the instrument panel, and the airbag door is opened and closed later in the opening for the airbag. On the other hand, the integral type forms a thin-walled rupture portion which is pushed from the inside when the airbag is inflated and ruptures on the passenger side of the instrument panel, and defines the airbag door by the rupture portion. is there.

[0004] However, the above-mentioned retrofitting type has an assembling line (joining line with the airbag opening) at the peripheral edge of the airbag door, and the assembling line is present in the visible portion in front of the passenger seat, so that it is conspicuous. In addition, since the assembly line exists only on the passenger seat side of the instrument panel, it is difficult to use it as a design line, and there is a problem that the appearance of the instrument panel is impaired. Further, there is a problem that a complicated structure is required to open the airbag door when the airbag is inflated and to close the airbag door during normal times.

[0005] On the other hand, the above-mentioned integral type breaks a thin portion to be broken due to inflation of the airbag, and thus has a problem concerning the thickness of the thin portion to be broken.
In other words, the portion to be broken will break more smoothly as the thickness is reduced, but at the same time, the resin forming the instrument panel tends to deteriorate in the thin portion to be broken due to heat inside the vehicle and cracks during long-term use. There is a possibility that it will easily occur. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to set the thickness at the portion to be broken or to select the material of the instrument panel. In addition, there is also a problem that a troublesome operation for forming a breakable portion having a constant thickness is required.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made in consideration of the above, and has been made in consideration of the above circumstances. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automobile instrument panel which is excellent in appearance of the periphery of an airbag door, has a simple structure, and is easy to manufacture.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an instrument panel body having an airbag opening formed on an upper surface on one side in the vehicle width direction, and substantially between both ends in the vehicle width direction covering the airbag opening. An upper panel fixed to the upper surface of the instrument panel main body, the upper panel is not fixed to the instrument panel main body at the peripheral portion of the opening for the airbag, or is weakly fixed to other parts, and The upper panel is pushed upward at the airbag opening by the pressing force at the time of inflation of the airbag provided on the back side of the bag opening to open the mouth between the upper surface of the instrument panel body and open the airbag opening. The present invention relates to an instrument panel for a vehicle, characterized in that the instrument panel is opened.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automotive instrument panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, FIG. Is a sectional view taken along line 4-4, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state where a backing base material for an airbag door portion is attached in the manufacture of the instrument panel of FIG. 6, FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the periphery of the airbag opening in FIG.

[0009]

1 and 2, an instrument panel 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an instrument panel main body 11, a backing base material 31 for an airbag door, and an upper panel 41. As shown in FIG. 4, when the airbag is inflated, the airbag door portion 41a formed on the passenger seat side of the upper panel 41 is lifted, and the airbag 51 is deployed in the vehicle interior.

The instrument panel main body 11 includes:
It has a seat side 13 facing the occupant seat S, an upper surface 15 facing upward in the vehicle interior, and a side surface 17 concealed by the vehicle body side in the vehicle interior, as can be better understood from FIG. The instrument panel body 11 is made of resin molded into a predetermined shape by injection molding or the like, for example, polypropylene (PP), polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomer (T
PO) or vinyl chloride resin (PVC).

A notch 18 for inserting a handle, an opening 19 for an operation unit such as an air conditioner, and an opening 20 for a glove box are provided in the seat side surface 13 of the instrument panel body 11.
Etc. are appropriately formed.

On the other hand, the instrument panel body 1
As can be understood from FIGS. 5 and 6 showing the time when the instrument panel 10 is manufactured, the upper panel 15 has an upper panel disposing recess 22 extending between both ends of the instrument panel body 11 in the vehicle width direction. Is formed. By fitting the upper panel 41 in the recess 22,
The upper surface of the upper panel 41 can be prevented from protruding significantly from the upper surface of the instrument panel main body 11, and the appearance of the instrument panel 10 can be further improved.

An opening 21 for an airbag is formed at a required position on the passenger seat side in a recess 22 for arranging the upper panel on the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel main body 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag opening 21 is provided with an airbag device 50 provided on the back side of the airbag opening 21.
The airbag 51 is designed to be deployable toward the vehicle interior, and in this example, is formed in a rectangular shape along the vehicle width direction. Reference numeral 52 denotes an airbag housing case, 53 denotes an actuator, 54 denotes a bolt for fixing the airbag housing case 52 and the front end of the backing base material 31 for the airbag door portion to the airbag opening 21, 55. Is a nut to be screwed with the bolt 54, 56 is a bolt insertion hole, and 57 is an airbag housing case fixing bolt.

The instrument panel body 1
In the case where the material of No. 1 is a resin having poor or non-adhesive properties to a foam 42 of the upper panel 41 described later, for example, PP or TPO, the peripheral portion of the airbag opening 21 on the upper surface 15 is removed. Except for the other parts 23 (FIGS. 5 and 6
It is preferable to apply a known primer that enhances or imparts adhesiveness to the area indicated by the oblique lines. Then, when the upper panel 41 is integrally formed on the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel main body 11 as described later, the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel main body 11 and the upper panel 41 are removed except for the airbag opening 21 and its peripheral edge. Can be firmly bonded, and the instrument panel body 11 and the upper panel 41 can be reliably integrated. Conversely, when the instrument panel body 11 is made of a material having excellent adhesiveness to the foam 42, a release agent may be applied to the peripheral portion of the airbag opening 21. Of course, when the upper panel 41 is fixed to the instrument panel main body 11 by means other than bonding, for example, when the upper panel 41 is fixed by a clip or the like, regardless of the material of the instrument panel main body 11, it is necessary to improve or impart adhesion. There is no need to apply a primer or a release agent.

The backing base material 31 for the airbag door portion includes a portion where the upper panel 41 closes the opening 21 for the airbag,
That is, a plate for reinforcing the back surface of the portion serving as the airbag door portion 41a and having a shape larger than the airbag opening 21 and covering the airbag opening 21 from the front side of the upper surface of the instrument panel body 11. Consists of a shape. The backing substrate 31 for the airbag door portion is formed of a metal plate such as iron or aluminum, or a plate made of resin or the like, and the side 31a of the front end of the vehicle is formed with the opening 21 for the airbag. The side edge 31b and the side 31c on the occupant seat side are fixed to the peripheral portion 21a on the vehicle front side by the bolt 54, and the side 31c on the occupant seat side is a non-fixed side. It can be bent upward. When the material of the backing substrate 31 for the airbag door portion is inferior or non-adhesive to the foam 42 of the upper panel 41, a known primer for enhancing or imparting the adhesive is applied. It is preferable to keep it. Then, when the backing base material 31 for the airbag door portion is pushed from the back side and bent upward due to the inflation of the airbag, the upper panel 41 is not peeled off from the backing base material 31 for the airbag door portion, so that the upper panel 41 is not peeled off. You will be able to lift up.

The upper panel 41 constitutes an upper surface of the instrument panel 10 and also constitutes an airbag door portion 41a for closing the airbag opening 21 at a passenger seat side portion at one end in the vehicle width direction. Thus, it is provided on the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel main body 11 through the backing base material 31 for the airbag door portion so as to extend between substantially both ends in the vehicle width direction.

The upper panel 41 is firmly fixed to the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel main body 11 except for the opening 21 for the airbag and a peripheral portion thereof. The fixing method is performed by an appropriate fixing means such as bonding or a clip, but it is simple and reliable to perform the bonding. The range of the peripheral portion of the airbag opening 21 is a range including at least the outer periphery of the backing substrate 31 for the airbag door portion.

The structure of the upper panel 41 may be made of a hard resin such as PP. Particularly, as shown in this example, the surface of a foam 42 made of urethane foam or the like is made of PV.
It is preferable to use a pad covered with a skin 43 made of a resin such as C or a fabric. When the upper panel 41 has the above-mentioned pad structure, good cushioning property and surface feel can be obtained by the foam 42, and the upper panel 41 is pressed from the back side of the airbag opening 21 by the inflation of the airbag 51. At this time, due to the deformability of the foam 42, the upper panel 41 is easily deformed at the airbag opening 21 and the peripheral portion thereof, and is smoothly lifted upward. Moreover, when the upper panel 41 has a pad structure, the upper panel 41 can be easily formed integrally with the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel main body 11. That is, first, an instrument panel body 11 having a predetermined shape formed by injection molding or the like and a backing material 31 for an airbag door portion attached to an opposing mold surface in a foaming mold (not shown) and a slash. The skin 43 formed into a predetermined shape by molding or the like is set so that the upper panel disposing recess 22 on the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel body 11 and the back surface (inner surface) of the skin 43 face each other. Next, the instrument panel body 11
A foam material made of a polyurethane material or the like is injected between the concave portion 22 and the back surface of the skin 43 to foam the foam 42 on the back surface of the skin 43. At this time, due to the adhesiveness of the foam material and the primer appropriately applied to a predetermined area on the upper surface of the instrument panel body 11, the skin 43 of the upper panel 41 is formed simultaneously with the molding of the foam 42.
And a predetermined portion of the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel main body 11 (a portion excluding the airbag opening 21 and its peripheral edge), so that the bonding can be performed easily and reliably. In addition, the airbag door portion backing substrate 31 is covered with the airbag door portion backing substrate 31 on the airbag opening 21 and the peripheral portion of the opening 21 when the foam 42 is foamed. The back surface of the foam 42 of the upper panel 41 is adhered to the front surface (upper surface) of the upper panel 31.

It is most preferable that the peripheral portion of the airbag opening 21 is not fixed to the upper panel 41, but the upper panel 41 is insulated at the peripheral portion of the airbag opening 21 by the pressure caused by the expansion of the airbag 51. It may be weaker than other parts 23 to the extent that it can be easily peeled off from the upper surface 15 of the main body 11 of the main body. In addition, the non-fixed side 31 of the backing substrate 31 for the airbag door portion
In the portion where b and 31c are located, as in the other example shown in FIG. 7, the foam 42A of the upper panel 41A does not directly contact the wall surface 24A of the upper panel disposing recess 22A with the instrument panel body 11A. The outer skin 4 of the upper panel 41A is formed on the edge 32A of the backing base material 31A for the airbag door portion which closes the opening 21A for the airbag.
Preferably, the 3A edges 44A overlap. that way,
The foam 42A can be reliably prevented from adhering to the upper surface of the instrument panel body 11A at the peripheral portion of the backing base material 31 for the airbag door portion during the foam molding of the foam 42A. 41A
The airbag door portion of the vehicle opens more smoothly.

Instrument panel 10 having the above structure
In the prior art, there is no assembly line for the airbag door on the passenger seat side outer surface as in the prior art, and the boundary 45 between the upper panel 41 and the instrument panel main body 11 is, as shown in FIG. Since it is formed between substantially both ends in the vehicle width direction, the presence of the airbag door portion is not recognized, and the design is extremely excellent. Further, since the instrument panel 10 does not require a skin on which a breakable thin portion for an airbag door is formed, there is no possibility of causing a problem such as deterioration of the breakable thin portion.

The instrument panel 10
FIG. 3 and FIG. 4
As shown in FIG. 5, the airbag device 50 is operated to inflate the airbag 51, and the upper panel 4 is opened from the back side of the airbag opening 21 through the backing base material 31 for the airbag door portion.
1 is pushed upward toward the passenger compartment. As a result, the upper panel 41 is lifted upward at the airbag opening 21 and the peripheral portion thereof, and opens between the instrument panel main body 11 and the passenger seat to open the airbag opening 21. At this time, the upper panel 4
1 is non-fixed or weakly fixed to the upper surface 15 of the instrument panel body 11 at the airbag opening 21 and its peripheral portion, and firmly fixed at the other portion 23, so that the airbag opening 21 and its peripheral portion The airbag opening 21 is reliably opened by being smoothly lifted at the portion. In addition, since the upper panel 41 is fixed to the upper surface of the instrument panel 11 except for the opening 21 for the airbag and the peripheral edge thereof, the upper panel 41 and the instrument panel main body 1 are vibrated by a vehicle or the like.
It is possible to suppress occurrence of chattering sound between the two.

Further, when the upper panel 41 is formed of a pad, the upper panel 41 is easily deformed at the airbag opening 21 and its peripheral portion when the airbag 51 is inflated due to the ease of deformation of the foam 42. The mouth can be opened with the instrument panel main body 11. In addition, since the upper panel 41 is opened at a portion that is not fixed to the instrument panel body 11 or a portion that is weakly fixed, the airbag door is opened due to the breakage of the thin-walled rupture portion formed on the skin as in the related art. As in the case, it is not necessary to consider the variation of the thin-wall breakage scheduled portion and the like, the opening for the airbag can be easily and reliably opened, and the airbag can be smoothly deployed in the vehicle interior.

[0023]

As shown and described above, the instrument panel of the present invention does not have an opening for an airbag door or an assembling line of the airbag door on a part of the outer surface of the instrument panel. Since the boundary line between the upper panel and the instrument panel body exists substantially between both ends in the vehicle width direction, there is an effect that the appearance is good and the design is excellent. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to use a skin provided with a thin portion for breakage, there is no risk of deterioration at the thin portion for breakage, and a good appearance can be maintained over a long period of time. In addition, when the airbag is inflated by an impact, the upper panel is lifted at a portion that is not fixed or weakly fixed to the instrument panel main body to open the airbag opening, and does not require breaking of the skin. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly and constantly deploy the airbag into the vehicle interior. In addition, since there is no need for complicated work such as formation of a thin broken portion of the skin and the structure is simple, there is an advantage that it is economically excellent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an instrument panel according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an airbag inflated in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which a backing base material for an airbag door portion is attached at the time of manufacturing the instrument panel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state after attaching a backing base material for an airbag door portion during the manufacturing.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the periphery of an airbag opening in another example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 instrument panel 11 main body for instrument panel 21 opening for airbag 22 concave portion for arranging upper panel 23 other portions except peripheral portion of opening for airbag 31 backing base material for airbag door 41 upper panel 42 foam 43 skin 51 airbag

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An instrument panel main body having an airbag opening formed on an upper surface on one side in a vehicle width direction, and an upper surface of the instrument panel main body covering the airbag opening and extending between substantially both ends in a vehicle width direction. The upper panel is fixed to the instrument panel body at the peripheral portion of the opening for the airbag, and is not fixed to the instrument panel body or weaker than other portions, and is provided on the back side of the opening for the airbag. The upper panel is pushed upward at the opening for the airbag by the pressing force when the airbag is inflated to open the opening between the upper panel and the upper surface of the instrument panel body to open the opening for the airbag. An instrument panel for an automobile, characterized in that: 2. The airbag system according to claim 1, further comprising: a backing material for an airbag door that covers the airbag opening, and is fixed to a front side of a periphery of the airbag opening on the upper surface side of the airbag opening. And an upper panel provided on the upper surface of the instrument panel main body via the backing base material for the airbag door portion, wherein the upper panel is provided with the fixed side as a fulcrum. . 3. The automotive instrument panel according to claim 1, wherein the upper panel is constituted by a pad comprising a foam and a skin covering the surface thereof. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein
An instrument panel for an automobile, wherein a recess for arranging an upper panel is formed on an upper surface of an instrument panel main body, and the upper panel is fitted in the recess.