JP2921996B2 - Energy absorption structure on the side of the vehicle - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called side collision countermeasure for protecting an occupant in a vehicle cabin by absorbing the impact energy due to a relatively large impact applied to the side of the vehicle body from the outside. The present invention relates to an energy absorbing structure on the side of a vehicle body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a vehicle such as an automobile, an airbag device having an inflator and an airbag is provided, and when a relatively large impact force acts on the vehicle body during a collision or the like, the airbag is normally folded. It is known that the inflated airbag reduces the impact force acting on the occupant in the passenger compartment to protect the occupant.

In such a device, as a countermeasure for side collisions, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1-117957, an impact sensor which is turned on by an impact force inputted from the side is provided at the side of the vehicle body. There has been proposed an apparatus in which a folded airbag and a propulsion means for inflating the airbag in response to a signal from the sensor are provided in an armrest inside a vehicle body side portion.

[0004]

In such cases, it is necessary to use an airbag having a surface area large enough to protect the occupant's chest and waist at once from the viewpoint of occupant protection. It is actually difficult to deploy such a large-capacity airbag at a speed that can protect occupants.

In order to efficiently deploy the airbag, it is conceivable to separately deploy the upper bag portion and the lower bag portion corresponding to the thoracic region and the lumbar region requiring special protection. This way, in the event of a collision,
Fast protection for the occupant's chest and waist can be achieved.

In consideration of protecting an occupant from a vehicle such as a truck or a bus having a high bumper position or a structure such as a guide rail, the upper bag portion and the lower bag portion of the airbag with respect to the occupant's chest and waist are simultaneously deployed. In this case, since the load is input first to a high position, the occupant's chest may not be sufficiently protected.

The present invention provides an energy absorbing structure on the side of a vehicle body for protecting an occupant from a structure such as a truck or a bus having a high bumper position or a guide rail when a side collision occurs with such a structure. The purpose is to do so.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on an energy absorbing structure of a vehicle body side portion in which a side collision airbag device having an airbag is provided on a vehicle body inner wall portion constituting the vehicle body side portion. .

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in the airbag device, the airbag is deployed vertically by opening the airbag lid when a side collision occurs, and the airbag lid corresponds to the upper part of the airbag deployed upward. Upper lid and a lower lid corresponding to the lower part of the airbag that deploys downward, and the airbag deployment pressure required to open the upper lid is smaller than the airbag deployment pressure required to open the lower lid. By being set, the upper portion of the airbag that expands upward is deployed earlier than the lower portion of the airbag that deploys downward.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the airbag apparatus, the airbag is configured to be expanded in the vertical direction by opening the airbag grid in the event of a side collision, and the airbag grid corresponds to the upper part of the airbag that is expanded upward. And a lower lid corresponding to a lower part of the airbag that deploys downward. Both lids are respectively formed through a fragile portion on a trim member that covers the airbag device. The fragile portion is configured to be opened by breaking the fragile portion by the deployment pressure of the bag, and the thickness of the fragile portion with respect to the upper lid is set to be smaller than the thickness of the fragile portion with respect to the lower lid. The upper part of the airbag that deploys to the airbag deploys faster than the lower part of the airbag that deploys to the fruit report.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the airbag device, the airbag is deployed vertically by opening the airbag lid at the time of a side collision, and the airbag device is connected to the airbag through a jet hole. It has an inflator for supplying gas, and the ejection holes of the inflator are provided so as to face the upper part of the airbag, so that the upper part of the airbag that expands upward is faster than the lower part of the airbag that expands downward. The configuration is to be deployed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag apparatus wherein the airbag is deployed in a vertical direction by opening an airbag lid at the time of a side collision, and the airbag apparatus supplies gas to the airbag. And an upper gas passage connecting the inflator and the upper portion of the airbag, and a lower gas passage connecting the inflator and the lower portion of the airbag, wherein the upper gas passage and the lower gas passage have the same diameter. In this state, since the size of the lower gas passage is formed longer than that of the upper gas passage, the upper portion of the airbag that expands upward is deployed earlier than the lower portion of the airbag that deploys downward. Configuration.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the airbag device, the airbag is deployed in a vertical direction by opening the airbag lid upon a side collision, and the airbag device supplies gas to the airbag. An inflator, an upper gas passage connecting the inflator and the upper portion of the airbag, and a lower gas passage connecting the inflator and the lower portion of the airbag, wherein the upper gas passage and the lower gas passage have a length. In the same state, since the diameter of the lower gas passage is formed smaller than that of the upper gas passage, the upper airbag that expands upward deploys faster than the lower airbag that deploys downward. Configuration.

[0014]

According to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, at the time of a side collision,
The upper part of the airbag, which deploys upward and protects the occupant's chest, deploys faster than the lower part of the airbag, which deploys downward and protects the occupant's waist, protecting the occupant's chest faster. This protects the occupant (especially the chest) from a structure such as a truck or a bus having a high bumper position or a guide rail or the like in a side collision with such a structure.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 In this embodiment, the force required to open the lid of the upper lid and the lower lid in the air bag grid is different.

In FIG. 1 showing a schematic structure, reference numeral 1 denotes a door of an automobile, and an outer panel 1a disposed on the outside of the vehicle and an inner panel 1b disposed on the side of the vehicle are joined to form a closed cross section. Have been. The inner panel 1b includes a passenger M
The airbag device 2A is disposed at a position between the chest M1 and the waist M2 of the occupant when the passenger is seated. A door trim 3 is attached to the vehicle interior side of the inner panel 1b, and a part of the door trim 3 covers the airbag device 2A.
Is composed. Further, between the outer panel 1a and the inner panel 1b, the door glass 5 is supported by a lifting mechanism such as a window regulator so as to be able to move up and down.

As is well known, the airbag apparatus 2A has a casing 6 in which a folded airbag 7 and an inflator 8 are housed. Also, the outer panel 1a
An impact sensor 9 for detecting an external impact applied to the side of the vehicle body is disposed between the door and the door glass 5. The inflator 8 and the impact sensor 9 are electrically connected to a control unit (not shown) disposed in, for example, a console box at the front of the center of the vehicle compartment. When the shock detection output from the shock sensor 9 is input, the control unit outputs a drive signal to the inflator 8 in response thereto, drives the inflator 8 and deploys the airbag 7. .

The air bag grid 4 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in detail in FIG. 1, it basically includes an upper lid 11, an intermediate lid 12 and a lower lid 13.
That is, the upper edge of the upper lid 11 is connected to the trim main body 3a via the hinge portion 14, and the lower edge of the lower lid 13 is connected to the trim main body 3a via the hinge portion 15. The front and rear edges and the lower edge of the upper lid 11 are defined by an upper fragile portion 17 in which a slit groove 16 is formed on the outside of the door trim 3, and the front and rear edges and the upper edge of the lower lid 13 are also The door trim 3 is defined by a lower weak portion 19 having a slit groove 18 formed on the vehicle outside. The intermediate lid 12 is connected between the upper lid 11 and the lower lid 13 via the fragile portions 17 and 19.

The slit groove 16 of the upper fragile portion 17 is formed so as to be deeper than the slit groove 18 of the lower fragile portion 19, and the upper fragile portion 17 has a smaller plate thickness than the lower fragile portion 19. It is easy to break and separate. Therefore,
Peripheral edge of upper lid 11 except upper edge, lower lid 13
The connection strength with the door trim 3 increases in the order of the peripheral edge excluding the lower edge and the front and rear edges of the intermediate lid 12, and the force required to open the lid also increases. The force required for opening the lid is made different in order to open the lids in the order of the upper lid 11, the lower lid 13, and the intermediate lid 12, but the intermediate lid 12 is surely opened latest. In order to make the fragile portion 2 at the front and rear edges of the intermediate lid 12 high temperature of the gas generated from the inflator 8,
The strength of 0, 20 may be reduced.

With the above-described configuration, the interior of the door trim 3 inside the vehicle interior does not differ in appearance from the normal door trim 3 including the portion of the airbag lid 4 in normal times (see FIG. 4A). Does not impair.

In the event of a side collision or the like, the impact sensor 9 detects this, and the airbag 7 is actuated by the operation of the inflator 8.
When the deployment pressure due to the expansion acts on the airbag grid 4, the airbag grid 4 receiving this deployment pressure breaks the slit groove 16 because the upper weak portion 17 has the lowest connection strength with the door trim 3. The upper fragile portion 17 is broken as a trigger for the upper lid 1
1 separates from the door trim 3. And the airbag 7
The upper lid 11 is opened upward through the hinge portion 14 by the developing pressure (see FIG. 4B).

Then, since the deployment pressure of the airbag 7 continues to act on the airbag lid 4, the lower weak portion 19 having the next weakest connection strength with the door trim 3 is formed. Slit groove 18
, And the lower lid 13 is separated from the door trim 3. Then, the lower lid 13 is opened downward through the hinge portion 15 by the deployment pressure of the airbag 7 (see FIG. 4C).

Subsequently, the fragile portions 20, 20 at the front and rear edges of the intermediate lid 12 are also broken, move together with the airbag 7 into the vehicle interior (see FIG. 4 (d)), and fall off.

Therefore, the upper lid 11 is opened first, and then the lower lid 13 is opened. Therefore, the upper portion of the airbag 7 for protecting the occupant M's chest M1 is provided with the airbag for protecting the occupant M's waist M2. 7, the chest M1 of the occupant M is protected earlier than the waist M2, and the chest M1 and the waist M2 of the occupant M are protected.
The whole is opened, and the airbag 7 is fully deployed.

Therefore, at the time of a side collision with a vehicle such as a truck or a bus having a high bumper position or a structure such as a guide rail, an occupant is effectively protected from such a structure.

In the above embodiment, the air bag grid 4 is constituted by the three lids of the upper, middle and lower lids 11, 12, and 13. For example, the intermediate lid is eliminated and the upper and lower lids 2 and 3 are removed. It consists of two lids, both lids are defined by slit grooves, rigid members etc. are embedded inside the lower lid, so that the lower lid requires more force to open the lid than the upper lid. , The lower lid can be opened later than the upper lid.

Embodiment 2 In this embodiment, in the upper lid and the lower lid of the airbag lid, the thickness of the fragile portion of each lid that is broken to open the lid by the deployment pressure of the airbag when the airbag is deployed is reduced. , The upper lid and the lower lid.

In FIG. 5, an armrest 22 is attached to an inner panel 21b of a door 21 in which an outer panel 21a and an inner panel 21b are joined, so as to protrude into the vehicle interior. The armrest 22 includes an airbag device 2 </ b> B provided inside and a part of the door trim 23. In the airbag device 2B, the upper airbag 25a that protects the occupant's chest and the lower airbag 25b that protects the lumbar portion M1 of the occupant M are inflated by one inflator 24.

An upper lid 26 corresponding to the upper airbag 25a is provided on the armrest 22 of the door trim 23.
However, a lower lid 27 is formed corresponding to the lower airbag 25b. The lid portions 26 and 27 have hinge portions 28 and 29 at the edges on the vehicle interior side, and other peripheral edges except the edges are formed by fragile portions 30 and 31 having slit grooves 30a and 31a. Since the fragile portion 30 for the upper lid 26 is thinner than the fragile portion 31 for the lower lid 27, the upper lid 26 has a smaller thickness.
The fragile portion 30 is easier to break, and the inflator 2
In the case where the gas ejection pressure is uniform, the upper lid 26 is easier to open and opens earlier. The thickness of the door trim 23 that becomes the upper lid 26 is made thinner than that of the door trim 23 that becomes the lower lid 27,
The thickness of the fragile portion may be changed by making the slit groove the same depth.

Further, the chest M of the occupant M is placed on the armrest 22.
Since the lower part 1 and the upper part of the waist M2 may come into contact with each other, a crash pad 32 made of an energy absorbing material is provided on the intermediate surface of the armrest 22.

With the above configuration, the upper lid 26
Is weaker than the fragile portion 31 with respect to the lower lid 27, and the fragile portion 30 with respect to the upper lid 26 is more easily broken than the fragile portion 31 with respect to the lower lid 27. When the gas ejection pressure from the inflator 24 is uniform for each of the airbags 25a and 25b, the upper lid 26 is easier to open than the lower lid 27, and the upper lid 26 is easier than the lower lid 27. Open early.

As a result, the upper airbag 25a for protecting the chest M1 of the occupant M is deployed to the occupant M earlier than the lower airbag 25b for protecting the waist M2 of the occupant M. M1 is protected earlier than waist M2.

Embodiment 3 In this embodiment, the mode of gas ejection from the inflator is different between the upper part and the lower part of the airbag.

6 and 7, similarly to the first embodiment, the air bag grid 41 includes upper, middle and lower lids 4.
Although the three lids 2, 43 and 44 are formed in the door trim 45, the depths of the slit grooves of the weak portions 46 and 47 are all the same, and the breaking strength of each of the weak portions 46 and 47 is substantially equal. It is the same.

The inflator 49 is arranged in consideration of the arrangement direction so that the number of ejection holes 49a increases obliquely upward, and gas is ejected to the upper portion of the airbag 50 (FIG. 7). reference).

In this way, when the airbag 50 is inflated in a side collision or the like, the gas from the inflator 49 mainly acts on the upper portion of the airbag 50, and the deployment pressure due to the inflation is: Since the upper lid 42 is larger than the lower lid 44, the upper fragile portion 46 is broken through the slit groove, and the upper lid 42 is separated from the door trim 45. Then, the upper lid 42 is opened upward by the deployment pressure of the airbag 50.

Then, since the deployment pressure of the airbag 50 continues to act on the airbag lid 41, the lower fragile portion 47 breaks along the slit groove, and the lower lid 44 separates from the door trim 45. Then, the lower lid 44 is opened downward by the deployment pressure of the airbag 50.

Subsequently, after restraining the chest M1 and the waist M2 of the occupant M, the intermediate lid 43 falls off and the entire airbag lid 41 is opened, whereby the airbag 50 is in a fully deployed state.

Embodiment 4 In the present embodiment, the supply form of gas from the inflator to the airbag is different between the upper part of the airbag and the lower part of the airbag.

As shown in FIG. 8, an upper airbag 53 for protecting the occupant's chest, and an upper airbag 53 for protecting the occupant's waist, above and below the inner panel 51b of the door 51 where the outer panel 51a and the inner panel 51b are joined. Lower airbags 54 are provided, respectively. The door lid 55 has an upper lid 5 corresponding to the airbags 53 and 54.
The lower lid 6 and the lower lid 57 are formed via weak portions 58, 59 formed by the slit grooves 58a, 59a.

An inflator 60 is provided between the airbags 53 and 54, and gas generated from the inflator 60 is supplied to a gas passage 6 formed by a pipe having a uniform diameter.
The airbags 1 and 62 are supplied to the airbags 53 and 54. The upper gas passage 61 is shorter than the lower gas passage 62, and the gas from the inflator 60 is supplied to the upper airbag 53 faster than the lower airbag 54, and the upper airbag 53 is inflated faster. So
The upper lid 56 opens earlier than the lower lid 57,
Quickly restrain and protect M's chest M1.

In the above embodiment, the lengths of the gas passages are changed. However, as shown in FIG.
The diameter of the upper and lower gas passages 65 and 66 is made larger in the upper gas passage 65 than in the lower gas passage 66.
A large amount of gas can be supplied to the head to allow for rapid expansion and deployment.

[0044]

According to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, at the time of side collision,
Because the upper part of the airbag of the airbag device is deployed faster than the lower part, it can be used with vehicles such as trucks and buses and bumpers with high bumpers and structures such as guide rails. During a side impact, the occupant is protected from such structures.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an energy absorbing structure of a vehicle body side portion according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a lid portion of the airbag device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a lid portion of the airbag device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an opening order of a lid of the airbag device.

FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating an energy absorbing structure of a vehicle body side portion according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating an energy absorbing structure of a vehicle body side portion according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a gas outlet of an inflator.

FIG. 8 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating an energy absorbing structure of a vehicle body side portion according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 9 for a modified example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,21 Door 2A, 2B Airbag device 3,23,55 Door trim (trim member) 4,41 Airbag grid 7,24,49,60 Inflator 8,25a, 25b, 50,53,54 Airbag 11,26, 42,56 Upper lid 13,27,44,57 Lower lid 17,19,30,31,46,47,58,59 Fragile part 61,62,65,66 Gas passage

Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B60R 21/16-21/32

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] To 1. A vehicle body inner wall portion constituting the vehicle body side, vehicle body side airbag device is disposed with an air bag
In the energy absorbing structure of the side part, the airbag device is configured such that, when a side collision occurs, the airbag is deployed in an up-down direction by opening the airbag lid, and the airbag lid deploys the air that is deployed upward.
The upper lid corresponding to the top of the bag and the
A lower lid corresponding to the lower part of the bag, and an upper lid.
Airbag deployment pressure required to open the lid opens the lower lid.
It is set smaller than the airbag deployment pressure required for release.
By doing so, the upper part of the airbag that expands upwards
It can be deployed faster than the lower airbag below.
An energy absorbing structure on the side of the vehicle body. 2. An air conditioner is provided on an inner wall portion of a vehicle body constituting a side portion of the vehicle body.
A vehicle body provided with a side collision airbag device having a bag
In the side energy absorbing structure, the airbag device can be used in an airbag lid when a side collision occurs.
The airbag expands vertically by opening the door
The air bag grid is configured so that air
The upper lid corresponding to the top of the bag and the
A lower lid corresponding to the lower part of the bag is provided.
Are vulnerable to the trim members that cover each airbag device
Formed through the airbag, when the airbag is deployed
The fragile part is broken and released by the deployment pressure of
The thickness of the fragile part against the upper lid is
It is set thinner than the thickness of the fragile part for the side lid
As a result, the upper part of the airbag
Deploys faster than the lower airbag deploys
A body side energy absorbing structure characterized by the following . 3. An air conditioner is provided on an inner wall portion of a vehicle body constituting a vehicle body side portion.
A vehicle body provided with a side collision airbag device having a bag
In the side energy absorbing structure, the airbag device can be used in an airbag lid when a side collision occurs.
The airbag expands vertically by opening the door
The airbag device is configured to
An inflator for supplying gas by
Outlets are oriented toward the top of the airbag.
By Rukoto, it is more of airbags top to deploy upward
It can be deployed faster than the lower airbag below.
An energy absorbing structure on the side of the vehicle body. 4. An air conditioner is provided on an inner wall portion of a vehicle body constituting a vehicle body side portion.
A vehicle body provided with a side collision airbag device having a bag
In the side energy absorbing structure, the airbag device can be used in an airbag lid when a side collision occurs.
The airbag expands vertically by opening the door
The airbag device is configured to supply gas to the airbag.
Inflator and upper part of the inflator and airbag
Upper gas passage connecting the inflator and air
A lower gas passage connecting to a lower portion of the bag;
The side gas passage and the lower gas passage have the same diameter,
The lower gas passage is longer than the upper gas passage.
Airbag that expands upward by being formed
The upper part expands faster than the lower airbag lower part
An energy absorbing structure on the side of the vehicle body, which is opened . 5. An air-conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall portion of the vehicle body constituting a side portion of the vehicle body is provided with air.
A vehicle body provided with a side collision airbag device having a bag
In the side energy absorbing structure, the airbag device can be used in an airbag lid when a side collision occurs.
The airbag expands vertically by opening the door
The airbag device supplies gas to the airbag.
The inflator to be supplied and the inflator and the airbag
Upper gas passage for connecting the inflator and the air
Having a lower gas passage connecting the lower part of the bag,
The upper gas passage and the lower gas passage have the same length,
The diameter of the lower gas passage is smaller than that of the upper gas passage.
Airbag that expands upwards
The upper part of the bag is faster than the lower part of the airbag that deploys downward.
An energy absorbing structure on the side of the vehicle body, which is widely deployed .