JP3078388B2 - Car airbag mounting structure - 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 mounting structure for a motor vehicle in which an airbag device is mounted at a position inside an instrument panel facing a passenger seat.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, automobiles have been provided with an airbag device to ensure the safety of occupants in the event of a collision from the front of the vehicle. Of this airbag device,
The one for the driver's seat is usually provided on the steering wheel, and the one for the passenger's seat is provided inside the instrument panel.

[0003] The airbag device for the passenger seat is, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-26247, an airbag module accommodating an airbag body, and a module forming the airbag module. It consists of an assembly with a lid that covers the opening of the case. Further, such an airbag device is arranged so as to cover a mounting opening formed in the instrument panel with a lid, and in this state, a mounting bracket is provided on an instrument panel frame inside the instrument panel via a mounting bracket. It can be attached.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional mounting structure of the airbag device, the airbag module side of the airbag device is configured to be mounted on the instrument panel frame inside the instrument panel. The gap and step between the lid of the airbag device and the mounting opening of the instrument panel are kept constant under the influence of variations in the degree of linearity of the instrument panel frame and errors in the mounting position between the instrument panel and the instrument panel frame. It is very difficult to do so, and there is a problem that the appearance is deteriorated.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag mounting structure for an automobile, wherein an airbag device having a lid is mounted on an instrument panel. The following measures are taken in an airbag mounting structure for an automobile which is arranged so as to cover the opening with the above-described lid and is assembled to the instrument panel frame in this state.

That is, the airbag device is provided with a positioning engagement portion, while the instrument panel is engaged with the positioning engagement portion to position the lid in the mounting opening. A positioning engagement portion is provided, and a bearing surface for supporting the airbag device and the bearing surface are provided.
Provided on both sides of the panel and connected to the instrument panel.
An airbag support having a side wall portion to be connected is provided separately from the instrument panel on the back side of the mounting opening, and is deformable to absorb an assembly error of the airbag device. Is fixed to the instrument panel frame, and the airbag device is attached to the mounting bracket via a bearing surface of the airbag support.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the vehicle airbag mounting structure according to claim 2 employs the following means in the vehicle airbag mounting structure according to claim 1.

That is, the mounting bracket is provided at least on the rear side of the instrument panel frame.

[0009]

According to the structure of the first aspect, when assembling the airbag device to the instrument panel, the lid of the airbag device is engaged with the positioning engagement portion of the instrument panel. This covers the mounting opening of the instrument panel in a predetermined positioning state. On the other hand, in mounting the airbag device on the instrument panel frame side, the airbag device is supported on the support surface of the airbag support, and in this state,
It is attached to the instrument panel frame via a mounting bracket having a variable portion. For this reason, even in the above-described positioning with respect to the mounting opening on the lid side, the assembling error of the airbag device is absorbed by the deformation of the variable portion of the mounting bracket. The airbag device can be reliably assembled to the instrument panel while maintaining the air pressure constant.

[0010] In addition, for the instrument panel
Attach both side walls of the separately provided airbag support.
Each must be connected to the instrument panel
In, installation of the air bag device through the airbags support
Improve the rigidity of assembly to the torque panel
Wear.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the mounting bracket for connecting the airbag device to the instrument panel frame is provided on the rear side of the passenger compartment of the instrument panel frame. The generated force in the forward direction of the cabin is absorbed by the instrument panel frame, thereby constituting a more secure airbag mounting structure.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

An airbag device 1 according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag support 12 is attached to the inside of the instrument panel 20 facing the front passenger seat.

The airbag device 1 is shown in FIGS.
(A) As shown in (b) and (c), the airbag module 2
And the lid 3 as an assembly. The airbag module 2 includes a module case 4 formed of a metal plate and having an opening 4a on the front surface. Inside the module case 4, an airbag body 5 is provided at the front side in a folded state. An explosion device (not shown) is provided on the rear side. A harness 6 is connected to the detonator, and the operation of the detonator is controlled by the controller by connecting the harness 6 to a controller (not shown) via connectors 7.7. It has become.

A module mounting bracket 8 is provided on the lower surface of the module case 4. The module mounting bracket 8 includes a pair of left and right front connection portions 8 at corresponding portions on the front end side and the rear end side of the module case 4.
a and 8a and the rear connecting portions 8b and 8b are formed so as to protrude downward. Each of these connecting portions 8a and 8b is provided with a bolt insertion hole 8c, and a nut 9 is welded to an upper surface of the bolt insertion hole 8c, thereby enabling connection of the airbag device 1 by bolts. ing.

The lid 3 includes an elastic member 3a made of a foamed resin such as urethane, a skin member 3b made of semi-hard PVC or the like covering the elastic member 3a, and a core material 3c made of an aluminum material or the like.
Are formed integrally with each other, and at the upper end of the opening 4 a of the module case 4, a belt-shaped iron plate hinge 1 is formed.
0, and is attached to the airbag module 2 via a synthetic resin connecting member 30 having a cutable thin portion 30a at the lower end.
, The opening and closing of the opening 4a is enabled.

On the back surfaces of the left and right ends of the core material 3c, lid mounting portions 3d, 3d projecting outward from both side walls of the module case 4 are formed. The lid mounting portion 3d is formed in a three-step shape, and mounting holes 3e are formed in each of these three step surfaces. The lid mounting portion 3d is provided with upper and lower holes 3e in the mounting holes 3e.
Is attached, the lid 3 can be attached to the attachment opening 21 of the instrument panel 20 described later. The mounting hole 3e located in the middle of the mounting holes 3e formed in the lid mounting portion 3d is a lid of the mounting opening 21 described later when the lid 3 is mounted on the mounting opening 21. By inserting the positioning pin 21c, the positioning engagement portion of the present invention is formed. In the following description, this mounting hole 3e is described as a lid positioning hole 3e.

The airbag support 12 is formed of a highly rigid injection-molded resin material, and as shown in FIG.
A bottom surface portion 12a serving as a bearing surface of the airbag device 1, and respective side wall portions 12b suspended from both left and right ends of the bottom surface portion 12a.
12b, and a connecting portion 12c for connecting the upper ends of the side wall portions 12b.

The bottom portion 12a is connected to the front and rear connecting portions 8a, 8a, and 8 when the airbag device 1 is supported as described later.
b · 8b, the front and rear mounting holes 12d · 1
2d, 12e, and 12e are drilled, and a single groove extending along the width direction of the airbag support 12 is provided on the lower surface between the front and rear mounting holes 12d and 12e. 12f is formed. In addition, the said groove part 12f is
The airbag support 12 is connected to an instrument panel frame 22 described later.
It serves as a relief when it is mounted on a vehicle.

Further, the bottom portion 12a and each side wall portion 12b-1
2b, and 3 on each front surface of the connecting portion 12c.
, Two, two, two mounting holes 12g... Are provided, and between each of the mounting holes 12g, 12g on the front surface of the side wall portions 12b, 12b, a support positioning hole 1g is provided.
2h and 12h are drilled. Thereby, each part 12a, 12b, 12b,
The front surface of 12c is formed as a support mounting portion 12i for mounting the airbag support 12 to a mounting opening 21 of an instrument panel 20 described later.

On the other hand, the instrument panel 20 has a mounting opening 2 for mounting the airbag device 1 described above.
1 is formed at a portion facing the passenger seat.

As shown in FIG. 6, the mounting opening 21 has a rectangular shape, and mounting flanges 21a are formed on both right and left ends. The mounting flange 21a has two upper and lower sides of the lid mounting portion 3d.
The upper and lower insertion holes 21b are formed in corresponding portions with the clips 11, and the above-described lid positioning holes 3e are formed in the front side of the mounting flange 21a.
A lid positioning pin 21c as a positioning engagement portion is protrudingly provided at a portion corresponding to the above.

On the other hand, on the rear side of the mounting flange 21a,
The support positioning hole 12 of the airbag support 12 described above
h, a support positioning pin 21d is protrudingly provided at a position corresponding to the mounting hole 12g of the airbag support 12.
Each of the mounting boss holes 21e...

Below the instrument panel 20,
A circular pipe-shaped instrument panel frame 22 is provided. The instrument panel frame 22 is mounted on the vehicle along the width direction of the vehicle, so that the instrument panel 20 is mounted and held on the vehicle. A mounting bracket 23 is welded to the rear of the instrument panel frame 22 in the passenger compartment.

The mounting bracket 23 is formed by bending an iron plate having a U-shaped cross section into an L-shape, and the welding surface 23 to the instrument panel frame 22 is bounded by the bent portion.
a and the mounting surface 23b of the airbag support 12. In addition, a bolt insertion hole (not shown) is formed in each of the mounting surface 23b corresponding to the front mounting holes 12d and 12d of the airbag support 12, and a mounting bracket for the airbag device 1 as described later is provided. 2
3 bolting is possible.

The mounting bracket 23 has reinforcing flanges 23d on both sides, and a substantially circular cutout 23c is formed in the bent portion of the flange portion. A variable portion that deforms the mounting bracket 23 is configured to absorb an assembly error of the airbag device 1 as described below.

In the above configuration, the assembled state of the airbag device 1 and the airbag support 12 of the present embodiment to the instrument panel 20 will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the supporter positioning pin 21d of the mounting opening 21 is inserted through the support positioning hole 12h and the airbag support 12 is mounted on the airbag support 12g.
The portion corresponding to the mounting boss hole portion 21e and the mounting boss hole portion 21e is screwed, so that the positioning is fixed to the mounting opening portion 21 of the instrument panel 20. The rigidity of the mounting opening 21 of the instrument panel 20 is improved by fixing the airbag support 12 as described above.

On the other hand, the airbag device 1 has a lid positioning pin 21c of the mounting opening 21 in the lid positioning hole 3e.
Is inserted, and the clip 11 of the lid mounting portion 3d is inserted into the insertion hole 21b at the position, so that the lid 3 is connected to the mounting opening 21 of the instrument panel 20 as shown in FIG. , And are positioned and fixed with the gap S and the level difference kept constant.

The side of the airbag module 2 of the airbag apparatus 1 to which the lid 3 is positioned and fixed as described above is supported on the bottom surface 12a of the airbag support 12 which is positioned and fixed as described above. In addition, the rear connecting portion 8b of the module mounting bracket 8 and the airbag support 1
2, a portion corresponding to the rear mounting hole 12e is bolted, and a portion corresponding to the front connecting portion 8a of the module mounting bracket 8 and the front mounting hole 12d of the airbag support 12 is a mounting bracket. By being bolted to 23, it is assembled to the instrument panel frame 22 via the airbag support 12 and the mounting bracket 23.

In assembling the airbag module 2 to the instrument panel frame 22 as described above,
The assembly error between the airbag device 1 and the airbag support 12 is concentrated on the site. That is, the lid 3 side of the airbag device 1 and the support mounting portion 12i side of the airbag support 12 are positioned and fixed to the mounting openings 21 respectively. For this reason, in a part to be retrofitted, a considerable error occurs in the proper mounting positional relationship with respect to the mounting bracket 23 (error of the position of the instrument panel frame 22) of the airbag device 1 and the airbag support 12.

However, in this embodiment, since the notch 23c is provided in the mounting bracket 23, the assembling error as described above is absorbed by the deformation of the mounting bracket 23 by the notch 23c.
Therefore, the lid 3 of the airbag device 1 is
Side and the support attachment portion 12i of the airbag support 12
It is bolted according to the positioning and fixing on the side.

As described above, in the airbag device 1 of the present embodiment, the mounting opening 2 is formed in the lid positioning hole 3 e of the lid 3.
By assembling the instrument panel 20 with the one lid positioning pin 21c inserted, the gap S and the step between the lid 3 and the mounting opening 21 are kept constant, and the appearance is improved.

On the other hand, the mounting bracket 23 for assembling the airbag device 1 to the instrument panel frame 22 is provided with a notch 23c. For this reason, even in the positioning and fixing on the lid 3 side as described above, the mounting error can be absorbed by the mounting bracket 23, and as a result, the instrument panel 2 of the airbag device 1 can be absorbed.
This enables reliable assembly to zero.

Further, since the mounting bracket 23 is welded to the rear of the instrument panel frame 22 on the rear side of the passenger compartment, the forward force generated by the operation of the airbag device 1 in the passenger compartment is absorbed by the instrument panel frame 22. , Making the airbag mounting structure safer.

In the airbag mounting structure of the above embodiment, the airbag support 12 supports the airbag module 2 side inside the instrument panel 20.
Although it is provided separately from the instrument panel 20, such an airbag support may be provided integrally with the instrument panel 20.

The airbag mounting structure in which the airbag support is formed integrally with the instrument panel 20 will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the same components as those in the above embodiment will be described.
The same reference numerals are added.

The airbag support 24 integrally formed with the instrument panel 20 has a structure as shown in FIG.
It is formed in the shape of a box on the back side of the mounting opening 21 of the instrument panel 20, and a concave airbag mounting portion 24 is formed on the front end side of both side walls, that is, on the mounting opening 21 side.
a.24a are formed. Further, a lid positioning pin 24b as a positioning engagement portion is provided on the rear end surface of the airbag mounting portion 24a so as to protrude therefrom. The instrument panel frame 22 is provided on the bottom surface of the airbag support 24.
Are formed, and a notch portion 24c serving as an escape portion of the airbag device, and bolt insertion holes 24d for bolting the airbag device 1 are formed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, the airbag module 2 constituting the airbag device 1 is provided with mounting flanges 2a having a U-shaped cross section on both side walls.
A lid positioning hole 2b as a positioning engagement portion is formed in the rear end surface of the mounting flange 2a.

Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the airbag device 1 is assembled to the instrument panel 20 with the lid positioning pins 24b of the airbag support 24 inserted through the lid positioning holes 2b of the airbag module 2. Thus, an airbag mounting structure in which the lid 3 is positioned and fixed in the mounting opening 21 is configured.
Note that assembling the airbag device 1 to the mounting bracket 23 is the same as in the above-described embodiment, and therefore, description thereof will be omitted for convenience.

[0041]

As described above, the vehicle airbag mounting structure according to the first aspect of the present invention has the following features.
While the positioned engagement portion is provided, the instrument panel is provided with a positioning engagement portion that engages with the above-described positioning engagement portion and positions the lid in the mounting opening. Bearing surface for supporting the airbag device
And the instrument pack provided on both sides of the bearing surface.
An airbag support having a side wall connected to the panel is provided separately from the instrument panel on the back side of the mounting opening, and is deformable to absorb an assembly error of the airbag device. A mounting bracket having a variable portion is fixed to an instrument panel frame, and the airbag device is mounted on the mounting bracket via a bearing surface of an airbag support.

Thus, the airbag device can be assembled to the instrument panel while maintaining a constant gap and step between the lid of the airbag device and the mounting opening of the instrument panel. The appearance can be improved. Also, in positioning the lid relative to the mounting opening, since the mounting error of the airbag device is absorbed by the deformation of the variable portion of the mounting bracket, the mounting of the airbag device to the instrument panel frame as described above is ensured. This has the effect of being performed.

In addition to the instrument panel
Even if the airbag support is provided separately, the airbag
Securely attach the support to the instrument panel
Airflow through the airbag support
Rigidity of attaching bag device to instrument panel
Is achieved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag mounting structure for an automobile according to the first aspect, wherein the mounting bracket is provided at least on the rear side of the instrument panel frame. is there.

[0045] Thus, the forward force generated in the cabin caused by the operation of the airbag device can be absorbed by the instrument panel frame via the mounting bracket.
This brings about an effect that a more secure airbag mounting structure is brought about.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which an airbag device and an airbag support according to an embodiment of the present invention are assembled to an instrument panel.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the airbag device.

FIG. 3A is a plan view showing an airbag device, and FIG. 3B is a front view showing the airbag device.
FIG. 3C is a bottom view showing the airbag device.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a clip attached to a lid constituting the airbag device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the airbag support.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a mounting opening formed in the instrument panel.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which a gap and a step between the lid and the mounting opening are kept constant.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an airbag support according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an airbag module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an airbag mounting structure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 airbag device 2 airbag module 3 lid 3 e lid positioning hole (positioned engagement portion) 12 airbag support 12 a bottom surface (supporting surface) 12 b side wall 20 instrument panel 21 mounting opening 21 c lid positioning pin (positioning) Engaging part) 22 instrument panel frame 23 mounting bracket 23c cut part (variable part)

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-46841 (JP, A) JP-A-2-26247 (JP, A) JP-A-4-50054 (JP, A) JP-A-3-3 243443 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model 4-22359 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Utility Model 3-124970 (JP, U) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60R 21/20 B60R 21 / 16

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An airbag device having a lid is disposed so as to cover a mounting opening formed in an instrument panel with the lid, and in this state, an airbag device is assembled to an instrument panel frame. In the airbag mounting structure, the airbag device has a positioning engagement portion, while the instrument panel engages with the positioning engagement portion to position the lid in the mounting opening. A positioning engagement portion for supporting the airbag device, and a support surface provided on both sides of the support surface for supporting the airbag device.
An airbag support having a side wall connected to the instrument panel is provided on the back side of the mounting opening separately from the instrument panel,
A mounting bracket having a deformable portion that can be deformed to absorb an assembling error of the airbag device is fixed to the instrument panel frame, and the airbag device is mounted to the mounting bracket via a bearing surface of the airbag support. An airbag mounting structure for an automobile. 2. An airbag mounting structure for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein said mounting bracket is provided at least on the rear side of the instrument panel frame.