JP3559883B2 - Rotating structure of airbag door - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rotation structure of an airbag door used for an airbag device mounted on a vehicle such as a passenger car and for smoothly rotating the airbag door when the airbag of the airbag device is deployed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, passenger cars and the like are equipped with an airbag device that detects the impact from the front with a sensor and instantaneously injects high pressure gas into the bag at the time of collision, and cushions the impact received by the occupant with this inflated bag. It is becoming.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional stored airbag device. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional elastomer door.
As shown in FIG. 5, an airbag module 4 is attached to an airbag storage section 2 of the instrument panel 1 via a reinforcing case 3 inside an elastomer door 10 (shown by hatching in the figure). The airbag module 4 is supported by a reinforcement 7 in the instrument panel 1. As shown in the figure, the front surface of the airbag storage unit is normally closed by an elastomer door 10, and a large decorative panel 6 is provided around the airbag storage unit 2.
[0003]
5 and FIG. 6, the elastomer door 10 is hooked to the airbag module 4 via a sheet metal retainer 11, and the sheet metal retainer 11 is applied to the inside of the elastomer door 10. In addition, hook portions 3a of the reinforcing case 3 are inserted into openings 10a and 11a formed in the elastomer door 10 and the sheet metal retainer 11, respectively. Further, a boss 15 protrudes from the front surface of the elastomer door 10, and a decorative panel 12 having a hole that engages with the boss 15 is provided. An embedding nut 13 is embedded in the decorative panel 12, and a long screw insertion hole 10 b is formed in a portion of the elastomer door 10 corresponding to the embedding nut 13. The screw 14 inserted through the elongated screw insertion hole 10b from the sheet metal retainer 11 side is fastened to the embedding nut 13 so that these members are mutually connected, and the airbag door 5 is formed. Have been.
[0004]
The elastomer door 10 is locked to the instrument panel 1 by the claw portion 10c so that it does not protrude even when an impact such as a collision occurs. The boss 15 has such a strength that the boss 15 does not break or break due to vibration or the like during normal running, but is set to break when the elastomer door 10 is deployed when the airbag device is activated.
[0005]
In such a rotating structure of the airbag door of the conventional airbag device, when the airbag device operates, the inflating airbag presses the elastomer door 10 from the inside, and the elastomer door 10 breaks along the slit 10d. As a result, the airbag door 5 is deployed around the portion A shown in FIG. With this deployment, the boss 15 is broken, the decorative panel 12 slides along the elongated screw insertion hole 10b, and the airbag swells from the opening on the front surface of the airbag housing.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional airbag door rotating structure, the sheet metal retainer 11, the elastomer door 10, and the decorative panel 12 rotate around the A portion of the sheet metal retainer 11 when the airbag apparatus is operated, as shown in FIG. However, since the upper elastomer door 10 is compressed and the sheet metal retainer 11 cannot be extended, it is difficult for the airbag door 5 to rotate smoothly.
Further, when the airbag door 5 is deployed, the decorative panel 12 slides along the long screw insertion hole 10b, but this slide is caused by the twisting force caused by the interference between the large decorative panel 6 and the decorative panel 12. The rotation is not good.
[0007]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a rotation structure of an airbag door that improves the rotation performance of the airbag door when the airbag is inflated and reduces the number of assembly steps.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a rotating structure of an airbag door according to the present invention includes an airbag storage section around which a large decorative panel is disposed, and an elastomer door closed and attached thereto. An airbag device for an automobile in which an airbag inflates from a storage portion, a retainer having a hinge portion, a clip portion, and a notch portion formed between the clip portion and the hinge portion, and a clip hole formed in an upper end corner portion. And an elastomer door having a slit formed by cutting into a lower end corner, and an airbag door in which a front face of the elastomer door is sandwiched from a clip hole of the elastomer door by a clip portion of a retainer and a decorative plate is fixed to a front face of the elastomer door. The upper corner of the elastomer door and the slit are broken by the inflation of the airbag, Door are those having a structure for rotating a hinge portion.
Further, in addition to the above configuration, the retainer is made of a sheet metal whose main cross section is formed in a U-shape, and the hinge portion is formed by bending this sheet metal.
Further, the vicinity of the upper end corner portion of the elastomer door from the clip hole of the elastomer door is sandwiched by the clip portion of the retainer and fixed with screws.
[0009]
In the rotating structure of the airbag door having such a configuration, when the airbag device operates, the airbag is inflated and presses the elastomer door from the inside. This pressing breaks the slit of the elastomer door, and the airbag swells from the opening on the front surface of the airbag housing. As this bulging occurs, the upper end corner of the elastomer door is broken, and the airbag door rotates about the hinge. As the hinge rotates, the airbag door also rotates while the hinge itself extends. At this time, the decorative panel does not interfere with the large decorative panel.
[0010]
Therefore, in the rotating structure of the airbag door of the present invention, the expansion of the airbag door can be performed smoothly without interference between the large decorative panel and the upper part of the decorative panel in front of the elastomer door.
Further, since the hinge portion of the retainer is formed by bending an integrated sheet metal, the hinge portion itself can be developed and extended as the airbag door is deployed.
Furthermore, since the vicinity of the upper end corner of the elastomer door from the clip hole of the elastomer door is sandwiched by the clip of the retainer and fixed with screws, the upper end corner of the elastomer door can be easily broken when the airbag is inflated. The retainer clips the elastomer door at the clip portion. Therefore, the retainer can be easily attached to the elastomer door, and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the rotating structure of an airbag door according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a rotating structure of an airbag door according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, an airbag module 4 is mounted in an airbag storage section 2 of an instrument panel 1 via a reinforcing case 3 inside an elastomer door 40 (shown by hatching in the figure). The hook 3a of the reinforcing case 3 is inserted into openings 10a and 31a formed in the elastomer door 40 and the sheet metal retainer 30, respectively. Further, the elastomer door 40 is locked to the instrument panel 1 by the claw portion 10c, and is disposed so as not to protrude even in the event of an impact such as a collision.
[0012]
FIG. 2 is an external view of the sheet metal retainer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The sheet metal retainer 30 is a U-shaped sheet metal having a hinge section 32 and a clip section 34, and a notch 36 is formed between the clip section 34 and the hinge section 32. Further, holes 37 are provided on the front and back sides of the clip portion 34 for fixing the elastomer door 40 with screws.
The hinge part 32 may be formed by bending a steel plate integral with the sheet metal retainer, instead of having a fixed rotation center.
[0013]
FIG. 3 is an external perspective view in which the sheet metal retainer 30 is attached to the elastomer door 40 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The elastomer door 40 of the present embodiment has three clip holes 42 for clipping the elastomer door 40 between the upper end corner portion 41 and three places in the drawing, and does not protrude from the instrument panel 1 when the airbag device is activated. A claw portion 10c formed as described above and an opening 10a into which the hook portion 3a of the reinforcing case 3 is inserted are provided. Of the five openings 10a, two openings 10a, 10a overlap the openings 31a of the sheet metal retainer 30.
[0014]
Further, the slit 46 formed by making a cut in the lower part of the front surface of the elastomer door 40 is set so as to be broken along the two-dot chain line shown in FIG. 3 by the impact when the airbag is inflated. In addition, in the front surface of the elastomer door 40, openings 44 for fastening the screw 14 to the embedding nut 13 embedded in the decorative plate 12 are formed at six places in FIG. The upper three openings 44 of these openings 44 are formed at positions corresponding to the holes 37 of the sheet metal retainer 30.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the rotating structure of the airbag door of the present embodiment, the sheet metal retainer 30 is disposed outside by clipping the front surface of the elastomer door 40. The decorative plate 12 is fixed to the front surface of the elastomer door 40 sandwiched between the clip portions 34 of the retainer 30 by fastening the decorative plate 12 to the embedding nut 13 with screws 14. Since the vicinity of the upper corner 41 of the elastomer door 40 is sandwiched by the clip portion 34 and fixed together with the decorative plate 12 with the screw 14, the impact load when the airbag is inflated is indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. The upper end corner 41 is also broken.
As described above, in the rotating structure of the airbag door of the present invention, the airbag door 50 includes the elastomer door 40, the sheet metal retainer 30 rotatable by the hinge 32, and the vicinity of the upper end corner portion 41 sandwiched by the clip portion 34. It is formed from the interior of the elastomer door 40 and the decorative plate 12 fastened to the embedding nut 13 of the decorative plate 12 with screws 14 and fixed.
[0016]
The rotating structure of the airbag door according to the present invention is configured as described above. Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the airbag door after the expansion of the elastomer door. The arrow in FIG. 1 showing the counterclockwise rotation indicates the state of deployment of the airbag door.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, when a sensor detects an impact due to a collision of a vehicle or the like, the airbag device operates and the airbag is inflated. The inflating airbag presses the elastomer door 40 from inside. Due to this pressing, the slit 46 of the elastomer door 40 is broken, and the airbag swells from the opening on the front surface of the airbag storage unit. As this bulges, the upper corner 41 of the elastomer door 40 is broken, and the airbag door 50 rotates about the hinge 32. As the hinge 32 rotates, the airbag door 50 also rotates while the hinge 32 itself extends, so that the decorative panel 12 does not interfere with the large decorative panel 6.
Therefore, in the rotating structure of the airbag door of the present invention, the expansion of the airbag door 50 can be performed smoothly without interference between the large decorative panel 6 and the upper part of the decorative panel 6 in front of the elastomer door 40.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
As can be understood from the above description, in the rotating structure of the airbag door of the present invention, when the airbag device operates and the airbag expands, the airbag door rotates around the hinge. Since the hinge portion itself can be rotated while extending, the airbag door can be smoothly rotated.
Furthermore, since the vicinity of the upper end corner of the elastomer door is sandwiched between the clips of the retainer and fixed with screws, the impact load when the airbag inflates is applied to the upper end corner, and the upper end corner of the elastomer door is easily broken. It has the effect that can be done.
Further, since the retainer clips the elastomer door with the clip portion, the retainer can be simply attached to the elastomer door, and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a rotating structure of an airbag door according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external view of a sheet metal retainer according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an external perspective view in which a sheet metal retainer is attached to the elastomer door according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view after the elastomer door according to the present invention has been deployed.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional stored airbag device.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional elastomer door.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional airbag door deployment.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 instrument panel 3 reinforcing case 4 airbag module 6 large decorative plate 10 c claw portion 12 decorative plate 13 embedded nut 14 screw 30 sheet metal retainer 31 a opening 32 hinge portion 34 clip portion 36 cutout portion 40 elastomer door 42 clip hole 41 Top corner 44 opening 46 slit 50 airbag door

Claims (3)

An automotive airbag device having an airbag storage section around which a large decorative panel is disposed, and an elastomer door provided by closing the airbag storage section, wherein the airbag inflates from the airbag storage section. ,
A retainer having a hinge, a clip, and a notch formed between the clip and the hinge;
The above-mentioned elastomer door having a clip hole formed in an upper end corner portion and a slit formed by cutting a lower end corner,
An airbag door having a front face of the elastomer door sandwiched from a clip hole of the elastomer door by a clip portion of the retainer, and a decorative plate fixed to a front face of the elastomer door,
A rotating structure of an airbag door, wherein an upper end corner portion and a slit of the elastomer door are broken by expansion of the airbag, and the airbag door is rotated by the hinge portion. The rotating structure of an airbag door according to claim 1, wherein the retainer is a sheet metal having a main section formed in a U-shape, and the hinge portion is formed by bending the sheet metal. The rotating structure of an airbag door according to claim 1, wherein a portion near a corner of an upper end of the elastomer door from a clip hole of the elastomer door is sandwiched between clips of the retainer and fixed with screws.

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