JP3858385B2 - Airbag device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automobile airbag device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An example of a conventional airbag device will be described with reference to FIG.
[0003]
This conventional airbag apparatus includes an airbag module 101 in which an airbag 103 and an inflator 104 are housed in a case 102 that opens upward, and the opening is covered with an airbag door 105. It is arranged in the instrument panel 106 so as to close the opening 107 provided on the upper surface of the instrument panel 106. In order to support and fix the airbag module 101 by a vehicle body side member 108 such as a reinforcing member disposed in the instrument panel 106, a case side bracket 109 is fixed to the bottom surface of the case 102, and the vehicle body side member 108 is fixed. Is provided with a vehicle body side bracket 110, and both brackets 109, 110 are coupled by bolts 111.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such an airbag device, the airbag module 101 is assembled to the instrument panel 106 in advance, and after mounting on the vehicle, as shown in FIG. There are cases where both case side brackets 109 and 110 are tightened and fixed by being inserted into the respective bolt holes 109a and 110a of the side bracket 110.
[0005]
In this case, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5, the entire passenger panel side of the instrument panel 106 may hang downward due to the weight of the airbag module 101.
[0006]
If it hangs down in this way, the coupling position of the case side bracket 109 and the vehicle body side bracket 110 will shift | deviate, and the volt | bolt 111 will no longer be tightened. Therefore, the bolt 111 must be tightened while lifting the airbag module 101, and there is a problem that it is difficult to adjust the installation in the assembly work of the airbag module 101, and it takes a lot of time.
[0007]
An object of this invention is to provide the airbag apparatus with which the assembly | attachment operation | work of an airbag module is easy.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an airbag device comprising an airbag module in which an airbag and an inflator are housed in a case that opens upward, and the opening is covered with an airbag door. A case-side bracket provided on the case and the case-side bracket so that the airbag module is supported by a vehicle body-side member disposed in the instrument panel. In an airbag device formed by coupling a vehicle body side bracket provided on a vehicle body side member by a coupling member, the airbag is locked to the case side bracket by the vehicle body side bracket and before coupling by the coupling member. Positioning in the vehicle vertical direction of the joint position of both brackets while preventing the module from hanging down The to engaging claw is provided, wherein the engagement claw is formed so as to be hooked to the upper end of the vehicle body-side bracket.
[0009]
When assembling the airbag device, the airbag module is assembled to the instrument panel in advance, and then the case side bracket and the vehicle body side bracket are coupled by a coupling member to support and fix the airbag module to the vehicle body side member. There are things to do. In this case, when the airbag module is assembled to the instrument panel, the engagement claw of the case side bracket is hooked on the vehicle body side bracket, so that the airbag module is prevented from drooping, and the coupling position of both brackets is the vehicle. Positioned in the vertical direction. Therefore, regardless of the rigidity of the instrument panel and the weight of the airbag module, both brackets can be easily coupled by the coupling member, and thus the installation adjustment of the airbag module is easy.
[0010]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the airbag device according to the first aspect is characterized in that the engaging claw is locked to the vehicle body side bracket with play in the vehicle front-rear direction.
[0011]
In this way, by providing play in the vehicle front-rear direction to the engagement between the engagement claw and the vehicle body side bracket, the position of the airbag module is adjusted in the vehicle front-rear direction relative to the opening of the instrument panel. Since the allowance is secured, the degree of freedom in assembling the airbag module is high.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the airbag apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the case-side bracket has a substantially horizontally extending base portion fixed to the bottom surface of the case, and a substantially vertically extending coupling portion coupled to the vehicle body side bracket. The engaging claw is formed by cutting and raising a bent portion extending from the coupling portion to the inclined portion.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an airbag apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part thereof, and FIG. 3 is an assembly of an airbag module to a vehicle body side member in this airbag apparatus. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an opening of the instrument panel.
[0015]
This airbag device is a passenger seat airbag device disposed at a position corresponding to the passenger seat of the instrument panel 1.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 1, an opening 2 is provided on the upper surface of the instrument panel 1, and a case 12 that opens upward is provided close to the lower side of the opening 2.
[0017]
The airbag module 10 is configured by housing the airbag 14 folded in the case 12 and an inflator 16 as a gas generator, and covering the opening of the case 12 with an airbag door 18. More specifically, the inflator 16 is disposed close to the vehicle front side at the bottom of the case 12, and a diffuser 20 that restricts the flow of gas is disposed so as to cover the inflator 16. The mouth of the airbag 14 is attached to the periphery of the opening of the case 12 by a retainer 22. The airbag door 18 includes a thin-walled fracture portion 23 on a design surface portion that is an upper surface portion thereof, and when the inflator 16 is operated, the fracture portion 23 is broken by the internal pressure of the airbag 14 and the airbag door 18 is opened. The airbag 14 is configured to bulge into the vehicle compartment from the opening. The airbag door 18 includes an attachment portion 24 that is formed to protrude from the back surface of the design surface portion, and the attachment portion 24 is attached to the wall surface of the case 12 by the retainer 22.
[0018]
The airbag module 10 is disposed in the instrument panel 1 so that the airbag door 18 closes the opening 2 of the instrument panel 1. And it mounts in the vehicle in the state in which the bottom part was supported by the reinforcement member 3 distribute | arranged in the instrument panel 1. FIG.
[0019]
A case side bracket 26 is attached to the bottom surface of the case 12, and a vehicle body side bracket 30 coupled to the case side bracket 26 with a bolt 28 is attached to the reinforcing member 3. As shown in FIG. 3, two sets of the case side bracket 26 and the vehicle body side bracket 30 are provided in the width direction of the case 12 in this embodiment. In addition, you may comprise so that it may support by only 1 set.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the case side bracket 26 is formed in a shape bent in a substantially L-shaped longitudinal section by bending a metal plate. Specifically, a base portion 26a that is fixed to the bottom surface of the case 12 and that is disposed substantially horizontally, an inclined portion 26b that extends rearward and downward from the rear end thereof, and a vehicle body side bracket 30 that extends downward from the lower end thereof. The coupling portion 26c is arranged substantially vertically and has a coupling seat surface.
[0021]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle body side bracket 30 is formed in a substantially U shape in a horizontal section, and is disposed substantially vertically having a coupling seat surface that comes into contact with the coupling portion 26 c of the case side bracket 26. The coupling part 30a is provided.
[0022]
Bolt holes 32 and 34 through which the bolts 28 pass are provided in the coupling portions 26c and 30a of the case side bracket 26 and the vehicle body side bracket 30, respectively. The diameters of the bolt holes 32 and 34 are set larger in the case-side bracket 26 as shown in FIG. 2 in order to increase the degree of freedom in assembling the airbag module 10 with respect to the instrument panel 1. A nut 36 for fixing the bolt 28 is joined to the bolt hole 34 of the vehicle body side bracket 30 on the anti-bonding seating surface side by welding.
[0023]
An engaging claw 38 is provided by cutting and raising at a bending center 26d from the coupling portion 26c of the case side bracket 26 to the inclined portion 26b. The engaging claws 38 are set so that the bolt holes 32 and 34 of the brackets 26 and 30 are aligned in the vehicle vertical direction when hooked on the vehicle body side bracket 30.
[0024]
In detail, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the engaging claw 38 is formed by cutting the center portion in the width direction of the inclined portion 26 b toward the vehicle front side and bending it downward into a substantially L-shaped section. It is formed so that the upper end of the coupling portion 30a of the vehicle body side bracket 30 can be hooked. Here, when the thickness of the coupling portion 30a of the vehicle body side bracket 30 is t, the inner width w of the engaging claw 38 into which the coupling portion 30a is inserted is set to about 2t to 3t. As a result, moderate play in the vehicle longitudinal direction is ensured.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 4, the opening 2 of the instrument panel 1 is provided with attachment portions 4 having elongated attachment holes 4 a extending in the vehicle front-rear direction on the left and right sides thereof. Bolts 42 of side brackets 40 attached to the left and right side walls of the case 12 are inserted into the attachment portion 4, and the case 12 is attached to the instrument panel 1 by tightening the bolts 42 with nuts 44. It is attached and fixed to the opening 2.
[0026]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 6 indicates a windshield, and reference numeral 7 indicates a duct disposed in the instrument panel 1.
[0027]
When assembling the airbag device, the airbag module 10 is first inserted into the opening 2 from above the instrument panel 1 and assembled. At that time, as shown in FIG. 3, the side bracket 40 of the case 12 is passed through the mounting hole 4 a of the mounting portion 4 in the opening 2 of the instrument panel 1, and the engaging claw 38 of the case side bracket 26 is moved to the vehicle body side. It hooks on the upper end of the bracket 30. Then, the side bracket 40 is fixed to the mounting portion 4 using a nut 44. Thereafter, the bolts 28 are inserted into the bolt holes 32 and 34 of both brackets 26 and 30 from the opening of the glove box 5 and fixed.
[0028]
In this airbag device, when the airbag module 10 is assembled to the instrument panel 1 in advance, the engagement claw 38 of the case side bracket 26 is hooked on the vehicle body side bracket 30, so that the instrument panel 1 Regardless of the rigidity or the weight of the airbag module 10, the airbag module 10 is prevented from drooping. Further, by engaging the engaging claws 38 of the case side bracket 26 with the vehicle body side bracket 30 in this way, the coupling position of both the brackets 26 and 30 is positioned in the vehicle vertical direction. 28, the airbag module 10 can be easily installed and adjusted.
[0029]
In addition, as described above, the attachment hole 4a in the opening 2 of the instrument panel 1 is formed in a long hole shape extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the airbag module 10 is formed in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the opening 2 of the instrument panel 1. In the case where the position can be adjusted, if the inner dimension w of the engagement claw 38 is set so that the engagement claw 38 of the case side bracket 26 fits exactly with the upper end of the vehicle body side bracket 30, the engagement claw 38 And the vehicle body side bracket 30 are hindered from being adjusted in position. In the present embodiment, the inner dimension w is set to 2 to 3 times the plate thickness t of the vehicle body side bracket 30 to ensure an appropriate play in the vehicle front-rear direction for locking the engagement claw 38 and the vehicle body side bracket 30. As a result, the locking does not hinder the position adjustment, and the movement allowance of the airbag module 10 in the vehicle front-rear direction is ensured, so that the degree of assembly is high.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
In the airbag device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the airbag module is prevented from drooping during assembly by hooking the engagement claw of the case side bracket to the vehicle body side bracket, and the coupling position of both brackets Is positioned in the vehicle vertical direction. Therefore, regardless of the rigidity of the instrument panel and the weight of the airbag module, both brackets can be easily coupled by the coupling member, and the assembly operation of the airbag module is easy.
[0031]
In the airbag device according to claim 2, since the engagement between the engagement claw and the vehicle body side bracket is provided with play in the vehicle front-rear direction, the engagement is applied to the opening of the instrument panel. Since it does not interfere with the position adjustment of the module in the vehicle front-rear direction, the degree of freedom in assembling the airbag module is high.
[0032]
With the airbag device according to the third aspect, since the engaging claw is formed by cutting and raising the bent portion of the case side bracket, the assembling work can be facilitated without increasing the number of parts.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the airbag device.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the airbag module is assembled to the vehicle body side member in the airbag device.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an opening of an instrument panel.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional airbag device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Instrument panel 2 ... Instrument panel opening 3 ... Reinforcing member 10 ... Air bag module 12 ... Case 14 ... Air bag 16 ... Inflator 18 ... Air bag door 26 ... Case side bracket 28 …… Bolt 30 …… Body side bracket 38 …… Engagement claw

Claims (3)

An airbag module in which an airbag and an inflator are housed in a case that opens upward and the opening is covered with an airbag door is arranged so that the airbag door closes the opening provided on the upper surface of the instrument panel. A case side bracket provided on the case and a vehicle body side bracket provided on the vehicle body side member so that the airbag module is supported by the vehicle body side member disposed in the instrument panel. In an airbag device that is joined by a joining member,
An engaging claw that is locked to the case side bracket and to the vehicle body side bracket to prevent the airbag module from drooping before being coupled by the coupling member and to position the coupling position of both brackets in the vehicle vertical direction. And the engagement claw is formed to be hooked on the upper end of the vehicle body side bracket .   2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the engaging claw is locked to the vehicle body side bracket with play in a vehicle front-rear direction. The case side bracket comprises a substantially horizontally extending base portion fixed to the bottom surface of the case, a substantially vertically extending coupling portion coupled to the vehicle body side bracket, and an inclined portion that couples both.
The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the engaging claw is formed by cutting and raising a bent portion extending from the coupling portion to the inclined portion.

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