JP3892185B2 - Airbag grid structure for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle air grid structure.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Some vehicles such as automobiles have an airbag device as a safety means in an emergency. In the airbag device, when an impact force of a predetermined value or more is applied to the vehicle body, the bag body that is folded and housed in a housing disposed inside the instrument panel or the like has a pressure gas pressure from the inflator. Therefore, the head of the passenger seated in a fixed position is received and protected so that the head does not come into contact with the instrument panel or the like.
[0003]
When the bag body is inflated, it presses the lid portion formed on the instrument panel, and forms a bulge opening by cleaving the cleavage groove formed in the lid portion. It is designed to bulge toward the passenger side.
[0004]
The instrument panel has a three-layer structure integrally including a skin, a foam layer, and a core material in order from the surface side. This instrument panel is molded by setting the skin and the core material in a foaming mold (not shown) and injecting a foaming agent constituting a foam layer between the skin and the core material.
[0005]
The lid part includes a part separate from the instrument panel and a part integrated with the instrument panel. In the case where the instrument panel and the lid part are integrated, at the position of the lid part, the skin and the foamed layer remain unchanged, and an opening is formed in the core part, and a door member is attached to this opening. Yes. Two door members are provided in the vehicle front-rear direction when the cleavage groove has a substantially H-shape in plan view.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional air bag grid structure for a vehicle, the skin of an instrument panel, for example, a vinyl chloride skin, tends to stretch at a high temperature, and the door member has a substantially uniform strength as a whole surface. Therefore, it did not have a function of concentrating the force at the center of the lid portion or transmitting the force quickly to the end of the cleavage groove at the time of cleavage. Therefore, it has been difficult to efficiently cleave the cleavage groove.
[0007]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, in a vehicle airbag grid structure provided on an instrument panel or the like made of a skin, a foam layer and a core material. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular airbag grid structure that can reliably tear the skin of an instrument panel or the like at the time of opening regardless of the temperature change of the elongation rate.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention described in claim 1 is provided with a three-layer structure comprising a skin, a foam layer and a core material, and a hinge is formed at the opening formed in the core material when the airbag is inflated. In a vehicle air bag grid structure to which a substantially rectangular door member that opens through a portion is attached, a pair of left and right planar view substantially triangular concave bead portions that are recessed so as to protrude on the back side of the door member And a reinforcing plate attached so as to cover the entire recessed bead portion on the surface side of the door member, and the recessed bead portion has two sides of the triangle on the side of the door member and the hinge portion. It is characterized by being arranged along.
According to the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, for example, when the skin is cleaved into an H-shape or a U-shape by opening the door member, the edge facing the hinge portion of the door member (that is, H In the case of tearing in the shape of a letter, the strength of the edge for forming the lateral cleavage line is peaked at the center and smoothly changes to the left and right so that there is no inflection point, and the door member deforms smoothly when the airbag is inflated. Therefore, when the airbag is inflated, the pressing force against the skin of the door member smoothly deforms from side to side with a peak at the center. It can be reliably cleaved regardless of changes. In addition, since the recessed bead portion of the door member is covered with a reinforcing plate in a blinded state and the surface side thereof is flattened, the thickness of the foam layer can be made substantially constant, thereby improving the appearance quality of the lid portion surface. Will not be damaged.
[0009]
In the invention described in claim 2, in the invention described in claim 1, the reinforcing plate is formed in a substantially M shape so that the pair of left and right recessed bead portions can be covered with a single body. It is characterized by being.
[0010]
According to the invention concerning Claim 2 comprised in this way, since the reinforcement board for covering a pair of right and left recessed bead parts is a single body, manufacture of a reinforcement board and the adhesion process to a door member are easy. Become.
[0011]
The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the door member has a two-sheet configuration arranged to face each other.
According to the invention according to claim 3 configured as described above, since the two door members are opened symmetrically on both sides, the pressing force against the skin of the door member when the airbag is inflated is the central portion of the lateral cleavage line. Since it is three-dimensionally smoothly deformed with a peak, the epidermis can be further reliably cleaved.
[0012]
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, a specific first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described together with illustrated examples.
[0013]
1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0014]
First, the configuration will be described. An airbag device 3 is installed in a portion on the passenger seat side of an instrument panel 2 located below a front window glass 1 of an automobile. The airbag device 3 accommodates an airbag main body and has an airbag module 4 (described later) disposed inside the instrument panel 2 and a bulge opening for the airbag body to bulge. It is comprised with the lid part 5 formed in the part. In addition, although this lid part 5 is comprised integrally with the instrument panel 2, the lid part 5 may have a different structure from the instrument panel 2.
[0015]
The instrument panel 2 and the lid portion 5 have a three-layer structure that integrally includes an outer skin 6, a foam layer 7, and a core material 8 in order from the surface side. The instrument panel 2 is formed by setting the skin 6 and the core material 8 in a foaming mold (not shown) and injecting a foaming agent constituting the foamed layer 7 between the skin 6 and the core material 8. .
[0016]
At this time, a cleavage groove 9 is formed in advance in a portion to be the lid portion 5 of the skin 6 before being set in the foaming mold. The cleavage groove 9 is constituted by a thin-wall processed portion that is processed into a thin wall leaving a part of the skin 6. This thin-wall processed part is formed by knife-cutting, ultrasonic-cutting, and laser-cutting the back side of the skin 6. In the case of the first embodiment, the cleavage groove 9 includes one lateral cleavage groove 10 extending substantially in the vehicle width direction, and two extending substantially parallel to the vehicle longitudinal direction through both ends of the lateral cleavage groove 10. And has a substantially H shape in plan view.
[0017]
Further, an opening 12 is formed in a portion that becomes the lid portion 5 of the core material 8 before being set in the foaming mold, and a metal door member 13 is embedded in the opening 12 with an embedded bolt 14 and a nut 15. It is attached via. When the cleavage groove 9 has a substantially H shape in plan view, the door member 13 is attached in two in the vehicle front-rear direction. Then, the gap between the opposite sides of the door members 13 and 13 is made to correspond to the lateral cleavage groove portion 10, and the gap between the both sides of the door members 13 and 13 and the both side edges of the opening portion 12 is divided into two longitudinal cleavage groove portions, respectively. 11 is made to correspond.
[0018]
Each door member 13 includes a mounting portion 16 for fixing to the front edge portion or the rear edge portion of the opening portion 12 by the embedded bolt 14, a door portion 17 located in the opening portion 12, the mounting portion 16 and the door. The hinge part 18 which connects the part 17 is provided. In addition, in order to improve and uniform the surface rigidity of the lid portion 5 while making the thickness of the foamed layer 7 substantially constant, the hinge portion 18 has an inverted U-shape with small irregularities and is attached at both ends of the hinge portion 18. There is no step between the portion 16 and the door portion 17. Moreover, the edge part of 3 sides other than the hinge part 18 of the door part 17 is bend-molded (namely, hemming-molded) to the skin side.
[0019]
Further, a reinforcing frame member 19 is attached to the back surface side of the core member 8 using the embedded bolt 14. In particular, a reinforcing piece 20 is formed on the occupant side (rear side) edge of the reinforcing frame member 19 so as to protrude substantially obliquely downward in the front direction and prevent lateral folding of the airbag body.
[0020]
On the other hand, the airbag module 4 includes a base member 22 that can accommodate a cylindrical inflator 21 that ejects pressurized gas and has a substantially inverted Ω shape when viewed from the side. The base member 22 is fastened and fixed to a vehicle body side member 23 such as a steering support member using a fastening member such as a bolt (not shown).
[0021]
Furthermore, the airbag module 4 includes a bag storage container 24 that stores the airbag body in a folded state. The air bag body is provided with a metal retainer 25 at the gas inlet, and a bag storage container on the upper portion of the base member 22 via a retainer bolt 26 and a nut 27 protruding substantially downward from the retainer 25. 24 is connected and fixed.
[0022]
In the figure, reference numeral 28 denotes a reinforcing material formed in the bag storage container 24, and 29 denotes a foreign matter mixing prevention sheet attached so as to cover the upper end opening of the bag storage container 24.
[0023]
In the first embodiment, the lateral cleavage groove portion 10 has the strength of the peripheral portion of the lid portion 5 (side portions on the hinge portion 18 side away from the lateral cleavage groove portion 10 and both side portions along the longitudinal cleavage groove portion 11). Reinforcement capable of concentrating stress on one point of the central part of the lateral cleavage groove part 10 and transmitting the force quickly along the longitudinal cleavage groove part 11 by increasing the strength of the central part to be formed. The part 33 is formed in the door member 13.
[0024]
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcing portion 33 is provided on the back side (downward) at the corner portion between the side on the hinge portion 18 side and the side on both sides in each door portion 17 of the door member 13. A bead-shaped recessed bead portion 30 having a substantially triangular shape in plan view, and a reinforcing plate 31 having a substantially glasses shape that covers the entire recessed bead portion 30 and flattens the upper surface side of the door portion 17; The fixing bead portion 30 includes a fixing portion 32 such as a spot welded portion that fixes the plate 31 to the peripheral edge of the concave bead portion 30.
[0025]
Further, together with the reinforcing portion 33, the central portion of the door member 13 has a point-symmetrical unreinforced region 34 such as a rhombus as a whole so that stress is easily concentrated on one point at the central portion of the lateral cleavage groove portion 10. Is formed.
[0026]
Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.
[0027]
When the inflator 21 is operated, the pressure gas is ejected from the inflator 21 and the pressure gas is introduced into the airbag body.
[0028]
The airbag body is inflated with the introduction of the pressure gas, and at the same time, a part of the lid portion 5 is first cleaved along the H-shaped cleavage groove 9 by the pressure of the inflation to form an inflating opening, The airbag body bulges from the bulging opening toward the rear of the vehicle body (in the passenger compartment). As a result, the airbag body receives the head of the passenger on the passenger seat side seated at a fixed position and protects the head from being in contact with the instrument panel 2 and the like.
[0029]
In the first embodiment, the reinforcing portion 33 formed on the door member 13 is provided along the peripheral portion of the lid portion 5 (the side portion on the hinge portion 18 side away from the lateral cleavage groove portion 10 and the longitudinal cleavage groove portion 11). The strength of both side portions) is increased compared to the strength of the central portion where the lateral cleavage groove portion 10 is formed. Therefore, the unreinforced region 34 having a point-symmetric shape is deformed, so that one of the central portions of the lateral cleavage groove portion 10 is deformed. The stress is concentrated on the point, and the force is transmitted quickly along the longitudinal cleavage groove 11.
[0030]
As a result, one point at the center of the lateral cleavage groove 10 at the time of the cleavage is surely a cleavage starting point, and the longitudinal cleavage groove 11 is quickly cleaved. For example, at the time of high temperatures such as in summer, the skin 6 constituting the lid portion 5 is easily stretched due to physical properties and is difficult to be cleaved. Even in such a case, one point at the central portion of the lateral cleavage groove portion 10 is reliably cleaved. It becomes possible. Further, when the temperature is low such as in winter, the skin 6 constituting the lid portion 5 is hardened, and the portion of the skin 6 where the cleavage direction changes from the lateral cleavage groove portion 10 to the longitudinal cleavage groove portion 11 or the longitudinal cleavage groove portion where the cleavage direction changes. Although it becomes easy to generate | occur | produce a crack in the part of 11 etc., even in such a case, it becomes possible to advance a crack rapidly along the longitudinal cleavage groove part 11. FIG.
[0031]
In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcing portion 33 is a plane that is recessed and formed on the back surface side at each corner portion of the door portion 17 of each door member 13 on the side of the hinge portion 18 and on both sides. A concave bead portion 30 having a substantially triangular shape, a reinforcing plate 31 having a substantially glasses shape covering the entire concave bead portion 30 and flattening the upper surface side of the door portion 17, and a plate body at the peripheral portion of the concave bead portion 30 By constituting with a fixing part 32 such as a spot welded part for fixing 31, the thickness of the foamed layer 7 can be made substantially constant, and the surface rigidity of the lid part 5 can be improved and made uniform.
[0032]
Furthermore, by forming a point-symmetrical unreinforced region 34 such as a rhombus as a whole at the center of the door member 13, the effect of the reinforcing portion 33 can be further improved, and 1 of the central portion of the lateral cleavage groove 10 can be further improved. The stress can be easily concentrated on the point.
[0033]
[Modification]
FIG. 4 shows a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. The reinforcing member is formed by forming an unreinforced region 34 having a point symmetry shape such as an ellipse as a whole at the center of the door member 13. The effect of the portion 33 is further improved, and the stress can be more easily concentrated on one point at the central portion of the lateral cleavage groove portion 10.
[0034]
About parts other than the above, it has the same structure as the said Embodiment 1, and can obtain the same effect | action and effect.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, for example, when the skin is cleaved into an H shape or a U shape by opening the door member, the edge facing the hinge portion of the door member The strength of the edge (that is, the edge for forming the horizontal cleavage line when it is torn in the shape of an H-shape) has a peak at its center and smoothly changes from side to side so that there is no inflection point. Since it is configured to be smoothly deformed, the pressing force against the skin of the door member when the airbag is inflated smoothly deforms from side to side with the peak at the center, so that the skin is stretched when the door member is opened. It can be reliably cleaved regardless of the temperature change of the rate. In addition, since the recessed bead portion of the door member is covered with a reinforcing plate in a blinded state and the surface side thereof is flattened, the thickness of the foam layer can be made substantially constant, thereby improving the appearance quality of the lid portion surface. Will not be damaged.
[0036]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the reinforcing plate for covering the pair of left and right recessed bead portions is a single body, the manufacturing of the reinforcing plate and the attaching process to the door member are facilitated.
According to the invention of claim 3, since the two door members open symmetrically on both sides, the pressing force against the outer skin of the door member when the airbag is inflated is three-dimensional with the central portion of the transverse cleavage line as a peak. Therefore, it is possible to exert a practical effect that the epidermis can be more reliably cleaved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an instrument panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the door member of FIG. 2;
4 is a perspective view of a door member according to a modification of the first embodiment. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
6 skin 7 foam layer 8 core material 9 cleavage groove 10 lateral cleavage groove part 11 longitudinal cleavage groove part 12 opening part 13 door member 30 recessed bead part 31 plate body 33 reinforcement part 34 unreinforced region

Claims (3)

A vehicular airbag comprising a three-layer structure comprising an outer skin, a foam layer and a core material, and having a substantially rectangular door member that opens via a hinge portion when the airbag is inflated attached to an opening formed in the core material. In the grid structure,
A pair of left and right planar view substantially triangular concave bead portions recessed in the door member so as to protrude on the back surface side thereof, and a reinforcement attached to the front surface side of the door member so as to cover the entire concave bead portion. A vehicular airbag grid part structure comprising: a plate, and the recessed bead part being arranged such that two sides of the triangle are along a side part of the door member and a hinge part. 2. The vehicle airbag grid structure according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing plate is formed in a substantially M shape so as to cover the pair of left and right recessed bead portions with a single body. The vehicle airbag grid part structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door member has a two-sheet configuration arranged to face each other.

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