JP3926553B2 - Airbag grid structure for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag grid structure provided in a vehicle such as an automobile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Some vehicles such as automobiles have an airbag device as a safety means in an emergency.
[0003]
For example, as shown in FIG. 8, an airbag apparatus 1 described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-150696 is formed on the upper surface of an instrument panel 3 on the passenger seat side that is located below a front window glass 2 of an automobile. It is installed at the portion of the opening 4.
[0004]
The airbag device 1 is provided with a resin-made airbag grid 6 that can be fitted and held by locking a locking claw 5 at the peripheral edge of the opening 4, and is protruded from the back side of the airbag grid 6. An airbag module 10 having a lid mounting hook 9 that can be inserted and locked into a long hook-shaped hook locking hole 8 formed in the leg 7 is provided.
[0005]
The airbag module 10 includes a module container 13 that houses a cylindrical inflator 11 that ejects pressurized gas and an airbag body 12 that bulges toward the passenger in the vehicle interior by the pressurized gas ejected from the inflator 11. I have. The airbag body 12 is accommodated in the module container 13 in a folded state. The module container 13 is fastened and fixed to a vehicle body side member (not shown) such as a steering support member using a bracket 14 and a bolt 15.
[0006]
Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, a tear line 18 having a substantially H shape in a plan view is formed on the back surface of the airbag grid 6. Then, the tear line 18 is cleaved by the pressing force when the airbag main body 12 is inflated, and the lid body 20 defined by the tear line 18 with the root portion of the leg portion 7 as the hinge portion 19 is indicated by arrows a and b. As shown in the figure, the airbag body 12 is opened in a direction away from each other (a double door opening), so that an inflated opening of the airbag body 12 is formed (actually, when it is opened).
[0007]
The general portion of the airbag grid 6 is reinforced by vertical and horizontal reinforcing ribs 21 and 22, and the vertical reinforcing ribs 21 provided along the hinge portion 19 with the legs 7 being separated from the reinforcing ribs 21 and 22. Is extended in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the hinge portion 19.
[0008]
According to such a configuration, when the inflator 11 is activated, the pressure gas ejected from the inflator 11 is introduced into the airbag body 12.
[0009]
The airbag main body 12 is inflated with the introduction of the pressure gas, and a part of the airbag grid 6 is first cleaved along the H-shaped tear line 18 by the pressure of the inflation, and the lid body is centered on the hinge portion 19. By opening 20 in directions away from each other as indicated by arrows (i) and (b), a bulge opening is formed, and at the same time, the airbag body 12 is obliquely rearward of the vehicle body (on the passenger side of the vehicle interior) from the bulge opening. Swells out. As a result, the airbag body 12 receives the passenger's head on the passenger seat seated at a fixed position and protects the head from being in contact with the instrument panel 3 and the like.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional air bag grid part structure for a vehicle, when the lid body 20 is opened by being pushed by the airbag body 12, the hinge part 19 is not a linear stress along the hinge part 19 but a hinge part. Since a curved stress deviated from 19 is generated, the hinge portion 19 is reinforced and guided by the base portion of the leg portion 7 so that the hinge portion 19 bends linearly along the extending direction. I was doing. However, in the case of the separation type airbag apparatus 1 that does not directly connect the airbag grid 6 and the airbag module 10, there is no portion corresponding to the leg portion 7, so that the hinge portion 19 is well straight along the extending direction. Therefore, there is a problem that a separate means is required to bend.
[0011]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle airbag grid structure in which the above-mentioned problems are solved and the hinge part can be bent well and linearly when the lid body is opened.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, in the invention described in claim 1, the tear line defining the inflation opening of the airbag body and the lid body closing the inflation opening on the back surface of the airbag grid and the lid body are provided. In the vehicle airbag grid structure in which a hinge portion serving as a center to be opened is formed and a reinforcing rib for reinforcing the airbag grid is formed on the back surface of the airbag grid, the reinforcing rib is provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion. The reinforcing rib is characterized by being arranged substantially orthogonal to the stress curve of the hinge portion when the lid body is opened.
[0013]
According to the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, among the reinforcing ribs formed on the back surface of the airbag grid, the reinforcing rib provided in the vicinity of at least one hinge portion is used as a hinge when the lid body is opened. Because it is placed almost perpendicular to the stress curve of the part, it functions to relieve the inclined reinforcing ribs that receive the curvilinear stress generated in the hinge when the lid body is pushed by the airbag body. Therefore, the hinge portion can be bent well along the extending direction.
[0014]
In addition, the hinge part is configured to bend in a straight line along the extending direction only by devising the arrangement of reinforcing ribs that reinforce the air bag grid. And cost increase can be prevented.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described together with illustrated examples.
[0016]
1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017]
First, the configuration will be described. An instrument panel 26 as shown in FIG. 1 is provided at the front part of a passenger compartment of a vehicle such as an automobile and below the front window glass 25. An air bag inflation opening 27 is formed in the instrument panel 26. An airbag device 30 including an airbag grid 28 that closes the airbag inflation opening 27 and an airbag module 29 is attached to the instrument panel 26.
[0018]
The instrument panel 26 is, for example, a hard panel made of only a core material whose surface is appropriately drawn.
[0019]
The airbag grid 28 is an elastic partial pad that is separate from the instrument panel 26 and has a size that covers a substantially half of the passenger panel side of the instrument panel 26. For example, a skin layer made of TEO A TPO core material 35 is integrated with the back surface of a multilayer laminate sheet material 34 composed of a foam layer 32 made of PEF 31 and a backing layer 33 made of TEO. The air grid 28 is formed by placing a multilayer laminate sheet material 34 previously molded into the shape of the air grid 28 in an injection mold (not shown) and injection molding the core material 35 on the back surface.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the air bag grid 28 has a ventilator opening 36 formed on the side. A back surface of the air bag grid 28 is formed with a bulge opening that bulges the airbag body and a tear line 38 that defines a lid body 37 that closes the bulge opening. The cleavage line 38 has, for example, a substantially H shape in a plan view or a substantially U shape in a plan view (in FIG. 2, it has a substantially H shape in a plan view). When the cleavage line 38 has a substantially H shape in plan view, two lid bodies 37 are formed. Further, when the cleavage line 38 is substantially U-shaped in plan view, one lid body 37 is formed.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3, the cleavage line 38 having a substantially H shape in plan view includes a relatively wide and shallow concave groove 39 and a notch 40 formed in the concave groove 39. As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the notch 40 is laser processed from the core 35 side so as to have a depth that does not reach the backing layer 33 of the multilayer laminate sheet material 34 by an industrial articulated robot that has been taught in advance. Is done. And the lateral cleavage line parts 41 and 42 among the cuts 40 are divided into three parts by two discontinuous parts 43, and as shown in FIG. 4B, only the central lateral cleavage line part 42 is further backed up. Knives are processed to a depth that reaches the middle of the layer 33. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the corner portion between the lateral cleavage line portion 42 and the longitudinal cleavage line portion 44 of the concave groove 39 in the cleavage line 38 is chamfered in a triangular shape (chamfered portion 45). Then, both end portions of the longitudinal cleavage line portion 44 are bent so as to face in a direction substantially parallel to the lateral cleavage line portion 42. A hinge portion 46 is formed so as to connect both opposing ends of the longitudinal cleavage line portion 44. The hinge portion 46 is a V-groove. In addition, gradual change portions 47 are formed at both ends of the longitudinal cleavage line portion 44 to shift from the concave groove 39 of the hinge portion 46 to the V groove. The concave groove 39, the triangular chamfered portion, and the V groove of the hinge portion 46 are formed at the time of injection molding of the core member 35 by providing protrusions on the injection molding die.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 2, a large number of vertical and horizontal reinforcing ribs 50 and 51 are formed on the back surface of the airbag grid 28 outside the bulge opening. In addition, a plurality of bolt fixing bosses 52 are formed on the rear surface of the airbag grid 28 so as to project.
[0023]
The airbag grid 28 is fixed with bolts 53 from the back side in a state where the airbag grid 28 is in contact with the front surface side of the instrument panel 26 so as to close the airbag inflation opening 27. The bolt 53 is screwed to a boss 52 portion protruding from the back surface of the airbag grid 28. On the back side of the instrument panel 26, a metal frame-like reinforcing member 54 is fastened together with the bolt 53 around the airbag inflation opening 27. A metal door member 56 having a door portion 55 corresponding to the lid body 37 is attached to the reinforcing member 54 on the back surface side of the lid body 37. A reinforcing bead 57 is formed on the door portion 55. The bead 57 is preferably formed in a loop shape as shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, the bead 57 has a concave portion 58 along the lateral cleavage line portion 42. Further, a portion along the hinge portion 46 is a linear portion 59 parallel to the hinge portion 46.
[0024]
On the other hand, the airbag module 29 houses an inflator that ejects pressurized gas and an airbag body that is deployed by the pressurized gas from the inflator. The airbag module 29 is arranged in a state where the opening end side (upper part) is separated without being connected to the airbag grid 28. Further, a bracket 60 is attached to a side (lower part) substantially opposite to the opening end side of the airbag module 29, and the bracket 60 is fixed to a vehicle body side member 61 such as a steering support member using bolts and nuts.
[0025]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, among the vertical and horizontal reinforcing ribs 50, 51, the vertical reinforcing rib 50 provided in the vicinity of at least one hinge portion 46 is replaced with a hinge portion when the lid body is opened. Are arranged so as to be substantially orthogonal to the stress curve.
[0026]
That is, first, the reinforcing rib 50 at the bisecting position of the hinge portion 46 is a normal vertical reinforcing rib 65 substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the hinge portion 46. The remaining vertical reinforcing ribs 50 are inclined vertical reinforcing ribs 66 that are inclined with respect to the vertical reinforcing ribs 65. The inclined vertical reinforcing rib 66 is inclined outward with the vertical reinforcing rib 65 as a center. That is, it arrange | positions so that it may spread outward of the hinge part 46 as it leaves | separates from the hinge part 46. As shown in FIG. At this time, the inclined vertical reinforcing rib 66 close to the vertical reinforcing rib 65 has a small inclination angle, and the inclined vertical reinforcing rib 66 far from the vertical reinforcing rib 65 has a large inclination angle. In FIG. 2, the inclination angle of the inclined vertical reinforcing rib 66 is changed one or more.
[0027]
In the case of FIG. 2, the above structure is applied to the hinge portion 46 on the anti-front window glass side 67 where it is difficult to ensure the strength because the distance from the edge of the air bag grid 28 is long. In addition, since the distance between the edge part of the air bag grid 28 is short with respect to the hinge part 46 of the windshield glass side 68, since intensity | strength ensuring is easy, the said structure is not employ | adopted especially. Instead, surrounding reinforcing ribs 69 are formed in three directions around the bulging opening where the inclined vertical reinforcing ribs 66 are not provided.
[0028]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
[0029]
When the inflator is activated, the pressure gas is ejected from the inflator, and the pressure gas is introduced into the airbag body.
[0030]
The airbag body is inflated with the introduction of the pressure gas, and the pressure of the inflation first pushes the door portion 55 of the door member 56, and the door portion 55 pushes the lid body 37 portion of the airbag grid 28. Then, the airbag grid 28 is cleaved along the cleavage line 38 and the lid body 37 is opened to form a bulge opening. At the same time, the airbag body is obliquely rearward from the bulge opening (on the passenger side of the vehicle interior). Bulges towards. As a result, the airbag body receives the head of the passenger on the passenger seat seated at the fixed position and protects the head from being in contact with the instrument panel 26 and the like.
[0031]
According to this embodiment, among the vertical and horizontal reinforcing ribs 50 and 51 formed on the back surface of the air bag grid 28, the reinforcing rib (inclined vertical reinforcing rib 66) provided in the vicinity of at least one hinge portion 46 is used as the hinge portion. By being inclined so as to spread outward of the hinge portion 46 as it is away from 46, the curved stress generated in the hinge portion 46 when the lid body 37 is opened by being pushed by the airbag body is inclined. Since the reinforcing rib (inclined vertical reinforcing rib 66) functions to be received and relaxed, the hinge portion 46 can be bent well along the extending direction.
[0032]
Since the hinge portion 46 is configured to bend linearly along the extending direction only by devising the arrangement of the reinforcing ribs (inclined vertical reinforcing ribs 66) that reinforce the airbag grid 28, therefore, The special means can be made unnecessary, and the increase in cost can be prevented.
[0033]
Further, the transverse cleavage line portion 42 of the cuts 40 of the cleavage line 38 is divided into three parts by two discontinuous portions 43, so that the strength of the lateral cleavage line portion 42 is slightly increased, and the bevel of the airbag grid 28 is increased. It is possible to achieve both the prevention of sticking and the securing of the ease of cutting of the lateral cleavage line portion 42.
[0034]
Then, by lowering the strength partially by setting only the central lateral cleavage line portion 42 to a depth reaching the middle of the backing layer 33, the cleavage starting point at the cleavage line 38 is set, and the multilayer laminate sheet material 34 of this portion is set. It is possible not to weaken the strength.
[0035]
By chamfering the corner portion of the lateral cleavage line portion 42 and the longitudinal cleavage line portion 44 of the concave groove 39 in the cleavage line 38 in a triangular shape (the chamfered portion 45), the airbag body being deployed is rubbed against the corner portion. Even in the case of damage, the airbag body is prevented from being torn.
[0036]
In addition, by making the portion along the lateral cleavage line portion 42 of the bead 57 formed in the door portion 55 into the concave shape portion 58, the strength of the center of the door portion 55 is weakened and the strength of both sides of the door portion 55 is increased. Can be set strongly. As a result, the air bag grid 28 can be stably cleaved from the central lateral cleavage line portion 42. Further, by making the portion along the hinge portion 46 of the bead 57 formed on the door portion 55 into a linear shape portion 59 parallel to the hinge portion 46, when the hinge portion 46 is bent, the hinge portion 46 is in the extending direction. It can be guided to bend along a straight line.
[0037]
Furthermore, by making the hinge part 46 into a V-groove, the hinge part 46 can be broken and separated when the hinge part 46 is bent to some extent when the lid body 37 is opened. When the hinge portion 46 is broken and separated in this way, the lid body 37 is connected by the multilayer laminate sheet material 34, so that the bulge opening can be made to appear well.
[0038]
[Modification]
FIG. 7 shows a modification of the embodiment. The reinforcing ribs 50 (vertical reinforcing ribs 65 and inclined vertical reinforcing ribs 66) provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion 46 are connected to a stress curve 70 generated when the hinge portion 46 is bent. The inclined arrangement is substantially orthogonal.
[0039]
In this manner, the reinforcing ribs 50 (the vertical reinforcing rib 65 and the inclined vertical reinforcing rib 66) provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion 46 are inclined so as to be substantially orthogonal to the stress curve 70 generated when the hinge portion 46 is bent. By doing so, it becomes possible to relieve the stress most effectively. Therefore, the function that the hinge part 46 bends linearly well along the extending direction is improved, and the reinforcing ribs 50 and 51 can be made simpler.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, among the reinforcing ribs formed on the back surface of the airbag grid, the reinforcing rib provided in the vicinity of at least one hinge portion is used as a hinge when the lid body is opened. Because it is placed almost perpendicular to the stress curve of the part, it functions to relieve the inclined reinforcing ribs that receive the curvilinear stress generated in the hinge when the lid body is pushed by the airbag body. Therefore, the hinge portion can be bent well along the extending direction. In addition, the hinge part is configured to bend in a straight line along the extending direction only by devising the arrangement of reinforcing ribs that reinforce the air bag grid. It is possible to achieve a practically beneficial effect that it is possible to prevent cost increase.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a rear view of the airbag grid of FIG.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the cleavage line of FIG. 2;
4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of a cleavage line segment.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a corner portion of a cleavage line.
FIG. 6 is a partial schematic plan view of a door portion.
FIG. 7 is a rear view of a tilted vertical reinforcing rib portion showing a modification of the embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of a conventional example.
9 is a rear view of the airbag grid of FIG. 8;
[Explanation of symbols]
28 Airbag grid 37 Lid body 38 Cleavage line 46 Hinge part 50 Reinforcement rib 51 Reinforcement rib 65 Vertical reinforcement rib 66 Inclined vertical reinforcement rib

Claims (1)

A rear surface of the airbag grid is formed with a bulge opening of the airbag body, a tear line defining a lid body that closes the bulge opening, and a hinge portion that is the center of the lid body opening, and the rear surface of the airbag grid In the air bag grid part structure for a vehicle in which reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the air grid are formed,
Of the reinforcing ribs, a reinforcing rib provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion is disposed substantially orthogonal to a stress curve of the hinge portion when the lid body is opened.

Images