JP4159150B2 - Mounting structure of airbag device in steering wheel with airbag - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting an airbag device in a steering wheel with an airbag.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As shown in FIG. 6, the contact plate that is one part constituting the mounting structure of the airbag device is disposed on the core metal boss portion of the steering wheel. An airbag device is attached on the contact plate. The airbag device includes an airbag that is folded and stored, a pad that covers the periphery of the airbag, an inflator that supplies gas for inflating the airbag, and a bag holder that holds the airbag pad and the inflator. ing.
[0003]
As shown in FIG. 6, such an air bag mounting contact plate a is fastened to the core boss c of the steering wheel by three (or four) Torx bolts b. For this reason, not only the number of parts is increased, but the number of assembling steps is increased, resulting in an increase in production cost.
[0004]
In order to simplify the assembly mechanism of the contact plate assembly having such a configuration, to reduce the number of parts and assembly man-hours, and to shorten the assembly time in the production line, the applicant has first applied for an improvement plan. No. 10-5165 (hereinafter referred to as “prior application”). As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of protrusions 2 projecting to the 12 o'clock side (front side in FIG. 7) of the mandrel boss 1 of the steering wheel are spaced apart, and the sides facing these pair of protrusions 2. A nut 4 into which a single Torx bolt 3 is screwed is provided, and on the contact plate 5 side, an insertion hole 6 for the pair of projections 2 and a nut 4 for screwing the Torx bolt 3 are concentric. An insulator 9 provided with a square hole 8 into which the projection 2 is fitted is inserted into the insertion hole 6 of the contact plate 5, and the square hole 3 is inserted into the projection 2. It is inserted, and the Torx bolt 3 is inserted into the insertion hole 7 and screwed into the screw-in nut portion 4 to be fixed.
[0005]
Since the contact plate 5 is hooked on the pair of protrusions 2 provided on the core metal boss 1, the fastening with the Torx bolt 3 becomes one place. As shown in Fig. 6, it is possible to reduce the number of parts rotation and assembly man-hours compared to the case where three places, or in some cases four places, have been fastened, and the assembly time on the production line can be greatly reduced. became.
Further, the protrusion 2 can serve as a replacement for the Torx bolt to reliably hold the contact plate 5 on the core metal boss 1 when the airbag is deployed.
[0006]
Since the prior application is based on a single Torx bolt 3, the configuration is greatly simplified and the mounting is facilitated. However, when the airbag is deployed, a pulling force acts toward the occupant side due to the jumping out of the bag. However, if the contact plate 5 is deformed by the pulling force, the direction in which the bag pops out is not constant and unstable. It becomes an upper problem. For this reason, the contact plate 5 is required to have a considerable strength so as to reduce deformation when the airbag is deployed.
[0007]
The attachment strength of the contact plate 5 to the metal core boss 1 is largely borne by the Torx bolt 3. Therefore, in general, all the tightening torque values of the Torx bolt 3 are registered and managed in a computer in case of an emergency, and everything is done.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, such registration and management is not easy. Therefore, installation with Torx bolts, which are not easy to manage, is stopped, and instead, multiple screw bolts that are normally used are used, and the contact plate can be made thinner. In addition, another object is to eliminate the need for flange processing around the contact plate for imparting strength.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Mounting structure for an airbag apparatus in the steering wheel with an air bag according to the present invention above, in the airbag device for fixing the base plate of the air bag device to the contact plate in the module mounting bolts, by deformation of the contact plate during deployment of the airbag a movement preventing means for the base plate is prevented been logger and were attempting to move toward the occupant, the provided a slide preventing means for preventing lateral movement of the contact plate during airbag deployment, the movement preventing means comprises , An opening through which the head of the module mounting bolt penetrates and the contact plate is slidable in the vertical direction in a rising portion integrally formed on both sides of the core boss at the center of the steering wheel When the base plate tried to move to the passenger side The top of the opening has a structure in which the head of the module mounting bolt abuts, and the slide preventing means forms a protruding piece that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the core metal boss, and the protruding piece is A structure in which the opening is provided in the contact plate, and a structure in which the protruding piece is further extended upward, and a tip of the module mounting bolt opposite to the head is passed through a through hole provided in the extension. It is characterized by having.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel in which an airbag apparatus mounting structure according to the present invention is implemented. In FIG. 1, a contact plate 13 is attached to a core metal boss portion 12 at the center of the steering wheel 11, and a base plate 15 of an airbag device 14 (see FIG. 2A) is attached to the contact plate 13 by mounting bolts 16. It is done. The mounting bolt 16 is not limited to the Torx bolt described with reference to FIG. 6, and may be a normal M4 screw bolt. In the case of FIG. 1, a total of five mounting bolts 16 are attached to the core metal boss portion 12 so as to be able to contact and separate.
[0011]
In this case, when the airbag is deployed, in order to prevent the position of the base plate 15 from moving due to the deformation of the contact plate 13, the head of the mounting bolt 16 is prevented from moving toward the occupant side so as not to move greatly toward the occupant side. A means 17 is provided so that the module mounting bolt 18 abuts on the means 17.
[0012]
FIG. 2 shows an example of the movement preventing means 17, (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, (b) is a detailed view taken along the arrow X in (a), and 18 is a module mounting bolt. As a result, the base plate 15 is fixed to the contact plate 13. The metal core boss portion 12 is integrally formed with a gate-shaped rising portion 19 having an opening portion 21 constituting a sliding portion on both sides thereof. The module mounting bolt 18 is inserted from the side through the opening 21, the base plate 15 and the contact plate 13 are penetrated, and the nut 20 is fastened and fixed.
[0013]
With this configuration, the head of the module mounting bolt 18 abuts on the top of the opening 21 that constitutes the sliding portion provided on the rising portion 19 provided on the core metal boss portion 12 of the steering wheel 11. Even if the base plate 15 is deformed and the position of the base plate 15 tends to move upward (occupant side), the movement of the airbag during deployment can be prevented. Reference numeral 22 denotes an opening provided in the lower cover 23, and the module mounting bolt 18 is inserted through the opening 22.
[0014]
(Embodiment 2)
This will be described with reference to FIG. This is provided with means for preventing the lateral displacement of the contact plate 13 as compared with the first embodiment (FIG. 2). Although the basic configuration is the same as in FIG. 2, the protruding piece 24 is formed at a position closer to the boss center than the rising portion 19 of the core boss 12. An opening 25 is formed in the contact plate 13 corresponding to the protruding piece 24, and in the assembled state, the protruding piece 24 passes through the opening 25 and protrudes above the contact plate.
[0015]
With this configuration, when the airbag is deployed, in addition to the opening 21 that constitutes the sliding portion of the contact plate 13, the protruding piece 24 that protrudes from the upper surface of the contact plate 13 causes the contact plate 13 to move laterally. Slides can be prevented.
[0016]
(Embodiment 3)
This will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the protruding piece 24 of the second embodiment is further extended to the upper side, and a through hole 26 through which the tip of the module mounting bolt 18 passes is provided in the protruding piece 24. With this configuration, both the contact plate 13 and the module mounting bolt 18 are engaged with the projecting piece 24, so that the function of preventing lateral displacement is more perfect.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
Stop mounting the base plate to the contact plate with Torx bolts, and replace it with multiple commonly used screw-type bolts, and also to the top and bottom (occupant side) and sideways of the base plate Therefore, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the contact plate, and it is not necessary to register and manage the Torx bolt by a computer as in the prior art, so that it is very easy to manage the mounting strength.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel in which an airbag apparatus mounting structure according to the present invention is implemented.
2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2B is a detailed view taken along arrow X in FIG.
3A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a detailed view taken along the arrow X in FIG.
4A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4B is a detailed view taken along the arrow X in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a front view of a steering wheel provided with an airbag device.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a contact plate mounting structure using three known Torx bolts.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the prior application device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Steering wheel 12 Core metal boss | hub part 13 Contact plate 14 Airbag apparatus 15 Base plate 16 Mounting bolt 17 Movement prevention means 18 Module mounting bolt 19 Rising part 20 Nut part 21 Opening part 22 (lower cover) opening 23 Lower cover 24 Projection piece 25 ( Opening 26 of contact plate (through end of module mounting bolt)

Claims (1)

In an airbag device that fixes a base plate of an airbag device to a contact plate with a module mounting bolt,
The base plate and the movement prevention means for preventing are logger and were attempting to move toward the occupant by deformation of the contact plate during deployment of the airbag,
A slide preventing means for preventing lateral movement of the contact plate when the airbag is deployed;
The movement preventing means slides the contact plate in the vertical direction by penetrating the head of the module mounting bolt in a rising portion integrally formed on both sides of the core metal boss at the center of the steering wheel. An opening is provided, and the base of the module mounting bolt contacts the top of the opening when the base plate is about to move toward the occupant;
The slide preventing means includes a protruding piece that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the core boss, and a structure in which the protruding piece is passed through an opening provided in the contact plate, and the protruding piece extends further upward. and, the mounting structure of the airbag device in the steering wheel with an air bag characterized by having a structure with through the opposite side of the distal end and the head of the module mounting bolt into the through hole provided in the extension portion.

Images