JP4279663B2 - Pedestrian protection device for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pedestrian protection device for vehicles.

Conventionally, when a collision with a pedestrian is detected in advance by the collision pre-detection means, the airbag provided inside the front bumper of the automobile is inflated forward and upward from the front surface of the front bumper to There is known a pedestrian protection device for a vehicle that protects the vehicle. The lower part of the airbag that is initially inflated forward protects the lower body of the pedestrian quickly, and then the upper part of the airbag that is inflated upward protects the upper body that falls to the vehicle body side (for example, Patent Document 1). .)
JP 2001-315599 A

However, in such a conventional technique, since the airbag that has been ejected forward from the front surface of the front bumper is also inflated upward, the airbag has an early ejection direction (forward) and inflation. The direction (upward) is different, the behavior when the airbag is inflated upward is not stable, and much time is required for adjusting the timing of inflating the airbag upward. Also, an airbag inflated upward, for shorter intervals in the longitudinal direction between the front end of the vehicle body, when the airbag is inflated upward, it may interfere with the front end of the vehicle body, also in this regard, upward airbag It is a factor that makes the expansion behavior of the water unstable.

The present invention has been made paying attention to such a conventional technique, and the pedestrian for a vehicle that can stably protect the pedestrian in the event of a collision, with the upward inflation behavior of the airbag being stable. A protection device is provided.

The invention according to claim 1 is a collision pre-detection means for detecting the presence of an object leading to a collision in front of the vehicle, a pedestrian detection means for detecting that the collision object is a pedestrian, A front bumper supported to be able to protrude forward from the front bumper, a first airbag that is inflated by the gas pressure of the first inflator behind the front bumper and projects the front bumper forward, and a second inflator from the upper surface of the front bumper. A second airbag that can be inflated upward by gas pressure, and when an object leading to a collision is detected by the collision pre-detection means and the pedestrian detection means detects that the object is a pedestrian to forward the front bumper while applying a backward reaction force only impact energy is not applied to the pedestrian against the front bumper by inflating the first airbag It is projected, and the front bumper, characterized in that the inflating toward the second air bag so as to protrude forwardly upward.

The invention according to claim 2 is the vehicle pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein impact energy estimation means for estimating impact energy due to a collision with an object in advance is added, and the collision pre-detection is performed. If the impact energy by collision with Rutotomoni object is detected that the object is not a pedestrian by and the pedestrian detection means object is detected leading to collision is estimated to lead to body deformation by means, the the front bumper was controlled so as not to inflate the second air bag causes protrudes forward in a state in which impact energy by heavy collision has granted backward reaction force about possible absorption for the front bumper inflating the first air bag It is characterized by becoming .

Invention of Claim 3 is the pedestrian protection apparatus for vehicles of Claim 2, Comprising: The gas pressure feeding means which can inflate a 1st airbag with a pressure lower than a 1st inflator with pressurized gas If, by adding a front bumper returning means for retracting the front bumper that projects forwardly to the original position, the object by the collision pre object leading to a collision by the detecting means is detected and the pedestrian detection means pedestrians not equal when the impact energy by the collision with the object with the detected was estimated to be no or invited the vehicle body deformation, the first air bag to the front bumper is expanded by pressurized gas the gas pumping means together to project the front bumper forwardly in a state in which impact energy by light collision has granted the backward reaction force of about absorbable, after it is projected front bumper forwardly While the first air bag is reduced by Rontobanpa return means, characterized by comprising a second air bag control so as not to expand with retracting the front bumper to the original position.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the front bumper protrudes forward by the expansion of the first airbag, and in this state, the second airbag is expanded upward from the upper surface of the front bumper. the direction flying out from the front bumper of the bag, with subsequent expansion direction matches both upward, since the second air bag at a position apart from the front end of the vehicle body is inflated upward, and the vehicle body front second airbag There is no possibility of interference, and the second airbag can inflate upward with a stable behavior and reliably protect the upper body of a pedestrian who falls to the vehicle body side. The lower body of the pedestrian hits the front bumper that protrudes forward, and the impact force is sufficiently absorbed and protected by the reaction force that does not add impact energy to the pedestrian by the first airbag when the front bumper moves backward The

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when an object with high impact energy other than a pedestrian collides with the front bumper (during a heavy collision), only the first airbag is inflated by the gas pressure of the first inflator. Because the front bumper protrudes forward with a reverse reaction force that can absorb the impact energy due to heavy collision to the front bumper, the object hits the front bumper and the first bumper when the front bumper moves backward By the reaction force that can absorb the impact energy due to the heavy collision by one airbag, the impact energy is absorbed and the damage on the vehicle body side is mitigated. The second airbag does not inflate.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when an object with a low impact energy other than a pedestrian collides with the front bumper (during a light collision), only the first airbag is moved by the pressurized gas of the gas pressure feeding means. The front bumper protrudes forward in a state where it is expanded and applied with a reverse reaction force that can absorb impact energy due to a light collision on the front bumper, so when the object hits the front bumper and the front bumper moves backward By the reaction force that can absorb the impact energy due to the light collision by the first airbag, the impact energy is absorbed and deformation on the vehicle body side is prevented. After the collision, the front bumper can be retracted to its original position while reducing the first airbag by the front bumper return means, so that it can be used repeatedly for light collisions without replacing parts. it can. The second airbag does not inflate.

Expansion Behavior upward airbag is stabilized, provides a pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle which can reliably protect a pedestrian in the event of a collision, the goal, is the object leading to a collision of the vehicle ahead exists A pre-collision detection means for detecting that the object to be collided, a pedestrian detection means for detecting that the colliding object is a pedestrian, a front bumper supported so as to protrude forward from the vehicle body, and a rear part of the front bumper . A first airbag that inflates due to the gas pressure of one inflator and projects the front bumper forward; and a second airbag that can be inflated upward from the upper surface of the front bumper by the gas pressure of the second inflator, If the object is detected as a pedestrian by the collision pre object leading to a collision by the detecting means is detected and the pedestrian detection means, inflating the first airbag off The front bumper is projected forward in a state where retracted reaction force was applied only not applied impact energy to the pedestrian against Ntobanpa, and a front bumper toward the second air bag so as to protrude forwardly upward expansion It was realized by letting.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. A front bumper 1 is installed at the front end of the automobile. The left and right sides of the front bumper 1 are supported by the rods 3 of the actuator 2 arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle body as “front bumper return means”. The rod 3 of the actuator 2 is normally locked in the retracted state, but can receive the signal and protrude forward together with the front bumper 1 freely. In response to another signal, the rod 3 can be retracted together with the front bumper 1 and returned to the original position. The front bumper 1 is supported by the rod 3 of the actuator 2 so as to protrude forward.

A first airbag device 4 is installed on the vehicle body behind the front bumper 1. In the first airbag device 4, a first airbag 4a including a first inflator 4b is accommodated in a folded state. In addition, an air pipe 6 of a compressor 5 as “gas pressure feeding means” is inserted into the first airbag 4a. A drain unit 7 is provided in the middle of the air pipe 6. The first airbag 4a is configured to expand toward the front side by high-pressure gas injected from the first inflator 4b or pressurized air fed from the compressor 5.

A second airbag device 8 is installed inside the front bumper 1. In the second airbag device 8, a second airbag 8a including a second inflator 8b is accommodated in a folded state. The second airbag 8a can be inflated straight upward by opening the lid 9 forming the upper surface of the front bumper 1 by the high-pressure gas injected from the second inflator 8b.

  Two infrared sensors 10 are provided on the front surface of the front bumper 1, and the infrared sensor 10 detects whether or not an object as a heat source exists in front of the vehicle and the directionality of the object with respect to the host vehicle. Can do.

  One distance measuring sensor 11 is provided on the front surface of the front bumper 1, and the distance between the object detected by the infrared sensor 10 and the own vehicle and the relative speed of the object with respect to the own vehicle can be detected.

  A television camera 12 that captures the front of the vehicle is installed in the upper part of the vehicle body, and it is possible to determine whether or not the collision target is a pedestrian by the image processing. The own vehicle is also provided with a speed sensor 13 for detecting the speed of the own vehicle.

  The pre-collision detection means 14 is constituted by the infrared sensor 10 and the distance measuring sensor 11, and it can be detected that there is an object leading to the collision in front of the vehicle.

  Moreover, the pedestrian detection means 15 is comprised by the infrared sensor 10 and the television camera 12, and it can detect that the colliding target object is a pedestrian.

  Further, the infrared energy sensor 10, the distance measuring sensor 11, the television camera 12, and the speed sensor 13 constitute an impact energy estimating means 16 for estimating whether the impact energy due to the collision with the object is large enough to cause the vehicle body deformation. can do.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in step S1, it is determined by the collision pre-detection means 14 whether there is an object leading to a collision ahead of the vehicle. If there is an object leading to the collision, the process proceeds to step S2. Otherwise, the detection by the collision pre-detection means 14 is repeated.

  Next, in step S <b> 2, the pedestrian detection unit 15 determines whether or not the colliding object is the pedestrian M. In the case of the pedestrian M, in step S3, the first inflator 4b of the first airbag device 4 is operated, and high pressure gas is injected from the first inflator 4b. At the same time, the locked state of the actuator 2 is released so that the rod 3 protrudes forward in a free state.

  When the high-pressure gas is injected into the first airbag 4a from the first inflator 4b, the first airbag 4a expands forward and causes the front bumper 1 to protrude forward (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

Thereafter, in step S4, the second inflator 8b of the second airbag device 8 is also operated to inject high-pressure gas from the second inflator 8b. When the high pressure gas is injected into the second airbag 8a from the second inflator 8b, the second airbag 8a opens the lid 9 located on the upper surface of the front bumper 1, and expands straightly upward.

In this way, the front bumper 1 is projected forward by the expansion of the first airbag 4a, and the second airbag 8a is expanded upward from the upper surface of the front bumper 1 in this state. Since the direction of jumping out from the front bumper 1 and the subsequent inflation direction are both upward and coincide with each other, and the second airbag 8a is inflated upward at a position away from the front end of the vehicle body, the second airbag 8a and the front end of the vehicle body The second airbag 8a can inflate upward with a stable behavior and protect the upper body of the pedestrian M who falls to the vehicle body side. The lower body of the pedestrian M hits the front bumper 1 that protrudes forward, and the impact energy is sufficient due to the reaction force that does not apply impact energy to the pedestrian M by the first airbag 4a when the front bumper 1 moves backward. Absorbed and protected.

In step S2, if the pedestrian detection means 15 determines that the colliding object is not the pedestrian M, then in step S5, the collision pre-detection means 14 estimates the collision with the object G. It is determined whether or not the applied impact energy is large enough to cause vehicle body deformation (heavy collision).

If it is determined that the impact energy estimated by the collision pre-detection means 14 is large enough to cause deformation of the vehicle body (heavy collision) , in step S6, the first airbag 4a of the first airbag device 4 is removed. Inflated by the first inflator 4b, the front bumper 1 protrudes forward (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The second airbag 8a is not inflated .

In this way, when the object G with a large impact energy other than the pedestrian M collides with the front bumper 1 (at the time of heavy collision), only the first airbag 4a is inflated by the gas pressure of the first inflator 4b , Since the front bumper 1 protrudes forward in a state where a large backward reaction force , that is, a backward reaction force capable of absorbing impact energy due to heavy collision, is applied to the front bumper 1, the object G hits the front bumper 1. The reaction energy that can absorb the impact energy due to the heavy collision by the first airbag 4a when the front bumper 1 moves backward is sufficiently absorbed, and the damage on the vehicle body side is mitigated.

If it is determined in step S5 that the impact energy estimated by the collision with the object G is not large enough to cause deformation of the vehicle body (light collision) , the first air is detected in step S7. The bag 4a is inflated by the pressurized air of the compressor 5, and the front bumper 1 protrudes forward (similar to FIGS. 5 and 6). Also in this case, the second airbag 8a is not inflated .

Thus, when the object G with a small impact energy other than the pedestrian M collides with the front bumper 1 (at the time of a light collision), only the first airbag 4a is inflated with the pressurized air of the compressor 5 , Since the front bumper 1 protrudes forward in a state where a small backward reaction force , that is, a backward reaction force capable of absorbing impact energy due to a light collision, is applied to the front bumper 1, the object G hits the front bumper 1. The impact energy is absorbed by the small reaction force by the first airbag 4a when the front bumper 1 moves backward, and deformation on the vehicle body side is prevented. Further, after the collision, in step S8, the actuator 2 retracts the rod 3 together with the front bumper 1 to retract the front bumper 1 to the original position while reducing the first airbag 4a. After the retreat, the rod 3 of the actuator 2 is locked. Therefore, it can be used repeatedly for light collisions without replacing parts.

  In the above description, the example in which the collision pre-detection unit 14, the pedestrian detection unit 15, and the impact energy estimation unit 16 are configured by the infrared sensor 10, the distance measurement sensor 11, the television camera 12, the speed sensor 13, and the like has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that each function is obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The schematic sectional drawing seen from the side surface which shows the pedestrian protection apparatus for vehicles which concerns on one Example of this invention. The schematic sectional drawing which looked at Drawing 1 from the upper part. The schematic sectional drawing equivalent to FIG. 1 which shows the state which expanded the 2nd airbag upwards and protected the pedestrian. The schematic sectional drawing which looked at FIG. 3 from the upper part. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a state in which a front bumper protrudes forward in order to absorb impact energy of an object other than a pedestrian. FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of FIG. 5 viewed from above. The flowchart which shows the effect | action of one Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Front bumper 2 Actuator (Front bumper return means)
4 1st airbag apparatus 4a 1st airbag 4b 1st inflator 5 Compressor (gas pressure sending means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 2nd airbag apparatus 8a 2nd airbag 8b 2nd inflator 14 Collision prior detection means 15 Pedestrian detection means 16 Impact energy estimation means M Pedestrian (object leading to collision)
G Object

Claims (3)

Pre-collision detection means for detecting the presence of an object leading to a collision in front of the vehicle, pedestrian detection means for detecting that the colliding object is a pedestrian, and supported to protrude forward from the vehicle body A front bumper, a first airbag that is inflated by the gas pressure of the first inflator behind the front bumper and projects the front bumper forward, and can be inflated upward from the upper surface of the front bumper by the gas pressure of the second inflator A second airbag,
If the object is detected as a pedestrian by the object leading to a collision by the collision advance detection means is detected and the pedestrian detection means, the pedestrian against the front bumper by inflating the first airbag The front bumper protrudes forward with a reverse reaction force that does not add impact energy to the front, and the second airbag is inflated upward with the front bumper protruding forward. Vehicle pedestrian protection device. The vehicle pedestrian protection device according to claim 1,
Add impact energy estimation means to estimate impact energy due to collision with the object in advance,
When an impact energy by collision with the detected Rutotomoni object and the object is not a pedestrian is estimated to lead to the body deformed by the collision pre object leading to a collision by the detecting means is detected and the pedestrian detection means The first airbag is inflated so that the front bumper protrudes forward and the second airbag is not inflated in a state where a reverse reaction force is applied to the front bumper so that impact energy due to heavy collision can be absorbed. A pedestrian protection device for vehicles, characterized by being controlled by The vehicle pedestrian protection device according to claim 2,
A gas pressure feeding means capable of inflating the first airbag with pressurized gas at a pressure lower than that of the first inflator, and a front bumper returning means for retracting the front bumper protruding forward to the original position;
Impact energy is estimated vehicle body deformation and no or invited by collision with an object while being detected that the object is not a pedestrian by the collision pre detected is detected object lead to a collision by means and the pedestrian detection means In this case, the front airbag protrudes forward in a state where the first airbag is inflated by the pressurized gas of the gas pumping means and a reverse reaction force is applied to the front bumper so that impact energy due to a light collision can be absorbed. In addition, after the front bumper protrudes forward, the front bumper is retracted by the front bumper return means, and the front bumper is retracted to the original position while being controlled so as not to inflate the second airbag. A pedestrian protection device for vehicles.