JP4595246B2 - Vehicle occupant protection device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device having an air bag, and in particular, a vehicle suitable as an occupant leg protection device for protecting an occupant's leg from hitting an interior panel or the like in front of a seat at the time of a collision of an automobile or the like The present invention relates to an occupant protection device. Specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device in which an airbag is provided in a glove box.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an occupant protection device for protecting an occupant from hitting an interior panel in front of a seat at the time of a collision with a high-speed moving body such as an automobile, an air bag provided inside the interior panel (the space behind the interior panel) A gas generator for inflating the airbag, and a cover that covers the airbag in a normal time (when a high-speed moving body such as the automobile does not encounter a collision situation). .
[0003]
In such an occupant protection device, the airbag is normally disposed inside the interior panel in a folded state, and the cover is attached so as to cover the folded body of the airbag.
[0004]
And at the time of a collision, this gas generator carries out gas ejection operation | movement, this ejection gas is supplied to an airbag, and this airbag expand | swells rapidly. At this time, as the airbag is inflated, the cover is opened, whereby the airbag is allowed to bulge out of the interior panel and is inflated and deployed between the interior panel and the occupant, A passenger is protected from hitting the interior panel.
[0005]
As an occupant protection device of this type of air-bag is provided with an air bag to the lid of the glove box, there is that so as to protect an occupant leg inflating an air bag in front of the occupant's legs.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention provides a vehicle occupant protection device in which an air bag is provided in a glove box, in which the glove box can sufficiently resist the pressing force applied from the occupant legs to the airbag. For the purpose.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1 is a vehicle occupant protection device comprising: an airbag disposed in a glove box in front of a vehicle seat; and a gas generator for inflating the airbag. An upper support member and a lower support member for supporting the box on the vehicle body strength member are provided, and a lower portion of the glove box is rotatably supported at one end of the lower support member via a hinge shaft, The other end of the lower support member is connected and fixed to the vehicle body strength member, and the upper support member is composed of a pair of link arms rotatably connected by a pivot, and one end is a lid of the glove box parts are edge connected in rotatably on a shaft on the other end is connected and fixed to the vehicle body strength member, said upper support member, when the glove box is closed state, of the pair Li The glove box has a blocking means for preventing the angle of the arm from being further reduced, and the glove box can be opened into the vehicle compartment with the hinge shaft as a rotation center. It is.
The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 4 is a vehicle occupant protection device comprising: an airbag disposed in a glove box in front of a vehicle seat; and a gas generator for inflating the airbag. An upper support member and a lower support member for supporting the box on the vehicle body strength member are provided, and a lower portion of the glove box is rotatably supported at one end of the lower support member via a hinge shaft, The other end of the lower support member is connected and fixed to the vehicle body strength member, and the upper support member is composed of a slide rail mechanism that can be expanded and contracted by sliding a plurality of rails, and one end of the glove box to the edge of the support shaft on the lid portion pivotally connected to the other end is connected and fixed to the vehicle body strength member, the glove box, a rotation center of the hinge shaft It has become possible out opening in the vehicle compartment Te is characterized in.
[0008]
In the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention, since the glove box is supported by the vehicle body strength member, even when the occupant hits the inflated airbag and the airbag strongly presses the glove box, The pressure comes to be opposed to the body strength member, and the airbag is received very firmly by the glove box.
[0009]
In the present invention, the support member Ru is supported the lid of the glove box to the vehicle body strength member. When configured in this way, the pressing force applied from the airbag to the lid of the glove box is directly opposed by the vehicle body strength member via the support member, and the airbag is firmly secured via the lid. Can be taken.
[0010]
The vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention is extremely suitable as a occupant leg protection device.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference examples and embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view in the vicinity of an automobile glove box equipped with an occupant leg protection device as a vehicle occupant protection device according to a reference example , FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a state in which the glove box of FIG. 1 is opened, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 when the airbag is inflated.
[0012]
A glove box 12 is installed in an interior panel (for example, an instrument panel or a lower panel) 10 in front of a seat of an automobile. The glove box 12 includes an upper-open container-like storage portion 14 and a lid portion 16 constituting the front surface portion of the storage portion 14. A lower portion of the glove box 12 is rotatably supported on one end of the lower support member 20 via a hinge shaft 18. The other end of the support member 20 is connected and fixed to a dash panel (not shown) as a vehicle body strength member of an automobile. On the upper part of the glove box 12, an upper support member 22 for receiving the upper edge part of the lid part 16 is installed. One end of the support member 22 is fixed to a vehicle body strength member (lean force) 24. The other end of the support member 22 is in contact with the back surface of the upper edge of the lid 16 in the closed state. The airbag device 30 is incorporated in the lid portion.
[0013]
The airbag device 30 includes a folded airbag 32, an inflator (gas generator) 34 for inflating the airbag 32, and a flap portion 38 formed of a synthetic resin integrally with the lid portion 16. It has. In this embodiment, the flap portion 38 is provided with two leaves so as to open in a double-spread shape, and a tear line 36 is extended between the flap portions 38 and 38. The back side of the flap portion 38 is a storage chamber for the airbag 32. The airbag 32 has an edge portion of the gas introduction port fastened to the rear surface portion of the lid portion 16 by a flange portion of the inflator 34.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 2, the glove box 12 can be opened into the vehicle compartment with the hinge shaft 18 as the center of rotation. Although not shown, a mechanism for latching the closed glove box 12 and a locking mechanism for locking are provided as shown in FIG. These have the same structure as that provided in a normal glove box.
[0015]
When the automobile collides, the inflator 34 ejects gas and the airbag 32 is inflated. The flap portion 38 is pushed by the inflating airbag 32, the tear line 36 is cleaved, and the flap portion 38 is opened. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the airbag 30 is deployed along the front surface of the glove box 12 and the interior panel 10 around it. The passenger leg hits the airbag 30 to protect the passenger leg.
[0016]
When the occupant leg hits the airbag 30, the airbag 30 attempts to retreat and pushes down the glove box 12. However, since the glove box is supported by the vehicle body strength member by the support members 20 and 22, the airbag 30 is prevented from moving backward.
[0017]
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 and 7 show embodiments in which the upper support members 40 and 60 of the glove box 12 are configured to perform guidance when the glove box 12 is opened and closed, respectively.
[0018]
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the support member 40 is composed of an extendable slide rail mechanism. That is, the support member 40 includes a first rail 42 whose rear end is supported so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle body strength member 24, a second rail 44 slidable along the first rail 42, And a third rail 46 slidable along the second rail 44. The tip end of the third rail 46 is rotatably connected to a support shaft 48 at the upper edge of the lid portion 16.
[0019]
When the glove box 12 is opened to the vehicle compartment side as shown in FIG. 5, the rails 44 and 46 protrude from the rails 42 and 44, and the support member 42 extends. When the glove box 12 is closed, the support member 40 is in a state where the length is the shortest. The support member 42 is configured so that it cannot be shorter than the state shown in FIG. For this reason, when the airbag 32 is inflated and the airbag 32 is pressed by the occupant legs, the pressing force is transmitted to the vehicle body strength member 24 via the support member 40. In addition, the point by which the lower part of the glove box 12 is supported by the dash panel via the support member 20 is the same as the said embodiment.
[0020]
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the support member 60 includes a pair of link arms 62 and 64 that are pivotally connected by a pivot 66. One end 62 a of the link arm 62 is rotatably attached to the vehicle body strength member 24. One end of the link arm 64 is rotatably connected to the shaft 48 on the upper edge of the lid portion 16. The other ends of the link arms 62 and 64 are connected by a pivot 66. As shown in FIG. 8, the link arm 64 has a stopper 68 protruding therefrom. The stopper 68 is provided along the outer peripheral surface of the other end of the link arm 62. The side surface (inner peripheral surface) of the stopper 68 on the side of the link arm 62 is provided in an arc shape that is equidistant from the pivot 66.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 7, when the glove box 12 is opened by a predetermined angle, the link arms 62 and 64 are arranged in a straight line, and the glove box 12 is prevented from further opening. When the glove box 12 is closed from the state of FIG. 7, the link arms 62 and 64 gradually become V-shaped, and eventually enter the closed state of FIG.
[0022]
During the opening / closing movement between FIGS. 6 and 7, the stopper 68 does not contact the link arm 62. However, when the closed state shown in FIG. 6 is reached, the stopper 68 abuts against the side surface of the link arm 62 to prevent the crossing angle (the included angle) of the link arms 62 and 64 from becoming smaller. For this reason, even if the glove box 12 is pushed to the left in the figure from the state of FIG. 6, the vehicle body strength member 24 prevents the retraction of the glove box 12 via the support member 60. Therefore, even when the airbag 32 is deployed in the state shown in FIG. 6 and the occupant legs press the airbag 32, the glove box 12 does not move backward.
[0023]
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a support member in which a pinion 72 is provided on the link arm 64A instead of the stopper 68, and a rack 70 meshed with the pinion 72 is provided on the side surface of the other link arm 62A. The other structure of this support member is the same as the support member of FIG.
[0024]
When the glove box 12 opens, the pinion 72 rolls along the rack 70. Due to this rolling resistance, the glove box 12 opens relatively slowly. When the link arms 62A and 64A are in a V-shaped crossing state as shown in FIG. 6, the pinion 72 reaches the end of the rack 70, and the angle between the link arms 62A and 64A is prevented from being further reduced. . Thereby, the glove box 12 is supported by the vehicle body strength member 24 via the support member composed of the link arms 62A and 64A.
[0025]
In each of the above embodiments, the glove box 12 is firmly supported by the support member. However, in the present invention, when the support member is strongly pressed, it is deformed plastically to some extent. You may make it absorb impact energy. FIG. 10 shows an example, and holes 20a and 22a are provided in the support members 20 and 22, respectively, so that when the support member 22 receives excessive stress, it can be deformed by a slight amount.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the glove box is directly supported by the vehicle body strength member, and even if a large pressing force is applied to the glove box from the inflated airbag, the airbag can be firmly received by the glove box. A vehicle occupant protection device is provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vicinity of an automobile glove box provided with an occupant leg protection device as a vehicle occupant protection device according to a reference example .
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a state in which the glove box of FIG. 1 is opened.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 when an airbag is inflated.
4 is a sectional view showing the form of implementation.
5 is a cross-sectional view when the glove box of FIG. 4 is opened.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment.
7 is a cross-sectional view when the glove box of FIG. 6 is opened.
8 is a perspective view showing a link arm connecting structure shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of another link arm.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a different embodiment.

Claims (5)

An airbag disposed in a glove box in front of the vehicle seat;
A gas generator for inflating the airbag;
In a vehicle occupant protection device comprising:
An upper support member and a lower support member for supporting the glove box on the vehicle body strength member;
The lower part of the glove box is rotatably supported at one end of the lower support member via a hinge shaft, and the other end of the lower support member is connected and fixed to the vehicle body strength member.
The upper support member is composed of a pair of link arms rotatably connected by a pivot, one end is rotatably connected to the shaft of the upper edge of the lid portion of the glove box, and the other end is the vehicle body. It is connected and fixed to the strength member,
The upper support member has blocking means for preventing the angle between the pair of link arms from becoming smaller when the glove box is closed,
The vehicle occupant protection device, wherein the glove box can be opened into a vehicle compartment with the hinge shaft as a rotation center. In Claim 1, the blocking means is a stopper projecting from the end of the pivot side of one link arm,
When the glove box is in a closed state, the stopper abuts against the side surface of the other link arm, and the angle between the pair of link arms is prevented from being further reduced. . In claim 1, the blocking means comprises a pinion provided at the end of the one link arm on the pivot side and a rack provided on the side of the other link arm on the pivot side,
The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein when the glove box is in a closed state, the pinion reaches the end point of the rack, and the angle between the pair of link arms is prevented from being further reduced. An airbag disposed in a glove box in front of the vehicle seat;
A gas generator for inflating the airbag;
In a vehicle occupant protection device comprising:
An upper support member and a lower support member for supporting the glove box on the vehicle body strength member;
The lower part of the glove box is rotatably supported at one end of the lower support member via a hinge shaft, and the other end of the lower support member is connected and fixed to the vehicle body strength member.
The upper support member includes a slide rail mechanism that can be expanded and contracted by sliding a plurality of rails, and one end of the upper support member is rotatably connected to a support shaft on the upper edge of the lid portion of the glove box, and the other end is It is connected and fixed to the vehicle body strength member,
The vehicle occupant protection device, wherein the glove box can be opened into a vehicle compartment with the hinge shaft as a rotation center.   The vehicle occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the occupant leg protection device protects the occupant's legs with an inflated airbag.

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