JPH05213128A - Knee protector for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the absorbing efficiency and absorbing ability of inertia force in a knee protector which is disposed at the lower part of an instrument panel, by forming a sectional part into a U-shape, and a projection which faces one arm part at the other arm Part. 7 CONSTITUTION:The sectional part of a knee protector 2 is formed into a rough U-shape. Resides, the mid part of a connecting side arm 21 which is connected with a steering support member 1 as curved, and protruded toward an arm part, 24 on the other contact, side which is a free edge to form a projection 22. Moreover, a low rigidity part 23 whose rigidity is made lower than those of both the arm parts 21, 24 is formed in a U-shape at the bottom part. With this constitution, when the arm part 24 on the contact side receives inertia force of more than a prescribed force, the low rigidity part 23 only is bent to deform until the contact side arm 24 comes into contact with the connection side arm 21 as described by a point chain line. When deformation increases further, the projection part 22 is deformed. By the deformation with two stages, it is possible to improve absorbing efficiency and absorbing ability of inertia force.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a knee protector for an automobile, which protects an occupant's knees when a frontal impact such as a collision occurs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an automobile, when an occupant moves forward when receiving a shock from the front such as in a collision, the knees of the occupant collide and the collision energy, which is the inertial force, is absorbed and absorbed. A knee protector that protects the occupants' knees is provided below the instrument panel.
As a conventional knee protector, a plate-shaped or thin box-shaped contact body is attached to a rotary shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, and the contact body covers the opening provided under the instrument panel. When the knee hits, the load of the knee pushes the periphery of the abutting body against the mold around the opening to deform the abutting body and absorb the inertial force, or the support in the vehicle width direction inside the instrument panel. It is known that a frame is extended, an abutment body is attached to the support frame via a substantially V-shaped connecting member, and the inertia force is absorbed by the deformation of the connecting member.

However, in the knee protector in which the abutment body is deformed, the amount of impact absorbed on the knees of the occupant becomes maximum from the time when the load is applied to the abutment body until the abutment body starts to deform. Further, in the knee protector in which the connecting member is deformed, since the connecting member is substantially V-shaped, the connecting member is easily bent and deformed so that the abutment body comes into contact with the support frame, and the amount of inertial force absorption takes time. 2 on the horizontal axis
The next curve was drawn. As described above, in the conventional knee protector, after the absorption amount reaches the maximum, the absorption amount is reduced, and further improvement is expected in terms of impact absorption efficiency and absorption capacity. Various knee protectors have been proposed to further improve these points. For example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-87945, a support frame extending in the vehicle width direction is provided inside the instrument panel, and the support frame is provided. It is described that the contact body is attached to the connecting member via the connecting member, and the connecting member is provided with the curved portion to increase the deformation stroke.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional knee protector, when the deformation is started from the time when the inertial force is received during the deformation of the connecting member, the absorption amount of the inertial force suddenly reaches the maximum value, and thereafter the maximum amount is absorbed. Since the amount of inertial force absorption decreases as the amount of deformation increases, there is a problem that the inertial force absorption efficiency decreases.

An object of the present invention is to provide a knee protector for an automobile having improved absorption efficiency and absorption capacity for inertial force.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle knee protector according to the present invention is a vehicle knee protector arranged at a lower portion of an instrument panel, which is a knee protector having a substantially U-shaped cross section. One of the arm portions is connected to a support member extending in the vehicle width direction inside the instrument panel such as a steering support member, and the other arm portion forms an abutting portion toward the vehicle interior side, and at least one Is formed with a protrusion projecting toward the other arm, and when an inertial force is applied, the inertial force is applied in the first deformation region until the protrusion abuts the arm. Deformation starts from, the absorption amount of inertial force suddenly reaches the maximum value, and then the absorption amount of inertial force decreases as the deformation amount increases. There into the second deformation zone is deformed, since the absorption amount of the inertia force can be increased again, thereby improving the absorption efficiency and absorption capacity of the inertial force.
It should be noted that the U-shaped bottom portion may be provided with a lowering means for lowering the rigidity than the both arm portions, so that the inertial force absorbing efficiency and absorbing ability can be further improved. Further, by disposing the cooler duct between the protrusion of the arm portion and the cooler unit arranged in front of it, the layout of the cooler duct can be improved and the workability of attaching and detaching the cooler unit can be improved.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a support member extending inside the instrument panel 5 in the vehicle width direction, for example, a steering support member 1 is shown.
One arm portion of the knee protector 2 having a substantially U-shaped cross section is connected to the other arm portion, and the other arm portion is positioned inside the glove box 6 provided at the lower portion of the instrument panel 5. A cooler duct 4 is installed between the cooler unit 3 and the knee protector 2 arranged at the front position.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, one connecting side arm portion of the knee protector 2 having a substantially U-shaped cross section.
The end portion of 21 is connected to the steering support member 1 extending in the vehicle body width direction, and the other contact side arm portion 24 is a free end as the contact portion, and the connection side arm portion 21 is curved in the middle. To form a protrusion 22 projecting toward the contact side arm portion 24, and lowering the rigidity by making the U-shaped bottom portion (bent portion) thinner than both arm portions 21 and 24. A low rigidity portion 23 is formed.

To explain the operation, the contact side arm portion
When 24 receives an inertial force larger than a predetermined value, the low rigidity part 23
Only the contact side arm part 24 is bent so that the contact side arm part 24
Of the first deformation area until it comes into contact with the projection 22 (position 2A) and the second deformation area in which the projection 22 of the connecting arm 21 is further deformed (position 2B) by inertial force. Deformation is performed, and in the first deformation region, the low-rigidity portion 23 starts to deform from the time when the inertial force is received, and the amount of inertial force absorption suddenly reaches the maximum value. Although the amount of inertial force absorption decreases as the amount of deformation increases, when the projection 22 abuts the contact side arm 24, the projection 22 enters the second deformation region where the projection 22 deforms, and the amount of inertial force absorption is re-established. Therefore, the efficiency of absorbing inertial force as well as the absorbing ability can be improved. In this embodiment, the protrusion 22 is provided on the connecting side arm portion 21, but the contact side arm portion 24 may be provided with a protruding portion that projects toward the connecting side arm portion 21,
Furthermore, a protrusion may be formed on each of the arm portions 21 and 24.

An example of the means for forming the low-rigidity portion 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, in which the knee protector 2 is formed of a long thin plate and the width b (see FIG. 5) of the low-rigidity portion 23 is changed. It is formed smaller than the width B (see FIG. 4) of the other portions, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs are formed along the longitudinal direction of the knee protector 2.

Referring to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the knee protector 7 is formed in a substantially U shape.
Connecting side arm connected to the steering support member 1
A buffer bar 8 having an inverted concave cross-section protruding from 71 toward the contact side arm portion 72 is provided so as to project in the longitudinal direction, that is, in the direction from the connecting side arm portion 71 toward the contact side arm portion 72. A large number of beads 81 are provided in a direction orthogonal to each other so that the buffer bar 8 can be easily compressed in the longitudinal direction, and the contact side arm portion 72 bends toward the steering support member 1 and contacts the buffer bar 8. It is possible to secure the first deformation area up to and the second deformation area in which the buffer bar 8 is compressed in the longitudinal direction and the contact side arm portion 72 further moves in the steering support member 1 direction.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8, a buffer bar 9 protruding from the steering support member 1 toward the contact side arm portion 72 is provided so as to project. The knee protector 7 is provided together with the second embodiment. It is not necessary to form the low-rigidity portion in the above, and the configuration can be simplified.

The fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 9 will be described. The knee protector 10 formed in a substantially U shape is connected to the steering support member 1 at the connecting side arm portion 101.
A low-rigidity portion 103 having a low rigidity is formed at an intermediate position between the contact-side arm portion 102 and the contact-side arm portion 102, and particularly at the U-shaped bottom portion.
A buffer bar 104 is erected on the contact side arm portion 102 in the vicinity, and in the first deformation region, the low rigidity portion 103 bends so that the contact side arm portion 102 approaches the connection side arm portion 101, The tip of the buffer bar 104 comes into contact with the connecting side arm portion 101. In the second deformation region, the buffer bar 104 is compressed in the longitudinal direction, and the contact side arm portion 102 further moves toward the steering support member 1 to further increase the amount of inertial force absorption.

The fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 10 will be described. The knee protector 11 formed in a substantially U shape is connected to the steering support member 1 at the connecting side arm portion 111.
And an abutting side arm part 112, and an extension part 113, which is an extension of the connecting side arm part 111, is wound around the steering support member 1, and a tip end 114 of the extension part 113 is wound around the steering support member 1.
In the first deformation area, the U-shaped bottom portion bends and the contact side arm portion 112 approaches the steering support member 1 and extends. It abuts the tip 114 of the part 113. In the second deformation region, the tip 114 of the extension 113 starts to deform and the abutment arm 112 further moves toward the steering support member 1 to further increase the amount of inertial force absorption.

[0015]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following effects. When the inertial force is applied, in the first deformation area until the protrusion contacts the arm part, the deformation starts from the moment the inertial force is received, and the absorption amount of the inertial force suddenly reaches the maximum value, and then the deformation occurs. Although the amount of inertial force absorption decreases as the amount increases, the amount of inertial force absorption can be increased again because the amount of inertial force absorption can be increased again in the second deformation region where the protrusion deforms when the protrusion contacts the arm. It is possible to improve the absorption efficiency of the inertial force and the absorption capacity.
As a result, the stroke can be shortened as compared with the conventional knee protector having a substantially V shape, so that the layout of the components in the instrument panel is improved. It should be noted that if a lowering means for lowering the rigidity than the both arm portions is provided at the bottom of the U-shape, the efficiency and capacity of absorbing inertial force can be further improved. Further, by disposing the cooler duct between the protrusion of the arm part and the cooler unit arranged in front of it, the layout of the cooler duct can be improved and the workability of attaching and detaching the cooler unit can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an arrangement structure of a knee protector to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the knee protector according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the essential parts of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 Steering support member, 2, 7, 10, 11 Knee protector 21, 71, 101, 111 Connecting side arm part, 24, 72, 102, 112
Abutting arm part 22 Projection part, 23,103 Low rigidity part, 8,9,104 Buffer bar, 113 Extension part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A knee protector for an automobile arranged at a lower portion of an instrument panel, wherein a knee protector having a substantially U-shaped cross section has at least one arm formed with a protrusion protruding toward the other arm. A knee protector for automobiles. 2. The lower portion of the U-shape is provided with a lowering means for lowering the rigidity as compared with the both arm portions.
Knee protector for automobiles described in. 3. A cooler duct is arranged between the projecting portion of the arm portion and the cooler unit.
Alternatively, the knee protector for an automobile according to claim 2.