JPH05286458A - Cabin front part structure of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To absorb impact force at the time of collision by forming an air conditioning duct out of high strength material holding a fixed closed cross section form until impact force received from a car body member and a steering supporting member exceeds a fixed level of strength. CONSTITUTION:An air conditioning duct 14 absorbs shock on impact force even when it is applied to a member of a crew directly via an air bag device 11. Because impact force at the time of 30mph is as large as to be possible to hold the air conditioning duct 14 in a fixed closed cross section form, a pedal bracket 16 and a movement regulating member 17 are respectively regulated in their movements to the rear on front of a vehicle be the air conditioning duct 14. Impact force is absorbed by the duct 14 whose closed cross section form is damaged upon collision at 35mph so dangerous as to apply impact force to an occupant directly via the air bag device 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle cabin front structure in which a steering shaft of a steering wheel provided with an air bag device is supported by a steering support member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, automobiles have been equipped with an airbag device for ensuring the safety of passengers in the event of a collision from the front of the vehicle. Of this airbag device,
The driver's seat is usually provided on the steering wheel, and the passenger's seat is provided on the inside of the instrument panel.

Further, as a supporting structure of the steering wheel at the front portion of the vehicle, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 59-85777, a steering shaft having a steering wheel attached to a front end portion thereof is arranged in the width direction of the vehicle. The steering support member is supported along a shaft, and the steering support member and the cowl box are connected by a brace to support the steering at a predetermined position in the vehicle compartment.

[0004]

By the way, in the conventional steering support structure at the front of the passenger compartment as described above, the brace connecting the steering support member and the cowl box is made of a material having relatively low strength. There is. Thus, when the vehicle collides from the front, the brace is crushed to absorb the impact force. However, on the other hand, as the brace is crushed, the cowl box 20 moves to the rear of the vehicle and the steering support member 21 moves to the front of the vehicle due to the inertial load at the time of collision, as shown in FIG. .. Therefore, in the airbag device 22 having such a steering support structure, the operating position is slightly above the designed normal position due to the upward tilting movement of the steering shaft 23 accompanying the movement of the steering support member 21 at the time of a collision. Will be moved to.

In the case where the brace connecting the steering support member and the cowl box is made of a material having a relatively high strength so as to withstand any impact force, the airbag device in the event of a collision may be damaged. Although the movement can be avoided, the impact force at the time of collision is directly transmitted to the occupant via the airbag device, which is not a safer design.

From the above, as the steering support structure, in the case of a collision from the front of the vehicle, if there is no problem even if the impact force is directly applied to the occupant via the airbag device, The occupant has a structure that keeps the operating position in the designed normal position and absorbs the impact force when it is dangerous if the impact force is directly applied to the occupant through the airbag device. It is desired as a safer design structure that protects from the impact of a collision.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle compartment front structure of an automobile according to the present invention is a steering wheel equipped with an airbag device at a rear position of a vehicle body member on the front wall side of the vehicle compartment. In a vehicle interior front structure in which the steering shaft of is supported by a steering support member,
The following measures are taken.

That is, between the vehicle body member and the steering support member, an air-conditioning duct having a closed cross-section for circulating the air-conditioning air inside is disposed.
It is made of a high-strength material that maintains the predetermined closed cross-sectional shape until the impact force received from the vehicle body member and the steering support member exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

[0009]

According to the above construction, the air conditioning duct having a predetermined high strength is arranged between the vehicle body member and the steering support member. In addition, the magnitude of the impact force with which the air conditioning duct can maintain a predetermined closed cross-sectional shape is set so that even if it is applied directly to the occupant via the airbag device, the value of the impact force and the airbag device are set. By setting it between the value of the impact force that is dangerous when directly applied to the occupant through the above, and in the case of a collision in which the impact force is not hindered even if directly applied to the occupant through the airbag device, By controlling the movement of the steering support member to the front of the vehicle by the air-conditioning duct, the air bag device is operated at a substantially normal position in design. On the other hand, in the event of a collision in which it is dangerous if the impact force is directly applied to the occupant via the airbag device, the impact force is absorbed by crushing the closed cross-sectional shape of the air conditioning duct.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

The front portion of the passenger compartment of the automobile according to this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in, the engine room E side and the vehicle compartment C side are separated by the dash panel 1 forming the vehicle compartment front wall. A cowl box 2 as a vehicle body member is integrally welded to the upper end side of the dash panel 1, and a windshield 3 is attached to the upper end side of the cowl box 2.

An instrument panel 5 integrally mounted with an instrument 4 such as a speedometer is mounted on the rear side of the cowl box 2 in the vehicle compartment. Below the instrument panel 5, a substantially central portion of the steering shaft 7 is supported by a circular pipe-shaped steering support member 8 via a pair of upper and lower mounting brackets 6a and 6b. As shown in FIG. 2, the steering support member 8 has a substantially central portion in the axial direction welded to the center stay 9 and both end portions welded to the cowl side panel 10 to support the width of the vehicle. It is provided by being axially mounted along the direction.

The steering shaft 7 is assembled with a steering wheel 12 having an air bag device 11 at its front end. The shaft portion between the steering wheel 12 and each of the mounting brackets 6a and 6b is for interior use. A column cover 13 is attached.

By the way, in the vehicle compartment front structure of this embodiment, a circular pipe extending between the cowl box 2 and the steering support member 8 in the width direction of the vehicle, that is, in the axial direction of the steering support member 8. The air conditioning duct 14 is provided. The air-conditioning duct 14 has both ends formed as air outlets 14a, 14a facing the occupant side. By blowing out the air-conditioning air flowing inside the closed cross section from the air outlets 14a, 14a, The room is air-conditioned. In addition, a groove portion 14b extending in parallel to the axial direction of the steering support member 8 is formed at a portion of the air conditioning duct 14 facing the steering support member 8. The groove portion 14b will be described later. When in contact with the movement restricting member 17, the escape of the air conditioning duct 14 in the vertical direction is restricted.

The air-conditioning duct 14 is blow-molded with a resin material such as ABS resin, polyphenylene oxide resin, or polypropylene resin to have a high strength and a predetermined closed cross-section. .. Further, the above-mentioned high strength is the strength at which the air conditioning duct 14 maintains a predetermined closed cross-sectional shape until the impact force generated at the time of a collision from the front of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

Further, a pedal bracket 16 having a pedal member 15 attached thereto is provided in front of the vehicle compartment of the air conditioning duct 14.
Are welded to the rear surface of the dash panel 1 and the lower surface of the cowl box 2. A rear end portion of the pedal bracket 16 is extended to the vicinity of the air conditioning duct 14 and is formed as a movement restricting portion 16a that restricts the movement of the dash panel 1 and the cowl box 2 to the rear of the vehicle as described later. The movement restricting portion 16a is formed in an arc shape along the outer peripheral shape of the air conditioning duct 14 so as to restrict the escape of the air conditioning duct 14 in the up-down direction in the contact state with the air conditioning duct 14 described later. It is supposed to do.

On the other hand, behind the vehicle compartment of the air conditioning duct 14, as shown in FIG. 3, a movement restricting member 17 for restricting the movement of the steering support member 8 to the front of the vehicle as will be described later.
Is provided. As shown in FIG. 4, the movement restricting member 17 has side surface portions 17b and 17b at both ends of the base surface portion 17a.
b is erected so as to have a concave cross-section, and the base surface portion 17a
The lower end side of the side wall is curvedly extended rearward of the passenger compartment to serve as a welded portion 17c to the steering support member 8, and the front end sides of the side surface portions 17b and 17b are each bent outward to form a collar. Are formed as the movement restricting portions 17d and 17d.

In the movement restricting member 17, the upper end side of the base surface portion 17a is welded to the lower end of the instrument panel frame 18, and the welded portion 17c is welded to the outer peripheral surface of the steering support member 8, whereby the respective movement restricting members are restrained. Part 17d
It is arranged between the air conditioning duct 14 and the steering support member 8 in a state in which 17d faces the groove 14b of the air conditioning duct 14.

The occupant protection action in the front structure of the vehicle compartment in the above structure in the case of a collision from the front of the vehicle will be described below. In the following description, when the airbag device 11 protects an occupant, there is no problem even if an impact force is directly applied to the occupant via the airbag device 11 at 30 mph (= mile / hour). The collision and impact force of the airbag device 1
35mp dangerous if added directly to the occupant via 1
The explanation will be given separately for the collision at the hour h. Also,
The magnitude of the impact force with which the above-mentioned air conditioning duct 14 can maintain a predetermined closed cross-sectional shape depends on the value of the impact force at 30 mph and 3
It shall be located between the impact force value at 5 mph.

First, a description will be given of the case of a collision at 30 mph in which the impact force does not interfere even if it is directly applied to the occupant through the airbag device 11.

When the vehicle collides from the front, the airbag device 11 provided on the steering wheel 12 is accompanied by the collision.
Is activated, and the airbag housed inside the airbag device 11 protects the occupant's chest in a contact state.

On the other hand, the front side of the vehicle is crushed by the above collision, and the dash panel 1 and the cowl box 2 are moved to the rear of the vehicle. Further, in the vehicle interior side, an inertial load is generated forward of the vehicle due to a collision from the front of the vehicle, and the steering support member 8 is moved forward of the vehicle.

Along with the rearward movement of the dash panel 1 and the cowl box 2 as described above, the pedal bracket 16 welded to the respective members 1 and 2 contacts the air-conditioning duct 14 with the movement restricting portion 16a. Is moved up to. Further, as the steering support member 8 moves forward, the movement restricting member 17 welded to the steering support member 8 causes the movement restricting portion 17d to move to the air conditioning duct 14.
Is moved to a position where it abuts on the groove portion 14b.

By the way, since the impact force at 30 mph is large enough to hold the air conditioning duct 14 in a predetermined closed cross-sectional shape, the pedal bracket 16 and the movement restricting member 17 are respectively connected to the vehicle by the air conditioning duct 14. The movement to the rear or the movement to the front of the vehicle is restricted. For this reason, the relative movement amount of the steering support member 8 with respect to the dash panel 1 or the cowl box 2 depends on the pedal bracket 16 and the air conditioning duct 1 before the collision.
4, the air-conditioning duct 14 and the movement restricting member 1
It is possible to suppress the amount to a minute amount by adding the distance between the arrangement of the steering shaft 7 and the steering wheel 7, and as a result, it is possible to slightly suppress the upward tilt movement of the steering shaft 7.

Therefore, the air-conditioning duct 14 is designed in such a manner that the amount of movement of the steering support member 8 is suppressed to a minimum during a collision at 30 mph, which is sufficient even if an impact force is directly applied to the occupant. The airbag device 11 is operated at a substantially regular position.

Next, the case of a collision at 35 mph, which is dangerous if an impact force is directly applied to the occupant via the airbag device 11, will be described.

When a vehicle collides from the front,
As in the case of the collision at 30 mph, the airbag device 11 operates to protect the occupant. On the other hand, the front side of the vehicle,
Also on the inside of the vehicle, as in the case of a collision at 30 mph,
The dash panel 1 and the cowl box 2 are moved to the rear of the vehicle, and the steering support member 8 is moved to the front of the vehicle.

With the rearward movement of the dash panel 1 and the cowl box 2 as described above, the pedal bracket 16 is moved to a position where the movement restricting portion 16a contacts the air conditioning duct 14, and the steering support member 8 is moved. With the forward movement, the movement restricting member 17 is moved to a position where the movement restricting portion 17d abuts the grooved portion 14b of the air conditioning duct 14.

By the way, the air conditioning duct 14 cannot maintain a predetermined closed cross-sectional shape against the impact force at 35 mph. Therefore, the pedal bracket 16 and the movement restricting member 17 are further moved to the vehicle rear side or the vehicle front side to crush the air conditioning duct 14.
As a result, the steering support member 8 is moved forward of the vehicle, and the steering shaft 7 is tilted upward. Therefore, the operating position of the airbag device 11 provided on the steering wheel 12 is moved slightly above the designed normal position.

However, the air conditioning duct 1 as described above
Therefore, the crushing of No. 4 absorbs the impact force at the time of a collision, and is much more than in the case where the airbag device 11 is operated at the regular position in design and the impact force is directly applied to the occupant. The safety for passengers is secured.

Therefore, the air conditioning duct 14 is located between the pedal bracket 16 and the movement restricting member 17 in a collision at 35 mph, which is dangerous if an impact force is directly applied to the occupant through the airbag device 11. By being pinched and crushed, the impact force at the time of a collision is absorbed.

As described above, in the vehicle cabin front structure of the present vehicle, the air conditioning duct 14 having a predetermined high strength is disposed between the cowl box 2 and the steering support member 8. The air-conditioning duct 14 has a steering support member 8 in a collision of 30 mph in which an impact force can be directly applied to an occupant via the airbag device 11 without causing any trouble.
By slightly restraining the movement of the vehicle toward the front of the vehicle, the airbag device 11 is operated at a substantially designed normal position, while the impact force of 35 mph is dangerous if directly applied to the occupant through the airbag device 11. In the collision, the impact force is absorbed by collapsing the closed cross-sectional shape.

As a result, the passenger compartment front structure of the present vehicle realizes a design structure with higher safety that protects the occupant from the impact at the time of a collision.

The above embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the air conditioning duct 14 is molded with a resin material such as ABS resin, polyphenylene oxide resin, or polypropylene resin.
The material of such an air conditioning duct 14 is not limited, and may be metal or the like as long as it has a predetermined high strength.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the contact between the air conditioning duct 14 and the movement restricting member 17 due to the movement of the steering support member 8 toward the front of the vehicle restricts the escape of the air conditioning duct 14 in the vertical direction. , The groove 14b on the air conditioning duct 14, and the movement restricting member 1 on the movement restricting member 17.
7d are provided respectively, but each of these parts 1
It is not necessary to provide 4b and 17d at the same time, and the air conditioning duct 1
4 is provided with a groove 14b, or the movement restricting member 1
It is also possible to restrict the escape of the air conditioning duct 14 in the vertical direction by providing the movement restricting portion 17d in 7 or providing the escape restricting portion in only one of them.

[0036]

As described above, in the vehicle cabin front structure of the present invention, the air-conditioning duct having a closed cross-section for distributing the air-conditioning air inside is disposed between the vehicle body member and the steering support member. The air-conditioning duct is made of a high-strength material that maintains the predetermined closed cross-sectional shape until the impact force received from the vehicle body member and the steering support member exceeds a predetermined magnitude. ..

Thus, in the event of a collision in which the impact force can be directly applied to the occupant through the airbag device, the airbag device can be operated at a substantially designed normal position, while the impact force can be operated. When the vehicle is directly applied to the occupant through the airbag device, the above impact force can be absorbed in a dangerous collision, and as a result, a safer design structure that protects the occupant from the impact at the time of collision is provided. There is an effect that it can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a vehicle cabin front structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing each component of the vehicle interior front structure.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a cowl box, an air conditioning duct, and a steering support member which are the above-mentioned constituent members.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a movement restricting member arranged between the air conditioning duct and a steering support member.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing movement of the airbag device at the time of a collision from the front of the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Dash panel (vehicle front wall) 2 Cowl box (car body member) 7 Steering shaft 8 Steering support member 11 Airbag device 12 Steering 14 Air conditioning duct

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshiki Yoshimura 3-1, Shinchi, Fuchu-cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Mazda Motor Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle cabin front structure in which a steering shaft of a steering wheel equipped with an airbag device is supported by a steering support member at a position behind a vehicle body member on the front wall side of the vehicle compartment, wherein Between the steering support member,
An air-conditioning duct having a closed cross-section that circulates air-conditioning air is disposed inside, and the air-conditioning duct has a predetermined closed cross-section until the impact force received from the vehicle body member and the steering support member exceeds a predetermined magnitude. A front passenger compartment structure for an automobile, which is formed of a high-strength material that retains its shape.