JPH0627380U - Sensor for passenger protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To obtain an occupant protection sensor having a self-diagnosis function. [Structure] The sensor 30 includes a secondary sensor 36 and primary sensors 34A to 34C. The secondary sensor 36 is provided with a membrane switch 41. Membrane switches 48A to 4 that are turned on by deformation
8C is provided. Terminal 3 of secondary sensor 36
A diagnostic resistor 50 is connected to 7A and 37B in parallel with the membrane switch 41. When diagnosing whether or not the sensor 30 is connected to the airbag device, a current is passed through the airbag device operating circuit to measure the potential difference across the diagnostic resistor 50. When the potential difference is generated, the connection between the sensor 30 and the airbag device is good, and when there is no potential difference, the connection is defective.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an occupant protection device sensor that detects a vehicle collision and outputs a signal for inflating an airbag that protects an occupant from a secondary collision.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a vehicle equipped with an occupant protection device for sudden deceleration of a vehicle at the time of a collision, for example, an airbag device that detects a sudden deceleration state of the vehicle at the time of a collision and inflates the back toward the occupant. This type of air bag device is generally installed near the steering wheel of a vehicle or the upper part of a glove box, but in recent years it has been proposed to install an air bag device on a vehicle door. . Along with this, a sensor for operating the airbag device disposed inside the vehicle door is required.

As a structure of the sensor, a load sensing member which is pressed through the outer panel is provided, and a contact is arranged on the load sensing member so that the contact is conducted when the load sensing member is pressed. It is possible to configure.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, this sensor is required to have a function of diagnosing the connection between the sensor and the airbag device so that the airbag device can be reliably operated.

In view of the above facts, the present invention has an object to obtain a sensor for an occupant protection device having a self-diagnosis function.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention provides a first switch which is turned on when a load input through the body panel is equal to or more than a first predetermined value, and a second switch which is smaller than the first predetermined value and is equal to or more than a second predetermined value. A plurality of second switches that are turned on when a load is input through a body panel and that are connected in parallel with the first switch; and the first switch or two or more second switches. An occupant protection sensor for activating an occupant protection device provided in a vehicle when the switch is turned on, which is characterized by having a diagnostic resistor connected in parallel with the first switch.

[0007]

[Action]

 According to the above configuration, when the body panel is deformed by the load smaller than the first predetermined value and larger than the second predetermined value, the second switch is brought into conduction by being pressed by the load through the body panel, Occupant protection device is activated.

On the other hand, when the body panel is deformed by a load equal to or greater than the first predetermined value, the first switch is pressed by the load through the body panel, the first switch becomes conductive, and the occupant protection device operates. Operate.

In the present invention, when the first switch and all the second switches are made non-conductive, a current is passed through the occupant protection device, a current flows through the diagnostic resistor, and a potential difference occurs between both ends of the diagnostic resistor. It can be seen that the passenger protection device sensor and the passenger protection device are connected.

On the other hand, when there is no potential difference between both ends of the diagnosis resistor (when no current flows in the diagnosis resistor), it can be seen that the occupant protection sensor and the occupant protection device are not connected.

Further, in the present invention, it is only necessary to connect the diag resistor to the first switch, and the mounting position of the diag resistor can be easily specified as compared with the case where a plurality of second sensors are connected. Easy to install.

[0012]

Embodiment Hereinafter, a sensor for an occupant protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, the arrow FR indicates the vehicle front direction, the arrow UP indicates the vehicle upper direction, and the arrow IN indicates the vehicle interior direction.

A front door 10 of a vehicle is shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, and the front door 10 includes an outer panel 12 as a body panel and an inner panel 14 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The outer panel 12 and the inner panel 14 form a space 16 in the door.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a side impact bar 28 and a sensor 30 are arranged in the door inner space 16. The side impact bar 28 has an elongated shape and includes a rectangular flat plate-shaped base portion 28A and a pair of support walls 28B integrally formed in the widthwise intermediate portion of the base portion 28A so as to be orthogonal to the base portion 28A. The side impact bar 28 is arranged inside the front door 10 along the vehicle front-rear direction, and the longitudinal ends of the support wall 28B of the side panel 32 are provided at both ends of the inner panel 14 in the vehicle front-rear direction (see FIG. 5). Is attached to. The side impact bar 28 limits the amount of deformation of the outer panel 12 and the inner panel 14 of the front door 10 when a high load in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4 acts on the front door 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor 30 has an elongated shape and is arranged on the surface of the side impact bar 28 outside the vehicle compartment. The sensor 30 has the same longitudinal dimension and width dimension as the side impact bar 28. The sensor 30 is composed of primary sensors 34A, 34B and 34C for detecting a low load operating state and a secondary sensor 36 for detecting a high load operating state.

The secondary sensor 36 includes a rectangular flat plate-shaped base 38 made of an aluminum alloy, and one side surface of the base 38 is in close contact with the surface of the side impact bar 28 outside the vehicle compartment. On the other side surface of the base 38 (the surface on the outer side of the vehicle compartment), load-sensing parts 39 made of aluminum are arranged at both ends in the width direction. A rectangular flat plate-shaped stay 40 is provided on the surface of the load sensing portion 39 on the outer side of the vehicle compartment. When a predetermined high load acts on the front door 10 from the direction of arrow A in FIG. When the own vehicle collides with a utility pole or the like at a predetermined speed, the stay 40 is pressed through the outer panel 12 and the load sensing portion 39 is crushed. A membrane switch 41 is provided between the base 38 and the stay 40, and the membrane switch 41 is connected to a terminal 35 arranged at one end of the base 38.

In the above-mentioned secondary sensor 36, the surface of the stay 40 on the side impact bar 28 side presses the membrane switch 41 to turn it on by deforming the stay 40 by a predetermined amount while crushing the load sensing portion 39. Has become. The membrane switch 41 has a waterproof structure and is waterproofed in advance at the manufacturing stage.

The primary sensors 34 A and 34 B are provided at both longitudinal ends of the secondary sensor 36, and the primary sensor 34 C is provided at an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the secondary sensor 36. As shown in FIG. 2, the primary sensor 34 includes a support portion 44A having a substantially rectangular frame shape, and a pair of leg portions 44B extending in the side impact bar 28 direction from opposite side surfaces of the support portion 44A. And a holding bracket 44 consisting of A leaf spring 46, which is a rectangular pressure receiving portion in a plan view, is arranged on the surface of the support portion 44A of the holding bracket 44 on the vehicle exterior side. The leaf spring 46 has a flat plate-like end portion on the leg portion 44B side of the holding bracket 44, and has a shape in which an intermediate portion is raised in an arc shape.

The flat plate-shaped one end 46A of the plate spring 46 is spot-welded to the base 44A to form a fixed end. The other flat plate-shaped end 46B of the leaf spring 46 is a free end. The load to be sensed by the elastic force of the leaf spring 46 is set to a predetermined value. Further, a membrane switch 48A, which is separate from the leaf spring 46, is arranged between the raised intermediate portion 46C of the leaf spring 46 and the base portion 44A of the holding bracket 44. The membrane switch 48 has a waterproof structure, and is arranged slightly apart from the intermediate portion 46C of the leaf spring 46. The waterproofing of the membrane switch 48 is performed in advance at the manufacturing stage.

Although the primary sensor 34A is shown in FIG. 2, the primary sensors 34B and 34C have the same configuration as the primary sensor 34A, and as shown in FIG. Is provided with membrane switches 48B and 48C respectively corresponding to the membrane switch 48A of the primary sensor 34A. As shown in FIG. 6, the membrane switches 48 A, 48 B and 48 C are connected in parallel with the membrane switch 41. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the membrane switch 48A is connected to the terminals 31A and 31B, the membrane switch 48B is connected to the terminals 33A and 33B, and the membrane switch 48C is connected to the terminals 35A and 35B.

In the above-described primary sensor 34, when a predetermined low load acts on the front door 10 from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4 (for example, when another vehicle collides at a predetermined speed), the outer panel 12 is used. The intermediate portion 46C of the leaf spring 46 is pressed, and the membrane switches 48A to 48C are turned on.

As shown in FIG. 1, a diagnosis resistor 50 is connected between the terminals 35A and 35B at the front ends of the terminals 35A and 35B. The diagnosis resistor 50 is shown in FIG. As described above, the membrane switch 41 is connected in parallel.

As shown in FIG. 6, the terminals 31A, 31B, 33A, 33B, 35A and 35B shown in FIG. 1 are arranged so that the circuit of FIG. 6 is closed when at least two of the membrane switches 48A to 48C are turned on. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the terminals 37A and 37B are connected so that the circuit of FIG. 6 is closed when the membrane switch 41 is turned on. The output of each terminal is taken out via the terminals A and B. The terminals A and B are connected to an airbag device operating circuit via a connector (not shown) provided on the vehicle. When the membrane switch 41 is turned on, or when two or more of the membrane switches 48A, 48B and 48C are activated, the air bag device operating circuit is connected so as to be closed. An electric ignition type air bag device (not shown) as an occupant protection device is arranged on the front door 10 and is operated when the air bag device operation circuit is closed.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. When diagnosing whether the sensor 30 is connected to the airbag operating circuit, a current is passed through the airbag device operating circuit. At this time, when a current flows through the diagnostic resistor and a potential difference occurs between both ends of the diagnostic resistor 50 (between the terminal A and the terminal B), the sensor 30 and the airbag device operating circuit may be connected. I understand.

On the other hand, when a current is passed through the airbag device operating circuit and no current flows through the diagnostic resistor 50 and there is no potential difference between the two ends of the diagnostic resistor 50, the sensor 30 and the air bag operating circuit are connected. You can see that it has not been done.

In the above-described embodiment, since the diagnostic resistor 50 may be attached to the terminals 37A and 37B of the secondary sensor, that is, the terminals of the single membrane switch 41, the attachment position of the diagnostic resistor 50 can be easily specified.

The operation of the sensor 30 will be described below. When a predetermined low load is applied to the front door 10 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4 with the sensor 30 attached to the side impact bar 28, the outer panel 12 is deformed and the intermediate portion 46C of the leaf spring 46 is pressed. Then, the leaf spring 46 is elastically deformed and the membrane switches 48A to 48C are pressed and turned on. When two or more of the primary sensors 34A to 34C are turned on at the same time, the airbag device operating circuit is closed and the airbag device is activated, and the bag body (not shown) of the airbag device bulges from the front door 10. .

On the other hand, when a predetermined high load acts on the front door 10 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4 and the outer panel 12 is deformed and the stay 40 of the secondary sensor 36 is pressed through the outer panel 12, the load is sensed. The portion 39 is crushed and the membrane switch 41 of the secondary sensor 36 is turned on. Therefore, the air bag device operating circuit is closed and the air bag device operates in the same manner as described above.

[0029]

[Effect of device]

 Since the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, it has an excellent effect that a sensor for an occupant protection device having a self-diagnosis function can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a sensor including a primary sensor and a secondary sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the primary sensor of FIG.

3 is a perspective view showing a front door provided with the sensor of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the sensor of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Outer panel (body panel) 34 Primary sensor (sensor for passenger protection device) 41 Membrane switch (first switch) 48A Membrane switch (second switch) 48B Membrane switch (second switch) 48C Membrane switch (second switch) Switch) 50 Diag resistance

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (1) Noda No. 1 Toyoda, Oguchi-cho, Oguchi-machi, Niwa-gun, Aichi Prefecture, Tokai Rika Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Keiichi Tamura, Oguchi-machi, Niwa-gun, Aichi Prefecture Noda No. 1 Tokai Rika Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toru Kiuchi No. 1 Toyota-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Toyota Automobile Co., Ltd. (72) Kenji Ogata No. 1 Toyota-cho, Aichi Prefecture Toyota Automobile Co., Ltd. In the company

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A first switch which is turned on when a load input through a body panel is equal to or more than a first predetermined value,
When a load equal to or greater than a second predetermined value set smaller than the first predetermined value is input through the body panel, O
And a plurality of second switches connected in parallel with the first switch, the occupant provided in the vehicle when the first switch or two or more second switches are turned on. An occupant protection sensor for operating a protection device, the occupant protection device sensor having a diagnostic resistance connected in parallel with the first switch.