JPH07186878A - Side collision detecting device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To further reliably start a passenger protecting device when a side collision load exceeding a given value is exerted on the vicinity of the end part in a longitudinal direction of the outer plate of a door. CONSTITUTION:When a side collision load exceeding a given value is exerted in the vicinity of the end part, in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle, of a vehicle door, an outer plate 108 is dented toward the door inside member 106 side and the fixed end of a cantilever beams 12A and the free end of a cantilever beams 12B are pressed toward the member 106 side by the outer plate 108. Thereby, at the same time when a sensor 141 for sensing a collision- from side on the cantilever beam 12B is turned ON, the free end of the cantilever beams 12B is bent toward the member 106 side. Thus, the fixed end side of the cantilever beams 12B is positioned relatively further closer to a position on the outer plate 108 side than the free end side and a sensor 142 adjoining to the sensor 141 is apt to turn ON. Thus, the two adjoining sensors 141 and 142 on the cantilever beams 12B are simultaneously turned ON to start a passenger protecting device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle side collision detection device, and more particularly, to an airbag device that detects a collision of another vehicle and a utility pole from the side of a vehicle door. The present invention relates to a vehicle side collision detection device for activating an occupant protection device such as.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a side collision detection device in a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 5, it is arranged between an outer plate 108 of a vehicle door 100 and a door inner member 106 substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Secondary sensor 110 that is integrally provided on the vehicle exterior side of the impact beam 102 along the impact beam 102, and a plurality of, for example, five primary sensors 112 that are arranged on the vehicle exterior surface of the secondary sensor 110 at predetermined intervals. _{1-112 5} which side突検detection device 114 consisting of is known. In this side collision detection device 114, normally, the primary sensors 112 _{1 to} 112 _1
5 is an outer plate 108 due to a collision from the side of another vehicle.
It is provided for the purpose of detecting when a load of a predetermined level or more is applied over a certain area range of
Unless two or more adjacent primary sensors 112 are turned on at the same time, the airbag device or the like is not activated. This is to prevent the airbag device or the like from being inadvertently activated due to a too slight side collision, for example, light contact with another vehicle. In FIG. 5, FR is in front of the vehicle,
IN indicates the inside of the vehicle.

[0003]

However, since the impact beam 102 has a higher rigidity at both ends than at the central part, a secondary sensor is provided near the end of the outer plate 108 facing the end of the impact beam 102 in the front-rear direction. 110
Is not large enough to turn on
When the primary sensor 112 ₁ arranged at the end of the impact beam 102 is turned on, the side impact load F is transmitted through the primary sensor 112 ₁ to the secondary sensor 110 and the impact beam 10 forming the base.
As a result of receiving a considerable portion of the load in No. ₂ , there is a problem that the influence of the side impact load F may be difficult to reach the primary sensor 112 ₂ adjacent to the primary sensor 112 ₁ .

The present invention has been made under the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to further improve an occupant protection device particularly when a side impact load of a predetermined value or more is applied near the front and rear end portions of the door outer plate. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle side collision detection device that can be reliably activated.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A vehicle provided with a plurality of side collision detection sensors arranged substantially along the vehicle front-rear direction between an outer plate of the vehicle door and a door inner member, and the occupant protection device is activated when at least two of these sensors are simultaneously turned on. A vehicle side collision detection device, which is disposed between an outer plate of a vehicle door and a door inner member substantially along the vehicle front-rear direction, and has a free end portion and a fixed end portion which are vertically spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Two cantilever beams having substantially the same length, which are arranged to face each other, and are arranged at predetermined intervals along the vehicle front-rear direction on the outer plate side surface of the free end portion of each of the cantilever beams. And at least two sensors for each side collision detection.

[0006]

According to the above structure, when a side impact load of a predetermined value or more is applied near one of the ends of the vehicle door in the vehicle front-rear direction, the outer plate is recessed toward the door inner member side, and the door outer plate is formed. By one cantilever (here, for convenience, "Cantilever A")
The fixed end of the cantilever and the free end of the other cantilever (here, for convenience, referred to as “cantilever B”) are pressed toward the door inner member. For this reason, the side collision detection sensor arranged closest to the free end of the cantilever B is turned on, and at the same time, the free end of the cantilever B is bent toward the door inner member side. As a result, the portion of the cantilever B closer to the fixed end than the position where the turned-on sensor is arranged is located on the outer plate side relative to the sensor position, and the turned-on side-impact detection sensor is turned on. The side-impact detection sensor on the cantilever B adjacent to is easily turned on.

Therefore, two adjacent side collision detection sensors on the cantilever B are turned on at the same time, and the occupant protection device is easily activated.

In this case, when the side collision detection sensor is also arranged near the fixed end of the cantilever A, the side collision detection sensor arranged closest to the free end of the cantilever B is used. The sensor arranged in the vicinity of the fixed end of the cantilever A is easily turned on before the adjacent side collision detection sensor, and the side collision detection sensitivity is further improved.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the following drawings, FR indicates the front of the vehicle, UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, and IN indicates the inside of the vehicle.

1 and 2 show the main part of a side collision detection device 10 according to the first embodiment. The side collision detection device 10 is arranged between the outer plate 108 of the vehicle door 100 and the door inner member 106 along the vehicle front-rear direction and at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction, and is fixed to the respective free ends. A pair of cantilevers 12A and 12B whose ends are arranged to face each other.
And four side collision detection sensors 14 _{1 to} 14 ₄ and side collision detection sensors 14 _{5 to} 14 ₈ arranged on the side surfaces of the outer plates 108 of the cantilevers 12A and 12B at a predetermined interval. Have

More specifically, the cantilever 12A,
12B is made of steel of the same material and has substantially the same length. One cantilever 12A has a vehicle front end portion integrally attached to the door inner member 106 via a fixing member 16A. The other cantilever 12B has an end portion on the vehicle rear side integrally attached to the door inner member 106 via a fixing member 16B.

On the side surface of the outer plate 108 of the one cantilever 12A, side collision detection sensors 14 _{1 to} 14 ₄ are sequentially arranged at predetermined intervals from the free end side toward the fixed end side. On the side surface of the outer plate 108 of the other cantilever 12B, the side collision detection sensors 14 ₅ to 14 _{5 are} arranged from the fixed end side toward the free end side.
14 ₈ are sequentially arranged at predetermined intervals. However,
No side collision detection sensor is arranged near the fixed ends of the cantilevers 12A and 12B. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a side collision detection sensor 14 ₂ and a side collision detection sensor 14 ₅ , a side collision detection sensor 14 ₃ and a side collision detection sensor 14 ₆ , and a side collision detection sensor 14 ₄ are provided. Side impact detection sensor 1
4 ₇ are arranged so as to face each other, and are arranged so as to exactly overlap each other when seen in a plan view (see FIG. 2).

The side impact detection sensor (hereinafter referred to as "sensor")
As 14 _{1 to} 14 ₈ , sensors that are turned on by being pressed like the conventional primary sensor are used. A connection diagram of these sensors 14 _{1 to} 14 ₈ is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, the sensor 14₁And sensor
14₃And sensor 14₆And sensor 14 ₈And are connected in parallel
These sensors 14₁, 14₃, 14₆And sensor
14 ₈One end of the first parallel circuit 18 composed of
Connected to the battery power source (+ B) and connected to the first parallel
The other end of the circuit 18 has a squib for activating the airbag.
One end of 20 is connected.

On the other hand, the sensor 14 ₂ , the sensor 14 ₅ , the sensor 14 ₄ and the sensor 14 ₇ are connected in parallel, and the second parallel circuit 22 composed of these sensors 14 ₂ , 14 ₅ , 14 ₄ and the sensor 14 ₇ is connected. Is connected to the other end of the squib 20, and the other end of the second parallel circuit 22 is grounded. Therefore, when at least one sensor forming the first parallel circuit 18 and at least one sensor forming the second parallel circuit 22 are simultaneously turned on, the circuit between the battery power source (+ B) and the ground is closed, and the squib 20 An electric current flows through the air bag device, and an airbag device (not shown) is activated.

Note that, in FIG. 3, a combination of two sensors in which one of them is turned on at the same time when the other is turned on first is surrounded by a dotted line.
Further, the squib 20 may be inserted between the power source and the first parallel circuit 18, or as described above, between the first parallel circuit 18 and the second parallel circuit 22, and further the second parallel circuit 22. It may be inserted between the parallel circuit 22 and the ground.

Next, the operation of this embodiment constructed as described above will be described with reference to FIG. A side impact load of a predetermined value or more acts on the outer plate 108, and the outer plate 108 is recessed toward the door inner member 106 side and the sensor 14 ₁
Is pushed to the door inner member 106 side, the sensor 14
At the same time when ₁ is turned on, the free end of the cantilever 12A bends toward the door inner member 106 side, and the fixed end of the cantilever 12A is positioned relatively to the outer plate 108 side with respect to the free end.
The sensor 14 ₂ adjacent to 4 ₁ is likely to be turned on. In the present embodiment, the sensor 14 ₅ is provided at a position facing the sensor 14 ₂ , and when the cantilever 12A is bent, the sensor 14 ₅ is relatively outside the sensor 14 ₂ with respect to the outer plate 108. Since it is considered to be located on the side,
It is considered highly likely that the sensor 14 ₅ will be turned on before the ₂ is turned on.

In any case, as is clear from FIG.
Sensor 14₁And sensor 14_Five, Sensor 14₁And Sen
Service 14₂, Or the sensor 14₁And sensor 14_FiveAnd sensor 1
Four₂Are turned on at the same time, the power supply current is squib 20
The air bag device (not shown) is activated. A side impact load of a predetermined value or more acts on the outer plate 108,
The plate 108 is recessed toward the door inner member 106 side and the sensor 14₂
And the sensor 14_FiveIs pushed to the door inner member 106 side
And the sensor 14₂And the sensor 14_FiveAre turned on at the same time
At the same time, the cantilever 12A is directed toward the door inner member 106 side.
Bend, the fixed end of the cantilever 12A is relatively outside from the free end.
Located on the plate 108 side, the sensor 14₂Sensor 1 adjacent to
Four₃Is easy to turn on. In this example, the sensor
Service 14₃The sensor 14 at a position facing the ₆Is provided
And when the cantilever 12A is bent, the sensor 14₆of
Sensor 14₃Located relatively to the outer plate 108 side
Therefore, the sensor 14 ₃Before it turns on
Service 14₆Is likely to be turned on.

In any case, as is apparent from FIG. 3, the sensors 14 ₂ and 14 ₆ , the sensors 14 ₂ and 14 ₃ , or the sensors 14 ₂ and 14 ₆ and 1
Since 4 ₃ turns on at the same time, the power supply current is squib 20
The air bag device (not shown) is activated. A side impact load of a predetermined value or more acts on the outer plate 108, and the outer plate 108 is recessed toward the door inner member 106 side and the sensor 14 ₃
When the sensor 14 ₆ and the sensor 14 ₆ are pushed toward the door inner member 106, the sensor 14 ₃ and the sensor 14 ₆ are simultaneously turned on, and at the same time, the cantilever 12A and the cantilever 12B are moved to the door inner member 106, as shown in FIG. The fixed end of each of the cantilever 12A and the cantilever 12B is bent toward the outer side, and the fixed end of each of the cantilever 12A and the cantilever 12B is located closer to the outer plate 108 than the free end.
_The sensor 14 ₄ adjacent to ₃ or the sensor 14 ₅ adjacent to the sensor 14 ₆ is easily turned on.

In any case, as is apparent from FIG. 3, the sensor 14 ₃ and the sensor 14 ₄ or the sensor 14 ₆ and the sensor 14 ₅ are turned on at the same time, so that the power supply current flows to the squib 20 and the airbag not shown is shown. The device starts up. If sensor 14 ₄ and sensor 14 ₇ are first turned on at the same time, the same as above, and sensor 14 ₈
If is turned on first, it is similar to the above, so
A description of these is omitted.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
At least two adjacent sensors on the same cantilever are likely to be turned on at the same time even when a side impact load of a predetermined value or more is applied to both end portions of the door 100 in the vehicle front-rear direction as well as the vehicle front-rear direction intermediate portion. Therefore, the airbag device can be activated more reliably.

In the above embodiment, the sensor is arranged not only on the free end portion of each cantilever but also on the fixed end side of the free end portion. However, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, It suffices that at least two sensors are arranged at the free end portion of each cantilever. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the sensors are arranged at the portions facing each other on the two cantilever beams 12A and 12B has been exemplified, but it is not always necessary to do so, and the positions are alternately staggered. You may arrange | position each sensor respectively.

It is desirable that the free ends of the cantilevers 12A and 12B come into contact with the highly rigid door inner member 106 when a side impact load larger than a certain level is applied. By doing this, the cantilevers 12A, 12B
Can also be used as a shock absorbing member similar to a conventional impact beam, and cantilevers 12A and 12B.
In the state in which the free end is in contact with the door inner member 106, it can be supported by the door inner member 106 having high rigidity, so that the rigidity can be maintained at the same level as in the conventional case.

Further, the conventional impact beam may be installed together with the cantilever beams 12A and 12B constituting the side collision detection device 10. In this way, since the impact beam can sufficiently absorb the shock, it is possible to use the cantilever beams 12A and 12B which are lighter and have a smaller second moment of area, and further the cantilever beams 12A and 12B. By using a spring material, it is possible to improve deformation resistance against repeated loads and prevent changes in performance more easily.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A free end of any one of the cantilevers is located near an end of the vehicle door in the vehicle front-rear direction, and at least two side collision detection sensors are provided at the free end in the vehicle front-rear direction. Since they are arranged at a predetermined interval along the side, when a side impact load of a predetermined value or more is applied, the outer plate is recessed toward the door inner member side and pushed by the outer plate to be placed on the most free end side. As the sensor is turned on, the beam provided with the sensor is bent and the fixed end side is positioned relatively to the outer plate side than the free end side, so that the sensor adjacent to the turned-on sensor is easily turned on. . Therefore, there is an unprecedented excellent effect that the occupant protection device can be activated almost certainly when a side impact load of a predetermined value or more is applied to the vicinity of the front and rear ends of the door outer plate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement in a door of a side collision detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a vehicle door to which the side collision detection device of FIG. 1 is attached.

FIG. 3 is a connection diagram of a sensor included in the side collision detection device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the operation of the first embodiment and is a partially omitted sectional view showing a vehicle door to which a side collision detection device is attached.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a vehicle door to which a conventional side collision detection device is attached.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Vehicle Side Impact Detection Device 12A Cantilever Beam 12B Cantilever Beam 14 _{1 to} 14 ₈ Side Impact Detection Sensor 100 Vehicle Door 106 Door Inner Member 108 Outer Plate

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of side collision detection sensors arranged substantially along the vehicle front-rear direction between an outer plate of a vehicle door and a door inner member, and occupant protection when at least two of them are turned on at the same time. A vehicle side collision detection device for activating the device, the device being disposed substantially along a vehicle front-rear direction between an outer plate of a vehicle door and a door inner member, with a predetermined vertical interval and a free end portion. And two fixed cantilevers arranged so that the fixed ends face each other, and a predetermined distance along the vehicle front-rear direction on the outer plate side surface of the free end of each cantilever. At least 2 each spaced apart
A side collision detection device for a vehicle, comprising: one side collision detection sensor;