JPH08324376A - Forced operation structure of sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To forcibly operate an inflator as it is fitted to a vehicle. CONSTITUTION: An ignition pin 22 is engaged with the engaging protruding part 34 of an inertial mass body 30, and the engagement of the ignition pin 22 is released by the rotation of the inertial mass body 30. A safety release piece 64 engaged with a rotating protruding part 38 formed at the inertial mass body 30 moves over a pin protruding part 36 to obtain an operable state, and the inertial mass body 30 is rotated by the further movement of the safety release piece 64. The safety release piece 64 is fixed to a shaft 74, and a release plate 80 is fitted to the shaft 74. A switching plate 86 is then engaged with the release plate 80. The switching plate 86 is therefore moved to move the release plate 80, so that the inertial mass body 40 is rotated to release the engagement of the ignition pin 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sensor forcibly actuating structure capable of forcibly operating a sensor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An air bag device is generally known as a vehicle occupant protection device. Such an airbag device protects an occupant at the time of sudden deceleration of the vehicle, so that the sensor detects the sudden deceleration of the vehicle and the bag body is inflated.

That is, at the time of sudden deceleration of the vehicle, the sensor of the inflator incorporated in the airbag device detects this rapid deceleration, and the sensor ignites the detonator, thereby supplying gas from the inflator into the bag body. Is designed to be inflated.

On the other hand, when a vehicle provided with such an airbag device is discarded or the steering wheel is replaced, the inflator of the airbag device is forcibly ignited in consideration of safety, and then the airbag is installed. The device needs to be discarded.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
The air bag device 212 is attached to the rope 214
The inflator is forcibly ignited by dropping it from the suspended state and operating the sensor of the inflator in the airbag device 212.
Therefore, labor and time are required to stack tires.

Further, the airbag device 212 is strictly fixed to the vehicle body side so that the airbag device is not intentionally removed for purposes other than disposal or loosened by vibration or the like. Many, airbag device 2
It took a lot of labor and time to remove the 12 car bodies.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above facts, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor forcibly actuating structure capable of safely and easily disposing of an airbag device by a simple operation while mounted on a vehicle. .

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sensor forcibly operating structure, which detects a sudden deceleration of a vehicle, is rotated, and is provided with an engaging portion having an inclined surface. It prevents the rotation of the detection member by being contacted,
A safety release member capable of adopting an operable state enabling detection by the detection member and a forced operation state in which the detection member is forcibly rotated by engaging with an inclined surface of the engaging portion; A switching member capable of switching the state of the safety release material between the forced operation state and the forced release state.

[0009]

The operation of the forced operation structure of the sensor according to claim 1 will be described below.

When the vehicle is running, the state of the safety release material is switched by the switching member to the operable state in which the detection member can detect the sudden deceleration of the vehicle. Detect and rotate.

Further, when the vehicle is discarded, the safety releasing member engages with the slope of the engaging portion provided on the detecting member to forcibly operate the detecting member from the operable state. The switching member switches the state of the safety release material.

Therefore, in addition to the state in which the prevention of the rotation of the detection member is released by the safety release material, the state in which the detection member is forcedly operated can be adopted. Therefore, the forced operation can be performed by a simple operation while being attached to the vehicle. It has become possible. Therefore, the airbag device can be safely and easily discarded.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the sensor forcibly operating structure according to the present invention applied to an acceleration sensor is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, and this embodiment will be described based on these drawings.

An inflator for inflating a bag body of an airbag device (not shown) is provided with an acceleration sensor 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 for operating the inflator. The inflator is supported by a steering wheel (not shown) and attached to the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1, the acceleration sensor 10
Includes a cylindrical upper case 12 and a cylindrical lower case 14 having a bottom portion at one end. The upper case 12 and the lower case 14 are coaxially connected to each other to arrange the acceleration sensor 10 The outer shape is formed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a flange portion 14A is formed on the outer periphery of the lower case 14 so as to project over the entire circumference. Further, from the lower surface of the lower case 14 to the lower side of the flange portion 14A, a lower portion is formed. The cap 17 covers it.

On the other hand, the upper case 12 and the lower case 14 are covered with an upper cap 16, and an edge portion 16A of the upper cap 16 is caulked to a flange portion 14A of the lower case 14 so that the upper case 16 is covered. 12 and the lower case 14 are connected. Further, a through hole 16B penetrating the inside and outside of the acceleration sensor 10 is formed at the center of the upper end of the upper cap 16.

An ignition pin 22 is arranged in the space inside these cases 12, 14. The ignition pin 22 is the rotating shaft 1
The main body 24 is rotatably supported by 8 and has a holding portion 24A on the front end side, and a needle-like convex portion 26 formed to project from a position near the front end side of the main body 24. ing. For this reason, the main body 24 and the convex portion 26 constituting the ignition pin 22 are rotatable around the rotation shaft 18, and the ignition pin 22 is rotated in the direction of arrow A which is the counterclockwise rotation direction in the figure. In the moved state, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip end side of the convex portion 26 projects to the outside from the through hole 16B.

A firing spring 28, which is a torsion spring, is arranged between the upper case 12 and the ignition pin 22. The firing spring 28 always urges the ignition pin 22 in the counterclockwise direction. ing. One end 28A of the firing spring 28 is locked to the arm 22A protruding from the ignition pin 22, and the other end 28B of the firing spring 28 is locked to the inner wall surface of the upper case 12. .

On the other hand, the support shaft 4 is provided in the cases 12 and 14.
An inertial mass body 30 rotatably supported by the upper case 12 and formed in a substantially arc shape is disposed.

A locking convex portion 34 is formed at a position of the inertial mass body 30 which can be brought into contact with the holding portion 24A of the ignition pin 22, and the locking convex portion 34 is brought into contact with the holding portion 24A of the ignition pin 22 to engage with the holding portion 24A. In the combined state, the locking protrusion 34 holds the ignition pin 22 biased by the firing spring 28.

That is, the inertial mass body 30 has the ignition pin 2
One end side of the inertial mass body 30 is brought into contact with the wall portion 12A formed by being rotated in the clockwise direction by the firing spring 28 through 2 and protruding one step toward the inner peripheral side of the upper case 12.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a detonator 42 is arranged. The detonator 42 is located on the axis of the acceleration sensor 10 when the acceleration sensor 10 is assembled. Therefore, in this assembled state, the through hole 16B of the upper cap 16 faces the detonator 42, and the convex portion 26 of the ignition pin 22 that can project from the through hole 16B can collide with the detonator 42.

As described above, the inertial mass body 30 holding the ignition pin 22 constitutes a detection member which detects the sudden vehicle deceleration and operates.

Further, the acceleration sensor 10 is provided with a shaft 74 penetrating through the bottom portion of the lower case 14 and the lower cap 17, and the shaft 74 is provided at one end side of the shaft 74 located in the cases 12 and 14. Safety release piece 64 having inclined surface 64A inclined by about 45 degrees with respect to the axial direction of 74
Has been fixed. A disc-shaped release plate 80 is attached to the other end of the shaft 74 protruding from the lower cap 17.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the inertial mass body 30 is formed with a pin-shaped pin convex portion 36 facing the shaft 74, and a slope 64 of the safety release piece 64.
Rotating convex portion 3 which is an engaging portion having a slope 38A parallel to A
8 is formed with the slope 38A facing the safety release piece 64.

Therefore, in the state where the shaft 74 abuts the pin convex portion 36 and prevents the inertial mass body 30 from rotating in the direction of arrow B which is the counterclockwise rotation direction, the position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 is obtained. As shown in FIG. 2, the inertial mass 3
In an operable state that enables detection of acceleration by 0,
The slope 64A of the safety release piece 64 is the slope 38 of the rotation protrusion 38.
The positional relationship is such that it is close to and opposed to A.

In the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the locking projection 34 of the inertial mass body 30 engages with the holding portion 24A of the ignition pin 22 to prevent the ignition pin 22 from rotating. Thus, the ignition pin 22 is held. In this case, as described above, one end side of the inertial mass body 30 is in a position where it is brought into contact with the wall portion 12A by the firing spring 28.

When the safety releasing piece 64 is further moved in the direction of arrow C with the slope 64A of the safety releasing piece 64 facing the slope 38A of the rotating protruding portion 38, the safety releasing piece 64 is attached to the rotating protruding portion 38. The inclined surface 64A is engaged with the safety releasing piece 64 to rotate the inertial mass body 30 around the support shaft 40 in the arrow B direction. With the rotation of the inertial mass body 30, the locking convex portion 34 also rotates around the support shaft 40 to rotate the holding portion 2.
4A is disengaged and the ignition pin 2 as shown in FIG.
2 is in a forced operating state in which it is forcibly rotated.

That is, the safety release member 64, the shaft 74, the release plate 80 and the like constitute a safety release material.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the bracket 82 attached to the airbag device is provided with a guide plate 84. The guide plate 84 guides the bracket 82 so that the bracket 82 is L-shaped and has a forked end. A switching plate 86 which is a switching member having a shape is arranged. A thin portion 86A having a thickness dimension that is approximately half that of a thick portion 86B formed on the proximal end side of the switching plate 86 is formed on the tip end side of the switching plate 86.

At the base end portion of the switching plate 86, the tip end side of the adjusting bolt 94 screwed into the bracket 82 is engaged by the E ring 96, and the adjusting bolt 9 is attached.
By screwing 4 in, the switching plate 86 moves to the right in FIG. 5 to engage with the release plate 80 of the acceleration sensor 10 and pull down the release plate 80.

From the above, as shown in FIG. 5B, the adjusting bolt 94 is screwed into the thin portion 86A of the switching plate 86.
By engaging with the release plate 80, the above-described operable state shown in FIG. 2 is obtained.

On the other hand, by further screwing the adjusting bolt 94, the thick portion 86B of the switching plate 86 engages with the release plate 80 of the acceleration sensor 10 as shown in FIG. Can be pushed down to the side.

By pushing down the release plate 80 in this manner, the ignition pin 22 is rotated through the rotation of the inertial mass body 30.
As a result of the engagement between the holding portion 24A and the locking convex portion 34 being disengaged and the firing pin 22 being rotated by the firing spring 28, the firing pin 22 as shown in FIG. It will be in the forced operating state.

In addition to the detonator 42, the inflator to which the acceleration sensor 10 is mounted contains an enhancer, a gas generating substance, etc., which are not shown, and the ignition pin 22 of the acceleration sensor 10 is connected to the detonator 42 during sudden deceleration of the vehicle.
Then, the detonator 42 is ignited by the collision with the detonator 42, and the gas generating substance is burned based on the ignition to generate gas, and this gas is supplied into the bag body through the gas holes of the inflator to inflate the bag body.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When mounting the inflator on the vehicle, the switching plate 86 is shown in FIG.
As the shaft 74 is positioned as shown in FIG.
Since the safety release piece 64 is in the position shown in FIG. 1,
The shaft 74 engages with the pin convex portion 36 so that the inertial mass body 30
The rotation in the direction of arrow B is prevented, and the acceleration sensor 10 does not malfunction.

After mounting the inflator, the adjusting bolt 94 is screwed in as shown in FIG. 5 (b) to bring the thin portion 8 of the switching plate 86 to the operable position as shown in FIG.
The release plate 80 can be moved by 6A. As a result, the shaft 74 and the safety release piece 64 move in the direction of arrow C, the engagement between the shaft 74 and the pin protrusion 36 is released, and the inertial mass body 30 becomes rotatable in the direction of arrow B. As a result, the acceleration sensor 10 is set in an operable state.

On the other hand, when the vehicle is traveling, the shaft 74 and the safety release piece 64 are switched by the switching plate 86 to the operable state in which the inertial mass 30 can detect the rapid vehicle deceleration as described above. Therefore, when the inertial mass body 30 detects the sudden deceleration of the vehicle, the inertial mass body 30 rotates about the support shaft 40, and the engagement between the locking convex portion 34 and the holding portion 24A is released. , Firing spring 28
Thus, the ignition pin 22 is rotated in the direction of arrow A.

When the vehicle is discarded, as shown in FIG. 5C, by further screwing the adjusting bolt 94, the release plate 80 abuts against the thick portion 86B of the switching plate 86, and this switching is performed. The shaft 86, the release plate 80, and the safety release piece 6 are moved from the operable state to the forced operating state in which the ignition pin 22 is forcibly activated as shown in FIG.
Switch the state of 4.

That is, when the safety releasing piece 64 moves in the direction of arrow C, the slope 64A of the safety releasing piece 64 slides while engaging with the slope 38A of the rotating convex portion 38 provided on the inertial mass body 30. The inertial mass body 30 is rotated around the support shaft 40. Then, as a result of the inertial mass body 30 rotating around the support shaft 40, the engagement between the engagement projection 34 and the holding portion 24A is released, and the engagement projection 34 is separated from the ignition pin 22 to ignite the ignition pin. The holding of 22 is released, and the firing pin 22 is rotated in the direction of arrow A by the firing spring 28.

Therefore, the ignition pin 22 is rotated by the urging force of the firing spring 28, and the ignition pin 22 is rotated.
The projecting portion 26 protrudes from the through hole 16B, collides with the detonator 42, and the detonator 42 is ignited. As a result, the enhancer is ignited, and subsequently the gas generating agent is ignited and burned.

From the above, in addition to the state in which the inertial mass body 30 can be moved by the movement of the safety release piece 64, a state in which the inertial mass body 30 is forcibly moved to operate the acceleration sensor 10 is adopted. Since I got it, it became possible to operate it forcibly with a simple operation while attached to the vehicle. Therefore, the airbag device can be safely and easily discarded.

In the above embodiment, the detection member is the acceleration sensor 10 for mechanically detecting the acceleration, but it may be an acceleration sensor of another type or a type using a trigger lever. Although the safety release member 64, the shaft 74 and the release plate 80 constitute the safety release material, other types of safety devices may be applied.

On the other hand, in the above embodiment, the release plate 80
The release plate 8
The structure may be such that 0 is pushed in for forced operation.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but can be variously modified. For example, in each of the above embodiments, the occupant protection device is an airbag device, but the invention is not limited to this, and in the webbing retractor, the webbing is closely attached to the occupant when the vehicle suddenly decelerates. Of course, it is also applicable to the one that starts the preloader for mounting.

[0047]

According to the sensor forcibly operating structure of the present invention, there is an excellent effect that the airbag device can be safely and simply discarded by a simple operation while being attached to the vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a forced activation structure of a sensor according to the present invention applied to an acceleration sensor, showing a state where movement of an inertial mass body is prevented.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an example of the forced activation structure of the sensor according to the present invention applied to an acceleration sensor, showing an operable state.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an example of the forced activation structure of the sensor according to the present invention applied to an acceleration sensor, showing a forced activation state.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along arrow 4-4 of FIG.

5A and 5B are side views showing a moving mechanism of the release plate of the acceleration sensor according to the embodiment, wherein FIG. 5A is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 and FIG. , (C) are diagrams corresponding to FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing disposal of a conventional airbag device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Acceleration sensor 22 Ignition pin 30 Inertial mass body (detection member) 38 Rotating convex part (engagement part) 38A Slope 64 Safety release piece (safety release material) 74 Shaft (safety release material) 80 Release plate (safety release material) 86 Switching plate (switching member)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A detection member provided with an engaging portion having an inclined surface, which is rotated by detecting a sudden deceleration of a vehicle, and prevents the detection member from rotating by being abutted against the detection member. A safety release material that can be in an operable state in which detection by the detection member is possible and a forced operation state in which the detection member is forcibly rotated by engaging with the inclined surface of the engaging portion, and an operable state and a compulsory state. And a switching member capable of switching the state of the safety release material between the operating state and the forcible operating structure of the sensor.