JPH11139236A - Instrument panel having integrally air bag door part - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quickly extend an air bag door part even in a condition at low temperature time or the like. SOLUTION: In a position closing a notch of a rear side wall part 24B in an air bag module case 24, a steel insert 60 is arranged. In a tip end part of a curved part 60B of the steel insert 60, a press part 60C is formed to face a vehicle rear side upward, when an inflator is operated, an air bag module case 24 generates oscillation in the vehicle forward (direction of arrow mark A) with a point R in the vicinity of a central part of a support bracket 38 serving as the center, and when a swivel is caused, the press part 60C is brought into contact with a second engaging part 50B of a rib 50, so as to press the rib 50 in a direction disengaging engagement between a first engaging part 50A of the rib 50 and a protruded part 56 of an instrument panel insert 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instrument panel having an airbag door unit integrally therewith.
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an instrument panel integrally provided with an airbag door portion mounted on an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a configuration in which an airbag door portion of an airbag device for an automobile passenger seat is integrated with an instrument panel. As an example,
Structure already filed by the present applicant (Japanese Patent Application No. 9-01 / 1997)
No. 5569).

As shown in FIG. 6, in an instrument panel 100 having an airbag door unit integrally,
A rib 1 as an engaging portion is provided on the lower surface of the door insert 102.
04 are formed. These ribs 104 are in a V-shape in a side view, and the distal end portions 1 are inclined.
04A vicinity is instrument panel insert 10
6 is engaged with the opening peripheral portion 106A.

[0004]

However, in the instrument panel 100 having such an airbag door unit integrally, when the inflator is actuated, the airbag bag body is inserted into the door insert 102 of the airbag door unit 100A.
Of the door insert 102 by pushing up the lower surface of the
4 is bent as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6, and the engagement between the rib 104 and the instrument flannel insert 106 is released to deploy the airbag door portion. Therefore, depending on conditions such as a low temperature at which the resin material becomes hard, the rib 104 is unlikely to bend, and the engagement release time between the rib 104 and the instrument panel insert 106 is prolonged.
For this reason, the deployment start time of the airbag door portion is delayed.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object to provide an instrument panel having an airbag door unit which can rapidly deploy the airbag door unit even at low temperatures.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an instrument panel insert having an inflating opening of an airbag bag which inflates when a predetermined high load is applied, and the instrument panel insert. Door insert disposed at the opening for bulging, a foam layer disposed on the instrument panel insert and the door insert, a skin covering the surface of the foam layer, and formed on the lower surface of the outer periphery of the door insert And an engagement portion that engages with an opening peripheral portion of the instrument panel insert.In an instrument panel integrally having an airbag door portion, the rotation of the airbag module case caused by the recoil at the time of inflator operation is performed. Utilizing an engagement release means for releasing the engagement in the engagement portion. To have.

Therefore, when the inflator operates, the reaction force acts on the airbag module case, and the airbag module case swings. By the rotation of the airbag module case at this time, via the engagement release means,
A force is applied to the engagement portion of the door insert in a direction of releasing the engagement with the opening peripheral portion of the instrument panel insert. For this reason, the airbag door can be quickly deployed even under low temperature conditions.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an instrument panel having the airbag door portion according to the first aspect, wherein the airbag module case is mounted on the instrument panel reinforcement at a position rearward of the vehicle with respect to the center of the inflator. The engagement release means is fixed to the airbag module case, and is engaged with the engagement portion when the inflator is actuated, and presses the engagement portion in the engagement release direction.

Therefore, when the reaction force acts on the airbag module case during the operation of the inflator, the airbag module case swings with the swinging center of the vehicle rearward position rather than the center of the inflator. The rotation of the airbag module case at this time causes the disengagement means provided on the airbag module case to swing, and presses the engagement portion of the door insert in the disengagement direction. As a result, a force is applied to the engagement portion of the door insert in a direction of releasing the engagement with the peripheral portion of the opening of the instrument panel insert. For this reason, the airbag door can be quickly deployed even under low temperature conditions. Further, the deployment performance of the airbag door portion can be improved by only slightly changing the shape of the airbag module case, which is advantageous in terms of cost.

[0010] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the instrument panel having the airbag door portion of the first aspect, the disengagement means is formed on an upper portion of an auxiliary plate, and the auxiliary plate is formed of an airbag. It is characterized by being a partition plate attached to the module case and closing a gap between the upper part of the airbag module case and the back surface of the airbag door portion.

Therefore, in addition to the contents described in the first aspect, by setting the auxiliary plate not to be attached to the airbag module case, the airbag can be installed on the instrument panel having the airbag door part separately. The bag module case becomes usable. That is, in a separate airbag door portion not provided with the engaging portion, for example, a wall portion is erected on the back side of the airbag door portion, and this wall portion is attached to an airbag without an auxiliary plate. By inserting the airbag into the opening of the module case, it is possible to prevent the airbag from falling under the instrument panel when the airbag is deployed. As a result, the airbag module case can be shared between the instrument panels of both the integral door type and the separate door type, and the cost can be reduced by mass production.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of an instrument panel having an airbag door unit according to the present invention is shown in FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

In the drawings, an arrow FR indicates a forward direction of the vehicle, and an arrow UP indicates an upward direction of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, an airbag door portion 10 </ b> A facing the airbag device 12 provided inside the instrument panel 10 is formed on the passenger seat side of the instrument panel 10 of the present embodiment. .

As shown in FIG. 1, the instrument panel 10 is made of a resin (for example, PVC (PVC), TPO (olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer), urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer, etc.) disposed inside the vehicle. A skin 16 made of a soft resin), an instrument panel insert 18 which is disposed apart from the skin 16 and is made of PPG (composite reinforced polypropylene), ASG (composite reinforced acrylonitrile styrene) or the like;
6 and a foam layer 20 made of thermoplastic urethane or the like filled between the instrument panel insert 18. Therefore, the skin 16 has relatively low strength, while the instrument panel insert 18 has relatively high strength.

At a predetermined position of the instrument panel insert 18 of the instrument panel 10 described above,
An opening 22 is formed. The airbag device 12 is provided at a position where the opening 22 is formed. The airbag device 12 has a substantially box-shaped airbag module case 24, a substantially columnar inflator 26 fixed in the airbag module case 24, and a folded state disposed on the opening 22 side of the inflator 26. And an airbag body 28.

The airbag door portion 10A is made of a resin 30 which is the same material as the instrument panel insert 18 and a skin 30 which is also a part of the skin 16 of the instrument panel 10 described above. It comprises a door insert 32 and a foam layer 34 which is filled between the skin 30 and the door insert 32 and is also a part of the foam layer 20 of the instrument panel 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the airbag module case 24 has a substantially box-like shape made of, for example, aluminum die-casting, and has mounting portions 24A outwardly formed on both sides on the opening side. . These mounting portions 24A
Are fixed to the instrument panel insert by fixing members such as bolts and nuts not shown.

The upper portion of the rear side wall portion 24B of the airbag module case 24 has a notch 2 having a triangular shape in a side view.
4C is formed, and at a position to close this notch 24C,
Steel insert 6 made of iron plate material as auxiliary plate
0 is provided. This steel insert 60
The airbag module case 24 includes a U-shaped side wall portion 60 </ b> D and a bottom portion 60 </ b> A along an inner peripheral portion on the vehicle rear side of the opening of the airbag module case 24, and is assembled to the inner peripheral portion on the vehicle rear side of the airbag module case 24. Have been.

As shown in FIG. 1, a rectangular hole 61 having a longitudinal direction in the vehicle width direction is formed in the bottom 60A of the steel insert 60, and the bottom 60A is formed on the rear side wall of the airbag module case 24. Part 24B and front wall part 2
4E is in contact with the step portions 24D and 24F respectively formed in 4E. An attachment portion 25 is welded to a lower portion of a rear surface of the rear side wall portion 24B of the airbag module case 24. A piece 38A of the support bracket 38 is fixed to the mounting portion 25 by a fixing tool 40 such as a bolt.
The support bracket 38 is bent in a substantially L-shape at the center, and another piece 38B of the support bracket 38 is attached to a fixing portion 42A formed on a tubular instrument panel reinforcement 42 as a vehicle frame member by bolts and nuts. And the like.

The airbag module case 24 is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement 42 at a position P behind the center G of the inflator 26 in the vehicle. For this reason, when the inflator is activated, the reaction force acts on the airbag module case 24, and the airbag module case 24 moves forward around the point R near the center of the support bracket 38 (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1). ).

The front end 32A of the door insert 32 of the airbag door portion 10A is fixed to the opening edge of the instrument panel insert 18 by a fixture 36 such as a bolt and a nut. Thus, the airbag door portion 10A is a so-called one-sided door portion in which the vicinity of the fixed portion functions as the hinge portion 39 when the airbag door is deployed.

The inflator 26 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a mechanically-ignited airbag sensor (not shown) for detecting a sudden deceleration state of the vehicle is provided on a side of the inflator 26. A not-shown squib is provided on the movement locus of the firing pin of the airbag sensor inside the inflator 26. An enhancer (fire transfer agent) is provided around the detonator, and a gas generating agent is accommodated in the outer periphery thereof. Note that an electric ignition type airbag sensor may be used in place of the mechanical ignition type airbag sensor described above. In this case, sensors for detecting a sudden deceleration state of the vehicle are not provided in the inflator, but are provided on both sides of the front of the vehicle, near the lower portion of the console box, and the like. When the inflator 26 having the above-described structure operates when a predetermined high load acts, the airbag module case 2
4 airbag bag 2 housed in a folded state
8 expands.

At the boundary between the skin 16 and the skin 30, a U-shaped groove 52 is formed. The bottom of the groove 52 is thinner than the other portions, and forms a broken portion 54 that is broken by the inflation pressure of the airbag body. In the present embodiment, the break portion 54 is formed on the entire periphery of the airbag door 14, but may be formed only on the portion excluding the hinge portion 39.

A projecting portion 56 is formed on the peripheral edge of the instrument panel insert 18 on the rear side of the opening toward the front of the vehicle. A plurality of ribs 50 as engagement portions are formed on the lower surface of the door insert 32 near the rear end of the vehicle, and these ribs 50 are formed at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the door insert 32. ing. A lower portion of each of the ribs 50 is formed with a first engaging portion 50A which is inclined toward the lower rear side of the vehicle.
OA is engaged with the lower front end of the protrusion 56 of the instrument panel insert 18. A second engagement portion 50B is formed below the ribs 50 toward the lower side of the vehicle.

At the upper part of the steel insert 60 attached to the airbag module case 24, a curved portion 60B having a U-shaped cross section bulging toward the front of the vehicle is formed. It extends substantially toward the rear of the vehicle. A pressing portion 60C serving as a disengaging means is formed at the distal end of the curved portion 60B toward the rear upper side of the vehicle. When the inflator is activated, the airbag module case 24 is positioned near the center of the support bracket 38. When the head is swung around the point R in the forward direction of the vehicle (in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 1) and swings in the direction indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The rib 50 comes into contact with the rib 50 and is pressed (in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 2) in a direction in which the engagement between the first engaging portion 50A of the rib 50 and the projecting portion 56 of the instrument panel insert 18 is released. .

Further, in this embodiment, the curved portion 60B having a U-shaped cross section is formed on the upper portion of the steel insert 60, so that even when an occupant or the like comes into contact with the instrument panel 10, the upper portion of the steel insert 60 can be formed. Are easily deformed to absorb the impact.

In the present embodiment, a rib 62 provided on the upper surface of the door insert 32 except for the hinge portion is disposed adjacent to the break portion 54 so as to be adjacent to the top wall portion 62A of the rib 62 and the skin. The thickness of the foam layer 34 between them is thinner. For this reason, the load is easily transmitted to the break portion 54 by the top wall portion 62 </ b> A of the rib 62.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the first engaging portion 50A of the rib 50 as the engaging portion formed on the lower surface of the outer peripheral portion of the door insert 32 is engaged with the projecting portion 56 as the opening peripheral portion of the instrument panel insert 18. For the door insert 32
Is securely held by the instrument panel insert 18.

In the present embodiment, when a predetermined high load is applied, that is, when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, an airbag sensor (not shown) detects this and ignites the primer of the inflator 26. Therefore, the gas generating agent burns through the enhancer, and a large amount of gas is generated. At this time, in the present embodiment, the airbag module case 12 is
6 is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement 42 at a position P behind the vehicle at a position P behind the center G of the vehicle 6, and the gas pressure generated causes the airbag module case 24 to move around the point R near the center of the support bracket 38. The user swings forward (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) and swings in the direction indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. As a result, the pressing portion 60C of the steel insert 60 of the airbag module case 24 comes into contact with the second engaging portion 50B of the rib 50, and the rib 5
0 is pressed in a direction (an arrow B direction in FIG. 2) in which the engagement between the first engaging portion 50A of the rib 50 and the projecting portion 56 of the instrument panel insert 18 is released.

In this state, the airbag body 28 is inflated, and the bulging load (inflation pressure) from the airbag body 28 is:
When transmitted to the door insert 32 of the airbag door portion 10A, the breaking portion 54 is broken by the inflation pressure of the airbag body, and the airbag door portion 10A starts to deploy.

That is, in this embodiment, when the airbag door section 10A starts to deploy, the pressing section 60C pushes the rib 50
2 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2, the engagement between the first engagement portion 50 </ b> A of the rib 50 and the protrusion 56 of the instrument panel insert 18 is quickly released, so that the resin material at a low temperature or the like can be used. The airbag door portion 10A can be quickly deployed even under conditions where it is difficult to deform.

The airbag device 12 used in this embodiment has an instrument panel 10 in which a resin airbag door 70 as shown in FIG.
In this case, the steel insert 60 (see FIG. 4) is removed from the airbag module case 24 and used. That is, the airbag door section 7
0 is inserted into an opening of the substantially box-shaped airbag module case 24 and used.

Therefore, the airbag module case 24
The gap between the upper surface of the airbag module case 24 and the rear surface 70A of the airbag door portion 70, which is caused by removing the steel insert 60 (see FIG. 4) from
Since the airbag body is closed by the wall 72 of the airbag door 70, the airbag body is moved from the gap between the upper surface of the airbag module case 24 and the back surface 70A of the airbag door 70 when the airbag body is deployed. There is no dive into the lower part of the instrument panel 10 on the rear side.

As a result, a so-called separate door type (FIG. 5) in which a separate airbag door is attached to the opening of the instrument panel, and a so-called integral door type in which the airbag door is integrally formed (FIG. 5). In both the instrument panels of FIG. 1), the airbag module case 24
Can be shared, and cost reduction by mass production is possible.

In FIG. 5, a tier 74 is formed at the center of the airbag door 70 in the front-rear direction, and the airbag door 70 is torn along the tier 74 when the airbag body is deployed. , And open both sides in the front-back direction.

In the above, the present invention has been described in detail with respect to a specific embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various other embodiments are included within the scope of the present invention. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that is possible. For example, in the present embodiment, the pressing portion 60C is formed on the steel insert 60 which is separate from the airbag module case 24. Instead, the rear side wall portion 24B of the airbag module case 24 extends upward. And
A configuration in which the same portions as the curved portion 60B and the pressing portion 60C may be integrally formed.

[0037]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an instrument panel insert having an inflating opening of an airbag bag which inflates when a predetermined high load is applied, and an inflating opening of the instrument panel insert. The instrument panel insert, a foam layer disposed on the instrument panel insert and the door insert, a skin covering the surface of the foam layer, and an outer periphery of the instrument panel insert formed on the lower surface of the outer periphery of the door insert. In an instrument panel integrally having an airbag door portion having an engaging portion engaged with the engaging portion, the engagement in the engaging portion is performed by utilizing the rotation of the airbag module case caused by a recoil when the inflator is operated. Release means to release the airbag door quickly even under low temperature conditions. It has an excellent effect of being able to open.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the instrument panel having the airbag door portion of the first aspect, the airbag module case is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement at a position rearward of the vehicle with respect to the center of the inflator. The disengagement means is provided in the airbag module case, and engages with the engagement portion when the inflator is actuated, and presses the engagement portion in the disengagement direction. With only a slight shape change, the deployment performance of the airbag door can be improved,
It has an excellent effect that it is advantageous in terms of cost.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the instrument panel integrally having the airbag door portion according to the first aspect, the engagement release means is formed on an upper portion of the auxiliary plate.
The auxiliary plate is attached to the airbag module case and serves as a partition plate for closing a gap between the upper portion of the airbag module case and the back surface of the airbag door portion. By removing the auxiliary plate from the airbag module case, the airbag module case can be used on the instrument panel where the airbag door is separate from the airbag module case. It has an excellent effect that it is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 1-1 of FIG.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side sectional view showing a part of an instrument panel integrally having an airbag door portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an instrument panel integrally having an airbag door portion according to one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the rear of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an airbag module case in an instrument panel integrally having an airbag door portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the rear of the vehicle.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is used for an instrument panel having an airbag door unit integrally, is used for an instrument panel having an airbag door unit as a separate unit. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side sectional view showing a part of an instrument panel integrally having an airbag door portion according to a conventional embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Instrument panel 10A Airbag door part 12 Airbag device 16 Skin 18 Instrument panel insert 20 Foam layer 24 Airbag module case 28 Airbag bag body 30 Skin 32 Door insert 34 Foam layer 42 Instrument panel reinforcement 50 Rib (engagement) Part) 50A first engagement part 50B second engagement part 56 projecting part 60 steel insert (auxiliary plate) 60C pressing part (engagement releasing means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An instrument panel insert having an inflating opening of an airbag bag which inflates when a predetermined high load is applied, a door insert disposed in the inflating opening of the instrument panel insert, A foam layer disposed on the instrument panel insert and the door insert; a skin covering the surface of the foam layer; and a lower surface formed on an outer peripheral lower surface of the door insert and associated with an opening edge of the instrument panel insert. In an instrument panel integrally having an engaging portion and an airbag door portion having the following, the engagement in the engaging portion is released by utilizing the rotation of the airbag module case generated by the recoil when the inflator is operated. Having an airbag door portion, wherein the Instrument panel. 2. The airbag module case is fixed to the instrument panel reinforcement at a position rearward of the vehicle with respect to the center of the inflator, and the disengagement means is provided on the airbag module case, and the engagement is provided when the inflator is activated. The instrument panel according to claim 1, wherein the instrument panel integrally engages with the airbag door portion by engaging the airbag door portion with the engagement portion. 3. The disengagement means is formed on an upper portion of an auxiliary plate, and the auxiliary plate is attached to the airbag module case, and forms a gap between the upper portion of the airbag module case and the back surface of the airbag door portion. 2. The instrument panel according to claim 1, wherein the instrument panel is a closed partition plate.