JPH11227552A - Supporting structure of air bag for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a supporting structure of an air bag for vehicle capable of rigidly supporting an assistant seat air bag unit so that the expanded position of the assistant seat air bag unit can be kept as desired in the supporting structure of the air bag for vehicle which is extended in the lateral direction of the vehicle, both ends of which are connected to a cowl side panel, which is provided with a steering support member connected to a dashboard upper panel through a connection member, and in which an operator's seat air bag unit is arranged in a steering wheel. SOLUTION: In this supporting structure of an air bag for vehicle, a steering column 5 is installed on a steering support member 2 between one end part of the steering support member 2 and a connection part connected to a dashboard upper panel 9 through a connection member 10, and an assistant seat air bag unit 3 is installed on the steering support member 2 between the other end part of the steering support member 2 and the connection part connected to the dashboard upper panel 9 through the connection member 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a support structure for an airbag for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a support structure for supporting a passenger airbag firmly. The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag support structure that can be maintained as described above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle having an airbag for a driver's seat, a steering column is supported by a steering support member having both ends coupled to a cowl side panel, and a steering shaft is provided inside the steering column. A vehicle in which a steering handle is attached to an end of a vehicle interior side and an airbag for a driver's seat is provided in the steering handle so that the driver's airbag is firmly supported and can be deployed at a desired position. It has been known. Vehicles equipped with a passenger airbag in addition to a driver airbag are also known.As a passenger airbag support structure, a passenger airbag unit is provided in front of the instrument panel. There has been proposed one that is supported by an attached frame (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-198547).

[0003]

However, in such a support structure for a passenger airbag, since the instrument panel itself does not have a large strength, when the instrument panel receives an impact load from the front of the vehicle body. In addition, since the instrument panel is greatly deformed, and the position of the support portion of the passenger seat airbag changes greatly, there is a problem that the airbag cannot be deployed to a desired position. In general, the driver is driving the vehicle, so that the posture is almost constant.However, since the posture of the occupant sitting in the front passenger seat is various, the airbag for the front passenger seat is located at a desired position. It was particularly required to be deployed, and such a problem was of great importance.

The present invention is an airbag support structure for a vehicle having a driver's seat airbag unit and a passenger's seat airbag unit, which extends in the vehicle width direction, and both ends of which are connected to a cowl side panel. And a steering support member connected to the dash upper panel by a connection member, wherein the driver's seat airbag unit is a vehicle interior side end of a steering shaft provided in a steering column supported by the steering support member. In a vehicle airbag support structure provided inside a steering handle provided inside a steering handle attached to a portion, a passenger airbag unit is strongly supported, and a passenger airbag is provided. A vehicle airbag support structure that can maintain the deployed position of the back unit as desired. It is an object of the present invention to be.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is as follows.
The steering column is attached to the steering support member between one end of the steering support member and a connection portion to the dash upper panel by the connection member, and the other end of the steering support member is connected to the steering column. The steering support member between the member and the connection to the dash upper panel,
This is achieved by a vehicle airbag support structure to which the passenger airbag unit is attached. According to the present invention, not only the airbag unit for the driver's seat but also the airbag unit for the passenger's seat can be firmly supported, and when an impact load is received from the front of the vehicle body, the driver's airbag and Both the passenger airbags can be deployed at desired positions.

That is, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle body, the portion of the steering column that extends rearward and upward of the steering column support portion of the steering support member is bent forward by the impact load applied to the steering handle toward the front of the vehicle body. Accordingly, the steering support member is pushed forward by the steering column, and the steering column support portion is bent forward in a U-shape, but the driver's seat airbag unit has both ends on the cowl side panel. Since it is disposed inside the steering handle attached to the interior end of the steering shaft provided in the steering column supported by the coupled rigid steering support member, even in such a case, Driver's seat airbag unit The position of the holding portion and the deployment direction of the driver's seat airbag are not likely to be displaced in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when an impact load is received from the front of the vehicle body, the driver's seat airbag is deployed to a desired position. Can be.
On the other hand, the passenger airbag unit is attached to the steering support member at a position distant from the steering column support portion. When the steering support member bends forward in the shape of a letter,
Although the support position and the direction may be displaced in the width direction of the vehicle body and the passenger airbag may not be deployed at a desired position, in the present invention, one end of the steering support member is connected to the airbag. A steering column is mounted on the steering support member between the member and the connection to the dash upper panel, and the steering support member is provided between the other end of the steering support member and the connection to the dash upper panel by the connection member. Since the passenger airbag unit is attached to the steering column, even if the steering support member bends forward in the steering column support, the effect is blocked by the connecting member, and the passenger airbag is prevented from being connected by the connecting member. It does not reach the steering support member on the support side of the unit, so From even when subjected to a shock load, it is possible to maintain the supporting position and orientation of the air bag for a passenger seat in a constant, it is possible to deploy the air bag for a passenger seat in a desired position.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the passenger airbag unit is attached to the steering support member by at least two brackets separated in the vehicle width direction. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the passenger airbag unit is attached to the steering support member by at least two brackets separated in the vehicle width direction, the support rigidity can be improved, and Thus, deformation at the time of collision can be prevented.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a support structure for a vehicle airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the instrument panel is removed, and in FIG. 1, both ends thereof are coupled to a cowl side panel 1 and a steering support member 2 extending in the vehicle width direction has a passenger seat. Airbag unit 3 includes two mounting brackets 4a,
4b, a steering column 5 is mounted by a support member 6, a steering shaft (not shown) is provided in the steering column 5, and a steering handle 7 is mounted at an end of the vehicle interior side. . A driver's seat airbag unit 8 is mounted inside the steering handle 7. A connecting member 10 for connecting the steering support member 2 and the dash upper panel 9 is provided between the support member 6 of the steering column 5 attached to the steering support member 2 and the mounting bracket 4a of the airbag unit 3 for the passenger seat. Is provided. The airbag unit 3 for the passenger seat and the airbag unit 8 for the driver's seat are provided with slits 11 and 12 for deploying the airbag, respectively. 13 is a blower, and 14 is an air conditioning unit.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a connecting member 10 for connecting the steering support member 2 and the dash upper panel 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting member 10 has a semi-cylindrical receiving portion 20 for receiving and supporting the steering support member 2, an attaching portion 21 attached to the dash upper panel 9, and the receiving portion 2.
It is composed of a connecting portion 22 for connecting the mounting portion 21 to the mounting portion 21. FIG. 3 is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view showing a connection state between the connection member 10 and the steering support member 2. 4th
FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing details of a support structure of a passenger airbag unit and a mounting structure of a connecting member in a vehicle airbag support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 4, a dash lower panel 30 is shown.
The upper end of the dash upper panel 9 is connected to the front end of the dash upper panel 9 and the lower end of the cowl front panel 31, respectively.
The cowl front panel 31 is joined to the rear end of the cowl upper panel 32 joined to the upper end of the cowl front panel 31, and is joined to the cowl upper panel 32 by the bracket 33.
A closed section 36 for holding the cowl box 34 and the window glass 35 is formed. A mounting portion 21 of the connecting member 10 is mounted on a rear surface portion of the dash upper panel 9 which forms a substantially vertical plane, and the steering support member 2 is received in a receiving portion 20 of the connecting member 10, and is supported. Have been. Further, a passenger seat airbag unit 3 is mounted on the steering support member 2 via a mounting bracket 4a. The passenger seat airbag unit 3 is covered with an instrument panel 37, and a portion of the instrument panel 37 facing the passenger compartment side surface of the passenger seat airbag unit 3 includes:
A slit 38 for deploying the airbag is provided. Inside the instrument panel 37, a differential duct 39 and a glove box 40 are further formed, and the air conditioning unit 14 and a neep stector 41 are provided. Reference numeral 42 denotes an opening / closing lid. FIG.
It is a schematic perspective view which shows the structure of the airbag unit 3 for passenger seats, and the center part is notched.

In FIG. 5, an airbag unit 3 for a passenger seat includes an airbag 50 for a passenger seat, an airbag case 51 for a passenger seat accommodating the airbag 50 for a passenger seat, and a gas generating unit. The passenger airbag case 51 is fixed to the steering support member 2 by a side plate 53. On the front of the passenger airbag case 51, a passenger airbag 5 is provided.
A slit 11 is provided which is opened when the actuator 10 is operated, and which allows the passenger airbag 50 to be deployed in the passenger compartment. According to the vehicle airbag support structure according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, when an impact load is received from the front of the vehicle body, the steering column support is provided by the vehicle body forward impact load applied to the steering handle 7. The upper portion of the steering column support member 6 of the steering column 5 of the steering column 5 extending upwardly behind the vehicle body of the member 6 bends forward of the vehicle body, and accordingly, the steering support member 2
However, when the steering column 5 is pushed forward by the steering column 5 and is bent forward in a U-shape at the mounting portion of the steering column support member 6, the steering support member 2 is connected to the support member 6 of the steering column 5 and the assistant. Since the dash upper panel 9 is connected to the mounting bracket 4a of the seat airbag unit 3 by the connecting member 10, the steering support member 2 of the passenger airbag unit 3 is connected to the steering wheel by the connecting member 10. Since there is no deformation under the influence of the deformation of the steering support member 2 in the mounting portion of the column support member 6, and therefore the position of the airbag unit 3 for the passenger seat does not change, the airbag 50 for the passenger seat is moved to a desired position. It becomes possible to expand to the position.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a connecting member 10 and a steering support member 2 in a vehicle airbag support structure according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic center sectional view showing these connected states. In FIG. 6, the steering support member receiving portion 20 of the connecting member 10 has an inverted U-shaped cross-sectional shape.
Connecting part and the airbag unit 3 for the passenger seat
The steering support member 2 on the side is filled with a foam material 60, and is configured to have higher rigidity than the steering support member 2 on the driver's seat airbag unit 8 side. As shown in FIG. 7, the steering support member 2 filled with a foam material and having increased rigidity is supported by the steering support member receiving portion 20 of the connecting member 10.

With this configuration, the steering support member 2 of the airbag unit 3 for the passenger seat is less susceptible to the deformation of the steering support member 2 at the mounting portion of the steering column support member 6 than the connecting member 10. Therefore, even when an impact load is received from the front of the vehicle body, the position of the passenger airbag unit 3 does not change, and the passenger airbag 50 can be deployed at a desired position. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing another example of the passenger airbag unit 3 of the vehicle airbag support structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a schematic XX line thereof. It is sectional drawing. In FIGS. 8 and 9, the steering support member 2 has a large diameter portion 7.
0, the large diameter portion 70 is cut out in a semi-cylindrical shape as shown in FIG.
A cylindrical inflator 72 is loaded and a semi-cylindrical portion 71
Forms a part of an airbag case for a passenger seat.
A side plate 73 and a joint 74 are provided at both ends of the inflator 72, respectively.
It is fixed to. Although not shown in FIG. 8, a passenger airbag 8 is provided on the vehicle interior side of the inflator 72.
0, and when it receives an impact load from the front of the vehicle body, as shown in FIG. 9, it is configured to deploy toward the vehicle interior. Although not shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the passenger side airbag 80 has
A cover provided with a slit is arranged, and together with the semi-cylindrical portion 71 of the steering support member 2, forms an airbag case for a passenger seat.

Thus, the steering support member 2
Is used as a part of the passenger seat airbag unit 3, it is possible to reduce the mounting space of the passenger seat airbag unit 3. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, which are also included in the scope of the present invention. Needless to say. For example, in FIGS. 6 and 7,
The connecting member 10 connects the steering support member 2 and the dash upper panel 9, and the connecting portion between the steering support member 2 and the connecting member 10 and thus the steering support member 2 on the passenger seat airbag unit 3 side, Filled with foam material 60, steering support member 2 on driver's seat airbag unit 8 side
It is configured so that its rigidity is higher than that of
When the foaming material 60 is filled in the steering support member 2 on the passenger seat side airbag unit 3 side from the steering column support member 6 so that the rigidity thereof is increased, the steering support member 2 becomes the steering column. Even if the support member 6 is attached to the attachment portion of the support member 6, the influence can be prevented from affecting the portion of the steering support member 2 where the passenger airbag unit 3 is attached, even if the support member 6 is deformed in the shape of a square. And therefore
Since the support position of the passenger-seat airbag unit 3 can be kept constant and the passenger-seat airbag 50 can be deployed at a desired position, the connecting portion between the steering support member 2 and the connecting member 10 and the connecting portion between the steering bag and the connecting member 10 can be expanded. When the steering support member 2 on the passenger seat airbag unit 3 side is configured to have high rigidity, the connecting member 10 may not be provided. The method of configuring the connecting portion between the steering support member 2 and the connecting member 10 and the steering support member 2 on the passenger seat airbag unit 3 side to have high rigidity is not limited to the method of filling the foam material 60 described above. Needless to say, various methods can be used.

The shape and configuration of the connecting member 10 are also the same as those of the second embodiment.
The present invention is not limited to those shown in the drawings and FIGS. 3, 6, and 7, but may be any as long as the steering support member 2 and the dash upper panel 9 can be connected with a predetermined strength.

[0016]

According to the present invention, there is provided an airbag support structure for a vehicle having an airbag unit for a driver's seat and an airbag unit for a passenger's seat, which extends in the vehicle width direction, and both ends of which are cowl side panels. A steering support member connected to the dash upper panel by a connecting member, wherein the driver's seat airbag unit is provided in a steering column supported by the steering support member. In a vehicle airbag support structure disposed inside a steering handle provided inside a steering handle attached to a vehicle interior side end, a passenger airbag is strongly supported, It is possible to obtain a support structure for a vehicle airbag which can maintain a deployed position of a seat airbag as desired. The ability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a support structure of a vehicle airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a connecting member of a support structure for a vehicle airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view showing a connection state between a connection member and a steering support member.

FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing details of a support structure of a passenger airbag unit and a mounting structure of a connecting member in a vehicle airbag support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a structure of a passenger seat airbag unit.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a structure of a connecting member and a steering support member in a vehicle airbag support structure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic center cross-sectional view showing a connection state between a connection member and a steering support member.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing another example of an airbag unit for a passenger seat of a support structure for a vehicle airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 cowl side panel 2 steering support member 3 passenger seat airbag unit 4a, 4b mounting bracket 5 steering column 6 steering column support member 7 steering handle 8 driver's seat airbag unit 9 dash upper panel 10 connecting member 11, 12 slit 13 Blower 14 Air-conditioning unit 20 Receiving part 21 Mounting part 22 Connecting part 30 Dash lower panel 31 Cowl front panel 32 Cowl upper panel 33 Bracket 34 Cowl box 35 Wind glass 36 Closed cross section 37 Instrument panel 38 Slit 39 Diff duct 40 Glove box 41 Nip stector 42 Opening / closing lid 50, 80 Passenger seat airbag 51 Passenger seat airbag case 52, 72 Inflator 53, 7 3 Side plate 60 Foam 70 Large diameter part of steering support member 71 Semi-cylindrical part 74 Joint

Claims (2)

[Claims] An airbag support structure for a vehicle including a driver's seat airbag unit and a passenger's seat airbag unit, the vehicle airbag supporting structure extending in a vehicle width direction, and both ends thereof are coupled to a cowl side panel. A steering support member connected to a dash upper panel by a connection member, wherein the driver's seat airbag unit is provided at a vehicle interior side end of a steering shaft provided in a steering column supported by the steering support member; In the support structure for a vehicle airbag disposed inside a mounted steering handle, the steering support is provided between one end of the steering support member and a connecting portion to the dash upper panel by the connecting member. The steering column is attached to the member, Wherein the airbag unit for the passenger seat is attached to the steering support member between the other end of the steering support member and a connecting portion of the connecting member to the dash upper panel. Back support structure. 2. The airbag unit for a passenger seat, comprising: at least two brackets separated in a vehicle width direction;
The support structure for a vehicle airbag according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is attached to the steering support member.