JPH11245749A - Occupant protective device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular occupant protective device which promotes the protection of an occupant by way of preventing a solid from interfering with the knees of the occupant during any action of external force due to a car crash or the like, and simultaneously to make an occupant attitude be stably kept up. SOLUTION: When external force acts, an occupant 38 moves forward, and the knee 39 hits on a protecting cover 3 of an occupant protective device. With this hitting, the occupant protective device is lifted upward and thereby a stopper surface of a hard protective member hits on an underside 28 of a reinforcement 27, and an upward movement of more than that is thus restricted. A clutch master cylinder 25 goes back, and its rear end 26 hits on a contact part 24 of the hard protective member. The occupant protective device is held between the rear end 26 and the knee 39, whereby it is deformed, absorbing any impact energy as holding its impact force. Therefore, protection of the occupant 38 is securely promoted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an occupant protection device for a vehicle, which protects the occupant's knees and the like when an external force is applied such as at the time of a vehicle collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Seat belts and airbags are used as means for protecting a driver in the event of a collision or the like.
Of course, these protectors effectively protect the driver in the event of a collision, but are insufficient for protecting the driver's knees.

As shown in FIG. 12, a brake master back 44 and a clutch master back 45 are supported by a pedal bracket 46 and arranged behind a front panel 43 supporting a windshield and the like. A brake master cylinder 47 and a clutch master cylinder 25 are connected to the rear ends of the brake master back 44 and the clutch master back 45.

On the other hand, an instrument panel 41 shown in FIG. 10 is connected to the front panel 43 side. The meter cluster panel 31a is connected to the opening 42 of the instrument panel 41 as shown in FIG. Also,
The instrument panel 31 is reinforced by a reinforcement 27 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 10, the meter cluster panel 31a has a space 32 formed in the center thereof and a decorative panel 33 and a mounting portion 34a formed therebetween.
A panel 50 is attached to the attachment portion 34a, for example, as shown in FIGS. The space 3
Reference numeral 2 denotes a space through which the steering cowl 48, the steering column shaft, and the like pass.

As shown in FIG. 12, a rear end surface 49 of a brake master cylinder 47 is disposed substantially in front of the decorative panel 33, and a rear end surface 26 of the clutch master cylinder 25 is disposed on the front side of the panel 50. Are arranged opposite to each other. Also, as shown in FIG. 12, behind the decorative panel 33 and the panel 50, the knee 39 of the occupant 38 is disposed so as to be substantially opposed to each other.

In the event of a collision, the front panel 43 is retracted, and as shown in FIG.
Etc. are pressed backward. On the other hand, the occupant 38 moves forward due to inertial force, and its knee 39 hits the rear end face 26 of the clutch master cylinder 25 via the panel 50.

Various devices have been conventionally devised as protection means for preventing the interference between the knee 39 and the clutch master cylinder 25 as described above. For example, Japanese Utility Model 7-3151
6 and JP-A-6-183306. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-31516 discloses a "knee protector for an automobile" in which a knee protector is interposed between a hard interference member such as a brake master cylinder or a clutch master cylinder and a leg of a driver. This knee protector comprises an arcuate guide panel portion and a deformable panel portion having a lower deformation strength fixed to the inside thereof. In the event of a collision, the impact force of the interference member is absorbed by the deformed panel, and the legs are moved outward along the curve of the guide panel to prevent collision between the legs and the interference member. is there.

On the other hand, a knee bolster disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-183306 has a pair of energy absorbing plackets interposed between a plate disposed opposite to the occupant's knee and a vehicle body side member. The energy absorbing bracket has a bent portion that is bent in a substantially U-shape at a substantially central portion of an arm portion that is bridged between the plate and the member. The arm is deformed to absorb impact energy.

[0010]

In the case of the prior art shown in FIGS. 9 to 13, the rear end surface 26 of the clutch master cylinder 25 is provided on the back surface of the panel 50 of the meter cluster panel 31a when an external force is applied such as at the time of a collision. At the same time, the knee 39 of the occupant 38 comes into contact with the rear surface of the vehicle, and is transmitted to the thigh 40. On the other hand, in the case of the known technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-31516, although the leg portions seem to be shifted outward and protected as described above, the leg portions do not actually shift outward. That is, the knee protector including the guide panel portion and the deformable panel portion is not disposed directly opposite to the leg portion, and the instrument panel is interposed therebetween.
Therefore, at the time of collision, the deformable panel is deformed by the interference member, but the guide panel hits the leg via the instrument panel. Therefore, the legs cannot be shifted outward along the curve of the guide panel, but only slightly outward along the surface of the instrument panel as indicated by the two-dot chain line. Therefore, the protection of the legs is insufficient. In the case of JP-A-6-183306, the impact energy is absorbed by the contact between the knee bolster and the knee. Therefore, there is a problem that the moving direction of the knee itself becomes unstable and the occupant's posture cannot be maintained stably. Further, this technique does not prevent interference between the occupant's knees and the like and the solid matter, and is different from the present invention in terms of purpose.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and reliably protects the occupant's knees and thighs when an external force acts during a collision or the like, and stabilizes the occupant's posture during interference. It is an object of the present invention to provide an occupant protection device for a vehicle that can be developed.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a method in which an end of a solid material such as a clutch master cylinder and / or a brake master cylinder is substantially opposed to a solid material via an appropriate space. An occupant protection device that is disposed and is detachably held on a panel side such as a meter cluster panel of a vehicle and disposed in the space so as to prevent an occupant's knee or the like from interfering with the solid object. The occupant protection device includes a protection cover made of a soft material and disposed opposite to the knee or the like, and a hard protection member fixed to a back surface of the protection cover. The rigid protective member comprises a curved plate portion which bulges toward the side of the protective cover, and a flange portion which is formed by bending on both sides of the curved plate portion. Having a part 1 comprising a U-shaped member having a reinforcing member, a base plate portion and a flange portion bent from both sides thereof, wherein an edge of the flange portion is brought into contact with the curved surface portion to form the first reinforcing member. Combination of a second reinforcing member to be connected and a third reinforcing member that is cantilevered by the base plate portion of the second reinforcing member and forms a stopper surface on an overhanging upper surface. When an external force is applied, the stopper surface of the third reinforcing member abuts on a relatively less displaceable member such as a reinforce of the vehicle to restrain upward movement of the occupant protection device. The occupant protection device for a vehicle in which the base plate portion of the reinforcing member is arranged to come into contact with the solid matter is provided. Further, the curved plate portion of the protective cover is characterized in that a slightly lower half side of the curved surface is arranged so that a knee or the like abuts.

[0013] When an external force is applied, the solid and the knee and the like move in a direction approaching each other, but the knee and the like do not directly interfere with the solid by the occupant protection device of the present invention. The knee and the like are first hit by a relatively soft protective cover and are protected, and the protective cover is supported by a hard protective member, and the impact of external force is absorbed by deformation of the hard protective member.
In addition, the stopper surface of the third reinforcing member of the hard protective member hits a relatively less displaceable member such as a reinforce when the protective cover comes into contact with the knee or the like, thereby restricting the upward movement of the occupant protection device. Therefore, upward movement of the knee or the like that interferes with the occupant protection device is restricted, and the occupant's posture can be stabilized. The protective cover is formed of a curved surface, so that the impact force at the time of interference with the knee or the like is relieved, and the knee or the like abuts on the lower half of the curved surface, whereby the occupant's posture is more reliably stabilized.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a vehicle occupant protection system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the meter cluster panel 31 includes a decorative panel 33 disposed on the right side of the figure with the opening 32 interposed therebetween, and a mounting section 34 disposed on the left side. Note that the decorative panel 33 is disposed so as to face the brake master cylinder 47 (FIG. 12), and serves as a special protective cover so as to function to prevent interference between the brake master cylinder 47 and the knee or the like. Although formed, the description is omitted in this example, and the occupant protection device 1 provided on the mounting portion 34 side will be described. The occupant protection device 1 may be provided on the brake master cylinder 47 side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mounting portion 34 has a locking portion 35 for detachably mounting the occupant protection device 1,
36, 37, etc. are provided. The occupant protection device 1 is roughly divided into a protection cover 3 and a hard protection member 2 as shown in FIG.
And these are integrally combined. The hard protection member 2 includes a first reinforcement member 4, a second reinforcement member 5, a third reinforcement member 6, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the protective cover 3 has a curved plate portion 21 bulging outward (to the side of the knee 39) and flange portions 2 formed on both sides thereof by being bent inward.
And 2. On the upper side, a projection 23 engaging with the locking portion 35 of the mounting portion 34 is fixed, and on the lower side, a mounting hole 23a through which a screw 30 (FIG. 5) engaging with the locking portion 37 passes is formed. Is done. The protective cover 3
Is made of a soft material, for example, a plastic material. Regarding the softness, wall thickness, shape, and the like of the curved plate portion 21, it is desirable that the curved plate portion 21 be appropriately deformed when the knee 39 abuts on the curved plate portion 21 and that the surface plate is not cracked. Further, the flange portion 22 functions as a reinforcing member for the curved plate portion 21, but it is desirable that some measures be taken to prevent the rigidity from becoming too high.

Next, as shown in FIGS.
The structure of each component will be described. FIG. 2 shows the first reinforcing member 4, FIG. 3 shows the second reinforcing member 5, and FIG.
Is shown. Each is formed by bending a hard material such as an iron material. The first reinforcing member 4 includes a curved surface portion 7 and flange portions 8 formed on both sides thereof. The curved portion 7 has a curved shape closely contacting the back surface of the curved plate portion 21 of the protective cover 3, and the flange portion 8 reinforces the curved portion 7. Arms 7a, 7a are formed above the curved surface 7, and a mounting hole 10 is formed at the tip of the arm 7a. A mounting hole 9 is formed below the curved surface 7.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second reinforcing member 5
The base plate 13 is formed of a member bent in a substantially U shape, and the flanges 11 and 12 are formed by bending the base plate 13 on both sides thereof.
Consists of As shown in the figure, the base plate portion 13 has a detailed structure in which an upper plate portion 13a, a stepped portion 13b, and a contact portion 13c are connected. The edges of the flanges 11 and 12 have a curved surface shape that comes into contact with the curved surface 7 of the first reinforcing member 4. Further, a notch hole 14 is formed in the upper end side of the flange portion 11, and a gap hole 15 is formed in the flange portion 12. The gap hole 15 is a hole for adding flexibility to the flange portion 12, and the cutout hole 14 of the flange portion 11 may have the same shape as the gap hole 15, but it may be upward for other work purposes. The side is open, and its shape is not characteristic. A cutout portion 16 is formed in the upper plate portion 13a of the base plate portion 13 to reduce the weight.

As shown in FIG. 4, the third reinforcing member 6 has a frame shape as shown in FIG.
7, 17; an upper plate 18a forming a stopper surface 18;
It consists of mounting seat plates 19, 20 and the like. The mounting seat plate 20 has a contact plate 6a as shown in FIG.
Is fixed. The contact plate 6a includes a contact portion 24 that comes into contact with a rear end surface 26 (FIG. 5) of the clutch master cylinder 25 and a mounting plate portion 20a. The mounting seat plate 19 is fixed to the upper plate portion 13a of the second reinforcing member 5, and the abutting portion 2
4 is fixed to the contact portion 13c of the second reinforcing member 5, and the mounting plate portion 20a contacts the lower end of the curved plate portion 21 of the first reinforcing member 4.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the protective cover 3 and the hard protective member 2 described above are combined and installed at the place of the mounting portion 34 of the meter cluster panel 31 shown in FIG. The hard protective member 2 assembled as an integral structure is united with the curved surface portion 7 of the first reinforcing member 4 being in close contact with the back surface of the curved plate portion 21 of the protective cover 3. The upper side is fixed by engaging the screw 29 and the projecting piece 23 with the locking portions 36 and 35 of the mounting hole 34, and the lower side is the screw 3
0 through the mounting hole 23a of the protective cover 3 and the mounting hole 9 of the first reinforcing member 4,
It is fixed by engaging it on the 7 side. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the mounting plate 20a of the contact plate 6a of the third reinforcing member 6 is also integrally fixed by the screw 30 via the mounting hole 9a.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the occupant protection device 1 is mounted on the mounting portion 34 of the meter cluster panel 31, the occupant is disposed at an appropriate distance from the lower half of the protective cover 3 at a position opposite to the position. 38 knees 39 (shown by solid lines)
Is arranged. Further, the rear end surface 26 of the clutch master cylinder 25 is disposed to face the contact portion 24 with an appropriate space therebetween. In addition, the stopper surface 18 is a reinforce 27
Is disposed at a position where an appropriate gap is maintained with the lower surface 28 of the first member.

Next, the operation of the occupant protection system for a vehicle according to the present invention when an external force is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. When an external force is applied during a collision or the like from a state in which no external force is applied as shown in FIG. 5, the occupant 38 moves forward due to inertial force as shown in FIG. 5, for example, and the knee 39 is moved to the lower half of the curved plate 21 of the protective cover 3. Hit near. In this case, the clutch master cylinder 25 also starts to retreat, but the rear end face 26 does not hit the contact portion 24. When the knee 39 hits the curved plate portion 21, the entire occupant protection device 1 is lifted slightly upward and moves, but as shown in FIG. 6, the stopper surface 18 hits the lower surface 28 of the reinforce 27, and further moves upward. Does not occur. Therefore, the contact position between the knee 39 and the curved plate portion 21 is maintained at a fixed position.

Next, the clutch master cylinder 25 is further retracted, and as shown in FIG.
Hit. In this state, the occupant protection device 1 is sandwiched between the knee 39 and the rear end surface 26 of the clutch master cylinder 25 and receives a pressing force. Then, the protective cover 3 is compressed to absorb the impact force, and at the same time, each part of the hard protective member 2 is deformed and absorbs the impact energy while resisting the impact force. FIG. 8 schematically shows the deformed state. As described above, the knee 39 is connected to the rear end face 26 of the clutch master cylinder 25.
And the impact energy is absorbed and the knee is protected. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the notch hole 14 and the void hole 15 are appropriately deformed,
Functions to absorb impact energy. Of course, by forming an appropriate gap (not shown) or the like in each component of the hard protection member 2, a desired impact energy absorbing effect can be increased, but the occupant protection device 1 has an appropriate rigidity and impact energy. It is necessary to maintain absorptivity, and it is desirable to experimentally determine the shape and the like of the void. Although the above description has been given of the case where the occupant protection device 1 is sandwiched between the rear end surface 26 of the clutch master cylinder 25 and the knee 39,
The occupant protection device 1 also functions as a knee bolster and becomes an absorber that absorbs impact energy in substantially the same manner as described above even for a vehicle that does not use a clutch function, such as an automatic vehicle.

The occupant protection device 1 described above
However, its detailed structure is not limited to the above description and drawings. In this embodiment, the occupant protection device 1 is arranged on the clutch master cylinder 25 side, but may be arranged on the brake master cylinder 47 side.

[0025]

1) According to the vehicle occupant protection device according to the first aspect of the present invention, when an external force acts, such as at the time of a collision,
The occupant's knee abuts the occupant protection device, but the impact energy is absorbed by moderate deformation of the occupant protection device,
The intervention of the occupant protection device surely prevents the knee from directly interfering with a solid clutch master cylinder or the like. 2) According to the vehicle occupant protection device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the knee abuts near the lower half of the protection cover of the occupant protection device and is pushed upward. Since the upward movement is restrained by hitting a member having a small displacement, the contact position of the knee is stabilized, and the occupant's posture is stabilized. As described above, occupant protection during external force action can be ensured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the shape of an occupant protection device of the present invention and a meter cluster panel to which the occupant protection device is attached.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first reinforcing member of a hard protection member of the occupant protection device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a second reinforcing member of the hard protection member of the occupant protection device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a third reinforcing member of the hard protection member of the occupant protection device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing an attached state of the occupant protection device of the present invention and a relative position between the occupant's knee and a solid material clutch master cylinder and a reinforcement in the state.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an initial contact state between the occupant protection device and a knee or the like when an external force is applied.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a deformed state of the occupant protection device during the action of an external force.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a deformed state of the occupant protection device when a relatively large external force acts.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the entire structure of a conventional reinforce.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a conventional instrument panel and a meter cluster panel attached thereto.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing a moving state of an occupant and its knees and a state of interference with a solid object when a conventional external force is applied.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a related position of a conventional meter cluster panel, a clutch master cylinder and the like, and a knee and the like.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a related position between a conventional meter cluster panel and a clutch master cylinder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 occupant protection device 2 hard protective member 3 protective cover 4 first reinforcing member 5 second reinforcing member 6 third reinforcing member 6 a contact plate 7 curved surface portion 7 a arm portion 8 flange portion 9 mounting hole 9 a mounting hole 10 mounting Hole 11 Flange part 12 Flange part 13 Base plate part 13a Upper plate part 13b Stepped part 13c Contact part 14 Notch hole 15 Void hole 16 Notch part 17 Side plate 18 Stopper surface 18a Upper plate 19 Mounting seat plate 20 Mounting seat plate Reference Signs List 20a Mounting plate portion 21 Curved plate portion 22 Flange portion 23 Projection piece 24 Contact portion 25 Clutch master cylinder 26 Rear end surface 27 Reinforce 28 Lower surface 29 Screw 30 Screw 31 Meter cluster panel 32 Opening 33 Makeup panel 34 Mounting portion 35 Locking portion 36 locking part 37 locking part 38 occupant 39 knee 40 thigh 41 Torment panel 50 Panel

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Shigeru Saito 8th floor of Dosana, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Isuzu Motors Fujisawa Plant Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Makoto Inoue 2023 Endo, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 18-18 Isuzu Motor Co., Ltd. Shonan Development Center

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An end portion of a solid material such as a clutch master cylinder and / or a brake master cylinder is disposed so as to be substantially opposed to an end portion of the solid material through an appropriate space to prevent an occupant's knee or the like from interfering with the solid material. An occupant protection device which is detachably held on a panel side such as a meter cluster panel of a vehicle and disposed in the space to prevent the occupant protection device.
The protective cover is made of a soft material disposed opposite to the knee or the like, and a hard protective member fixed to the back surface of the protective cover, and the protective cover bulges toward the knee or the like. The rigid protection member comprises a curved portion closely contacting the curved plate portion of the protective cover and a first reinforcement having flange portions on both sides thereof. A U-shaped member having a member, a base plate portion, and flange portions bent from both sides thereof, the edge of the flange portion being in contact with the curved surface portion and being connected to the first reinforcing member. And a third reinforcing member, which is cantilevered by the base plate portion of the second reinforcing member and forms a stopper surface on the overhanging upper surface, in an integrated structure. In operation, the third supplement The stopper surface of the member abuts against a member with relatively small displacement such as a reinforcement of the vehicle and restrains the upward movement of the occupant protection device, and the base plate side of the second reinforcing member contacts the solid matter. An occupant protection device for a vehicle, wherein the occupant protection device is arranged to be in contact with the vehicle. 2. The occupant protection system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the curved plate portion of the protective cover is arranged such that a slightly lower half side of the curved surface abuts a knee or the like.