JPH11321533A - Air bag cover - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bag cover capable of absorbing energy of impact force when it acts against the air bag cover covering an air bag of a side air bag device. SOLUTION: An air bag cover 11 covers an air bag 41 folded in a peripheral edge of an opening W in a cabin side, and the air bag cover 11 is connected to be held relating to the body 1 of a vehicle when an air bag main unit 42 is inflated so as to move by opening protrusively to a side of the opening W. The air bag cover 11 is provided with a shock absorbing part 23 capable of absorbing energy of impact force F when it acts. The shock absorbing part 23 is constituted by a lattice-shaped rib 23a provided in a reverse side of a cover main unit 12 integrally therewith and a fragile foaming unit 23c arranged between the ribs 23a, 23a in a height without protruding from between the ribs 23a, 23a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag cover made of a synthetic resin for covering an airbag of a side airbag apparatus which is folded and stored around an opening such as a door of an automobile.

[0002]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an airbag cover for covering an airbag of a side airbag device, which can absorb the energy of the impact force when the impact force is applied. Aim.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An airbag cover according to the present invention covers an airbag folded around the periphery of an opening inside a vehicle, and moves the airbag body toward the opening side when the airbag body is deployed and inflated. An airbag cover made of a synthetic resin and provided with a shock absorbing portion capable of absorbing the energy of the impact force when the impact force is applied, being connected and held to the vehicle body so as to be able to protrude and open. The shock absorbing portion, a grid-like rib provided integrally with the cover body on the back side of the cover body, and a brittle foam disposed between the ribs at a height that does not protrude from between the ribs. , And is characterized by the following.

[0004]

In the airbag cover according to the present invention, when an impact force acts on the airbag cover, the impact force acts on the outside of the vehicle with the airbag body or the like interposed between the body and the body. If the stress exceeds a predetermined level due to the movement of the rib, the rib buckles, and the brittle foam is crushed and absorbs the energy of the impact force.

[0005] In the airbag cover according to the present invention, the brittle foam is disposed between the ribs at a height that does not protrude from between the ribs. Even if the foam does not come into contact with the airbag or the like by itself, even if it does, the brittle foam comes into contact with the airbag or the like together with the ribs, thereby suppressing the generation of powder that is generated by rubbing the brittle brittle foam. It is possible to prevent the inside of the vehicle from being stained with such powder.

Further, in the airbag cover according to the present invention, if the brittle foam disposed between the ribs is set at the same height as the ribs so as not to protrude from the ribs, the airbag can be expanded and inflated when the airbag is deployed and inflated. It becomes difficult to catch on the ribs, and the airbag can be smoothly deployed and inflated.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The airbag cover 11 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. Is used for the side airbag device M in which the folded airbag 41 is disposed over the front pillar portion PF and the roof side rail portion R.

This side airbag device M connects an airbag 41, an inflator 39 for supplying an inflating gas to the folded airbag 41, the airbag 41 and the inflator 39, and connects the inflator 39 to the body 1 , And two types of airbag covers 11 and 31 that cover the folded airbag 41. In the case of the embodiment, the airbag cover has a garnish 11 arranged on the front pillar portion PF,
Roof interior material 31 arranged on the roof side rail portion R
And is composed of The airbag cover of the embodiment including the shock absorbing portion 23 is the garnish 11.

Further, the side airbag device M of the embodiment
Is attached to the body 1 of the front pillar portion PF and the roof side rail portion R as shown in FIG.
It is handled as an airbag assembly A.

The front pillar portion PF will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the pillar portion PF includes a folded airbag 41, a reinforcement panel 5, an inner panel 7, and a reinforcement panel formed of a steel plate. Front pillar body 4 on the body 1 side composed of outer panel 6
And a garnish 11 as an airbag cover that is attached and fixed to the inner panel 7 and covers the folded airbag 41.

At a predetermined position of the inner panel 7, a mounting hole 7a for mounting and fixing the garnish 11 (see FIG. 5).
In addition, other than the above, the locking hole 7c (see FIG. 3) and the locking hole 7d (FIG. 2)
11), and a mounting hole 7g (see FIG. 4) for attaching the folded airbag 41 is formed. A nut 7b is fixed to the mounting hole 7a, and a mounting bolt 29 as a fixing means for mounting and fixing the garnish 11 is inserted. A locking leg 17 of the garnish 11 is inserted and locked into the locking hole 7c. You.

The garnish 11 is provided in the locking hole 7d.
The metal locking pin 21 is inserted and locked. This locking hole 7d has a wide portion 7e opened in a circular shape, a narrow portion 7f having a narrower opening width than the wide portion 7e and extending from the wide portion 7e,
It is provided with. The direction in which the narrow portion 7f extends is:
When the airbag 41 is deployed and inflated, the sliding direction is a direction in which a sliding locking portion 19 of the cover body 12 described later in which the locking pin 21 is buried is moved. In the case of the embodiment, it is inclined along the front pillar portion PF. It is formed so as to extend upward.

Further, the mounting hole 7g is configured such that a nut 7h is fixed to a peripheral edge on the back surface side (outside of the vehicle) of the inner panel 7. Furthermore, a weather strip S is attached to an end of the pillar body 4. In addition, FIG.
The symbol D shown in 6 is a door.

Garnish 1 as airbag cover
1 is a garnish body 1 as a cover body made of a synthetic resin such as an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer.
2 and a cap 25 arranged on the garnish body 12
And is composed of

Garnish body 12 as cover body
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the garnish body 12 includes a long molded portion 12 a formed by injection molding, and a skin 12 e such as a fabric adhered to the design surface side of the garnish body 12. The portion 12a has a door portion 12d disposed on the edge on the side of the opening W with a thin hinge portion 12c interposed therebetween. When the airbag 41 is deployed and inflated, the door portion 12d is moved relative to the general portion 12b of the molded portion 12a. The portion 12d is configured to be opened about the hinge portion 12c as a center of rotation. The general portion 12b is provided with a mounting boss 13, a locking leg 17, and a sliding locking portion 19 in which a locking pin 21 is embedded as a mounting and holding portion to the body 1 side. ing. The molding of the molding portion 12a is performed by the locking pin 2
Insert molding is performed with 1 as an insert.

On the upper part of the garnish body 12, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, mounting holes 1 through which mounting bolts 29 are inserted.
A mounting boss 13 having 3a is formed. A metal sleeve 15 is fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 13a so as to secure the tightening force of the mounting bolt 29 when mounting and fixing the garnish body 12 to the inner panel 7. A storage recess 14 into which a cap 25 is fitted is formed around the mounting boss 13 on the front side (inside the vehicle) of the garnish body 12.

The cap 25 conceals the mounting bolt 29, and includes a molded portion 25a formed by injection molding from a synthetic resin such as polyamide, and a skin 25c of the same quality as the skin 12e attached to the molded portion 25a. , Is formed. The head 2 of the mounting bolt 29 is
Locking claw 25 locked in locking groove 29b provided in 9a
b is formed. In order to prevent the cap 25 from coming off from the garnish main body 12 even if it comes off the bolt 29, the cap 25 is engaged with the periphery of the through hole through a not-shown through hole provided in the storage recess 14. A possible retaining member is provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, a locking leg 17 which is inserted and locked into the locking hole 7c of the inner panel 7 is formed at a substantially middle portion of the back side of the garnish main body 12 in the vertical direction. .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 11, a sliding locking portion 19 in which a locking pin 21 is embedded is formed in a lower portion on the back surface side (outside of the vehicle) of the garnish main body 12. On the front side (inside of the vehicle) of the sliding engagement portion 19, a large number of meat stealing holes 19a are formed in order to minimize the influence of sink marks.

The locking pin 21 is made of metal such as brass,
Both ends of the cylindrical shaft portion 21b are provided with a buried flange portion 21a and a locking flange portion 21c which bulge in the radial direction, respectively. The embedding flange 21a is provided with the sliding engagement portion 19
The locking flange 21c is locked in the periphery of the narrow portion 7f with the shaft portion 21b inserted through the narrow portion 7f in the locking hole 7d of the inner panel 7. . The locking flange portion 21c is made larger than the opening width of the narrow width portion 7f, and is widened from the front side (inside of the vehicle) of the inner panel 7 to the wide width portion 7e.
It has a dimensional shape that can be inserted into

On the back side (outside of the vehicle) of the door portion 12d of the garnish body 12, an impact absorbing portion 23 is formed as shown in FIGS. The shock absorbing portion 23 is composed of a rib 23a and a brittle foam 23c made of hard urethane foam.

The rib 23a has a lattice shape integrally formed with the door portion 12d of the garnish body 12. In addition, since the door 12d has a U-shaped cross section in the short direction, the tip 23b of the rib 23a does not protrude greatly on the back side of the door 12d so that the door 12d does not protrude.
Are arranged so as to be linearly connected from the back side edge to the vicinity of the hinge portion 12c. Further, the thickness t (see FIG. 4) of the rib 23a is set to 0.8 to 2.0 mm. If the thickness t exceeds 2.0 mm, the strength is excessively improved, and it becomes difficult to buckle and deform when absorbing a shock. If the thickness t is less than 0.8 mm, it is difficult to mold.

The brittle foam 23c has ribs 23a
At a height that does not protrude from the ribs 23a. And in the case of the embodiment, the brittle foam 23c
Of the rib 23a is configured to have the same height as the tip 23b of the rib 23a.

Next, a description will be given of the roof side rail portion R. As shown in FIG. 6, the roof side rail portion R includes, in addition to the folded airbag 41, a roof side rail main body on the body 1 side made of a steel plate. 9 and a roof interior material 31 as an airbag cover that is assembled to the body 1 at a predetermined portion (not shown).

In the roof side rail main body 9, a mounting hole 9 for mounting the folded airbag 41 is provided at a predetermined position.
a is formed. The mounting hole 9a is configured such that a nut 9b is fixed to a peripheral edge on the back surface side (outside of the vehicle) of the roof side rail main body 9. A weather strip S is attached to an end of the roof side rail main body 9.

The roof interior material 31 is a synthetic resin material having flexibility such that when the airbag 41 is inflated, the edge 31a on the opening W side is pushed by the airbag 41 and easily separated from the roof side rail body 9. Is formed from.

The airbag assembly A in the side airbag device M of the embodiment is, as shown in FIG.
An airbag 41, an inflator 39, a mounting bracket 36 connecting the airbag 41 and the inflator 39, a mounting bracket 54 assembled to the airbag 41, and mounting the airbag 41 to the body 1;
Tape material 57 surrounding the folded airbag body 42
And is composed of

As shown in FIG. 9, the airbag 41 is supplied with an inflation gas from the inflator 39, is expanded from a folded state, and is inflated so as to increase its thickness. The air conditioner includes a connection tube portion 50 to be connected, and a plurality of attachment pieces 52 provided on the upper edge side of the airbag body 42.

The airbag body 42 is formed by bag weaving using polyamide yarn or the like, and has a bag portion 43 having an inner side wall portion 43a and an outer side wall portion 43b. It is provided with a connecting portion 44 densely woven so as to seal the bag portion 43 and the like, and a plate portion 45 woven in a thin plate shape around the connecting portion 44. After the bag is woven, the airbag body 42 is formed with a coating layer coated with silicon or the like so as to increase heat resistance and prevent leakage of the inflation gas.

The bladder 43 has an inflatable portion 43c which inflates the inflatable gas so as to increase the thickness thereof, and an inflatable portion 4c.
3c, and a gas inflow portion 43d that allows the inflation gas to flow therethrough.

The connecting portion 44 is formed around the bag portion 43 around the bag portion 43.
A peripheral joining portion 44a tightly woven so as to seal
In the vicinity of the center of the inflated portion 43c in the bag portion 43, there are two central connecting portions 44b densely woven so as to connect the inner side wall portion 43a and the outer side wall portion 43b. When the bag portion 43 is inflated, the central joint portions 44b and 44b exert a tension from the connecting tubular portion 50 to the rear upper portion of the airbag body 42, so that the inflatable portion 43c
It is provided so that it does not move to the outside of the vehicle even if it receives a pressing force to the outside of the vehicle.

The plate-like portion 45 secures the overall shape of the airbag 41 from the connecting tubular portion 50 to the rear upper portion of the airbag body 42 and reduces the volume of the bag portion 43,
It is set to shorten the time until inflation is completed,
It comprises a front plate-like portion 45a connecting the gas inflow portion 43d and the expansion portion 43c, and a rear plate-like portion 45b connecting the expansion portion 43c and the rear mounting piece 52B.

The connecting tubular portion 50 is a portion that is externally mounted on the inflator 39 and is connected to the inflator 39 by being tightened by the mounting bracket 36, and is disposed at the tip of the gas inflow portion 43d.

The connecting tube 50 is connected to the gas inlet 43.
In order to ensure heat resistance against the high-temperature inflation gas from the inflator 39, cylindrical long and short inner tubes 46 and 47 are arranged on the inner peripheral side of d.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 8, and 9, the mounting pieces 52 can be mounted to the pillar body 4 and the roof side rail body 9 of the body 1 by using mounting bolts 55. At the same time, the mounting hole 52a is penetrated, and the mounting bracket 54 is fixed. Each of the mounting brackets 54 is provided at an inner side portion and an outer side portion of each mounting piece portion 52 and has inner and outer plates 54a and 54 made of sheet metal provided with mounting holes 54c communicating with the mounting holes 52a.
The inner and outer plates 54a and 54b are attached to the respective mounting pieces 52 by partially caulking each of the mounting pieces 52 between the inner and outer plates 54a and 54b. I have.

The inflator 39 is of a cylinder type and includes an inflator body capable of discharging inflation gas from a predetermined gas discharge port, and a diffuser fixed to the inflator body and guiding the inflation gas in the axial direction. A lead wire 39a for inputting a signal for discharging the inflation gas is connected to the end.

The mounting bracket 36 is formed of a sheet metal, and connects the connecting tubular portion 50 of the airbag 41 provided outside the inflator 39 to the inflator 39.
The inflator 39 in that state can be attached to the side panel 2 of the body 1 with bolts 37 attached thereto.

The tape member 57 is formed of an adhesive tape obtained by applying an adhesive to cloth, paper, or the like.

Next, the mounting of the side airbag device M on the vehicle will be described. First, the airbag assembly A is formed in advance. This airbag assembly A is performed as follows.

First, the airbag 41 is folded by a predetermined folding machine and wrapped with a tape material 57 as appropriate. This folded state is a bellows fold in which a fold C between a mountain fold and a valley fold is sequentially inserted into a portion indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

Thereafter, the inner and outer plates 54a and 54a are provided on both sides of each mounting piece 52 while aligning the mounting holes 52a and 54c.
The predetermined mounting bracket 54 is mounted on each mounting piece 52 by arranging and caulking 54b. The folded attachment piece 52 is pulled out, and the attachment bracket 54 is attached to that part.

Also, the folded connecting cylinder 50 is released from being folded, the inflator 39 is inserted into the inner tube 47 of the connecting cylinder 50, and the mounting bracket 36 is attached.

Then, a predetermined mounting bracket 54
If the mounting bolts 55 are temporarily assembled, the airbag assembly A can be assembled.

Thereafter, the airbag assembly A is mounted on the body 1 by mounting the mounting bracket 36 to the side panel 2 using mounting bolts 37 as shown in FIGS. Mounting holes 54c, 52a, 7g
The mounting brackets 54 are arranged on the inner panel 7 of the pillar body 4 and the roof side rail body 9 so that the mounting brackets 9a coincide with each other, and the mounting bolts 55 are respectively connected to the nuts 7h and 9b via the mounting holes 52a and 54c. Perform by screwing.

After the airbag assembly A is attached to the body 1, the lead wire 39a is connected to a predetermined airbag operating circuit, and as shown in FIGS. The garnish body 12 is attached and fixed to the panel 7, and the roof interior material 31 is attached to a predetermined portion of the body 1 at the roof side rail portion R so as to cover the airbag assembly A.

The garnish body 12 is fixedly attached to the inner panel 7 by inserting the locking flange 21c of the locking pin 21 from the wide portion 7e in the locking hole 7d (at the position indicated by the two-dot chain line 21cP in FIG. 11). After the insertion), the locking flange 21c is shifted toward the narrow portion 7f (to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 11), and the locking leg 17 is inserted and locked into the locking hole 7c. Then, the mounting bolt 29 is screwed into the nut 7b provided in the mounting hole 7a via the sleeve 15 fitted in the mounting hole 13a of the mounting boss portion 13, and then the cap is connected to the garnish body 12 in advance. If the locking claws 25b are locked in the locking grooves 29b of the bolts 29 while the fitting of the locking claws 25 into the storage recesses 14, the mounting operation can be completed.

When the inflator 39 is actuated after the side airbag device M is mounted on the vehicle, the inflation gas flows into the bag portion 43 of the airbag body 42 of the airbag 41, Inflow part 43d and expansion part 4
3c expands to break the tape material 57, and the garnish main body 12 in the garnish 11 of the pillar portion PF is pushed by the airbag main body 42 and locked as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. The leg 17 is disengaged from the locking hole 7c, and the locking flange 21c of the locking pin 21 is
The narrow portion 7e of the locking hole 7d is positioned at 21cB of the two-dot chain line
, The garnish body 12 moves the lower part obliquely upward along the pillar part PF, and moves the middle part in the substantially vertical direction to the inside of the vehicle so as to move away from the inner panel 7 while moving the door part 12 d Further, the roof interior material 31 of the roof side rail portion R is pushed by the airbag body 42 to open the edge 31a of the roof interior material 31 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. As a result, the airbag body 42 is largely deployed and inflated so as to cover the opening W, as indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

When the impact force F is applied to the garnish 11 in a state where the inflator 39 is not operated, as shown in FIG. 4, the door 12d is moved between the door 12d and the inner panel 7 on the body 1 side. Bag body 42, mounting boss 1
3. If the ribs 23a move to the outside of the vehicle and stop or the like and a predetermined stress is applied with the locking legs 17 and the sliding locking portions 19 interposed therebetween, the ribs 23a buckle and The brittle foam 23c is crushed and absorbs the energy of the impact force F.

Also, the garnish 11 of the embodiment
Means that the brittle foam 23c has its tip 23d
・ Ribs 23a, 23a at a height not to protrude from 23a
Even if the garnish 11 is lightly pressed with a hand or the like, the brittle foam 23c does not contact the airbag body 42 by itself, and even if it does, the brittle foam 23c, together with the rib 23a, Since it comes into contact with the airbag body 42, it is possible to suppress the generation of powder that is generated by rubbing the brittle brittle foam 23c, and it is possible to prevent the inside of the vehicle from being stained with such powder.

Further, in the garnish 11 of the embodiment, the brittle foam 23 disposed between the ribs 23a
c has the same height as the tip 23b of the rib 23a so that the tip 23d does not protrude from the rib 23a. When the airbag body 42 is deployed and inflated, the airbag body 42 is less likely to be caught by the rib 23a, and is smooth. Then, the airbag body 42 can be deployed and inflated. Incidentally, as in the embodiment, when the shock absorbing portion 23 is provided on the back surface side of the door portion 12 d that is pushed and opened by the airbag body 42, the airbag body 42 comes into strong sliding contact with the shock absorbing portion 23. If the tip 23d of the brittle foam 23c is at the same height as the tip 23b of the rib 23a, the damage to the airbag body 42 can be prevented smoothly.

In the embodiment, the case where the shock absorbing portion 23 is arranged on the back side of the door portion 12d which is opened when the airbag 41 is deployed and inflated is shown. The shock absorbing part 23 may be provided also in the general part 12b other than 12d. In this case, when the shock absorbing portion 23 is disposed at a position other than the portion where the airbag body 42 slides, the tip 23d of the brittle foam 23c may be lower than the tip 23b of the rib 23a.

In the embodiment, the garnish 11 disposed on the front pillar PF is exemplified as the airbag cover. However, the airbag cover is not limited to the garnish 11, and the airbag cover is not limited to the garnish 11 such as the center pillar PC and the rear pillar. The present invention can be applied to any airbag cover disposed on the inner periphery of the opening.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a use state of a side airbag device using a garnish as an airbag cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a II-II portion in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic sectional view of a III-III part in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view taken along a line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view taken along a line VV in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a VI-VI portion in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a view of the garnish of the embodiment as viewed from the back side.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing an airbag assembly used in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the airbag of the embodiment in a deployed state.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a fold when the airbag body of the embodiment is folded.

FIG. 11 is a view of the periphery of the locking hole as viewed from the XI direction in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Body, 11 ... (airbag cover) garnish, 12 ... (cover body) garnish body, 23 ... Shock absorption part, 23a ... Rib, 23b ... Tip, 23c ... Brittle foam, 23d ... Tip, 41 ... Airbag , 42: airbag body, W: opening.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Chiharu Toya 1 Ochiai Nagahata, Kasuga-machi, Nishikasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. Inside Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle body that covers an airbag folded around an opening edge on the inner side of a vehicle and that opens and moves so that the airbag body can protrude toward the opening side when the airbag body is deployed and inflated. An airbag cover made of synthetic resin having an impact absorbing portion capable of absorbing energy of the impact force when the impact force is applied, wherein the impact absorbing portion is integrated with the cover body. A grid-like rib provided on the back side of the cover body, a brittle foam disposed between the ribs at a height that does not protrude from between the ribs,
An airbag cover characterized by comprising: