JPS6136434Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a device that protects the legs, such as the knees, of a bent piece in the event of an automobile collision.

Conventional leg protection devices for automobiles include, for example, those described in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 54-32445 and No. 1.
There are some as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 2. That is, 1 is a steering column, one end of which is provided with a steering wheel 2, and the other end communicated with a steering gear mechanism. A collision energy absorbing member 4 fixed to the vehicle body is interposed between the steering column 1 and the driver's legs 3, and an energy absorbing pad 5 is installed between the absorbing member 4 and the steering column 1. As a result, the leg portion 3 due to inertia during a vehicle collision
The impact energy of the steering column 1 is absorbed by the absorption member and the absorption pad 5, and the leg 3 is protected from directly colliding with the steering column 1.

However, in such a conventional leg protection device, since the entire leg portion 3 side of the absorbing member 4 is formed of a member having a uniform thickness, it is difficult to maintain a sufficient gap with the steering column 1. If this is not possible, especially if the height of the steering wheel 2 is adjustable in a so-called tilt-type steering device and the steering wheel 2 is placed closest to the absorbing member 4 of the steering column 1, the absorbing member 4 and the absorbing pad 5 will absorb the collision energy. This results in the leg portion 3 together with the absorbing member 4 colliding with the steering column 1 before the absorbing member 4 has finished absorbing the amount of water, which is unfavorable in terms of vehicle safety.

This idea was created by focusing on these conventional problems, and the absorbing member was fixed to the vehicle body and was sandwiched between two left and right members placed on both sides of the steering column, and between these left and right members. a central member arranged centrally facing the steering column, and bent pieces bent toward the front of the vehicle at the central member side ends of both left and right members and at both ends of the central member. , and by connecting and fixing the adjacent bent pieces, and further making the rigidity of at least one of the central member and the connecting portions on both sides of the central member lower than the rigidity of both the left and right members. The object is to cause destruction due to collision energy and absorb the energy, thereby solving the above problem.

This invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing an embodiment of this invention.

First, to explain the structure, numeral 1 in the figure is a steering column, the upper end of which is equipped with a steering wheel, and the lower end of which is connected to a steering gear mechanism. An absorbing member 4 for absorbing collision energy of the leg portion 3 is disposed in front of the steering column 1 on the driver's side. This absorbing member 4 includes a left member 6, a right member 7, and a central member 8.
The left and right members 6 and 7 are arranged on both sides of the steering column 1, and the center member 8 is sandwiched between the left and right members 6 and 7 and is arranged in the center facing the steering column 1. be done. Furthermore, the left and right members 6, 7 and the center member 8 are each formed with bent pieces 6a, 7a, 8a by bending both ends in the left and right direction toward the front of the vehicle body in FIG. Then, the bent pieces 6a, 7a at the center member 8 side ends of both the left and right members 6, 7, and the respective bent pieces 8a, 8a at the ends of the center member 8 adjacent to these are folded into a fourth
Each connection is made by a connecting means such as a bolt/nut 10 joint, a rivet joint, or spot welding as shown in the figure.

Furthermore, both the left and right members 6, 7 and the center member 8 are as follows:
By making the thickness of the central member thinner than that of both the left and right members 6, 7, the rigidity of the central member 8 is made lower than that of both the left and right members 6, 7, and the rigidity of the central member 8 is made lower than that of both the left and right members 6, 7. The bent pieces 6a, 7a and the central member 8
The bonding force between the bent pieces 8a, 8a at both ends is set lower than the rigidity of the central member 8. That is, in this embodiment, the rigidity of the central member 8 and the central member 8 are smaller than the rigidities of both the left and right members 6 and 7.
The rigidity of both connecting parts is reduced. Further, the rigidity of the connecting portions on both sides of the central member 8 is specifically generated by the tightening force of the bolt/nut 10 and by the frictional resistance between the adjacent bent pieces 6a, 8a and 7a, 8a. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the bent pieces 6a, 7a of the left and right members 6, 7 on the center member 8 side is provided with two elongated holes 11 that open toward the front of the vehicle. There is. on the other hand,
Each of the bent pieces 8a, 8a of the central member 8 is provided with a hole 12 at a position facing the elongated hole 11, respectively. Then, bolts are inserted into these holes 12 and the elongated hole 11 to separate the adjacent bent pieces 6a, 8a.
and 7a, 8a are each connected by a bolt/nut 10 joint.

The strength of the bonding force of the connecting portions is determined as appropriate depending on the number of bolts/nuts or rivets in the case of a 10-bolt/nut joint or rivet joint, and the number of welding spots in the case of spot welding. Things can be adjusted to the settings. In addition, the rigidity of the central member 8 and both left and right members 6,
As means for varying the rigidity of the members 7, the purpose can be achieved by changing the plate thickness, adding cuts such as perforations to the central member 8, etc. In addition, as the absorbing member 4, the central member 8
or the rigidity of the connecting portion thereof, the rigidity of at least one of the left and right members 6, 7
It is sufficient to make the stiffness lower than that of .

Furthermore, an absorbing pad 5 is attached to the steering column 1 side of the central member 8 to be integrated with the absorbing member 4 and absorb the collision energy.
The outer ends of the brackets 9 are fixed to the vehicle body.

Next, the action will be explained.

When a vehicle collides head-on, the driving vehicle moves forward due to inertia, and the leg portion 3 is pushed forward. When the left and right legs 3 collide with the left and right members 6 and 7, the left and right members 6 and 7 absorb the collision energy, but the rigidity of the left and right members 6 and 7 is Since the central member 8 and the connecting portions on both sides of the central member 8 have low rigidity, the collision energy of the legs 3 applied to both the left and right members 6 and 7 is absorbed by the low rigidity connecting both the left and right members 6 and 7. The central member 8 is deformed, or one or both of the connecting portions at both ends thereof are deformed, concentrating on the central member 8. At this time, most of the collision energy is absorbed due to deformation such as bending or breakage of the central member 8 or breakage of the connection portion.

In this way, not only when all of the collision energy is absorbed due to the rupture of the central member 8, but also when some of the collision energy remains even after the rupture, the steering column 1 has an elastic Since the impact is completely absorbed by the elastic deformation of the absorbing pad 5 that collides with the leg portion 3, the leg portion 3 does not directly collide with a highly rigid portion. As a result, the impact energy of the leg 3 during a collision is reliably absorbed by the absorbing member 4 and the absorbing pad 5 arranged between the steering column 1 and the leg 3, and the leg 3 is directly connected to the steering column 1. Since a collision is prevented, the legs 3 are protected.

On the other hand, even if one of the left and right legs 3 collides with the center member 8, such as in a diagonal frontal collision of a vehicle, the center member 8
Since the rigidity of the connecting portions on both sides of the central member 8 is low, the impact energy of the legs 3 may cause the central member 8 to be directly bent or broken, or the connecting portions may be peeled off. Most of the impact energy is expended and absorbed for this breaking operation. As a result, similar to when the left and right legs collided with the left and right members 6 and 7,
It is possible to prevent the legs 3 from directly colliding with the steering column 1, and the legs are protected. In this case, since collision energy acts on the central member 8 diagonally forward in the direction of vehicle movement from the driver's side, the load is applied unevenly to both ends of the member 8, so the side with the larger load is Only the connecting portion at the end of the is peeled off, and the bond at the other end is maintained. Also, the connecting part is the center member 8 of the left and right members 6, 7.
Since it is on the back side of the left and right members 6 and 7, and the center member 8
The edges do not protrude to one side of the bend.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment in which the left and right members 6, 7 have bent pieces 6a, 7a at the ends on the center member 8 side. In the figure A, a hole 13 into which a bolt or rivet or the like is inserted is provided, and a slit 14 is provided which communicates the hole 13 with the side end face and opens toward the front of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the central member 8
In addition to the frictional force between the left and right members 6 and 7, when a bolt or the like passes through the slit 14, energy is required to expand or crush the slit 14. , the absorbable collision energy can be set larger than in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. Furthermore, in FIG. 1B, a substantially oval hole 13 is provided. In this case as well, the collision energy that can be absorbed together with the frictional force can be adjusted. It should be noted that the shape of the hole 12 may be of various shapes other than those in the above embodiments.

Further, FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of this invention.

In this embodiment, each bent piece 8a of the central member 8, each bent piece 6a of both left and right members 6, 7 on the central member 8 side,
7a is bent toward the front diagonal direction of the vehicle at 45 degrees. In this case, the center member 8 is placed inside the bent pieces 6a, 7a of both the left and right members 6, 7.
is supported, so that the central member 8 slips between the left and right members 6, 7 and moves toward the front of the vehicle in response to the collision energy acting from the driver side. Since the horizontal dimension of the central member 8 needs to be shorter than the dimension between the bent pieces 6a and 7a of the left and right members 6 and 7, the bending of the surface of the central member 8 on the leg 3 side is In some cases, it may be necessary to bend the bending piece 8a itself. As a result, more collision energy can be absorbed than in the previous embodiment. Note that the adjacent bent pieces 6a, 8a and 7a, 8a
are joined by spot welding, but as mentioned above, each bent piece 6a, 7 of both left and right members 6, 7
Since the central member 8 needs to deform in order to pass through the space a, the collision energy can be absorbed by the deformation of the central member 8 alone. Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, it is not necessarily necessary to tighten the adjacent bent pieces 6a, 8a and 7a, 8a together using welding spots, bolts, or the like.

As explained above, according to this idea,
A collision energy absorbing member interposed between the steering column and the driver's legs is fixed to the vehicle body and sandwiched between two left and right members arranged on both sides of the steering column, and It is composed of three members: a central member placed in the center facing the steering column, and the central member side ends of both left and right members and both ends of the central member are bent toward the front of the vehicle. Each piece is formed, each adjacent bent piece is connected and fixed, and the structure is such that the rigidity of at least one of the central member and the connecting parts on both sides of the central member is lower than the rigidity of both the left and right members. By converting the collision energy into energy for bending or breaking the central member, or for peeling off the connecting portions on both sides of the central member, the collision energy can be reliably absorbed and the legs can be protected. In addition to improving the safety of the automobile, the structure is simple and can be manufactured at low cost, and since the weight of the vehicle does not increase, it is economical in terms of fuel consumption.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional leg protection device, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of this device, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Figure 4-4
5 is a partially enlarged exploded explanatory view of FIG. 3, FIGS. 6A and B are explanatory views showing other embodiments of the bent pieces of the left and right members, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of this invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing another example. 1... Steering column, 3... Legs, 4...
...Absorption member, 5...Absorption pad, 6...Left member,
7... Right member, 8... Center member, 6a, 7a, 8
a...Bent piece, 9...Bracket, 10...Bolt nut, 11...Elongated hole, 12, 13...Hole, 1
4...Slit.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A collision energy absorbing member is interposed between the steering column and the driver's legs, and the collision energy is absorbed by deformation of the absorbing member during a collision. In the leg protection device, the absorbing member is fixed to the vehicle body and arranged on two left and right members arranged on both sides of the steering column, and sandwiched between the left and right members and arranged in the center opposite to the steering column. a central member, and each of the bent pieces bent toward the front of the vehicle is formed at the ends of the left and right members on the side of the central member and both ends of the central member, and each adjacent bent piece is bent toward the front of the vehicle. A leg protection device for an automobile, characterized in that the central member and the connected portions on both sides of the central member are connected and fixed, and the rigidity of at least one of the central member and the connected portions on both sides of the central member is lower than the rigidity of both the left and right members. (2) The bent pieces of the left and right members and the bent pieces of the center member adjacent to these bent pieces are connected by spot welding, bolted joints, or riveted joints, and the rigidity of these joined parts is The leg protection device for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the leg protection device is adjusted according to the number of welding points, the number of bolts and nuts, or the number of rivets.