KR100427246B1 - Knee Bolster Device for Automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a knee protection device for automobiles installed in the lower part of an instrument panel. The present invention relates to a steel bracket, a cold rolled steel plate (SPCC), a steel panel, and a plastic cover injection-molded with PPF. Excluding the weight of the knee protection device and the poor assembly performance due to the assembly is reduced, so this is excluded, and instead of the crash bracket and the plastic cover formed integrally with the rib member made of the same PC / ABS resin material, and the plastic cover by vibration-fusion By assembling in, the overall number of parts and process of the knee protection device can be shortened and manufacturing cost can be reduced. Productivity can be further improved by simple manufacturing and assembling. The path is constructed continuously so that the knee protector for automobiles is advantageous to absorb the collision energy. To provide.

Description

Knee Bolster Device for Automobile}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a knee protection device for automobiles installed in the lower part of an instrument panel. By assembling, the weight of the knee protection device is excessive and the assembly is poor, so the productivity is lowered. Instead, the crush bracket formed with the same rib member made of the same PC / ABS resin material and the plastic cover are subjected to the vibration welding method. By applying the assembly to the vehicle body, the overall number of parts and processes of the knee protection device can be shortened to reduce the manufacturing cost, and the productivity can be further improved by the simple manufacture and assembly, while the use of the same material and the integral molding Automotive knees along the load transmission path, which is advantageous for absorbing impact energy It relates to a call device.

In general, when a car crash occurs, the driver or passenger in the room is struck by the body in the direction of the vehicle to be impacted or jumped out of the vehicle, causing serious injuries. There is a significant difference in the degree of injury between wearing a belt and not, and for this reason, laws have been enacted to mandate the wearing of seat belts by drivers and passengers.

However, the front seat of the car is equipped with an instrument panel with a gauge to inform the current situation of the vehicle, a variety of audio equipment to appease the driver's freeness, and a glove box for storing miscellaneous items.

Therefore, the person sitting in the driver's seat and front passenger's seat is more likely to be injured by the external shock of the vehicle than the person in the rear seat, and the seat belt can prevent the driver's chest from hitting the instrument panel. The driver's lower body could not be prevented from hitting the instrument panel.

Accordingly, when designing the instrument panel, not only the body strength but also the stress corresponding to the impact load transmitted from the outside should be considered.

In other words, if the strength of the instrument panel is too weak, the driver's knee penetrates deeply into the instrument panel due to inertia in the event of a crash and can receive the external shock without attenuating it, and if it is too strong, the strength and external impact of the instrument panel, etc. The force of inertia is transmitted to the driver's knees, causing serious injury.

Accordingly, the knee protection device is provided to cushion or absorb shocks transmitted from the outside by being fastened to the cowl cross member and the center support bracket at the lower portion of the instrument panel using the body elasticity or the like.

4 to 5 illustrate such a conventional knee protection device, the steel bracket 100 of the cold rolled steel (SPCC), the steel panel 200, and the plastic cover 300 injection-molded with PPF, etc. It consists of.

As such, the conventional knee protection device is fused or bolted as shown in Figure 6 is mounted on the lower instrument panel 400.

However, the conventional knee protector as described above is assembled with a large number of parts, formed of steel material, the weight is large, and the occurrence of assembly tolerance is large, and the plastic cover 300 and the cold rolled steel (SPCC) material Since the steel panel 200 is separated, continuous load transmission becomes difficult when the driver's knee collides with the knee protection device, and thus there is a disadvantage in that absorption of collision energy is disadvantageous.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, by assembling a crush bracket formed of a rib member made of the same PC / ABS resin material excellent in elongation and a plastic cover to the vehicle body by applying the vibration welding method, The overall number of parts and process of the knee protection device can be shortened to reduce the manufacturing cost, and the productivity can be further improved by the simple manufacture and assembly, while the load transmission path is continuously made according to the use of the same material and the integral molding. To provide a knee protector for a vehicle which is configured and advantageous in the absorption of collision energy, the object of the rest.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a knee protection device for a vehicle according to the present invention

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a knee protection device for a vehicle according to the present invention

Figure 3 is a mounting view showing a state in which the knee protection device for a vehicle according to the invention mounted on the instrument panel

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional knee protector for a vehicle

5 is a perspective view showing a conventional knee protector for a vehicle

6 is a mounting view showing a state in which a conventional knee protector for a vehicle is mounted on the instrument panel;

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10 knee protector 11 plastic cover

11a: Rib 12: Crush Bracket

12a: rib member 20: instrument panel

Hereinafter, the features of the present invention for achieving the above object are as follows.

The present invention is a knee protection device that is installed to protect the knee of the driver or occupant in the event of a car crash,

A plastic cover 11 having ribs 11a forming a plurality of equal intervals;

Rib member (12a) having a rigidity for maintaining the appearance of the knee protection device 10, the local collapse is formed integrally to fix the contact position of the knee when the lower body of the driver is impacted Crush bracket 12 is coupled to the vibration welding method is characterized in that the bolt is coupled to the cowl cross member and the center support bracket of the instrument panel 20.

In particular, the plastic cover 11, the rib member 12a and the crush bracket 12 are injection-molded with a PC / ABS resin material, each thickness is 3.0t, 3.5t, 3.0t is characterized in that Here, t is a unit which means thickness normally, and shows mm normally.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a knee protector for a vehicle according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a knee protector for a vehicle according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a knee protector for a vehicle according to the invention instrument panel It is a mounting figure which shows the state attached to the.

Here, reference numeral 10 denotes a knee protection device.

The plastic cover 11 of the knee protector 10 has a thickness of 3.0 tons, and is injection molded from a PC / ABS resin of thermoplastic material, and a plurality of ribs 11a forming a plurality of equal intervals are formed.

In addition, the plastic cover 11 has rigidity to maintain the appearance of the knee protection device 10, the rib that the local collapse occurs to fix the contact position of the knee when the lower body of the driver impacts The member 12a is bolted to the cowl cross member (not shown) and the center support bracket (not shown) of the instrument panel 20 through the crush bracket 12 formed integrally.

At this time, the plastic cover 11 and the crush bracket 12 formed integrally with the rib member 12a are instantaneously fused by vibration and pressure after split injection molding so that a continuous load can be transmitted during a collision. It is combined by applying a vibration welding method.

As such, the plastic cover 11 and the crush bracket 12 are formed in a structure capable of restraining the driver's lower body while maintaining an appropriate strength during a collision of the vehicle.

In addition, the crush bracket 12 coupled with the cowl cross member of the instrument panel 20 may structurally collapse at an appropriate load when the lower body of the driver is impacted to absorb the load imposed on the lower body of the driver. It is formed to be.

Meanwhile, the rib member 12a and the crush bracket 12 are made of the same PC / ABS resin as the plastic cover 11 and have a thickness of 3.0t and 3.5t, respectively.

Next, the operation of the present invention having such a configuration will be described.

If a minor collision occurs while driving the vehicle, the driver or the occupant is pushed forward by inertia, and thus the knee is moved forward to hit the knee protection device 10 installed in the instrument panel 20.

At this time, when the impact is applied to the knee protection device 10, the plastic cover 11 and the crush bracket 12 of the knee protection device 10 is coupled by the vibration welding method, so that the load path is continuously configured, the shock is absorbed and By being relaxed, the knees of the driver or occupant can be protected.

As described above, the knee protection device for a vehicle according to the present invention is a knee protection device by assembling the crush bracket and the plastic cover in which the rib member made of the same PC / ABS resin material is integrally applied to the vehicle body by applying the vibration welding method. The overall number of parts and processes can be shortened to reduce manufacturing costs, and the productivity can be further improved by the simple manufacture and assembly, while the load transmission path is continuously constructed according to the use of the same material and integral molding. It has a beneficial effect on energy absorption.

Claims (2)

A plastic cover 11 having a plurality of equally spaced ribs 11a formed therein, and the plastic cover 11 coupled to the plastic cover 11 by a vibration welding method, so that the bolt is coupled to the cowl cross member of the instrument panel 20 and the center support bracket. In the knee protection device for a vehicle comprising a bracket 12, which is installed to protect the driver's or passenger's knee in the event of a collision of the vehicle, The crush bracket (12) is a knee protection device for a vehicle, characterized in that integrally formed rib member (12a) to fix the contact position of the knee while the impact of the driver's lower body is formed. delete