KR20220036062A - Air Mat System For Outside Of Vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air mat system for the exterior of a vehicle that operates outside the vehicle. The air mat system is such that when an external impact is applied to the vehicle, the first to fourth air mats primarily placed outside the vehicle are used to It expands forward, backward, left and right to absorb shock to ensure the safety of the occupants, and is also highly effective in preventing secondary accidents by equipping the air mat with a means of guiding other vehicles to recognize vehicle accidents. In addition, in the case of a crash in a river or the sea, the inflated air mat has the advantage of delaying the vehicle's diving time, thereby securing time to save lives.

Description

Air Mat System For Outside Of Vehicle}

The present invention relates to an air mat system for the exterior of a vehicle that operates outside the vehicle.

Generally, an airbag consists of a detection system and an airbag module. The detection system is equipped with various components including sensors, batteries, and diagnostic devices. The airbag module is equipped with an airbag and an inflator, and when a collision exceeding a set value is detected by the sensor, the inflator is activated. Gas is charged from the airbag and instantly inflates, ensuring the safety of the occupants.

These conventional airbags, such as front airbags, side airbags, and upper airbags (usually referred to as ‘roof airbags’), are installed indoors and are configured to contact the occupants when deployed. However, recently, related laws have been strengthened to ensure the safety of occupants due to damage to the vehicle roof in the event of a vehicle overturning as well as a collision accident, but technology to deal with this has not been developed.

In addition, when a car accident occurs on a highway or automobile road, it can be caused by negligence, such as a rear-end collision caused by the following driver failing to notice an accident that occurred in front of him or a collision with a vehicle temporarily stopped on the shoulder of the road. As the incidence of so-called secondary accidents gradually increases, casualties and material damage are increasing, so technology to prepare for them is required.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0027706

Accordingly, the purpose of the present invention is to safely protect the occupants by primarily operating the air mat provided outside the vehicle in the event of a vehicle collision.

Another purpose of the present invention is to prevent secondary accidents that may occur in the event of a vehicle accident.

As a means to solve the above problems,

As an embodiment of the present invention,

An air mat housing disposed on the lower part of the fuselage constituting the exterior of the vehicle; a first air mat provided in the air mat housing and expanded to surround the front bumper and windshield along the vehicle body; a second air mat provided in the air mat housing and expanded to surround the rear bumper and rear glass along the vehicle body; an inflator provided in the air mat housing and connected to the first and second air mats to inject compressed gas; and a control unit provided inside the vehicle, electrically connected to the first air mat, the second air mat, and the inflator to control whether the air mat is inflated when an external shock is applied to the vehicle, and the first and second air mats are 2 The air mat provides an air mat system for the exterior of a vehicle, wherein the length of the outer peripheral surface is longer than the length of the inner peripheral surface when inflated.

At this time, the air mat housing includes a third air mat that expands to surround the left door and glass along the vehicle body when an external impact is applied; And when an external impact is applied, it may further include a fourth air mat that expands to surround the right door and glass along the vehicle body, and the third and fourth air mats have a length of the outer circumferential surface that is longer than the length of the inner circumferential surface when inflated. It can be long.

In addition, the first and second air mats are inflated to cover the lower part and sides of the vehicle along the vehicle body; and a marker portion protruding from an end of the body to indicate that a vehicle accident has occurred.

In addition, the body includes a plurality of stages divided in the longitudinal direction based on the air mat housing, and the plurality of stages include a lower end located at the bottom of the vehicle body when inflated; and a side end located on the side of the vehicle fuselage, where a bent portion made of a rigid material having an angle of 80° to 150° may be attached to a connection portion between the lower end and the side end.

Additionally, the cover may have one or more of a luminous material and a light-emitting material applied to its surface.

Furthermore, the air mat housing may be detachable from the vehicle body.

In the air mat system for the exterior of a vehicle according to the present invention, when an external impact is applied to the vehicle or the vehicle is overturned, the first to fourth air mats primarily placed outside the vehicle expand to the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vehicle to absorb the shock. This ensures the safety of the passengers, while providing a means of guiding other vehicles to recognize vehicle accidents in the air mat is highly effective in preventing secondary accidents from occurring. In addition, if the vehicle crashes into a river or the sea, the inflated air mat has the advantage of delaying the vehicle's diving time, thereby securing time to save lives.

The above effects and additional effects are described in detail below.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the air mat system according to the present invention is mounted on the lower part of a vehicle, and (a) is provided alone in the center or (b) is provided divided into the front and bottom halves.
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing (a) the front and (b) the side of a vehicle equipped with an air mat system according to the present invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing (a) the front and (b) the side of a vehicle in which the first and second air mats of the air mat system according to the present invention are deployed.
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing (a) the front and (b) the side of a vehicle in which the first to fourth air mats of the air mat system according to the present invention are deployed.
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing an air mat housing and an air mat and inflator provided in the housing, in one embodiment.
Figure 6 is an image showing a distance measurement sensor provided in the control unit, in one embodiment.

Before describing the present invention in detail below, it is understood that the terms used in this specification are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. shall. All technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise specified.

In the present invention, the use of “or” or “and” means “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Moreover, the use of the term “accompanying” as well as other forms such as “accompanying” and “accompanied” is not limited. The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

Throughout this specification and claims, unless otherwise stated, the terms comprise, comprises, and comprise mean to include the mentioned article, step, or group of articles, and steps, and any other article. , it is not used in the sense of excluding a step, a group of objects, or a group of steps.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.

In one embodiment, the present invention

An air mat housing disposed on the lower part of the fuselage constituting the exterior of the vehicle;

a first air mat provided in the air mat housing and expanded to surround the front bumper and windshield along the vehicle body;

a second air mat provided in the air mat housing and expanded to surround the rear bumper and rear glass along the vehicle body;

an inflator provided in the air mat housing and connected to the first and second air mats to inject compressed gas; and

It is provided inside the vehicle, and is electrically connected to the first air mat, the second air mat, and the inflator, and includes a control unit that controls whether the air mat is inflated when an external shock is applied to the vehicle,

The first and second air mats provide an air mat system for exterior use of a vehicle, wherein when inflated, the length of the outer peripheral surface is longer than the length of the inner peripheral surface.

1 to 4 exemplarily show the exterior of a vehicle 1 equipped with the air mat system 10 for exterior use of the vehicle according to the present invention. Figure 1 shows the mounting position of the air mat housing 100, Figure 2 shows the air mat before inflating, and Figures 3 and 4 show the air mat after inflating.

Referring to FIG. 1, the air mat system 10 for the exterior of the vehicle includes an air mat housing 100 in the lower part of the fuselage constituting the exterior of the vehicle 1, (a) an air mat housing (100) in the center of the lower body 100) is located alone, and the air mat is deployed forward, backward, left, and right (in the direction of the arrow), or (b) is located in the front half of the lower fuselage, and the air mat is deployed forward, left, and right (in the direction of the arrow). It can be installed divided into a first air mat housing 101 and a second air mat housing 102 located in the latter half where the air mat is deployed rearward, leftward, and right (in the direction of the arrow). In terms of the area that the air mat inflated by external impact surrounds the vehicle, the speed of expansion, and the safety of the vehicle, in the case of (a), it is suitable for small and medium-sized vehicles such as passenger cars, and in the case of (b), it is suitable for buses and trucks. It may be suitable for large vehicles such as. In addition, the housing 100 is detachable from the vehicle body 1 and can be selectively installed on the vehicle 1.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the air mat housing 100 is formed with a hollow space inside which the first air mat 110, the second air mat 120, and the inflator 130 can be accommodated. , it may have a shape where the side is open. The first air mat 110 and the second air mat 120 may be introduced and installed into the interior of the housing 100 through an opening of the air mat housing 100, and may be installed into the housing 100 through the opening. It can unfold externally.

The cover 100' provided on the air mat housing 100 is a part that covers the opening part of the housing 100. The first air mat 110 and the second air mat 120 can be stably maintained while being protected from the outside by the cover 100'. This cover 100' may be made of a material that can be broken by the deployment force of the first air mat 110 and the second air mat 120, and thus the cover 100' can be used when the air mat is deployed. It may pass through and be deployed outside the housing 100.

In addition, the cover 100' may further include a break inducing part 100" that induces breakage to occur in a certain shape at a certain position. The break inducing part 100" is a part of the cover 100'. It may be formed by cutting, or may be formed to have a thinner thickness than other parts of the cover 100'. The present invention allows the air mats 110 and 120 to be more easily deployed outside the housing 100 by providing such a fracture inducing portion 100", and by constantly controlling the setting position and direction when deployed, the air mat ( It is possible to prevent the function of 110 and 120) from being deteriorated.

In addition, referring to FIG. 3, the first and second air mats 110 and 120 are provided in the air mat housing 100, and when an external impact is applied to the vehicle 1, the first and second air mats 110 and 120 are injected from the inflator 130. As it expands by compressed gas, it expands from the air mat housing 100 and can have a shape that surrounds the front and rear bumpers and the front and rear windows, respectively, along the vehicle body 1, thereby protecting the vehicle 1 from external shocks. At the same time, it protects objects 2 close to the vehicle 1, such as front vehicles, rear vehicles, guardrails, traffic lights, etc., by forming a space between the vehicle 1 and the vehicle 1 and the object 2. collisions can be prevented. Here, the air mats 110 and 120 need to be inflated within a predetermined time after an external impact is detected, and in this case, the predetermined time may be less than the time taken from the time a collision is detected to the vehicle 1 until the collision. there is.

In addition, the first and second air mats 110 and 120 include a body 111 that is inflated and surrounds the lower and side surfaces of the vehicle 1 along the vehicle body 1; and a marker portion 113 that protrudes from the body end 112 and indicates the occurrence of a vehicle accident. Specifically, the air mats 110 and 120 include a body 111 made of a soft material and inflated by compressed gas injected from the inflator 130, and the inflated body 111 protects the vehicle from external shock. It can perform the function of protecting (1).

At this time, the body 111 may include a plurality of stages divided in the longitudinal direction along the vehicle body 1 with the air mat housing 100 as the reference. The body 111 may be expanded by expansion of a plurality of stages, and the length of the outer circumferential surface (E) of the plurality of stages thus expanded may be longer than the length (I) of the inner circumferential surface, and may have a shape surrounding the vehicle 1. . For example, the length (E) of the outer peripheral surface may be longer than the length (I) of the inner peripheral surface, so that the ratio (E/I) of the length of the outer peripheral surface (E) and the length of the inner peripheral surface (I) may satisfy 1.01 to 1.20, More specifically, 1.01 to 1.15; 1.05 to 1.15; 1.05 to 1.10 or 1.10 to 1.15 may be satisfied. The present invention adjusts the ratio (E/I) of the outer peripheral length (E) and the inner peripheral length (I) of the body 111 when the air mat is inflated as described above, so that the air mats 110 and 120 can be used in a vehicle (1) within a short time. ) can be deployed from the bottom of the fuselage to the top of the vehicle (1).

In addition, the plurality of stages may include a lower end 114 located below the vehicle body 1 and a side end 115 located on the side of the vehicle body 1 when inflated, and in this case, the lower end 114 ) and the portion 116 where the side end 115 is connected has a sewn structure so that the side end 115 can be bent upward and wraps around the side of the vehicle 1, or has a bent portion 117 made of a rigid material. It may have a form attached to a corner. When the connection portion 116 is provided with a bent portion 117 made of a rigid material, the bent portion 117 has an angle α of 80 to 150° in consideration of the angle at which the side end 115 is bent upward. It may have, and specifically, it may have an angle (α) of 80 to 135°, 80 to 120°, 90 to 115°, or 100 to 110°.

In addition, the bent portion 117 is a rigid material that can be used without particular restrictions as long as it is commonly used in the industry. Specifically, it may include plastic, carbon materials, etc. that are light and have high strength and/or hardness. You can.

In addition, the marking portion 113 is expanded when an external impact is applied to the vehicle 1 and protrudes from the body end 112 to indicate a signal and/or indication that a vehicle accident has occurred on the vehicle 1. It may have a structure, and its shape is not particularly limited, but may have a typical road sign shape such as a triangle, square, or circle.

In addition, the cover portion 113 may be coated or printed on the surface with one or more of a luminous material and a light-emitting material. For example, the label 113 is printed with phrases or signs such as "ACCIDENT", "X", "STOP", and "DANGER" using a luminous material and/or a luminescent material. If a vehicle accident occurs, it can be configured so that subsequent vehicles can recognize the accident, and through this, secondary accidents can be prevented.

Furthermore, the air mat system 10 for the exterior of the vehicle is provided in the air mat housing 100 as shown in FIG. 4, and expands to surround the left door and glass along the vehicle body 1 when an external impact is applied. A third air mat (140); And it may include a fourth air mat 150 that is expanded to surround the right door and glass along the vehicle body 1, through which the safety of the occupants can be further guaranteed.

At this time, the third and fourth air mats 140 and 150, like the first and second air mats 110 and 120 described above, are made of a soft material and are compressed by the compressed gas injected from the inflator 130. It includes an inflatable body 111, and the inflated body 111 can perform the function of protecting the vehicle 1 from external shock.

In addition, the body 111 may include a plurality of stages divided in the longitudinal direction along the vehicle body 1 with respect to the air mat housing 100, and may be expanded by expansion of these stages, and may be expanded in this way. The length (E) of the outer peripheral surface of the plurality of stages may be longer than the length (I) of the inner peripheral surface, and thus may have a shape that surrounds the vehicle (1). For example, the ratio (E/I) of the length (E) of the outer peripheral surface and the length (I) of the inner peripheral surface may be 1.01 to 1.20, specifically 1.01 to 1.15; 1.05 to 1.15; It may be 1.05 to 1.10 or 1.10 to 1.15. The present invention adjusts the ratio of the outer circumferential length and the inner circumferential length of the body 111 as described above when the third and fourth air mats 140 and 150 are inflated, so that the air mats 140 and 150 are positioned at the bottom of the fuselage of the vehicle 1. It can be deployed from the top of the vehicle (1) in a short time to surround the vehicle (1).

In addition, the plurality of stages constituting the third and fourth air mats 140 and 150 include a lower end (not shown) located below the vehicle body 1 and a side end located on the side of the vehicle body 1 when inflated. (not disclosed), wherein the portion where the lower end and the side end are connected (not disclosed) is a bent portion (not disclosed) made of a rigid material so that the side end is bent upward and wraps around the side of the vehicle (1). It may have a form with attached. For this purpose, the bent portion may have an angle (α) of 80 to 150° considering the angle at which the side end is bent upward, specifically 80 to 135°, 80 to 120°, 90 to 115° or 100 to 100°. It can have an angle (α) of 110°.

Furthermore, the third and fourth air mats 140 and 150 are inflated when an external impact is applied to the vehicle 1 and display a signal and/or indication indicating an accident of the vehicle 1 above the vehicle 1. It may include a sign (not shown) with a protruding structure on the end of the body 112 for indicating purposes, and its shape is not particularly limited, but may have a typical road sign shape such as a triangle, square, or circle. .

In addition, the cover may be coated or printed on the surface with one or more of a luminous material and a light-emitting material. For example, the sign is printed with phrases or signs such as "ACCIDENT", "X", "STOP", and "DANGER" with luminous material and/or luminous material to prevent vehicle accidents. If an accident occurs, it allows subsequent vehicles to recognize the accident, and through this, secondary accidents can be prevented in advance.

Meanwhile, the inflator 130 is provided inside the air mat housing 100, and may be provided in numbers to match the capacities of the first to fourth air mats 110, 120, 140, and 150, but failure occurs. However, in order to prevent non-operation due to malfunction, a plurality of inflators 130 may be provided.

In addition, the control unit 160 is electrically connected to the first to fourth air mats 110, 120, 140, and 150 and the inflator 130 to expand the air mat when an external impact is applied to the vehicle 1. You can control whether or not.

To this end, a plurality of control units 160 may be provided inside the vehicle 1, and their positions may be changed as needed. For example, the control unit 160 may be located in the front of the vehicle 1 and electrically connected to other components of the vehicle 1.

Additionally, the control unit 160 may be called an Electronic Control Unit (ECU). For example, the control unit 160 may include, in hardware, ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), and FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays). , may be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 160 measures the distance d between the vehicle 1 and an object 2 close to the vehicle 1 while driving, such as a vehicle in front, a vehicle behind, a guardrail, or a traffic light. It may include a distance measuring sensor 161 that can measure the distance. The distance measuring sensor 161 may be placed on the front of the vehicle, specifically on the bumper of the vehicle 1 and the door of the vehicle 1, and may use ultrasonic waves, ultraviolet rays, light, etc., but is not limited thereto.

The control unit 160 may transmit information about the distance between the vehicle 1 and the object 2 adjacent thereto from the distance measurement sensor 161, and through this, the distance between the vehicle 1 and the object 2 may increase rapidly. When the vehicle 1 and the object 2 are brought close to each other, the first to fourth air mats 110, 120, 140, and 150 are inflated to prevent a collision between the vehicle 1 and the object 2.

The air mat system 10 of the present invention has the configuration described above, so that when an external impact is applied to the vehicle, the first to fourth air mats primarily placed outside the vehicle expand to the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle. It not only ensures the safety of passengers by absorbing shock, but also has an excellent effect in preventing secondary accidents by equipping the air mat with a means of guiding other vehicles to recognize vehicle accidents, and is also effective in preventing secondary accidents from occurring in rivers or seas. In the case of a fall, the inflated air mat has the advantage of slowing down the vehicle's diving time, thereby securing time to save lives.

Claims (6)

An air mat housing disposed on the lower part of the fuselage constituting the exterior of the vehicle;
a first air mat provided in the air mat housing and expanded to surround the front bumper and windshield along the vehicle body;
a second air mat provided in the air mat housing and expanded to surround the rear bumper and rear glass along the vehicle body;
an inflator provided in the air mat housing and connected to the first and second air mats to inject compressed gas; and
It is provided inside the vehicle, and is electrically connected to the first air mat, the second air mat, and the inflator, and includes a control unit that controls whether the air mat is inflated when an external shock is applied to the vehicle,
The first and second air mats are an air mat system for exterior use of a vehicle, characterized in that the length of the outer peripheral surface of the first and second air mats is longer than the length of the inner peripheral surface when inflated.
According to paragraph 1,
The air mat housing is,
A third air mat that expands to surround the left door and glass along the vehicle body when an external impact is applied; and
It includes a fourth air mat that expands to surround the right door and glass along the vehicle body when an external impact is applied,
The third and fourth air mats are an air mat system for exterior use of a vehicle, characterized in that the length of the outer peripheral surface of the third and fourth air mats is longer than the length of the inner peripheral surface when inflated.
According to paragraph 1,
The first and second air mats are,
A body that expands and wraps around the lower part and sides of the vehicle along the vehicle body; and
An air mat system for exterior use of a vehicle including a marker portion protruding from an end of the body to indicate the occurrence of a vehicle accident.
According to paragraph 3,
The body includes a plurality of stages divided in the longitudinal direction based on the air mat housing,
The plurality of stages include a lower stage located at the bottom of the vehicle body when expanded; and a side end located on the side of the vehicle body when inflated, wherein a bent portion of a rigid material having an angle of 80° to 150° is attached to the connection portion of the lower end and the side end. .
According to paragraph 3,
An air mat system for the exterior of a vehicle, wherein the cover has at least one of a luminous material and a luminescent material applied to its surface.
According to paragraph 1,
An air mat system for the exterior of a vehicle, wherein the air mat housing is detachable from the vehicle body.