WO2016084362A1

WO2016084362A1 - Vehicle collision sensing device

Info

Publication number: WO2016084362A1
Application number: PCT/JP2015/005824
Authority: WO
Inventors: 大祐中根; 田辺　貴敏; 吉田　智一; 皓太天野
Original assignee: 株式会社デンソー
Priority date: 2014-11-26
Filing date: 2015-11-24
Publication date: 2016-06-02
Also published as: DE112015005302B4; JP2016097935A; DE112015005302T5; JP6375896B2

Abstract

A vehicle collision sensing device (1) has: a bumper absorber (2) provided in a vehicle bumper (7); a detection tube member (3) provided on a vehicle-front side of a rigid member (9, 12) and mounted in a groove part formed along the vehicle width direction in a rear face (2b) of the bumper absorber (2), a hollow section (3a) being formed inside the detection tube member (3); and a pressure sensor (4) for detecting pressure in the hollow section (3a); the vehicle collision sensing device (1) sensing a collision of an object with the bumper (7) on the basis of the result of pressure detection by the pressure sensor (4). Recesses (9c, 9d, 9e, 12c) capable of accommodating at least a portion of the detection tube member (3) deformed by pressing from the bumper absorber (2) when a collision occurs are formed along the vehicle width direction in positions facing the detection tube member (3) on a front face (9a, 12a) of the rigid member (9, 12).

Description

Vehicle collision detection device

Cross-reference of related applications

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-239066 filed on November 26, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle collision detection device for detecting a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian.

Conventionally, there are vehicles equipped with a pedestrian protection device for reducing the impact on the pedestrian when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle. In this vehicle, a bumper unit is provided with a collision detection device, and when this sensor detects that a pedestrian or the like has collided with the vehicle, the pedestrian protection device is activated to reduce the impact on the pedestrian. It has a configuration. This pedestrian protection device includes what is called a pop-up hood, for example. This pop-up hood raises the rear end of the engine hood when a vehicle collision is detected, increases the clearance (clearance) between the pedestrian and hard parts such as the engine, and uses that space to the pedestrian's head. It absorbs collision energy and reduces the impact on the head.

In the above-described vehicle collision detection device, a chamber member having a chamber space is disposed in front of a bumper reinforcement in a bumper of the vehicle, and a pressure sensor detects the pressure in the chamber space. I have something to do. With this configuration, when an object such as a pedestrian collides with the bumper (bumper cover), the chamber member is deformed along with the deformation of the bumper cover, and a pressure change is generated in the chamber space. The pressure sensor detects this pressure change to detect a pedestrian collision.

In recent years, a tube-type vehicle collision detection device that detects a collision using a tube member that is smaller and more easily mounted than the above-described chamber-type vehicle collision detection device has been proposed. This vehicle collision detection device includes a bumper absorber disposed in a bumper of a vehicle, a hollow tube member mounted in a groove formed in the bumper absorber along the vehicle width direction, and a pressure in the tube member. And a pressure sensor for detection. When a pedestrian or the like collides with the front of the vehicle, the tube member is deformed simultaneously with the deformation of the bumper cover while the bumper absorber absorbs the shock. At this time, the pressure in the tube member rises, and the collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian is detected based on detecting the pressure change by the pressure sensor.

Special table 2014-505629

Now, in the above-described tube-type vehicle collision detection device, the amount of deformation in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the bumper absorber that deforms in accordance with the deformation of the bumper cover at the time of collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian, etc. There is a predetermined relationship between the amount of deformation in the direction. That is, the amount of deformation of the tube member in the vehicle front-rear direction increases in proportion to the amount of deformation of the bumper absorber in the vehicle front-rear direction.

However, in the vehicle collision detection device having the above-described configuration, when the bumper absorber further deforms toward the vehicle rear side after the inner wall surface on the vehicle front side and the inner wall surface on the vehicle rear side of the tube member contact each other, the tube member As described above, since it is difficult to deform in the vehicle front-rear direction, there is a problem that the output of pressure detection by the pressure sensor is saturated.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle collision detection device capable of sufficiently ensuring a pressure detection range by a tube member in a tube type vehicle collision detection device. And

A vehicle collision detection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure made to solve the above object is formed with a bumper absorber disposed in a bumper of a vehicle and a rear surface of the bumper absorber along a vehicle width direction. A detection tube member mounted in the groove and disposed on the vehicle front side of the rigid member and having a hollow portion formed therein, and a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the hollow portion, pressure detection by the pressure sensor Based on the result, the collision of the object with the bumper is detected. On the front surface of the rigid member, a recess is formed along the vehicle width direction at a position facing the detection tube member so as to accommodate at least a part of the detection tube member deformed by the pressure from the bumper absorber when a collision occurs. It is characterized by.

According to this configuration, since the concave portion is formed along the vehicle width direction at the position facing the detection tube member on the front surface of the rigid member, the detection tube member deformed by the pressure from the bumper absorber when a collision occurs. At least a part of can be accommodated in the recess. As a result, when the bumper absorber is deformed to the vehicle rear side, the vehicle front side and rear side inner wall surfaces of the detection tube member come into contact with each other, and the pressure detection output by the pressure sensor becomes saturated. Can be suppressed. Therefore, a sufficient pressure detection range can be ensured by the detection tube member of the vehicle collision detection device.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawing
1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a vehicle collision detection device according to a first embodiment. It is an enlarged view of the bumper part of FIG. FIG. 3 is a III-III cross-sectional view of the bumper portion of FIG. 2. It is an expanded sectional view of the recessed part of the bumper reinforcement of FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which the deformation | transformation of the tube member for a detection of 1st Embodiment advanced. It is a figure which shows the state which the inner wall surface of the vehicle front side and back side of the tube member for a detection of 1st Embodiment contacted. FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 in a reference example. FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 in the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6 in the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 in a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6 in the third embodiment. It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the collision detection apparatus for vehicles in 4th Embodiment. It is an enlarged view of the bumper part of FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the bumper portion of FIG. 13 taken along XIV-XIV. It is an expanded sectional view of the recessed part of the bumper reinforcement of FIG.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, the vehicle collision detection apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle collision detection device 1 of the present embodiment includes a bumper absorber 2, a detection tube member 3, a pressure sensor 4, a speed sensor 5, a collision detection ECU 6, a bumper reinforcement 9, and the like. It is configured with. The vehicle collision detection device 1 detects a collision of an object such as a pedestrian with a bumper 7 provided in front of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the bumper 7 is mainly composed of a bumper cover 8, a bumper absorber 2, and a bumper reinforcement 9.

The bumper absorber 2 is provided on the front surface 9 a of the bumper reinforcement 9 and is disposed so as to surround the detection tube member 3. The bumper absorber 2 is a member responsible for shock absorption in the bumper 7, and is made of, for example, foamed polypropylene.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a groove 2 a for mounting the detection tube member 3 is formed on the rear surface 2 b of the bumper absorber 2. The groove 2a has a rectangular cross section and is formed along the vehicle width direction. The length L2 of the groove 2a in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to be smaller than the length of the detection tube member 3 in the vehicle front-rear direction (outer diameter D) by a predetermined length. In addition, the groove part 2a may have the bending part bent in the up-down direction in the middle (for example, the design part etc. provided in the vehicle width direction center part) in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 2a is not limited to a rectangle, and can be appropriately changed to, for example, a polygon, a circle, or an ellipse.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the detection tube member 3 is a tube-like member having a hollow portion 3 a formed therein and extending in the vehicle width direction (vehicle left-right direction). It is attached to the groove 2a. The detection tube member 3 is disposed on the front surface 9a (the vehicle front side) of the bumper reinforcement 9 in the bumper 7 of the vehicle. Both ends of the tube member for detection 3 are curved in a substantially U shape and connected to a pressure sensor 4 to be described later on the left and right outer sides of the bumper reinforcement 9 in the vehicle width direction.

The detection tube member 3 has a circular cross-sectional shape and is made of synthetic rubber, for example, silicone rubber. The outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 is assumed to be about 8 mm to 12 mm, for example. Further, the wall thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3 is assumed to be about 1 mm to 2 mm, for example. The cross-sectional shape of the detection tube member 3 is not limited to a circle, but may be a polygon such as a quadrangle. In addition, the material of the tube member 3 for detection may be ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM) or the like.

Here, since the length L2 of the groove portion 2a in the vehicle front-rear direction is smaller than the length of the detection tube member 3 in the vehicle front-rear direction as described above, the detection is performed in a state where the detection tube member 3 is attached to the groove portion 2a. The rear portion of the tube member 3 projects from the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2 to the rear side by a predetermined length. In the present embodiment, the length L2 of the groove 2a in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to D-2t. Therefore, in the state where the detection tube member 3 is mounted in the groove 2a, the rear portion of the detection tube member 3 is The bumper absorber 2 protrudes rearward by 2t from the rear surface 2b.

The pressure sensor 4 is disposed on the vehicle rear side with respect to the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9. Specifically, two pressure sensors 4 are installed on the left and right ends of the bumper cover 7, and are fixedly attached to the rear surface 9b of the bumper reinforcement 9 by fastening with bolts (not shown) or the like. . In this embodiment, redundancy and detection accuracy are ensured by installing two pressure sensors 4 in this way.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pressure sensor 4 is connected to both left and right ends of the detection tube member 3, and is configured to detect the pressure in the hollow portion 3a of the detection tube member 3. Specifically, the pressure sensor 4 is a sensor device that detects a change in the pressure of the gas, and detects a change in the pressure of the air in the hollow portion 3 a of the detection tube member 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the pressure sensor 4 is electrically connected to a collision detection ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 6 via a transmission line, and outputs a signal proportional to the pressure to the collision detection ECU 6. The collision detection ECU 6 detects a pedestrian collision with the bumper 7 based on the pressure detection result by the pressure sensor 4. Further, the collision detection ECU 6 is electrically connected to the pedestrian protection device 10.

The speed sensor 5 is a sensor device that detects the speed of the vehicle, and is electrically connected to the collision detection ECU 6 via a signal line. The speed sensor 5 transmits a signal proportional to the vehicle speed to the collision detection ECU 6.

The collision detection ECU 6 is composed mainly of a CPU and controls the overall operation of the vehicle collision detection apparatus 1, and is electrically connected to each of the pressure sensor 4, the speed sensor 5, and the pedestrian protection apparatus 10. (See FIG. 1). The collision detection ECU 6 receives a pressure signal (pressure data) from the pressure sensor 4, a speed signal (speed data) from the speed sensor 5, and the like. The collision detection ECU 6 executes a predetermined collision determination process based on the pressure detection result (input signal) by the pressure sensor 4 and the speed detection result (input signal) by the speed sensor 5, and an object such as a pedestrian to the bumper 7 When a collision is detected, the pedestrian protection device 10 is activated.

The bumper 7 is for reducing an impact at the time of a vehicle collision, and includes a bumper cover 8, a bumper absorber 2, a bumper reinforcement 9, and the like. The bumper cover 8 is provided so as to cover the components of the bumper 7 and is a resin member such as polypropylene. The bumper cover 8 constitutes the appearance of the bumper 7 and at the same time constitutes a part of the appearance of the entire vehicle.

The bumper reinforcement 9 is a rigid member made of metal such as aluminum that is disposed in the bumper cover 8 and extends in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. A hollow member having a letter-shaped cross section. The bumper reinforcement 9 has a vehicle front side surface (front surface 9a) and a vehicle rear side surface (rear surface 9b). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bumper reinforcement 9 is attached to the front end of a side member 11 that is a pair of metal members extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Usually, in a vehicle collision accident, there are many cases where the vehicle collides with a pedestrian or a vehicle existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle (front of the vehicle). For this reason, in this embodiment, the pressure sensor 4 is disposed on the rear surface 9b of the bumper reinforcement 9, and an impact (external force) associated with a collision with a pedestrian or vehicle in front of the vehicle is provided in front of the vehicle. The bumper reinforcement 9 protects the direct transmission from the bumper cover 8 or the like to the pressure sensor 4.

And in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the recessed part 9c is formed in the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9 over the whole vehicle width direction. The recess 9c has a rectangular cross-sectional shape as viewed from the side of the vehicle. Moreover, the recessed part 9c is provided along the vehicle width direction in the position which opposes the detection tube member 3 with which the groove part 2a was mounted | worn.

Specifically, the recess 9c is such that the upper end surface of the inner wall that forms the recess 9c is positioned above the vehicle upper side than the upper end surface of the groove 2a, and the lower end surface of the inner wall that forms the recess 9c is below the groove 2a. It is located on the vehicle lower side than the end face.

Further, the length Lc in the vehicle front-rear direction of the concave portion 9c of the present embodiment is set to twice the thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3, that is, 2t. Note that the length Lc is not limited to 2t, and the length Lc may be greater than zero. In particular, the range of the length Lc may be t ≦ Lc ≦ 2t.

Further, the length Hc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle vertical direction is set longer than the outer diameter D (length in the vehicle vertical direction) of the detection tube member 3. Specifically, the length Hc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle vertical direction is such that the inner wall surfaces (inner wall surfaces) of the detection tube member 3 on the vehicle front side and the rear side are in contact with each other, and the detection tube member 3 is hollow. The vertical dimension when the part 3a is crushed is assumed to be longer than π × (D−2t) / 2 + 2t in this case.

In the present embodiment, after the detection tube member 3 is mounted in the groove 2a of the bumper absorber 2, the bumper reinforcement 9 in which the above-described recess 9c is formed is in contact with the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2. Assembled. At this time, the detection tube member 3 is arranged in a state in which at least a part of the detection tube member 3 (a vehicle rear side portion or the like) is accommodated in the recess 9c. The outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 is substantially equal to the length of L2 + Lc.

For example, a pop-up hood is used as the pedestrian protection device 10. This pop-up hood instantly raises the rear end of the engine hood after a vehicle collision is detected, increases the clearance (clearance) between the pedestrian and hard parts such as the engine, and uses that space to make the pedestrian's head The impact energy on the pedestrian is absorbed and the impact on the pedestrian's head is reduced. Instead of the pop-up hood, a cowl airbag or the like that cushions a pedestrian's impact by deploying the airbag from the engine hood outside the vehicle body to the lower part of the front window may be used.

Next, the operation at the time of collision of the vehicle collision detection apparatus 1 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. When a collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian or the like occurs, the bumper cover 8 of the bumper 7 is deformed to the vehicle rear side by an impact (external force) due to the collision with the pedestrian or the like. Subsequently, as the bumper cover 7 is deformed, as shown in FIG. 5, the bumper absorber 2 is deformed to the vehicle rear side while absorbing the impact, and at the same time, the detection tube member 3 is deformed so as to be crushed in the vehicle front-rear direction. To do. At this time, the pressure in the hollow portion 3 a of the detection tube member 3 rises rapidly, and this pressure change is transmitted to the pressure sensor 4. And the deformation | transformation of the tube member 3 for a detection is continued until the inner wall surface of the vehicle front side of the said tube member 3 for a detection and the back side contacts as shown in FIG. In addition, the black arrow in FIG.5 and FIG.6 has pointed out the direction where an external force acts.

Here, there is a predetermined relationship between the deformation amount of the bumper absorber 2 and the deformation amount of the detection tube member 3. That is, the deformation amount of the bumper absorber 2 is x1, the deformation amount of the detection tube member 3 is x2, the length of the bumper absorber 2 before the collision in the vehicle longitudinal direction is L1, and the detection tube member 3 before the collision of the vehicle tube When the length in the direction is L2, there is a relationship represented by the following equation. The amount of deformation of the bumper absorber 2 is attenuated and transmitted to the detection tube member 3, but this amount of attenuation is very small and is ignored.

L2 / L1 = x2 / x1 (Formula 1)
In the above (Equation 1), taking into account the wall thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3, the amount of deformation that the detection tube member 3 can deform in the vehicle front-rear direction is x2-2 · t. This corresponds to the case where the inner wall surface of the detection tube member 3 on the vehicle front side and the inner wall surface on the vehicle rear side are in contact with each other. In this way, when (Equation 1) is corrected in consideration of the wall thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3, the following equation is obtained.

x1 = (x2-2 · t) × (L1 / L2) (Expression 2)
In the above (Formula 2), for example, L1 = 80 [mm], L2 = 8 [mm] (the outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 = 8 [mm]), t = 2 [mm] (the detection tube) Consider the case (case A) where the peripheral wall thickness of the member 3 is t = 2 mm. In this case, the relational expression x1 = (x2-4) · 10 is established.

Here, as shown in the reference example of FIG. 7, when the concave portion 9c is not formed on the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9, the maximum value of the deformation amount x2 of the detection tube member 3 is the detection value. The outer diameter D of the tube member 3 is equal to 8 [mm]. At this time, according to (Expression 2), x1 = (8-4) · 10 = 40 [mm]. That is, when the deformation amount x1 of the bumper absorber 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction is greater than 40 mm, the vehicle front side and rear side inner wall surfaces of the detection tube member 3 are in contact with each other (bottomed state). Since it becomes difficult to deform in the direction, the pressure output detected by the pressure sensor 4 is saturated. On the other hand, the maximum deformation amount x1 of the bumper absorber 2 is 80 mm, which is equal to the length L1 of the bumper absorber 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction. Therefore, in the case A, the deformation amount of the bumper absorber 2 that can be detected by the maximum deformation amount of the detection tube member 3 is 50% by 40 ÷ 80 × 100. That is, the amount of deformation of the bumper absorber 2 corresponding to the remaining 50% cannot be detected by the deformation of the detection tube member 3.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, by forming the above-described recess 9c in the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9, the detection tube member 3 can be sufficiently deformed even when the deformation amount x1 of the bumper absorber 2 increases. It has a simple structure. Specifically, when an external force is applied to the vehicle rear side by pressing from the bumper absorber 2, at least a part of the tube member for detection 3 (such as a vehicle rear side portion) is accommodated in the recess 9c. In this state, the vehicle is deformed rearward (see FIG. 5). When the length of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle front-rear direction is Lc, (Equation 2) is corrected as shown below.

x1 = (x2-2 · t) × (L1 / (L2-Lc)) (Formula 3)
In the above (formula 3), similarly to the case A, L1 = 80 [mm], L2 = 8 [mm] (the outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 = 8 [mm]), t = 2 [mm ] (The wall thickness of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3 is 2 mm). In this embodiment, the length Lc = 2t = 4 [mm] in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the recess 9c is set. In this case, the relational expression x1 = (x2-4) · (80/4) holds. The length Lc of the recess 9c in the vehicle front-rear direction is appropriately set within a range of 2 t or less, which is equal to or greater than the thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3 and twice the thickness of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3. It shall be possible.

Here, the maximum value of x2 is equal to the outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 and is 8 [mm]. At this time, x1 = (8-4) · 20 = 80 [mm]. On the other hand, the maximum deformation amount x1 of the bumper absorber 2 is 80 mm. Therefore, the deformation amount of the bumper absorber 2 that can be detected by the maximum deformation amount of the detection tube member 3 can be 100% by 80 ÷ 80 × 100. Thus, the deformation of the tube member for detection 3 can detect the maximum deformation amount of the bumper absorber 2 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100%. Thereby, in the vehicle collision detection device 1, the pressure detection range in the hollow portion 3 a of the detection tube member 3 by the pressure sensor 4 can be expanded.

The above-mentioned “pressure detection range” refers to the detection tube member 3 after the detection tube member 3 starts to be deformed when the bumper absorber 2 is deformed to the vehicle rear side along with the deformation of the bumper cover 8 at the time of collision. This means a range in which a pressure change can be detected by the pressure sensor 4 until the output of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 4 becomes saturated when the inner wall surfaces of the vehicle front side and the rear side of the vehicle come into contact with each other. In addition, the pressure detection range (pressure detection range) in the case of the length Lc in the vehicle front-rear direction of the recess 9c is calculated by the following equation.

(L2-2 · t) / (L2-Lc) × 100 (Formula 4)
From the above equation, for example, when L2 = 8, t = 2, and Lc = t, the detection range is (8-2 · 2) / (8-2) × 100 = 66.7%. When L2 = 8, t = 2, and Lc = 2t, the detection range is (8-2 · 2) / (8-2 · 2) × 100 = 100%.

Also, the collision detection ECU 6 of the vehicle collision detection device 1 executes a predetermined collision determination process based on the detection results of the pressure sensor 4 and the speed sensor 5. In this collision determination process, for example, the effective mass of the collision object is calculated based on the detection results of the pressure sensor 4 and the speed sensor 5, and when this effective mass is larger than a predetermined threshold, a collision with a pedestrian has occurred. Further, when the vehicle speed is within a predetermined range (for example, a range of 25 km to 55 km / h), it is determined that a collision with a pedestrian that requires the operation of the pedestrian protection device 10 has occurred.

Here, the “effective mass” refers to a mass calculated using the relationship between momentum and impulse from the detection value of the pressure sensor 4 at the time of collision. When a collision between a vehicle and an object occurs, the value of the detected pressure sensor 4 is different for a collision object having a mass different from that of a pedestrian. For this reason, by setting a threshold value between the effective mass of the human body and the mass of another assumed collision object, it is possible to classify the types of the collision object. This effective mass is calculated by dividing the constant integral value of the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor 4 at a predetermined time by the vehicle speed detected by the speed sensor 5 as shown in the following equation.

M = (∫P (t) dt) / V (Expression 5)
M is an effective mass, P is a value detected by the pressure sensor 4 at a predetermined time, t is a predetermined time (for example, several ms to several tens of ms), and V is a vehicle speed at the time of collision detected by the speed sensor 5. ing. As another method for calculating the effective mass, it is possible to calculate using an equation E = 1/2 · MV ² representing the kinetic energy E of the collided object. In this case, the effective mass is calculated by M = 2 · E / V ² .

When the collision detection ECU 6 determines that a collision has occurred with a pedestrian that requires the pedestrian protection device 10 to operate, the collision detection ECU 6 outputs a control signal for operating the pedestrian protection device 10 to operate the pedestrian protection device 10. Let the impact on the pedestrian be reduced as described above.

As described above, the vehicle collision detection apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is formed along the vehicle width direction on the bumper absorber 2 disposed in the bumper 7 of the vehicle and the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2. A tube member for detection 3 in which a hollow portion 3a is formed inside a bumper reinforcement 9 (rigid member) that is mounted in the groove portion 2a, and a hollow portion of the tube member for detection 3. And a pressure sensor 4 that detects the pressure in 3a, and detects the collision of an object such as a pedestrian against the bumper 7 based on the pressure detection result by the pressure sensor 4. The front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9 is a recess capable of accommodating at least a part of the detection tube member 3 deformed by the pressure from the bumper absorber 2 when a collision occurs at a position facing the detection tube member 3. 9c is formed along the vehicle width direction.

According to this configuration, since the concave portion 9c is formed along the vehicle width direction at the position facing the detection tube member 3 on the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9 (rigid member), the bumper absorber is generated when a collision occurs. At least a part of the detection tube member 3 deformed by the pressure from 2 can be accommodated in the recess 9c. Thereby, when the bumper absorber 2 is deformed to the vehicle rear side, the vehicle front side and rear side inner wall surfaces of the detection tube member 3 come into contact with each other, so that the pressure detection output by the pressure sensor 4 is saturated. Can be prevented. Therefore, a sufficient pressure detection range by the detection tube member 3 of the vehicle collision detection device 1 can be secured.

Further, since the groove portion 2a is formed on the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2, the detection tube member 3 can be stably disposed on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement 9, and the detection tube member 3 is disposed on the bumper absorber 2. Easy to assemble.

Further, the bumper reinforcement 9 is characterized in that the front surface 9a excluding the recess 9c is in contact with the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2. According to this configuration, the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2 and the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9 (excluding the concave portion 9c) are in contact with each other, so that an impact (external force) associated with a collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian or the like is applied. The bumper reinforcement 9 which is a rigid member can be reliably received. Thereby, it can prevent reliably that the tube member 3 for a detection is bent to the vehicle rear side, and can perform a collision detection correctly. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the detection tube member 3 from dropping from the groove 2a, and the detection tube member 3 can be stably disposed in the groove 2a.

The length Lc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to be not less than the thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3 and not more than twice the thickness of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3. To do.

According to this configuration, on the vehicle rear side of the detection tube member 3, the length Lc in the vehicle front-rear direction is equal to or greater than the wall thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3 and the wall thickness of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3. Since the concave portion 9c that is twice or less is provided, the detection tube member 3 can be sufficiently deformed in proportion to the deformation amount of the bumper absorber 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Thereby, in the vehicle collision detection device 1, the pressure detection range in the hollow portion 3a of the tube member 3 for detection by the pressure sensor 4 can be reliably expanded. Further, the length Lc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle front-rear direction can be prevented from being excessively large, and the detection tube member 3 can be prevented from being deformed so as to bend toward the vehicle rear side at the time of a collision. Can be made. For example, in the case A described above, the pressure detection range (pressure detection range), which is 50% when there is no recess 9c, can be expanded to 66.7% to 100%.

Further, the length Lc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to be twice the thickness of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3. According to this structure, the pressure detection range in the hollow part 3a of the tube member 3 for detection by the pressure sensor 4 can be expanded more effectively. That is, as described above, the deformation amount of the bumper absorber 2 that can be detected by the maximum deformation amount of the detection tube member 3 can be set to 100%. For example, in the case A described above, the pressure detection range, which is 50% when there is no recess 9c, can be expanded to 100%.

Further, the length Hc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle vertical direction is set to be longer than the length of the detection tube member 3 in the vehicle vertical direction. According to this configuration, since the length Hc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle vertical direction is set to be longer than the length of the detection tube member 3 in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the deformation space of the detection tube member 3 in the concave portion 9c is reduced. It can be ensured sufficiently, and the presence of the upper and lower inner wall surfaces of the recess 9c can prevent the deformation of the detection tube member 3 from being hindered. In particular, in the present embodiment, the length Hc of the concave portion 9c in the vehicle vertical direction is set to be longer than the vertical dimension when the hollow portion 3a of the detection tube member 3 is crushed. The detection tube member 3 can be appropriately deformed until the inner wall surfaces of the vehicle front side and the rear side of the vehicle come into contact with each other.

In the present embodiment, by arranging two pressure sensors 4 on the left and right end portions of the rear surface 9b of the bumper reinforcement 9, it is possible to detect a pressure change in the detection tube member 3 with high accuracy and to provide redundancy. Can be secured. That is, by performing collision determination using the outputs of the two pressure sensors 4, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection and perform accurate collision detection. Furthermore, since the pressure sensor 4 is fixed to the bumper reinforcement 9 by fastening a bolt or the like, the pressure sensor 4 can be securely fixed, and the pressure sensor 4 is prevented from being detached or damaged by an external force at the time of a collision. it can.
(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIGS. 8 and 9, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted, and only different parts are described.

In the second embodiment, a concave portion 9d having a semicircular cross section as viewed from the side of the vehicle is formed on the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9 over the entire vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 8, the recess 9 d has an inner wall surface inclined in a curved shape so that the length in the vertical direction of the vehicle becomes shorter toward the vehicle rear side. The recess 9d is provided along the vehicle width direction at a position facing the detection tube member 3 mounted in the groove 2a.

Specifically, the concave portion 9d is such that the uppermost portion of the inner wall forming the concave portion 9d is located above the upper end surface of the groove portion 2a and the lowermost portion of the inner wall forming the concave portion 9d is below the groove portion 2a. It is located on the vehicle lower side than the end face.

Further, the length Lc of the concave portion 9d in the second embodiment in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to the length of the wall thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3. Note that the length Lc is not limited to t, and the length Lc may be greater than zero. In particular, the range of the length Lc may be t ≦ Lc ≦ 2t.

The length Hc in the vehicle vertical direction at the opening of the recess 9d is set to be longer than the outer diameter D (length in the vehicle vertical direction) of the detection tube member 3. Specifically, the vehicle vertical length Hc at the opening of the recess 9d is set to be longer than the vertical dimension when the hollow portion 3a of the detection tube member 3 is crushed.

Similarly to the first embodiment, after the detection tube member 3 is mounted in the groove 2a of the bumper absorber 2, the bumper reinforcement 9 in which the above-described recess 9d is formed is formed on the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2. Assembled in contact with the At this time, the detection tube member 3 is arranged in a state in which at least a part of the detection tube member 3 (a vehicle rear side portion or the like) is accommodated in the recess 9d. The outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 is substantially equal to the length of L2 + Lc.

Also in the second embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In particular, since the recess 9d has a semicircular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the side of the vehicle, the circular detection tube 3 is deformed toward the vehicle rear side as the bumper absorber 2 is deformed, as shown in FIG. When it does, the tube member 3 for a detection can be accommodated stably. Furthermore, since the outer shape of the recess 9d matches the outer shape of the detection tube 3, it is possible to prevent the detection tube 3 from colliding with the corners of the recess 9d and being damaged. Thereby, the pressure detection range by the tube member 3 for detection of the collision detection apparatus 1 for vehicles can be expanded reliably.
(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted, and only different parts will be described.

In the third embodiment, a recess 9e having a triangular cross-sectional shape viewed from the side of the vehicle is formed on the front surface 9a of the bumper reinforcement 9 over the entire vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 10, the concave portion 9e has an inner wall surface inclined in a taper shape so that the length in the vehicle vertical direction becomes shorter toward the vehicle rear side. The recess 9e is provided along the vehicle width direction at a position facing the detection tube member 3 attached to the groove 2a.

Specifically, the concave portion 9e is such that the uppermost portion of the inner wall forming the concave portion 9e is positioned on the vehicle upper side of the upper end surface of the groove portion 2a, and the lowermost portion of the inner wall forming the concave portion 9e is the lower end surface of the groove portion 2a. It is located on the vehicle lower side.

Further, the length Lc in the vehicle front-rear direction of the concave portion 9e of the third embodiment is set to the length of the wall thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3. Note that the length Lc is not limited to t, and the length Lc may be greater than zero. In particular, the range of the length Lc may be t ≦ Lc ≦ 2t.

Further, the length Hc in the vehicle vertical direction at the opening of the recess 9e is longer than the outer diameter D (length in the vehicle vertical direction) of the detection tube member 3, and in particular, the hollow portion 3a of the detection tube member 3 is. It may be set longer than the vertical dimension when it is crushed.

Similarly to the first embodiment, after the detection tube member 3 is mounted in the groove 2a of the bumper absorber 2, the bumper reinforcement 9 in which the above-described recess 9e is formed is provided on the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2. Assembled in contact with the At this time, the detection tube member 3 is arranged in a state in which at least a part (the vehicle rear side portion or the like) of the detection tube member 3 is accommodated in the recess 9e. The outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 is substantially equal to the length of L2 + Lc.

Also in the third embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In particular, as shown by the circled line in FIG. 11, when the collision occurs, the circular detection tube member 3 is deformed while coming into contact with two points in the recess 9e, so that the detection tube member 3 is shifted in the vehicle vertical direction. Therefore, the detection tube member 3 can be stably deformed.
(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 12 to FIG. 15, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted, and only different parts will be described. In the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a back member 12 (rigid member) having a recess 12 c is provided on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement 9.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the rear member 12 is configured to include a front surface (front surface 12 a) and a rear surface (rear surface 12 b), and the bumper absorber 2 and the bumper reinforcement. Between the vehicle 9 and the vehicle 9 in the vehicle width direction. The back member 12 is a rigid member for receiving an external force accompanying an impact from the front of the vehicle, and is made of, for example, polyethylene (PE), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or the like. The material of the back member 12 does not include a member having a function of absorbing an impact by being deformed at the time of collision like the bumper absorber 2 made of foamed resin.

A recess 12c is formed in the front surface 12a of the back member 12 over the entire vehicle width direction. The recess 12c has a rectangular shape as viewed from the side of the vehicle. Moreover, the recessed part 12c is provided along the vehicle width direction in the position which opposes the detection tube member 3 with which the groove part 2a was mounted | worn.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15, the recess 12c has an upper end surface of the inner wall that forms the recess 12c located on the vehicle upper side of the upper end surface of the groove 2a, and a lower portion of the inner wall that forms the recess 12c. The end surface is located on the vehicle lower side than the lower end surface of the groove 2a.

Further, the length Lc of the concave portion 12c in the fourth embodiment in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to a length twice the wall thickness t of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member 3, that is, 2t. Note that the length Lc is not limited to t, and the length Lc may be greater than zero. In particular, the range of the length Lc may be t ≦ Lc ≦ 2t.

Further, the length Hc of the recess 12c in the vehicle vertical direction is set to be longer than the outer diameter D (length in the vehicle vertical direction) of the detection tube member 3. Specifically, the length Hc of the concave portion 12c in the vehicle vertical direction is such that the inner wall surfaces (inner wall surfaces) on the vehicle front side and the rear side of the detection tube member 3 are in contact with each other, and the detection tube member 3 is hollow. The vertical dimension when the part 3a is crushed is assumed to be longer than π × (D−2t) / 2 + 2t) in this case.

Further, in the fourth embodiment, after the detection tube member 3 is mounted in the groove portion 2 a of the bumper absorber 2, the back member 12 in which the concave portion 12 c is formed contacts the rear surface 2 b of the bumper absorber 2. It is assembled in the state. At this time, the detection tube member 3 is arranged in a state where at least a part of the detection tube member 3 (a vehicle rear side portion or the like) is accommodated in the recess 12c. The outer diameter D of the detection tube member 3 is substantially equal to the length of L2 + Lc.

Further, a bumper reinforcement 9 is disposed on the rear side of the rear member 12 in the vehicle. The bumper reinforcement 9 is disposed in a state in which the front surface 9a is in contact with the rear surface 12b of the back member 12 in the entire vehicle width direction.

In the vehicle collision detection device 1 of the fourth embodiment described above, the bumper absorber 2 disposed in the bumper 7 of the vehicle, and the groove 2a formed along the vehicle width direction on the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2. And a detection tube member 3 in which a hollow portion 3a is formed inside the rear member 12 disposed on the front side of the vehicle, and a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure in the hollow portion 3a of the detection tube member 3 4 and detects the collision of an object (pedestrian) with the bumper 7 based on the pressure detection result by the pressure sensor 4.

On the front surface 12a of the back member 12, a recess 12c that can accommodate at least a part of the detection tube member 3 deformed by the pressure from the bumper absorber 2 at the time of occurrence of a collision is provided at a position facing the detection tube member 3. It is formed along the direction. The back member 12 is disposed on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement 9 and is a separate member from the bumper reinforcement 9.

Also in the fourth embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In particular, since it is not necessary to provide a recess in the bumper reinforcement 9, the rear member 12 having the recess 12c is disposed on the front side of the existing bumper reinforcement 9 so that the vehicle collision detection device 1 can detect the bumper reinforcement 9. It is possible to expand the pressure detection range by the tube member 3 for use.

A modification of the above embodiment will be described below. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications or extensions can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, in the above embodiment, the pressure sensor 4 is attached to the rear surface 9b of the bumper reinforcement 9. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the arrangement position of the pressure sensor 4 can be changed as appropriate.

In the above embodiment, in the collision determination process, it is determined that a collision with a pedestrian that requires the operation of the pedestrian protection device 10 has occurred when the effective mass exceeds a predetermined threshold. For example, a pressure value detected by the pressure sensor 4, a pressure change rate, or the like may be used as a threshold for collision determination.

Further, in the above embodiment, the rear portion of the detection tube member 3 protrudes from the rear surface 2b of the bumper absorber 2 to the vehicle rear side by a predetermined length in a state where the detection tube member 3 is mounted in the groove portion 2a. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the present disclosure can also be applied when the length of the groove 2a of the bumper absorber 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction is equal to the length of the detection tube member 3 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and structures. The present disclosure includes various modifications and modifications within the equivalent range. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more or less, are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

A bumper absorber (2) disposed in the bumper (7) of the vehicle, and a rigid member (9) mounted on a rear surface (2b) of the bumper absorber (2) along the vehicle width direction. , 12) a tube member for detection (3) in which a hollow portion (3a) is formed inside disposed on the vehicle front side, and a pressure sensor (4) for detecting the pressure in the hollow portion (3a). In a vehicle collision detection device (1) for detecting a collision of an object with the bumper (7) based on a pressure detection result by the pressure sensor (4),
On the front surface (9a, 12a) of the rigid member (9, 12), the detection member deformed by a pressure from the bumper absorber (2) at the position facing the detection tube member (3) when a collision occurs. A vehicle collision detection device, wherein recesses (9c, 9d, 9e, 12c) capable of accommodating at least a part of the tube member (3) are formed along the vehicle width direction.
The said rigid member (9,12) is contacting the said rear surface (2b) of the said bumper absorber (2b) except the said recessed part (9c, 9d, 9e, 12c). The vehicle collision detection device according to claim 1.
The length (Lc) in the vehicle front-rear direction of the recesses (9c, 9d, 9e, 12c) is equal to or greater than the wall thickness (t) of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member (3), and the detection tube member (3). The vehicle collision detection device according to claim 1, wherein the collision detection device is set to be equal to or less than twice (2 t) the wall thickness of the peripheral wall.
The length (Lc) in the vehicle front-rear direction of the recesses (9c, 9d, 9e, 12c) is set to be twice (2t) the wall thickness of the peripheral wall of the detection tube member (3). The vehicle collision detection device according to claim 3.
The length (Hc) in the vehicle vertical direction of the recesses (9c, 9d, 9e, 12c) is set longer than the length in the vehicle vertical direction of the detection tube member (3). The vehicle collision detection device according to any one of 1 to 4.
The vehicular collision detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rigid member (9) is a bumper reinforcement (9).
The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rigid member (12) is a separate member (12) disposed on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement (9). Collision detection device.
The cross-sectional shape of the concave portion (9c, 9d, 9e, 12c) viewed from the side of the vehicle is any one of a rectangle, a semicircle, and a triangle. The vehicle collision detection device according to claim 1.