JP4192935B2 - Airbag device for vehicle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag device that deploys an airbag through an opening formed in a vehicle body plate such as an engine hood.

Patent Document 1 below discloses a structure in which an airbag is deployed on the upper surface side of an engine hood to protect a collision object at the time of collision. In this structure, an opening for airbag deployment is formed in an engine hood that covers the upper part of the engine room at the front of the vehicle body, and the opening is covered with a lid so as to be opened and closed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-11662

  However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, the seal surface on which the sealing material that fills the gap between the lid that closes the opening and the hood is arranged is substantially horizontal. As a result, when the lid is attached to the opening, the lid easily moves in the direction along the seal surface with respect to the opening, and positioning of the lid cannot be performed easily.

  In view of the above-described facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle airbag device that can easily position a lid such as a lid to an opening.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air bag device for a vehicle according to the present invention, wherein the air bag is deployed through an opening formed in a hood of a vehicle body, the opening is closed and the opening is opened when the airbag is deployed. A cover body and an attachment provided with an inclined surface that protrudes toward the attachment direction of the cover body to the opening portion and is inclined toward the center side of the opening portion with respect to the attachment direction. And a lid receiving portion provided on a peripheral edge of the opening of the hood and provided with a support surface that is inclined in the same direction as the inclined surface of the lid and supports the inclined surface of the lid, and a folded state An airbag case in which the airbag deployment opening side end portion is inserted between at least one of the facing mounting portion and the facing lid receiving portion,
It is characterized by having.

When the opening formed in the hood of the vehicle body is closed with a lid, it is formed in the periphery of the lid so as to protrude in the direction of attachment to the opening of the lid, and is inclined toward the center of the opening with respect to the attachment direction The inclined surface can be supported by a support surface that is inclined in the same direction as the inclined surface of the lid body in the lid body receiving portion provided at the peripheral edge portion of the opening of the hood of the vehicle body. As a result, the lid is positioned at the center of the opening of the hood as the inclined surface slides relative to the support surface in the direction of the tip. Further, the airbag deployment opening side end portion of the airbag case that stores the folded airbag is inserted between at least one of the facing mounting portion and the facing lid receiving portion. As a result, by tilting the overlapping portion between the attachment portion and the lid receiving portion, ensuring the same overlapping area as when the overlapping portion between the attachment portion and the lid receiving portion is not inclined, The dimension between at least one of the facing lid receiving portions can be increased. For this reason, since at least one of the attachment portion and the lid receiving portion and the airbag deployment opening side end portion of the airbag case do not easily interfere with each other, the airbag deployment opening of the airbag case can be widened.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the lid can be easily positioned in the opening. Further, the capacity of the airbag case can be increased, and a large airbag can be stored.

  An embodiment of a vehicle airbag device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the figure, the arrow UP indicates the vehicle body upward direction, and the arrow FR in the figure indicates the vehicle body front direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an engine hood outer panel 12 (hereinafter referred to as a hood) made of a metal plate, which is a vehicle body plate material (vehicle body outer plate) that forms the outer periphery of the vehicle body 10, is formed on the front upper surface of the vehicle body 10 of the automobile in the present embodiment. An outer panel). Further, an airbag deployment opening 14 as an opening is formed in the vicinity of the front side of the rear edge 12 </ b> A of the hood outer panel 12.

  The airbag deployment opening 14 is formed with its longitudinal direction along the vehicle width direction, and the shape of the airbag deployment opening 14 seen from above the vehicle body is a rear edge 12A of the hood outer panel 12. A long circular arc shape extending in the vehicle width direction along the vehicle width direction and bulging forward in the vehicle body.

  As shown in FIG. 1, at the peripheral edge of the airbag deployment opening 14 in the hood outer panel 12, there is a diaphragm shelf 16 as a lid receiving part recessed in the vehicle body lower side in the circumferential direction with the hood closed. It is formed continuously. The drawing shelf 16 is formed by pressing or the like, and has a vertical wall 16A bent downward from the base 12B forming the design surface (front surface) of the hood outer panel 12 and air from the lower end of the vertical wall 16A. The support portion 16B is inclined toward the inner lower side of the bag opening 14 and the flange 16C is bent downward from the front end portion of the support portion 16B.

  The interval between the vertical walls 16A facing each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is L1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a cover 20 as a lid is attached to the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12. A plan view shape of the cover 20 viewed from above the vehicle body is an elongated arc shape extending along the rear end edge 12A of the hood outer panel 12 and having a central portion in the vehicle width direction swelled forward of the vehicle body. As a result, the entire area of the airbag deployment opening 14 is closed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the cover 20 is set to have substantially the same thickness as that of the hood outer panel 12 and is formed of a metal plate.

  A mounting portion 22 is formed on the peripheral portion of the base portion 20 </ b> A forming the design surface (front surface) of the cover 20 so as to project in the mounting direction of the cover 20 (below the vehicle body with the hood 12 closed). The attachment portion 22 includes an inclined portion 22B inclined toward the center of the airbag deployment opening 14 with respect to the attachment direction of the cover 20 (inclination angle θ1 is 0 ° <θ1 <90 °). Further, the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 is inclined in the same direction as the inclined portion 22B, and becomes an inclined surface 22C serving as a lower surface of the inclined portion 22B in the mounting portion 22 and an upper surface of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16. Each of the support surfaces 16D is a flat surface.

  That is, the inclined surface 22C of the mounting portion 22 and the support surface 16C of the aperture shelf 16 are the rear lower side of the vehicle body on the front side of the cover 20, the lower front side of the vehicle body on the rear side of the cover 20, and the vehicle body on the right side of the cover 20. The lower left side and the left side of the cover 20 are inclined to the lower right side of the vehicle body. In addition, the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B in the mounting portion 22 and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 overlap each other, and the support portion 16B directly supports the inclined portion 22B.

  Note that a sealing material may be disposed between the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B of the mounting portion 22 and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 so that the support portion 16B indirectly supports the inclined portion 22B. good.

  For this reason, the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the diaphragm shelf 16 in the mounting portion 22 facing each other are tapered toward the vehicle body lower side, which is the mounting direction of the cover 20. The inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B of the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 slides along the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 of the hood outer panel 12, so that the cover 20 is moved to the hood outer panel. It can be positioned at the center of the 12 airbag deployment openings 14.

  Note that the amount of lap when viewed from above the vehicle body (in plan view) between the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 is L2.

  As shown in FIG. 3, hinge portions 24 are formed in the vicinity of both ends in the vehicle width direction at the vehicle body rear side edge portion of the cover 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the hinge portion 24 is integrally formed on the distal end side of the inclined portion 22 </ b> B of the attachment portion 22 toward the lower side of the vehicle body. A side cross-sectional shape (vertical cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) of the upper portion 26 of the hinge portion 24 is a rectangular frame shape that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle body and opens on the rear side of the vehicle body. Further, the lower portion 28 of the hinge portion 24 extends from the lower rear end of the upper portion 26 toward the rear lower side of the vehicle body, and the lower portion 28 is fixed to the hood 34 by a bracket 32.

  A through hole 36 is formed in the lower portion 28 of the hinge portion 24, and a through hole 38 is formed in the cover mounting portion 32 </ b> A of the bracket 32 that overlaps the lower portion 28 of the hinge portion 24. Bolts 40 are inserted into the through holes 36 and 38 from the front side of the vehicle body, and the bolts 40 are screwed into nuts 42 arranged on the rear surface of the cover attachment portion 32A of the bracket 32.

  Therefore, when the airbag is deployed, the left and right hinge portions 20E are deformed, so that the cover 20 opens upward as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a clip 44 is fixed to a portion of the cover 20 that is a predetermined distance away from the center in the vehicle width direction to the outside in the vehicle width direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the clip attachment portion 46 of the cover 20 is integrally formed with an upper portion 46 </ b> A continuous at the tip of the inclination portion 22 </ b> B of the attachment portion 22 in the extending direction of the inclination portion 22 </ b> B. The lower portion 46 of the clip mounting portion 46 extends from the lower end of the upper portion 46A toward the lower side of the vehicle body. The lower portion 46 of the clip mounting portion 46 has a side view shape (vertical cross section along the vehicle longitudinal direction) made of metal. A clip 44 having a substantially V-shape is fixed with a rivet 50 at the base end 44A.

  2 and 3 do not show the clip 44 on the rear end side of the cover 20, but the clip is positioned at an appropriate position along the vehicle width direction (longitudinal direction of the cover 20) on the rear end side of the cover 20. 44 is set similarly to the front end side of the cover 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the front end 44B of the clip 44 is bent in a bowl shape in a side view shape (a vertical cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body), and is attached to the flange 16C of the throttle shelf 16 of the hood outer panel 12. Locked in an elastically deformed state. Accordingly, the cover 20 is attached to the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12.

  On the lower side of the tip 44B of the clip 44, a bent portion 44C having a side cross-sectional shape (a vertical cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) is formed toward the front of the vehicle body. The bent portion 44C is in contact with the lower end of the flange 16C. The bent portion 44C of the clip 44 and the inclined portion 22B of the mounting portion 22 of the cover 20 sandwich the flange 16C and the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 from above and below. Yes.

  Further, with the tip portion 44B of the clip 44 attached to the front side of the vehicle body in the cover 20 being elastically deformed, a reaction force of elastic deformation toward the front of the vehicle body (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2) is applied to the flange 16C of the aperture shelf 16. In addition, the upper inclined surface of the bent portion 44C generates a reaction force of elastic deformation in the upper direction of the vehicle body (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2) on the flange 16C of the aperture shelf 16.

  Similarly, the distal end portion 44B of the clip 44 attached to the rear side of the vehicle body in the cover 20 (not shown) is elastically deformed, and the flange 16C of the aperture shelf 16 is elastically moved toward the rear side of the vehicle body (in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 2). A deformation reaction force is generated, and an elastic deformation reaction force in the upward direction of the vehicle body (in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 2) is generated on the flange 16C of the diaphragm shelf 16 by the upper inclined surface of the bent portion 44C. As a result, the cover 20 is fixed in a state where the cover 20 is positioned in the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12 by the reaction force of both elastic deformations.

  Therefore, when the airbag is deployed, the engagement of the clip 44 with the airbag deployment opening 14 is released, and the hinge portion 20E is deformed, so that the cover 20 opens upward as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It is like that.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the airbag device 52 is fixed to the upper surface of the center portion 54 </ b> A in the front-rear direction of the mounting bracket 54 that is dish-shaped, and both end portions 54 </ b> B in the front-rear direction of the mounting bracket 54 are formed on the hood inner panel 56. The fastening member 60 such as a bolt and nut is fixed to the lower surface of the peripheral portion 56A of the opening 58 formed.

  The airbag device 52 is attached to the hood inner panel 56 together with the mounting bracket 54 from below the hood 34 after the cover 20 is attached to the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12.

  Further, the peripheral edge portion 56A of the opening 58 in the hood inner panel 56 is reinforced by an inner reinforcement 62, and the inner reinforcement 62 is arranged with its longitudinal direction along the vehicle width direction. The cross-sectional shape of the inner reinforcement 62 viewed from the vehicle width direction is a hat shape with the opening portion facing upward, and the opening portion 64 for inserting the airbag device 52 is formed in the lower plate portion 62A. Is formed. A bracket 54 of the airbag device 52 is fastened together with a fastening member 60 at a peripheral edge portion of the opening 64 in the lower plate portion 62 </ b> A of the inner reinforcement 62. The flange 62B formed at the upper end of the inner reinforcement 62 is fixed to the lower surface 12C of the base 12B of the hood outer panel 12 with an adhesive 68. Further, the mounting flange 32B of the bracket 32 is welded to the front surface of the rear vertical wall portion 62C among the vertical wall portions 62C and 62D connecting the lower plate portion 62A of the inner reinforcement 62 and the flange 62B. Combined by etc.

  The airbag case 70 of the airbag device 52 is a box that opens upward. Further, the upper end 70A as the airbag deployment opening side end portion of the airbag case 70 is inserted between the mounting portion 22 of the facing cover 20 and the aperture shelf 16 facing the mounting portion 54, and the mounting bracket 54 in the front-rear direction. The height H1 of the upper end of the airbag case 70 from the upper surface of the central portion 54A is equal to or higher than the height H2 of the lower end of the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 (H1 ≧ H2).

  Note that the distance along the vehicle body front-rear direction between the upper end 70A as the airbag deployment opening side end portion of the airbag case 70 and the inclined portion 22B of the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 is L3. The distance L3 between the upper end 70A of the airbag case 70 and the inclined portion 22B of the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is the upper end 70A of the airbag case 70 and the flange 16C of the support portion 16B. It is narrower than the distance L4 along the vehicle body longitudinal direction.

  In addition, a substantially cylindrical inflator 72 is accommodated in the airbag case 70 with the hood width direction (vehicle width direction) as an axial direction, and a folded airbag 73 is accommodated. In the inflator 72, for example, a squib, an igniting agent, a heat transfer agent, a gas generating agent, a coolant, a filter, and the like are accommodated, and a plurality of gas ejection holes for ejecting gas are formed in the peripheral wall portion. Has been. Furthermore, mounting bolts 76 as fasteners are erected on the outer peripheral portion of the inflator 72 so that the radial direction of the inflator 72 is the axial direction at a plurality of locations (for example, two locations) in the axial direction. Correspondingly, bolt insertion holes 78 and 80 through which the mounting bolts 76 are inserted are also formed in the bottom wall portion 70B of the airbag case 70 and the mounting bracket 54. The inflator 72 is firmly attached to the mounting bracket 54 by inserting the mounting bolt 76 into the bolt insertion holes 78 and 80 while being supported by the mounting bracket 82, and tightening the nut 84 as a fastening means from the lower surface side of the mounting bracket 54. It is fixed to. The airbag 73 is housed in the airbag case 70 in a folded state around the inflator 72 so that the gas ejected from the gas ejection holes of the inflator 72 described above flows into the airbag 73.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  In this embodiment, when the cover 20 is attached to the airbag deployment opening 14 formed in the hood outer panel 12 from above the vehicle body, the inclination of the inclined portion 22B of the attachment portion 22 provided on the back side of the peripheral portion of the cover 20 is increased. The surface 22C and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 provided at the peripheral edge of the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12 overlap. At this time, the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B in the mounting portion 22 of the overlapping cover 20 and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B in the aperture shelf 16 of the hood outer panel 12 approach the back surface 20B of the cover 20 on the lower side of the vehicle body. Side, that is, the lower side of the vehicle body on the front side of the cover 20, the lower side of the front side of the vehicle body on the rear side of the cover 20, the lower left side of the vehicle body on the right side of the cover 20, and the lower right side of the vehicle body on the left side of the cover 20. Inclined to. As a result, the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B of the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 slides along the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 of the hood outer panel 12, so that the cover 20 is hood outer panel 12. Is positioned at the center of the airbag deployment opening 14.

  Therefore, when the cover 20 is assembled to the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12, the cover 20 can be easily positioned at the center of the airbag deployment opening 14.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the upper end 70A as the airbag deployment opening side end portion of the airbag case 70 is inserted between the opposing mounting portion 22 of the cover 20 and the diaphragm shelf 16 facing the mounting bracket 22. The height H1 of the upper end of the airbag case 70 from the upper surface of the center portion 54A in the front-rear direction 54 is equal to or higher than the height H2 of the lower end of the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 (H1 ≧ H2).

  As a result, the opening width 14 of the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12 (the interval between the vertical walls 16A facing each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) L1 is made the same, and the upper end 70A of the airbag case 70 and the mounting portion 22 of the cover 20 are. When the distance L3 along the vehicle body front-rear direction with the inclined portion 22B is the same, the overlapping portion between the inclined portion 22B of the attaching portion 22 of the cover 20 and the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 of the hood outer panel 12 is provided. By inclining, the contact area of the overlapping portion is the same as when the overlapping portion between the inclined portion 22B of the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 and the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 of the hood outer panel 12 is horizontal without being inclined. After securing, the angle of the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B of the mounting portion 22 and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 as viewed from above the vehicle body (in plan view) You can narrow the flop amount L2. For this reason, it becomes difficult for the upper end 70A of the airbag case 70 and the tip of the inclined portion 22B in the attachment portion 22 of the cover 20 to interfere with each other, and the opening width L5 of the airbag case 70 can be widened. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the capacity of the airbag case 70 and to obtain an effect such that the large airbag 73 can be stored.

  Further, when the airbag device 52 is activated at the time of a vehicle collision and the airbag 73 is deployed, the cover 20 is pressed upward by the airbag 73. For this reason, the engagement of the clip 44 that fixes the cover 20 to the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12 is released, and the cover 20 is provided at the rear edge of the vehicle body in the vicinity of both ends in the vehicle width direction. The air bag 73 is opened by rotating around the portion 24, and the air bag 73 is deployed from the air bag deployment opening 14 to the outside of the vehicle body.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B in the attachment portion 22 and the support surface 16D of the support portion 16B in the diaphragm shelf 16 are flat, but the inclined surface 22C of the inclined portion 22B in the attachment portion 22 The support surface 16D of the support portion 16B in the aperture shelf 16 may be a curved surface.

  In the above embodiment, the inclined portion 22B of the attachment portion 22 and the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 are inclined over the entire circumference of the cover 20 and the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12. Instead of this, the attachment portion 22 and the aperture shelf 16 are inclined at a part of the peripheral portion of the cover 20 and the airbag deployment opening 14 of the hood outer panel 12, and the other portions of the peripheral portion are horizontal. It is also good.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the whole width direction of the inclination part 22B in the attachment part 22 and the whole width direction of the support part 16B in the aperture shelf 16 were inclined, it replaced with this and the inclination part 22B in the attachment part 22 was replaced. The horizontal direction part and the horizontal direction part of the support portion 16B of the aperture shelf 16 may be horizontal.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the planar view shape of the airbag deployment opening 14 and the cover 20 viewed from above the vehicle body extends along the rear end edge portion 12A of the hood outer panel 12 and the vehicle width direction center portion is forward of the vehicle body. Although the inflated arc shape is used, the planar view shape of the airbag deployment opening 14 and the cover 20 viewed from above the vehicle body is not limited to the arc shape, and the airbag deployment opening 14 and the cover 20 viewed from above the vehicle body. The planar view shape may be another shape such as a linear shape or a V shape.

  In the above embodiment, the hood outer panel 12, the cover 20, and the clip 28 are made of metal, but the hood outer panel 12, the cover 20, and the clip 28 are not limited to metal, and may be made of other materials such as resin. . Further, the material of the hood outer panel 12 and the material of the cover 20 may not be the same material.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 1-1 of FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 3. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body to which a vehicle airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, viewed from an obliquely forward direction of the vehicle body.

Explanation of symbols

12 Hood outer panel (body plate)
14 Airbag deployment opening (opening)
16 Aperture shelf (lid receiving part)
16B Diaphragm shelf support 16D Support surface 20 Cover (lid)
22 Cover mounting portion 22B Mounting portion inclined portion 22C Inclined surface 52 Airbag device 73 Airbag

Claims (1)

An airbag deployed through an opening formed in the hood of the vehicle body;
A lid that closes the opening and opens the opening during airbag deployment;
An attachment part provided with an inclined surface that is formed on the periphery of the lid in a projecting direction toward the opening of the lid and is inclined toward the center of the opening with respect to the attachment direction;
A lid body receiving portion provided on a peripheral portion of the opening of the hood , provided with a support surface that is inclined in the same direction as the inclined surface of the lid body and supports the inclined surface of the lid body;
An airbag case in which the airbag in a folded state is housed and an opening side end portion for airbag deployment is inserted between at least one of the facing mounting portion and the facing lid receiving portion. When,
A vehicle airbag device comprising:

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