JP7294580B2 - Blowout structure of vehicle air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a blowout structure for a vehicle air conditioner, which includes an air conditioner outlet set in an opening in the ceiling of a vehicle interior, and a flap rotatably provided in the opening. .

In general, vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with an air conditioner for adjusting room temperature. is often supplied and blown into the passenger compartment (for example, Patent Document 1).

In the air blowing portion structure for a vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, in an emergency, the air blowing member in contact with the body of the passenger enters the air duct, and the air duct is deformed so as to expand, thereby absorbing the input load. to effectively protect the occupant's body.

JP 2010-6147 (paragraphs 0021, 0022, 0044)

By the way, the blowout structure of a vehicle air conditioner is sometimes provided not only on the instrument panel but also on the ceiling of the vehicle interior. The position of the blowout structure and the size of its flap are set so that the structure does not intrude.

On the other hand, as in Patent Document 1, during sudden deceleration, the input load when the occupant's head comes into contact with the blow-out structure is absorbed to protect the occupant's head, thereby blowing air into the movement range of the occupant's head. It is conceivable to increase the degree of freedom in design by allowing the intrusion of the structure.

However, the technique of Patent Document 1 is based on the assumption that the air blowing member is attached to the instrument panel and that the occupant's head pushes the air blowing member from the front to the back in the event of a vehicle collision. Therefore, the technique of Patent Document 1 cannot be applied as it is when providing a blow-out structure on the ceiling positioned along the locus of movement of the occupant's head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a blowout structure for a vehicle air conditioner that can protect the head of an occupant against contact during deceleration of the vehicle while being installed on the ceiling of the vehicle interior.

In order to achieve the above object, a blowout structure for a vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention includes an air conditioner blowout opening set in the ceiling of a vehicle interior, a flap rotatably provided at the blowout opening, The flap is set at a position where a portion of the flap enters below the upper limit of the movement trajectory of the occupant's head during deceleration of the vehicle, and the axial force is inclined with respect to the plate surface. The rotation center axis of the flap is set at a position shifted in the plate thickness direction of the flap so that the flap is bent by acting in the direction of bending .

According to the above configuration, since the flap is rotatably provided, even if the occupant's head comes into contact with the contact portion of the flap when the vehicle decelerates, the contact portion moves in the same direction as the occupant's head. Alternatively, the flap can be pivoted such that the abutment portion moves upward to pass the occupant's head. As a result, the impact force caused by the contact of the occupant's head with the contact portion can be released, and the flap is set at a position where the contact portion enters the movement locus of the occupant's head, and the flap can be operated even when the vehicle decelerates. It can protect the occupant's head.

Moreover, by rotating the flap, damage to the flap can be prevented, and fragments of the flap can be prevented from scattering into the passenger compartment. In addition, by providing the flap on the ceiling of the vehicle interior, it is relatively easy for the occupant's head to come into contact with the vehicle even if the vehicle does not suddenly decelerate like in a vehicle collision. It can be used repeatedly without damaging the flap.

By the way, the trajectory of movement of the contact portion due to rotation of the flap and the movement trajectory of the occupant's head usually do not match. Whether the abutting portion moves in the same direction as the occupant's head or passes the occupant's head, the abutting portion must slide on the occupant's head. In addition, the rotatably supported flap does not generate a bending moment or shear force due to the force applied to the contact portion from the occupant's head, and only the force directed from the rotation center axis to the contact portion is applied. (hereinafter this force is referred to as the axial force of the flap).

When the axial force of the flap is sufficiently inclined with respect to the surface of the occupant's head, the contact portion of the flap easily slides against the occupant's head, and the occupant Move or pass in the same direction as the head.

On the other hand, when the axial force of the flap acts substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the occupant's head, the contact portion is likely to be caught by the occupant's head without slipping, and the axial force is applied to the occupant's head. be.

On the other hand, in the present invention, since the rotation center axis of the flap is shifted in the plate thickness direction of the flap, when the occupant's head comes into contact with the flap, the axial force is almost perpendicular to the surface of the occupant's head. Even if it works, the flap can be rotated while being pushed toward the central axis of rotation. By this rotation, the force in the axial direction of the flap can be sufficiently inclined, and the abutment portion can be slid against the occupant's head to release the impact force due to the abutment of the occupant's head against the abutment portion. can be done.

In other words, by shifting the rotation center axis of the flap, the axial force of the flap is applied in a direction that is inclined with respect to the plate surface instead of along the plate surface with high rigidity, thereby bending the flap in the front-rear direction. can be transformed to As a result, even if the axial force acts almost perpendicularly on the occupant's head and the contact portion is caught on the occupant's head, the flap is pushed in until the contact portion slips on the occupant's head. It can be rotated.

In addition, by providing the flap with a stiffening portion that suppresses bending in the vehicle width direction, the contact portion of the flap slides against the occupant's head more reliably, and the contact portion is the same as the occupant's head. It can be moved in any direction or pass the occupant's head.

More specifically, when the axial force of the flap acts at an angle relatively close to normal to the surface of the occupant's head, the energy required to deform the flap pushed by the occupant's head and the contact If the energy required to deform the flap is small compared to the energy required for the part to slide against the occupant's head, the flap will attempt to deform without slipping. Therefore, the smaller the energy required for deformation of the flap, the greater the axial force required to tilt the flap in order to slide it against the occupant's head. It becomes difficult to escape.

When supporting both ends of the flap in the vehicle width direction, the amount of deformation due to bending in the vehicle width direction tends to be greater than the amount of deformation due to the shift of the rotation center axis, and the energy required to deform the flap becomes excessively small. Although there is a risk, by providing the flap with a stiffening portion, the energy required for deformation of the flap can be increased, and the contact portion of the flap can slide against the occupant's head.

As described above, according to the present invention, the contact portion of the flap with respect to the occupant's head is moved in the same direction as the occupant's head, or the contact portion is moved upward to pass the occupant's head. I am trying to let As a result, even if the occupant's head comes into contact with the abutting portion of the flap during deceleration of the vehicle, the impact force can be released. It is possible to protect the occupant's head that comes into contact at times.

A diagram showing a ceiling in a vehicle interior equipped with a blowout structure according to the present invention. Perspective view showing blowing structure The perspective view which shows the cross section of blow-off structure Perspective view of flap Schematic diagram showing flap operation

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the form for implementing the blowing structure of the vehicle air conditioner which concerns on this invention is demonstrated using drawing.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the blowout structure 1 includes a blowout port 3 of an air conditioner provided on a ceiling 2 in a vehicle compartment, a flap 4 for controlling the flow of air blown out from the blowout port 3, The flap 4 is set at a position where it enters below the upper limit 6 of the movement trajectory of the occupant's head 5 at the time of sudden deceleration such as a vehicle collision by turning, and further, of the flap 4 The contact portion 7 to the occupant's head 5 moves in the same direction as the occupant's head 5, or the contact portion 7 moves upward to allow the occupant's head 5 to pass. .

The ceiling 2 has a structure in which a roof cross member (not shown), which is positioned on the lower surface side of a roof panel (not shown) and extends in the vehicle width direction, is covered with a roof headlining (molded ceiling material) 8 from the lower surface side thereof. An air conditioner is fastened to the roof cross member. The roof headlining 8 is formed with a pair of left and right openings 10 whose periphery is covered with a roof bezel (decorative plate) 9 , and each opening 10 is provided with an air outlet 3 and a flap 4 .

The outlet 3 is formed in the front part (the left part in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5) of the opening 10, and directs the cold or warm air from the air conditioner to the rear of the vehicle interior (the right side in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5). ). The cold air and warm air blown out from the air outlet 3 flow along the ceiling 2, and the direction of the airflow is controlled by two flaps 4 arranged side by side behind the opening 10 on the downstream side of the air outlet 3. be adjusted diagonally downward.

The flap 4 has brackets 12 protruding upward from both sides of a rectangular plate-like flap body 11 , and front and rear ribs 13 and rear ribs 13 protruding upward from the front and rear sides of the flap body 11 as stiffening portions. It has a shape in which ribs 14 are formed, and then the outer surface of the ribs 14 becomes the abutting portion 7 . The bracket 12 is formed with a support hole 16 that is supported via a bearing by a rotating shaft 15 protruding in the vehicle width direction inside the opening 10 , so that the flap 4 can be rotated about the rotating shaft 15 . It is designed to move.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, how the contact portion 7 of the flap 4 moves in the same direction as the occupant's head 5 or allows the occupant's head 5 to pass will be described.

First, at the time of sudden deceleration such as in a vehicle collision, the occupant restrained in the seat by a seat belt (not shown) falls forward (left side in FIG. to move forward.

At this time, if the flap 4 is in the fully closed state 17 or the fully opened state 18, the occupant's head 5 passes through the flap 4 without contacting it.

When the flap 4 is in the intermediate state 19 for adjusting the direction of the airflow, the contact portion 7 contacts the occupant's head 5, and the axis of the flap 4 extends in the direction connecting the center of the rotation shaft 15 and the contact portion 7. A directional force 20 acts.

In this case, if the direction of the axial force 20 is sufficiently inclined in the opening direction of the flap 4 with respect to the surface of the occupant's head 5 , the abutment portion 7 slides on the occupant's head 5 and pushes the occupant's head. 5, and rotates the flap 4 in the opening direction to an angle that allows the occupant's head 5 to pass. Moreover, since the bracket 12 of the flap 4 supports the rotation shaft 15 , the rotation shaft 15 is shifted upward from the flap main body 11 , and the vertical movement from the contact portion 7 to the rotation shaft 15 is prevented. Since the distance in the direction is longer, it is easier to rotate due to contact with the occupant's head 5 moving forward.

Further, if the direction of the axial force 20 is sufficiently inclined in the closing direction of the flap 4 with respect to the surface of the occupant's head 5 , the abutting portion 7 will slide upwards with respect to the occupant's head 5 . Then, the flap 4 is rotated in the closing direction to an angle allowing the occupant's head 5 to pass.

On the other hand, when the direction of the axial force 20 is relatively close to perpendicular to the surface of the occupant's head 5 , when the occupant's head 5 first comes into contact with the occupant's head 5 , the contact portion 7 does not slide and the occupant's head 5 does not slip. Get caught. At this time, due to the shift of the rotation shaft 15 of the flap 4, the axial force 20 is inclined with respect to the plate surface of the flap body 11, and the flap 4 is appropriately deformed. The flap 4 is further rotated while being deformed so as to be pushed toward the rotating shaft 15 . When the flap 4 rotates until the axial force 20 is sufficiently inclined, the abutting portion 7 hooked on the occupant's head 5 slides and rotates at once, allowing the occupant's head 5 to pass.

Here, the flap 4 is supported by the brackets 12 on both sides thereof, and the front rib 13 and the rear rib 14 moderately increase the energy required for deformation of the flap 4 . As a result, even when the direction of the axial force 20 is relatively close to perpendicular to the surface of the occupant's head 5, the energy required for deformation of the flap 4 is greater than the energy required for the contact portion 7 to slip. , the flap 4 can be slid without being deformed, moved in the same direction as the occupant's head 5, or passed by the occupant's head 5. - 特許庁

According to the above configuration, the contact portion 7 of the flap 4 is moved in the same direction as the occupant's head 5 or moved upward to pass the occupant's head 5. Even if the occupant's head 5 comes into contact with the abutting part 7, the impact force can be released, and the flap 4 is set at a position where a part of the occupant's head 5 moves below the upper limit 6 of the movement locus of the occupant's head 5. In addition, the occupant's head 5 can be protected even during sudden deceleration. As a result, it is not necessary to excessively separate the blowout structure 1 from the occupant or reduce the size of the flap 4, and the performance of the air conditioner can be sufficiently improved.

Further, by shifting the rotating shaft 15 upward or providing the front rib 13 and the rear rib 14 , the contact portion 7 can be moved in the same direction as the occupant's head 5 , or can pass through the occupant's head 5 . This is advantageous in terms of cost, weight, and productivity.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications can be made as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the structure in which the rotating shaft 15 of the flap 4 is shifted upward from the flap body 11 has been described as an example. It goes without saying that it is also possible to shift the position downward, thereby obtaining the same effect as in the above embodiment. Also, the flap 4 does not necessarily need to be provided with the front rib 13 and the rear rib 14 .

1 blowout structure 2 ceiling 3 blowout port 4 flap 5 occupant's head 6 upper limit of movement range 7 abutting portion 8 roof headlining 9 roof bezel 10 opening 11 flap body 12 bracket 13 front rib 14 rear rib 15 pivot shaft 16 support Hole 17 Fully closed state 18 Fully open state 19 Intermediate state 20 Axial force

Claims (1)

A blow-out structure for a vehicle air conditioner, comprising: an air-conditioner blow-out opening set in the ceiling of a vehicle interior; and a flap provided rotatably downstream of the blow-out opening,
The flap is set at a position where a portion of the flap enters below the upper limit of the movement trajectory of the occupant's head during deceleration of the vehicle, and applies an axial force in a direction inclined to the plate surface. A blowout structure for a vehicle air conditioner , wherein the center axis of rotation of the flap is set at a position shifted in the plate thickness direction of the flap so as to be curved.

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