JP7487463B2 - Vehicle mounting structure for head-up display device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle mounting structure for a head-up display device.

A head-up display device displays information by forming a virtual image in front of the driver's seat, and is heavy with a display, light source, multiple reflectors, etc. housed in a casing. Such a head-up display device is placed between the dash panel that separates the passenger compartment from the engine room, and the steering member that extends in the vehicle width direction behind the dash panel.

WO2017/051780

When the vehicle is hit in a forward collision, the head-up display device may be pushed by the dash panel and move toward the rear of the vehicle. In this case, there is a risk that the steering member may be pushed by the head-up display device and come into contact with it.

The present invention aims to prevent a head-up display device that receives an impact load from the front of the vehicle through the dash panel from coming into contact with the steering member.

A vehicle mounting structure for a head-up display device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a bracket that connects a dash panel and a steering member and supports the head-up display device. The bracket has a front portion on the dash panel side where the head-up display device is attached, a rear portion on the steering member side, and an intermediate portion between the front and rear portions. The intermediate portion is bent with respect to the front and rear portions so that the front side of the vehicle is positioned higher than the rear side of the vehicle. The front portion extends from the connection portion to the dash panel toward the rear of the vehicle and in parallel along the vehicle longitudinal axis.
A vehicle mounting structure for a head-up display device according to another aspect of the present invention includes a bracket that connects a dash panel and a steering member and supports the head-up display device. The bracket has a front portion on the dash panel side where the head-up display device is attached, a rear portion on the steering member side, and an intermediate portion between the front and rear portions. The intermediate portion is bent relative to the front and rear portions so that the front side of the vehicle is positioned higher than the rear side of the vehicle. The intermediate portion is bent relative to the front and rear portions so that the front side and rear side of the vehicle are misaligned in the vehicle width direction.

The present invention makes it possible to prevent a head-up display device that receives an impact load from the front of the vehicle from coming into contact with the steering member.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a vehicle mounting structure of a head-up display device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the left side of a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle mounting structure, with a portion of FIG. 1 omitted, as viewed from the left rear of the vehicle. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle mounting structure of FIG. 2 with an instrument panel added thereto, as viewed from the left front of the vehicle. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the head-up display device is attached to a bracket. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the left bracket. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the left bracket together with the steering member. FIG. 7 is a plan view of FIG. FIG. 8 is a side view showing the mounting state of the center bracket with a portion of FIG. 1 omitted. FIG. 9A is an explanatory diagram of the operation before a frontal collision. FIG. 9B is an explanatory diagram of the operation after a frontal collision. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the left bracket together with the steering member after a frontal collision. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of FIG. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a comparative example to FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a vehicle mounting structure for a head-up display device 1. The left direction indicated by the arrow FR in Figure 1 is the front of the vehicle. The head-up display device 1 is disposed in front of the driver's seat, between the dash panel 3 and the steering member 5. The rear surface of the lower side of the head-up display device 1 faces the steering member 5. The dash panel 3 is a partition wall that separates the engine room (or motor room) 7 at the front of the vehicle from the passenger compartment 9 at the rear of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 2, the steering member 5 extends in the vehicle width direction, and its end in the vehicle width direction is fixed to the inner surface of the vehicle body side via a side bracket 13. Note that the side bracket at the end on the left side in the vehicle width direction is omitted in FIG. 2. The steering member 5 supports the steering column 11 shown in FIG. 1. The steering column 11 is attached to the steering member 5 via column brackets 15, 16. A steering shaft 12 protrudes toward the passenger compartment side of the steering column 11, and a steering wheel (not shown) is provided at the end of the steering shaft 12. Note that the mounting structure of the steering column 11 using the column brackets 15, 16 is shown in a simplified manner, and the steering column 11 is omitted in FIG. 2.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an instrument panel 17 including the head-up display device 1, seen diagonally from the front of the vehicle. Note that the instrument panel 17 is omitted in Figures 1 and 2. The instrument panel 17 has an opening 17a formed in a position corresponding to the head-up display device 1. The opening 17a allows the "light beam for forming a virtual image" emitted from the head-up display device 1 to pass through toward the front windshield panel 19.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the head-up display device 1 is attached to a left bracket 21 located on the left side in the vehicle width direction and a right bracket 23 located on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The left bracket 21 has an attachment piece 21a protruding toward the head-up display device 1 near the front end 21f. The attachment portion 1a formed on the left side of the head-up display device 1 is placed on the attachment piece 21a and fastened and fixed with a bolt 25. The right bracket 23 has an attachment piece 23a protruding toward the head-up display device 1 near the front end 23f. The attachment portion 1b formed on the right side of the head-up display device 1 is placed on the attachment piece 23a and fastened and fixed with a bolt 27.

As shown in FIG. 1, the left bracket 21 has its front end 21f attached to the dash panel 3 via a mounting fixture 29. The mounting fixture 29 includes a circular plate member 29a that is welded to the end of the left bracket 21, and a cylindrical collar 29b that is located on the opposite side of the plate member 29a to the left bracket 21. The plate member 29a and the dash panel 3 are fastened together with a fastener 33 such as a bolt, with the collar 29b between them. The right bracket 23 is attached to the dash panel 3 in the same manner as the left bracket 21.

The left bracket 21 and the right bracket 23 have their rear ends 21r, 23r attached to the steering member 5, for example, by welding. Joint flanges 21b, 23b are formed on the rear ends 21r, 23r of the left and right brackets 21, 23, respectively, and the joint flanges 21b, 23b are welded and fixed in place in contact with the outer periphery of the steering member 5.

The left bracket 21 is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 5 and in a side view from the left side in FIG. 6. The left bracket 21 has a front portion 21F extending rearward from the connection portion to the dash panel 3, a rear portion 21R extending forward from the steering member 5, and an intermediate portion 21M connecting the front portion 21F and the rear portion 21R. In the side view shown in FIG. 6, the front portion 21F is located higher than the rear portion 21R, and the front portion 21F and the rear portion 21R extend almost horizontally in the front-to-rear direction. The intermediate portion 21M is inclined so as to connect the rear end of the front portion 21F and the front end of the rear portion 21R. In the plan view shown in FIG. 7, the left bracket 21 is bent in the left-right direction so that the front portion 21F is to the left of the rear portion 21R in the vehicle width direction.

The left bracket 21 has a vertical wall 21d having a surface perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, and an upper flange 21e and a lower flange 21g that are bent from the upper and lower ends of the vertical wall 21d in a direction away from the head-up display device 1. The vertical wall 21d, the upper flange 21e, and the lower flange 21g are formed over the entire length of the left bracket 21, including the front portion 21F, the middle portion 21M, and the rear portion 21R.

The ends of the upper flange 21e and the lower flange 21g on the front side of the vehicle have protrusions 21h and 21i that protrude in a direction away from the head-up display device 1. The edges of the protrusions 21h and 21i on the front side of the vehicle are joined to the circular plate member 29a shown in Figures 1 and 2. The end of the upper flange 21e on the rear side of the vehicle is connected to the joining flange 21b mentioned above.

The end of the lower flange 21g facing the rear of the vehicle abuts against the instrument stay 37 as shown in FIG. 1. The base end of the instrument stay 37 is attached to the front lower part of the steering member 5 and protrudes toward the front lower part of the vehicle. The instrument stay 37 supports the instrument panel 17 shown in FIG. 3. The end of the vertical wall 21d facing the rear of the vehicle abuts against the instrument stay 37 and the steering member 5 as shown in FIG. 1.

The left bracket 21 is bent in the up-down and left-right directions between the front portion 21F and the middle portion 21M, and between the rear portion 21R and the middle portion 21M. Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the middle portion 21M is bent in the up-down direction relative to the front portion 21F and the rear portion 21R so that the front side of the vehicle is positioned higher than the rear side of the vehicle. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 7, the middle portion 21M is bent in the left-right direction (up-down direction in Figures 4 and 7) relative to the front portion 21F and the rear portion 21R so that the front side of the vehicle is positioned to the left in the vehicle width direction (lower side in Figures 4 and 7) than the rear side of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 5, the left bracket 21 forms front cutout recesses 21j, 21k between the upper flange 21e and the protruding portion 21h of the front portion 21F, and between the lower flange 21g and the protruding portion 21i of the front portion 21F. The front cutout recesses 21j, 21k are recessed in an arc shape relative to the edges of the protruding portions 21h, 21i and the upper and lower flanges 21e, 1g. In the front bent portion 21S between the front portion 21F and the middle portion 21M, intermediate cutout recesses 21m, 21n are formed between the upper flanges 21e between the front portion 21F and the middle portion 21M, and between the lower flanges 21g between the front portion 21F and the middle portion 21M. The intermediate cutout recesses 21m, 21n are recessed in an arc shape relative to the edges of the upper and lower flanges 21e, 21g.

The left bracket 21 forms rear cutouts 21p, 21q at the rear bent portion 21T between the rear portion 21R and the middle portion 21M. The rear cutouts 21p, 21q, together with the middle cutout recesses 21m, 21n, form weak portions. The rear cutouts 21p, 21q are formed as through holes at the corners between the vertical wall 21d and the upper flange 21e and the corners between the vertical wall 21d and the lower flange 21g at the rear bent portion 21T. The rear cutouts 21p are formed between the vertical wall 21d of the rear portion 21R and the middle portion 21M and between the upper flange 21e of the rear portion 21R and the middle portion 21M. The rear cutouts 21q are formed between the vertical wall 21d of the rear portion 21R and the middle portion 21M and between the lower flange 21g of the rear portion 21R and the middle portion 21M.

As shown in FIG. 2, the right bracket 23 has an upper wall 23c, and a left flange 23d and a right flange 23e that are bent downward from both ends of the upper wall 23c in the vehicle width direction, and is open on the lower side. The right bracket 23 is bent in the vertical direction so that the dash panel 3 side is higher than the head-up display device 1 side.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a central bracket 35 is disposed below the head-up display device 1, between the left bracket 21 and the right bracket 23. Figure 8 shows the mounting state of the central bracket 35 by omitting the left bracket 21, the instrument stay 37, the steering column 11, etc., from Figure 1.

The central bracket 35 has a side wall 35a having a surface perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, and an upper wall 35b and a lower wall 35c formed by bending from the upper and lower ends of the side wall 35a toward the left side in the vehicle width direction (the front side of the paper in FIG. 8). A notch 35a1 is formed on the steering member 5 side of the side wall 35a. The notch 35a1 gradually increases in width in the vertical direction from the dash panel 3 side toward the steering member 5 side, and is open on the steering member 5 side. The rear end edge of the side wall 35a abuts against the front inclined surface 16a of the column bracket 16, closing the open portion on the rear side of the notch 35a1.

The rear end 35c1 of the lower wall 35c is bent upward and fixed to the lower part of the inclined surface 16a. The rear end 35b1 of the upper wall 35b is curved and fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the steering member 5. The end 35b1 is fixed to the dash panel 3 side near the top end of the steering member 5. The front end 35f of the center bracket 35 is fixed to the dash panel 3 via a mounting member 39. In Figures 1 and 8, the mounting member 39 is directly connected to the dash panel 3, but it may be attached to the dash panel 3 via a collar, like the left and right brackets 21.

The upper wall 35b of the central bracket 35 has a facing portion 35b2 that faces the underside 1c of the head-up display device 1. The facing portion 35b2 is almost horizontal and spaced apart from the underside 1c. The dash panel 3 side of the facing portion 35b2 forms a front inclined portion 35b3 that bends upward and forward so as to cover the front lower part of the head-up display device 1. The steering member 5 side of the facing portion 35b2 forms a rear inclined portion 35b4 that bends upward and rearward, and is connected to the tip 35b1 mentioned above. The rear inclined portion 35b4 has a gentler inclination than the front inclined portion 35b3.

The lower wall 35c of the central bracket 35 has an inclined portion 35c2 that is inclined so that the dash panel 3 side is upward with respect to a tip 35c1 on the rear side of the vehicle. The opposite side of the tip 35c1 of the inclined portion 35c2 has a bent portion 35c3 that is further bent upward, and a front wall portion 35c4 that extends upward from the upper end of the bent portion 35c3. The above-mentioned mounting member 39 is attached to the bent portion 35c3 and the front wall portion 35c4, and the portion of the mounting member 39 that corresponds to the front wall portion 35c4 is attached to the dash panel 3.

In this embodiment, the steering member 5, left bracket 21, right bracket 23, and center bracket 35 are all made of aluminum to reduce weight. The ratio of Young's modulus between iron and aluminum is approximately 3:1, but the ratio of strength between iron and aluminum is approximately 2:1. Taking Young's modulus into consideration, aluminum members are thickened or reshaped compared to iron members to increase the moment of inertia, and obtain rigidity approximately equivalent to that of iron members. Obtaining rigidity also makes it possible to suppress vibration of the steering member 5. At that time, since aluminum members are stronger than iron members, it is difficult to realize a shock absorbing structure in the event of a vehicle collision, for example.

In this embodiment, therefore, the aluminum left bracket 21 is designed to have a structure that is easily able to absorb shock during a vehicle collision. That is, the left bracket 21 is bent in both the up-down and left-right directions, as shown in Figures 6 and 7 above. Furthermore, the left bracket 21 has a notch at the bent portion.

Next, we will explain the operation when a vehicle equipped with the vehicle mounting structure for the head-up display device 1 described above collides forward (head-on collision).

During a frontal collision, heavy objects such as the engine and motor in the engine compartment 7 move rearward, pushing the dash panel 3 rearward. As a result, the left bracket 21, right bracket 23, and center bracket 35 are pressed by the dash panel 3 and are crushed and deformed, absorbing the impact.

At this time, the left bracket 21 deforms in the up-down direction from the state shown in FIG. 9A to the state shown in FIG. 9B in side view, and deforms in the left-right direction from the state shown in FIG. 7 to the state shown in FIG. 10 in plan view. That is, the left bracket 21 bends and deforms in the up-down direction as well as the left-right direction. The left bracket 21 deforms in the up-down direction and the left-right direction starting from the front bent portion 21S and the rear bent portion 21T in a direction in which these bent portions bend more. The left bracket 21 bends in the left-right direction between the front portion 21F and the protruding portions 21h, 21i so that the front cutout recesses 21j, 21k are on the inside of the bend.

The left bracket 21 has front cutout recesses 21j, 21k, middle cutout recesses 21m, 21n, and rear cutouts 21p, 21q, which facilitate the above-mentioned deformation. In particular, the rear cutouts 21p, 21q are provided at the corners between the vertical wall 21d and the upper and lower flanges 21e, 21g, making it easy to deform while keeping the amount of cutout as small as possible, and also suppressing vibration of the steering member 5.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of Figure 6. Rear notches 21p and 21q are formed at the corners between vertical wall 21d and upper flange 21e and lower flange 21g. Figure 12 shows a comparative example to Figure 11. In the comparative example, rear notches 210p and 210q are formed at the tips of upper flange 210e and lower flange 210g, instead of rear notches 21p and 21q in Figure 11.

In FIG. 11, the width dimension of the upper flange 21e and the lower flange 21g that remain when the rear cutouts 21p and 21q are formed to obtain the required ease of bending is designated as A1. Similarly, in FIG. 12, the width dimension of the upper flange 210e and the lower flange 210g that remain when the rear cutouts 210p and 210q are formed to obtain the required ease of bending is designated as A2. In this case, the width dimension A1 is larger than the width dimension A2 (A1>A2). In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the larger width dimension A1 achieves ease of bending in a state of higher rigidity. Note that in FIG. 12, the left bracket 21 and the rear bent portion 21T in FIG. 11 are shown as the left bracket 210 and the rear bent portion 210T.

The left bracket 21 bends and deforms in the vertical direction, so that the front portion 21F moves upward relative to FIG. 9A, as shown in FIG. 9B. The head-up display device 1 is attached to the front portion 21F via an attachment piece 21a, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Therefore, as the front portion 21F moves upward, the head-up display device 1 also moves upward relative to FIG. 9A. This prevents the head-up display device 1 from coming into contact with the steering member 5 even if an impact load is applied to the rear of the vehicle.

When the left bracket 21 deforms, the right bracket 23 and the center bracket 35 also deform. Although not shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the right bracket 23 bends and deforms in the vertical direction so that the front end 23f moves upward, thereby pushing the head-up display device 1 upward.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the central bracket 35 is bent so that the upper surface is concave at the two front and rear bent portions 35S, 35T. Therefore, when the central bracket 35 receives an impact from the front, the two bent portions 35S, 35T are deformed so that they are further bent. At this time, the front end portion 35f of the central bracket 35 approaches the head-up display device 1.

The head-up display device 1 moves rearward and upward as shown in FIG. 9B due to deformation of the left bracket 21 and the right bracket 23, as compared to FIG. 9A. At that time, the head-up display device 1 comes into contact with the rear inclined portion 35b4 of the central bracket 35 and is guided rearward and upward. This prevents the head-up display device 1 from coming into contact with the steering member 5.

The attachment position of the right bracket 23 to the steering member 5 is closer to the attachment portion of the steering member 5 to the vehicle body by the side bracket 13 than the left bracket 21. For this reason, even though the right bracket 23 is made of aluminum, there is no need to increase its rigidity by thickening it or changing its shape as with the left bracket 21. Because there is no need to increase the rigidity of the right bracket 23, its strength can be kept low, making it easier to realize an impact absorbing structure in the event of a vehicle collision.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be explained.

This embodiment includes a dash panel 3 that constitutes the front wall of the passenger compartment 9, a steering member 5 that extends in the vehicle width direction behind the dash panel 3, and a head-up display device 1 that is disposed between the dash panel 3 and the steering member 5. This embodiment further includes a left bracket 21 that connects the dash panel 3 and the steering member 5 and supports the head-up display device 1.

The left bracket 21 includes a front portion 21F that extends from the connection portion to the dash panel 3 toward the rear of the vehicle and to which the head-up display device 1 is attached, a rear portion 21R that extends from the steering member 5 toward the front of the vehicle, and an intermediate portion 21M that connects the front portion 21F and the rear portion 21R. The intermediate portion 21M is bent relative to the front portion 21F and the rear portion 21R so that the front side of the vehicle is positioned higher than the rear side of the vehicle.

In this case, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the left bracket 21 further bends in the vertical direction at the front bent portion 21S between the middle portion 21M and the front portion 21F, and the rear bent portion 21T between the middle portion 21M and the rear portion 21R. That is, the front bent portion 21S bends vertically, and the rear bent portion 21T bends downward. As a result, the front portion 21F supporting the head-up display device 1 moves upward, pushing the head-up display device 1 upward. This makes it possible to prevent the head-up display device 1 from coming into contact with the steering member 5, and also to prevent deformation of the steering member 5.

In this embodiment, the middle portion 21M of the left bracket 21 is bent with respect to the front portion 21F and the rear portion 21R so that the front side of the vehicle and the rear side of the vehicle are misaligned in the vehicle width direction. The left bracket 21 is bent in the vertical direction as well as the horizontal direction, making it more susceptible to deformation in the event of a frontal collision.

In this embodiment, the left bracket 21 has intermediate notch recesses 21m, 21n at the front bent portion 21S between the intermediate portion 21M and the front portion 21F, and rear notches 21p, 21q at the rear bent portion 21T between the intermediate portion 21M and the rear portion 21R, as weak portions. This makes the left bracket 21 more susceptible to deformation during a frontal collision, improving the impact absorption effect.

In this embodiment, the front bent portion 21S between the middle portion 21M and the front portion 21F is bent downward at the rear side of the vehicle of the front portion 21F, and the rear bent portion 21T between the middle portion 21M and the rear portion 21R is bent upward at the front side of the vehicle of the rear portion 21R. In this case, during a frontal collision, the front bent portion 21S is bent upward, while the rear bent portion 21T is bent downward. As a result, the front portion 21F moves upward, and the head-up display device 1 attached to the front portion 21F also moves upward, making it possible to prevent the head-up display device 1 from coming into contact with the steering member 5.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely examples described to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific technical matters disclosed in the above embodiments, but also includes various modifications, changes, and alternative technologies that can be easily derived therefrom.

For example, the right bracket 23 may be symmetrical to the left bracket 21 and have a shock absorbing structure similar to that of the left bracket 21. The intermediate cutout recesses 21m and 21n shown in FIG. 5 may be formed as through holes at the corners between the vertical wall 21d and the upper flange 21e and at the corners between the vertical wall 21d and the lower flange 21g, as in the rear cutouts 21p and 21q. Conversely, the rear cutouts 21p and 21q may be formed as recesses at the edges of the upper flange 21e and the lower flange 21g, as in the intermediate cutout recesses 21m and 21n. At least one of the intermediate cutout recesses 21m and 21n and the rear cutouts 21p and 21q may be provided as a weak portion.

1 Head-up display device 3 Dash panel 5 Steering member 9 Vehicle interior 21 Left bracket (bracket)
21F: Front portion of left bracket; 21R: Rear portion of left bracket; 21M: Middle portion of left bracket; 21m, 21n: Middle notched recess (weakened portion)
21p, 21q Rear notch (weakened portion)
21S Front bend 21T Rear bend

Claims (4)

A dash panel that constitutes the front wall of the passenger compartment;
a steering member extending in a vehicle width direction behind the dash panel;
a head-up display device disposed between the dash panel and the steering member;
a bracket that connects the dash panel and the steering member and supports the head-up display device,
The bracket is
a front portion extending from a connection portion to the dash panel toward the rear of the vehicle and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle , the front portion being attached to the head-up display device;
a rear portion extending from the steering member toward the front of the vehicle;
a middle portion connecting the front portion and the rear portion,
1. A vehicle mounting structure for a head-up display device, wherein the intermediate portion is bent relative to the front and rear portions so that the front side of the vehicle is positioned higher than the rear side of the vehicle. A dash panel that constitutes the front wall of the passenger compartment;
a steering member extending in a vehicle width direction behind the dash panel;
a head-up display device disposed between the dash panel and the steering member;
a bracket that connects the dash panel and the steering member and supports the head-up display device,
The bracket is
a front portion extending from a connection portion to the dash panel toward the rear of the vehicle and to which the head-up display device is attached;
a rear portion extending from the steering member toward the front of the vehicle;
an intermediate portion connecting the front portion and the rear portion;
The intermediate portion is bent relative to the front portion and the rear portion such that a vehicle front side is positioned higher than a vehicle rear side,
13. A vehicle mounting structure for a head- up display device, wherein the intermediate portion is bent relative to the front and rear portions so that the front and rear sides of the intermediate portion are offset in a vehicle width direction. The vehicle mounting structure for a head-up display device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the front bent portion between the intermediate portion and the front portion and the rear bent portion between the intermediate portion and the rear portion has a weak portion. The vehicle mounting structure for a head-up display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the front bent portion between the intermediate portion and the front portion is bent downward on the vehicle rear side of the front portion, and the rear bent portion between the intermediate portion and the rear portion is bent upward on the vehicle front side of the rear portion.

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