JP7629349B2 - Vehicle interior trim and door structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to vehicle interior trim and door structures.

In vehicles, armrests are often provided on the inner wall of the door next to the seat. These armrests may also serve as handles for closing the door. The armrests may also be equipped with controls including switches for operating the power windows and door mirrors.

The armrest protrudes from the inner wall surface so that the passenger can rest their arm on it, and is constructed to be rigid enough to withstand use.

If a relatively rigid armrest like this is positioned to protrude from the inside wall of the door, when the vehicle is hit from the side of the door and the inside wall of the door comes into contact with an occupant, it is conceivable that the impact will be concentrated in the armrest and transmitted to the occupant.

Patent document 1 describes how the upper panel of the arm rest is maintained in an arm support position during normal vehicle operation, and when an impact to the side of the vehicle is sensed, an actuator moves it to a safe position, positioning the arm support panel in a folded position.

U.S. Patent No. 6,568,743 JP 2017-179092 A

In Patent Document 1, the armrest can be folded up when an impact is detected, but the components of the armrest are still present inside the vehicle cabin. If the armrest has components such as a handle or an operating part, it is difficult to fold it up as in Patent Document 1, and there is a problem that the handle or operating part actually protrudes.

The technology disclosed herein has been developed in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a technology that improves safety by reducing the protrusion of the protrusion when the protrusion is subjected to a load.

In order to solve the above problems, the vehicle interior trim of the present disclosure comprises:
a base plate portion disposed along a vehicle structure constituting a vehicle and covering a vehicle interior side of the vehicle structure;
a protrusion portion disposed at an initial position with respect to the base plate portion so as to protrude from the base plate portion toward the vehicle interior,
The protrusion is attached to the base plate portion such that, when a load is applied from the vehicle interior side, the protrusion is movable in a retraction direction relative to the base plate portion in which the protrusion is retracted from the initial position.

The vehicle interior trim comprises:
a weak fixing portion that fixes the protrusion to the base plate portion when the protrusion is in the initial position is provided at a boundary between the protrusion and the base plate portion,
When the protrusion receives a load from the vehicle interior side, the weak fixing portion breaks, thereby allowing the protrusion to move relative to the base plate portion.

Vehicle interior trim,
a magnetic attraction member having magnetic properties is provided on a surface of the protruding portion opposite to a surface protruding into the vehicle interior,
When the protrusion is in the initial position, the magnetic attraction member faces a metal panel that constitutes the vehicle structure or is attached to the vehicle structure, and is disposed at a distance from the metal panel;
When the protrusion becomes movable, the magnetic attraction member may be attracted to the metal panel.

The interior of the vehicle interior trim may be filled with a thixotropic cushioning material inside the protruding portion.

Vehicle interior trim,
an engagement portion that is engaged with the protrusion disposed at the initial position and that is capable of restricting movement of the protrusion in the retraction direction in an engaged state;
a drive unit capable of switching the engagement portion between the engaged state and a disengaged state in which the engagement is released by driving the engagement portion;
may further comprise:

In order to solve the above problems, the door structure of the present disclosure includes:
The vehicle interior trim;
The vehicle structure includes a door body having an outer panel of the door of the vehicle and an inner panel to which the vehicle interior trim is attached;
Equipped with.

The door structure includes:
a restricting portion that restricts movement of the protrusion in the retracting direction by engaging with the protrusion disposed at the initial position;
a link portion having one end connected to the restricting portion and the other end disposed on the outer panel side,
When the outer panel is deformed toward the vehicle cabin, the link portion may move or deform in association with the deformation of the outer panel, thereby releasing the restriction of the protrusion by the restricting portion connected to the one end of the link portion.

In order to solve the above problems, the door structure of the present disclosure includes:
The vehicle interior trim;
The vehicle structure includes a door body having an outer panel of the door of the vehicle and an inner panel to which the vehicle interior trim is attached;
a detection unit that detects information indicating that the door has been hit or information about the surroundings of the vehicle for predicting the collision;
a control unit that acquires a detection result by the detection unit, and switches the engagement unit from the engaged state to the disengaged state by controlling the drive unit when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition;
Equipped with.

This disclosure provides a technology that can reduce the protrusion of a protrusion when the protrusion is subjected to a load, thereby improving safety.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a door structure according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the door structure according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an exterior side surface of the base plate portion according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the door structure according to the first embodiment. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating operations at the time of a vehicle collision. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an initial state (state before a collision) of the door structure according to the first modified example. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after a collision of the door structure according to the first modified example. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an initial state (state before a collision) of a door structure according to Modification 2. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after a collision of the door structure according to the second modified example. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an initial state (state before a collision) of a door structure according to a second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a restricting portion. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after a collision of the door structure according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an initial state (state before a collision) of a door structure according to a third embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after a collision of the door structure according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure executed by a control unit.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, a door structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each configuration and their combination in each embodiment and each modified example are merely examples, and addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of configurations are possible as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments, but is limited only by the claims. Furthermore, each aspect disclosed in this specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the door structure 1 according to this embodiment, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the door structure 1 according to this embodiment, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the vehicle exterior side of the base plate portion, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the door structure. In this embodiment, the up-down direction is also referred to as the Y-axis direction, the left-right direction is also referred to as the X-axis direction, and the front-rear direction is also referred to as the Z-direction. For the convenience of explaining this embodiment, these directions merely exemplify the relative positional relationships of each element in the door structure 1, and are not limited to these directions. For example, the posture when using the door structure 1 is not limited to the directions shown in the figures.

Figure 1 shows a door structure 1 installed on the left side of the front seat of a vehicle. The door structure 1 on the right side of the front seat of a vehicle has almost the same configuration except that it is arranged symmetrically compared to Figure 1, so a description of the same will be omitted. The door structure 1 has a door body 10, a door trim 100 attached to the passenger compartment side of the door body 10, and a door window glass 50.

The door body 10 is one form of vehicle structural part that constitutes a vehicle. The door body 10 has an outer panel 11 that forms the outer shell of the vehicle, and an inner panel 12 that is provided on the passenger compartment side of the outer panel 11. The inner panel 12 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the outer panel 11, and defines the passenger compartment side of an internal space 13 formed between the outer panel 11 and the inner panel 12. The door body 10 also has a front panel 14 that defines the front side of the internal space 13, and a lower panel 15 that defines the lower side of the internal space 13.
5, an upper panel 16 that defines the upper side of the internal space 13, and a rear panel (not shown) that defines the rear side of the internal space 13. The inner panel 12, the front panel 14, the lower panel 15, the upper panel 16, and the rear panel may be integrally formed by pressing or the like. Each panel 11, 12, 14 to 16 of the door body 10 is formed of metal, for example, a steel plate. The door body 10 has other components such as a latch mechanism that engages with a receiving portion on the vehicle body side to keep the door structure 1 closed when the door structure 1 is closed, a lock mechanism that locks the door structure 1 so that it does not open, and a drive mechanism that opens and closes the door window glass 50, but for convenience, some of the components are omitted in FIGS. 1 to 4.

The inner panel 12 is provided with an opening (service hole) 121 into which the armrest 30 can be inserted. The front panel 14 is provided with a hinge receiving portion 141, which is connected to the vehicle body via a hinge, so that the door structure 1 is attached to the vehicle body in an openable and closable manner.

The door trim 100 is one form of vehicle interior trim. The door trim 100 includes a base plate portion 20, an armrest 30, and a release lever 40.

The base plate portion 20 is disposed along the passenger compartment side of the door body 10, specifically, along the passenger compartment side of the inner panel 12, the lower panel 15, and the upper panel 16. That is, the base plate portion 20 is an interior material (decorative plate) that covers the passenger compartment side of the door body 10. The base plate portion 20 is provided with an opening 201 that penetrates from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle, and as shown in FIG. 3, a support portion 22 that supports the armrest 30 is erected around the opening 201 on the outside surface 21 of the base plate portion 20. The support portion 22 is formed in a frame shape so as to surround the opening 201, and the outside end of the armrest 30 is fitted into the fitting hole 23 on the inside. The fitting hole 23 is extended in a direction from the passenger compartment side of the base plate portion 20 toward the outside of the vehicle (X direction in the figure), and is formed so that the armrest 30 can be inserted.

A joint pin 211 such as a snap fit is provided on the outer surface 21 of the base plate portion 20, and the base plate portion 20 is attached to the door body 10 by fitting the joint pin 211 into a joint hole 120 provided in the inner panel 12 of the door body 10. Although not shown in the figure, the base plate portion 20 may be fastened to the inner panel 12 of the door body 10 with a screw or the like. The release lever 40 is a lever for releasing the engagement by the latch mechanism when the door is opened. In this embodiment, the release lever 40 is provided on the door trim 100, but the release lever 40 may be provided on the door body 10 side.

The armrest 30 is a form of protrusion that protrudes from the base plate portion 20 toward the interior of the vehicle. The armrest 30 in this embodiment has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, with one end on the vehicle interior protruding from the base plate portion 20 and the other end (exterior end) 34 fitted into a fitting hole 23 in the base plate portion 20 and supported by the support portion 22 of the base plate portion 20. The armrest 30 is configured such that its upper surface 31 is disposed substantially horizontally, allowing the occupant to rest their arms on the upper surface 31.

The armrest 30 has a grip hole 32 extending downward from the upper surface 31 into which the occupant can insert their fingers. For example, when the door is open, the occupant can insert their fingers into the grip hole 32 to grasp the armrest 30 and pull the armrest 30 toward the passenger compartment to close the door. In other words, the armrest 30 also functions as a door handle.

An operating unit 33 is provided on the upper surface 31 of the armrest 30. The operating unit 33 has, for example, switches for opening and closing the door window glass 50 and for operating the seat position. Furthermore, an engagement groove 36 that engages with a fragile fixing portion 60 (described later) is provided on the upper surface 31 of the armrest 30 along the boundary with the interior side surface 24 of the base plate portion 20 and slightly inside the vehicle than the interior side surface 24. The engagement groove 36 is a bottomed slit formed to a depth such that when one end of the fragile fixing portion 60 is inserted, the other end of the fragile fixing portion 60 protrudes from the upper surface 31.

As shown in FIG. 4, an upper portion of the outer end 34 of the armrest 30 is provided with a locking claw 37 that protrudes upward from the upper surface 31. Similarly, a lower portion of the outer end 34 is provided with a locking claw 37 that protrudes downward from the lower surface 35. Meanwhile, a groove 221 into which the locking claw 37 is fitted is provided on the inner wall surface of the support portion 22 of the base plate portion 20. The groove 221 is provided in the extension direction of the fitting hole 23, which is the X direction in the example shown in the figure, and is formed from the outer end of the support portion 22 to partway inside the vehicle. When the armrest 30 is inserted into the fitting hole 23 and fitted into the vehicle interior so that the inner end of the armrest 30 protrudes from the interior side surface 24 of the base plate portion 20, the locking claw 37 of the outer end 34 fits into the groove 221 of the support portion 22 and slides within the groove 221. The locking claw 37 then hits the groove end 222 on the inside of the vehicle, preventing the armrest 30 from moving toward the inside of the vehicle. As a result, the inside end of the armrest 30 protrudes from the inside surface 24 of the base plate 20, and the armrest 30 is positioned at a predetermined initial position. When the fragile fixing portion 60 is inserted into the engagement groove 36 of the armrest 30 in this state, the upper portion of the fragile fixing portion 60 hits the inside surface 24 of the base plate 20, preventing the armrest 30 from moving toward the outside of the vehicle, and the armrest 30 is fixed to the base plate 20. The fragile fixing portion 60 is a fragile member made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is formed to break when subjected to a strong load.

<Operation during vehicle collision>
5 is a diagram for explaining the operation during a vehicle collision. For example, when the door is hit from the side of the vehicle, the armrest 30 comes into contact with the occupant and receives a load in the X direction. When the armrest 30 receives a load in the X direction from the passenger compartment in this way, the weak fixing portion 60 breaks, and the armrest 30 becomes movable in the retracting direction to retract from the passenger compartment, and moves toward the outside of the vehicle. That is, the armrest 30 is stored in the internal space 13 of the door body 10 and does not protrude from the passenger compartment side surface 24 of the base plate portion 20.

As a result, in the event of a vehicle collision, the armrest 30 does not come into contact with the occupant locally, but rather comes into contact with the occupant on a flat surface, dispersing the impact and improving safety in the event of a collision.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the armrest 30 is almost completely stored within the interior space 13 during a vehicle collision, but this is not limited thereto. If the armrest 30 protrudes less, the impact during a collision is less likely to be concentrated. Therefore, as long as the armrest 30 moves at least toward the outside of the vehicle from its initial position, a portion of the armrest 30 may protrude from the interior side surface 24 of the base plate portion 20.

In addition, if the fragile fixing portion 60 breaks and the armrest 30 moves, the armrest 30 can be returned to its initial position and reinserted into the engagement groove 36 to re-fix it, allowing the armrest 30 to be used repeatedly.

As described above, the armrest 30 is stored in the door structure 1 by the load acting toward the outside of the vehicle during a vehicle collision. On the other hand, when the armrest 30 is used normally, for example, when an occupant places his/her arm on the upper surface 31 of the armrest 30, the load acts from above to below the armrest 30. The armrest 30 has an outer end 34 supported by the support portion 22, and the load acting when the arm is placed on the armrest 30 does not act as a shear force on the weak fixing portion 60, so the weak fixing portion 60 does not break and the armrest 30 does not move. In addition, when an occupant puts his/her finger into the grip hole 32 of the armrest 30 and pulls the armrest 30 toward the passenger compartment to close the door, the locking claw 37 of the armrest 30 abuts against the groove end portion 222 and transmits the load to the base plate portion 20, so the weak fixing portion 60 does not break. Therefore, in normal use of the armrest 30, the weak fixing portion 60 does not break and the armrest 30 does not move, but when the armrest 30 receives a load in the direction toward the outside of the vehicle (X direction) during a vehicle collision, the weak fixing portion 60 breaks and moves toward the outside of the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the front door trim 100 has been described, but the above configuration may also be applied to the rear door trim. The vehicle interior trim of the present disclosure is not limited to door trim, and may also be applied to, for example, the trim (outfitting) on the side of the rear seat in a two-door coupe. That is, this trim may be provided with an armrest 30 and configured to move to the outside of the vehicle in the event of a collision.

<Modification 1>
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an initial state (state before a collision) of a door structure 1A according to the first modified example, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of the door structure 1A according to the first modified example after a collision.

The door structure 1A of this modified example differs from the previously described embodiment in that a magnetic attraction member 70 is provided on the outer end surface of the armrest 30, but the rest of the configuration is the same. For this reason, the same elements as those in the previously described embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

The magnetic attraction member 70 is a magnetic member and is arranged on the outer end surface of the armrest 30 facing the outer panel 11 of the door body 10. The magnetic attraction member 70 is formed, for example, from a permanent magnet or a synthetic resin containing a magnetic material. The armrest 30 is arranged in the treatment position, and the armrest 30 is fixed to the base plate portion 20 by the fragile fixing portion 60 in the same configuration as described above, as shown in FIG. 6.

When the armrest 30 receives a load due to a side impact with the door of the vehicle, the fragile fixing portion 60 breaks, allowing the armrest 30 to move, and the armrest 30 moves to the outside of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 7. At this time, the magnetic attraction member 70 is attracted by the magnetic force to the outer panel 11, which is a magnetic metal panel (e.g., a steel plate), and is attracted to the outer panel 11.

In this way, with the configuration of this modified example, the armrest 30, which becomes movable in the event of a collision, actively moves to the outside of the vehicle, further improving safety. If the outer panel 11 is made of a material that does not adhere to the magnetically attracted material 70, a ferromagnetic metal plate such as stainless steel can be placed on the inside of the outer panel 11 (the portion facing the magnetically attracted material 70).

<Modification 2>
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the initial state (state before collision) of the door structure 1B according to the modified example 2, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the door structure 1B according to the modified example 2 after collision. The door structure 1B of this modified example is different from the above-mentioned embodiment in that the armrest 30B is filled with a cushioning material 382 having thixotropy, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, the same elements as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

The armrest 30B has a buffer section 38 at the tip of the vehicle interior. The buffer section 38 has an outer shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and includes an outer cover 381 that defines the six outer faces of the rectangular parallelepiped, for example, the top and bottom, left and right, and front and rear, and a buffer material 382 that fills an internal space 380 defined by the outer cover 381. The outer cover 381 is a flexible member formed of a synthetic resin or the like, and is easily deformed by external stress, so that the shape of the buffer section 38 is mainly maintained by the buffer material 382 that fills the internal space 380. The buffer material 382 is formed of a material having thixotropy, and its properties change when it is subjected to stress. Specifically, the buffer material 382 in an unstressed state is a plastic solid such as a gel, and the buffer material 382 in a stressed state approaches a liquid such as a sol, and its viscosity changes. Examples of thixotropic materials include bentonite and synthetic smectite.

In this way, the armrest 30B of this modified example has a thixotropic buffer section 38 at the tip, so that the buffer section 38 is solid during normal use. However, when an occupant comes into contact with the armrest 30B during a vehicle collision and stress is applied to the buffer material 382, the viscosity of the buffer material 382 decreases, causing the buffer section 38 to deform and reduce the impact on the occupant. This allows the armrest 30B to reduce the impact on the occupant, further improving reliability.

8 and 9 show an example in which the buffer section 38 is disposed at the tip of the armrest 30B, but this is not limiting, and the buffer section 38 may be disposed so as to cover the upper surface, front and rear surfaces, etc. of the armrest 30B. In addition, the buffer section 38 is not limited to a material having thixotropy, and may be formed of a material having elasticity, and may absorb impacts by using this elasticity.

Second Embodiment
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the initial state (state before collision) of the door structure 1C according to the second embodiment, Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the restricting portion 250, and Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the door structure 1C according to the second embodiment after collision. The door structure 1C of this embodiment is different from the above-mentioned embodiment in that it has a restricting portion 250 that restricts the movement of the armrest 30C and a link portion that releases the restriction by the restricting portion 250, but the other configurations are the same. For this reason, the same elements as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

Compared to the base plate portion 20 in the above-described embodiment, the base plate portion 20C has a hinge 28 that supports the armrest 30C instead of the support portion 22. The hinge 28 connects the outer surface 21 of the base plate portion 20C to the upper rear end of the armrest 30C, and supports the armrest 30C so that it can rotate around the rotation axis 281.

A flat support plate portion 25 is provided on the lower edge of the opening 201 on the outer side surface 21 of the base plate portion 20C. The support plate portion 25 is provided with a pin-through hole 251 that penetrates in the vertical direction to allow the lock pin 26 to pass through.

The lock pin 26 is a cylindrical member with a head 261 at one end that is larger in diameter than the other parts, and a hole 262 for preventing it from coming loose that penetrates perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) at the other end.

As shown in FIG. 10, in a cross section (X-Y plane) perpendicular to the rotation axis 281, the armrest 30C has an arc shape from the bottom surface to the surface facing the vehicle interior, with the rotation axis 281 as the center, and the outer shape of this cross section is roughly fan-shaped.

As shown in FIG. 10, the armrest 30C protrudes from the base plate portion 20C toward the inside of the vehicle, and its initial position is when the top surface 31 is approximately horizontal. In this state, the lock pin 26 is inserted into the pin hole 251 from below the support plate portion 25, and the snap pin 27 is inserted into the retaining hole 262 of the lock pin 26 protruding from the upper side of the support plate portion 25. This causes the lock pin 26 to abut against the rear end surface of the armrest 30C, preventing the armrest 30C from rotating toward the outside of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the support plate portion 25, the lock pin 26, and the snap pin 27 form the restricting portion 250.

When the armrest 30C is placed in the initial position, an engagement groove 39 is provided on the underside of the armrest 30C along the boundary with the vehicle interior side surface 24 of the base plate portion 20C and slightly on the vehicle interior side of the vehicle interior side surface 24. The engagement groove 39 is a bottomed slit formed to a depth such that when one end of the fragile fixing portion 60 is inserted, the other end of the fragile fixing portion 60 protrudes from the underside surface 35. When the fragile fixing portion 60 is inserted into the engagement groove 39, the lower part of the fragile fixing portion 60 is fixed to the vehicle interior side surface 24 of the base plate portion 20C, preventing the armrest 30 from moving towards the vehicle interior side. The strength of the lock pin 26 is greater than the strength of the fragile fixing portion 60.

A lever support portion 122 is erected on the outer surface of the inner panel 12 of the door body 10. A pivot shaft 122A of the lever portion 123 is provided at the tip of this lever support portion 122, and the lever portion 123 is pivotally supported. The inner end 123A of the lever portion 123 is connected to the snap pin 27 via a wire 124, and the outer end 123B is disposed on the outer panel 11 side. The mechanism consisting of the lever portion 123 and the lever support portion 122 that pivotally supports the lever portion 123 is one form of a link portion that releases the restriction by the restricting portion 250 by moving or deforming in conjunction with the deformation of the outer panel 11 as described below.

As shown in FIG. 12, when the door is hit from the side of the vehicle and the outer panel 11 is deformed toward the inside of the vehicle, the outer end 123B of the lever portion 123 moves toward the inside of the vehicle. As the outer end 123B moves, the lever portion 123 swings about the swing shaft 122A, and the inner end 123A moves in a direction away from the lock pin 26, and the snap pin 27 is pulled out of the lock pin 26 via the wire 124. This removes the retention of the lock pin 26, and the lock pin 26 falls under its own weight, and the engagement with the rear end surface of the armrest 30C is released. When the passenger leans against the armrest 30C due to the impact, the weak fixing portion 60 breaks, and the armrest 30C becomes rotatable toward the outside of the vehicle around the rotation shaft 281. As a result, the armrest 30C rotates around the rotation shaft 281 and is stored in the door structure 1 as shown in FIG. 12.

As a result, in the event of a vehicle collision, the armrest 30C does not strike the occupant locally, but comes into contact with the occupant on a flat surface, dispersing the impact and improving safety during a collision. In this modified embodiment, the vehicle interior end 123A of the lever portion 123 moves with the deformation of the outer panel 11 to release the restriction by the restricting portion 250, but the present invention is not limited to this. The restriction by the restricting portion 250 may be released by the deformation of the link portion with the deformation of the outer panel 11. For example, the link portion may support the lock pin 26 arranged at a position that restricts engagement with the armrest 30C, and the link portion breaks (deforms) with the deformation of the outer panel 11 due to a collision, causing the lock pin 26 to come out of that position and releasing the restriction on movement.

Third Embodiment
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the initial state (state before collision) of the door structure 1D according to the third embodiment, Fig. 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control unit, and Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the door structure 1D according to the third embodiment after collision. The door structure 1D of this embodiment is different from the first embodiment described above in that it is provided with a detection unit 80 that detects a collision and a control unit 90 that controls a restriction unit 25D that restricts the movement of the armrest 30 according to the detection result, but the other configurations are the same. For this reason, the same elements as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

The detection unit 80 is an impact sensor for detecting a collision with the door structure 1D from the side of the vehicle. The detection unit 80 is not limited to detecting an impact received by the door structure 1, but may be configured to detect surrounding information in order to predict a collision with the door structure 1. For example, the detection unit 80 may include a sensing means such as an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), a positioning device, a camera, a radar, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), or a three-dimensional scanner. As the positioning device, for example, a satellite positioning system such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) can be cited. The radar and the LIDAR obtain the distance to an object present around the vehicle and the moving speed of the object.

The restricting portion 25D is attached to the outer surface of the support portion 22 (top and bottom surfaces in the illustrated example) near the rear end of the armrest 30 arranged in the initial position. The restricting portion 25D has an electric actuator (drive portion) 253 and a rod portion (engagement portion) 252. The actuator 253 drives the rod portion 252 to a state in which it advances into the fitting hole 23 and a state in which it retreats from the fitting hole 23 in response to a control signal from the control portion 90. When the restricting portion 25D brings the rod portion 252 into the fitting hole 23, the rod portion 252 engages with the rear end surface of the armrest 30 arranged in the initial position, restricting the movement of the armrest 30 in the retracting direction. In addition, by causing the rod portion 252 to retract from the engagement hole 23, the restricting portion 25D switches to a disengaged state in which the engagement between the rear end surface of the armrest 30 and the rod portion 252 is released, allowing the armrest 30 to move. The strength of the actuator 253 and the rod portion 252 is greater than that of the weak fixing portion 60 that is fixed to the interior side surface of the vehicle.

The control unit 90 acquires the detection result by the detection unit 80, and when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition, controls the restriction unit 25D to release the engagement by the rod unit 252, allowing the armrest 30 to be moved. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 90. The control unit 90 includes a processor 91, a memory unit 92, and an input/output unit 93. The processor 91 comprehensively executes various types of arithmetic processing in the control unit 90. The processor 91 is an arithmetic processing means such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

The memory unit 92 includes, for example, a main memory unit 921 and an auxiliary memory unit 922. The main memory unit 921 includes a main memory unit such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), and stores information to be processed by the processor 91, for example. The main memory unit 921 may be formed integrally with the processor 91.

The auxiliary storage unit 922 is composed of a storage medium such as a volatile memory such as a RAM, a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), a hard disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive), or a removable medium. Note that the removable medium is, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) memory or a memory card, or other recording medium that can be attached from the outside and is computer-readable.

The auxiliary memory unit 922 can store an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, various databases, user data, and the like, for executing the operations of the control unit 90.

The input/output unit 93 is, for example, an interface that inputs information (detection results, etc.) from the detection unit 80 and outputs information (control signals, etc.) to the detection unit 80 or other devices. The input/output unit 93 may also be a communication module that inputs (receives) information from other devices and outputs (transmits) information to other devices. Furthermore, the input/output unit 93 may be a user interface that inputs operation information by the user via an operation button, touch panel, etc., and outputs (displays, outputs sound, etc.) to the user via a display, speaker, etc.

<<Operation>>
Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a processing procedure executed by the control unit 90. The control unit repeatedly executes the processing in Fig. 16 while power is being supplied, for example, when an accessory power source of the vehicle is turned on, or when a start-up instruction is received.

In step S10, the control unit 90 acquires the detection result from the detection unit 80. For example, the control unit 90 acquires a detection value from an acceleration sensor (shock sensor) and detects a captured image of the surroundings using a camera. In addition, information such as the position, speed, and moving direction of an object is not limited to being acquired by a camera, but may also be acquired by radar, LIDAR, a three-dimensional scanner, or a combination of these.

In step S20, the control unit 90 analyzes the state of the door structure 1 and the state of the surroundings of the door structure 1 based on the detection result of the detection unit 80 obtained in step S10. For example, the control unit 90 determines the acceleration value detected by the detection unit 80 and the rate of change of acceleration per unit time (jerk). The control unit 90 also processes the captured image taken by the camera to extract objects present around the vehicle and determine the object's position, direction of movement, speed, etc. as surrounding information. Note that the method for determining the position, speed, direction of movement, etc. of surrounding objects from the captured image can use known technology, so a detailed description will be omitted.

In step S30, the control unit 90 determines whether or not to release the restriction of the armrest 30 by the restricting unit 25D, depending on whether or not the information indicating the state of the door structure 1 and the state of the surroundings of the door structure 1 obtained in step S20 satisfies a predetermined condition. For example, when the door structure 1 is hit, the collision is detected as a sudden change in acceleration, and the control unit 90 determines (positive determination) that the door structure 1 has received an impact and releases the restricting unit 25D, if the jerk obtained in step S20 exceeds a predetermined threshold. In addition, the control unit 90 makes a positive determination when the position of the vehicle and the position of the surrounding objects after a predetermined time match, that is, when it is predicted that the object will collide with the vehicle, based on the position, moving direction, moving speed, etc. of the surrounding objects obtained in step S20. Note that these conditions and thresholds may be set by the occupant's operation.

If the determination in step S30 is affirmative, the control unit 90 proceeds to step S40 and controls the restricting unit 25D to retract the rod portion 252 and release the engagement between the armrest 30 and the rod portion 252. This allows the armrest 30 to move, and when the armrest 30 comes into contact with an occupant and receives a load in the X direction, this load breaks the weak fixing portion 60 and moves to the outside of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 15. In other words, the armrest 30 is stored within the internal space 13 of the door body 10 and does not protrude from the interior side surface 24 of the base plate portion 20.

If the information indicating the user's state and the surrounding state does not satisfy the predetermined conditions in step S30 and a negative judgment is made, the processing in FIG. 16 is terminated.

In this way, according to this embodiment, in the event of a vehicle collision, the armrest 30 can be stored within the door structure 1, so that the armrest 30 does not come into contact with the occupant locally, but rather comes into contact with the occupant on a flat surface, dispersing the impact and improving safety in the event of a collision.

In this embodiment, the fragile fixing portion 60 may not be used before activation, and the armrests 30, 30B, 30C, and 30D may be prevented from moving inward or outward using only the engagement claw 37, the lock pin 26, or the rod portion 252.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 to 1D Door structure 10 Door body 11 Outer panel 12 Inner panel 13 Internal space 14 Front panel 15 Lower panel 16 Upper panel 20, 20C, 20D Base plate portion 21 Vehicle exterior surface 22 Support portion 23 Fitting hole 24 Vehicle interior surface 25 Support plate portion 26 Lock pin 27 Snap pin 28 Hinge 30 to 30D Armrest 31 Upper surface 36 Engagement groove 37 Locking claw 38 Buffer portion 40 Release lever 50 Door window glass 60 Weakly fixed portion 70 Magnetically attracted member 80 Detection portion 90 Control portion 91 Processor 92 Memory portion 93 Input/output portion 100 Door trim 121 Opening (service hole)
122 Lever support portion 122A Swing shaft 123 Lever portion 123A Vehicle inside end portion 123B Vehicle outside end portion 124 Wire

Claims (6)

a base plate portion disposed along a vehicle structure constituting a vehicle and covering a vehicle interior side of the vehicle structure;
a protrusion that is disposed at an initial position with respect to the base plate portion so as to protrude from the base plate portion toward the vehicle interior, and is attached to the base plate portion so as to be movable from the initial position in a retraction direction when a load is applied from the vehicle interior side ;
an engagement portion that is engaged with the protrusion disposed at the initial position and that is capable of restricting movement of the protrusion in the retraction direction in an engaged state;
a drive unit capable of switching the engagement portion between the engaged state and a disengaged state in which the engagement is released by driving the engagement portion;
Vehicle interior trim having a weak fixing portion that fixes the protrusion to the base plate portion when the protrusion is in the initial position is provided at a boundary between the protrusion and the base plate portion,
The vehicle interior trim according to claim 1 , wherein the weak fixing portion breaks when the protruding portion receives a load from the vehicle interior side, thereby allowing the protruding portion to move relative to the base plate portion. a magnetic attraction member having magnetic properties is provided on a surface of the protruding portion opposite to a surface protruding into the vehicle interior,
When the protrusion is in the initial position, the magnetic attraction member faces a metal panel that constitutes the vehicle structure or is attached to the vehicle structure, and is disposed at a distance from the metal panel;
3. The vehicle interior trim according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic attraction member is attracted to the metal panel when the protrusion is movable. The vehicle interior trim according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inside of the protrusion is filled with a cushioning material having thixotropic properties. A vehicle interior trim according to any one of claims 1 to 4;
The vehicle structure includes a door body having an outer panel of the door of the vehicle and an inner panel to which the vehicle interior trim is attached;
A door structure comprising: A vehicle interior trim according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ;
The vehicle structure includes a door body having an outer panel of the door of the vehicle and an inner panel to which the vehicle interior trim is attached;
a detection unit that detects information indicating that the door has been hit or information about the surroundings of the vehicle for predicting the collision;
a control unit that acquires a detection result by the detection unit, and switches the engagement unit from the engaged state to the disengaged state by controlling the drive unit when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition;
A door structure comprising:

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