JP7764982B2 - Bracket holding structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bracket holding structure in a vehicle seat belt device.

Typically, automobiles and other vehicles are equipped with a seat belt system that uses webbing to restrain seated occupants. Seat belt systems equipped with lap pretensioners are also known, which pull and tension the webbing when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, reducing the amount of occupant movement caused by inertial forces during a collision and quickly restraining and protecting the occupant.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the lap pretensioner installed below the seat in Patent Document 1. As shown in Figure 8, the mounting structure 108 for the lap pretensioner 120 in Patent Document 1 includes a retractor anchor 122 that supports the retractor 104, to which one end 114a of the shoulder portion 114 of the webbing 112 is connected, on the vehicle body 101, and a lap anchor 126 that secures the lap pretensioner 120, to which one end 116a of the lap portion 116 of the webbing 112 is connected, to a bracket 130. The one end 114a of the shoulder portion 114 is inserted into the pillar portion 102 and connected to the retractor 104. The retractor 104 is fixed to the pillar portion 102.

The bracket 130 has a vertical portion 134 that secures the lap pretensioner 120, with one end secured to the side of the vehicle body 101 by a retractor anchor 122 and the other end secured to the floor portion 101a by a final anchor 124. The lap pretensioner 120 is secured to the bracket 130 by a lap anchor 126, and is supported by the retractor anchor 122 and final anchor 124 via the bracket 130.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-113931

The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes it possible to provide a lap pretensioner mounting structure 108 that allows for the placement of a lap pretensioner 120 with minimal changes to the vehicle body structure, a simple configuration, and no increase in cost, even in vehicles in which the side sills are located below the floor portion 101a.

As such, in addition to seat belt devices that hold the webbing with a more robust structure, there is always a demand for highly robust devices that can provide stable performance without any variation in manufacturing or assembly, and research and development is being conducted to further improve safety.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a bracket holding structure in a seat belt device that is capable of strong holding and has excellent robustness.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has, for example, the following configuration.
(1) A bracket including a first holding portion that holds a retractor connected to one end of a webbing that restrains an occupant in a vehicle seat, and a second holding portion that holds a lap pretensioner connected to the other end of the webbing;
A side sill reinforcement provided on a side sill of a vehicle body;
A side sill inner that is adjacent to the side sill reinforcement in the vehicle width direction and is arranged more inward in the vehicle width direction than the side sill reinforcement;
Equipped with
A lower portion of the bracket is sandwiched and fixed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner from both sides in the vehicle width direction.
Bracket holding structure.
(2) A first joint portion is provided at which the lower portion of the bracket, the side sill reinforcement, and the side sill inner are joined.
A bracket holding structure as described in (1).
(3) The first joint portion is located on an extension line of the lap pretensioner in the load input direction.
(2) A bracket holding structure.
(4) a center pillar inner lower section disposed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner section in the vehicle width direction so as to be sandwiched together with the lower portion of the bracket;
a second joint portion at which the lower portion of the bracket and the center pillar inner lower section are joined;
Equipped with
A bracket holding structure according to any one of (1) to (3).
(5) a center pillar inner lower section disposed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner section in the vehicle width direction so as to be sandwiched together with the lower portion of the bracket;
a second joint portion at which the lower portion of the bracket and the center pillar inner lower section are joined;
Equipped with
an opening penetrating the center pillar inner lower section in a vehicle width direction is provided in the center pillar inner lower section to provide the first joint portion;
A bracket holding structure according to (2) or (3).
(6) The first joint portion and the second joint portion are provided side by side in the vehicle front-rear direction.
(5) A bracket holding structure.
(7) The first joint portion and the second joint portion are configured by a plurality of welding points arranged side by side in the vehicle front-rear direction,
The plurality of welding points are arranged such that adjacent welding points in the vehicle longitudinal direction are shifted from each other in the vehicle vertical direction.
A bracket holding structure according to (5) or (6).
(8) The second holding portion of the bracket is disposed on a lower side of the vehicle than the first holding portion of the bracket,
The first joint portion is located below the second holding portion.
A bracket holding structure according to any one of (2), (5) to (7).
(9) The bracket is
a plurality of planar portions that are arranged in a shifted manner in the vehicle width direction and are parallel to each other;
a curved portion provided between adjacent planar portions and curved in the vehicle width direction;
Equipped with
A bracket holding structure according to any one of (1) to (8).
(10) The plurality of planar portions are
a first flat portion on which the first holding portion is provided;
a second flat surface portion located below the first flat surface portion on the vehicle and on which the second holding portion is provided;
a third flat portion, which is the lower portion, located below the second flat portion and sandwiched and fixed by the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner from both sides in the vehicle width direction;
Including,
(9) A bracket holding structure.
(11) The curved portion is
a first curved portion and a second curved portion formed between the first flat portion and the second flat portion in the vehicle up-down direction;
a third curved portion formed between the second flat surface portion and the third flat surface portion in the vehicle up-down direction;
Including,
the first curved portion defines a lower edge of the first planar portion, extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is connected to the second curved portion;
the second curved portion defines an upper edge of the second flat portion, inclines downward as it extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and has a lower end connected to the third curved portion;
the third curved portion extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and defines a lower edge of the second flat surface portion and an upper edge of the third flat surface portion;
A bracket holding structure as described in (10).
(12) The third curved portion has a plurality of bent portions that incline a direction extending in the vehicle front-rear direction toward the vehicle up-down direction and/or the vehicle width direction.
A bracket holding structure as described in (11).

The bracket holding structure of the present invention can provide a bracket holding structure in a seat belt device that is capable of strong holding and has excellent robustness.

1 is a perspective view of the interior of a vehicle body to which a bracket holding structure according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied; 1 is a side view of a bracket holding structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is an enlarged side view showing the lap pretensioner, the retractor, and the first and second holding portions from FIG. 2, with the lap pretensioner, the retractor, and the first and second holding portions omitted. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 3. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the bracket attached to the vehicle body, as viewed from the front and from the inside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 6B is a side view of the bracket when it is attached to the vehicle body, as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 6C is a top view of the bracket as seen from above in a state where the bracket is attached to the vehicle body. FIG. 6D is a front view of the bracket as seen from the front side in the state where it is attached to the vehicle body. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the direction of a load in the bracket holding structure. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a lap pretensioner is installed below a seat in Patent Document 1.

A bracket holding structure according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In Figures 1 to 7, the front side of the vehicle is referred to as "front," the rear side of the vehicle as "rear," the upper side of the vehicle as "up," the lower side of the vehicle as "down," the outer side in the vehicle width direction as "outside," and the inner side in the vehicle width direction (center side in the vehicle width direction) as "inside." The type of vehicle to which the bracket holding structure of this embodiment can be applied is not particularly limited, and can be applied to a variety of vehicles, including, for example, gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).

Figure 1 is an oblique view of the interior of a vehicle to which a bracket holding structure according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

As shown in Figure 1, the webbing 12 of the seat belt device 10 is composed of a shoulder portion 14 that is draped diagonally from the shoulder to the waist of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 6, and a lap portion 16 that is draped laterally across the occupant's waist.

One end 14a of the webbing 12 on the shoulder portion 14 side is inserted into the pillar portion 2 and connected to a retractor 40. The retractor 40 is attached to a bracket 30 (described below) and fixed to the vehicle body 1.

A tongue 19 is attached to the boundary between the shoulder portion 14 and the lap portion 16. This tongue 19 is secured to a buckle 18 when the occupant fastens the webbing 12. The other end 16a of the webbing 12 on the lap portion 16 side is connected to a lap pretensioner 20.

The lap pretensioner 20 is installed in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the vehicle seat 6 and the entrance/exit door 1b in the vehicle width direction. The wire 20a of the lap pretensioner 20 is connected to the other end 16a of the lap portion 16 that restrains an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 6. The wire 20a pulls the webbing 12 during sudden vehicle deceleration, tightening the webbing 12 and reducing the amount of occupant movement, quickly restraining and protecting the occupant. The lap pretensioner 20 burns explosives during sudden vehicle deceleration, generating high-pressure gas that activates a piston and pulls in the webbing 12 connected to the wire 20a, thereby removing slack in the webbing 12 by an amount equivalent to the movement of the piston.

Figure 2 is a side view of a bracket holding structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an enlarged side view showing the lap pretensioner 20, retractor 40, and first and second holding portions 31, 32 omitted from Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 3.

As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the bracket holding structure of this embodiment includes a bracket 30, a side sill reinforcement 5 provided on the side sill 3 of the vehicle body, a side sill inner 4 adjacent to the side sill reinforcement 5 in the vehicle width direction and positioned more inward in the vehicle width direction than the side sill reinforcement 5, and a center pillar inner lower 7 provided at the bottom of the pillar portion 2. The side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner 4 form the side sill 3 on the lower side of the entrance/exit door 1b (see Figure 1).

The center pillar inner lower section 7 is a plate-shaped member that is located on the inside of the lower section of the pillar section 2 in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vehicle vertical direction. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the outer shape of the center pillar inner lower section 7 when viewed from the vehicle width direction is substantially the same as the outer shape of the lower section of the pillar section 2, and has an upper section 7a that is provided on the pillar section 2, and a lower section 7b that is connected to the upper section 7a and extends downward between the side sill inner section 4 and the side sill reinforcement section 5 in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the lower portion 7b of the center pillar inner lower 7, together with the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30, is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the side sill inner 4 and the side sill reinforcement 5 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. Note that the arrangement order in the vehicle width direction is, from the inside, the side sill inner 4, bracket 30, center pillar inner lower 7, and side sill reinforcement 5.

As shown in Figure 2, the upper portion 7a of the center pillar inner lower 7 has a through-hole 7c in the center when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The retractor 40 is installed in the pillar portion 2 through this through-hole 7c. Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first holding portion 31 of the bracket 30 that holds the retractor 40 and the first flat portion 31a of the bracket 30 on which the first holding portion 31 is provided are positioned so as to overlap the through-hole 7c of the center pillar inner lower 7 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the lower portion 7b of the center pillar inner lower portion 7 has an opening 7d that penetrates the center pillar inner lower portion 7 in the vehicle width direction at a position where the bracket 30, the side sill inner portion 4, and the side sill reinforcement portion 5 overlap when viewed from the vehicle width direction. This opening 7d is formed to provide a first joint portion 51 (first welding point 51b) where the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30, the side sill reinforcement portion 5, and the side sill inner portion 4 are joined together by welding or the like, as will be described below with reference to Figure 4.

In addition, with regard to the portion of the lower part 7b of the center pillar inner lower part 7 where the opening 7d is not provided, a second joint part 52 (second welding point 52b) is provided in which the lower part 7b of the center pillar inner lower part 7 and the lower part 30b of the bracket 30 are overlapped and joined by welding or the like, as described below with reference to Figure 5.

The side sill inner 4 is a plate-shaped member that is positioned inside the bracket 30 in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The side sill inner 4 has an upper plate portion 4a that forms the upper part of the side sill inner 4 and extends in a generally flat shape in the vertical direction, a lower plate portion 4b that forms the lower part of the side sill inner 4 and extends in a generally flat shape in the vertical direction, and a bulge portion 4c that connects the upper plate portion 4a and the lower plate portion 4b and bulges inward in the vehicle width direction.

The side sill reinforcement 5 is a plate-shaped member that is positioned on the outer side of the center pillar inner lower 7 in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The side sill reinforcement 5 has an upper plate portion 5a that forms the upper part of the side sill reinforcement 5 and extends in a generally flat shape in the vertical direction, a lower plate portion 5b that forms the lower part of the side sill reinforcement 5 and extends in a generally flat shape in the vertical direction, and a bulge portion 5c that connects the upper plate portion 5a and the lower plate portion 5b and bulges outward in the vehicle width direction.

The upper plate portions 4a, 5a of the side sill inner 4 and side sill reinforcement 5 form the upper flange of the side sill 3, sandwiching the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30 and the center pillar inner lower 7 from both sides in the vehicle width direction. Then, at the first joint 51, the upper plate portions 4a, 5a of the side sill inner 4 and side sill reinforcement 5 and the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30 are joined in a three-ply configuration.

The lower plate portions 4b, 5b of the side sill inner 4 and the side sill reinforcement 5 form the lower flange of the side sill 3 and sandwich the center pillar inner lower 7 from both sides in the vehicle width direction.

The bulging portions 4c, 5c of the side sill inner 4 and side sill reinforcement 5 bulge outward in directions away from each other on both sides of the vehicle width, increasing the closed cross-sectional shape of the side sill 3 and increasing its rigidity.

Figure 6A is an oblique view of the bracket 30 when mounted on the vehicle body, viewed from the front and inside in the vehicle width direction. Figure 6B is a side view of the bracket 30 when mounted on the vehicle body, viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction. Figure 6C is a top view of the bracket 30 when mounted on the vehicle body, viewed from above. Figure 6D is a front view of the bracket 30 when mounted on the vehicle body, viewed from the front side.

As shown in Figures 2 to 6D, the bracket 30 is a plate-shaped member that extends approximately perpendicular to the vehicle width direction when attached. The bracket 30 has a shape in which the longitudinal width is greatest at the lower portion 30b and narrows toward the upper portion 30a. Increasing the longitudinal width of the lower portion 30b in this way increases the area of the lower portion 30b (third flat portion 33a) that is sandwiched and fixed on both sides in the vehicle width direction by the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner panel 4, making it possible to provide a bracket joint 50 consisting of a first joint 51 and a second joint 52 on the lower portion 30b (third flat portion 33a).

As shown in FIG. 2, the bracket 30 includes a first retaining portion 31 that retains the retractor 40 connected to one end 14a of the webbing 12, and a second retaining portion 32 that retains the lap pretensioner 20 connected to the other end 16a of the webbing 12. In this embodiment, the first retaining portion 31 is located forward and above the second retaining portion 32.

The lower portion 30b of the bracket 30 is fixed by being sandwiched between the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5 and the upper plate portion 4a of the side sill inner 4 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. More specifically, the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30 is sandwiched between the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5 and the upper plate portion 4a of the side sill inner 4, and is joined to the center pillar inner lower 7, the side sill inner 4, and the side sill reinforcement 5 by bracket joints 50 (first joint 51, second joint 52).

In this way, by holding the retractor 40 and lap pretensioner 20 with the same bracket 30, installation accuracy is improved compared to when they are held with separate brackets, thereby improving occupant restraint performance and robustness. Furthermore, because the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30 is sandwiched and fixed between the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner panel 4, the load applied to the bracket 30 (for example, force during a vehicle collision) can be distributed and transmitted from both the front and back sides of the bracket 30 to the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner panel 4. Furthermore, because the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner panel 4 are relatively thick and strong, this allows for even stronger support for the bracket 30.

As described above, the second retaining portion 32 of the bracket 30 is positioned lower on the vehicle than the first retaining portion 31, and the bracket joint 50 (first joint 51, second joint 52) is positioned lower on the vehicle than the second retaining portion 32. In this way, by positioning the bracket joint 50 at the lowest position and positioning the first and second retaining portions 31, 32 that hold the retractor 49 and lap pretensioner 20 connected to the webbing 12 at the upper position, handling of the webbing 12 becomes easier.

As shown in Figures 6A to 6D, the bracket 30 comprises a plurality of parallel flat portions 31a, 32a, and 33a arranged offset in the vehicle width direction, and curved portions 31c, 32c, and 33c which are beads provided between adjacent flat portions 31a, 32a, and 33a and curve in the vehicle width direction.

As such, bracket 30 has multiple flat surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a and multiple curved surfaces 31c, 32c, 33c, improving its rigidity. Furthermore, because bracket 30 has multiple flat surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a that are each divided into independent areas, each of the flat surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a is smaller, improving the surface precision of each flat surface 31a, 32a, 33a and the overall surface precision of bracket 30.

The multiple flat surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a each have a generally planar shape that is generally perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. The multiple flat surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a include a first flat surface 31a on which the first retaining portion 31 (see FIG. 2) is provided, a second flat surface 32a located below the first flat surface 31a and on which the second retaining portion 32 (see FIG. 2) is provided, and a third flat surface 33a that is a lower portion 30b located below the second flat surface 32a and sandwiched and fixed from both sides in the vehicle width direction by the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5 and the upper plate portion 4a of the side sill inner 4.

The first retaining portion 31 is formed by a fastening member such as a bolt that passes through a first retaining portion hole 30c provided in the first flat portion 31a of the bracket 30 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figure 2, the first retaining portion 31 screws into a hole (not shown) provided in the lower end of the retractor 40 and holds the lower end of the retractor 40.

The second retaining portion 32 is formed by a fastening member such as a bolt that passes through a second retaining portion hole 30d provided in the second flat portion 32a of the bracket 30 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the second retaining portion 32 screws into a hole (not shown) provided in the rear end of the lap pretensioner 20 to hold the rear end of the lap pretensioner 20.

In the bracket 30 of this embodiment, the first flat surface 31a, the second flat surface 32a, and the third flat surface 33a are arranged in this order from above the vehicle. Furthermore, the second flat surface 32a, the first flat surface 31a, and the third flat surface 33a are arranged in this order from the inside in the vehicle width direction.

The positional relationship between the second flat surface 32a and the first flat surface 31a in the vehicle width direction is based on the positional relationship between the lap pretensioner 20 and the retractor 40 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the lap pretensioner 20 is positioned on the inner side of the bracket 30 in the vehicle width direction, and the retractor 40 is positioned on the outer side of the bracket 30 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the second flat surface 32a on which the second retaining portion 32 that holds the lap pretensioner 20 is provided is positioned more inward in the vehicle width direction than the first flat surface 31a on which the first retaining portion 31 that holds the retractor 40 is provided. This makes it easier to secure the lap pretensioner 20 and the retractor 40 by the bracket 30.

As described above, the bracket 30 has a plurality of separate flat surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, each of which is divided into smaller sections, resulting in excellent surface precision. Furthermore, the first and second retaining portions 31, 32 that retain the retractor 40 and lap pretensioner 20 are provided on the first and second flat surfaces 31a, 32a, which have excellent surface precision. Furthermore, the third flat surface 33a, which also has excellent surface precision, is sandwiched and fixed between the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner panel 4 on both sides in the vehicle width direction, improving installation precision.

Furthermore, the first and second planar portions 31a, 32a, on which the first and second retaining portions 31, 32 are provided, are located on the same side (upper side) of the third flat portion 33a (lower portion 30b), on which the bracket joint portion 50 (first joint portion 51, second joint portion 52) is provided. Therefore, the load applied to the first and second retaining portions 31, 32 during a collision is on one side of the bracket joint portion 50 (first joint portion 51, second joint portion 52). Therefore, simply increasing the joint strength of the third flat portion 33a (lower portion 30b), on which the bracket joint portion 50 (first joint portion 51, second joint portion 52) is provided, results in a structure that is easy to reinforce. Furthermore, because the first to third flat portions 31a, 32a, 33a are configured with parallel surfaces, the load acting on the bracket 30 can be borne in the bracket's high-strength direction (planar direction), resulting in a structure with high load-bearing capacity.

The multiple curved portions 31c, 32c, 33c include a first curved portion 31c and a second curved portion 32c formed between the first planar portion 31a and the second planar portion 32a in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and a third curved portion 33c formed between the second planar portion 32a and the third planar portion 33a in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

The first curved portion 31c defines the lower edge of the first flat portion 31a and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the front end to the rear end of the bracket 30. The first curved portion 31c is a curved surface that curves inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves away from the lower edge of the first flat portion 31a. The first curved portion 31c also slopes downward as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle. The rear end of the first curved portion 31c connects with the rear end (upper end) of the second curved portion 32c.

The second curved portion 32c defines the upper edge of the second flat portion 32a and slopes downward as it extends forward from the rear end (upper end) of the second curved portion 32c, with its lower end connecting to the third curved portion 33c. The second curved portion 32c is a curved surface that curves outward in the vehicle width direction as it moves away from the upper edge of the second flat portion 32a.

The third curved portion 33c defines the lower edge of the second flat portion 32a, the upper edge of the third flat portion 33a, and the lower edge of the flat surface 34 described below, and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle from the front end to the rear end of the bracket 30.

In this way, because the first to third curved portions 31c, 32c, and 33c are all connected, as described below with reference to Figure 7, stress generated on the first retaining portion 31 side can be efficiently transmitted via the ridges of the first to third curved portions 31c, 32c, and 33c and received by the highly durable first joint portion 51 and second joint portion 52. Furthermore, while the first curved portion 31c slopes downward toward the rear of the vehicle, the second curved portion 32c slopes downward toward the front of the vehicle, so that the two connected portions form a roughly V-shape, effectively increasing the vertical rigidity of the bracket 30. This prevents bending or other deformation of the bracket 30.

The third curved portion 33c extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, but has multiple bends 33d that tilt the direction of extension in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle toward the vertical direction and/or the width direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the third curved portion 33c has a pair of bends 33g, 33h that tilt the upper ridge 33e and lower ridge 33f of the third curved portion 33c, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, upward and outward in the vehicle direction.

In the illustrated example, the front bent portion 33g of the pair of bent portions 33g, 33h is located at the same position as or slightly forward of the connection portion of the third bent portion 33c with the second bent portion 32c. The rear bent portion 33h of the pair of bent portions 33d is located between the first joint portion 51 and the rearmost second joint portion 52 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, as shown in Figures 3 and 7.

In this way, the third curved portion 33c extending in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction has multiple bends 33h, which improves the rigidity of the third curved portion 33c. This prevents deformation due to, for example, resonance caused by vibrations while the vehicle is running.

In addition, by providing the rear bent portion 33h, the upper ridge line 33e and lower ridge line 33f of the third curved portion 33c are substantially perpendicular to the lap pretensioner side direction line EL2, which is an extension line of the load input direction from the lap pretensioner 20 side, as will be described later using Figure 7. This prevents the bracket 30 from breaking in the event of a collision input.

The bracket 30 has a flat surface 34 between the first flat portion 31a and the third flat portion 33a in the vertical direction and in front of the second flat portion 32a. In the vehicle width direction, the flat surface 34 is located outboard of the second flat portion 32a and inboard of the first and third flat portions 31a, 33a. The flat surface 34 is surrounded and defined by the first curved portion 31c, the second curved portion 32c, and the third curved portion 33c.

As described above, the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30 is fixed to the side sill 3 by being sandwiched between the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner panel 4 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. Here, the lower portion 30b of the bracket 30 is sandwiched between the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5 and the upper plate portion 4a of the side sill inner panel 4, and is joined to the center pillar inner lower 7, the side sill inner panel 4, and the side sill reinforcement 5 by bracket joints 50 (first joint 51, second joint 52).

The bracket joint portion 50 includes a first joint portion 51 and a second joint portion 52 arranged side by side in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on the lower portion 30b (third flat portion 33a) of the bracket 30.

2 and 3, the first joint 51 and the second joint 52 are composed of a plurality of welding points 51b, 52b arranged side by side in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the first joint 51 includes one first welding point 51b, and the second joint 52 includes three second welding points 52b.

The welding patterns of the first welding point 51b and the second welding point 52b are different from each other. As shown in FIG. 4, the first welding point 51b is formed by welding together three layers in the vehicle width direction: the lower part 30b (third flat portion 33a) of the bracket 30, the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5, and the upper plate portion 4a of the side sill inner 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the second welding point 52b is formed by welding together two layers in the vehicle width direction: the center pillar inner lower 7 and the lower part 30b of the bracket 30, between the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5 and the upper plate portion 4a of the side sill inner 4.

As described above, the center pillar inner lower part 7 has, for example, a circular opening 7d that penetrates the center pillar inner lower part 7 in the vehicle width direction to provide the first joint 51 (first welding point 51b). As shown in FIG. 4, the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5 enters the opening 7d and abuts against the lower part 30b (third flat portion 33a) of the bracket 30. The first joint 51 is formed by welding together the lower part 30b (third flat portion 33a) of the bracket 30, the upper plate portion 5a of the side sill reinforcement 5, and the upper plate portion 4a of the side sill inner part 4.

In this way, the first joint 51 is formed by joining three pieces: the bracket 30, the side sill reinforcement 5, and the side sill inner panel 4, so the bracket 30 can be firmly fixed. In particular, the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner panel 4 are typically thicker and stronger than the center pillar inner lower panel 7, so the bracket 30 can be supported more firmly.

In addition, the second joint 52, like the first joint 51, is provided on the lower part 30b of the bracket 30, so that loads during a collision, etc., can be distributed and transmitted not only to the side sill reinforcement 5 and side sill inner 4 via the first joint 51, but also to the center pillar inner lower 7 via the second joint 52.

In addition, by forming an opening 7d that penetrates the center pillar inner lower 7 in the vehicle width direction, the bracket 30 can be directly joined to the side sill reinforcement 5 and the side sill inner 4 at the first joint 51 without being joined to the center pillar inner lower 7.

In addition, because the first joint 51 and the second joint 52 are arranged along the vehicle fore-and-aft direction (bracket width direction), the bracket joint 50 that secures the bracket 30 can be formed wide. As a result, the securing area of the bracket 30 can be made large across almost the entire width of the bracket 30, providing a bracket retention structure that can withstand high loads.

The multiple welds 51b, 52b that make up the first joint 51 and the second joint 52 are aligned in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and are arranged in a staggered pattern with adjacent welds in the fore-and-aft direction offset in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle. This allows the area of the bracket joint 50 provided on the lower part 30b of the bracket 30 to be expanded both fore-and-aft and up-and-down, thereby increasing the rigidity of the bracket 30. In particular, expanding the area of the bracket joint 50 up and down increases the rigidity of the bracket 30 in the up-and-down direction, increasing the resistance to loads applied to the first retaining part 31 and the second retaining part 32 in the thickness direction (vehicle width direction) of the bracket 30. This prevents deformation such as bending of the upper part of the bracket 30 in the vehicle width direction, for example.

Next, we will explain the function of the bracket 30 when a load is generated. Figure 7 is a side view showing the direction of the load in the bracket holding structure. Although the first holding portion 31 and the second holding portion 32 are not shown in Figure 7, the reference numerals for the first holding portion 31 and the second holding portion 32 are assigned to the center positions of the first holding portion hole 30c and the second holding portion hole 30d in which these first holding portion 31 and second holding portion 32 are provided.

As shown in Figure 7, in the event of a vehicle collision or the like, a retractor-side load F40 is applied from the retractor 40 to the first retaining portion 31 in an upward, rearward direction of the vehicle along the retractor-side direction line EL1. The retractor-side load F40 can be decomposed into an upward load component F41 and a rearward load component F42. Furthermore, a lap pretensioner-side load F20 is applied from the lap pretensioner 20 to the second retaining portion 32 in an upward, forward direction of the vehicle along the lap pretensioner-side direction line EL2 that is aligned with the wire 20a. The lap pretensioner-side load F20 can be decomposed into an upward load component F21 and a forward load component F22.

As such, the direction of the retractor side load F40 applied to the first retaining portion 31 and the direction of the lap pretensioner side load F20 applied to the second retaining portion 32 intersect. The rearward load component F42 of the retractor side load F40 and the forward load component F22 of the lap pretensioner side load F20 cancel each other out as loads with moments originating from the bracket joint 50 in opposite directions, resulting in zero or very small loads in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. As a result, the load components in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction are handled within the bracket 30. This simplifies the reinforcement structure by focusing on the remaining tensile direction (apart from the canceled direction) when designing the strength of the bracket 30. Note that, from the perspective of efficiently canceling out the load in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction, it is preferable to position the first retaining portion 31 and the second retaining portion 32 so that they are offset in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction, as shown in the example shown.

Furthermore, the stress generated by the load on the first retaining portion 31 (input from the retractor 40) acts, for example, as a first curved portion stress f1 that acts to pull both the front and rear ends of the first curved portion 31c. This stress is transmitted to the second curved portion 32c and becomes a second curved portion stress f2. The second curved portion stress is transmitted to the third curved portion 33c and becomes a third curved portion stress f3. The third curved portion stress f3 is further transmitted to the third flat portion 33a below, and is ultimately effectively supported by the bracket joint 50 (first joint 51, second joint 52), which is a high-strength portion.

The first joint 51 is located on the lap pretensioner side direction line EL2, which is an extension of the load input direction from the lap pretensioner 20 side. Therefore, the load from the lap pretensioner 20 can be reliably received by the first joint 51.

Furthermore, the upper ridge 33e and lower ridge 33f of the third curved portion 33c intersect the lap pretensioner side directional line EL2 so as to be approximately perpendicular to the lap pretensioner side directional line EL2. This makes the third curved portion 33c prone to elastic deformation in the stretching direction due to a load on the lap pretensioner side directional line EL2, thereby preventing breakage of the first joint 51 and its surrounding area.

The above describes one aspect of the present invention, but the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope of its technical concept. For example, the shape of the bracket 30 is not limited to that shown in the illustration and can be modified as appropriate.

Furthermore, although the first joint 51 and the second joint 52 in the above embodiment are described as being joined by welding, this is not limited to this and they may also be joined by riveting, bolting, etc.

As explained above, this specification describes at least the following items. Note that the components corresponding to the above aspects are shown in parentheses, but are not limited to these.

(1) A bracket (bracket 30) including a first holding portion (first holding portion 31) that holds a retractor (retractor 40) connected to one end (one end 14a) of a webbing (webbing 12) that restrains an occupant to a vehicle seat (vehicle seat 6), and a second holding portion (second holding portion 32) that holds a lap pretensioner (lap pretensioner 20) connected to the other end of the webbing;
A side sill reinforcement (side sill reinforcement 5) provided on a side sill (side sill 3) of a vehicle body;
A side sill inner that is adjacent to the side sill reinforcement in the vehicle width direction and is arranged more inward in the vehicle width direction than the side sill reinforcement;
Equipped with
The lower portion of the bracket (lower portion 30b) is sandwiched and fixed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner from both sides in the vehicle width direction.
Bracket holding structure.

According to (1), by holding the retractor and lap pretensioner with the same bracket, installation accuracy is improved compared to when they are held with separate brackets, and occupant restraint performance and robustness can be enhanced. Furthermore, the structure in which the lower part of the bracket is sandwiched and fixed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner panel effectively distributes the load applied to the bracket (force during a vehicle collision) so that it is transmitted from both the front and back sides of the bracket to the side sill reinforcement and side sill inner panel. As a result, the bracket can be supported more firmly. Furthermore, because the side sill reinforcement and side sill inner panel are relatively thick and strong, the bracket can be supported more firmly.

(2) A bracket holding structure as described in (1), comprising a first joint (first joint 51) where the lower part of the bracket, the side sill reinforcement, and the side sill inner are joined.

According to (2), the first joint is formed by joining three components: the bracket, the side sill reinforcement, and the side sill inner, so the bracket can be firmly fixed. In particular, the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner are usually thick plates with high strength, so the bracket can be supported more firmly.

(3) A bracket holding structure described in (2), wherein the first joint is located on an extension line (lap pretensioner side direction line EL2) in the load input direction from the lap pretensioner.

According to (3), the first joint is located on an extension line of the load input direction from the lap pretensioner, so that the load from the lap pretensioner can be reliably received by the first joint.

(4) A center pillar inner lower part (center pillar inner lower part 7) disposed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner part in the vehicle width direction so as to be sandwiched together with the lower part of the bracket;
a second joint portion (second joint portion 52) at which the lower portion of the bracket and the center pillar inner lower section are joined;
Equipped with
A bracket holding structure according to any one of (1) to (3).

According to (4), a second joint is provided where the lower part of the bracket and the inner lower center pillar are joined, so the load during a collision can be distributed to the inner lower center pillar via the second joint. Furthermore, because both the first and second joints are provided on the lower part of the bracket, the load can be concentrated on the lower part of the bracket.

(5) a center pillar inner lower section disposed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner section in the vehicle width direction so as to be sandwiched together with the lower portion of the bracket;
a second joint portion at which the lower portion of the bracket and the center pillar inner lower section are joined;
Equipped with
The center pillar inner lower section is provided with an opening (opening 7d) that penetrates the center pillar inner lower section in the vehicle width direction in order to provide the first joint portion.
A bracket holding structure according to (2) or (3).

According to (5), an opening that penetrates the center pillar inner lower in the vehicle width direction allows for the provision of a first joint that is directly connected to the side sill reinforcement and side sill inner without being joined to the center pillar inner lower. As a result, load can be distributed not only from the second joint that joins the bracket to the center pillar inner lower, but also from the first joint that directly joins the bracket to the thick, strong side sill reinforcement and side sill inner. As a result, a bracket holding structure that can withstand higher loads in the event of a vehicle collision can be provided.

(6) The first joint portion and the second joint portion are provided side by side in the vehicle front-rear direction.
(5) A bracket holding structure.

According to (6), the first joint and the second joint are arranged along the vehicle fore-and-aft direction (bracket width direction), so that a wide joint area for fixing the bracket can be formed. As a result, the bracket fixing area can be made large in the bracket width direction, and a bracket holding structure that can withstand high loads can be provided.

(7) The first joint portion and the second joint portion are configured by a plurality of welding points (first welding points 51 b, second welding points 52 b) arranged side by side in the vehicle longitudinal direction,
The plurality of welding points are arranged such that adjacent welding points in the vehicle longitudinal direction are shifted from each other in the vehicle vertical direction.
A bracket holding structure according to (5) or (6).

According to (7), the first and second joints are configured with a plurality of welding points aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction, thereby making it possible to enlarge the area of the joint in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and furthermore, by arranging adjacent welding points with a positional offset in the vehicle vertical direction, it is possible to enlarge the area of the joint in the vehicle vertical direction as well. As a result, the large joint area expanded in the vehicle longitudinal direction and vertical direction by the first and second joints results in a bracket holding structure that can withstand extremely high loads.
In addition, since the welding width is larger in the vertical direction of the bracket, the rigidity of the bracket in the vertical direction is increased, and the resistance to loads applied to the first and second retaining portions in the thickness direction of the bracket is increased, preventing deformation such as the upper part of the bracket bending in the vehicle width direction, for example.

(8) The second holding portion of the bracket is disposed on a lower side of the vehicle than the first holding portion of the bracket,
The first joint portion is located below the second holding portion.
A bracket holding structure according to any one of (2), (5) to (7).

According to (8), by positioning the bracket joint at the lowest position and positioning the first and second holding portions that hold the retractor and lap pretensioner connected to the webbing at the upper position, it becomes easier to handle the webbing.

(9) The bracket is
a plurality of planar portions that are arranged in a shifted manner in the vehicle width direction and are parallel to each other;
a curved portion provided between adjacent planar portions and curved in the vehicle width direction;
Equipped with
A bracket holding structure according to any one of (1) to (8).

According to (9), the bracket has a curved portion that has multiple parallel flat surfaces in its thickness direction, thereby improving rigidity. Furthermore, the bracket has multiple independent flat surfaces that divide its area into multiple parts, making each flat surface smaller, improving the surface precision of each flat surface and improving the surface precision of the bracket as a whole.

(10) The plurality of planar portions are
a first flat surface portion (first flat surface portion 31 a) on which the first holding portion is provided;
a second planar portion (second planar portion 32 a) located below the first planar portion on the vehicle and on which the second holding portion is provided;
a third flat surface portion (33a) which is the lower portion located below the second flat surface portion and which is sandwiched and fixed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner from both sides in the vehicle width direction;
Including,
(9) A bracket holding structure.

According to (10), first and second holding portions for holding a retractor or a lap pretensioner are provided on the first and second flat portions having excellent surface precision, and the third flat portion having excellent surface precision is sandwiched and fixed on both sides in the vehicle width direction by the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner, thereby improving installation precision.
Furthermore, since the first and second planar portions on which the first and second retaining portions are provided are located on the same side (upper side) of the third planar portion of the bracket having the first joint portion, the load applied to the first and second retaining portions during a collision is on one side of the first joint portion. Therefore, it is only necessary to increase the joint strength of the third planar portion of the bracket on which the first joint portion is provided, resulting in a structure that is easy to reinforce. Furthermore, since the first to third planar portions are configured as parallel surfaces, the load acting on the bracket can be received in the bracket's high strength direction (planar direction), resulting in a structure with high load-bearing capacity.

(11) The curved portion is
a first curved portion (first curved portion 31c) and a second curved portion (second curved portion 32c) formed between the first flat surface portion and the second flat surface portion in the vehicle up-down direction;
a third curved portion (33c) formed between the second flat surface portion and the third flat surface portion in the vehicle up-down direction;
Including,
the first curved portion defines a lower edge of the first planar portion, extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is connected to the second curved portion;
the second curved portion defines an upper edge of the second flat portion, inclines downward as it extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and has a lower end connected to the third curved portion;
The bracket holding structure according to (10), wherein the third curved portion extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and defines a lower edge of the second flat portion and an upper edge of the third flat portion.

According to (11), the plurality of curved portions that define the plurality of flat portions provided on the bracket are all connected to form a continuous configuration, so that the load from the retractor side of the first flat portion can be efficiently transmitted via the ridges of the curved portions and transmitted to the first and second joint portions. As a result, the load can be reliably received by the robust first and second joint portions.
Furthermore, since the second curved portion extends so as to slope downward as it extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, compared to the first and third curved portions which extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the rigidity of the bracket can be effectively increased.

(12) The third curved portion has a plurality of bent portions that incline a direction extending in the vehicle front-rear direction toward the vehicle up-down direction and/or the vehicle width direction.
A bracket holding structure as described in (11).

According to (12), the third curved portion extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle has multiple bends, which increases the rigidity of the third curved portion and therefore the rigidity of the bracket. As a result, deformation of the bracket can be prevented.

1 Vehicle body 1b Entrance door 2 Pillar portion 3 Side sill 4 Side sill inner 4a Upper plate portion 4b Lower plate portion 4c Bulging portion 5 Side sill reinforcement 5a Upper plate portion 5b Lower plate portion 5c Bulging portion 6 Vehicle seat 7 Center pillar inner lower 7a Upper portion 7b Lower portion 7c Through hole 7d Opening 10 Seat belt device 12 Webbing 14 Shoulder portion 14a One end 16 Lap portion 16a Other end 20 Lap pretensioner 20a Wire 30 Bracket 30a Upper portion 30b Lower portion 30c First retaining portion hole 30d Second retaining portion hole 31 First retaining portion 31a First flat portion (flat portion)
31c First bending portion (bending portion)
32 Second holding part 32a Second plane part (plane part)
32c Second bending portion (bending portion)
33a Third plane part (plane part)
33c Third bending portion (bending portion)
33e Upper ridge line 33f Lower ridge lines 33g, 33h Bent portion 40 Retractor 50 Bracket joint portion 51 First joint portion (welding point)
51b First welding point 52 Second joining portion (welding point)
52b Second welding point EL1 Retractor side direction line EL2 Lap pretensioner side direction line f1 First curved portion stress f2 Second curved portion stress f3 Third curved portion stress

Claims (11)

a bracket including a first holding portion that holds a retractor connected to one end of a webbing that restrains an occupant in a vehicle seat, and a second holding portion that holds a lap pretensioner connected to the other end of the webbing;
A side sill reinforcement provided on a side sill of a vehicle body;
A side sill inner that is adjacent to the side sill reinforcement in the vehicle width direction and is arranged more inward in the vehicle width direction than the side sill reinforcement;
Equipped with
The lower portion of the bracket is sandwiched and fixed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner from both sides in the vehicle width direction,
A first joint portion is provided where the lower portion of the bracket, the side sill reinforcement, and the side sill inner are joined together in three layers.
Bracket holding structure. the first joint portion is located on an extension line of the lap pretensioner in a load input direction,
The bracket holding structure according to claim 1 . a center pillar inner lower portion disposed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner portion in the vehicle width direction so as to be sandwiched together with the lower portion of the bracket;
a second joint portion at which the lower portion of the bracket and the center pillar inner lower section are joined;
Equipped with
The bracket holding structure according to claim 1 . a center pillar inner lower portion disposed between the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner portion in the vehicle width direction so as to be sandwiched together with the lower portion of the bracket;
a second joint portion at which the lower portion of the bracket and the center pillar inner lower section are joined;
Equipped with
an opening penetrating the center pillar inner lower section in a vehicle width direction is provided in the center pillar inner lower section to provide the first joint portion;
The bracket holding structure according to claim 1 . The first joint portion and the second joint portion are arranged side by side in the vehicle front-rear direction.
The bracket holding structure according to claim 4 . the first joint portion and the second joint portion are configured by a plurality of welding points arranged side by side in a vehicle front-rear direction,
The plurality of welding points are arranged such that adjacent welding points in the vehicle longitudinal direction are shifted from each other in the vehicle vertical direction.
The bracket holding structure according to claim 4 . the second holding portion of the bracket is disposed on a lower side of the vehicle than the first holding portion of the bracket,
The first joint portion is located below the second holding portion.
The bracket holding structure according to claim 1 . The bracket is
a plurality of planar portions that are arranged in a shifted manner in the vehicle width direction and are parallel to each other;
a curved portion provided between adjacent planar portions and curved in the vehicle width direction;
Equipped with
The bracket holding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . The plurality of planar portions are
a first flat portion on which the first holding portion is provided;
a second flat surface portion located below the first flat surface portion on the vehicle and on which the second holding portion is provided;
a third flat portion, which is the lower portion, located below the second flat portion and sandwiched and fixed by the side sill reinforcement and the side sill inner from both sides in the vehicle width direction;
Including,
The bracket holding structure according to claim 8 . The curved portion is
a first curved portion and a second curved portion formed between the first flat portion and the second flat portion in the vehicle up-down direction;
a third curved portion formed between the second flat surface portion and the third flat surface portion in the vehicle up-down direction;
Including,
the first curved portion defines a lower edge of the first planar portion, extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is connected to the second curved portion;
the second curved portion defines an upper edge of the second flat portion, inclines downward as it extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and has a lower end connected to the third curved portion;
the third curved portion extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and defines a lower edge of the second flat surface portion and an upper edge of the third flat surface portion;
The bracket holding structure according to claim 9 . The third curved portion has a plurality of bent portions that incline a direction extending in the vehicle front-rear direction toward the vehicle up-down direction and/or the vehicle width direction.
The bracket holding structure according to claim 10 .