JP2002160601A - Door reinforcing member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a door reinforcing member constructed to absorb shock by allowing a vehicular interior member to be deformed in an inward recessed manner. SOLUTION: A deformation allowable portion 45 which can be deformed by applying exessive thrust force inward to a panel board 11 of an instrument panel 10 is provided at a required position on a cylinder portion 23 of a fixing bracket 21. The deformation allowable portion 45 is a bent step portion provided at the approximate middle of the cylinder portion 23. Therefore, when exessive thrust force is applied to an air bag door 12 provided on the panel substrate 11 or its vicinity, the deformation allowable portion 45 on the fixing bracket 21 is deformed to allow the panel board 11 to be deformed in a recessed manner, achieving suitable shock absorbing operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a door reinforcing member, and more particularly, to a door reinforcing member provided on a vehicle interior member and a peripheral portion of a back surface of an airbag door and an airbag device installed inside the vehicle interior member. A fixed bracket having a tubular shape connected and supported therebetween, and a movable bracket connected and supported between the back surface of the airbag door and the fixed bracket, wherein the impact force generated when the airbag device is actuated is used. The present invention relates to a door reinforcing member for preventing damage to an airbag door and its surroundings.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, most passenger cars are equipped with an airbag device for a driver's seat and an airbag device for a passenger's seat as standard in order to protect an occupant from an impact due to a collision or the like. . Among them, the airbag device for the passenger seat, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the instrument panel 10 as the vehicle interior member is assembled in front of the passenger compartment 17, the airbag device on the passenger seat side of the instrument panel 10. It is stored inside and equipped. For this reason, in the panel base material 11 which is a constituent member of the instrument panel 10, the airbag door 1 is opened and displaced toward the occupant compartment 17 at a position corresponding to the airbag device 30.
When the door 12 is opened from the panel substrate 11, the door 12 is opened to the occupant compartment 17 to define an airbag insertion opening that allows the passage of an airbag (not shown). ing. When the airbag door 12 receives the pressing force of the airbag, the to-be-cleaved portions 15, 16 provided on the panel base material 11 are broken, so that the airbag door 12 can be separated from the base material 11 and opened. It is supposed to be.

Further, since the panel base material 11 which integrally forms the airbag door 12 is a molded material made of a synthetic resin made of polypropylene or the like, the instantaneous operation of the airbag especially at a low temperature is performed. When a strong pressing force is applied, the strong impact may damage the airbag door 12 and its surroundings significantly. For this reason, the panel substrate 11
In order to prevent the instrument panel 10 and the airbag door 12 from being damaged and scattered, the metal door reinforcing member 20 is crimped around the periphery of the airbag door 12 on the back side to increase the strength. Measures have been taken. The door reinforcing member 20 is configured such that the airbag door 12 is a double-opening door panel portion 13, 14.
As shown in FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 8, a rectangular cylindrical fixing bracket 21 fixed to surround the outer edge of the airbag door 12, and the fixing bracket 2
The movable brackets 22 are provided inside the opening 1 and fixed to the back surfaces of the door panel portions 13 and 14, respectively.

[0004] The fixed bracket 21 of the door reinforcing member 20 includes a cylindrical portion 23 that is locked and held by an inflator 31 of the airbag device 30 and a cylindrical portion 23.
And an engaging plate portion 24 integrally formed with the base member 11 and caulked to the back side of the panel base material 11. On the other hand, the movable brackets 22 and 22 are fixed to the fixed support panel 2 which is welded or screwed to the cylindrical portion 23 of the fixed bracket 21.
5, a movable reinforcing panel 26 which is crimped and joined to the back surfaces of the corresponding door panel portions 13 and 14, and the fixed support panel 25 and the movable reinforcing panel 26 which have a semi-circular shape capable of linearly extending and deforming. And a variable connection portion 27 for connection. In the panel substrate 11 on which the door reinforcing member 20 is mounted, the door panels 13 and 14 of the airbag door 12 are reinforced by the movable bracket 22, while the peripheral portion of the airbag door 12 is fixed by the fixed bracket. Since the airbag is reinforced, the airbag has sufficient strength to withstand a strong pressing force when the airbag is inflated.

[0005]

By the way, the conventional door reinforcing member 20 exemplified above is configured such that when the airbag which expands when the airbag device 30 is actuated presses the airbag door 12 from the inside, the airbag device 12 is provided with the airbag. The main focus has been on preventing the bag door 12 and the surrounding area of the door 12 from being damaged by outward convex deformation. That is, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the cylindrical body portion 23 of the fixing bracket 21 has a simple rectangular cylindrical shape that is substantially straight from the airbag device 30 toward the panel base material 11. When a strong pressing force of the inflating airbag is applied to the material 11, the convex deformation of the panel base material 11 is suitably restricted.

However, in the fixing bracket 21 having the above-mentioned shape, since the cylindrical portion 23 is unlikely to buckle and deform, when an excessive pressing force is applied to the panel base material 11 from outside, the panel member 11 is not buckled. Substrate 11 is inward (airbag device side)
It also restricts the concave deformation. For this reason, for example, the occupant thrown forward has the airbag door 1.
In the case where the panel base material 11 collides with the surface of the panel 2 or its surroundings, the panel base material 11 is not concavely deformed inward, so that almost no impact is absorbed, and the problem of increasing the injury of the occupant is inherent. Was. That is, the conventional door reinforcing member 20
Is designed only to prevent breakage of the airbag door 12 and the panel substrate 11 when the airbag device 30 is operated, and the panel substrate 11 is concavely deformed inward. There was no technical idea to allow shock absorption and to absorb shock.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed to appropriately solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a structure in which a vehicle interior member is concavely inwardly deformed so that a shock can be absorbed. It is an object to provide a door reinforcing member configured as described above.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the intended object, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a vehicle, comprising: The airbag device comprises a tubular fixed bracket connected and supported between the installed airbag device and a movable bracket connected and supported between the back surface of the airbag door and the fixed bracket. In the door reinforcing member for preventing the airbag door and the surrounding area from being damaged by the impact force when the vehicle interior member is excessively pushed from the outside to the vehicle interior member at a substantially middle portion of the cylindrical portion of the fixing bracket. A deformation permitting portion that is deformable when pressure is applied, and that is capable of deforming the fixing bracket when the excessive pressing force is applied to the airbag door or a peripheral portion thereof; By deforming, wherein the vehicle interior member is configured such that deformation to shock absorbed recessed manner performed.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a door reinforcing member according to the present invention. In this embodiment, an instrument panel as a vehicle interior member is exemplified, and a double-opening airbag door 12 including two door panel portions 13 and 14 provided on a panel base 11 of the instrument panel 10 is provided. A corresponding door reinforcing member will be exemplified. Accordingly, the same members as those already described in the section of the prior art described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an instrument panel as a vehicle interior member in which a door reinforcing member of the present embodiment is implemented, which is cut away at a portion where an airbag door is formed. The instrument panel 10 is mainly composed of an injection-molded synthetic resin panel base material 11 and, when assembled in front of the passenger compartment 17 of the vehicle, covers the airbag device 30 previously installed and fixed to the vehicle body. It has become. In the panel base material 11, an airbag door 12 that is displaced toward the passenger compartment 17 is integrally formed with a portion corresponding to the airbag device 30, and the portion to be cleaved 15 along the outer edge of the airbag door 12 is formed. , 16 are formed. The airbag device 30 is firmly attached to a support member 34 fixed to a vehicle body component such as a reinforcement bar (not shown) using a bolt or the like.

Then, the instrument panel 10
The door reinforcing member 40 of the embodiment disposed on the back side of the panel base material 11 has the same basic configuration as the conventional door reinforcing member 20 shown in FIG. 8, and as shown in FIG. A tubular fixing bracket 21 connected and supported between a peripheral portion of a back surface of the airbag door 12 provided on the panel base material 11 and the airbag device 30 installed inside the panel base material 11, A movable bracket 22 that is connected and supported between the back surface of the airbag door 12 and the fixed bracket 21
It is composed of

The fixing bracket 21 has a rectangular cylindrical shape fixed so as to surround the outer edge of the airbag door 12, and has a rectangular cylindrical shape locked and held by an inflator 31 of the airbag device 30. The body 23 and the cylindrical body 23
And a frame-shaped engaging plate portion 24 which is integrally formed with the panel base material 11 and is caulked tightly to the back side of the panel base material 11. A total of four locking holes 41 are provided in the opposite wall portion of the cylindrical body portion 23 so that the locking member 33 fixed to the inflator 31 of the airbag device 30 can be locked. In addition, a plurality of slit-shaped engagement holes 42 are formed in the engagement plate portion 24 to allow the insertion of the ribs 18 protruding toward the panel base material 11 side.

In the door reinforcing member 40 of the embodiment, a deformable portion 45 formed in a bent step shape is provided at a substantially intermediate portion of the cylindrical portion 23 of the fixing bracket 21 so as to cover the entire periphery of the cylindrical portion 23. It is provided over. As a result, the cylindrical body portion 23 is divided into a first cylindrical body portion 23a on the airbag device 30 side and a second cylindrical body portion 23b on the panel base material 11 side. It bulges outward and outward from the body part 23a and becomes larger. Therefore, when an excessive pressing force is applied to the instrument panel 10 from the outside, the fixing bracket 21 buckles and deforms the deformation allowing portion 45 of the deformation allowing portion 45, so that the panel base material 11 (The airbag device side).

The connecting corner between the first cylindrical portion 23a and the deformable portion 45 and the connecting corner between the second cylindrical portion 23b and the deformable portion 45 are connected to the first cylindrical portion 2a.
The strength is higher than that of the general portion (plane portion) of the 3a and the second cylindrical body portion 23b. Accordingly, the strength of each of the continuous corner portions is reduced by the first cylindrical body portion 23a and the second cylindrical body portion 23b.
It is desirable to take measures such as setting the thickness of the continuous corner portion small or providing a slit at an appropriate position in the continuous corner portion in order to make it approximately the same as the general portion.

The movable brackets 22 are provided inside the opening of the fixed bracket 21 so as to face each other, and correspond to the door panel portions 13 and 14 constituting the airbag door 12, respectively. A fixed support panel 25 which is welded or screwed to the second cylindrical body portion 23b of the cylindrical body portion 21; a movable reinforcing panel 26 which is caulked and joined to the back surfaces of the corresponding door panel portions 13 and 14; And a plurality of variable connecting portions 27 for connecting the fixed support panel 25 and the movable reinforcing panel 26 so as to exhibit a curved shape capable of being extended and deformed. The fixed support panel 25 is fixed to the inner surface of the first tubular portion 23 a of the tubular portion 23 of the fixed bracket 21, and each of the variable connecting portions 27 is connected to the second It is formed tightly along the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23b. The movable reinforcing panel 26 has ribs 1 projecting from the back surfaces of the corresponding door panel portions 13 and 14.
A plurality of slit-shaped engaging holes 43 that allow the insertion of the holes 9 are formed. In the fixed support panel 25 of each movable reinforcing panel 26, a plurality of locking holes 44 capable of locking the locking member 33 fixed to the inflator 31 of the airbag device 30 are provided on the fixed bracket 21. It is provided corresponding to the provided locking hole 41.

[0016]

Next, the operation of the door reinforcing member according to the embodiment configured as described above will be described.

When the operation of the airbag device 30 is started, the inflating airbag is moved through the movable reinforcing panels 26, 26 to the respective door panel portions 13, 14 of the airbag door 12.
Is pressed from inside, the fixing bracket 21 locked to the inflator 31 of the airbag device 30 regulates the panel base material 11 from being deformed outward (toward the passenger compartment) in a convex shape. However, the fixing bracket 21 may be slightly displaced toward the panel substrate 11 by the deformation permitting portion 45 provided on the cylinder 23, but basically, the panel substrate 11 Appropriately regulate the outward deformation. Then, in the airbag door 12 which receives the pressing force of the airbag, first, the to-be-cleaved portion 15 is broken and the variable connecting portion 27 is linearly deformed, so that both the door panel portions 13 and 14 are integrally formed as a panel. The door panel portions 13 and 14 are displaced in a double-opening manner by floating from the base material 11 and then breaking the to-be-cleaved portion 16 with an appropriate time difference. At this time, since the peripheral portion of the airbag door 12 is supported by the fastening plate portion 24 of the fixing bracket 21, the panel base material 11 is provided when the scheduled cleavage portion 15 is broken and when the door panel portions 13 and 14 are displaced. Is suitably prevented from being damaged.

In the event of a collision accident or the like, when an occupant thrown forward collides with the instrument panel 10 and an excessive pressing force is applied to the airbag door 12 of the panel base material 11 and its surrounding area, 5 and 6
As shown in the figure, the inflator 31 of the airbag device 30
Since the deformation permissible portion 45 of the fixed bracket 21 locked and held by the first member 23 buckles, the second cylindrical portion 23b is shifted toward the airbag device 30 with respect to the first cylindrical portion 23a. As a result, the airbag door 12 and the surrounding area thereof are allowed to be concavely deformed inward (toward the airbag device) in the panel base material 11, and the shock absorption due to the collision of the occupant is preferable with this deformation. And the degree of injury to the occupant can be reduced. In each of the movable brackets 22, the variable connection portions 27 are appropriately bent and deformed when the fixed bracket 21 is buckled, which hinders the deformation of the fixed bracket 21 and the panel base material 11. Never.

As described above, in the door reinforcing member 40 of the embodiment, when the airbag device 30 is operated, the panel base material 11 of the instrument panel 10 moves outward (toward the passenger compartment).
While appropriately restricting the convex deformation, when an excessive pressing force is applied to the panel base material 11 from outside, the deformation allowable portion 45 of the fixing bracket 21 is buckled and deformed. The panel substrate 11 is preferably allowed to be concavely deformed inward (toward the airbag device). Therefore, for example, the occupant thrown forward is
When colliding with (panel substrate 11), the panel substrate 11
Is deformed concavely inward and shock absorption is suitably performed,
The degree of injuries to the occupants can be greatly reduced, and the occurrence of secondary disasters can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the fixing bracket 21
And a bending step-like deformable portion 45 is provided at a substantially intermediate portion of the cylindrical body portion 23 over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction.
The case where the deformation at an arbitrary position of No. 5 is enabled is illustrated. However, the panel base material 11 of the instrument panel 10
Generally, the collision area of the occupant with respect to the door panel portion 13 facing the occupant's seat and the surrounding area thereof, and the door panel portion 14 facing the windshield side
In addition, the occupant hardly collides with the surrounding area. In view of this, the deformation permissible portion 45 is assumed to be a portion corresponding to the door panel portion 13 and extends over a required length in the circumferential direction at a substantially intermediate portion of the cylindrical body portion 23 in the fixing bracket 21. It may be provided partially.

Further, the variable connecting portion 27 of the movable brackets 22 is not limited to the one formed along the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the fixed bracket 21 as shown in the embodiment. That is, assuming that the deformation allowable portion 45 of the fixed bracket 21 is not restricted from buckling deformation, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a shape deformed to be curved away from the second cylindrical body portion 23b. May be.

In the above embodiment, the door panel 1
Although the door reinforcing member corresponding to the double-sided airbag door 12 consisting of 3, 14 is illustrated, the door reinforcing member targeted by the present application is not limited to the double-sided airbag door, and for example, one sheet A door reinforcing member corresponding to a one-sided airbag door including a door panel is also targeted.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the instrument panel 10 is exemplified as the vehicle interior member. However, the airbag door targeted by the door reinforcing member of the present invention is not limited to the one provided on the instrument panel 10. For example, a door reinforcing member implemented in an airbag door for a side airbag provided in a door trim or an airbag door for a curtain airbag provided in a pillar garnish is also an object.

[0024]

As described above, according to the door reinforcing member of the present invention, it is assumed that the vehicle interior member is appropriately restrained from being outwardly deformed when the airbag device is operated. When an excessive pressing force is applied to the vehicle interior member from the outside, the deformation allowable portion of the fixing bracket is deformed, so that the vehicle interior member is preferably allowed to be concavely deformed inward. I do. Therefore, for example, when an occupant thrown forward collides with a vehicle interior member, the vehicle interior member is concavely deformed inward to absorb shocks favorably, greatly reducing the degree of occupant injury. This has an extremely beneficial effect that can be reduced to prevent occurrence of a secondary disaster. The deformable portion is a bent step provided on the tubular portion of the fixed bracket, and when an excessive pressing force is applied to the vehicle interior member from the outside, the deformable portion of the fixed bracket is seated. By flexing, the recessed deformation of the vehicle interior member is suitably allowed. If the deformable portion is provided over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction at a substantially intermediate portion of the tubular body portion, or is partially provided over a required length in the circumferential direction at a substantially middle portion of the tubular body portion, it is fixed. The bracket is suitably deformed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an instrument panel as a vehicle interior member in which a door reinforcing member of the present embodiment is implemented, which is cut away at a portion where an airbag door is formed.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a fixed bracket and a movable bracket constituting the door reinforcing member of the embodiment, with a part thereof broken away.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the panel base material is buckled and deformed inward when an excessive pressing force is applied to the panel base material from the outside at the portion shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the battery is allowed to be deformed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the panel base material is buckled and deformed inward when an excessive pressing force is applied to the panel base material from the outside in the portion of FIG. 3; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the battery is allowed to be deformed.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a modified example of the movable bracket in the door reinforcing member.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing an instrument panel as a vehicle interior member in which a conventional door reinforcing member is implemented, which is cut away at a portion where an airbag door is formed.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion C in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion D in FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Instrument panel (vehicle interior member) 12 Airbag door 21 Fixed bracket 22 Movable bracket 23 Cylindrical part 30 Airbag device 45 Deformation permissible part

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroaki Suzuki 3-136 Imaike-cho, Anjo-shi, Aichi Prefecture Inoac Corporation Anjo Office F-term (reference) 3D044 BA01 BA07 BA14 BC07 BC13 3D054 AA03 AA06 AA14 AA17 AA18 BB09 BB10 BB16 BB21 BB23 BB26 EE19 EE20 FF17

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A connection and support between a peripheral portion of a back surface of an airbag door (12) provided on a vehicle interior member (10) and an airbag device (30) installed inside the vehicle interior member (10). And a movable bracket (22) connected and supported between the back surface of the airbag door (12) and the fixed bracket (21), and the airbag device ( 30)
In a door reinforcing member for preventing the airbag door (12) and the surrounding area from being damaged by an impact force when the airbag is operated, the required portion of the cylindrical body (23) in the fixed bracket (21) is The vehicle interior member (10) is provided with a deformable portion (45) that can be deformed by applying an excessive pressing force from the outside, and the excessive pressing force is applied to the airbag door (12) or a peripheral portion thereof. When the deformation allowing portion (45) of the fixing bracket (21) is deformed, the vehicle interior member
A door reinforcing member characterized in that (10) is configured to be concavely deformed to absorb shock. 2. The deformation permitting portion (45) includes the cylindrical body portion (23).
Is a bending step provided substantially in the middle of the
2. The door reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle interior member (10) is allowed to undergo a recessive deformation by buckling deformation of the (45). 3. The cylinder according to claim 1, wherein said deformation permitting portion is provided on said cylindrical portion.
The door reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein the door reinforcing member is provided over the entire circumference in a circumferential direction at a substantially intermediate portion of the door. 4. The cylindrical member (23), wherein the deformation permitting part (45) is
The door reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein the door reinforcing member is partially provided over a required length in a circumferential direction at a substantially intermediate portion of the door.