WO2007118991A1 - Motor vehicle instrument panel equipped with an airbag - Google Patents
Motor vehicle instrument panel equipped with an airbag Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2007118991A1 WO2007118991A1 PCT/FR2007/000568 FR2007000568W WO2007118991A1 WO 2007118991 A1 WO2007118991 A1 WO 2007118991A1 FR 2007000568 W FR2007000568 W FR 2007000568W WO 2007118991 A1 WO2007118991 A1 WO 2007118991A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- membrane
- dashboard
- edge
- flap
- opening
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
- B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
- B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
- B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
- B60R21/215—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components characterised by the covers for the inflatable member
- B60R21/2165—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components characterised by the covers for the inflatable member characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
- B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
- B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
- B60R2021/161—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
- B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
- B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
- B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
- B60R21/205—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components in dashboards
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a dashboard of the "foamed" type, that is to say which comprises a support surmounted by a layer of foam itself bearing an apparent outer skin, the dashboard being intended to be used with at least one airbag so that it allows deployment of the airbag without splashing parts that could injure a passenger.
- the airbag may tend to deploy behind the dashboard without passing through the dashboard. planned opening in the dashboard.
- a "firing tunnel” that is to say a kind of guide that promotes the application of the force of the air bag to a flap intended to open to clear a passage opening of the airbag.
- the document DE-103 16 272 describes an unfoamed dashboard, that is to say that does not pose the problem of tearing pieces of foam and skin, in which a single protective piece has tabs that come cover the edges of the opening to the deployment of the airbag.
- the air bag module comprises a protective member which, upon deployment of the inflatable bag, opens to form a firing tunnel which extends at least as far as the skin; thus, the foam layer and the skin of the opening edge opposite the hinge of the flap are protected against tearing when the airbag passes.
- the solution described in document US Pat. No. 6,158,763 requires a well-defined positioning of the airbag module relative to the dashboard, at a distance from it. However, it has the disadvantage of not protecting both sides of the opening, and therefore not completely solve the problem of tearing parts of foam and skin.
- the invention relates to the solution of all the aforementioned problems by using an attached membrane, preferably to protect each side of the airbag passage opening, other than the hinge side of the flap.
- a membrane of sufficient flexibility is attached to at least one edge of the opening so that it surrounds an edge of the opening of the dashboard, to the outer skin in the case of a foamed board.
- the membrane is folded on itself so that, at the opening of the inflatable bag, it rubs on itself with a reduced surface compared to the case where it would be fully deployed.
- the invention relates to an airbag dashboard, of the type comprising a support, a foam layer and a skin, the support delimiting an opening closed by at least one flap hinged to an edge of the opening, the shutter being intended to pivot around this edge under the action of the force exerted on it during the operation of an air bag disposed on the inner side of the dashboard;
- the dashboard comprises a membrane which is fixed near an edge of the opening other than the hinge edge of the flap, so that it is entirely towards the inside of the board.
- the membrane is attached to the inner surface of the dashboard.
- the membrane is fixed between the dashboard and a member defining a firing tunnel of the airbag.
- the membrane is attached to an adjacent body of the dashboard.
- the membrane curves to come into contact with the skin on the outer side during operation of the inflatable bag.
- the opening is rectangular, the support has a single flap, and a membrane is placed on each of the three sides other than the hinge side of the flap.
- the membrane is folded on itself and its edge farthest from its fixing edge is temporarily fixed to the flap near the fixing edge of the membrane.
- FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic section of a dashboard; according to the invention, provided with an inflatable bag and having a membrane at an opening edge;
- Figure 2 shows in enlarged form the arrangement of the elements of Figure 1 after the air bag has unfolded;
- Fig. 3 shows an example of a membrane arrangement;
- Figures 4 and 5 are schematic sections showing the arrangement of the membranes of the lateral sides in the case of the membranes of Figure 3;
- Figure 6 is a schematic section illustrating a variation of the invention.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic section of a dashboard foamed type.
- This dashboard 10 has a support or "insert" 12, which carries a layer of foam 14 itself carrying a skin 16.
- An opening is formed in the support and is closed by a flap 18, one side is hinged at one edge by a hinge 20.
- the opening is for the passage of an air bag contained in a module 22 placed behind the dashboard.
- a firing channel 24 is intended to prevent the inflatable bag from being deployed along the rear face of the support 12 and thus to push back the flap 18.
- a membrane 26 There is shown in FIG. 1 a membrane 26. In the embodiment shown, this membrane is held against the support 12 at the side of the opening opposite to that where the hinge 20 of the flap 18 is located.
- FIG. 1 shows the position of the various elements after the operation of the airbag. As the airbag was guided by the firing channel 24, it exerted all its force (the pressure of the gas in the airbag can reach 4 to 7 bar in general) on the membrane 26 and the flap 18. Consequently, the membrane 26 has been strongly applied against the flap 18, and the flap and the membrane have been forced outwards.
- the flap 18 began to open, tearing the foam and the skin.
- the membrane 26 slid to the surface of the flap 18 to move away from it while the flap 18 was moving towards the other side, as indicated in FIG. 2. Because of its flexibility, the membrane 26 is then bent around the edge of the dashboard and thus protected the foam and the skin against the contact of the airbag, indicated in broken lines.
- the membrane 26 slides against the flap 18 and undergoes a force due to friction between these two elements. It is necessary at this moment that the membrane resists. this force, so as not to tear near its fixing edge.
- This resistance can be obtained either by using a sufficiently robust material, or by using a sufficiently elastic material to be sufficiently elongate to separate the flap 18 without tearing.
- the dashboard comprises three membranes, or a single membrane that can act on three sides of the opening.
- FIG. 3 shows how a membrane 26, placed at the opening edge opposite the hinge edge of the flap, is completed by two lateral membranes 30 and 32 intended to protect the short sides of the opening delimited by a frame 28, which can form a firing tunnel.
- the membranes 26, 30 and 32 do not overlap. However, it is possible that they overlap at the corners, just as it is possible to use a single band of membrane folded in the corners.
- FIG. 6 indicates that a membrane 26 ', instead of being applied on the along the flap 18, is folded on itself, its edge 27 farthest from its fixing edge being simply held, for example by gluing, to the edge of the flap 18.
- the force application surface the inflatable bag is reduced by a factor of 2
- the creative friction of the retaining force is effected between two layers of the material of the folded membrane 26 '.
- any dashboard in which the deployment of the air bag can cause the tearing of any element in the vicinity of the opening of the airbag flap, for example a decorative rod, etc.
- membrane material many other materials can be used.
- Polyolefin sheets or other plastics, for example reinforced or non-reinforced polyethylene, fabrics or nonwovens can be mentioned, provided that the membrane has sufficient mechanical strength and that the friction experienced during opening does not cause tearing of the membrane material.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Air Bags (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Planche de bord d'automobile à sac gonflable La présente invention concerne une planche de bord de type "moussé", c'est-à-dire qui comporte un support surmonté d'une couche de mousse portant elle-même une peau extérieure apparente, la planche de bord étant destinée à être utilisée avec au moins un sac gonflable afin qu ' elle permette un déploiement du sac gonflable sans projection de parties arrachées qui pourraient blesser un passager. The present invention relates to a dashboard of the "foamed" type, that is to say which comprises a support surmounted by a layer of foam itself bearing an apparent outer skin, the dashboard being intended to be used with at least one airbag so that it allows deployment of the airbag without splashing parts that could injure a passenger.
Lors de l'utilisation de sacs gonflables disposés der- rière une planche de bord, on a constaté qu'un certain nombre de problèmes se posaient.When using airbags placed behind a dashboard, it was found that a number of problems arose.
D'abord, lorsqu'un module de sac gonflable n'est pas fixé directement à la planche de bord ou très près de celle- ci, le sac gonflable peut avoir tendance à se déployer derrière la planche de bord, sans passer dans l'ouverture prévue dans la planche de bord.First, when an air bag module is not attached directly to or very close to the dashboard, the airbag may tend to deploy behind the dashboard without passing through the dashboard. planned opening in the dashboard.
Pour résoudre ce problème, on peut fixer directement le module de sac gonflable à la planche de bord. Cette disposition a cependant deux inconvénients . Le premier est technique : cette disposition rigidifie la planche de bord qui perd de sa souplesse en cas de choc du passager, insuffisant pour provoquer le déclenchement du sac gonflable . Le second inconvénient est purement pratique : les fabricants de planches de bord ne sont en général pas des fabricants de modules de sacs gonflables, si bien que l'association ultérieure des planches de bord et des sacs gonflables nécessite des opérations et un coût supplémentaires .To solve this problem, one can directly attach the airbag module to the dashboard. This arrangement, however, has two disadvantages. The first is technical: this provision stiffens the dashboard loses its flexibility in case of shock of the passenger, insufficient to cause the release of the air bag. The second disadvantage is purely practical: dashboard manufacturers are generally not manufacturers of air bag modules, so subsequent association of dashboards and airbags requires additional operations and cost.
Pour une solution différente de ce problème, on utilise couramment un "tunnel de tir", c'est-à-dire une sorte de guide qui favorise l'application de la force du sac gonflable à un volet destiné à s ' ouvrir pour dégager une ouverture de passage du sac gonflable.For a different solution to this problem, it is commonly used a "firing tunnel", that is to say a kind of guide that promotes the application of the force of the air bag to a flap intended to open to clear a passage opening of the airbag.
Un autre problème qui se pose dans le cas des planches de bord "moussées" ayant, sur un support, une couche de mousse et une peau, est qu'il peut arriver que le sac gonflable provoque un arrachement de la peau ou de la couche de mousse et donc un délaminage, avec projection de matières étrangères (surtout mousse et peau) vers les personnes qui doivent être protégées . Il est donc souhaitable que la couche de mousse et la peau, dans la partie qui devient apparente lors de l ' ouverture du volet de sac gonflable , soient protégées contre le contact avec le sac gonflable qui se déploie .Another problem that arises in the case of "foamed" dashboards having, on a support, a layer of foam and a skin, is that it can happen that the air bag causes tearing of the skin or the layer of foam and thus delamination, with projection of foreign matter (especially foam and skin) to people who must be protected. It is therefore desirable that the foam layer and the skin, in the portion that becomes apparent upon opening the airbag flap, be protected against contact with the inflating airbag.
Le document DE-103 16 272 décrit une planche de bord non moussée, c'est-à-dire qui ne pose pas ce problème d'arrachement de morceaux de mousse et de peau, dans laquelle une pièce protectrice unique a des languettes qui viennent couvrir les bords de l'ouverture au déploiement du sac gonflable .The document DE-103 16 272 describes an unfoamed dashboard, that is to say that does not pose the problem of tearing pieces of foam and skin, in which a single protective piece has tabs that come cover the edges of the opening to the deployment of the airbag.
Le document US-6 158 763 décrit une solution au second problème précité posé par les planches moussées . Selon ce document, le module de sac gonflable comporte un organe protecteur qui, au déploiement du sac gonflable, s'ouvre pour former un tunnel de tir qui se prolonge au moins jusqu'à la peau ; ainsi, la couche de mousse et la peau du bord d'ouverture opposé à l'articulation du volet sont protégées contre l'arrachement au passage du sac gonflable. La solution décrite dans le document US-6 158 763 nécessite un positionnement bien défini du module de sac gonflable par rapport à la planche de bord, à distance de celle-ci . Elle a cependant l ' inconvénient de ne pas protéger les deux côtés latéraux de l'ouverture, et donc de ne pas résoudre totalement le problème de l'arrachement de parties de mousse et de peau.Document US-6,158,763 describes a solution to the aforementioned second problem posed by foamed boards. According to this document, the air bag module comprises a protective member which, upon deployment of the inflatable bag, opens to form a firing tunnel which extends at least as far as the skin; thus, the foam layer and the skin of the opening edge opposite the hinge of the flap are protected against tearing when the airbag passes. The solution described in document US Pat. No. 6,158,763 requires a well-defined positioning of the airbag module relative to the dashboard, at a distance from it. However, it has the disadvantage of not protecting both sides of the opening, and therefore not completely solve the problem of tearing parts of foam and skin.
L ' invention concerne la solution de tous les problèmes précités, par utilisation d'une membrane rapportée, destinée à protéger de préférence chaque côté de l'ouverture de pas- sage de sac gonflable, autre que le côté d'articulation du volet. Selon l'invention, une membrane de souplesse suffisante est fixée à au moins un bord de l ' ouverture afin qu ' elle vienne entourer un bord de l ' ouverture de la planche de bord, jusqu'à la peau extérieure dans le cas d'une planche moussée.The invention relates to the solution of all the aforementioned problems by using an attached membrane, preferably to protect each side of the airbag passage opening, other than the hinge side of the flap. According to the invention, a membrane of sufficient flexibility is attached to at least one edge of the opening so that it surrounds an edge of the opening of the dashboard, to the outer skin in the case of a foamed board.
Lors du développement de l'invention, on s'est rendu compte qu'une telle membrane devait posséder un certain nombre de propriétés. En effet, s'il existe un frottement trop important entre la membrane et le support de la planche de bord, lorsque le sac gonflable se déploie, il exerce une pression sur toute la membrane et, à travers elle sur le volet ; la force de frottement qui existe lorsque la mem- brane glisse sur le volet peut être supérieure à la résistance mécanique de la membrane qui peut donc être détériorée avant même de remplir sa fonction. La membrane doit donc posséder une relation particulière entre ses propriétés mécaniques et son coefficient de frottement sur le support.In the development of the invention, it was realized that such a membrane should have a number of properties. Indeed, if there is friction too great between the membrane and the support of the dashboard, when the air bag deploys, it exerts pressure on the entire membrane and through it on the flap; the friction force that exists when the membrane slides on the flap may be greater than the mechanical strength of the membrane, which can therefore be deteriorated even before performing its function. The membrane must therefore have a particular relationship between its mechanical properties and its coefficient of friction on the support.
Dans une variante de l ' invention , la membrane est pliée sur elle-même afin que, à l'ouverture du sac gonflable, elle frotte sur elle-même avec une surface réduite par rapport au cas où elle serait totalement déployée . Plus précisément, l'invention concerne une planche de bord pour sac gonflable, du type comprenant un support, une couche de mousse et une peau, le support délimitant une ouverture fermée par au moins un volet articulé à un bord de l'ouverture, le volet étant destiné à pivoter autour de ce bord sous l'action de la force exercée sur lui lors du fonctionnement d'un sac gonflable disposé du côté intérieur de la planche de bord ; selon l'invention, la planche de bord comprend une membrane qui est fixée à proximité d'un bord de l ' ouverture autre que le bord d' articulation du volet, afin qu'elle se trouve entièrement vers l'intérieur de la planche de bord par rapport au support avant le fonctionnement du sac gonflable, qui a une dimension, en direction perpendiculaire à son bord de fixation, qui est supérieure à l'épaisseur de la planche de bord afin qu'elle atteigne au moins la peau, qui a une souplesse suffisante pour se courber de l ' intérieur vers l ' extérieur autour du bord d'ouverture à proximité duquel elle est fixée, et qui présente une relation entre sa résistance mécanique et son coefficient de frottement avec la surface qui lui est adjacente du côté du support telle que la membrane ne se déchire pas lorsqu'elle glisse avec frottement contre ladite surface en étant soumise à la pression maximale du sac gonflable qui la repousse contre cette surface adjacente. Dans un mode de réalisation, la membrane est fixée à la surface intérieure de la planche de bord. Par exemple, la membrane est fixée entre la planche de bord et un organe délimitant un tunnel de tir du sac gonflable. Dans un mode de réalisation, la membrane est fixée à un organe voisin de la planche de bord.In a variant of the invention, the membrane is folded on itself so that, at the opening of the inflatable bag, it rubs on itself with a reduced surface compared to the case where it would be fully deployed. More specifically, the invention relates to an airbag dashboard, of the type comprising a support, a foam layer and a skin, the support delimiting an opening closed by at least one flap hinged to an edge of the opening, the shutter being intended to pivot around this edge under the action of the force exerted on it during the operation of an air bag disposed on the inner side of the dashboard; according to the invention, the dashboard comprises a membrane which is fixed near an edge of the opening other than the hinge edge of the flap, so that it is entirely towards the inside of the board. edge relative to the support before the operation of the air bag, which has a dimension, in the direction perpendicular to its attachment edge, which is greater than the thickness of the dashboard so that it reaches at least the skin, which has sufficient flexibility to bend from the inside to the outside around the opening edge near which it is attached, and which has a relationship between its mechanical strength and its coefficient of friction with the surface adjacent thereto on the support such that the membrane does not tear when it frictionally slides against said surface being subjected to the maximum pressure of the inflatable bag which pushes it against this adjacent surface. In one embodiment, the membrane is attached to the inner surface of the dashboard. For example, the membrane is fixed between the dashboard and a member defining a firing tunnel of the airbag. In one embodiment, the membrane is attached to an adjacent body of the dashboard.
De préférence, la membrane se courbe pour venir au contact de la peau du côté extérieur lors du fonctionnement du sac gonflable . De préférence, l'ouverture est rectangulaire, le support a un seul volet, et une membrane est placée à chacun des trois côtés autres que le côté d'articulation du volet.Preferably, the membrane curves to come into contact with the skin on the outer side during operation of the inflatable bag. Preferably, the opening is rectangular, the support has a single flap, and a membrane is placed on each of the three sides other than the hinge side of the flap.
Dans une variante, la membrane est repliée sur elle- même et son bord le plus éloigné de son bord de fixation est fixé temporairement au volet à proximité du bord de fixation de la membrane .In a variant, the membrane is folded on itself and its edge farthest from its fixing edge is temporarily fixed to the flap near the fixing edge of the membrane.
De préférence, la membrane est formée d'une feuille thermoplastique ou d'un matériau fibreux, notamment sous forme d'un tissu ou d'un non-tissé. D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de l'invention seront mieux compris à la lecture de la description qui va suivre d'exemples de réalisation, faite en référence aux dessins annexés sur lesquels : la figure 1 est une coupe schématique d'une planche de bord selon l'invention, munie d'un sac gonflable et possédant une membrane à un bord d' ouverture ; la figure 2 représente sous forme agrandie la disposition des éléments de la figure 1 après que le sac gonflable s ' est déployé ; la figure 3 représente un exemple de disposition de membrane ; les figures 4 et 5 sont des coupes schématiques représentant la disposition des membranes des côtés latéraux dans le cas des membranes de la figure 3 ; et la figure 6 est une coupe schématique illustrant une variante de l ' invention.Preferably, the membrane is formed of a thermoplastic sheet or a fibrous material, especially in the form of a fabric or a nonwoven. Other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic section of a dashboard; according to the invention, provided with an inflatable bag and having a membrane at an opening edge; Figure 2 shows in enlarged form the arrangement of the elements of Figure 1 after the air bag has unfolded; Fig. 3 shows an example of a membrane arrangement; Figures 4 and 5 are schematic sections showing the arrangement of the membranes of the lateral sides in the case of the membranes of Figure 3; and Figure 6 is a schematic section illustrating a variation of the invention.
La figure 1 est une coupe schématique d'une planche de bord de type moussé. Cette planche de bord 10 comporte un support ou "insert" 12, qui porte une couche de mousse 14 portant elle-même une peau 16. Une ouverture est formée dans le support et elle est fermée par un volet 18 dont un côté est articulé à un bord par une articulation 20. L'ouverture est destinée au passage d'un sac gonflable contenu dans un module 22 placé derrière la planche de bord. Un canal de tir 24 est destiné à empêcher le sac gonflable de se déployer le long de la face arrière du support 12 et donc de repousser le volet 18. On a représenté sur la figure 1 une membrane 26. Dans le mode de réalisation représenté, cette membrane est tenue contre le support 12 au côté de l ' ouverture opposé à celui où se trouve l'articulation 20 du volet 18. De cette manière, un côté de la membrane est fixé entre le support 12 et l'organe formant le canal de tir 24. Cette membrane 26 se prolonge sur une partie au moins de la surface du volet 18. Elle est par exemple formée d'une feuille d'une matière thermoplastique, par exemple de polypropylène de 1 mm d'épaisseur, et est souple. La figure 2 indique la position des divers éléments après le fonctionnement du sac gonflable . Comme le sac gonflable a été guidé par le canal de tir 24, il a exercé toute sa force (la pression du gaz dans le sac gonflable peut atteindre 4 à 7 bar en général) sur la membrane 26 et le volet 18. En conséquence, la membrane 26 a été fortement appliquée contre le volet 18, et le volet et la membrane ont subi une force vers l ' extérieur .Figure 1 is a schematic section of a dashboard foamed type. This dashboard 10 has a support or "insert" 12, which carries a layer of foam 14 itself carrying a skin 16. An opening is formed in the support and is closed by a flap 18, one side is hinged at one edge by a hinge 20. The opening is for the passage of an air bag contained in a module 22 placed behind the dashboard. A firing channel 24 is intended to prevent the inflatable bag from being deployed along the rear face of the support 12 and thus to push back the flap 18. There is shown in FIG. 1 a membrane 26. In the embodiment shown, this membrane is held against the support 12 at the side of the opening opposite to that where the hinge 20 of the flap 18 is located. In this way, one side of the membrane is fixed between the support 12 and the member forming the channel 24. This membrane 26 extends over at least part of the surface of the flap 18. It is for example formed of a sheet of a thermoplastic material, for example polypropylene 1 mm thick, and is flexible . Figure 2 shows the position of the various elements after the operation of the airbag. As the airbag was guided by the firing channel 24, it exerted all its force (the pressure of the gas in the airbag can reach 4 to 7 bar in general) on the membrane 26 and the flap 18. Consequently, the membrane 26 has been strongly applied against the flap 18, and the flap and the membrane have been forced outwards.
Lorsque cette force a été suffisante, le volet 18 a commencé à s'ouvrir, en déchirant la mousse et la peau. A ce moment, la membrane 26 a glissé à la surface du volet 18 pour s'en écarter alors que le volet 18 se déplaçait vers 1' autre côté, comme indiqué sur la figure 2. Grâce à sa souplesse, la membrane 26 s'est alors courbée autour du bord de la planche de bord et a ainsi protégé la mousse et la peau contre le contact du sac gonflable, indiqué en trait interrompu .When this force was sufficient, the flap 18 began to open, tearing the foam and the skin. At this moment, the membrane 26 slid to the surface of the flap 18 to move away from it while the flap 18 was moving towards the other side, as indicated in FIG. 2. Because of its flexibility, the membrane 26 is then bent around the edge of the dashboard and thus protected the foam and the skin against the contact of the airbag, indicated in broken lines.
Ainsi, lorsque le sac gonflable commence à exercer une pression importante sur la membrane 26 et le volet 18 et dès que celui-ci commence à s'ouvrir, la membrane 26 glisse contre le volet 18 et subit une force due au frottement entre ces deux éléments . Il faut à ce moment que la membrane résiste à. cette force, pour ne pas se déchirer à proximité de son bord de fixation. Cette résistance peut être obtenue soit par utilisation d'un matériau suffisamment robuste, soit par utilisation d'un matériau suffisamment élastique pour pouvoir suffisamment s'allonger pour se séparer du volet 18 sans se déchirer. On note sur la figure 2 que, en l'absence de la membrane, le sac gonflable aurait tendance à arracher la mousse et la peau au bord de l'ouverture inférieure. Cependant, cette action au contact direct de la mousse et de la peau, qui n'existe pas du côté du volet, existe aussi sur les côtés latéraux de l'ouverture. Il est donc souhaitable que la planche de bord comporte trois membranes, ou une seule membrane pouvant agir sur trois côtés de l ' ouverture .Thus, when the airbag begins to exert significant pressure on the membrane 26 and the flap 18 and as soon as as it begins to open, the membrane 26 slides against the flap 18 and undergoes a force due to friction between these two elements. It is necessary at this moment that the membrane resists. this force, so as not to tear near its fixing edge. This resistance can be obtained either by using a sufficiently robust material, or by using a sufficiently elastic material to be sufficiently elongate to separate the flap 18 without tearing. It is noted in Figure 2 that, in the absence of the membrane, the airbag would tend to tear the foam and the skin at the edge of the lower opening. However, this action in direct contact with the foam and the skin, which does not exist on the flap side, also exists on the lateral sides of the opening. It is therefore desirable that the dashboard comprises three membranes, or a single membrane that can act on three sides of the opening.
La figure 3 indique comment une membrane 26, placée au bord d'ouverture opposé au bord d'articulation du volet, est complétée par deux membranes latérales 30 et 32 destinées à protéger les petits côtés de l'ouverture délimitée par un cadre 28, qui peut former un tunnel de tir. Sur la figure 3, on a indiqué que les membranes 26, 30 et 32 ne se recouvraient pas. Cependant, il est possible qu'elles se recouvrent aux coins, de même qu'il est possible d'utiliser une seule bande de membrane pliée dans les coins .FIG. 3 shows how a membrane 26, placed at the opening edge opposite the hinge edge of the flap, is completed by two lateral membranes 30 and 32 intended to protect the short sides of the opening delimited by a frame 28, which can form a firing tunnel. In FIG. 3, it has been indicated that the membranes 26, 30 and 32 do not overlap. However, it is possible that they overlap at the corners, just as it is possible to use a single band of membrane folded in the corners.
Pour la solution du problème du frottement de la membrane sur le volet 18, il est possible d'utiliser un montage tel qu' indiqué sur la figure 6. La figure 6 indique qu'une membrane 26' , au lieu d'être appliquée le long du volet 18, est repliée sur elle-même, son bord 27 le plus éloigné de son bord de fixation étant simplement tenu, par exemple par collage, au bord du volet 18. De cette manière, la surface d'application de la force du sac gonflable est réduite d'un facteur 2, et le frottement créateur de la force de retenue s ' effectue entre deux couches du matériau de la membrane pliée 26'. Cette solution est particulièrement avantageuse lorsque la nature du matériau du support 12 et du volet 18 est telle que le coefficient de frottement obtenu entre les matériaux de la membrane et du support est trop élevé.For the solution of the problem of friction of the membrane on the flap 18, it is possible to use a mounting as indicated in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 indicates that a membrane 26 ', instead of being applied on the along the flap 18, is folded on itself, its edge 27 farthest from its fixing edge being simply held, for example by gluing, to the edge of the flap 18. In this way, the force application surface the inflatable bag is reduced by a factor of 2, and the creative friction of the retaining force is effected between two layers of the material of the folded membrane 26 '. This solution is particularly advantageous when the nature of the material of the support 12 and the flap 18 is such that the coefficient of friction obtained between the materials of the membrane and the support is too high.
Bien qu ' on ait décrit l ' invention en référence à une planche de bord de type moussé, elle s'applique aussi à toute planche de bord dans laquelle le déploiement du sac gonflable peut provoquer l'arrachement d'un élément quelconque à proximité de l'ouverture du volet de sac gonflable, par exemple une baguette décorative, etc. Bien qu'on ait indiqué un exemple de matériau de la membrane, de nombreux autres matériaux peuvent être utilisés. On peut citer des feuilles de polyoléfine ou d'autres matières plastiques, par exemple de polyéthylène armé ou non, des tissus ou des non-tissés, du moment que la membrane possède la résistance mécanique suffisante et que le frottement subi lors de l ' ouverture ne provoque pas la déchirure du matériau de la membrane . Although the invention has been described with reference to a foam-type dashboard, it also applies to any dashboard in which the deployment of the air bag can cause the tearing of any element in the vicinity of the opening of the airbag flap, for example a decorative rod, etc. Although an example of membrane material has been indicated, many other materials can be used. Polyolefin sheets or other plastics, for example reinforced or non-reinforced polyethylene, fabrics or nonwovens can be mentioned, provided that the membrane has sufficient mechanical strength and that the friction experienced during opening does not cause tearing of the membrane material.
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR06/02927 | 2006-04-04 | ||
| FR0602927A FR2899175B1 (en) | 2006-04-04 | 2006-04-04 | AUTOMOBILE DASHBOARD WITH INFLATABLE BAG |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2007118991A1 true WO2007118991A1 (en) | 2007-10-25 |
Family
ID=37499988
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2007/000568 Ceased WO2007118991A1 (en) | 2006-04-04 | 2007-04-03 | Motor vehicle instrument panel equipped with an airbag |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| FR (1) | FR2899175B1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2007118991A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102011050419A1 (en) * | 2011-05-17 | 2012-11-22 | Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft | Instrument panel for motor vehicle, has cover member, which serves as cover of recesses or cover of columns or cover of projections or cover on edges of side walls of airbag deployment channel |
| FR3103159A1 (en) * | 2019-11-20 | 2021-05-21 | Faurecia Interieur Industrie | VEHICLE SAFETY DEVICE |
| US11865992B2 (en) | 2021-05-21 | 2024-01-09 | Mclaren Automotive Limited | Airbag cover |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0963886A2 (en) * | 1998-06-03 | 1999-12-15 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | Airbag module for a vehicle |
| US6158763A (en) * | 1998-12-09 | 2000-12-12 | Chrysler Corporation | Airbag assembly concealed within an instrument panel |
| DE10316272A1 (en) * | 2003-04-08 | 2004-11-25 | Johnson Controls Interiors Gmbh & Co. Kg | Paneling, in particular, dashboard for a motor vehicle with an airbag unit comprises an areal, single-piece protective lining which surrounds the entire periphery of the airbag exit opening |
-
2006
- 2006-04-04 FR FR0602927A patent/FR2899175B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2007
- 2007-04-03 WO PCT/FR2007/000568 patent/WO2007118991A1/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0963886A2 (en) * | 1998-06-03 | 1999-12-15 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | Airbag module for a vehicle |
| US6158763A (en) * | 1998-12-09 | 2000-12-12 | Chrysler Corporation | Airbag assembly concealed within an instrument panel |
| DE10316272A1 (en) * | 2003-04-08 | 2004-11-25 | Johnson Controls Interiors Gmbh & Co. Kg | Paneling, in particular, dashboard for a motor vehicle with an airbag unit comprises an areal, single-piece protective lining which surrounds the entire periphery of the airbag exit opening |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102011050419A1 (en) * | 2011-05-17 | 2012-11-22 | Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft | Instrument panel for motor vehicle, has cover member, which serves as cover of recesses or cover of columns or cover of projections or cover on edges of side walls of airbag deployment channel |
| DE102011050419B4 (en) * | 2011-05-17 | 2024-02-22 | Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft | dashboard |
| FR3103159A1 (en) * | 2019-11-20 | 2021-05-21 | Faurecia Interieur Industrie | VEHICLE SAFETY DEVICE |
| US11865992B2 (en) | 2021-05-21 | 2024-01-09 | Mclaren Automotive Limited | Airbag cover |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2899175B1 (en) | 2009-03-27 |
| FR2899175A1 (en) | 2007-10-05 |
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