JP3144456B2 - Reaction can structure for passenger airbag module - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reaction can structure for a passenger airbag module for storing an airbag and an inflator therein.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a reaction can of a passenger airbag module must have sufficient rigidity to receive a reaction force when the airbag is deployed. On the other hand,
The vehicle's instrument panel is required to have the ability to absorb the impact energy of the occupant when it collides with the instrument panel to protect the occupant. Since the portion on the seat side must also have an impact energy absorbing ability, the reaction can needs to be deformable.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a conventional reaction can 1 of a passenger airbag module includes a reaction can main body 2 having a generally U-shape and side walls 3 on both sides thereof. Of the reaction can body 2 is fixed to the side wall 3 by screws 4 or a flange 2d protruding from the upper wall surface 2c is fixed to the side wall 3 by welding. are doing.

[0004]

In the structure of the conventional reaction can 1 as described above, when an occupant of the passenger seat collides with the instrument panel, the impact force is applied to the upper wall 2c of the reaction can main body 2 from above at the corner. When it is applied to the vicinity of the portion, the upper wall surface 2c and the side wall 3 are fixed, so that an impact force is also applied to the side wall 3, and as shown in FIG.
c and the side wall 3 buckle and deform from the normal state (chain line),
Since the side wall 3 acts as a tension, the amount of deformation is small, and there is a problem that the impact energy cannot be sufficiently absorbed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and a reaction of a passenger seat airbag module capable of efficiently absorbing impact energy when a passenger collides with an instrument panel. The purpose is to provide a can structure.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a reaction of a passenger airbag module having an airbag and an inflator housed therein and having a front opening for allowing the bag to be deployed outside. In the can, the bottom wall, the back wall rising from the bottom end of the bottom wall, the left and right side walls fixed to both ends of the back wall and the bottom wall, one end attached to the back wall, the vicinity of the free end of the top wall Rolled sideways
Existing engagement member, facing the engagement member, and
As it extends toward
The slit to allow the downward movement of the free end when a predetermined value or more impact force is applied to the upper wall from above
It is characterized by having holes .

[0007]

According to this configuration, when an occupant in the passenger seat collides with the instrument panel and an impact force is applied to the upper wall surface of the reaction can from above, the free end of the upper wall surface moves downward due to the engaging member and the slit hole. By doing so, the impact force is not transmitted to the side wall, but only the upper wall surface of the reaction can is deformed, and the impact energy is sufficiently absorbed.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.
A reaction can 11 of a passenger airbag having an airbag and an inflator (not shown) therein and having a front opening for allowing the airbag to be deployed outside is a rear wall 12a rising from the rear end of a bottom wall 12b. A reaction can main body 12 having a generally U-shaped configuration having an upper wall surface 12c attached to the rear wall 12a at one end, and integrated with the rear wall 12a and the bottom wall 12b of the main body on both sides of the reaction can main body 12. Or the fixed side wall 13, and the side wall 13 is provided with an inflator mounting hole 13 a.

On the upper wall surface 12c of the reaction can main body 12, which is separated from the side wall 13, two right and left screws 14 extending laterally near its free end are attached.
A substantially triangular slit hole 13b is formed in each of the side walls 13 so as to face the screw 14 and extend downward as it extends.

In the normal state shown in FIG. 1, the screw 14 is in contact with or slightly distant from the upper edge of the slit hole 13b in the side wall 13, so that when the airbag is deployed, the upper wall surface of the reaction can body 12 is opened. The upward reaction force applied to 12c can be received by the side wall 13 by the engagement between the screw 14 and the upper edge of the slit hole 13b.

When an occupant of the passenger seat collides with the instrument panel and the impact force is applied downward in the vicinity of the corner of the upper wall surface 12c of the reaction can body 12 as shown by an arrow in FIG. 13b,
The impact force is not transmitted to the side wall 13 but acts only on the upper wall surface 12c of the reaction can body 12, and the upper wall surface 12c is deformed so that its free end moves downward as shown by a solid line in FIGS. Since the upper wall surface 12c has a large deformation amount, the impact energy can be efficiently and sufficiently absorbed.

As described above, the slit hole 13b and the screw 14
However, normally, the upper wall 12c and the side wall 13 of the reaction can body are locked with each other, but when an impact force is applied, this locking is released to allow the free end of the upper wall 12c to move downward. Make up. In this case, instead of the screw 14, a pin fixed to the upper wall surface may be used.

A second embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS.
Fig. 3 shows a more detailed structure of a reaction can of a passenger airbag module. The reaction can 21 has a rear wall 22a rising from the back end of the bottom wall 22b and an upper wall 22c having one end attached to the rear wall 22a. And a side wall 23 provided on both sides and provided with an inflator mounting hole 23a.

Each side wall 23 has four screws inserted through holes 23c and screwed into corresponding screw holes 22f of reaction can main body 22, and corresponding mounting screw holes of reaction can main body 22 inserted through mounting holes 23d. The two mounting screws 22g are fixed to the rear wall 22a and the bottom wall 22b of the reaction can main body 22. These two mounting screws extend into the instrument panel 26 in the vehicle width direction. The reaction can 21 is mounted on a mounting flange 28 fixed to the deck cross member 27.

The upper wall 22c of the reaction can body 22
The left and right two screws 2
4 are screwed into each other, and slits 23b each having a substantially triangular shape are formed in both side walls 23 so as to face the screw 14 and extend downwardly. As shown in FIG. 6, the screw 24 is attached with a slight gap between the washer 25 and the side wall 23 so as not to prevent the screw 24 from dropping in the slit hole 23b.

A flange 22d protrudes from the upper surface of the upper wall surface 22c. An upper end of the pad cover 29 is attached to the flange 22d, and a lower end thereof is attached to a free end of the bottom wall 22b.

In the second embodiment, as in the previous embodiment, in the normal state, the screw 24 is in contact with the upper edge of the slit hole 23b in the side wall 23 and the reaction can main body 22 when the airbag is deployed. The upward reaction force applied to the upper wall surface 22c can be received by the side wall 23 by the engagement between the screw 24 and the upper edge of the slit hole 23b.

When an occupant of the passenger seat collides with the instrument panel and the impact force is applied downward near the corner of the upper wall surface 22c of the reaction can body 22, the screw 24 falls in the slit hole 23b and the impact force is reduced. Does not propagate to the side wall 23, but acts only on the upper wall surface 22c of the reaction can body 22, deforms the upper wall surface 22c so as to move the free end downward with the point A in FIG. 4 as a fulcrum, and reduces the impact energy. It can be efficiently and sufficiently absorbed.

In the second embodiment, the screw 24 and the washer 25 are attached to the side wall 23 in a floating state. However, as a third embodiment (not shown), the side wall 23 is connected to the upper wall surface 22c of the reaction can body 22. The screw 24 is tightened with a predetermined load so as to hold the screw between the screw 24.
Accordingly, when the passenger on the passenger seat collides with the instrument panel and the impact force exceeds a predetermined value, the screw 24 is inserted into the slit hole while the upper wall surface 22c and the washer 25 are frictionally slid against the side wall 23. Dropped inside 23b,
The upper wall surface 22 is deformed while absorbing impact energy.

In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the slit hole is formed in a long hole shape following the falling locus of the screw 24, and the width of the central portion 23f is smaller than the thickness of the screw 24. It is formed as In this embodiment, the screw 24 falls in the slit hole 23e due to the impact force when the passenger on the passenger seat collides with the instrument panel. When the screw 24 passes through the central portion 23f of the slit hole, the screw 24 is plastically deformed. By doing so, the upper wall surface 22 is deformed while absorbing impact energy.

[0022]

According to the present invention, the screw attached to the upper wall of the reaction can body and the slit hole formed in the side wall are:
Normally, the upper wall and the side wall are locked, but when an impact force is applied to the upper wall when the passenger on the passenger seat collides with the instrument panel, the screw falls in the slit hole, so the impact force is transmitted to the side wall. The impact force acts only on the upper wall surface of the reaction can main body and deforms the upper wall surface, thereby easily causing local deformation of the reaction can main body. Thus, since the impact force is received only by the reaction can main body, the deformation amount of the main body, that is, the upper wall surface is large, and the impact energy can be sufficiently and efficiently absorbed.

When the side wall is held between the upper wall of the reaction can main body and the screw, the value of the impact force causing the deformation of the upper wall is adjusted by adjusting the screw tightening load. In addition to being able to be set arbitrarily, the upper wall surface and the washer of the screw are frictionally slid on the side wall when the upper wall surface is deformed, so that the efficiency of absorbing the impact energy can be increased.

Similarly, when the width of the central portion of the slit hole is smaller than the thickness of the screw, the screw plastically deforms when the upper wall surface is bent and deformed when the screw passes through the central portion. Absorption efficiency can be increased.

Further, by providing a locking means comprising a screw attached to the upper wall surface and a slit hole formed in the side wall, a flange is protruded from the upper wall surface or a screw hole is provided at a free end of the upper wall surface. Even when the rigidity of the reaction can body is increased as in the case of the above, when the impact force is applied to the upper wall surface, the deformation of the upper wall surface is facilitated and the impact energy can be efficiently absorbed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reaction can of a passenger airbag module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an operation state of the reaction can of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state after the reaction can of FIG. 1 is deformed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a reaction can body and a peripheral portion thereof according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a side wall of the reaction can of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a connection portion between a reaction can body and a side wall according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a side wall of a reaction can showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a reaction can of a conventional passenger airbag module.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a reaction can of another conventional passenger airbag module.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state after deformation of a conventional reaction can.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Reaction can 12 Reaction can body 12a Back wall 12b Bottom wall 12c Top wall 13 Side wall 13a Inflator mounting hole 13b Slit hole 14 Screw 21 Reaction can 22 Reaction can body 22a Back wall 22b Bottom wall 22c Top wall 22d Flange 22e, 22f Screw hole 22g mounting screw hole 23 side wall 23a inflator mounting hole 23b slit hole 23c hole 23d mounting hole 23e slit hole 23f central part 24 screw 25 washer 26 instrument panel 27 deck cross member 28 mounting flange 29 pad cover

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60R 21/16-21/32

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reaction wall of a passenger airbag module having an airbag and an inflator housed therein and having a front opening for allowing the bag to expand to the outside, a bottom wall, a rear surface rising from the rear end of the bottom wall. Wall, left and right side walls fixed to both ends of the rear wall and the bottom wall, an upper wall attached to the rear wall at one end, and extending laterally near the free end of the upper wall.
Existing engagement member, facing the engagement member, and
As it extends toward
The slit to allow the downward movement of the free end when a predetermined value or more impact force is applied to the upper wall from above
A reaction can structure for a passenger airbag module having holes . 2. The reaction can structure according to claim 1, wherein said engaging member is constituted by a screw and a washer.
The screws and washers slightly against the side walls.
Reaction can structure characterized by mounting with a gap .