JP2013044339A - Impact absorber housing and impact absorber for vehicle using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an impact absorber housing which has good impact energy absorbing performance with a simple structure, and facilitates design of impact energy absorbing performance of the entire impact absorber.SOLUTION: The impact absorber housing 10 is for installing an impact absorption member 15 in the vehicle, and has an outline shape having two holding sections 10a which hold axial both ends of the impact absorption member 15, respectively, and two opposite connection arms 10b which connect both of the holding sections 10a outside the impact absorption member 15. The connection arm 10b is bent outward in a dog leg shape from the holding section 10a. When a compressive load acts in the axial direction, the connection arm 10b is deformed and buckled while moving in a direction separating from the impact absorption member 15 wherein the bent section 10c serves as a releasing mechanism for the compressive load.

Description

  The present invention relates to an impact absorber housing for installing an impact absorbing member in a vehicle, and an impact absorber for a vehicle including an impact absorbing member inside the housing.

  In vehicles such as automobiles, in order to protect passengers and pedestrians from impacts at the time of a collision, shock absorbers that absorb impact energy are installed inside the front fender panel and a ladder frame. As such an impact absorber, for example, the following Patent Document 1 has been proposed. In Patent Document 1, a metal shock absorber housing and a plurality of vehicle shock absorbers each having a hollow cylindrical metal shock absorber are connected. The shock absorber housing includes a central flat plate portion, a flat plate-like front side wall portion, and a flat plate-like rear side wall portion, which are arranged in parallel with each other, and arc-shaped first connection arms and second curves that are curved outward. It is connected by a connecting arm, and is formed in an outer shape of an approximately eight shape in side view. In addition, impact absorbing members are respectively fixed between the central flat plate portion and the front side wall portion and between the central flat plate portion and the rear side wall portion. When a compressive load is applied in the axial direction of the shock absorbing member, the collision energy absorbing performance of the shock absorbing member housing and the collision energy absorbing performance of the shock absorbing member function in cooperation with each other. That is, in addition to absorbing shock energy due to the compression deformation of the shock absorbing member, the shock absorber housing is also configured to deform against the compression load (while generating a reaction force), and the shock energy is reduced along with the deformation. It is absorbed.

JP 2008-6896 A

  However, the shock absorber housing of Patent Document 1 is a complicated shape having an approximately eight-letter shape, and the eight-letter shape is deformed so as to be crushed in the vertical direction, so the collision energy absorption efficiency is poor. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the above problem is addressed by connecting a plurality of shock absorbers. However, this increases the number of parts, which causes problems such as the need for a larger installation space, increased weight, and complicated installation.

  The impact energy absorption performance is indicated by a compressive load (reaction force) with respect to the displacement of the impact absorber. The shock absorber has a fast rise in compression load at the initial displacement, and the amount of displacement until the shock absorber can no longer be compressed and deformed is large. It is preferable to maintain a constant compressive load. On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, since the shock absorber housing is also assumed to be damaged, the rise of the compressive load at the initial displacement is poor and a plurality of shock absorbers are connected. The compression load to the state is not stable.

  Also, if the shock absorber housing also has a shock energy absorbing function, it is necessary to design the shock energy absorbing performance of the entire shock absorber while considering the balance with the shock energy absorbing performance of the shock absorbing member. It is difficult to design the impact energy absorption performance of the entire shock absorber.

  In view of the above problems, the present inventors have intensively studied, and as a result, the functions (role) of the shock absorber housing and the shock absorber are clearly assigned to each other, and the shock absorber housing escapes (passes) against the compressive load. ) While being used exclusively for installation and fixing as a structure, it has been found that the above problem can be solved by adopting a configuration in which impact energy is absorbed exclusively by an impact absorbing member, and the present invention has been completed.

  That is, the present invention solves the above-described problem, and has a shock absorber housing that has a simple structure and good shock energy absorption performance, and that can easily design the impact energy absorption performance of the entire shock absorber, It aims at providing the shock absorber for vehicles using this.

  As a means for this, the present invention is an impact absorber housing for installing an impact absorbing member in a vehicle, and includes two holding portions for respectively holding both axial ends of the impact absorbing member, and the impact absorbing member. It has an outer shape having a connecting arm for connecting the two holding portions on the outer side, and the connecting arm is bent in a square shape outward from the two holding portions. Then, when a compressive load in the axial direction of the shock absorbing member is applied, the connecting arm is buckled and deformed while its bent portion moves away from the shock absorbing member as a relief mechanism for the compressive load. It is possible.

  According to this, when the compressive load is applied, the connecting arm portion serves as a relief mechanism and receives the compressive load, so that the shock absorber housing itself basically does not absorb the impact energy. In addition, the connecting arm is buckled and deformed while its bent portion moves away from the shock absorbing member, so that it does not hinder the compressive deformation of the shock absorbing member. As a result, the impact energy can be accurately absorbed exclusively by the impact absorbing member, the rise of the compression load at the initial displacement is fast, and the stable compression load (reaction force) from the initial displacement to the bottomed state is maintained. Can do. In addition, by appropriately adjusting the basis weight (density), thickness, outer dimensions, and the like of the impact absorbing member, it is easy to design the impact energy absorbing performance of the entire impact absorbing tool. Moreover, since it is a simple structure which has two holding | maintenance parts and a connection arm which connects both holding | maintenance parts, it becomes advantageous also for compactization, weight reduction, cost reduction, etc.

  Of the two holding portions, at least one, preferably both, are formed in a flat plate shape that covers the axial end surface of the shock absorbing member. According to this, since the compressive load is completely received by the flat holding portion, the shock absorbing member can be reliably compressed and deformed. Further, as the shape for holding the shock absorbing member, it can be formed in a cylindrical shape that holds the shock absorbing member from the outer periphery as described later, but in this case, the portion where the outer periphery is held by the cylindrical portion is A portion that cannot be compressed and deformed and does not absorb impact energy is produced, but if it is flat, there is no such problem, and the axial end of the impact absorbing member can also be deformed by compression. That is, the amount of displacement when the impact absorbing member is compressively deformed can be increased.

  When the holding portion is flat, it is preferable that a positioning piece for positioning and holding the shock absorbing member is provided on the inner surface. Thereby, the displacement of the shock absorbing member is prevented, and the compressive load due to the collision can be properly received and the shock energy absorbing performance can be maximized.

  When one of the two holding portions is formed in a flat plate shape, the other holding portion can be formed in a cylindrical shape that holds the shock absorbing member from the outer periphery as described above. Since the shock absorber is assumed to be installed between two members constituting the vehicle, the shock absorbing member is received by the vehicle constituent member even when a compressive load due to a collision is applied. It will not come off the tube.

  The connecting arm can be provided only on one side of the holding part, but it is preferable that the connecting arm is provided opposite to both sides of the holding part. According to this, the compressive load acts equally on the two connecting arms, the shock absorber housing can be smoothly deformed, and the shock absorbing member can also be appropriately compressed and deformed in the axial direction.

  There is also proposed a vehicle shock absorber including the shock absorber housing having the above-described configuration and a shock absorbing member held in the shock absorber housing. As the impact absorbing member here, a paper tube member (hereinafter referred to as a flat paper tube) that is flat wound so as to surround the central axis, or a block body made of foamed resin can be used. Among these, a flat paper tube is preferable. If it is a flat rolled paper tube, it is made of plant-derived material, so the environmental load is small. In addition, as a paper cylinder, there is a cylindrical member that is spirally wound so as to surround the central axis, like the core of toilet paper, but if it is a paper cylinder that is wound flatly so as to surround the central axis, Although it is lightweight, it has good impact energy absorption performance.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can be set as the impact absorber housing and vehicle impact absorber which are easy structure and can design the impact energy absorption performance of the whole impact absorber easily.

It is a perspective view of an impact-absorbing tool. It is a disassembled perspective view of an impact absorber. It is a perspective view which shows the compression deformation state of an impact absorber. It is a side view which shows a mode that an impact-absorber housing deform | transforms. It is a side view which shows the example of installation of an impact-absorbing tool. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. It is a graph which shows the impact energy absorption performance of an impact-absorbing tool. It is a perspective view which shows Embodiment 2 of a shock absorber housing. It is a perspective view which shows Embodiment 3 of a shock absorber housing.

(Embodiment 1)
Below, typical embodiment of this invention is described concretely. The shock absorber 1 is a member that is installed in a vehicle such as an automobile and absorbs impact energy at the time of collision. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shock absorber housing is installed and fixed on the vehicle. (Hereinafter simply referred to as a housing) 10 and an impact absorbing member 15 held in the housing 10.

  The housing 10 is made of metal, and includes two holding portions 10 a that respectively hold both ends of the shock absorbing member 15 in the axial direction, and a connecting arm 10 b that connects the holding portions 10 a outside the shock absorbing member 15. It has a hollow outer shape. Both holding parts 10a are flat plate-shaped with a size covering the axial end surface of the shock absorbing member 15, and hold the shock absorbing member 15 so as to be sandwiched from both axial ends.

  The connecting arms 10b extend obliquely outward from the opposing side edges of the two holding portions 10a, and are provided in two opposite directions on both sides of the housing 10. The connecting arms 10b are It is bent in a square shape toward the outside. The housing 10 according to the present embodiment includes two plate members formed by bending a rectangular plate material into a substantially trapezoidal shape having flange portions 10c at both ends in the longitudinal direction in a state in which one of the flange portions 10c is reversed. Are joined together by welding or the like to form a hollow outer shape. As a result, the flange portion 10c is firmly joined and the base portion of the flange portion 10c (the bent portion of the connecting arm 10b) can be smoothly deformed. It functions as an escape mechanism. Further, since the housing 10 is made of metal and has the above-described configuration, rigidity in a state where the shock absorber 1 is installed and fixed to the vehicle is also ensured. The bent portion of the connecting arm 10b is located at the center of the shock absorbing member 15 in the axial direction.

  Positioning pieces 10d for positioning and holding the shock absorbing members 15 are provided on both inner surfaces of the holding portions 10a and on both side edges (the base of the connecting arm 10b) where the connecting arm 10b extends. In addition, a bolt hole 10e through which a bolt is inserted when the shock absorber 1 is fastened and fixed to the vehicle with a bolt is formed in the central portion of both holding portions 10a.

  As the shock absorbing member 15, a known foamed resin block body that has been generally used in this type of shock absorbing device can be used without any particular limitation, but in this embodiment, the central axis is surrounded. A flat-wrapped paper cylinder made of a paper-made cylindrical member is used. What is necessary is just to design the impact energy absorption performance by the whole impact-absorbing tool suitably by adjusting the fabric weight, thickness, external dimensions, etc. of the impact-absorbing member 15 according to the compression load etc. which are assumed in an installation location.

  Next, the function when the compressive load accompanying a collision acts on the shock absorber 1 will be described. The shock absorber 1 is installed so that the collision direction of the vehicle and the axial direction are parallel. In addition, when an axial compressive load is applied to the shock absorber 1 due to a collision, the compressive load is received by both holding portions 10a of the housing 10, and as shown in FIG. The shock absorbing member 15 is compressed and deformed so as to be crushed in the axial direction.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, in the housing 10, the two connecting arms 10b are buckled and deformed at the bent portion (flange portion 10c), so that the two holding portions 10a are close to each other while being kept parallel to each other. It will be transformed. Thereby, the impact absorbing member 15 can be directly compressed and deformed without being displaced from the axial direction, and the impact energy can be efficiently absorbed. Moreover, both the connecting arms 10b function as a relief mechanism against the compressive load by the buckling deformation while the bent portion of the connecting arm 10b moves away from the shock absorbing member 15, and the housing 10 receives the compressive load. The compressive deformation of the shock absorbing member 15 is not hindered. Therefore, the overall impact energy absorption performance of the impact absorber 1 can be easily designed simply by designing the impact energy absorption performance of the impact absorbing member 15.

  The shock absorber 1 typically has only to bolt the housing 10 to an appropriate position of the vehicle via the bolt hole 10e, but the outer surface of the holding portion 10a can also be fixed to the vehicle by welding or bonding. The installation location of the shock absorber 1 is not particularly limited as long as it is a location where collision energy should be absorbed in order to protect passengers, pedestrians, and the like. For example, between fender panels and body panels, between bumper in hoses and side members, between door panels and door trims, between pillars and pillar trims, between ceiling panels and roof liners, between floor panels and carpets. It can be installed in between.

  5 and 6 show an example in which the shock absorber 1 is installed between the front fender panel and the body panel. 5 is a side view seen from the inside of the engine room, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a front fender panel 50 is disposed on the side surface of the front portion of the vehicle body. The front fender panel 50 covers the upper side of the front wheel and forms an outer surface vertical wall portion 50a that forms a design surface. The front fender panel 50 is suspended from the upper end portion of the outer vertical wall portion 50a and bent inward (engine room side) horizontally. And an inner vertical wall portion 50b. An apron upper member 54 is disposed below the inner vertical wall portion 50b of the front fender panel 50. The apron upper member 54 has a substantially U-shaped cross-section opened downward, and is disposed with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as the longitudinal direction.

A hood 56 for opening and closing the engine room is disposed between the upper ends of the inner vertical wall portions 50b of the pair of left and right front fender panels 50. A rubber sealing material (not shown) is disposed on the lower edge side of both end portions in the width direction of the hood 56 and is elastically deformed to the vertical portion 50b ₁ of the inner vertical wall portion 50b of the front fender panel 50. It comes to be pressed with. The inner vertical wall portion 50 b of the front fender panel 50 is attached to the apron upper member 54 via a pair of front and rear shock absorbers 1. The shock absorber 1 is fastened and fixed by bolts 58 to the inner vertical wall portion 50b of the front fender panel 50 in the upper holding portion 10a. The lower holding portion 10 a is also in contact with the apron upper member 54.

  When the vehicle collides with a pedestrian or the like and a load is applied to the front fender panel 50 from above, the shock absorber 1 is compressed and deformed in response to the load, so that the impact energy is absorbed, and the pedestrian or passenger The damage is reduced.

  The results of evaluating the impact energy absorption performance using a specific example having the same configuration as that of the first embodiment will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to this example.

The following shock absorbers were used in the examples for evaluation.
<Housing>
Material: Aluminum (A5052)
Plate thickness: 0.5mm
Holding part dimensions: 42 x 42 mm
Inner surface height: 70mm
Positioning piece height: 5 mm
Outward protrusion amount of connecting arm; 10mm
<Shock absorbing member>
Type: Flat-wrapped paper cylinder External dimensions: 40 x 40 mm
Height: 70mm
Thickness: 2.8mm
Weight per unit: about 2200 g / m ₂

  Displacement amount and compressive load (reaction force) when an example of the above configuration is installed in a compression tester (Autograph AG-100KNE type) manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation and compressed in the axial direction under the condition of 2 mm / min. ) Was measured. The result is shown in FIG.

  As is apparent from the results of FIG. 7, according to the shock absorber of the present invention, the compression load rises quickly at the initial displacement, and a stable compression load (reaction force) is maintained from the initial displacement to the bottomed state. Therefore, it was confirmed that the battery has a good impact energy absorption performance.

(Modification)
The representative embodiment 1 of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, as in Embodiment 2 shown in FIG. 8, one of the two holding portions constituting the housing 10 is a flat plate-like holding portion 10 a, and the other holding portion 10 f holds the shock absorbing member from the outer periphery. It can also be formed in a cylindrical shape. In this case, the positioning piece 10d is not necessary for the cylindrical holding portion 10f. In addition, since the cylindrical holding part 10f side cannot be fixed to the structural member of a vehicle, it fixes to a vehicle in the flat holding part 10a side which has the bolt hole 10e. However, when the shock absorber is installed in the vehicle, the cylindrical holding portion 10f is also abutted and supported by the constituent members of the vehicle, so that the internal shock absorbing member is detached from the cylindrical holding portion 10f in the event of a collision. There is no. The other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same members (parts) are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  Further, as in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the connecting arm 10 b may be provided only on one side of the housing 10. In this case, the two holding portions 10a and 10f are connected and supported in a cantilever shape. Others are the same as those in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and therefore, the same members (parts) are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. Of course, even if the two holding portions are both flat plate-like holding portions 10a, the connecting arm 10b can be provided only on one side of the housing 10.

  In the first to third embodiments, the two plate members are butt-joined in the axial direction (up and down in the drawing standard), but the two plate members are perpendicular to the axial direction (left and right in the drawing standard). Can also be joined together. Further, it is not always necessary to use two plate members, and a plurality of (three or more) plate members constituting each part can be welded and connected. Further, the flange portion 10c is not necessarily required as long as the connecting arm 10b is bent in a letter shape so as not to escape from a compressive load.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Shock absorber 10 Housing 10a Flat holding part 10b Connecting arm 10d Positioning piece 10f Cylindrical holding part 15 Shock absorbing member 50 Front fender panel 54 Apron upper member

Claims (7)

A shock absorber housing for installing a shock absorbing member in a vehicle,
It is an outer shape having two holding portions that respectively hold both axial end portions of the shock absorbing member, and a connecting arm that connects the holding portions outside the shock absorbing member,
The connecting arm is bent like a letter toward the outside from the both holding portions,
When a compressive load is applied in the axial direction of the shock absorbing member, the connecting arm can be buckled and deformed while its bent portion becomes a relief mechanism for the compressive load and moves away from the shock absorbing member. Shock absorber housing. One or both of the two holding portions is a flat plate covering the axial end surface of the shock absorbing member,
The shock absorber housing according to claim 1, wherein a positioning piece for positioning and holding the shock absorbing member is provided on an inner surface of the flat holding portion. When one of the two holding portions is flat,
The shock absorber housing according to claim 2, wherein the other holding portion is formed in a cylindrical shape that holds the shock absorbing member from the outer periphery.   The shock absorber housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connecting arm is provided in an opposing manner on both sides of the holding portion.   A vehicle shock absorber comprising the shock absorber housing according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and a shock absorbing member held in the shock absorber housing.   The vehicle shock absorber according to claim 5, wherein the shock absorbing member is a paper tube member wound flat so as to surround a central axis. The vehicle shock absorber according to claim 5, wherein the shock absorbing member is a block body made of foamed resin.

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