JPH09104317A - Occupant protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a driver's knee part from coming into strong collision with the underside of a steering column cover when a vehicle comes into collision. SOLUTION: A knee airbag module 3 is fitted at a steering column cover 2 in a vehicle, bending members 8 for impact absorption which connect an under cover 5 with a front deck cross member 7 are fitted at right and left positions of the steering column cover 2 respectively, a knee airbag 20 is inflated by the operation of the knee airbag module 3 when a vehicle comes into collision, and the underside of the knee airbag 20 of roughly V-shaped cross section which inclines to the right and left relative to a driver's knee part 10 is formed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for protecting an occupant, particularly a driver's knees, with an airbag or the like in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to mitigate the impact of a driver's knees moving forward and upward in a vehicle collision due to a collision with an in-vehicle equipment, a steering shaft 1 of a vehicle is conventionally used as illustrated in FIG. Steering column cover 2 to cover
The under cover 5 is integrally attached to the lower end of the nearby instrument panel 4 with screws, clips, etc.,
A bending member 8 that connects the reinforcement 6 fixed to the inner surface side and the front deck cross member 7 is installed as shock absorbing means, and when the driver's knee 10 collides with the undercover 5 during a vehicle collision, As a result of the undercover 5 being pushed forward, the bending member 8 is further bent and absorbs energy, so that a large impact is prevented from acting on the knee portion 10 to protect the driver.

However, depending on the collision direction of the vehicle, the sitting posture of the occupant, and the like, the knee portion 10 of the driver can be affected by the collision of the vehicle.
Moves forward and upward and collides with the steering column cover 2 located above the undercover 5 in the passenger compartment without colliding with the undercover 5, or collides with both the steering column cover 2 and the undercover 5. there's a possibility that.

Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the above-mentioned device, the steering column cover 2 is further equipped with a relatively small knee airbag module 3 and the knee airbag is provided in the event of a vehicle collision. The knee portion 10 of the driver hits the knee airbag 9 deployed downward from the module 3 by nitrogen gas or the like as shown by the chain double-dashed line,
The knee airbag 9 absorbs the impact energy of the knee portion 10 to prevent the knee portion 10 from colliding with the steering column cover 2.

However, as indicated by the chain double-dashed line, the lower surface of the knee airbag 9 that is deployed downward from the knee airbag module 3 is flat or spherical, depending on the driving posture of the driver. When the driver's knee 10 moves toward the lower surface of the steering column cover 2 during a vehicle collision, the knee airbag 10 receives almost the same load as the knee airbag 9, but the lower surface of the steering column cover 2 The distance between the knee portion 10 and the knee portion 10 is very small even under normal conditions, and the installation space for the knee airbag module 3 in the steering column cover 2 is also small. Therefore, the volume when the knee airbag 9 is deployed cannot be increased so much. .

[0006] Therefore, since the stroke allowed after the knee portion 10 toward the lower surface of the steering column cover 2 hits the knee airbag 9 is relatively small, the knee portion 10 which can be absorbed by the knee airbag 9 is relatively small. The collision energy is inevitably small, and the knee portion 10 may collide with the lower surface of the column cover 2.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to avoid collision of the driver's knees with the lower surface of the steering column cover at the time of a vehicle collision, and to secure the impact absorption means mounted on the undercover. To absorb the impact of the knee.

[0008]

In order to achieve this object, an occupant protection device according to the present invention includes an instrument panel in the vicinity of a steering column cover in a vehicle or an under cover attached to the instrument panel. To the impact absorbing means, the impact absorbing means being disposed on one side and absorbing the impact due to the collision of the driver's leg portion, and the leg portion which is deployed when the impact of a predetermined value or more acts on the vehicle and is moved by the impact. And an airbag for directing.

That is, when an impact of a predetermined value or more is exerted on the vehicle due to a collision of the vehicle, the airbag is deployed, and when the driver's legs that are moved by the impact hit the airbag, the instrument near the steering column cover is installed. To the shock absorbing means arranged inside the undercover attached to the instrument panel or the instrument panel,
Since the airbag directs the legs of the driver, it is possible to easily prevent the legs from colliding with the steering column cover, and the impact received by the legs is also easily mitigated by the impact absorbing means, so that the legs of the driver can be prevented. It becomes possible to sufficiently protect the part.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below by assigning the same reference numerals to parts equivalent to those of the conventional device. 1 and 2, a relatively small knee airbag module 3 is provided inside or under a steering column cover 2 that covers a steering shaft 1 of a vehicle, and screws or clips are attached to a lower end of an instrument panel 4. The undercover 5 is integrally attached to the steering column cover 2 by the bending members 8 which connect the reinforcement 6 fixed to the inner surface of the undercover 5 and the front deck cross member 7, respectively. It is provided.

When the vehicle collides head-on with some kind of barrier or the like and a shock of a predetermined value or more acts on the vehicle, the knee airbag module 3 is actuated and the knee gas 20 is formed by a chain double-dashed line by the generated nitrogen gas or the like. When the knee airbag 20 is rapidly deployed downward as shown, the knee airbag 20 is left or right under the left and right portions 21 due to the deployed shape of the bag itself or the pulling action of a tether such as a band appropriately mounted inside.
Is inclined inwardly and / or inwardly rearward, and the width of the left and right sides is narrowed downward and / or rearward, and the section is substantially V.
Expands into a letter shape.

Therefore, the left and right knees 10 of the driver who has moved forward and upward due to the impact are inflated in the knee airbag 20.
Colliding with the left and right inclined surfaces 21 on the lower surface of the
The impact received by the left and right knees 10 is mitigated, and further, the left and right knees 10 move along the left and right inclined surfaces 21 of the knee airbag 20, as shown by the arrows in FIG.
Since the left and right knees 10 are respectively directed to the left and right and guided to the left and right of the steering column cover 2, the left and right knees 10 collide with the undercover 5, respectively, and the instrument panel 4 and the undercover 5 are attached. Are easily damaged or broken, and the undercover 5 is pushed forward, and as a result, the left and right bending members 8 whose front ends are supported by the front deck cross member 7 are further bent to absorb energy, thereby causing the knee portion 10 to be absorbed. It is possible to prevent a large impact from being applied to.

In this case, even if the distance between the lower surface of the steering column cover 2 and the knee portion 10 is normally very small, when the knee portion 10 of the driver moves toward the lower surface of the steering column cover 2, the right and left The knee portions 10 of the knee airbag 10 are respectively directed to the left and right by the left and right inclined surfaces 21 of the knee airbag 20, so that the knee portions 10 are prevented from colliding with the lower surface of the steering column cover 2, and the undercover 5 to which the bending member 8 is attached. The impact on the knee portion 10 due to the collision with the vehicle is reliably alleviated, and the driver can be sufficiently protected.

Further, even when the vehicle collides obliquely against some barrier or the like, the knee airbag module 3 is actuated by the impact of a predetermined value or more on the vehicle, and the knee airbag 20 is indicated by a chain double-dashed line. When unfolded, the driver's knees 1 are directed toward the lower surface of the steering column cover 2.
Even if 0 moves, the knee portion 10 is prevented from being directed to the left and right by the left and right inclined surfaces 21 of the knee airbag 20 and the knee portion 10 is prevented from colliding with the lower surface of the steering column cover 2. In the same manner as in the above case, the impact acting on the knee portion 10 can be reliably reduced and the driver can be sufficiently protected.

In the above embodiment, the knee airbag module is mounted on the steering column cover. However, the knee airbag module is provided inside the instrument panel or the under cover attached to the instrument panel. Equipped, the knee airbag expands below the steering column cover when it is activated,
Further, even if the outer shape of the knee airbag facing the driver's knees is configured to form inclined surfaces to the left and right similar to the case of the above-described embodiment, the same effect as the above-described embodiment is obtained. It can be played.

[0016]

In the occupant protection system according to the present invention, the airbag is deployed when an impact of a predetermined value or more is exerted on the vehicle due to a collision of the vehicle or the like, and the legs of the driver moving due to the impact are airbags. When the vehicle hits the vehicle, the airbag directs the driver's legs to the shock absorbing means arranged inside the instrument panel near the steering column cover or the under cover attached to the instrument panel. It is possible to easily prevent the portion from colliding with the steering column cover, and the impact received by the leg portion is easily absorbed by the impact absorbing means, so that the driver's leg portion can be sufficiently protected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a conventional device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of another conventional device.

FIG. 5 is a view on arrow V in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Steering column cover 3 Knee airbag module 4 Instrument panel 5 Under cover 6 Linkagement 7 Front deck cross member 8 Bending member 10 Knee 20 Knee airbag 21 Knee airbag lower surface

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A shock absorbing means which is arranged inside an instrument panel in the vicinity of a steering column cover in a vehicle or an under cover attached to the instrument panel and which absorbs a shock due to a collision of a driver's leg. An occupant protection device comprising: an airbag for directing the leg portion, which is deployed when an impact of a predetermined value or more is applied to the vehicle and is moved by the impact, toward the impact absorbing means. 2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing means are provided at right and left positions of the steering column cover. 3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is mounted on the steering column cover. 4. The occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag covers the lower surface of the steering column cover when the airbag is deployed. 5. The occupant protection device according to claim 4, wherein a surface of the airbag facing the leg portion when the airbag is deployed forms an inclined surface in a vehicle width direction. 6. The occupant protection device according to claim 5, wherein the width of the left and right sides of the airbag, which faces the leg portion when the airbag is deployed, becomes narrower as the surface approaches the leg portion. 7. The occupant protection device according to claim 6, wherein a surface of the airbag facing the leg portion when the airbag is deployed has a substantially V-shaped cross section.