JP2000264142A - Vehicle bumper structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle bumper structure having a sensor in a bumper body capable of detecting an equal shock with equal sensitivity regardless of a position in the bumper body subjected to the shock. SOLUTION: In this vehicle bumper structure, a bumper body 1 has a shock absorbing material 4a between an armature 2 and a bumper fascia 3. A sensor 5 for sensing a shock inputted from the bumper body 1 toward a vehicle body is provided on a side face of the shock absorbing material 4a side such that the sensor 5 extends in the longitudinal direction of the bumper body 1, while the shock absorbing material 4a is formed with a recessed space 6a for storing the sensor 5 in a side face of the armature 2 side. The recessed space 6a has a different cross sectional shape according to a position of the bumper body 1 such that the sensor 5 can detect a shock with equal sensitivity regardless of the position in the bumper body 1 subjected to the shock.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle bumper structure provided with a sensor for sensing an impact.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent vehicle development, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
As shown in No. 6826, safety is being considered not only for passengers but also for pedestrians.

[0003] For example, in the case where a running vehicle collides with a pedestrian, it is necessary to stop the damage to the pedestrian to a minimum. Therefore, a sensor that detects a collision with a pedestrian is built in the bumper main body to detect a collision with a pedestrian, and the airbag is deployed on a hood or the like in front of the vehicle in response to the detection, so that the collision is prevented. It has been proposed to protect the pedestrian by reducing the impact when the pedestrian hits the hood or the like again.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show cross sections of a bumper main body 1 having a built-in sensor 5 for detecting a collision with a pedestrian.

[0005] As shown in FIG. 9, a shock absorber 4 is provided between the armature 2 and the bumper facer 3 of the bumper body 1.

On the side surface of the armature 2 on the side of the shock absorbing material 4,
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a sensor 5 for sensing an impact inputted from the bumper main body 1 toward the vehicle body is provided so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the bumper main body 1. A concave space 6 for housing the sensor 5 is provided on the two side surfaces.

The depth of the concave space 6 and the width of the concave space 6 in the vertical direction are set to be constant.
When the collision occurs, the concave space 6 is narrowed, and the inner wall surface 7 of the concave space 6 presses the sensor 5 so that the sensor 5 detects an impact.

[0008]

However, in such a bumper body 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the same shock is applied to the center 9 of the bumper body 1 from the direction A as shown in FIG. Compared to the case where the corner portion 10 of the bumper body 1 is received from the direction B, the impact received from the direction A is
The shock is absorbed by the shock absorber 4 and weakened and transmitted to the sensor 5. The shock received from the direction B is smaller than the shock received from the direction A because the thickness of the shock absorber 4 is thinner than the center of the bumper 1. A stronger impact is transmitted to the sensor 5, and depending on the position of the bumper body 1 where the pedestrian collides,
There was a problem that the collision load required to open the airbag varied.

As described above, even if the same impact is applied to the bumper main body 1, impacts having different strengths are transmitted to the sensor depending on the position of the bumper main body 1 due to the difference in the shape and structure of the bumper main body 1. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to detect an accurate impact with the sensor 5.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide the bumper main body in the bumper main body without depending on the location of the bumper main body subjected to the impact. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle bumper structure in which the sensor can detect an impact with the same sensitivity with respect to the same impact.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle bumper structure having a shock absorber between an armature and a bumper facer. A sensor for sensing an input shock is provided on the shock absorber side surface of the armature so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the bumper body,
The shock absorbing member is provided with a concave space for accommodating the sensor on the side surface of the armature, and the concave space receives the same shock when the same shock is applied to the bumper body. It is characterized in that the sensor has a different cross-sectional shape depending on the position of the bumper body so that the sensor can detect an impact with the same sensitivity regardless of the position of the bumper body.

[0012] By using the vehicle bumper structure according to claim 1, the sensor provided in the bumper main body can receive the same impact regardless of the location of the bumper main body that has received the impact. Thus, it is possible to detect an impact with the same sensitivity.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle bumper structure wherein the depth of the concave space according to the first aspect increases as the thickness of the shock absorbing material decreases.

In the bumper structure for a vehicle according to the second aspect, the depth of the concave space is set to be small where the impact absorbing material of the bumper body according to the first aspect is provided thickly; By setting the depth of the concave space large where the shock absorber is provided thinly, the shock can be detected with the same sensitivity by the sensor regardless of which part of the bumper body receives a shock. It is possible to do.

The bumper structure for a vehicle according to the third aspect is characterized in that the concave space according to the first or second aspect has a smaller vertical width as the thickness of the shock absorbing material decreases. And

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the bumper body according to the first or second aspect, where the impact absorbing material is provided thick, the vertical width of the concave space is reduced. When the shock absorber is provided thin, the width of the concave space in the vertical direction is set to be narrow, so that even if any part of the bumper body receives an impact, the same sensor is used in the sensor. Shock can be detected with sensitivity.

[0017]

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In addition. The same or equivalent parts as those in FIGS. 7 to 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals and described.

A bumper body 1 having a vehicle bumper structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention has a structure as shown in FIGS.
An impact absorbing member 4a is provided between the armature 2 and the bumper fascia 3.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bumper body 1 has a shape in which a gentle curve is drawn, and is installed so as to wrap around the vehicle body from the front to the side.

On the other hand, the armature 2 has a central portion formed straight along the vehicle width direction, and both end portions of the armature 2 extending outside the bumper corner portion 10 where both ends of the central portion are located, It is formed to be inclined in the front-rear direction.

The shock absorbing member 4a has a front surface corresponding to the bumper body 1 and a rear surface corresponding to the front surface of the armature 2, and has a central portion 9 of the bumper body 1.
Are thick, and the bumper corners 10, 10 are formed thin.

On the side of the armature 2 on the side of the shock absorbing member 4a, a sensor 5 for sensing a shock input from the bumper body 1 toward the vehicle body is provided. This sensor 5 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the pressure-sensitive rubber is formed of a band-shaped pressurized conductive rubber 11 made of silicon rubber kneaded with metal fine particles, and a pair of plate-like electrodes 12, 12 sandwiching the pressurized conductive rubber 11.
By covering the outer periphery with silicon rubber 13, waterproofness is ensured.

When pressure is applied to the flat electrodes 12, 12 in a vertical direction, the sensor 5 presses the conductive rubber 11.
Is compressed between the pair of flat electrodes 12, 12 and has conductivity, and the pressure is detected by the mutual conductivity of the flat electrodes 12, 12.

The sensor 5 is provided on the armature 2 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the bumper main body 1 and has two flat electrodes 12, 12 standing up and down substantially in the front-rear direction of the bumper main body 1.

A concave space 6a for accommodating the sensor 5 attached to the armature 2 is provided on a side surface of the shock absorber 4a on the armature 2 side. Recessed space 6a
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vertical width is set to be constant, but the depth is set to different dimensions depending on the position of the bumper body 1 in the left-right direction.

The depth of the concave space 6a is small in the central portion 9 of the bumper main body 1 and the side portions 14 of the vehicle,
As approaching the bumper corners 10, 10,
The shock absorber 4a is formed so as to increase as the thickness of the shock absorber 4a decreases.

When a shock is applied to the bumper body 1 from the horizontal direction, the sensor 5 is pressed by the inner wall surface 7 of the concave space 6a narrowed toward the armature 2 by the shock. The impact is detected.

Hereinafter, the impact detected by the sensor 5 provided in the main body of the bumper main body 1 when the bumper main body 1 having the vehicle bumper structure shown in the first embodiment receives an impact will be described. I do.

As shown in FIG. 1, when an impact is received from the direction A of the bumper main body 1, the impact is absorbed by the impact absorbing material 4a, so that the concave space 6a is not easily deformed. However, since the depth of the concave space 6a is small, even if the deformation of the concave space 6a is small, the inner wall surface 7 of the concave space 6a can easily press the sensor 5, and the shock absorbing material 4a is provided thick. Even in the central portion 9 of the bumper main body 1, by setting the depth of the concave space 6a according to the thickness of the shock absorbing material 4a, the sensor 5 detects the shock with a certain sensitivity to a certain shock. It can be set to perform.

When a shock is applied to the bumper corner 10 from the direction B, the thickness of the shock absorbing material 4a is smaller than the center 9 of the bumper main body 1, so that the concave space 6
a is easily deformed. However, since the depth of the concave space 6a is large, even if the concave space 6a is deformed in the front-rear direction of the bumper main body 1, the inner wall surface 7 of the concave space 6a becomes difficult to press the sensor 5, and the strength is constant. Only when the above impact is received, the sensor 5 detects the impact. Therefore, by setting the depth of the concave space 6a in accordance with the thickness of the shock absorbing material 4a even for the bumper corner portion 10 in which the shock absorbing material 4a is provided thinly, the sensor 5 can receive a constant shock. On the other hand, it is possible to set so as to detect an impact with a constant sensitivity.

As described above, where the shock absorbing material 4a is provided thickly in the front-rear direction of the bumper body 1,
By setting the depth of the concave space 6a small and setting the depth of the concave space 6a large where the shock absorbing material 4a is thin, even if any part of the bumper body 1 receives an impact, , Sensor 5 can detect an impact with the same sensitivity.

[0032]

Second Embodiment FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In addition. 1 to 4 and 7
9 are denoted by the same reference numerals and described.

In a bumper body 1 having a vehicle bumper structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention, similarly to the first embodiment, a shock absorber 4b is disposed between an armature 2 and a bumper facer 3. And the shock absorber 4b of the armature 2
A sensor 5 is attached to the side surface, and the bumper facer 3, the armature 2, and the sensor 5 are the same as those in the first embodiment of the invention.

The shock absorber 4b has a shape corresponding to the shapes of the bumper body 1 and the armature 2 as in the first embodiment of the present invention. The corner portions 10, 10 are formed so as to be thin.

A concave space 6b for accommodating the sensor 5 attached to the armature 2 is provided on a side surface of the shock absorber 4b on the armature 2 side. Recessed space 6b
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the depth of the bumper main body 1 is set to be constant, but the height in the vertical direction is set to different heights according to the longitudinal position of the bumper main body 1. ing.

The width of the concave space 6b in the vertical direction is the bumper body 1.
The central part 9 side and the vehicle side parts 14 and 14 side are wide, and as it approaches the bumper corner parts 10 and 10,
That is, as the thickness of the shock absorbing material 4b is reduced, the width in the vertical direction is formed so as to decrease.

When an impact is applied to the bumper body 1 from the horizontal direction, the sensor 5 is pressed by the inner wall surface 7 of the concave space 6b narrowed by the impact, as in the first embodiment. Thus, the impact is detected by the sensor 5.

Hereinafter, when the bumper body 1 having the vehicle bumper structure shown in the second embodiment of the invention receives an impact,
The impact detected by the sensor 5 provided in the main body of the bumper main body 1 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, when an impact is received from the direction A of the bumper main body 1, the impact is absorbed by the impact absorbing material 4b, so that the concave space 6b is not easily deformed. However, since the vertical width of the concave space 6b is long,
Even if the deformation of the recessed space 6b is small, the inner wall surface 7 of the recessed space 6b protrudes due to an impact to easily press the sensor 5, and the bumper body 1 provided with the shock absorbing material 4b thickly
Even in the central portion 9, the height of the concave space 6b is set in accordance with the thickness of the shock absorbing material 4b so that the sensor 5 can detect an impact with a constant sensitivity to a constant impact. Can be set.

When a shock is applied to the corner 10 of the bumper body 1 from the direction B, the shock absorber 4b
Is thinner than the central portion 9 of the bumper body 1, the concave space 6b is easily deformed. However, since the width of the concave space 6b in the vertical direction is short, the concave space 6b is hardly deformed in the front-rear direction of the bumper main body 1, and the inner wall surface 7 of the concave space 6b is hard to press the sensor 5, so that the strength is constant. Only when the above impact is received, the sensor 5 detects the impact. Therefore, by setting the vertical width of the concave space 6b in accordance with the thickness of the shock absorbing material 4b, the sensor 5 can maintain a constant value even for the corner portions 10 and 10 where the shock absorbing material 4b is thinly provided. It is possible to set so as to detect an impact with a constant sensitivity to the impact.

As described above, where the shock absorbing material 4b in the front-rear direction of the bumper body 1 is provided thickly,
The width of the concave space 6b in the vertical direction is set to be wide, and the shock absorbing material 4
Where b is provided thinly, by setting the vertical width of the concave space 6b to be narrow, the shock can be detected with the same sensitivity in the sensor 5 regardless of which part of the bumper body 1 receives a shock. Becomes possible.

Although the vehicle bumper structure according to the present invention has been described in detail using the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Even if there is a change in design without departing from the gist of the present invention, the present invention is included in the present invention. For example, in the first embodiment of the invention, the width of the concave space 6a in the vertical direction is made constant and the width in the front-rear direction is changed according to the position of the bumper main body 1. In the second embodiment of the invention, the width of the concave space 6b in the front-rear direction is changed. Although the width is kept constant and the width in the vertical direction is changed according to the position of the bumper body 1, both the width in the front-rear direction and the width in the vertical direction of the concave space may be changed.

In the case of the bumper body 1 having the vehicle bumper structure according to the present invention, the armature 2 to which the sensor 5 is attached is fixed to the vehicle body via a stay when the bumper body 1 is attached. After that, the shock absorbers 4a, 4b and the bumper facer 3 can be attached while the sensor 5 is housed in the concave spaces 6a, 6b.
a and 6b are aligned with the sensor 5 so that the shock absorber 4
a, 4b can be easily aligned. At this time, in Embodiment 1 of the invention, since the vertical width of the concave space 6a substantially matches the vertical width of the sensor 5 as shown in FIGS. With respect to such a load, the sensor 5 can be held in the vertical direction by the concave space 6a, and the mounting strength of the sensor 5 can be improved. Further, in the second embodiment of the invention, only the bumper corner portion 10 is formed so that the vertical width of the concave space 6 substantially matches the vertical width of the sensor 5, and the remaining Since the portion has some allowance in the vertical width of the concave spaces 6a and 6b, the mounting position can be easily adjusted and the assembling work can be easily performed.

[0044]

According to the present invention, by using the vehicle bumper structure according to claim 1, the sensor provided in the bumper main body is not affected by the location of the bumper main body that has been subjected to an impact. Can detect the shock with the same sensitivity to the same shock.

In the vehicle bumper structure according to the second aspect, where the impact absorbing material of the bumper body according to the first aspect is provided thick, the depth of the concave space is set small. By setting the depth of the concave space large where the shock absorber is provided thinly, the shock can be detected with the same sensitivity by the sensor regardless of which part of the bumper body receives a shock. It is possible to do.

Further, in the bumper structure for a vehicle according to the third aspect, the bumper body according to the first or second aspect, wherein the impact absorbing material is provided thickly, the width of the concave space in the vertical direction. Where the shock absorbing material is provided thin and the width of the concave space in the vertical direction is set to be narrow, even if any part of the bumper body receives an impact, the same is applied to the sensor. It is possible to detect an impact with a sensitivity of.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view along a sensor in a bumper main body according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of a sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view along a sensor in a bumper main body according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view along a sensor in a conventional bumper body.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line GG in FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bumper main body 2 Armature 3 Bumper facer 4, 4a, 4b Shock absorber 5 Sensor 6, 6a, 6b Concave space 9 Central part 10 Bumper corner part

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) Between an armature and a bumper fascia,
In the bumper main body having a shock absorbing material, a sensor for detecting a shock input from the bumper main body toward the vehicle body is provided on the shock absorbing material side surface of the armature so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the bumper main body. The shock absorbing member is provided with a concave space for accommodating the sensor on the side of the armature, and the concave space receives the shock when the same shock is applied to the bumper body. A bumper structure for a vehicle, wherein the bumper structure has a different cross section depending on the position of the bumper body so that the sensor can detect an impact with the same sensitivity regardless of the position of the bumper body. 2. The bumper structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the concave space increases as the thickness of the shock absorbing material decreases. 3. The bumper structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the width of the concave space in the vertical direction decreases as the thickness of the shock absorbing material decreases.