JPH0533420Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a cover structure for an automobile airbag device, and more particularly to a cover structure capable of forming a seamless airbag ejection opening.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Airbag devices are known as a means for preventing an occupant from leaning forward due to inertia and hitting a part of the interior of a vehicle when a large inertia force is generated in a vehicle.

This air bag device is generally constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the instrument panel in the driver's seat (hereinafter simply referred to as the instrument panel) 1
An air bag ejecting opening 2 is formed facing the seated passenger, and behind this air bag ejecting opening 2 is a box-shaped reaction box in which a folded air bag 3 and an inflator 4 are stored. A plate 5 is provided, and an air bag door 6 is attached to the air bag ejection opening 2.

When the sensor detects an impact, high-pressure gas is generated in the inflator 4, which inflates the air bag 3 and pushes open the air bag door 6, causing the air bag 3 to instantly pop out from the air bag ejection opening 2. It is designed to be deployed in front of seated passengers.

In the air bag device constructed as described above, the air bag door 6 is normally fixed to the instrument panel 1, and must be easily pushed open by the air bag 3 when the air bag 3 is inflated.

As a proposal for solving this problem, there are known proposals disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 14335/1982 and Japanese Patent Application No. 14337/1989. In the former case, as shown in Fig. 4, a perforation-like long through hole 7 as shown in Fig. 5 is formed on the diagonal of the airbag door 6 provided on the passenger side instrument panel 1 to make it easier to break. It is. In the latter case, as shown in FIG. 6, a perforation-like thin part 8 is formed in the passenger seat side instrument panel 1 in a horizontal T-shape as shown in FIG. 7 to make it easier to break. This prevents the side ventilator 9, emblem 10, etc. that have been removed from being scattered.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional structure, depending on the size and shape of the perforated long through hole 7 or the thin wall portion 8, it may not break reliably.
If the elongated hole 7 or the thin wall part 8 is lengthened to increase its ratio to the total length in order to ensure breakage, the strength of the member that normally constitutes the instrument panel 1 will be weakened, and it will easily dent when pressed from the outside. There was a problem.

Further, since the perforation-like lines appear on the surface of the instrument panel 1, the instrument panel 1 has a disadvantage in that it does not feel good when touched by hand and is also undesirable in terms of appearance.

The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and provides an air bag device for an automobile that instantly and reliably forms an air bag ejection opening when the air bag is inflated, is firmly held integrally with the instrument panel under normal conditions, and has a favorable appearance. The aim is to provide a seamless cover structure.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a cover structure for an automobile airbag device that is formed on an automobile instrument panel and covers an airbag stored inside so that it can fly out when the airbag is inflated. A substrate made of resin or the like,
It is integrally composed of three layers: an intermediate layer formed of a foam and a paint film formed on the surface of the intermediate layer, and a thin wall portion is formed at the peripheral edge of the air bag ejection opening of the substrate. Projections projecting toward the intermediate layer are provided on three sides of the thin portion.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, the air bag device is normally housed within the instrument panel, and the surface is continuously coated with the same paint film as the instrument panel surface, so the air bag device is completely invisible from the outside.

When the airbag inflates, the board breaks along the thin part, and at the same time the middle layer, which has become thin due to the protrusion, breaks at the same location, so an airbag ejection opening is instantly and easily formed in the instrument panel, and the airbag is deployed. The vehicle will fly out from this opening without being hindered and will be deployed in front of the seated occupant.

At this time, since the protrusion is not formed only on one side of the opening, the intermediate layer is not broken at this part and continues, and the cover remains attached to the instrument panel and is not blown away towards the seated occupant. There's nothing to do.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an air bag device for an automobile according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The feature of this embodiment lies in the structure of the cover that covers the air bag device, and since the air bag device is the same as the conventional example shown in FIG. 3, a description thereof will be omitted.

The instrument panel 1 has an intermediate layer 12 made of foamed urethane formed on a substrate 11 made of synthetic resin, and a coating film 1 several tens of μm thick on the surface of this intermediate layer.
3 is formed and curved. These three-layer panels are made by integral molding called mold coating.

An airbag device as shown in FIG. 3 is housed inside the part of the instrument panel 1 located in front of the passenger seat, and the board 11 in this part has a box-shaped reaction plate 5 with a corresponding opening. Opening 2 where the air bag pops out when the air bag is inflated.
is formed. Thin portions 11a are intermittently formed on the substrate 11 along the periphery of the air bag ejection opening 2. As shown in FIG.

Further, an intermediate layer 1 is provided on the substrate 11 along three of the four peripheral sides forming the air bag ejection opening 2.
Protrusions 11b protruding into the inside of 2 are formed intermittently. The intermediate layer at the portion where the protruding portion 11b protrudes is thin and easily breaks.

Although the protrusion 11b is not formed on the other of the four sides forming the air bag ejection opening 2, a woven fabric 14 is integrally molded along the periphery of the opening in the intermediate layer 12 in this area. Built-in.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be explained.

Under normal conditions, the entire surface of the instrument panel 1 is coated with a coating film 1.
3 is formed, the air bag device is not visible from the outside, there is no boundary line between the air bag door 6 and the instrument panel 1 as in the conventional example, and the appearance is desirable. Moreover, the surface of the instrument panel 1 can be freely laid out regardless of the airbag device.

Further, when the air bag is inflated, the substrate 11 is pushed by the expansion pressure of the air bag 3, and the substrate 11 is easily broken along the thin wall portion 11a by the pressure of the air bag.
At the same time, the intermediate layer 12 is also easily broken along the three thin sides formed by the projections 11b formed on the substrate 11. As a result, the portion 11c of the substrate 11 forming the air bag ejection opening 2 is located on the adjacent substrate 11.
1d, the protrusion 11 of the intermediate layer 12
The portion 12a surrounded by three sides abutting b is separated from the adjacent intermediate layer 12b.

One side of the intermediate layer 12 that is not in contact with the protrusion 11b is connected to the adjacent intermediate layer 1 with the woven fabric 14 in between.
2c, the substrate 11c is also connected to the woven fabric 1.
4 is used as a hinge portion to rotate to form an air bag ejection opening 2, and the air bag does not completely separate from the instrument panel 1. The air bag 3 inflated in this manner is not prevented from being deployed by the instrument panel 1, but flies out of the air bag opening 2 formed in the instrument panel 1 to the outside of the instrument panel 1, and is deployed in front of the seated occupant.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, a case has been described in which the thin portions 11a and the projections 11b formed on the substrate 11 are formed intermittently, but these thin portions 11a
At least one of the projections 11b and 11b may be formed continuously along the peripheral edge of the air bag ejection opening 2.

Furthermore, the hinge member is not limited to the woven fabric 14, and may be other flexible members. Furthermore, the portion 11c of the substrate 11 that forms the air bag ejection opening 2 is a separate member and is integrally formed with the intermediate layer 12a and the coating film 13, and
d and other members may be used.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, according to the present invention, the instrument panel in which the airbag device is stored is integrally composed of three layers: the substrate, the intermediate layer, and the paint film, and the thin-walled portion and the protrusion are provided at the peripheral edge of the airbag ejection opening. Because of this, the air bag ejection opening has the same appearance as the instrument panel surface under normal conditions, allowing for a free layout of the instrument panel surface.

Furthermore, when the airbag is inflated, the pressure of the airbag can instantly and reliably form an airbag ejection opening, and the airbag can be deployed in front of the occupant without the cover at this opening being blown away. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the cover structure of an automobile air bag device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an instrument panel equipped with the device, and Fig. 3
The figure is a vertical sectional view showing the general structure of a conventional air bag device, FIGS. 4 and 6 are perspective views and front views, respectively, of a conventional air bag device, and FIGS. 5 and 7 are the same as in FIG. 4, respectively. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part A and a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 6; 1...Instrument panel, 2...Air bag ejection opening,
3... Air bag, 11... Substrate, 11a... Thin wall portion, 11b... Projection, 12... Intermediate layer, 13
... Paint film, 14 ... Woven fabric (hinge member).

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A cover structure for an air bag device for an automobile that is formed on an instrument panel of an automobile and covers an air bag stored inside so that it can fly out when the air bag is expanded. It is integrally composed of three layers: a substrate made of synthetic resin or the like, an intermediate layer made of foam, and a coating film formed on the surface of the intermediate layer, and
A cover structure for an air bag device for an automobile, characterized in that a thin wall portion is formed at the peripheral edge of the air bag ejecting opening of the substrate, and protrusions projecting toward the intermediate layer are provided on three sides of the thin wall portion. (2) The cover structure for an airbag device for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein a woven fabric is interposed in the intermediate layer near the thin wall portion of the substrate where no protrusion is provided.