Vehicle dashboard sub-assembly equipped with a storage compartment associated with a safety airbag.

Abstract

The invention relates to a dashboard subassembly (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a dashboard body (10) designed to extend transversely across the width of the vehicle and including a cover panel (13) designed to extend to the base of the windshield, said cover panel (13) being provided with at least one recess (14) forming a storage compartment for objects; characterized in that it also includes a safety airbag located under said cover panel (13) at the periphery of said compartment (14), said airbag comprising an inflatable bag (21) and a gas generator capable of inflating and deploying said bag (21) in the event of a collision so as to cover the objects placed in said compartment (14) and press them against the bottom thereof. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 5

Description

Description Title of the invention: Dashboard subassembly for a vehicle provided with a storage bowl associated with a cushion safety inflatable. Technical field

[0001] = The present invention relates to a dashboard subassembly for a vehicle automobile equipped with a storage compartment associated with an airbag security. Prior art

[0002] — Passengers in vehicles, particularly automobiles, are increasingly- internal storage space managers able to accommodate all kinds of objects or accessories, such as sunglasses, electronic devices, type Smartphones or tablets, cups, bottles, cards and / or documents, pens, coins etc…

[0003] — Storage devices such as glove boxes or storage compartments are generally installed in the dashboard and / or the side door trim panels of the vehicle in order to accommodate some of these objects or accessories.

[0004] — Due to their location, such storage spaces do not allow the driver (or even the front passenger) to use the objects placed there during the journeys.

[0005] — Support devices are also known which can be removably attached to the vehicle dashboard or on a ventilation system vent and intended for example to accommodate a portable electronic device of the type Smartphone or tablet or a container such as a cup or a can.

[0006] It is also known, in particular from international patent application WO 2006 / 095064, support devices for such portable electronic devices including a support block for the electronic device, a suction cup for fixing on the front windshield of the motor vehicle, as well as a connecting arm between the block support and suction cup. Such a support device also includes a joint consisting of a connecting ball joint arranged between the arm and the fixing means: this ball joint allowing the support block and therefore the portable electronic device to be oriented according to the user's wishes.

[0007] However, the number of reception locations allowing the installation of these devices- positive support reported being limited in the front part of the passenger compartment, passengers front seats do not have the possibility of having all the objects within reach or accessories that they would like to use during the journey of the vehicle. This issue particularly concerns vehicles equipped with driver assistance modes capable of completely relieving the driver in certain situations (for example when the vehicle is traveling on roads with separate carriageways) so that the driver is not required to keep their eyes fixed on the road and can attend to other activities (making telephone calls, watching a film, launching a video game on a computer or tablet, reading a book or magazine, etc.). In order to facilitate access to a greater number of objects by the front passengers of the vehicle, document FR 2 439 690 A1 proposes a dashboard subassembly comprising a covering panel extending to the base of the windscreen and being provided with two recesses forming two storage bowls arranged symmetrically on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle. Easily accessible by the driver and front passenger, these bowls provide additional storage space to support a large number of objects. Unfortunately, in the event of a violent impact, objects placed in these bowls can be thrown into the passenger compartment, risking injury to the front passengers of the vehicle. Statement of the invention The present invention aims to improve the safety of front passengers in vehicles equipped with dashboard sub-assemblies whose covering panel is provided with at least one such storage bowl. To this end, it proposes a dashboard subassembly for a motor vehicle comprising a dashboard body intended to extend transversely across the width of this vehicle and comprising a covering panel intended to extend to the base of the windshield, said covering panel being provided with at least one recess forming a storage bowl for objects; characterized in that it also comprises an airbag installed under said covering panel on the periphery of said bowl, said cushion comprising an airbag as well as a gas generator capable of ensuring the inflation and deployment of said bag in the event of an impact so as to cover the objects placed in said bowl and press them against the bottom of the latter. The addition of such an airbag makes it possible, in the event of an impact, to hold the objects contained in the storage compartment and prevent them from being thrown into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The invention thus contributes to significantly improving the protection of the front passengers of such a vehicle in the event of an impact. According to preferred characteristics of said dashboard subassembly according to the invention: - said airbag comprises guidance means for directing the deployment of said airbag; - that said guide means comprise two lateral elastic tensioners installed under said bowl and each being fixedly connected by their two ends respectively to said airbag and to said covering panel; - each said lateral tensioner has at one of its ends several branches fixed at regular intervals from each other along the rear edge of said bowl; - said covering panel has at the periphery of said bowl a frangible line of lesser resistance capable of tearing under the pressure of said airbag in the event of said cushion being triggered; - said frangible line of least resistance is constituted by a thinning groove made on the lower face of said covering panel; - said inflatable bag has a flattened or “two-dimensional” configuration in the deployed state; - said bowl is delimited by a semicircular bottom wall extending substantially horizontally forward between a rear transverse edge and a semicircular edge, as well as by a curved recess extending substantially vertically upwards from and along said semicircular edge; - said bottom wall has a plurality of receiving orifices provided to receive, by matching shape, studs projecting from support members in order to ensure that the latter are held on this bottom wall; and / or - said covering panel is provided with two said cups arranged symmetrically on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle and each associated with a respective said airbag. Brief description of the drawings The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig.1] represents a partial three-quarter rear perspective view of a motor vehicle dashboard subassembly according to the invention comprising a covering panel provided with a storage bowl opposite the front passenger seating position; - [Fig.2] is a sectional view of the dashboard subassembly of [Fig.1], taken along the median vertical longitudinal plane of the storage compartment; - [Fig.3] represents a partial sectional and perspective view of the dashboard subassembly of [Fig.1], taken along the median longitudinal plane of the bowl of storage when the airbag is triggered following an impact; - [Fig.4] is a view identical to that of [Fig.2] but taken at the time of the airbag being triggered; - [Fig.5] represents a partial three-quarter rear perspective view of the dashboard subassembly of [Fig.1], taken after full deployment of the airbag; and - [Fig.6] is a view identical to those of figures 2 and 4 but taken after the complete deployment of the airbag. Description of the embodiments [Fig. 1] represents a partial view of a dashboard subassembly 1 intended to be mounted on the assembly line of a motor vehicle. In the following description and by convention, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “longitudinal” and “transverse” will be defined in relation to the mounting position of this dashboard subassembly 1 in the vehicle. The terms "front" and "rear" will be used to define the relative position of one element in relation to another according to the axial direction of the vehicle oriented in the normal direction of travel of this vehicle. Finally, the term "substantially" will indicate that a slight deviation is permitted from a predetermined nominal position or arrangement, while remaining within the scope of the invention. For example, "substantially vertical" indicates that a deviation of the order of 10° from a strictly vertical orientation is permitted within the scope of the invention. As illustrated in this [Fig. 1], the dashboard subassembly 1 comprises a dashboard body 10 made of plastic material rigidly mounted on a dashboard crossmember, not visible, intended to be fixed by its two ends to the linings of the front side wings of the body structure of the vehicle, so as to extend transversely over the entire width of this vehicle above the feet of the driver and the front passenger. The dashboard body 10 comprises a curved front end 11 for joining with a windshield of the vehicle (not shown), a rear facade 12 intended to face the front passengers of this vehicle, as well as a covering panel 13 connecting this rear facade 12 to this front joining end 11. This cover panel 13 is provided, opposite the front passenger, with a recess 14 forming a storage bowl for a multitude of objects not shown. Still with reference to [Fig.1], this bowl 14 is delimited by: - a semicircular bottom wall 15 extending substantially horizontally towards the front between a rear transverse edge 15A and a semicircular edge 15B; and - a curved recess 16 extending substantially vertically upwards from and along the semicircular edge 15B. As illustrated by figures 2 and 3, the bottom wall 15 advantageously has a plurality of receiving orifices 17 arranged in the form of rows parallel to each other, these orifices 17 being provided to receive, by matching shape, pins projecting from the base of support members of different types (storage bins, cup holders, supports for tablets or Smartphones, etc.) in order to ensure that these support members are held on this bottom wall 15. According to the invention and with reference to [Fig. 2], the dashboard subassembly 1 comprises a safety airbag 20 intended to prevent objects placed in the bowl 14 from being thrown into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The airbag 20 conventionally comprises an airbag in the folded or rolled-up state 21 in the form of a curved rod extending below the covering panel 13 along the peripheral periphery 18 of this panel bordering the top of the recess 16. The cushion 20 also comprises a gas generator 22 comprising a rigid pyrotechnic cartridge of generally cylindrical shape in which there are reagents allowing the generation of gas and an electrically controlled trigger. The inflatable bag 21 is advantageously formed by two sheets of fabric superimposed and joined at their peripheral edges by a continuous joining line made by sewing or laser welding. Alternatively, the bag 21 could be made by a single sheet of fabric folded in two lengthwise and joined on three sides of its periphery by means of a continuous joining line. The air bag 11 thus has, in the deployed state, a flattened or “two-dimensional” configuration similar to that of the air bags fitted to curtain-type safety air bags and characterized by a low thickness relative to its length and width. This type of flattened configuration makes it possible to obtain a large covering surface for a reduced inflation volume so that it only requires a low-cost, reduced-capacity gas generator for inflation. The gas generator 22 comprises at one of its ends, an electrical connector, not shown, allowing the trigger to be electrically connected to the vehicle's electrical network in order to control the airbag 20. The inflatable bag 21 is further provided with at least one inflation orifice fluidically connected to the outlet of the gas generator 22 by a corresponding non-re- presented. As can be seen in [Fig.2], the peripheral periphery 18 bordering the top of the semicircular recess 16 has a frangible line of lesser resistance 19 capable of tearing under the pressure of the inflatable bag 21 in the event of triggering of the cushion 20 to allow the deployment of this cushion in the passenger compartment. This frangible line of least resistance 19 is for example constituted by a thinning groove made on the lower face of the peripheral periphery 18 of the covering panel 13. It can also be done by sewing as a variant and depending on the circumstances. When the airbag 10 is triggered by the emission of an electrical signal generated during a violent impact (for example, a frontal, rear or lateral collision of the vehicle with another vehicle or an obstacle such as for example a pole), the gas generator 22 sends pressurized gas into the interior of the airbag 21 which first deploys obliquely upwards and rearwards crossing the peripheral periphery 18 of the cover panel 13 at the frangible line 19 which ruptures (figures 3 and 4). Following this rupture of the frangible line 19 and as can be seen in [Fig. 3], the two portions of the peripheral rim 18 fold back on either side of the frangible line 19 so as to facilitate the deployment of the inflatable bag 21 which initially covers the objects placed in the bowl 14 and then presses them once inflated against its bottom wall 15. In order to limit the upward deployment of the airbag 21 and to ensure that, in its deployed configuration illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 6, it completely covers the storage bowl 14 so as to ensure optimal retention of the objects placed therein, the airbag 20 advantageously comprises guide means in this case consisting of two lateral elastic tensioners 23 installed under the bowl 14 and each being fixedly connected by their two ends respectively to the airbag 21 and to the covering panel 13 (preferably at a lateral end of the rear transverse edge 15A of the bottom wall 15 of the bowl 14). As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, these two tensioners 23 pass through the peripheral periphery 18 of the covering panel 13 at the frangible line 19 from the start of deployment of the air bag 21 and, once stretched, direct this air bag 21 towards the rear as illustrated in [Fig.6]. Alternatively and in order to ensure even better guidance of the deployment of the airbag 21, each lateral tensioner 23 may for example present at one of its ex- ends several branches fixed at regular intervals from each other along the rear edge of the bowl 14 According to embodiment variants not shown, the guide means may be different. According to still other embodiment variants not shown, the storage bowl can be shaped differently. It is also possible to envisage that the covering panel is provided with two bowls arranged symmetrically on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle and each associated with a respective safety airbag. Finally, it is recalled that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but also encompasses all variant embodiments within the reach of those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims

1. Dashboard subassembly (1) for a motor vehicle comprising a dashboard body (10) intended to extend trans- across the width of this vehicle and including a panel of covering (13) intended to extend to the base of the windshield, said covering panel (13) being provided with at least one rein- sink (14) forming a storage bowl for objects; characterized in that it also comprises an inflatable cushion of safety (20) installed under said cover panel (13) in pe- rim of said bowl (14), said cushion comprising a bag inflatable (21) as well as a gas generator (22) capable of ensuring the inflation and deployment of said bag (21) in the event of an impact so as to cover the objects placed in said bowl (14) and place them against the bottom of the latter.

2. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to claim 1, ca- characterized in that said airbag (20) comprises guide means (23) for directing the deployment of said bag inflatable.

3. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to claim 2, ca- characterized in that said guide means comprise two tensioners lateral elastics (23) implanted under said bowl (14) and being each fixedly connected by their two ends respectively to said airbag (11) and said cover panel (13).

4. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to claim 3, ca- characterized in that each said lateral tensioner presents at one of its ex- ends several branches fixed at regular intervals to each other others along the rear edge of said bowl 14.

5. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said covering panel (13) has in periphery of said bowl (14) a frangible line of lesser re- resistance (19) capable of tearing under the pressure of said inflatable bag (21) in the event of triggering of said cushion (20).

6. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to claim 5, ca- characterized in that said frangible line of least resistance (19) is consisting of a thinning groove made on the in- face lower part of said cover panel (13).

7. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said inflatable bag has in the deployed state a flattened or “two-dimensional” configuration.

8. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to '7, characterized in that said bowl (14) is delimited by: - a semicircular bottom wall (15) extending substantially horizontally- forward spread between a rear transverse edge (15A) and an edge hemicircular (15B); and - a curved recess (16) extending substantially vertically upwardly from and along said semicircular edge (15B).

9. A dashboard subassembly (1) according to claim 8, ca- characterized in that said bottom wall (15) has a plurality of receiving holes {17) provided to receive by fitting by cor- shape correspondence of the protruding pawns from the support organs in order to ensure that the latter are held on this bottom wall (15).

10. Dashboard subassembly (1) according to claim 9, ca- characterized in that said cover panel (13) is provided with two said basins arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane longitudinal median of the vehicle and each associated with a said cushion respective safety inflatable (20).