Dashboard for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, passenger compartment containing such a dashboard, and motor vehicle containing such a passenger compartment

Abstract

Dashboard for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, passenger compartment comprising such a dashboard, and motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment. The invention relates to a dashboard for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, containing an airbag module (15) comprising a protective bag (19) capable of moving from a retracted position to a deployed position by actuating a generator designed to trigger upon impact with said motor vehicle. According to the invention, the protective bag (19) is designed to deploy initially in a substantially lateral direction relative to said dashboard and subsequently in a substantially vertical direction relative to said dashboard. The invention also relates to a passenger compartment comprising such a dashboard and a motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment. Figure 4

Description

Title of the invention: Dashboard for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, passenger compartment comprising such a dashboard, and motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, in particular to the field of passive safety of the motor vehicle.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a dashboard for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, a passenger compartment comprising such a dashboard and a motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment. Previous technique

[0003] The passenger compartment of a motor vehicle typically includes a dashboard in which are integrated, for example, a steering wheel, an on-board computer, one or more storage spaces, ventilation flaps for the ventilation system, one or more front safety airbags.

[0004] The dashboard extends conventionally transversely relative to the motor vehicle, substantially over its entire width, from one lateral edge to the other of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0005] Front safety airbags conventionally include a driver airbag, integrated into the steering wheel opposite the driver's seat, and a passenger airbag, integrated into the dashboard opposite the front passenger seat.

[0006] In the event of a collision, the driver airbag and the passenger airbag deploy in a substantially longitudinal direction relative to the motor vehicle, so as to protect the driver in front of the steering wheel and the passenger in front of the passenger side dashboard.

[0007] For aesthetic purposes and in order to gain living space within the passenger compartment, it may be considered to reduce the length of the dashboard.

[0008] More specifically, it is envisaged to reduce the length of the dashboard substantially by half and, in this case, the half of the dashboard extends substantially opposite the driver's seat only.

[0009] When the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle is equipped with such a half-dashboard, the passenger airbag can no longer be installed opposite the driver's seat, which creates a significant safety problem for the front passenger. Description of the invention

[0010] The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and for this purpose relates to a dashboard for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, containing an airbag module comprising a protective bag capable of moving from a retracted position to a deployed position by actuation of a generator designed to trigger during a collision of said motor vehicle, remarkable in that said protective bag is designed to deploy firstly in a substantially lateral direction relative to said dashboard and secondly in a substantially vertical direction relative to said dashboard.

[0011] Thus, by providing a dashboard containing an airbag module whose protective bag is designed to deploy first in a lateral direction and second in a vertical direction relative to said dashboard, it is possible to have a protective bag which deploys opposite the passenger seat while benefiting from a dashboard which can extend over only part of the width of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0012] Thus, thanks to the present invention, it is possible to give the passenger compartment the desired aesthetics and to gain living space within the passenger compartment, while guaranteeing the expected safety for the occupants of the motor vehicle, in particular for the occupant of the front passenger seat.

[0013] According to optional features of the dashboard according to the invention: - said protective bag is self-supporting; - said protective bag includes an upper protective pocket intended to protect at least the head of an occupant of said motor vehicle, and a support pocket arranged in the lower part of said upper protective pocket, adapted to form a counter-support for said upper protective pocket; - said protective bag includes a lower protective pocket intended to protect at least the knees of an occupant of said motor vehicle, arranged in front of said support pocket; - said protective bag is designed to allow simultaneous deployment of said upper protective pocket and said lower protective pocket; - said airbag module includes a housing inside which said protective bag is enclosed when it occupies said retracted position, and the dashboard contains a mounting bracket for said housing, on which said housing is fixed; - the dashboard has a side panel and said mounting bracket is positioned near said side panel; - said housing is positioned near said side panel.

[0014] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle passenger compartment comprising a dashboard according to the invention, remarkable in that said dashboard extends over a length less than the width of said passenger compartment.

[0015] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, remarkable in that said passenger compartment is according to the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0016] Other features, purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, for the understanding of which reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig-1] partially shows a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle according to the invention, top view.

[0018] [Fig.2] shows the passenger compartment of the invention in perspective.

[0019] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of the interior of the dashboard of the passenger compartment according to the invention.

[0020] [Fig.4] shows the deployment kinematics of a protective bag of an airbag module according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0021] [Fig.5] shows a first step of a deployment kinematic of a protective bag of an airbag module according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0022] [Fig.6] shows a second stage of the deployment kinematics of the airbag module protection bag according to the second embodiment. Description of the implementation methods

[0023] In the following description, elements having an identical structure or analogous functions are designated by the same reference.

[0024] By convention, and without limitation, longitudinal, vertical and transverse orientations will be adopted as indicated by the direct trihedron (L, V, T) designating the longitudinal, vertical and transverse axes of the vehicle.

[0025] In what follows, the terms "front", "rear", "left", "right", "lower" and "upper" are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0026] Reference is made to [Fig.1] partially showing a passenger compartment 1 of a motor vehicle 3 according to the invention, in top view.

[0027] The passenger compartment 1 includes a dashboard 5, extending transversely relative to the motor vehicle 3.

[0028] The dashboard 5 supports, for example, a steering wheel 7 and an on-board computer 9. The steering wheel 7 contains a driver's front airbag module (not shown) intended to deploy opposite the driver in the event of a collision of the motor vehicle 3.

[0029] For aesthetic purposes and in order to gain living space within the passenger compartment 1, the dashboard 5 extends over only part of the passenger compartment 1.

[0030] More specifically, the dashboard 5 extends over a length Li less than the width L2 of the passenger compartment 1.

[0031] For example, the length Li can be equal to about half the width L2 of the passenger compartment 1, so that the dashboard 5 extends substantially only opposite the driver's seat.

[0032] At its right lateral end 11, the dashboard 5 has a side panel 13.

[0033] Reference is made to [Fig.2] showing the passenger compartment 1 in perspective, the side panel 13 having been obscured.

[0034] The dashboard 5 contains an airbag module 15, which, as we will see later in the description, defines a front passenger airbag module, complementary to the front driver airbag module.

[0035] The airbag module 15 is for example positioned at the rear of the on-board computer 9.

[0036] The airbag module 15 comprises a housing 17, which can, for example, be made of plastic material.

[0037] The housing 17 contains a protective bag 19 (visible in [Fig.4]) capable of moving from a retracted position in which it is contained in the housing 17 to a deployed position by actuation of a generator (not shown) known to a person skilled in the art.

[0038] The generator is designed to activate when the motor vehicle 3 is subjected to an impact. To this end, the generator is designed to allow the deployment of the protective bag 19 in a short time, on the order of 20 ms, in the event of an impact sustained by the motor vehicle 3.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the housing 17 is positioned near the side panel 13, so that the deployment of the protective bag 19 is operated from the side panel 13.

[0040] The housing 17 of the airbag module 15 is fixed inside the dashboard 5, for example by means of a mounting bracket 21, an example of which is shown in [Fig.3] showing the inside of the dashboard 5 in perspective.

[0041] The mounting bracket 21 is, for example, positioned near the side panel 13. It has a mounting tab 23, rigidly fixed inside the dashboard 5, and two opposing mounting tabs 25, 27 on which the housing 17 of the airbag module 15 is fixed.

[0042] For example, the mounting bracket 21 adopts a general Y shape, allowing effective support of the housing 17 of the airbag module 15 when the generator is triggered in the event of a collision of the motor vehicle 3, which prevents significant recoil of the airbag module 15 when the generator is triggered and ensures optimal inflation of the protective bag 19 of the airbag module 15.

[0043] In one embodiment, the fixing support 21 is for example made of steel.

[0044] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the mounting bracket 21 is mounted in the dashboard 5, so that the housing 17 of the airbag module 15 is inclined forward relative to a transverse plane (V, T), which allows the airbag module 15 to conform to the shape of the dashboard 5.

[0045] Reference is made to [Fig.4] showing the deployment kinematics of the protective bag 19 of the airbag module 15.

[0046] According to the invention, the protective bag 19 is designed to deploy in a two-stage kinematics when the generator is triggered following a collision with the motor vehicle.

[0047] Initially, as represented by arrows 29, the protective bag 19 unfolds in a substantially lateral direction relative to the dashboard 5, that is to say in a substantially transverse direction relative to the motor vehicle 3.

[0048] Thus, during this first step, the protective bag 19 is extracted from the case 17 in which it is initially retracted, until it arrives opposite the passenger seat.

[0049] In a second step, as represented by the arrows 31, the protective bag 19 continues its deployment in a substantially vertical direction relative to the dashboard 5, that is to say in a substantially vertical direction relative to the motor vehicle 3.

[0050] Thus, in the event of a collision suffered by the motor vehicle 3, the protective bag 19 of the airbag module 15 deploys opposite the passenger seat.

[0051] Thanks to the present invention, the dashboard 5 can extend over only part of the width L2 of the passenger compartment 1, which makes it possible to give the passenger compartment 1 the desired aesthetic and to gain living space within the passenger compartment 1, while ensuring the safety of the passenger occupant of the motor vehicle opposite whom the protective bag 19 of the airbag module 15 deploys during a collision.

[0052] The driver airbag module (not shown), initially contained in the steering wheel 7, deploys in a conventional manner in a substantially longitudinal direction relative to the motor vehicle 3, so as to protect the driver.

[0053] In the embodiment of the airbag module 15 illustrated in the figures, the protective bag 19 includes a top protective pocket 35, intended to protect at least the head and thorax of an occupant of the motor vehicle.

[0054] According to one feature of the invention, the protective bag 19 of the airbag module 15 is self-supporting, that is to say that the upper protective pocket 35 does not bear against any fixed part of the passenger compartment 1 when the protective bag 19 is deployed, unlike for example the protective bag of the driver's airbag module which bears against the steering wheel 7 in which the driver's airbag module is housed.

[0055] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the protective bag 19 of the airbag module 15 is self-supporting thanks to a support pocket 37, located in the lower part of the upper protective pocket 35.

[0056] The support pocket 37 deploys during the lateral deployment of the protective bag 19.

[0057] The support pocket 37 is designed and adapted to form a counter-support for the pocket superior protection 35.

[0058] The upper protective pocket 35 and the support pocket 37 are obtained by any process known to those skilled in the art, for example by sewing.

[0059] Reference is made to figures 5 and 6 showing a deployment kinematic of a protective bag 119 of an airbag module 115 obtained according to a second embodiment, the passenger compartment being seen from the side.

[0060] The airbag module 115 differs from the airbag module 15 in that the protective bag 119 includes, in addition to the upper protective pocket 35 and the support pocket 37, a lower protective pocket 139 intended to protect at least the knees of an occupant of the motor vehicle 3.

[0061] The lower protective pocket 139 is arranged in front of the support pocket 37.

[0062] When the generator is triggered following a collision with the motor vehicle, the protective bag 119 initially deploys in a substantially lateral direction relative to the dashboard 5, causing the support pocket 37 to deploy.

[0063] In a second step, the protective bag 119 continues its deployment in a substantially vertical direction relative to the dashboard 5.

[0064] The upper protective pocket 35 and the lower protective pocket 139 then deploy, for example simultaneously.

[0065] As represented by arrows 141, the support pocket 37 defines a counter-support of the upper protection pockets 35 and lower 139, allowing the protection bag 119 of the airbag module 115 to be self-supporting.

[0066] As will be understood, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of this dashboard for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, of this passenger compartment comprising such a dashboard and of this motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment, described above only by way of illustrative examples, but on the contrary it encompasses all variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Dashboard (5) for the passenger compartment (1) of a motor vehicle (3), containing an airbag module (15, 115) comprising a protective bag (19, 119) capable of moving from a retracted position to a deployed position by actuation of a generator designed to trigger upon impact with said motor vehicle (3), characterized in that said protective bag (19, 119) is designed to deploy initially in a substantially lateral direction relative to said dashboard (5) and subsequently in a substantially vertical direction relative to said dashboard (5), said protective bag (19, 119) being self-supporting, characterized in that said protective bag (19, 119) comprises an upper protective pocket (35) intended to protect at least the head of an occupant of said motor vehicle (3), and a support pocket (37) arranged in the lower part of said upper protective pocket (35),adapted to form a counter-support for said upper protective pocket (35).

2. Dashboard (5) according to claim 1, characterized in that said protective bag (119) includes a lower protective pocket (139) intended to protect at least the knees of an occupant of said motor vehicle (3), arranged in front of said support pocket (37).

3. Dashboard (5) according to claim 2, characterized in that said protective bag (119) is designed to allow simultaneous deployment of said upper protective pocket (35) and said lower protective pocket (139).

4. Dashboard (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said airbag module (15, 115) comprises a housing (17) inside which is enclosed said protective bag (19, 119) when it occupies said retracted position, said dashboard (5) being characterized in that it contains a mounting bracket (21) for said housing (17), on which said housing (17) is fixed.

5. Dashboard (5) according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a side panel (13) and in that said fixing support (21) is positioned near said side panel (13).

6. Dashboard (5) according to claim 5, characterized in that said housing (17) is positioned near said side panel (13).

7. Passenger compartment (1) of a motor vehicle (3) comprising a dashboard (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said dashboard (5) extends over a length (LJ) less than the width (L2) of said passenger compartment (1).

8. Motor vehicle (3) comprising a passenger compartment (1), characterized in that said passenger compartment (1) is according to claim 7.

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