Lower limb protective device

Abstract

To provide a lower limb protective device which can accurately protect a lower limb of an occupant, as a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A lower limb protective device S protects a lower limb ML of an occupant MD sitting on a front seat DS. The lower limb protective device S includes a lower limb restraint part 65, and a link mechanism 25 capable of extruding the lower limb restraint part to the occupant side. The lower limb restraint part is composed of a seat body having an approximately rectangular shape and flexibility. The link mechanism includes a pressed part 27 for receiving impact force F acting on a vehicle upon a head-on collision of a vehicle V, and being moved backward, and a pair of right and left link parts 50R, and is configured so as to make the lower limb restraint part move to a receiving position where the lower limb is receivable by rotating a link part accompanied by backward movement of the pressed part. The lower limb restraint part is arranged in a state of being stretched so as to generate tension substantially along a right and left direction, while supporting at least four corners by the link part, at the receiving position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lower leg protection device that is disposed in front of the lower legs of an occupant seated in a front seat of a vehicle so as to protect the lower legs. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, lower limb protection devices for protecting the lower limbs (specifically, the knee and shin areas) of an occupant seated in a seat have included a lower limb support, a tether portion that supports the lower limb support, and a link mechanism that enables the tether portion to move toward the occupant, and are configured such that by driving a drive source, the link mechanism is rotated and the lower limb support, together with the tether portion, is moved toward the occupant (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-6477 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional lower limb protecting devices, a gas generator that generates driving gas when activated is used as a driving source for rotating the link mechanism, and therefore, in order to activate such a gas generator, a collision detection sensor must be provided in the vehicle, which increases the number of parts and the cost.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a lower limb protecting device that has a simple configuration and is capable of adequately protecting the lower limbs of an occupant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The lower leg protection device according to the present invention is a lower leg protection device that is disposed in front of the lower legs of an occupant seated in a front seat of a vehicle so as to be able to protect the lower legs of the occupant, a lower limb restraining unit capable of restraining the lower limbs; a link mechanism that enables the lower limb restraint portion to be pushed rearward toward the occupant, the lower limb restraint portion is composed of a flexible sheet body having a substantially rectangular shape, The link mechanism is a pressed portion disposed on a front side of the vehicle and movable rearward upon receiving an impact force acting on the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle; a pair of left and right link pieces, each of which has an end connected to an end of the pressed portion or an edge of the lower limb restraint portion, and which are configured to be rotatably supported on the vehicle body by inserting a rotation shaft arranged substantially along the up-down direction into an intermediate portion between the link pieces; With The link portion is rotated in accordance with the rearward movement of the pressed portion, so that the lower limb restraint portion can be moved from a stored position to a receiving position where the lower limb can be received. The lower limb restraint portion is characterized in that, at the receiving position, at least four corners are supported by the link portions and the lower limb restraint portion is arranged in a stretched state so as to generate tension substantially along the left-right direction.

[0007] In the lower limb protection device of the present invention, the pressed portion of the link mechanism itself is configured to move rearward in response to an impact force acting on the vehicle during a frontal collision of the vehicle. During a frontal collision of the vehicle, the rearward movement of the pressed portion causes a pair of left and right link portions connected to both edges of the lower limb restraint portion to rotate, pushing the lower limb restraint portion rearward and moving from the stowed position to the receiving position. The lower limb restraint portion positioned in the receiving position (after completing rearward movement) is supported at least at its four corners by the link portions and is positioned to cover the front of the occupant's lower limbs in a tensioned state that generates tension substantially along the left-right direction, thereby stably receiving the occupant's lower limbs (knees, shins, etc.) moving forward. In other words, the lower limb protection device of the present invention does not use a gas generator that generates gas for driving as a driving source, and does not require a sensor for activating such a gas generator to be provided in the vehicle. This allows for a simple configuration, and the lower limbs of an occupant seated in the front seat can be restrained by the lower limb restraint portion.

[0008] Therefore, the lower limb protecting device of the present invention can adequately protect the lower limbs of the occupant with a simple configuration.

[0009] Furthermore, in the lower limb protection device of the present invention, it is preferable that the link portion is configured to be bent when viewed from the vertical direction so that the intermediate portion supported by the rotating shaft portion is positioned on the outer side to the left and right, and that when the pressed portion moves rearward, the end of the rear link piece connecting the lower limb restraint portion is rotated to face outward to the left and right.

[0010] With this configuration of the lower limb protection device, after the movement of the lower limb restraints has been completed, i.e., when the lower limb restraints receive the occupant's lower limbs, the rear link pieces that connect the lower limb restraints at the link parts (i.e., that are positioned on the occupant side) are positioned in front of the occupant's lower limbs and outboard of the occupant's lower limbs on the left and right. Therefore, even if the occupant's lower limbs move further forward when the lower limb restraints receive the occupant's lower limbs that are moving forward significantly, the lower limbs can be prevented from coming into contact with the rear link pieces via the lower limb restraints.

[0011] Furthermore, in the lower limb protection device having the above-described configuration, the rear link piece is configured so that the width dimension on the vertical side is approximately the same as the width dimension on the vertical side of the lower limb restraint portion, It is preferable that the left and right edges of the lower limb restraint portion are connected to each other at positions near the rotation shaft of each rear link piece.

[0012] With the above-described configuration of the lower limb protection device, the left and right edge sides of the lower limb restraint portion are supported by the rear link piece over substantially the entire vertical range, so that the lower limb restraint portion (which has completed its rearward movement) placed at the receiving position is placed in a tensioned state so as to generate substantially uniform tension in the left-right direction over the entire vertical range. Furthermore, because the left and right edge sides of the lower limb restraint portion are supported over substantially the entire vertical range by the side surfaces (wide areas) of the rear link piece after rotational movement, when the lower limb restraint portion receives the lower limbs of an occupant moving significantly forward, the lower limb restraint portion can be prevented from becoming significantly loosened by being pressed by the forward-moving lower limbs, and the occupant's lower limbs can be stably restrained.

[0013] Furthermore, in the lower limb protection device having the above-described configuration, the link portion has an outer shape that is substantially V-shaped when viewed from the up-down direction, and the rear link piece is arranged so as to be substantially aligned in the left-right direction in the storage position, It is preferable that the impact absorbing material be disposed so as to cover substantially the entire rear surface of the rear link piece, which faces the occupant.

[0014] In the lower limb protection device configured as described above, when the device is in the stored position (mounted in the vehicle), the link portion is prevented from being positioned so as to protrude significantly toward the occupant. In other words, the link portion is prevented from being bulky in the front-to-rear direction, allowing the entire device to be made compact. Therefore, the device can be easily mounted even in small vehicles where it is difficult to secure mounting space. Furthermore, even when the link portion is configured so that the rear link piece is aligned substantially in the left-to-right direction, the rear side of the rear link piece is covered substantially entirely with the impact absorbing material. Therefore, even if the occupant's lower limb comes into contact with the rear link piece when the device is mounted in the vehicle (mounted position), the lower limb can be adequately protected from the rear link piece.

[0015] Furthermore, in the lower limb protection device having the above configuration, the rear side of the lower limb restraint portion, which faces the occupant, is covered with a cover when the lower limb restraint portion is in the stored position, It is preferable that the cover be formed from a flexible sheet body and be configured so that the lower limb restraint portion can be exposed when the lower limb restraint portion moves.

[0016] With this configuration of the lower limb protection device, the rear side of the lower limb restraint is covered by the cover when the device is installed in the vehicle, improving the design when installed in the vehicle. Furthermore, this cover is formed from a flexible sheet body and is configured to expose the lower limb restraint when the lower limb restraint moves, so that the rearward movement of the lower limb restraint is not hindered and the lower limb restraint can be quickly positioned in the receiving position.

[0017] Furthermore, in the lower limb protection device of the above configuration, if the link mechanism is configured to be equipped with a locking mechanism that can restrict further rotation of the link part after the lower limb restraint part has been placed in the receiving position, this is preferable as it can prevent the link part from rotating further after the movement of the lower limb restraint part has been completed.

[0018] Furthermore, in the lower limb protection device having the above configuration, the pressed portion is configured to include a main body portion whose left and right ends are connected to ends of front link pieces disposed on the front side, and a shaft portion extending forward from approximately the center of the left and right sides of the main body portion and having an impact force input portion on the front end side, It is preferable to provide a damper portion on the shaft portion that can absorb excessive impact force.

[0019] If the lower limb protection device is configured as described above, even if the impact force acting on the vehicle is large during a frontal collision, the excess impact force can be absorbed by the damper section, and the pressed section can be prevented from being pressed more than necessary by such excess impact force. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic front view of a vehicle on which a lower limb protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the vehicle of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a lower limb protection device according to an embodiment is mounted on a vehicle. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic partial enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a lower limb protecting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic plan view of a lower limb protecting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which the lower limb restraining portion is placed in a receiving position (a state after the link portion has been rotated) in the lower limb protecting device of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are schematic perspective views showing the main body and link portions of the pressed portion in the lower limb protecting device of the embodiment, showing the states of the stored position and the receiving position. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic side view of a lower limb protecting device according to an embodiment, seen from the side of a vehicle, showing a state in a stored position and a state in a receiving position. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic rear view of the lower limb protecting device according to the embodiment, seen from the rear side of the vehicle, illustrating a state in a stored position and a state in a receiving position. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a front plate portion of a main body portion in a pressed portion in a lower limb protecting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 4 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a location of an insertion hole formed in a front plate portion of a main body portion in the lower limb protecting device according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing a state in which a link portion, a lower limb restraining portion, and a cover arranged on the left side in a lower limb protecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention are aligned. FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a state in which a lower limb restraining portion is placed in a receiving position in a lower limb protecting device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a lower limb protection device S according to the embodiment is mounted on a one-person vehicle V. The vehicle V is an electric vehicle powered by electricity. In the embodiment, the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions correspond to the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions of the vehicle V unless otherwise specified.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, the lower leg protection device S of this embodiment is disposed in a position below and in front of the driver's seat DS, which serves as a front seat, and more specifically, below the steering column 7, which is on the vehicle front side of the lower legs ML of the driver MD, who serves as an occupant. Although not shown in detail, an instrument panel 4, which is an interior material, is disposed around the steering column 7 except for the lower side (see Figs. 1 and 2). The instrument panel 4 is not disposed in the area where the lower leg protection device S is disposed, and the lower leg protection device S is exposed below the steering column 7 on the driver MD side.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3 , the steering column 7 includes a column shaft 10 connected to the steering wheel 6 and a column cover 8 that covers the periphery of the column shaft 10. The column shaft 10 is disposed tilted downward toward the front with respect to the horizontal. In this embodiment, the column shaft 10 includes a front section 11 disposed on the front side facing the vehicle body 1 and a rear section 12 disposed on the rear side facing the steering wheel 6. The front section 11 and the rear section 12 are connected via a universal joint 15 so that their inclination angles are different. A gearbox 18 is connected to the lower end of the front section 11 via a universal joint 17. The gearbox 18 is connected to the vehicle body 1 of the vehicle V via a bracket (not shown) and to the front wheels (reference numerals omitted) of the vehicle V via a ball joint (not shown) or the like. The column shaft 10 is supported by a bearing 20 in the area of the rear section 12 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The bearing 20 is connected by a bracket 21 to a rear upper horizontal bar portion 2b of a reinforcement 2, which is a member on the vehicle body 1 side.

[0024] 4, 5, 8 and 9, the lower limb protection device S includes a lower limb restraining portion 65 capable of restraining the lower limb ML, a link mechanism 25 capable of pushing the lower limb restraining portion 65 rearward, and a cover 70 covering the rear side of the lower limb restraining portion 65. The lower limb protection device S is attached to the vehicle body 1 by being attached at predetermined locations to a reinforcement 2 which is a member on the vehicle body 1 side.

[0025] As shown in A of Figures 5 and 7, the link mechanism 25 includes a pressed portion 27 arranged on the front side of the vehicle, and a pair of left and right link portions 50L, 50R arranged to connect the pressed portion 27 and the lower limb restraint portion 65.

[0026] 3 to 5, the pressed portion 27 is configured to be able to move rearward when a pressing force (impact force F) is applied from the front, and includes a main body portion 35 connected to the link portions 50L, 50R, a shaft portion 28 arranged to extend forward from approximately the center of the left and right of the main body portion 35, and a connecting portion 43 connecting the main body portion 35 and the shaft portion 28. In other words, the pressed portion 27 is configured such that the main body portion 35, to which the link portions 50L, 50R are connected, is disposed on the rear end 28b side of the shaft portion 28.

[0027] In this embodiment, the shaft portion 28 is disposed so as to slope downward toward the front and incline relative to the horizontal. Specifically, the shaft portion 28 is disposed substantially along the rear portion 12 of the column shaft 10 and is disposed forward of the rear portion 12 so as to be continuous with the rear portion 12 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ). As shown in FIG. 3 , an impact force input portion 29 is disposed on the front end 28a of the shaft portion 28. The impact force input portion 29 inputs an impact force F acting on the vehicle V in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle V, and in this embodiment, the impact force input portion 29 is substantially plate-shaped and extends vertically and horizontally from the front end 28a of the shaft portion 28. More specifically, the impact force input portion 29 is disposed on the front end side of the vehicle body 1 of the vehicle V, above and forward of the front wheels, and although detailed illustration is omitted, the impact force input portion 29 is disposed substantially along the body panel so as to cover the back side of the body panel constituting the vehicle body 1. The shaft portion 28 is connected to the reinforcement 2 at its front and rear intermediate portions using brackets 31. The brackets 31 are generally cylindrical so that the shaft portion 28 can be inserted therethrough, and in the case of this embodiment, the brackets 31 are connected to the front lower cross bar portion 2a of the reinforcement 2 so that their lower surface is supported by the front lower cross bar portion 2a (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The shaft portion 28 is attached so as to be slidable relative to the brackets 31. The shaft portion 28 is also provided with a damper portion 33 that can absorb excessive impact force. The damper portion 33 is formed from a hard rubber-like elastic body, and is disposed so as to separate a portion of the shaft portion 28. Specifically, the damper portion 33 is not compressed at the initial stage of application of the impact force F to the impact force input portion 29 during a frontal collision of the vehicle V (the initial pressing state of the pressed portion 27), but is compressed when the impact force input portion 29 remains pressed even after the link portions 50L, 50R have completed moving, and is made of a material that can absorb such excess pressing force (impact force). The width dimension of the front-rear direction of the damper portion 33 is set to a dimension that prevents the damper portion 33 from bottoming out when compressed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 13 , the damper portion 33 is disposed on the shaft portion 28 in front of the bracket 31 (between the bracket 31 and the impact force input portion 29) and at a position that does not interfere with the bracket 31 even after movement.

[0028] In this embodiment, the main body 35 is formed from a plate-like body, and specifically, when viewed from the vertical direction, the plate-like body is bent into a generally trapezoidal shape that widens toward the rear and opens at the rear end (see FIGS. 5 to 7). The main body 35 is bilaterally symmetrical and includes a front plate 36 disposed on the front side generally along the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right plate portions 39L and 39R formed to extend from the left end 36a and right end 36b of the front plate 36.

[0029] The front plate portion 36 has a generally rectangular shape and is inclined relative to the up-down direction so as to generally follow the front portion 11 of the column shaft 10, and is disposed in front of the front portion 11 (see FIG. 4). The front plate portion 36 is connected to the rear end 28b of the shaft portion 28 by a connecting portion 43. The front plate portion 36 is formed with an elongated insertion hole 37 that is generally along the up-down direction, through which a connecting pin 43a provided on the connecting portion 43 can be inserted, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9B and 11. In the case of this embodiment, the insertion holes 37 are formed in two locations, one on the left end 36a side and one on the right end 36b side of the front plate portion 36.

[0030] The left plate portion 39L and the right plate portion 39R are disposed at an angle relative to the front-to-rear direction so that their rear ends 39a face outward to the left and right. Each of the left plate portions 39L and the right plate portions 39R has a generally rectangular outer shape and includes connecting recesses 40L and 40R at the upper and lower middle portions of the rear ends 39a, into which front link pieces 51L and 51R (described later) of the link portions 50L and 50R are inserted for connection (see A in FIGS. 7 and 8). Furthermore, connecting pins 41L and 41R for rotatably connecting the front link pieces 51L and 51R to the left plate portion 39L and the right plate portion 39R are disposed on the rear ends 39a of each of the left plate portions 39L and the right plate portions 39R, straddling the connecting recesses 40L and 40R and extending generally vertically (see A in FIGS. 7 and 8). These connecting pin portions 41L, 41R are approximately cylindrical and arranged to roughly follow the front plate portion 36. By inserting them into connecting hole portions 52L, 52R formed in the front link pieces 51L, 51R, the front link pieces 51L, 51R (link portions 50L, 50R) are rotatably connected to the left plate portion 39L and right plate portion 39R (main body portion 35).

[0031] In the main body 35, the connecting portion 43 that connects the front plate 36 and the shaft 28 is disposed on the rear end 28b side of the shaft 28 so as to extend laterally from the shaft 28, and has two connecting pins 43a, 43a on both left and right ends that protrude rearward (toward the front plate 36) (see FIGS. 5 and 10 ). The connecting pins 43a are inserted into the insertion holes 37 formed in the front plate 36 so as to be slidable within the insertion holes 37. The connecting pins 43a are also prevented from coming out of the insertion holes 37. In other words, the shaft 28 is connected to the front plate 36 so as to be slidable up and down by inserting the connecting pins 43a into the insertion holes 37. When viewed from the left and right, the front plate 36 is not perpendicular to the shaft 28, and although the inclination angles of the front plate 36 and the shaft 28 are different, they are arranged to be inclined downward toward the front when viewed from the left and right (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The connecting portion 43 connects the front plate 36 to the shaft 28 so that the front plate 36 cannot rotate with respect to the shaft 28 and the shaft 28 can slide upward relative to the front plate 36. In the embodiment, when an impact force F is applied to the impact force input portion 29 from the front (when a pressing force acts along the shaft 28), the shaft 28 moves rearward in response to the impact force F (pressing force). During this rearward movement of the shaft 28, the connecting portion 43 on the rear end 28b of the shaft 28 slides upward relative to the front plate 36 by sliding the connecting pin 43a inserted through the insertion hole 37. As the shaft portion 28 slides upward relative to the front plate portion 36, it presses the front plate portion 36 (main body portion 35) downward and rearward, and the front plate portion 36 slides downward and rearward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in response to the sliding movement of the rear end 28b of the shaft portion 28 (see FIGS. 3 and 13). The connecting pin 43a is located in an area near the lower end 37b of the insertion hole 37 at the storage position P0 (before the pressed portion 27 moves rearward), and is located in an area near the upper end 37a of the insertion hole 37 at the receiving position P1 (after the pressed portion 27 moves rearward and after the link portions 50L, 50R rotate) (see FIG. 11).11, when the connecting pin 43a comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface 37c on the upper end 37a side of the insertion hole 37, the rearward movement of the pressed portion 27 is stopped. That is, in the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment, the inner peripheral surface 37c on the upper end side of the insertion hole 37 and the connecting pin 43a constitute a locking mechanism that restricts further rotation of the link portions 50L, 50R after the lower limb restraining portion 65 is placed in the receiving position P1.

[0032] The pair of left and right link portions 50L, 50R arranged to connect the pressed portion 27 and the lower limb restraint portion 65 has a pair of front link pieces 51L, 51R and rear link pieces 55L, 55R, and is rotatably supported approximately in the horizontal direction with respect to the vehicle body 1 by having rotating shaft portions 62L, 62R arranged approximately in the vertical direction penetrate through an intermediate portion between the front link pieces 51L, 51R and the rear link pieces 55L, 55R (in the case of the embodiment, the boundary portion between the front link pieces 51L, 51R and the rear link pieces 55L, 55R) (see FIGS. 5 to 8). In the embodiment, the rotating shaft portions 62L, 62R that penetrate the link portions 50L, 50R are formed from part of the reinforcement 2, specifically, formed from rear vertical bar portions 2c, 2d that extend forward and downward from the left and right ends of the rear upper horizontal bar portion 2b in the reinforcement 2, respectively (see FIG. 8). In this embodiment, the rotating shaft portions 62L, 62R are disposed so as to substantially follow the axial direction of the front portion 11 of the column shaft 10. In this embodiment, the link portion 50L disposed on the left side will be used as an example and described in detail. The link portion 50R disposed on the right side is simply bilaterally symmetrical and has the same configuration as the left link portion 50L, so the same reference numerals are given with the suffix "R" and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0033] In this embodiment, the link portion 50L has a generally V-shaped outer shape when viewed from the vertical direction (the front link piece 51L and the rear link piece 55L intersect at an acute angle), and is arranged so that, in the storage position P0 (pre-rotation position), the boundary portion (rotation shaft portion 62L) between the front link piece 51L and the rear link piece 55L is positioned on the outer left and right sides (see FIG. 5). More specifically, in the storage position P0 (pre-rotation position), the link portion 50L is arranged so that, when viewed from the vertical direction, the rear link piece 55L is aligned generally in the left-right direction and the front link piece 51L is inclined with respect to the left-right direction.

[0034] The front link piece 51L is disposed on the front side (toward the pressed portion 27) of the link portion 50L in the storage position P0 (pre-rotation position) and is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the left-right direction when viewed from the up-down direction. Specifically, the front link piece 51L is disposed so as to be substantially aligned with the left plate portion 39L of the main body portion 35 in the pressed portion 27 in the link portion 50L in the storage position P0 (pre-rotation position) (see A in FIGS. 5 and 7). The end portion 51a of the front link piece 51L is connected to the rear end 39a of the left plate portion 39L of the main body portion 35 in the pressed portion 27. In this embodiment, as shown in A in FIGS. 7 and 8, the width dimension of the front link piece 51L in the up-down direction is set smaller than the width dimension of the rear link piece 55L in the up-down direction, and is set to a dimension that allows the front link piece 51L to be inserted into the connecting recess 40L formed on the rear end 39a of the left plate portion 39L. A connecting hole 52L is formed in the front link piece 51L so as to penetrate the entire vertical area, allowing insertion of the connecting pin 41L provided on the rear end 39a side of the left plate portion 39L of the main body 35 in the pressed portion 27. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the connecting hole 52L is formed as an elongated hole opening along the length of the front link piece 51L, and in this embodiment, is formed over substantially the entire length of the front link piece 51L.

[0035] The connecting hole 52L is elongated to allow the link portion 50L itself to rotate about the rotation shaft 62L so that the rear link piece 55L faces outward to the left and right while allowing the main body 35, i.e., the connecting pin 41L, to move linearly toward the rear when the main body 35 (pressed portion 27) moves rearward. In the embodiment, when the main body 35 moves rearward, the connecting pin 41L moving rearward presses the inner circumferential surface of the connecting hole 52L, thereby pressing the front link piece 51L, and the link portion 50L rotates about the rotation shaft 62L. In the storage position P0, the connecting pin portion 41L is positioned in the area near the front end of the connecting hole portion 52L (i.e., near the end portion 51a of the front link piece 51L), and after the link portion 50L has rotated (to the receiving position P1), it is positioned in the area near the base of the connecting hole portion 52L (i.e., near the rotating shaft portion 62L) (see Figures 5 and 6).

[0036] In the storage position P0 (pre-rotation position), the rear link piece 55L is disposed rearward (toward the driver MD) so as to extend substantially along the left-right direction (so as to extend rightward from the rotation shaft 62L), and its end portion 55a is connected to the left edge 65a of the lower limb restraint portion 65. The rear link piece 55L is vertically wider than the front link piece 51L, and in this embodiment, the vertical width dimension is substantially the same as the vertical width dimension of the main body 35 (see B in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9). In addition, in this embodiment, the vertical width dimension of the rear link piece 55L is set slightly larger than the vertical width dimension of the lower limb restraint portion 65 (see B in FIGS. 8 and B in 9). In the storage position P0 (pre-rotation position), the rear link piece 55L is disposed in front of the lower legs ML (more specifically, the area from the knees MK to the shins MS) of the driver MD, who is an occupant seated in the driver's seat DS (front seat). When the link portion 50L is fully rotated (disposed in the receiving position P1), the rear link piece 55L is disposed in a position offset to the left and right outward from the front of the lower legs ML (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Two protrusions 56L, at the upper and lower ends, are formed on the base side of the rear link piece 55L near the rotation shaft 62L to protrude outward (rearward from the storage position P0) for connecting the lower limb restraint 65 (see FIGS. 7 and 12). The protrusions 56L are formed with through-holes 56a that extend vertically and allow insertion of connecting pins 57L for connecting the lower limb restraint 65. 5 and 12, an impact absorbing material 59L is disposed on the rear surface 55b of the rear link piece 55L, which faces the driver MD, when the rear link piece 55L is in the storage position P0. In this embodiment, the impact absorbing material 59L is disposed so as to cover the entire area from the rear surface 55b to the tip surface 55c of the rear link piece 55L, both vertically and horizontally. This impact absorbing material 59L has sufficient hardness and cushioning properties to protect the lower legs ML of the driver MD when they come into contact with the rear link piece 55L of the link portion 50L before rotation (when the rear link piece 55L is in the storage position P0). In this embodiment, the impact absorbing material 59L is made of a synthetic resin such as urethane resin. In this embodiment, the impact absorbing material 59L is attached to the rear link piece 55L using an adhesive or the like.

[0037] The lower limb restraint 65 is comprised of a flexible sheet body having a substantially rectangular shape, and in this embodiment, is formed from a woven fabric woven from polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, or the like. The lower limb restraint 65 is disposed at a position rearward of the front portion 11 of the column shaft 10, and is disposed such that the central region is folded forward when the links 50L, 50R are in a state before rotation (storage position P0) (see FIG. 5). The left edge 65a and right edge 65b of the lower limb restraint 65 are connected to the end portions 55a of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R of each link 50L, 50R using protrusions 56L, 56R and connecting pins 57L, 57R provided on each link 50L, 50R, respectively. Specifically, the lower limb restraint 65 has loop portions 66L, 66R on its left edge 65a and right edge 65b, through which the connecting pins 57L, 57R can be inserted (see FIGS. 5, 6, and 12). The upper and lower ends of the connecting pins 57L, 57R inserted through the loop portions 66L, 66R are attached to the protrusions 56L, 56R, thereby connecting the left edge 65a and right edge 65b of the lower limb restraint 65 to positions that correspond to the bases (near the rotation shafts 62L, 62R) of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R of the link portions 50L, 50R. In this embodiment, the vertical width of the lower limb restraint 65 is set slightly smaller than the vertical width of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R of the link portions 50L, 50R. Furthermore, the width dimension of the left and right sides of the lower limb restraint portion 65 is set to a dimension that allows the lower limb restraint portion 65 to be placed in a stretched state so as to generate tension substantially along the left and right direction when placed at the receiving position P1 (when the link portions 50L, 50R have completed rotation). In this embodiment, when placed at the receiving position P1, the left edge 65a and the right edge 65b of the lower limb restraint portion 65 are supported by the regions extending from the side surfaces (surfaces 55b facing outwardly to the left and right) of the rotating rear link pieces 55L, 55R to the tip surfaces 55c (see FIG. 6). Furthermore, when placed at the receiving position P1, the lower limb restraint portion 65 is placed at an angle relative to the up-down direction so as to substantially follow the front portion 11 of the column shaft 10 (i.e., the front plate portion 36 of the main body portion 35) (see FIG. 13).In addition, the lower limb restraint portion 65 at this receiving position P1 is brought close to the front side of the lower limbs ML of the driver MD and is arranged roughly along the lower limbs ML (shins MS), widely covering the front side of the lower limbs ML from above and below.

[0038] The cover 70 is disposed in the storage position P0 so as to cover the rear side of the lower limb restraint 65, which faces the occupant (driver MD). The cover 70 is formed from a flexible sheet body, and in this embodiment, is formed from leather such as natural leather, synthetic leather, or artificial leather. In this embodiment, the vertical width of the cover 70 is set to be substantially the same as the vertical width of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R of the link portions 50L, 50R, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12. The left-right width of the cover 70 is set to be such that, in the state before the link portions 50L, 50R are rotated (storage position P0), the cover 70 can cover substantially the entire rear side of the lower limb restraint 65, including the areas of the protrusions 56L, 56R that connect the lower limb restraint 65 to the link portions 50L, 50R (see FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 9A, a breakable portion 71 is formed substantially across the entire top and bottom of the cover 70 at the approximate center of the left and right sides. The breakable portion 71 breaks when the link portions 50L, 50R rotate, separating the cover 70 into left and right halves. The breakable portion 71 is formed by forming intermittent cuts in the cover 70, and is linearly aligned in the up-down direction. The cover 70 is also connected to the lower limb restraint 65 at predetermined locations. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cover 70 is connected to the lower limb restraint 65 by sewing together portions near the left and right ends of the cover 70 at positions inside the loop portions 66L, 66R at the left and right ends of the lower limb restraint 65, forming seam portions 72L, 72R (see FIGS. 9A and 9B). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the outer periphery of the cover 70 is attached to the link portions 50L, 50R using a pair of surface fasteners 75 each having a female member and a male member. Specifically, the left edge 70a and right edge 70b of the cover 70 are attached to the side surface areas near the bases of the front link pieces 51L, 51R of each link portion 50L, 50R (areas near the rotation shafts 62L, 62R) at positions beyond the loop portions 66L, 66R of the lower limb restraint portion 65 (see A and 12 in Figs. 5 and 8). The surface fasteners 75L, 75R arranged on the left edge 70a and right edge 70b of the cover 70 are continuously disposed over substantially the entire top and bottom area of the cover 70.Furthermore, the upper edge 70c and the lower edge 70d of the cover 70, excluding the left and right centers, are attached to the rear surfaces 55b of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R of the respective link portions 50L, 50R (specifically, the shock absorbing members 59L, 59R covering the rear surfaces 55b of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R) using surface fasteners 75UL, 75UR, 75DL, and 75DR (see FIGS. 8B, 9A, and 12). That is, the cover 70 is attached to the link portions 50L, 50R along substantially the entire outer periphery, excluding the vicinity of the breakable portion 71. Therefore, when the link portions 50L, 50R rotate, stress can be concentrated appropriately at the breakable portion 71, allowing the breakable portion 71 to break smoothly.

[0039] In the lower limb protecting device S according to the embodiment, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle V, the pressed portion 27 constituting the link mechanism 25 itself is configured to move rearward in response to an impact force F acting on the vehicle V. Then, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle V, the rearward movement of the pressed portion 27 causes the pair of left and right link portions 50L, 50R connected to both edges (left edge 65a, right edge 65b) of the lower limb restraint portion 65 to rotate, pushing the lower limb restraint portion 65 rearward and moving from the stowed position P0 to the receiving position P1. The lower limb restraint portion 65 positioned at the receiving position P1 (which has completed the rearward movement) is supported at least at its four corners by the link portions 50L, 50R and is positioned to cover the front of the lower limbs ML of the driver (occupant) MD in a state in which the lower limb restraint portion 65 is tensioned to generate tension substantially along the left-right direction (see FIG. 13 ), thereby stably receiving the lower limbs ML (knees MK, shins MS, etc.) of the occupant (driver MD) moving forward. In other words, the lower limb protection device S of the embodiment is configured so as not to use a gas generator that generates gas for driving as a driving source, and since there is no need to install a sensor in the vehicle to activate such a gas generator, it can be configured simply, and the lower limbs ML of the occupant (driver MD) seated in the front seat (driver's seat DS) can be restrained by the lower limb restraint section 65.

[0040] Therefore, the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment can adequately protect the lower limbs ML of the occupant (driver MD) with a simple configuration.

[0041] Furthermore, in the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment, the link portions 50L, 50R are configured to bend when viewed from the up-down direction so that the intermediate portions pivotally supported on the rotation shaft portions 62L, 62R are positioned outward in the lateral direction, and the end portions 55a of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R connecting the lower limb restraint portion 65 are rotated to face outward in the lateral direction when the pressed portion 27 moves rearward. Therefore, after the movement of the lower limb restraint portion 65 is completed (when disposed at the receiving position P1), that is, when the lower limb restraint portion 65 receives the lower limbs ML of the driver MD, the rear link pieces 55L, 55R connecting the lower limb restraint portion 65 in the link portions 50L, 50R (i.e., positioned on the driver MD side) are positioned in front of the lower limbs ML of the driver MD and outward in the lateral direction from the lower limbs ML (see FIG. 6). As a result, when the lower legs ML of the driver MD moving significantly forward are received by the lower leg restraint portion 65, even if the lower legs ML move further forward, the lower legs ML can be prevented from coming into contact with the rear link pieces 55L, 55R via the lower leg restraint portion 65. If this point is not taken into consideration, a link portion may be used that is configured so that the link piece (rear link piece) located on the occupant side rotates so that it faces inward to the left or right.

[0042] Furthermore, in the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment, the rear link pieces 55L, 55R are configured so that the vertical width dimension thereof is substantially the same as the vertical width dimension of the lower limb restraint 65. Therefore, the left edge 65a and the right edge 65b of the lower limb restraint 65 are supported by the rear link pieces 55L, 55R over substantially the entire vertical area, and the lower limb restraint 65 (which has completed rearward movement) disposed at the receiving position P1 is positioned in a tensioned state so as to generate substantially uniform tension substantially along the left-right direction over the entire vertical area. Furthermore, in the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment, the left edge 65a and the right edge 65b of the lower limb restraint 65 are configured to be connected to positions near the rotation shafts 62L, 62R of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R, respectively. In other words, since the left edge 65a and the right edge 65b of the lower limb restraint portion 65 are supported over substantially the entire vertical range by the side surfaces (wide areas) of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R after rotational movement, when the lower limbs ML of the driver MD moving significantly forward are received, the lower limb restraint portion 65 can be prevented from being pushed by the forward moving lower limbs ML and becoming significantly loose, and the lower limbs ML of the driver MD can be stably restrained. Of course, if this point is not taken into consideration, it is also possible to use rear link pieces configured to support the left and right edges of the lower limb restraint portion only partially rather than over the entire vertical range.

[0043] Furthermore, in the lower limb protection device S of the embodiment, the link portions 50L, 50R have a substantially V-shaped external shape when viewed from the vertical direction, and are arranged so that the rear link pieces 55L, 55R are aligned substantially along the left-right direction in the storage position P0. That is, in the lower limb protection device S of the embodiment, the link portions 50L, 50R are prevented from being positioned so as to protrude significantly toward the driver MD in the storage position P0 (mounted in the vehicle). In other words, the link portions 50L, 50R are prevented from becoming bulky in the front-to-rear direction, allowing the entire device to be made compact. Therefore, as in the embodiment, the device can be easily mounted even in small vehicles where it is difficult to secure mounting space. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the lower limb protection device S, even if the link portions 50L, 50R are configured so that the rear link pieces 55L, 55R are aligned approximately in the left-right direction in the storage position P0, the impact absorbing materials 59L, 59R are arranged so as to cover approximately the entire rear surface 55b of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R, which is on the driver MD side.Therefore, even if the lower limbs ML of the driver MD come into contact with the rear link pieces 55L, 55R when the device is mounted on the vehicle (storage position P0), the lower limbs ML can be adequately protected from the rear link pieces 55L, 55R. In particular, in the embodiment, the impact absorbing materials 59L, 59R are arranged to cover not only the rear surfaces 55b of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R but also the tip surfaces 55c that are arranged to face the driver MD at the receiving position P1 (see FIG. 6), so that even if the lower legs ML received by the lower limb restraint portion 65 come into contact with the tip surfaces 55c of the rear link pieces 55L, 55R, the lower legs ML can be adequately protected from the rear link pieces 55L, 55R. Note that if this point is not taken into consideration, a configuration in which impact absorbing materials are not arranged on the rear link pieces may be adopted.

[0044] Furthermore, in the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment, the rear side of the lower limb restraint 65, which faces the driver MD, is covered by a cover 70 when the lower limb restraint 65 is in the storage position P0. This allows for a good design when the device is installed in a vehicle. Furthermore, the cover 70 is formed from a flexible sheet body and is configured to expose the lower limb restraint 65 when the lower limb restraint 65 moves. This allows the lower limb restraint 65 to be quickly positioned at the receiving position P1 without interfering with the rearward movement of the lower limb restraint 65. Of course, if this point is not taken into consideration, a configuration without a cover may be used.

[0045] Furthermore, in the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment, the link mechanism 25 is provided with a locking mechanism that can restrict further rotation of the link portions 50L, 50R after the lower limb restraint portion 65 is placed in the receiving position P1, and therefore, further rotation of the link portions 50L, 50R can be suppressed after the movement of the lower limb restraint portion 65 is completed. In the embodiment, the locking mechanism is composed of an upper end region of the inner circumferential surface 37c of the insertion hole 37 formed in the front plate portion 36 of the main body portion 35, and a connecting pin 43a that is disposed in the connecting portion 43 and inserted into the insertion hole 47. Of course, if such a point is not taken into consideration, a configuration without providing a locking mechanism may be adopted.

[0046] Furthermore, in the lower limb protecting device S of the embodiment, a damper portion 33 capable of absorbing excessive impact force is disposed on the shaft portion 28 extending from the main body portion 35 of the pressed portion 27. Therefore, even if the impact force acting on the vehicle V is large during a frontal collision of the vehicle V, the excess impact force can be absorbed by the damper portion 33, and it is possible to prevent the pressed portion 27 from being pressed more than necessary by such excess impact force. Of course, if such a point is not taken into consideration, a configuration in which a damper portion is not disposed on the shaft portion may be adopted.

[0047] The lower limb protection device S of the present invention is mounted on a single-seater electric vehicle. Single-seater electric vehicles have a body that is as small and lightweight as possible, a short distance from the front end of the body to the driver's seat DS, and no engine is mounted in front of the driver's seat DS. However, even in such vehicles, if the lower limb protection device S of the present invention is mounted, the lower limb protection device S can be activated by utilizing the impact energy generated in a front collision with an oncoming vehicle or object, and the lower limbs of the driver can be appropriately protected by the lower limb restraint portion arranged at the receiving position. Of course, the lower limb protection device S of the present invention is not limited to single-seater electric vehicles, and may be mounted in front of the front seats, such as the driver's seat and passenger seat, in a multi-seater electric vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1...vehicle body, 2...reinforcement, 7...steering column, 10...column shaft, 25...link mechanism, 27...pressured portion, 28...shaft portion, 29...impact force input portion, 33...damper portion, 35...main body portion, 41L, 41R...connecting pin portion, 50L, 50R...link portion, 51L, 51R...front link piece, 55L, 55R...rear link piece, 59L, 59R...impact absorbing material, 62L, 62R...rotating shaft portion, 65...lower limb restraint portion, 65a...left edge, 65b...right edge, 70...cover, 71...prospective fracture portion, DS...driver's seat (front seat), MD...driver (occupant), ML...lower limb, V...vehicle, S...lower limb protection device.

Claims

1. A lower leg protection device that is disposed in front of an occupant's lower legs so as to be able to protect the lower legs of the occupant seated in a front seat of a vehicle, a lower limb restraining unit capable of restraining the lower limbs; a link mechanism that can push the lower limb restraint portion rearward toward the occupant, the lower limb restraint portion is composed of a flexible sheet body having a substantially rectangular shape, The link mechanism is a pressed portion disposed on a front side of the vehicle and movable rearward when subjected to an impact force acting on the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle; a pair of left and right link pieces, each of which has an end connected to an end of the pressed portion or an edge of the lower limb restraint portion, and a rotation shaft arranged substantially along the up-down direction is inserted into an intermediate portion between the link pieces, thereby being rotatably supported on the vehicle body; With The link portion is rotated in accordance with the rearward movement of the pressed portion, so that the lower limb restraint portion can be moved from a stored position to a receiving position where the lower limb can be received, A lower limb protection device characterized in that the lower limb restraint portion is supported at least at its four corners by the link portion at the receiving position and is positioned in a taut state so as to generate tension approximately along the left-right direction.

2. The lower limb protection device described in claim 1, characterized in that the link portion is configured to bend when viewed from the vertical direction so that the intermediate portion supported by the rotating shaft portion is positioned on the outer left and right sides, and when the pressed portion moves rearward, the end of the rear link piece connecting the lower limb restraint portion rotates to face outward on the left and right sides.

3. The rear link piece is configured so that the width dimension on the vertical side is approximately the same as the width dimension on the vertical side of the lower limb restraint portion, 3. The lower limb protection device according to claim 2, wherein the left and right edges of the lower limb restraining portion are connected to positions of the rear link pieces near the rotation shaft portions.

4. the link portion has a substantially V-shaped outer shape when viewed from the up-down direction, and is arranged so that the rear link piece is aligned substantially along the left-right direction in the storage position, 4. The lower limb restraint device according to claim 3, wherein the impact absorbing material is disposed so as to cover substantially the entire rear surface of the rear link piece that faces the occupant.

5. When the lower limb restraint unit is in the stowed position, a rear side facing the occupant is covered by a cover, A lower limb protection device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cover is formed from a flexible sheet body and is configured to expose the lower limb restraint portion when the lower limb restraint portion moves.

6. 2. The lower limb restraint device according to claim 1, wherein the link mechanism includes a locking mechanism that can restrict further rotation of the link portion after the lower limb restraint portion is placed in the receiving position.

7. the pressed portion is configured to include a main body portion whose left and right ends are connected to ends of front link pieces disposed on the front side, and a shaft portion that extends forward from approximately the center of the left and right sides of the main body portion and has an impact force input portion on the front end side, 2. The lower limb restraint device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft portion is provided with a damper portion capable of absorbing excessive impact force.

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