Vehicle pedestrian protection device

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device that can mitigate the impact a pedestrian receives from a secondary collision when the vehicle collides with the pedestrian. [Solution] A vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 comprises a hood 12, a displacement mechanism for raising the hood, and an actuator 16. The device includes a hinge member 30 attached to the rear end of the hood and connected to the vehicle body via the displacement mechanism, which allows the hood to rotate. The displacement mechanism includes a first link member 42 whose central portion is pivotally supported by a first shaft member 44 fixed to the vehicle body, and whose upper end portion 42a is rotatably connected to the hinge shaft, and a second link member 46 which is positioned further forward than the first link member, pivotally supported by a second shaft member 48 fixed to the vehicle body, and whose upper end portion 46a is engaged with the hood. The lower end of the first link member moves forward of the vehicle body when the actuator is operated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pedestrian protection device for a vehicle, and more particularly to a pedestrian protection device for a vehicle that raises a hood provided at the front of the vehicle body to mitigate an impact on a pedestrian.

Background Art

[0002] When a pedestrian collides head-on with a moving vehicle, after the pedestrian hits the front bumper at the front end of the vehicle, the pedestrian's head may collide with the hood provided to cover the engine room in front of the vehicle. When the head collides with the hood at a high speed, it will receive a large impact force. Therefore, a pedestrian protection device has been developed that raises the hood to reduce the speed at which the pedestrian's head hits the hood, thereby mitigating the impact.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a pedestrian protection device including a front-end actuator that raises the front end of a hood with a rod member disposed on the front end side when the vehicle collides with a pedestrian, and a rear-end actuator that raises the rear end of the hood with a rod member disposed on the rear end side. In this device, by raising both the front end and the rear end of the hood during a collision, when a pedestrian falls onto the hood due to the collision, the speed at which the pedestrian's head hits the hood can be reduced on both the front side and the rear side of the hood.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The lower part of the vehicle body below the hood houses rigid components such as the engine. If a secondary collision occurs when a pedestrian collides with these rigid components through the hood, the pedestrian will receive impact energy from these components. Therefore, it is necessary to mitigate the impact that pedestrians receive from the vehicle in such situations.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a vehicle pedestrian protection device that can mitigate the impact that a pedestrian receives from a vehicle as a secondary collision when the vehicle collides with the pedestrian. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the present invention is A pedestrian protection device for a vehicle comprising a hood that covers the upper front surface of the vehicle body, a displacement mechanism that raises the hood relative to the vehicle body, and an actuator that activates the displacement mechanism when a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted, A hinge member is attached to the rear end of the hood, connected to the vehicle body via the displacement mechanism, and capable of rotating the hood relative to the vehicle body around the hinge axis. The displacement mechanism is, A long, elongated link member, whose central portion is rotatably supported on a first shaft member fixed to the vehicle body, and whose upper end is rotatably connected to the hinge shaft, The system includes a second link member, which is positioned further forward of the vehicle body than the first link member, is elongated, and whose central or lower end is rotatably supported by a second shaft member fixed to the vehicle body, and whose upper end is engaged with the central or front part of the hood in the vehicle's longitudinal direction via an engaging portion, In the normal state when the actuator is not operating, the upper end of the first link member and the upper end of the second link member are located further forward of the vehicle body than the first shaft member and the second shaft member, respectively, and the lower end of the first link member moves toward the front of the vehicle body when the actuator is operated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the pedestrian protection device for vehicles of the present invention, when a vehicle collides with a pedestrian, the impact the pedestrian receives from the vehicle can be mitigated. It is possible. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a vehicle showing the pedestrian protection device for vehicles according to one embodiment of the present invention in an activated state. [Figure 2] This is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the hood in a closed position under normal conditions when the vehicle's pedestrian protection device is not activated. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the engagement portion of the first link member. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating state of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the hood in the open position under normal conditions when the vehicle's pedestrian protection device is not activated. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle 1 equipped with a vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 in an activated state. The vehicle 1 comprises a vehicle body 2 and a hood 12 that covers the upper front surface of the vehicle body 2. The vehicle body 2 has an engine room at the front where rigid components such as the engine are housed, and the hood 12 covers the engine room from above. The vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is installed at the front of the vehicle 1 and, in the event of a collision with a pedestrian, raises the hood 12 installed at the front of the vehicle body to mitigate the impact received by the pedestrian from the vehicle 1. In the following description, the state in which the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is not activated in the vehicle 1 is referred to as the normal state.

[0011] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10, and Figure 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the hood closed in a normal state when the vehicle pedestrian protection device is not activated. The vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 of this embodiment includes a hood 12, a hinge member 30, a displacement mechanism 40 for raising the hood 12 relative to the vehicle body 2, an actuator 16 for operating the displacement mechanism 40, a collision detection sensor 14, a collision prediction sensor (not shown), and a control unit 20. The vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 also includes a locking device 18 for holding the hood 12 in a closed state. The control unit 20 controls the driving of the actuator 16 and the locking device 18.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the hood 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and the hinge member 30, displacement mechanism 40, and actuator 16 are provided on the vehicle body 2 below the hood 12 in pairs on the left and right sides. As shown in Figure 1, each displacement mechanism 40 supports the rear end of the hood 12 and the central or front part of the hood 12 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction from below by a first link member 42 and a second link member 46, which will be described later. As a result, when the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is activated, the hood 12 is lifted while being supported at four points from below by the pair of left and right displacement mechanisms 40.

[0013] The hinge member 30 comprises a hinge shaft 32 and a hinge arm 34, and as shown in Figures 3 and 6, it allows the hood 12 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 2 around the hinge shaft 32. The hinge member 30 is attached to the rear end of the hood 12 and connected to the vehicle body 2 via a displacement mechanism 40. Specifically, the hinge shaft 32 of the hinge member 30 is fixed to the lower surface of the hood 12, supported by a bracket (not shown) fixed to the hood 12, and the hinge arm 34 is a long member, with its first end rotatably supported on the hinge shaft 32. The second end of the hinge arm 34 is fixed to the lower surface of the hood 12 using a fixing member 36 such as a bolt. One end of the first link member 42 of the displacement mechanism 40 is rotatably connected to the hinge shaft 32. The hinge member 30 is connected to the vehicle body 2 via a first link member 42, and is configured to move from a normal position close to the vehicle body 2 to a position moved upward away from the vehicle body 2 by the rotational movement of this first link member 42.

[0014] The displacement mechanism 40 displaces the hood 12 and hinge member 30 upward and backward relative to the vehicle body 2 when a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted. The displacement mechanism 40 comprises a first link member 42, a first shaft member 44, a second link member 46, a second shaft member 48, a third link member 50, a first joint portion 52, and a second joint portion 54.

[0015] The first link member 42 is an elongated member, and its central portion in the longitudinal direction is rotatably supported on the first shaft member 44, which is fixed to the vehicle body 2. The first shaft member 44 is fixed to the vehicle body 2, supported by a bracket (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body 2. The first shaft member 44 is positioned on the rearward side of the vehicle body than the hinge shaft 32 when the hood 12 shown in Figure 3 is closed. One end of the first link member 42, specifically the upper end 44a of the first link member 42, which is located above the first shaft member 44 in the installation state where the displacement mechanism 40 is assembled to the vehicle body 2 and the hood 12, is rotatably connected to the hinge shaft 32 fixed to the hood 12.

[0016] The second link member 46 is a long member and is disposed on the vehicle body front side of the first link member 44. The center portion in the length direction of the second link member 46 is rotatably supported by a second shaft member 48 fixed to the vehicle body 2. The second shaft member 48 is supported by a bracket (not shown) fixed to the vehicle body 2 on the vehicle body front side of the first shaft member 44 and is fixed to the vehicle body 2. At one end of the second link member 46, specifically, at the upper end portion 46a of the second link member 46 located above the second shaft member 48 in the installed state where the displacement mechanism 40 is assembled to the vehicle body 2 and the hood 12, an engaging portion 47 that engages with the hood 12 is provided. The second link member 46 is configured to be able to engage with the central portion or the front portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the hood 12 via this engaging portion 47. In the present embodiment, the engaging portion 47 is configured to engage with the central portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the hood 12.

[0017] The engaging portion 47 engages with the hood 12 when the actuator 16 operates, and has a shape in which the engagement with the hood 12 is released in the normal state where the actuator 16 is not operating and when the hood 12 is opened by the hinge member 30. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing an example of the engaging portion 47. The engaging portion 47 is configured to be able to engage with an engaged portion 13 provided on the hood 12. The engaged portion 13 protrudes from the lower surface of the hood 12, and the engaging portion 47 has a recess 47a that opens upward so that the engaged portion 13 can be inserted. When the non-engaged portion 13 inserted into the recess 47a moves upward in a substantially vertical direction as indicated by the arrow M2, the engaging portion 47 becomes non-engaged with the engaged portion 13 and allows the hood 12 to move upward. On the other hand, when the non-engaged portion 13 inserted into the recess 47a moves upward and rearward with respect to the engaging portion 47 as indicated by the arrow M2, it abuts against the opening edge portion 47b of the recess 47a and enters an engaged state, whereby the connection state between the hood 12 and the second link member 46 is maintained.

[0018] Note that the shapes of the engaging portion 47 and the engaged portion 13 are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 4. For example, the engaged portion 13 on the hood 12 side may have a concave portion, and the engaging portion 47 of the second link member 46 may have a convex portion that is inserted into this concave portion.

[0019] The third link member 50 is a long member that connects the first link member 42 and the second link member 46. The first end portion 50a of the third link member 50 is coupled to the lower end portion 42b of the first link member 42 via the first joint member 52, and the second end portion 50b is coupled to the lower end portion 46b of the second link member 46 via the second joint member 54. The first link member 42 and the third link member 50 are each rotatably coupled to the first joint member 52, and the second link member 46 and the third link member 50 are rotatably coupled to the second joint member 54.

[0020] The displacement mechanism 40 is a link mechanism that rotatably connects the first link member 42, the second link member 46, and the third link member 50 by the first joint member 52 and the second joint member 54. As shown in FIG. 3, in the normal state where the actuator 16 is not operating, each of the upper end portion 42a of the first link member 42 and the upper end portion 46a of the second link member 46 is located on the vehicle body front side of each of the first shaft member 44 and the second shaft member 48.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the collision detection sensor 14 is installed at the front end of the vehicle body 2 and detects a collision when the front end of the vehicle 1 collides with another object. In this embodiment, the collision detection sensor 14 is a long pressure tube type sensor extending in the vehicle width direction and is housed within the front bumper 4 that forms the front end of the vehicle body 2. Specifically, the collision detection sensor 14 comprises a pressure tube 14a and pressure sensors 14b provided at both ends of the pressure tube 14a. This collision detection sensor 14 is configured such that when a pedestrian collides with the front bumper 4 and the pressure tube 14a is crushed, a signal corresponding to the pressure change in the pressure tube 14a is output to the control unit 20. The collision prediction sensor measures the distance to a pedestrian in front of the vehicle and predicts a collision with a pedestrian by calculating the probability of a collision from the speed of the vehicle 1 and the expected braking distance. The collision prediction sensor can be composed of, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, radar, or a CCD camera.

[0022] The actuator 16 activates the displacement mechanism 40 when a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted, and is mounted on the vehicle body 2 near the rear end of the hood 12. In this embodiment, the actuator 16 is installed on the rear side of the vehicle body relative to the first joint member 52 of the displacement mechanism 40, and applies power to the displacement mechanism 40 so that the lower end portion 42b of the first link member 42 of the displacement mechanism 40 moves toward the front of the vehicle body.

[0023] In this embodiment, the actuator 16 is an inflator having an ignition device, which detonates the inflator to move the lower end of the first link member 42 toward the front of the vehicle body. For example, the actuator 16 may have a ventilation passage connecting the inflator and the first joint member 52, and the gas that becomes instantaneously high pressure due to the detonation of the inflator can be used to press the first joint member 52 toward the front of the vehicle body.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown by dashed lines in Figure 2, the actuator 16 of this embodiment deploys the pedestrian airbag 60 provided in the vehicle body 2 using gas generated by the detonation of the inflator. The pedestrian airbag 60 is bag-shaped and is folded and stored in a housing provided in the vehicle body 2 near the rear end of the hood 12, and inflates when gas is supplied to the inside by the detonation of the inflator. The pedestrian airbag 60 is deployed to cover at least a portion of the windshield 6 of the vehicle 1 and / or at least a portion of a pair of front pillars 8 at the front of the vehicle.

[0025] The locking device 18 is provided at the front end of the hood 12 and switches from a locked state that holds the hood 12 closed to an unlocked state that allows the hood 12 to be opened when a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted. In this embodiment, the locking device 18 is an electronic lock that locks the front end of the hood 12 to the vehicle body 2 by electronic control by the control unit 20.

[0026] The control unit 20 is mounted on the vehicle body 2 and is configured to include, for example, an information processing unit such as a CPU, a storage unit such as RAM or ROM, and an input / output interface. The control unit 20 is electrically connected to the collision detection sensor 14, the collision prediction sensor, the actuator 16, and the locking device 18. When the control unit 18 detects a collision with a pedestrian or the prediction of a collision based on a signal received from the collision detection sensor 14 or the collision prediction sensor, it activates the actuator 16 and switches the locking device 18 from the locked state to the unlocked state.

[0027] Next, the operation of the pedestrian protection device 10 for vehicles described above will be explained. When a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted by the collision detection sensor 14 or collision prediction sensor from the normal state of the vehicle 1 shown in Figure 3, the control unit 20 activates the locking device 18 to release the lock between the front end of the hood 12 and the vehicle body 2, and also activates the actuator 16.

[0028] When the actuator 16 applies power to the displacement mechanism 40, as shown in Figure 5, the first joint member 52 of the displacement mechanism 40 is pushed forward of the vehicle body, causing the lower end 42b of the first link member 42 to move forward of the vehicle body, and the first link member 42 to rotate around the first shaft member 44. As a result, the hinge member 30 connected to the upper end of the first link member 42 and the rear end of the hood 12 to which the hinge member 30 is fixed are pushed upward and rearward of the vehicle body 2.

[0029] Furthermore, as the first joint member 52 is pushed forward of the vehicle body, the lower end 46b of the second link member 46 is pressed against the third link member 50 and moves forward of the vehicle body, causing the second link member 46 to rotate around the second shaft member 48. As the second link member 46 rotates, the engaging portion 47 moves in the direction of arrow M2, as shown in Figure 4, and the engagement between the second link member 46 and the hood 12 is maintained. As a result, the hood 12, which is engaged with the upper end 46a of the second link member 46 on the vehicle body forward of the hinge member 30, is pushed upward and backward of the vehicle body 2. With the displacement mechanism 40 operating in this way, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the hood 12 moves upward and backward relative to the vehicle body 2 while being supported from below by the first link member 42 and the second link member 46. In Figure 2, the position of the hood 12 before the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is activated is shown by a solid line, and the position of the hood 12 before the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is activated is shown by a dashed line.

[0030] As described above, in the pedestrian protection device 10 for vehicles of this embodiment, the displacement mechanism 40 allows the hood 12 to slide upward and backward, thereby ensuring a large crash stroke between the hood 12 and the rigid components housed in the engine compartment of the vehicle body 2 in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.

[0031] If a pedestrian collides head-on with a moving vehicle 1, a secondary collision may occur where the pedestrian's head hits the hood 12 after hitting the front bumper 4 of the vehicle 1. In the secondary collision, the pedestrian's head receives an impact force from rigid parts such as the engine located below the hood 12. In this embodiment, the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 ensures a large crash stroke between the hood 12 and the rigid parts located below it, thereby increasing the amount of deformation of the hood 12 when it sinks downward. This reduces the impact energy received by the pedestrian's head from the rigid parts, and mitigates the impact the pedestrian receives from the vehicle 1 in the secondary collision. Furthermore, by retracting the hood 12 towards the rear of the vehicle body, it is possible to prevent the edge of the hood from hitting the pedestrian.

[0032] Furthermore, in a vehicle 1 equipped with the pedestrian protection device 10 of this embodiment, the actuator 16 is activated to raise the hood 12 and, as shown by dashed lines in Figure 2, to supply gas to the pedestrian airbag 60, thereby deploying the pedestrian airbag 60. The pedestrian airbag 60 covers the windshield 6 and front pillar 8 of the vehicle 1, preventing pedestrians from colliding with them and being injured.

[0033] Next, the operation of vehicle 1 when opening and closing the hood 12 in the normal state of vehicle 1 when the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is not activated will be described. When the user operates the switch or operating lever for opening the hood 12 located inside the vehicle cabin, the locking device 18 is released and the hood is in the unlocked state. In this state, when the front end of the hood 12 is lifted, as shown in Figure 6, the engaged portion 13 of the hood 12 moves in the direction of arrow M1 relative to the engaging portion 47, releasing the engagement. As shown in Figure 5, the hood 12 rotates around the hinge axis 30 so that its front end moves upward. This allows the hood 12 to be opened in the normal state.

[0034] Next, another embodiment of the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 will be described. Figure 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram similar to Figure 5, showing another embodiment of the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10. In this embodiment, the displacement mechanism 40 is configured to include a first link member 42, a first shaft member 44, a second link member 46, and a second shaft member 48, and does not include a third link member 50, a first joint member 52, and a second joint member 54. The lower end portion 42b of the second link member 46 is pivotally supported by the second shaft member 48. The other configurations are the same as those in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, so their description will be omitted.

[0035] In the displacement mechanism 40 of this embodiment, when the actuator 16 presses the lower end 42b of the first link member 42 and moves it toward the front of the vehicle body, the upper end 42b of the first link member 42 moves toward the upper and rear of the vehicle body 2, and the second link member 46, which is connected to the first link member 42 via the hood 12, rotates around the second shaft member 48. As a result, the hood 12 slides toward the upper and rear of the vehicle body 2 while being supported from below by the first link member 42 and the second link member 46. In the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 shown in Figure 7, the structure of the displacement mechanism 40 can be simplified compared to the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 shown in Figure 3.

[0036] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 1 vehicle 2 car bodies 10. Vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection devices 12 Food 14. Collision detection sensor 16 Actuators 18 Locking device 20 Control Unit 30 Hinge components 32 Hinge axis 34 Hinge Arm 40 Displacement Mechanism 42 First link member 44 First shaft member 46 Second link member 48 Second shaft member 50 Third link member 52 First joint member 54 Second joint member 60 Pedestrian airbags

Claims

1. A pedestrian protection device for a vehicle comprising a hood that covers the upper front surface of the vehicle body, a displacement mechanism that raises the hood relative to the vehicle body, and an actuator that activates the displacement mechanism when a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted, A hinge member is attached to the rear end of the hood, connected to the vehicle body via the displacement mechanism, and capable of rotating the hood relative to the vehicle body around the hinge axis. The displacement mechanism is, A long, elongated link member, whose central portion is rotatably supported on a first shaft member fixed to the vehicle body, and whose upper end is rotatably connected to the hinge shaft, The system includes a second link member, which is positioned further forward of the vehicle body than the first link member, is elongated, and whose central or lower end is rotatably supported by a second shaft member fixed to the vehicle body, and whose upper end is engaged with the central or front part of the hood in the vehicle's longitudinal direction via an engaging portion, A pedestrian protection device for a vehicle, characterized in that, in a normal state when the actuator is not operating, the upper end of the first link member and the upper end of the second link member are located further forward of the vehicle body than the first shaft member and the second shaft member, and the lower end of the first link member moves toward the front of the vehicle body when the actuator is operated.

2. The second link member is pivotally supported at its central portion by the second shaft member. The pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement mechanism comprises a third link member, the first end of which is connected to the lower end of the first link member via a first joint member, and the second end of which is connected to the lower end of the second link member via a second joint member.

3. The pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the actuator is an inflator having an ignition device, the ignition device detonates the inflator to move the first link member, and the gas generated by the detonation deploys a pedestrian airbag provided on the vehicle body.

4. The pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the engaging portion engages with the hood when the actuator is operated, and the engagement with the hood is released when the hood is opened by the hinge member in the normal state.

5. The pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a locking device provided at the front end of the hood, which can be switched from a locked state that holds the hood closed to an unlocked state that allows the hood to be opened when a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted.

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