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 pedestrian protection device for a vehicle, comprising a hood 12 covering the upper front surface of the vehicle body, and a first displacement mechanism 20 and a second displacement mechanism 40, respectively, which raise the front and rear ends of the hood when the hood is pressed upward by actuators 16 and 17, wherein the first displacement mechanism comprises an arm member 22 having an engaging portion 22b at its front end that engages with the hood and whose rear end is pivotally supported on the vehicle body side, and a pin 28 attached to the rear of the engaging portion that fixes the arm member to the hood, wherein when the actuator is operated, the pin separates from the arm member as the hood rises, and the arm member rotates while maintaining the engaged state by the engaging portion.

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 lifts a hood provided at the front of a 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 a 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 lifts 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 lifts 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 lifts the rear end of the hood with a rod member disposed on the rear-end side. In this device, by lifting both the front end and the rear end of the hood during a collision, when the 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 hood that covers the upper front surface of the vehicle, When a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted and the hood is pressed upward by an actuator, a first displacement mechanism and a second displacement mechanism each raise the front and rear ends of the hood, respectively. In a vehicle pedestrian protection device equipped with, The first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism are configured to allow the hood to be displaced upward and rearward from the vehicle body. The first displacement mechanism is, An arm member is positioned on the interior side of the hood, extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, having an engaging portion at its front end that engages with the hood, and its rear end pivotally supported on the vehicle body side. The arm member is attached to the rear side of the engagement portion and includes a pin that secures the arm member to the hood, When the actuator is activated, the pin separates from the arm member as the hood rises, and the arm member rotates while maintaining the engaged state by the engaging portion. [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 plan view showing the overall configuration of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically illustrates the first and second displacement mechanisms. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the latch component. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the bracket component. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the arm component. [Figure 7A] This diagram schematically illustrates the operation of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Figure 7B] This diagram schematically illustrates the operation of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Figure 7C] This diagram schematically illustrates the operation of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Figure 7D] This diagram schematically illustrates the operation of a vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection device. [Figure 8A] This diagram schematically illustrates the opening operation of the hood under normal conditions. [Figure 8B] This diagram schematically illustrates the opening operation of the hood under normal conditions. [Figure 8C] This diagram schematically illustrates the opening operation of the hood under normal conditions. [Figure 9A] This diagram schematically illustrates the closing operation of the hood under normal conditions. [Figure 9B] This diagram schematically illustrates the closing operation of the hood under normal conditions. [Figure 9C] This diagram schematically illustrates the closing operation of the hood under normal conditions. [Figure 9D] It is a diagram schematically explaining the closing operation of the hood in the normal state.

Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle 1 equipped with a pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the state where the pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle is operating. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle, and FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically explaining the first displacement mechanism 20 and the second displacement mechanism 40 of the pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle. The vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 2 and a hood 12 that covers the upper surface in front of the vehicle body 2. The vehicle body 2 has an engine room in the front part where rigid parts such as an engine are accommodated, and the hood 12 covers the engine room from above. The pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle is provided in front of the vehicle 1, and when a collision with a pedestrian occurs, it lifts the hood 12 provided at the front part of the vehicle body to alleviate the impact received by the pedestrian from the vehicle 1. In the following description, the state where the pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle is not operating in the vehicle 1 is referred to as the normal state.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle in the present embodiment includes a hood 12, a collision detection sensor 14, a collision prediction sensor not shown, actuators 16 and 17 attached to the vehicle body 2 to press the hood 12 upward, and a control unit 18. The control unit 18 operates the actuators 16 and 17 based on a signal output from the collision detection sensor 14 or the collision prediction sensor. In the present embodiment, the actuators 16 and 17 include a front actuator 16 that presses the front end portion of the hood 12 upward and a rear actuator 17 that presses the rear end portion of the hood 12 upward. The pedestrian protection device 10 for a vehicle further includes a first displacement mechanism 20 and a second displacement mechanism 40 that can displace the hood 12 upward and rearward with respect to the vehicle body 2 when the actuators 16 and 17 operate. The first displacement mechanism 20 displaces the front end portion of the hood 12 upward and rearward, and the second displacement mechanism 40 displaces the rear end portion of the hood 12 upward and rearward.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the hood 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The first displacement mechanism 20 and the second displacement mechanism 40 are provided in pairs on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 2. When the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is activated, the hood 12 is lifted while being supported from below at four points by the pair of left and right first displacement mechanisms 20 and second displacement mechanisms 40.

[0013] 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, elongated 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 18. The collision prediction sensor measures the distance to a pedestrian in front of the vehicle and predicts a collision probability by calculating the likelihood of a collision from the vehicle 1's speed and the expected braking distance. The collision prediction sensor can be composed of, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, radar, or a CCD camera.

[0014] The front actuator 16 and the rear actuator 17 each comprise a bottomed cylindrical cylinder 16a, 17a, rods 16b, 17b slidably inserted into the cylinders 16a, 17a, and an inflator (not shown). The actuators 16 and 17 generate gas using the inflator, and the gas pressure causes the ends of the rods 16b, 17b to protrude from the cylinders 16a, 17a. Each actuator 16 and 17 is installed on the vehicle body 2 such that the rods 16b, 17b protrude upward and press the hood 12 upward. The front actuator 16 is positioned near the first displacement mechanism 20, and the rear actuator 18 is positioned near the second displacement mechanism 20. Note that in the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10, it is sufficient to provide at least one actuator 16 or 17.

[0015] The control unit 18 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 18 is electrically connected to the collision detection sensor 14, the collision prediction sensor, the front actuator 16, and the rear actuator 17. When the control unit 18 detects a collision or collision prediction based on a signal received from the collision detection sensor 14 or the collision prediction sensor, it activates the front actuator 16 and the rear actuator 17. In this embodiment, the control unit 18 controls the actuators 16 and 17 such that the front actuator 16 activates after the rear actuator 17 has been activated.

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the first displacement mechanism 20 includes an arm member 22 positioned on the interior side of the hood 12 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 2, a bracket member 24 connected to the arm member 22 via a shaft member 26, and a pin 28 that fixes the arm member 22 to the hood 12. The second displacement mechanism 40 includes a link member 44 that constitutes a link mechanism. When the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is activated, the hood 12 is supported from below by the arm member 22 positioned on the front end side of the hood 12 and the link member 44 positioned on the rear end side of the hood 12.

[0017] The arm member 22, bracket member 24, and link member 44 are elongated members, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, they are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2 when the hood 12 is closed. In the following description, for each of the arm member 22, bracket member 24, and link member 44, when the hood 12 is closed, the end located on the front side of the vehicle body 2 will be referred to as the front end, the end located on the rear side will be referred to as the rear end, the surface above the vehicle body 2 will be referred to as the top surface, and the surface below the vehicle body 2 will be referred to as the bottom surface.

[0018] As shown in Figure 4, the arm member 22 has a long plate-shaped arm body portion 22a, an engaging portion 22b provided at the front end of the arm body portion 22a, and a wall portion 22c protruding from the rear end of the arm body portion 22. The engaging portion 22b is the part that engages with the engaged portion 12a provided on the hood 12, as shown in Figure 3. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 22b is an engaging projection that protrudes from the upper surface of the arm body portion 22a, and the engaged portion 12a is an engaging hole provided in the hood inner panel 13 that forms the lower surface of the hood 12. When the first displacement mechanism 20 is assembled, the engaging portion 22, which is the engaging projection, is inserted into the engaged portion 12a, which is the engaging hole. A buffer member 29 is attached to the arm body portion 22a near the engaging portion 22b. The cushioning member 29 can be made of, for example, rubber, and as shown in Figure 3, when the arm member 22 is assembled to the hood 12, it is interposed between the front end of the arm body 22a and the hood 12 to mitigate the collision between them. The wall portion 22c of the arm member 22 protrudes from the lower surface of the arm body 22a, and an axial hole is formed in the wall portion 22c through which the shaft member 26 is inserted. In the arm body 22a of the arm member 22, a hole 22a is formed in the region between the engaging portion 22b and the mounting portion of the shaft member 26 through which a pin 28 is inserted.

[0019] As shown in Figure 5, the bracket member 24 has a bent, elongated plate-shaped bracket body portion 24a and a wall portion 24b projecting from the center of the bracket body portion 24a in the longitudinal direction. An axial hole is formed in the wall portion 24b of the bracket member 24 through which an axial member 26 is inserted, and the arm member 22 and the bracket member 24 are connected via the axial member 26 that penetrates each other's wall portions 22c and 24b.

[0020] The bracket body portion 24a has a front end portion that protrudes from the upper surface of the central portion on which the wall portion 24b is projected and bends forward in an L-shape, and a rear end portion that protrudes from the lower surface of the central portion and bends backward in an L-shape. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a hole 24d through which a pin 28 is inserted is formed in the front end portion of the bracket body portion 24a.

[0021] The pin 28 is a component that fixes the hood 12 and the arm member 22 in the normal state when the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is not activated. As shown in Figure 3, the pin 28 has a head 28a, a shaft portion 28b with a smaller diameter than the head 28a, and a projection 28c provided at the tip of the shaft portion 28b that protrudes radially. The projection 28c is formed to have a radial projection length smaller than that of the head 28a, and in this embodiment, four projections 28c are provided so as to protrude radially outward in a cross shape from the tip of the shaft portion 28b.

[0022] The pin 28 is mounted such that its head 28a abuts against the hood inner panel 13, its shaft 28b is inserted into holes 22d and 24d provided in the hood inner panel 13, the arm member 22, and the bracket member 24, respectively, and its protruding portion 28c abuts against the lower surface of the bracket member 24. The pin 28 is designed so that when the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is activated, the protruding portion 28c bends or breaks, causing the shaft 28b to disengage from at least the holes 24d and 22c in the bracket member 24 and the arm member 28, thereby separating the pin 28 from the arm member 28. It is preferable that the pin 28 be made of a relatively low-rigidity material, such as a resin material, so that it can be easily disengaged when the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 is activated. The front actuator 16 is preferably positioned in the area in front of the vehicle body 2 from the mounting position of the pin 28, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, it is positioned in front of the pin 28 and is positioned to press the arm member 22 upward from below.

[0023] In this embodiment, both the arm member 22 and the bracket member 24 are fixed to the hood 12 using the pin 28, but a structure in which only the arm member 22 is fixed is also possible. In this case, the bracket member 24 can be shaped so that it does not have a front end portion in which the hole 24d shown in Figure 5 is formed.

[0024] The rear end of the bracket body portion 24a is provided with a latch engagement portion 24c that engages with a latch member 30 attached to the vehicle body 2. In this embodiment, the latch engagement portion 24c is a rectangular engagement hole that engages with an engagement projection 30b provided on the latch member 30.

[0025] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the latch member 30. The latch member 30 is provided on the vehicle body 2 and is positioned further rearward than the rear end of the arm member 22. The latch member 30 maintains the front end of the hood 12 in a closed state by engaging with the latch engaging portion 24c provided on the first displacement mechanism 20. As will be described later, when the hood 12 is normally open, the engagement between the latch engaging portion 24c and the latch member 30 is released. The latch member 30 comprises a plate-shaped latch body portion 30a that extends vertically when installed, an engaging projection 30b that protrudes forward from the front surface of the latch body portion 30a, and a contact portion 30c provided on the upper part of the latch body portion 30a. Here, the front surface of the latch body portion 30a is the surface that faces forward of the vehicle body 2 when assembled to the vehicle body 2. The contact portion 30c is the part that the bracket member 24 contacts during the closing operation of the hood 12, which will be described later, and has an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the front surface of the latch body portion 30a.

[0026] When an operating lever located inside the vehicle is operated by the user, the latch member 30 moves to the rear of the vehicle body 2 by a pressing member 32 which is linked to this operation. As shown in Figure 9B, the latch member 30 is provided with a biasing member 34 that biases the latch member 30 toward the pressing member 32 so that the latch member 30 comes into contact with the pressing member 32. In this embodiment, a biasing member 34 made of a spring is provided between the latch member 30 and the pressing member 32.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, the second displacement mechanism 40 includes a long link member 44 that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2 when the hood 12 is closed. The rear end of the link member 44 is connected to a vehicle body-side support bracket 49 fixed to the vehicle body 2 via a first joint member 42. The front end of the link member 44 is connected to a support bracket 48 fixed to the hood inner panel 13 via a second joint member 46.

[0028] Next, the operation of the pedestrian protection device 10 for vehicles described above will be explained using Figures 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D. Note that the lower actuator 17 is not shown in Figures 7A to 9D. When the pedestrian protection device 10 for vehicles is in operation, the shaft member 26, which is the rotation center of the arm member 22, is fixed to the vehicle body 2 via the bracket member 24, so that the rear end of the arm member 22 is pivotally supported on the vehicle body 2. 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 18 activates the rear actuator 17. When the rear actuator 17 applies an upward pressing force to the rear end of the hood 12, the link member 44 of the second displacement mechanism 40 rotates around the first joint member 42, as shown in Figure 7A, and the rear end of the hood 12 is pushed upward.

[0029] As shown in Figure 7B, the control unit 18 operates the rear actuator 17, and then the front actuator 16. When the front actuator 16 pushes the front end of the hood 12 upward, the pin 28 detaches from the arm member 22, as shown in Figure 7C. With the pin 28 detached, the arm member 22 rotates around the shaft member 26, and the hood 12 is pushed upward and backward by the front end of the arm member 22. As a result, as shown in Figure 7D, the entire hood 12 moves upward and backward from the initial position of the hood 12 shown by the dashed line.

[0030] As described above, in the pedestrian protection device 10 for vehicles of this embodiment, after pushing the hood 12 upward, the first displacement mechanism 20 and the second displacement mechanism 20 can slide the hood 12 backward. This ensures 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] When a pedestrian collides head-on with a moving vehicle 1, a secondary collision may occur where the pedestrian's head strikes the hood 12 after hitting the front bumper 4 of the vehicle 1. In the secondary collision, the pedestrian's head receives impact force from rigid parts such as the engine located below the hood 12. However, in this embodiment, the vehicle pedestrian protection device 10 can reduce the impact energy received from the rigid parts by ensuring a large crash stroke between the hood 12 and the rigid parts located below it. This can mitigate the impact the pedestrian receives from the vehicle 1 in the secondary collision.

[0032] In the pedestrian protection device 10 for vehicles of this embodiment, the pin 28 can be efficiently removed from the arm member 22 by operating the front actuator 16. Furthermore, since the front actuator 16 is positioned in the area in front of the vehicle body 2 relative to the position of the pin 28, the pressing force of the front actuator 16 efficiently moves the front end of the arm member 22 upward and backward, allowing the hood 12 to be smoothly displaced.

[0033] Next, the operation of the first displacement mechanism 20 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. In the normal state, the hood 12 can be opened and closed by rotating around the rear end of the hood 12. In this embodiment, the hood 12 rotates around the first joint member 42 of the second displacement mechanism 40.

[0034] The operation of the first displacement mechanism 20 when the hood 12 is opened manually will be explained using Figures 8A, 8B, and 8C. First, as shown in Figure 8A, when the hood 12 is closed, the engaging projection 30b of the latch member 30 provided on the vehicle body 2 engages with the latch engaging portion 24c of the bracket member 24 of the first displacement mechanism 20. Specifically, the locking projection 30b enters the latch engaging portion 24c, which is the engagement hole, and is engaged in a state that restricts the upward movement of the hood 12.

[0035] In this state, when the user of vehicle 1 operates the operating lever located inside the vehicle cabin to release the latch member 30, as shown in Figure 8B, the pressing member 32 is activated and moves from its initial position to a pressing position that moves the latch member 30 towards the rear of the vehicle body 2, thereby moving the latch member 30 towards the rear of the vehicle body. When the latch member 30 moves, the engaging projection 30b of the latch member 30 disengages from the latch engaging portion 24c of the bracket member 24, and the engagement between the bracket member 24 and the latch member 30 is released. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 8C, when the pressing member 34 returns from the pressing position to its initial position, the latch member 30 is biased toward the pressing member 34 by the biasing member 34 and returns to its initial position before being pressed.

[0036] Next, the operation of the first displacement mechanism 20 when closing the hood 12 from an open state will be described using Figures 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D. When the hood 12 is closed manually, as shown in Figure 9A, a downward pressing force is applied by the user to push the hood 12 downward. When the hood 12 moves downward due to this pressing force, the bracket member 24 of the first displacement mechanism 20 comes into contact with the contact portion 30c of the latch member 30, and as shown in Figure 9B, the latch member 30 moves towards the rear of the vehicle body 2. In this state, if the hood 12 moves further downward, as shown in Figure 9C, the engaging projection 30b of the latch member 30 enters the hole in the latch engaging portion 24c of the bracket 24, and then the latch member 30 is biased by the biasing member 34 and moves towards the front of the vehicle body 2. When the biasing member 34 returns the latch member 30 to the initial position shown in Figure 9A, the latch member 30 engages with the latch engagement portion 24c of the bracket member 24, and the closed state of the hood 12 is maintained.

[0037] As described above, the pedestrian protection device 10 for vehicles in this embodiment can hold the hood 12 in a closed state by engaging the latch engaging portion 24c provided on the bracket member 24 with the latch member 30 on the vehicle body 2 side. When opening the hood 12, the engagement with the latch member 30 is released, and the hood 12 can be opened with the first displacement mechanism 20 attached to the hood 12.

[0038] 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]

[0039] 1 vehicle 2 car bodies 10. Vehicle-mounted pedestrian protection devices 12 Food 14. Collision detection sensor 16 Front Actuator 17 Rear Actuator 18 Control Unit 20. First Displacement Mechanism 22 Arm member 24 Bracket members 28 pins 30 Latch member 40 Second Displacement Mechanism 44 Link members

Claims

1. A hood that covers the upper front surface of the vehicle, When a collision with a pedestrian is detected or predicted and the hood is pressed upward by an actuator, a first displacement mechanism and a second displacement mechanism each raise the front and rear ends of the hood, respectively. In a vehicle pedestrian protection device equipped with, The first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism are configured to allow the hood to be displaced upward and rearward from the vehicle body. The first displacement mechanism is, An arm member is positioned on the interior side of the hood, extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, having an engaging portion at its front end that engages with the hood, and its rear end pivotally supported on the vehicle body side. The arm member is attached to the rear side of the engagement portion and includes a pin that secures the arm member to the hood, A vehicle pedestrian protection device wherein, when the actuator is activated, the pin separates from the arm member as the hood rises, and the arm member rotates while maintaining the engaged state by the engaging portion.

2. The actuator comprises a front actuator that pushes up the front end of the hood and a rear actuator that pushes up the rear end of the hood. The pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front actuator operates after the rear actuator has been operated.

3. The pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the front actuator is positioned in a region on the front side of the vehicle body relative to the position of the pin.

4. The pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first displacement mechanism is provided with a latch member on the vehicle body to maintain the front end of the hood in a closed state, and the latch engagement portion is released when the hood is normally open.

5. The vehicle pedestrian protection device according to claim 4, wherein the latch engaging portion is provided behind the arm member.

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