Vehicles with pedestrian protection features

Abstract

Improves protection for pedestrians in collisions with vehicle bodies. [Solution] A vehicle with a pedestrian protection function has an extrusion member that connects a bumper face member, which extends in the width direction of the vehicle body, to the vehicle body at the front of the vehicle body. The extrusion member pushes the bumper face member forward and downward of the vehicle body before a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body. As the bumper face member is pushed forward and downward of the vehicle body by the extrusion member, the entire bumper face member is pushed forward of the front of the vehicle body. A space of front-to-back width is secured between the front of the bumper face member and the front of the vehicle body, which is large enough for a pedestrian's waist to rest on.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application mainly discloses a vehicle having a pedestrian protection function.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses pushing out a bumper and a spoiler forward to kick a pedestrian who collides with the vehicle body. Patent Document 2 discloses pushing out a lower limb support from below the bumper forward of the bumper to push away a portion below the knee of the lower limb of a pedestrian who collides with the vehicle body and let the pedestrian get on the bonnet and escape. Patent Document 3 discloses protruding a grill and a lower bumper on the front surface of the vehicle body to contact a pedestrian and relieve a local input to the lower body of the pedestrian.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose relieving the collision with the front surface of the vehicle body by kicking the lower limbs of a pedestrian who collides with the vehicle body. Patent Document 3 discloses protruding two of a grill and a lower bumper with respect to a pedestrian and relieving a local input at the time of collision with the front surface of the vehicle body. However, as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a pedestrian whose feet are swept off their feet is pushed upwards onto the hood of the vehicle body as they fall onto it. Furthermore, a pedestrian pushed upwards onto the hood may fall off to the left or right side in the vehicle's width direction. A pedestrian who falls off the hood will then collide with the road surface. In particular, if a pedestrian is bounced up on the hood, they may experience the impact of falling onto the road surface from the height they were thrown. Such situations, such as being pushed up onto the hood and falling from the hood, can also occur in Patent Document 3, which attempts to mitigate collisions with the front of the vehicle body.

[0005] Thus, vehicles are required to improve the protection of pedestrians in the event of a collision with the vehicle body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle having a pedestrian protection function according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a bumper face member extending in the width direction of the vehicle body at the front of the vehicle body, and an extrusion member connecting the bumper face member and the vehicle body, which pushes the bumper face member forward and downward of the vehicle body before a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body, wherein the bumper face member is pushed forward and downward of the vehicle body by the extrusion member, so that the entire bumper face member is pushed forward of the front of the vehicle body, and a space of front-to-back width is secured between the front of the bumper face member and the front of the vehicle body that allows a pedestrian's waist to rest. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, a bumper face member extending in the width direction of the vehicle body at the front of the vehicle body is connected to the vehicle body by an extrusion member. The extrusion member pushes the bumper face member forward and downward of the vehicle body before a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body. As the bumper face member is pushed forward and downward of the vehicle body by the extrusion member, the entire bumper face member is pushed forward of the front of the vehicle body. The bumper face member then secures a front-to-back space between the front of the bumper face member and the front of the vehicle body that is wide enough for a pedestrian's waist to rest on. As a result, when a pedestrian collides with a vehicle, they first come into contact with the bumper face member, which is pushed forward as a whole. Because the bumper face member, which is pushed forward as a whole, is connected to the vehicle body by an extrusion member, it can easily flex under the weight of the pedestrian and deform to absorb the impact acting on the pedestrian. Because the bumper face member, which is pushed forward as a whole from the vehicle body, flexes easily, even if the pedestrian comes into contact with the bumper face member, they are less likely to be tripped and can maintain their balance on the road surface. In addition, the initial impact when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body will be directed at the easily flexible bumper face member, which can be mitigated. After contact with the bumper face, the pedestrian falls towards the vehicle, with their lower limbs resting against the bumper face, which flexes under the pedestrian's weight. Since the pedestrian is less likely to be tripped even after contact with the bumper face, they can fall towards the vehicle from a standing position on the road. Moreover, there is enough front-to-back space between the front of the bumper face and the front of the vehicle body for the pedestrian's waist to rest on. Therefore, a pedestrian who is standing on the road and has contact with the bumper face can fall towards the vehicle, landing on top of the bumper face. After contact with the bumper face, the pedestrian is less likely to fall onto other structural members of the vehicle body, and the strong impact that would occur if they fell onto those structural members is reduced. Even if the pedestrian's upper body or other parts hit the hood after landing on the bumper face, the resulting impact is expected to be small. Furthermore, the center of gravity of a pedestrian who has fallen onto the bumper face is lower than that of the hood. Even if a pedestrian falls onto the road surface after standing on the bumper face component, they will fall from a lower position than the hood, making it less likely for them to experience a strong impact from the collision with the road surface. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bumper face member is pushed forward and downward as a whole, thereby mitigating the impact of the initial collision with the vehicle body, and furthermore, making it difficult for various impacts to act strongly even after the initial collision. Moreover, it is expected that pedestrians will land on the bumper face member, which is pushed forward and downward as a whole, upon collision with the vehicle. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, the portion of the vehicle body that a pedestrian collides with can be basically limited to the bumper face member, and moreover, since the center of gravity of the colliding pedestrian is not raised, the protection of pedestrians colliding with the vehicle body can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1]This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian. Figure 1(A) shows the state before the collision. Figure 1(B) shows the state where the pedestrian is struck by the front of the vehicle. Figure 1(C) shows the state where the pedestrian's legs are being swept away. Figure 1(D) shows the state where the pedestrian is being pushed upwards towards the hood. Figure 1(E) shows the state where the pedestrian is falling onto the hood while rotating. Figure 1(F) shows the state where the pedestrian falls off the hood onto the road surface. [Figure 2] This is a schematic top view illustrating the front body structure of the vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the extrusion mechanism and rotation mechanism of a bumper face member provided on the vehicle shown in Figure 2, in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the front body structure of the vehicle. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a left side view of the vehicle body with the extrusion mechanism in operation. [Figure 6] This is a schematic left side view of the left rotation mechanism in Figure 3. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a front view of the left-hand rotating mechanism in operation. [Figure 8] This is a left side view of the left rotation mechanism in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is a left side view of the vehicle body with the left and right rotation mechanisms activated and the bumper face member rotated upward. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram of the main configuration of an example of a pedestrian protection device for a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the control system that the control unit performs to protect pedestrians. [Figure 12] This is a left side view of the vehicle according to this embodiment, before it collides with a pedestrian. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a left side view of the vehicle body with the left and right pushing mechanisms of the vehicle in operation, before it collides with a pedestrian. [Figure 14] This is a left side view of the vehicle body in a state where a pedestrian standing on the road surface is beginning to collide with the bumper face member, which has been pushed forward and downward by the left and right extrusion mechanisms. [Figure 15] The left side view of a vehicle body in a state where a bumper face member rotates upward together with a pedestrian after the rotation is released when the pedestrian contacts the bumper face member.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment, after explaining the overview, the collision mode between the pedestrian and the vehicle, the front body structure of the vehicle, the extrusion mechanism and the rotation mechanism, the operating state of the extrusion mechanism, the rotation mechanism, the operating state of the rotation mechanism, the pedestrian protection device of the vehicle, and an example of the collision mode between the vehicle and the pedestrian in this embodiment will be described in order. <( Note that the description and drawings of the following embodiments are an example of the invention disclosed in the present application and do not limit the invention disclosed in the present application.

[0010] (Overview) The vehicle body of a vehicle may collide with a pedestrian. The pedestrian who collides with the vehicle first collides with the front surface of the vehicle body. After colliding with the front surface of the vehicle body, the pedestrian is pushed up onto the hood and falls onto the hood. In addition, the pedestrian pushed up onto the hood may further fall off the hood to the left or right in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body. The pedestrian who has fallen off the hood collides with the road surface a second time. When the momentum of falling onto the hood is strong, for example, the pedestrian may bounce up on the hood that has fallen down forcefully and fall from the height of the bounce to the road surface. Thus, in the collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle, multiple impacts may act on the pedestrian cumulatively. The vehicle is required to improve the protection of pedestrians who collide with the vehicle body. In one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle has an extrusion member connected to the bumper face member for pedestrian protection. And the extrusion member pushes the bumper face member entirely downward and forward of the vehicle body before a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body. As a result, the bumper face member is pushed downward and forward so that the entire bumper face member is positioned in front of the front surface of the vehicle body. A space with a front-to-rear width that allows a pedestrian's waist to ride can be secured between the front surface of the bumper face member at the pushed position and the front surface of the vehicle body. In this case, since the first collision of the pedestrian with the vehicle body is a collision with the bumper face member that is entirely pushed downward and forward and is easily deformed, the impact caused by the first collision with the vehicle body can be mitigated. Also, even after hitting the bumper face member, the pedestrian can maintain a standing state on the road surface and can fall onto the bumper face member from that state. Since the space is secured between the bumper face member and the front surface of the vehicle body, it is difficult for a strong impact to act on the pedestrian when the pedestrian falls onto the bumper face member and falls onto a component of the vehicle body other than the bumper face member. Due to these effects, one embodiment of the present invention can protect pedestrians.

[0011] (An example of the collision form between a pedestrian and a vehicle) FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the collision form between vehicle 1 and a pedestrian. FIG. 1(A) shows the state before the collision. FIG. 1(B) shows the state where the pedestrian hits the front surface of vehicle body 2 of vehicle 1. FIG. 1(C) shows the state where the pedestrian is being tripped. FIG. 1(D) shows the state where the pedestrian is being pushed upward toward hood 4 of vehicle body 2. FIG. 1(E) shows the state where the pedestrian is falling while rotating onto hood 4. FIG. 1(F) shows the state where the pedestrian drops from hood 4 onto road surface 90. The time flows from FIG. 1(A) to FIG. 1(F).

[0012] In FIG. 1(A), the pedestrian is standing on road surface 90 in front of the vehicle 1 in the traveling direction. If vehicle 1 travels straight ahead, it will collide with the pedestrian. When a pedestrian collides with the body 2 of vehicle 1, the pedestrian first makes contact with the front of vehicle 1, as shown in Figure 1(B). Subsequently, as the collision progresses as shown in Figure 1(C), the pedestrian's feet are swept off their feet by, for example, a bumper face member 7 provided on the front of the vehicle body 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1(D), the pedestrian's body, for example, is pushed upwards so that their waist and other parts of their body rest on the hood 4, starting from a position where their legs have been swept away. The hood 4 is located on the upper surface of the front of the vehicle body 2. As the collision progresses, the pedestrian will fall onto the hood 4 of the vehicle body 2, as shown in Figure 1(E). In this case, the pedestrian will fall onto the hood 4 while rotating due to a leg sweep or while rotating from a higher position due to being pushed up. The pedestrian may also fall onto the hood 4 upper body first. In addition, as shown in Figure 1(F), in some cases, a pedestrian may fall off the hood 4 to the left or right in the width direction of the vehicle body 2. A pedestrian who falls off the hood 4 will then have a secondary collision with the road surface 90. If the force with which the pedestrian falls onto the hood 4 is strong, the pedestrian may be bounced up on the hood 4 and fall onto the road surface 90 from the height of that bounce. Thus, pedestrians may experience cumulative impacts from multiple collisions with vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 is required to improve the protection of pedestrians in the event of a collision with vehicle body 2.

[0013] (An example of the front body structure of a vehicle) Figure 2 is a schematic top view illustrating the front body structure of vehicle 1. In the following explanation, the front, rear, left, right, up, and down directions will be based on vehicle body 2 in Figure 2.

[0014] A vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of structural members that constitute the front skeletal structure of the vehicle body 2. As shown in Figure 2, the structural members below the hood 4 include an upper side member 12, an upper link member 13, and a radiator frame 14. The upper side member 12 and the upper link member 13 are provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 2 in the vehicle width direction, respectively. Here, the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 2 coincides with the left-right direction of the vehicle body 2. The left and right upper side members 12 extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 2 at the front of the vehicle body 2. The rear ends of the left and right upper side members 12 are joined to the left and right A-pillars 11. The left and right upper side members 12 may be a rectangular cross-sectional skeletal structure as shown in the figure, or they may be a skeletal structure integrated with, for example, the front side panel. As shown in Figure 4, which will be described later, the radiator frame 14 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape when the vehicle body 2 is viewed from the front. The radiator frame 14 supports the radiator, which cools the oil and coolant of the vehicle 1 near the front of the vehicle body 2. The left and right upper link members 13 are joined between the front ends of the left and right upper side members 12 and the upper part of the radiator frame 14.

[0015] Thus, a skeletal structure is formed at the front of the vehicle body 2, directly beneath the hood 4. As shown in Figure 2, left and right front lights 8 are provided on the front side of the left and right upper link members 13. The left and right front lights 8 are fixed to the left and right upper link members 13 and the like in order to suppress misalignment of the optical axis during driving. Furthermore, a bumper face member 77 is provided on the front of the vehicle body 2. As shown in Figure 4, which will be described later, the bumper face member 7 extends across the entire width of the vehicle body 2 in the vehicle width direction. The bumper face member 7 may be formed in a shape that wraps around from the front of the vehicle body 2 to the left and right sides so as to form a continuous surface with the left and right front fenders. The bumper face member 7 may be attached at its left and right ends to left and right stay members 19, which are joined to, for example, the radiator frame 14. The bumper face member 7 may also be attached to other members of the vehicle body 2 other than the left and right stay members 19. The bumper face member 7, provided on the front of the vehicle body 2, is generally made of a flexible material to absorb impacts acting on the vehicle body 2. The bumper face member 7, made of a flexible material, is provided on the front of the vehicle body 2, extending across its entire width at the bottom. In addition, to adjust its deflection, the bumper face member 7 may have reinforcing ribs or the like formed on its inner surface.

[0016] (An example of an extrusion mechanism and a rotating mechanism) In one embodiment of the present invention, the bumper face member 7 provided on the vehicle 1 in Figure 2 is provided so as to be pushed forward and downward and so as to be rotatable upward in the pushed-out position. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the bumper face member 7 is attached to the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 and rotation mechanisms 30 in place of the left and right stay members 19. As a result, the bumper face member 7 is connected to the vehicle body 2 by the left and right extrusion members 20. Furthermore, the extrusion member 20 connecting the bumper face member 7 and the vehicle body 2 is not limited to the one shown in Figure 2, as long as it can push the entire bumper face member 7 forward.

[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the extrusion mechanism 20 and rotation mechanism 30 of the bumper face member 7 provided on the vehicle 1 shown in Figure 2, in one embodiment of the present invention. The dashed line in Figure 3 is a left side view of the front of the vehicle body 2 of the vehicle 1. Figure 4 is a schematic front view of the front body structure of vehicle 1 shown in Figure 3.

[0018] The left extrusion mechanism 20 in Figure 3 has a left extrusion cylinder 21 and a left extrusion rod 22 as extrusion members. The left extrusion cylinder 21 may be mounted on the vehicle body 2 in a downward-sloping position along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 2. The left extrusion cylinder 21 may be joined to the radiator frame 14, for example, the left stay member 19. The left extrusion rod 22 is housed in the left extrusion cylinder 21 so as to be movable along the extending direction of the left extrusion cylinder 21. The left end of the bumper face member 7 is attached to the front end of the left extrusion rod 22 together with the left rotation mechanism 30. The right end of the bumper face member 7 is connected to the front end of the right extrusion rod 22 together with the right rotation mechanism 30. The extrusion mechanism 20 on the right, like the extrusion mechanism 20 on the left, has a left extrusion cylinder 21 and a left extrusion rod 22. These components may be the same as those in the extrusion mechanism 20 on the left.

[0019] (An example of the operating state of the extrusion mechanism) Figure 5 is a left side view of the vehicle body 2 in the state in which the extrusion mechanism 20 shown in Figure 3 is in operation. The left and right extrusion rods 22 move along the extending direction of the left and right extrusion cylinders 21 by actuators and inflators (not shown). As a result, the bumper face member 7 is pushed out overall in the forward and downward direction of the vehicle body 2 while maintaining substantially the mounting position on the vehicle body 2. As a result, the bumper face member 7 detaches from the vehicle body 2, leaving the left and right extrusion members behind, and extends forward overall from the front of the vehicle body 3. Even if the bumper face member 7 is attached to components of the vehicle body 2 other than the left and right extrusion members, the bumper face member 7 can be pushed forward and downward, separating it from those components and ensuring that it detaches from the vehicle body 2 while leaving the left and right extrusion members behind. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the front of the vehicle body 3 of the vehicle 1 in this embodiment is composed of left and right front lights 8 and a bumper face member 7. The bumper face member 7 moves from the position indicated by the thin dashed line in Figure 5, extending forward overall beyond the front of the vehicle body 3, to the position indicated by the thick dashed line. Also, the gap between the bumper face member 7 and the road surface 90 becomes narrower. Furthermore, as the entire bumper face member 7 is pushed forward from the front of the vehicle body 3, a space with a long front-to-back width is secured between the front of the bumper face member 7 that is pushed forward and the front of the vehicle body 3, allowing a pedestrian's waist to stand on it.

[0020] (An example of a rotating mechanism) Next, the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 will be described. Figure 6 is a schematic left side view of the left rotation mechanism 30 in Figure 3. The right rotation mechanism 30 is installed on the vehicle body 2 with the left and right sides of Figure 3 reversed. Figure 7 is a front view of the left rotation mechanism 30 in Figure 6 in operation. Figure 8 is a left side view of the left rotation mechanism 30 in Figure 7.

[0021] As shown in Figure 6, the left rotation mechanism 30 includes a left vehicle body side plate 23, a left rotation side plate 31, a left shaft member 32, a left rotation restricting actuator 34, and a left restricting movable piece 35. The left vehicle body side plate 23 is joined to the front end of the left extrusion rod 22. The left shaft member 32 is provided protruding from the outer surface of the left vehicle body side plate 23 in the vehicle width direction. The left rotating plate 31 is mounted on top of the left body plate 23 so that it can rotate around the left shaft member 32. The left end of the bumper face member 7 is joined to the left rotating plate 31. Furthermore, the left rotating plate 31 is provided with a left restricting projection 33. The left restricting projection 33 protrudes toward the left vehicle body plate 23 at the front upper portion of the left rotating plate 31. As a result, for example, if the left rotating plate 31 attempts to rotate counterclockwise around the left shaft member 32 as shown in Figure 8, the left restricting projection 33 will come into contact with the upper surface of the left vehicle body plate 23. Consequently, the left rotating plate 31 cannot rotate counterclockwise as shown in Figure 8. The left rotating plate 31 cannot rotate downwards. Furthermore, a left rotation restricting actuator 34 and a left restricting movable piece 35 are attached to the left rotating plate 31. The left restricting movable piece 35 is provided so as to be movable in the vehicle width direction at the front lower portion of the left rotating plate 31. As shown in Figure 6, when the left restricting movable piece 35 protrudes toward the left vehicle body plate 23, if the left rotating plate 31 attempts to rotate clockwise around the left shaft member 32 as shown in Figure 8, the left restricting movable piece 35 will come into contact with the lower surface of the left vehicle body plate 23. As a result, the left rotating plate 31 cannot rotate clockwise as shown in Figure 8. The left rotating plate 31 cannot rotate upward. Thus, the left rotating plate 31 is positioned so as not to rotate upward or downward relative to the left vehicle body plate 23. In the state shown in Figures 3 and 4, the bumper face member 7 does not rotate upward or downward. The left rotation restricting actuator 34 drives the left restricting movable piece 35 to move in the vehicle width direction. The left restricting movable piece 35 no longer protrudes toward the left vehicle body side plate 23, as shown in Figure 7. In this case, even if the left rotating side plate 31 rotates clockwise around the left shaft member 32 as shown in Figure 8, the left restricting movable piece 35 does not come into contact with the lower surface of the left vehicle body side plate 23. As a result, the left rotating side plate 31 can rotate clockwise as shown in Figure 8. The left rotating side plate 31 can rotate upward. In this way, the left rotation restricting actuator 34 can releasely restrict the upward rotation of the bumper face member 7 relative to the left extrusion member. The right-hand rotating mechanism 30, like the left-hand rotating mechanism 30, includes a right-hand vehicle-side plate 23, a right-hand rotating-side plate 31, a right-hand shaft member 32, a right-hand rotation restricting actuator 34, and a right-hand restricting movable piece 35. These components may be the same as those of the left-hand rotating mechanism 30.

[0022] (An example of the operating state of a rotating mechanism) Figure 9 is a left side view of the vehicle body 2 in a state where the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 are activated and the bumper face member 7 has rotated upward. When the left and right rotation restricting actuators 34 are activated, the left and right restricting movable pieces 35 move outward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the rotating side plates 31 of the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 become able to rotate upward relative to the vehicle body side plate 23. As a result, the bumper face members 7, which are joined to the left and right rotating plates 31, can rotate upward around the left and right shaft members 32, as shown in Figure 9. The bumper face member 7 is connected to the left and right extrusion members so as to be rotatable upward, and can rotate upward when it is pushed out overall in a forward and downward direction from the front of the vehicle body 3 so as to secure space between itself and the front of the vehicle body 3.

[0023] (An example of a vehicle's pedestrian protection device) Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of the main configuration of an example of a pedestrian protection device 40 for a vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The pedestrian protection device 40 of vehicle 1 in Figure 10 includes a front camera 41, a collision sensor 42, a contact sensor 43, left and right extrusion mechanisms 20, left and right rotation restricting actuators 34 for the rotation mechanisms 30, and a control unit 44 to which these are connected.

[0024] The front camera 41 captures a wide-angle image of the front of the vehicle 1. The front camera 41 may consist of a single camera or multiple cameras. The front camera 41 is mounted facing forward in the front upper part of the passenger compartment, for example, as shown in Figure 4. The front camera 41 can detect pedestrians who may collide with the vehicle 1 by capturing images, as shown in Figure 1.

[0025] The collision sensor 42 detects the impact acting on the vehicle body 2 due to a collision with a pedestrian or the like. The collision sensor 42 may be, for example, an acceleration sensor. The collision sensor 42, which is an acceleration sensor, may determine that an impact due to a collision is acting on the vehicle body 2 when the sensor's detected value is above a predetermined threshold.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the contact sensor 43 is provided in the central part of the bumper face member 7 in the vehicle width direction. The contact sensor 43 may be, for example, a strain sensor or a sensor that detects changes in resistance due to contact. Such a contact sensor 43 can detect contact of a pedestrian with the bumper face member 7.

[0027] The control unit 44 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) and memory. The memory stores a program for pedestrian protection control that the CPU executes. The CPU reads and executes the program stored in memory. Thus, the CPU functions as a control unit 44 that controls the overall operation of the pedestrian protection device 40 shown in the figure. The control unit 44 is connected to a front camera 41 (which acts as a sensor), a collision sensor 42, a contact sensor 43, left and right extrusion mechanisms 20, and left and right rotation restricting actuators 34. The control unit 44 predicts a collision between the vehicle 1 and a pedestrian, as shown in Figure 1(A), based on, for example, the image captured by the front camera 41 or the detection value of the collision sensor 42, and performs pedestrian protection control. In pedestrian protection control, the control unit 44 performs control to activate the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 and the left and right rotation restricting actuators 34, along with braking control to avoid the collision.

[0028] Figure 11 is a flowchart of an example of the control performed by the control unit 44 in Figure 10 for pedestrian protection. The control unit 44 repeatedly executes the pedestrian protection control shown in Figure 11 to protect pedestrians.

[0029] In step ST1, the control unit 44 determines whether a collision between the vehicle 1 (the vehicle itself) and a pedestrian is predicted. For example, if a pedestrian is detected in the image captured by the front camera 41 in front of the vehicle, the control unit 44 determines the possibility of a collision based on the relative position and relative movement of the pedestrian to the vehicle. For example, if a pedestrian in the captured image is moving toward the vehicle's path, the control unit 44 determines that there is a possibility of collision with the pedestrian in the vehicle's direction of travel. In this case, the control unit 44 proceeds to step ST2. In all other cases, the control unit 44 determines that there is no possibility of collision with a pedestrian in the direction of the vehicle's movement and repeats this process. For example, if no pedestrian is detected in the image captured by the front camera 41, or if the pedestrian in the image is moving away from the vehicle's path, the control unit 44 determines that there is no possibility of collision with a pedestrian and repeats this process.

[0030] In step ST2, the control unit 44 starts executing protective control for the pedestrian, which was predicted to collide in step ST1, before the pedestrian collides with the vehicle 1. The control unit 44 operates the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20. The left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 move the left and right extrusion rods 22 in a forward and downward direction. As a result, the bumper face member 7 is pushed forward and downward from the state shown in Figures 3 and 4, as the left and right extrusion rods 22 move, as shown in Figure 5. The entire bumper face member 7 is pushed forward from the front of the vehicle body 3.

[0031] In step ST3, the control unit 44 determines whether the contact sensor 43 has detected contact between the pedestrian and the bumper face member 7. If the contact sensor 43 does not detect contact between the pedestrian and the bumper face member 7, that is, if the vehicle 1 and the pedestrian have not collided, the control unit 44 repeats this process. Then, when the contact sensor 43 detects contact between the pedestrian and the bumper face member 7, the control unit 44 proceeds to step ST4.

[0032] In step ST4, the control unit 44 activates the rotation restricting actuators 34 of the left and right rotation mechanisms 30. The left and right rotation mechanisms 30 change from a state where rotation up and down is restricted, as shown in Figure 6, to a state where rotation only downwards is restricted, as shown in Figure 7. When the contact sensor 43 detects contact of a pedestrian with the bumper face member 7, the left and right rotation restricting actuators 34 release the restriction on upward rotation of the bumper face member 7. As a result, the bumper face member 7, while being pushed forward and downward as shown in Figure 5, can rotate upward as shown in Figure 9.

[0033] (An example of a collision configuration between a vehicle and a pedestrian in this embodiment) Figures 12 to 15 illustrate an example of a collision configuration between the vehicle body 2 of vehicle 1 according to this embodiment and a pedestrian. Figure 12 is a left side view of the vehicle body 2 of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, before it collides with a pedestrian. Figure 13 is a left side view of the vehicle body 2 of the vehicle 1 in Figure 12, with the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 in operation, before it collides with the pedestrian. When the control unit 44 of the vehicle 1 detects the state shown in Figure 12 based on the image captured by the front camera 41, it predicts a collision with a pedestrian and, before the pedestrian and the vehicle body 2 collide, activates the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 as shown in Figure 13 to push the bumper face member 7 forward and downward as a whole. The pedestrian, standing on the road surface 90, comes into contact with the bumper face member 7 with their lower limbs. The bumper face member 7, which is made of a flexible material and attached to the vehicle body 2 only at its left and right ends, can easily bend and deform towards the rear due to this input from the pedestrian.

[0034] Figure 14 is a left side view of the vehicle body 2 in a state where a pedestrian standing on the road surface 90 has begun to collide with the bumper face member 7, which has been pushed out in a forward and downward direction by the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20. As shown in Figure 14, the pedestrian and the vehicle body 2 then collide. The pedestrian first comes into contact with the bumper face member 7, which is pushed forward and downward from the front of the vehicle body 2. The bumper face member 7 flexes while supporting the pedestrian's lower limbs that come into contact with it, in order to prevent them from being tripped, and is able to absorb the impact acting on the pedestrian's lower limbs. Furthermore, a contact sensor 43 provided on the bumper face member 7 detects contact by a pedestrian with the bumper face member 7. The control unit 44 activates the rotation restricting actuators 34 of the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 to release the restriction on upward rotation of the bumper face member 7, which is pushed forward and downward overall.

[0035] Figure 15 is a left side view of the vehicle body 2 in a state where the bumper face member 7 has come into contact with a pedestrian, releasing its rotation, and the bumper face member 7 is rotating upward together with the pedestrian. As shown in Figure 14, when a pedestrian standing on the road surface 90 is bending the bumper face member 7 backward, and the restriction on upward rotation of the bumper face member 7 is released, the bumper face member 7 can rotate upward together with the pedestrian, as shown in Figure 15. The bumper face member 7 can rotate upward as the pedestrian falls backward from the position where they were standing on the road surface 90. In addition, the bumper face member 7 has deformed backward in response to the input from the pedestrian up to that point. When the rotation restriction on the bumper face member 7 is released, it can rotate upward to release the deformation that has already occurred. A pedestrian standing on the road surface 90 is guided onto the bumper face member 7 as it rotates upward upon impact with the bumper face member 7. The pedestrian falls backward from their standing position on the road surface 90 towards the rear of the vehicle body 2 and lands on the upward-rotated bumper face member 7. In Figure 15, the pedestrian is seated on the upward-rotated bumper face member 7. In this way, a pedestrian standing on the bumper face member 7 is less likely to be pushed onto the hood 4 or to fall off the hood 4 onto the road surface 90. The pedestrian may only experience a weak impact from the collision with the bumper face member 7, which can easily bend under load, and an impact when stepping onto the bumper face member 7 as it rotates upward. In a collision with the vehicle body 2 of vehicle 1, the pedestrian is less likely to experience a cumulative effect of multiple impacts, and may be protected from collision with the vehicle body 2.

[0036] (effect) As described above, in this embodiment, the bumper face member 7 extending in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 2 at the front surface 3 of the vehicle body 1 is connected to the left and right extrusion members of the extrusion mechanism 20 at the left and right ends of the bumper face member 7 in the vehicle width direction. That is, the bumper face member 7 is connected to the vehicle body 2 by the extrusion mechanism 20. Here, the extrusion member consists of an extrusion cylinder 21 and a left extrusion rod 22. The extrusion mechanism 20 then pushes the entire bumper face member 7 in the front and downward direction of the vehicle body 2 by the left and right extrusion members before a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body 2. When the bumper face member 7 is fully pushed out, a space of front-to-back width is secured between the front surface and the front surface 3 of the vehicle body that allows a pedestrian's waist to rest. As a result, when a pedestrian collides with vehicle 1, they first come into contact with the bumper face member 7, which is pushed forward as a whole. Since the bumper face member 7, which is pushed forward as a whole, is only connected to the extrusion member, it can easily bend under the weight of the pedestrian and deform to absorb the impact acting on the pedestrian. Because the bumper face member 7 is pushed forward as a whole and can easily bend, even if the pedestrian comes into contact with the bumper face member 7, they are less likely to be tripped and can maintain their standing position on the road surface 90. In addition, by coming into contact with the bumper face member 7 in this way, the initial impact when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle body 2 can be mitigated. After hitting the bumper face member 7, the pedestrian falls towards the vehicle 2, with their lower limbs resting against the bumper face member 7, which flexes under the pedestrian's weight. Since the pedestrian is unlikely to be tripped even after hitting the bumper face member 7, they fall towards the vehicle body 2 from a standing position on the road surface 90. A space of front-to-back width is secured between the front of the bumper face member 7, which is pushed out as a whole, and the front of the vehicle body, allowing the pedestrian's waist to rest on it. Therefore, a pedestrian who hits the bumper face member 7 while standing on the road surface 90 can fall towards the vehicle body 2, landing on top of the bumper face member 7. In this way, after hitting the bumper face member 7, the pedestrian is less likely to fall towards the structural members of the vehicle body 2 behind the bumper face member 7, and the impact from a collision with the structural members of the vehicle body 2 after hitting the bumper face member 7 is reduced. Even if the pedestrian's upper body or other parts hit the hood 4 after landing on top of the bumper face member 7, the resulting impact is expected to be small. Moreover, the center of gravity of a pedestrian who falls onto the bumper face member 7 is lower than that of the hood 4. Even if the pedestrian falls onto the road surface 90 after landing on the bumper face member 7, they fall onto the road surface 90 from a position lower than that of the hood 3, so the impact of the collision with the road surface 90 is unlikely to be strong. In contrast, if, for example, the bumper face member 7 is not pushed forward, a pedestrian may be struck by impact from a collision with the front of the vehicle body 2, as shown in Figure 1, struck again when pushed up onto the hood 4 after the collision with the front of the vehicle body 2, struck again when falling onto the hood 4, and further struck when falling off the hood 4 toward the road surface 90. In particular, if the pedestrian is bounced up on the hood 4, they may be struck hard when falling from that height toward the road surface 90. In this embodiment, the entire bumper face member 7 is pushed forward and downward from the front of the vehicle body 3, which can mitigate the impact of the initial collision with the front of the vehicle body 2, and also makes it less likely for various impacts to act strongly on the pedestrian, such as when pushing the pedestrian onto the hood 4. Moreover, it is expected that the pedestrian will land on the bumper face member 7, which is pushed forward and downward as a whole, during the collision with the vehicle body 2. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, the structure of the vehicle body 2 when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body 2 can be basically limited to the bumper face member 7 which is pushed forward and downward across its entire surface. Moreover, it is difficult to push the pedestrian's center of gravity high, such as above the hood 4, thus improving the protection of pedestrians when they collide with the vehicle body 2 of the vehicle 1.

[0037] In this embodiment, the bumper face member 7 is pushed forward and downward by the extrusion member, so that it extends forward overall from the front of the vehicle body 3. As a result, when the bumper face member 7 is pushed forward, a space of front-to-back width is secured behind the bumper face member 7 that allows a pedestrian's waist to rest on. Moreover, by being pushed forward overall in the forward and downward direction, the bumper face member 7 can detach from the vehicle body 2 while maintaining its connection with the extrusion member. When the bumper face member 7 is pushed forward overall in the forward and downward direction, it may be supported by the vehicle body at only its left and right ends by the left and right extrusion members. In this state, the bumper face member 7 can utilize the space at the rear to flex significantly to the rear in the vehicle width direction in response to input from a pedestrian. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bumper face member 7 maintains its mounting position on the vehicle body by maintaining its connection with the extrusion member even when it is pushed out overall in the forward and downward direction. As a result, even when the bumper face member 7 is pushed out overall in the forward and downward direction, it can still perform the impact absorption function required of the bumper face member 7 when it is installed on the vehicle body 2. While performing its impact absorption function, the bumper face member 7 can also utilize the space at the rear to flex significantly to the rear in the vehicle width direction in response to pedestrian input. The bumper face member 7 can then perform a higher impact absorption performance against collisions with pedestrians than when it is installed on the vehicle body 2. As a result of these actions, the bumper face member 7, which is pushed out in an overall forward and downward direction, flexes while supporting the pedestrian's lower limbs that come into contact with the bumper face member 7 so as not to trip them, and can absorb the impact acting on the pedestrian's lower limbs.

[0038] In this embodiment, the bumper face member 7 is connected to the extrusion member by a rotation mechanism 30 so as to be rotatable upward. This allows the bumper face member 7 to rotate upward when it is pushed out overall in a forward and downward direction from the front of the vehicle body 3. Furthermore, the bumper face member 7 can rotate upward in accordance with the backward falling motion of a pedestrian who, for example, comes into contact with the bumper face member 7 and attempts to fall backward toward the rear of the vehicle body 2 from a standing position on the road surface 90. The bumper face member 7 can rotate upward in accordance with the input of the pedestrian by utilizing the space that has been pre-secured on the rear side of the bumper face member 7. A pedestrian, after coming into contact with the bumper face member 7 which is pushed forward and downward, moves to fall toward the rear of the vehicle body 2, and is guided by the bumper face member 7 which rotates upward in accordance with that movement, so that the pedestrian can fall onto the upward-rotated bumper face member 7. The pedestrian can be protected by falling onto the upward-rotated bumper face member 7. Furthermore, the upward-rotated bumper face member 7 can easily flex under the weight of a pedestrian standing on it, thus protecting the pedestrian. Additionally, the flexing of the upward-rotated bumper face member 7 under the pedestrian's weight can prevent the pedestrian from subsequently falling off the bumper face member 7. As a result, the pedestrian can remain on the upward-rotated bumper face member 7 and be protected from further collisions.

[0039] In this embodiment, a contact sensor 43 is provided on the bumper face member 7. The contact sensor 43 detects contact of a pedestrian with the bumper face member 7 when it is pushed out in a forward and downward direction from the front of the vehicle body 3. When the contact sensor 43 detects contact between the pedestrian and the bumper face member 7, the rotation restricting actuator 34 releases the restriction on the upward rotation of the bumper face member 7. As a result, the bumper face member 7 can release the restriction on upward rotation of the bumper face member 7 after a pedestrian makes contact with it. The bumper face member 7 deforms to curve backward due to the input of the pedestrian by contacting the lower limbs of a pedestrian standing on the road surface 90. The bumper face member 7 deforms so that the point of input from the pedestrian is further back from the left and right ends. In this state where deformation has begun, the restriction on upward rotation of the bumper face member 7 is released. As a result, the bumper face member 7 can rotate upward in accordance with the movement of a pedestrian who is about to fall backward toward the rear of the vehicle body 2. The bumper face member 7 can rotate upward when the rotation restriction is released while being pushed backward by the pedestrian. In addition, when a pedestrian is standing on the road surface 90 and tries to fall backward toward the rear of the vehicle body 2, they can fall so as to land on the bumper face member 7 that has rotated upward.

[0040] (modified version) The embodiments described above are examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications or changes are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0041] In the embodiment described above, the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 are attached to the left and right ends of the bumper face member 7. In addition, the extrusion mechanism 20 may be attached to a portion of the bumper face member 7 other than the left and right ends, for example, a portion of the bumper face member 7 closer to the center in the vehicle width direction. Even in this case, the extrusion mechanism 20 can push the entire bumper face member 7 forward and downward from the front of the vehicle body 3 to secure space behind the bumper face member 7. However, in this embodiment, the space secured behind the bumper face member 7 is also used for rotation upwards of the bumper face member 7. Furthermore, it is desirable that the bumper face member 7 be able to deform so as to easily flex under the load of a pedestrian standing on the road surface 90. For this reason, the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 are preferably attached to the left and right ends of the bumper face member 7. This increases the distance in the vehicle width direction from the point of impact input by the pedestrian to the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20, allowing the bumper face member 7 to easily flex under the load input of the pedestrian.

[0042] In the embodiment described above, the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 are released from their restrictions so that the bumper face member 7 can be rotated upward. In addition, for example, the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 may also include biasing members, drive actuators, etc., for actively rotating the bumper face member 7 upward. The biasing members and drive actuators may also assist in the initial movement to begin rotating the bumper face member 7 upward. Furthermore, the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 may have restricting members or structures for restricting the amount of upward rotation or the position after rotation of the bumper face member 7. As shown in Figure 8, the restricting movable piece 35 provided on the rotating side plate 31 comes into contact with the vehicle body side plate 23 as the upward rotation of the bumper face member 7 progresses. Such a restricting movable piece 35 can function as a restricting member for restricting the amount of upward rotation or the position after rotation of the bumper face member 7.

[0043] In the embodiment described above, the vehicle 1 has both left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 and left and right rotation mechanisms 30. In addition, for example, vehicle 1 may have only one of the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 and the left and right rotation mechanisms 30. However, even if the left and right rotation mechanisms 30 release the upward rotation while the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20 are not pushing out the entire bumper face member 7, the bumper face member 7 will come into contact with other components of the vehicle body 2, so it is unlikely that it will rotate upward solely due to the load input of a pedestrian. Furthermore, even if the bumper face member 7 is rotated upward while not being pushed out in its entirety, a pedestrian will almost never stand on the bumper face member 7 that has rotated upward. The pedestrian will be pushed up onto the hood 4 and will fall onto the hood 4. In contrast, when the entire bumper face member 7 is pushed out by the left and right extrusion mechanisms 20, a pedestrian can fall towards the rear of the vehicle body 2 from a standing position on the road surface 90, thereby falling into the space between the bumper face member 7 and the front of the vehicle body 3. In particular, by pushing the entire bumper face member 7 forward and downward from the front of the vehicle body 3, a space of front-to-back width can be secured between the front of the bumper face member 7 and the front of the vehicle body 3, allowing the pedestrian's waist to rest on it. The pedestrian will then be on top of the bumper face member 7 and the front of the vehicle body 3, making it less likely for their entire body to fall onto other components of the vehicle body 2, such as the hood 4.

[0044] In the embodiment described above, contact of a pedestrian with the bumper face member 7 is detected by a contact sensor 43 provided at the center of the bumper face member 7 in the vehicle width direction. In addition, for example, contact of a pedestrian with the bumper face member 7 may be detected based on the image captured by the front camera 41. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1...Vehicle, 2...Body, 3...Front of body, 4...Hood, 7...Bumper face member, 8...Front light, 11...A-pillar, 12...Upper side member, 13...Upper link member, 14...Radiator frame, 19...Stay member, 20...Extrusion mechanism, 21...Extrusion cylinder (extrusion member), 22...Extrusion rod (extrusion member), 23...Body side plate, 30...Rotation mechanism, 31...Rotating side plate, 32...Shaft member, 33...Restrictive protrusion, 34...Rotation restrictive actuator, 35...Restrictive movable piece, 40...Pedestrian protection device, 41...Front camera, 42...Collision sensor, 43...Contact sensor, 44...Control unit, 77...Bumper face member, 90...Road surface

Claims

1. A bumper face member extending in the width direction of the vehicle body at the front of the vehicle body, An extrusion member connects the bumper face member and the vehicle body, and pushes the bumper face member forward and downward of the vehicle body before a pedestrian collides with the vehicle body, It has, The bumper face member is, The extrusion member pushes the bumper face member forward and downward of the vehicle body, thereby pushing the entire bumper face member forward of the front of the vehicle body, and securing a front-to-back space between the front of the bumper face member and the front of the vehicle body that is wide enough for a pedestrian's waist to rest on. A vehicle equipped with pedestrian protection features.

2. The bumper face member is, The vehicle body is pushed forward and downward by the extrusion member, thereby detaching from the vehicle body while remaining connected to the extrusion member. A vehicle having a pedestrian protection function as described in claim 1.

3. The bumper face member is, When the entire bumper face member is pushed forward from the front of the vehicle body, the mounting position on the vehicle body is maintained by maintaining the connection with the extrusion member. A vehicle having a pedestrian protection function as described in claim 2.

4. The bumper face member is, The extruded member is connected to the extruded member so as to be rotatable upward, It rotates upward while being pushed out in a forward and downward direction from the front of the vehicle body so as to secure the space between it and the front of the vehicle body. A vehicle having a pedestrian protection function according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A contact sensor is provided at the center of the bumper face member in the vehicle width direction to detect contact of a pedestrian with the bumper face member, A rotation restricting actuator that can be released to restrict the upward rotation of the bumper face member relative to the extrusion member, It has, The aforementioned rotation restricting actuator is When the contact sensor detects contact by a pedestrian with the bumper face member, the restriction on rotation of the bumper face member upwards is released. A vehicle having a pedestrian protection function as described in claim 4.

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