Instrument panel reinforcement

Abstract

To provide an instrument panel reinforce which can efficiently reduce an effect imposed on a driver during a frontal collision of an automobile.SOLUTION: An instrument panel reinforce 4 faces a driver of an automobile 100 and extends in a width direction of the automobile 100. The instrument panel reinforce 4 has a concave part 5 which is concaved in correspondence with the body shape of the driver 200 and therefore can efficiently reduce an effect imposed on the driver 200 during a frontal collision of the automobile 100 by reducing an impact imposed by the instrument panel reinforce 4 on the body of the driver 200 during the frontal collision of the automobile 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an instrument panel reinforcement. [Background technology]

[0002] Structures related to instrument panel reinforcements extending in the width direction of an automobile have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which an energy absorber is disposed between the instrument panel and the instrument panel reinforcement supporting the instrument panel in order to reduce the impact on the driver's knees during a frontal collision of the automobile. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-103307 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned technology has a drawback in that the space in front of the driver's knees is enlarged in order to install the energy absorber in a space limited, for example, in the cabin of a truck. Therefore, a structure that efficiently reduces the impact on the driver in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle is desired.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an instrument panel reinforcement that can efficiently reduce the impact on a driver during a frontal collision of an automobile. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to an instrument panel reinforcement that faces a driver of a vehicle and extends in the width direction of the vehicle, and that has a recess that is recessed to correspond to the shape of the driver's body.

[0007] According to this configuration, the instrument panel reinforcement, which faces the driver of the vehicle and extends in the width direction of the vehicle, has a recess that is recessed to correspond to the shape of the driver's body. Therefore, by reducing the input to the driver's body by the instrument panel reinforcement during a frontal collision of the vehicle, it is possible to efficiently reduce the impact on the driver during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0008] In this case, it is preferable that the recess is recessed to correspond to the shape of the driver's knees on the central side of the vehicle.

[0009] According to this configuration, the recess is recessed to correspond to the shape of the driver's knees on the center side of the vehicle, thereby reducing the input to the driver's knees on the center side of the vehicle, which are likely to be affected by the instrument panel reinforcement in the event of a frontal collision, thereby efficiently reducing the impact on the driver in the event of a frontal collision.

[0010] It is also preferable that the vehicle further includes a reinforcement support member that supports the instrument panel reinforcement, and that the reinforcement support member has a deformation portion that deforms so that the instrument panel reinforcement moves toward the front end of the vehicle during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0011] According to this configuration, the vehicle further includes a reinforcement support member that supports the instrument panel reinforcement, and the reinforcement support member has a deformation portion that deforms so that the instrument panel reinforcement moves toward the front end of the vehicle during a frontal collision of the vehicle. Therefore, when the vehicle crashes head-on, the deformation portion of the reinforcement support member deforms and the instrument panel reinforcement moves toward the front end of the vehicle, thereby reducing the input to the driver's body by the instrument panel reinforcement, and thereby efficiently reducing the impact on the driver during a frontal collision of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0012] The instrument panel reinforcement of the present invention can efficiently reduce the impact on the driver during a frontal collision of an automobile. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the instrument panel reinforcement according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the instrument panel reinforcement according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an instrument panel reinforcement and a reinforcement support member. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view showing the support structure of FIG. 1 during a frontal collision. [Diagram 5] 3 is a side view showing the support structure of FIG. 2 during a frontal collision. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an instrument panel reinforcement according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The instrument panel reinforcement and steering column support structure of this embodiment are applied to, for example, trucks and the like. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the steering column support structure 1 of this embodiment includes a steering column 3 facing a driver 200 of the automobile 100, behind a front panel 2 on the front end side Frt of the automobile 100. The support structure 1 also includes an instrument panel reinforcement 4 facing the driver 200 of the automobile 100, supporting the steering column 3, and extending to a center side Ctr and a side side Sd in the width direction of the automobile 100.

[0015] The instrument panel reinforcement 4 is a holding part (pillar) that attaches an instrument panel (not shown) including a safety pad, gauges, air conditioning registers, a glove box, etc., to the automobile 100. The instrument panel reinforcement 4 is also used to hold pedals. The instrument panel reinforcement 4 supports the steering column 3 as a member that crosses and connects the front pillars of the door openings on both the left and right sides of the front part of the automobile 100, and has an impact and contribution to the vibration of the steering wheel and steering performance (feeling of rigidity, feeling of neutrality), etc.

[0016] The instrument panel reinforcement 4 has a recess 5 recessed in correspondence with the shape of the body of the driver 200. In this embodiment, the driver 200 sits in the driver's seat located on the right side of the automobile 100, and the recess 5 is recessed on the front end side Frt of the automobile 100 in correspondence with the shape of the driver's 200's knee (left knee) 201 on the center side Ctr of the automobile 100. Note that when the driver 200 sits in the driver's seat located on the left side of the automobile 100, and the driver's 200's knee (right knee) 202 is the driver's 200's knee on the center side Ctr of the automobile 100, the recess 5 may be recessed on the front end side Frt of the automobile 100 in correspondence with the shape of the driver's 200's knee 202.

[0017] The support structure 1 further includes a reinforcement support member 6 that supports the instrument panel reinforcement 4. The support structure 1 further includes a reservoir tank 7 at an end of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 on the side Sd of the automobile 100. The reinforcement support member (pedal bracket) 6 supports a lower portion of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 on the central side Ctr of the automobile 100, near a brake booster 9 of the automobile 100 and a brake pedal (not shown).

[0018] 2 and 3, the reinforcement support member 6 has a deformation portion 8 that deforms so that the instrument panel reinforcement 4 moves to the front end side Frt of the automobile 100 when the automobile 100 undergoes a frontal collision. The deformation portion 8 is a notch that is recessed downward on the front end side Frt of the automobile 100 from a portion of the reinforcement support member 6 that supports the instrument panel reinforcement 4 from below.

[0019] The deformation portion 8 has a lower rigidity than other portions of the reinforcement support member 6. However, the reinforcement support member 6 has the rigidity required for supporting the instrument panel reinforcement 4 during normal use. When the automobile 100 is involved in a frontal collision, the reinforcement support member 6 bends or breaks at the deformation portion 8 toward the front end side Frt of the automobile 100, and the instrument panel reinforcement 4 moves so as to approach the front panel 2 that has been crushed in the frontal collision.

[0020] According to this embodiment, the instrument panel reinforcement 4, which faces the driver 200 of the automobile 100 and extends in the width direction of the automobile 100, has a recess 5 that is recessed to correspond to the shape of the body of the driver 200. Therefore, by reducing the input to the body of the driver 200 by the instrument panel reinforcement 4 during a frontal collision of the automobile 100, the impact on the driver 200 during a frontal collision of the automobile 100 can be efficiently reduced.

[0021] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the recess 5 is recessed to correspond to the shape of the knee 201 of the driver 200 on the central side Ctr of the automobile 100. Therefore, by reducing the input to the knee 201 on the central side Crt of the automobile 100 of the driver 200 which is likely to be affected by the instrument panel reinforcement 4 in the event of a frontal collision of the automobile 100, the impact on the driver 200 in the event of a frontal collision of the automobile 100 can be efficiently reduced.

[0022] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the vehicle further includes a reinforcement support member 6 that supports the instrument panel reinforcement 4, and the reinforcement support member 6 has a deformation portion 8 that deforms so that the instrument panel reinforcement 4 moves to the front end side Frt of the vehicle 100 when the vehicle 100 experiences a frontal collision. Therefore, when the vehicle 100 experiences a frontal collision, the deformation portion 8 of the reinforcement support member 6 deforms and the instrument panel reinforcement 4 moves to the front end side Frt of the vehicle 100, thereby reducing the input to the body of the driver 200 by the instrument panel reinforcement 4, and thereby efficiently reducing the impact on the driver 200 when the vehicle 100 experiences a frontal collision.

[0023] In the conventional instrument panel reinforcement in freight vehicles, the highly rigid instrument panel reinforcement is disposed in front of the driver's left knee on the center side of the vehicle, and there is a possibility that a large input is applied to the left knee when the freight vehicle crashes head-on. On the other hand, in the cabin of a freight vehicle with limited space, reducing the input to the left knee when the freight vehicle crashes head-on is difficult due to many contradictory issues such as expanding the space in front of the driver's left knee and reducing the rigidity of the instrument panel reinforcement. In other words, in the cabin of a freight vehicle with limited space, it is difficult to increase the gap between the driver and the instrument panel reinforcement due to the relationship between the arrangement of the occupants and parts. Also, the rigidity of the instrument panel reinforcement cannot be easily reduced.

[0024] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the input to the knees 201 during a frontal collision of the automobile 100 is reduced by partially changing the shape of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 and providing a deformation portion 8 on the reinforcement support member 6 that supports the instrument panel reinforcement 4. That is, in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the input to the knees 201 from the instrument panel reinforcement 4 during a frontal collision of the automobile 100 while ensuring the rigidity of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 by making small changes to the related parts of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 without changing the space of the cabin of the automobile 100 or making major changes to the related parts of the instrument panel reinforcement 4.

[0025] Hereinafter, the effect of the instrument panel reinforcement 4 of this embodiment in reducing the input to the knees 201 during a frontal collision of the automobile 100 will be described. FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the support structure 1 during a frontal collision. As shown in FIG. 4, the recess 5 ensures a gap with the knees 201, reducing the amount of interference during a frontal collision of the automobile 100 and reducing the input to the knees 201. FIG. 5 shows a side view of the support structure 1 during a frontal collision. As shown in FIG. 5, it can be seen that the deformation portion 8 of the reinforcement support member 6 is crushed during a frontal collision of the automobile 100, making it easier for the instrument panel reinforcement 4 to move to the front end side Frt of the automobile 100 and reducing the input to the knees 201.

[0026] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be embodied in various forms. For example, the recess 5 may be recessed to correspond to the shape of not only the knees 201, 202 of the driver 200 but also other parts of the body of the driver 200. In addition, the deformation portion 8 may be provided not only in the reinforcement support member 6 but also in other members that support the instrument panel reinforcement 4. In addition, the shape and structure of the deformation portion 8 can be changed as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1...support structure, 2...front panel, 3...steering column, 4...instrument panel reinforcement, 5...recess, 6...reinforcement support member (pedal bracket), 7...reservoir tank, 8...deformation portion, 9...brake booster, 100...automobile, 200...driver, 201...knee (left knee), 202...knee (right knee), Frt...front end side, Ctr...center side, Sd...side side.

Claims

1. An instrument panel reinforcement that faces a driver of a vehicle and extends in a width direction of the vehicle, A reinforcement support member that supports the instrument panel reinforcement is provided. The instrument panel reinforcement has a recess that is recessed corresponding to a shape of the driver's body, The reinforcement support member has a deformation portion that deforms so that the instrument panel reinforcement moves toward a front end side of the vehicle when the vehicle undergoes a frontal collision.

2. The instrument panel reinforcement according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is recessed to correspond to a shape of the driver's knees on a center side of the vehicle.

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