Pedestrian protection device

Abstract

To provide technique which can position each case easily when installing the case storing respective different air bags on a vehicle.SOLUTION: A pedestrian protection device comprises a first air bag and a second air bag which are disposed in line-up with each other in a vehicle width direction so as to cover top face of a cowl of a vehicle when completing development, a first case which stores the first air bag, a second case which stores the second air bag and a connection member which connects the second case with the first case. The first case and the second case are attached to the vehicle so that a wiper pivot which is provided on a central part in a vehicle width direction of the cowl positions between the first case and the second case. The connection member is fixed to the first case and the second case so as to avoid the wire pivot in such a state that the first case and the second case are attached to the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a pedestrian protection device.

Background Art

[0002] Regarding a pedestrian protection device mounted on a vehicle, Patent Document 1 discloses a device including a right airbag device and a left airbag device. The right airbag device deploys a right airbag mainly in a region on the right side from the central portion in the vehicle width direction, and the left airbag device deploys a left airbag mainly in a region on the left side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above document, the installation space of each airbag device can be made more compact compared to the case of providing an airbag device that deploys a single airbag in regions on both the left and right sides. However, in Patent Document 1, since the cases for housing the respective airbags are separated, it takes time to position the cases when mounting them on the vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a pedestrian protection device is provided. The pedestrian protection device comprises a first airbag and a second airbag, which are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction so as to cover the upper surface of the cowl of a vehicle when fully deployed; a first case for housing the first airbag; a second case for housing the second airbag; and a connecting member, which is fixed to the first case and the second case, respectively via a fixing member, and connects the first case and the second case. The first case and the second case are mounted on the vehicle such that a wiper pivot, located in the center of the cowl in the vehicle width direction, is located between the first case and the second case. The connecting member is fixed to the first case and the second case so as to avoid the wiper pivot when the first case and the second case are mounted on the vehicle. The connecting member is positioned such that, when viewed from above the vehicle, a portion of the connecting member and a portion of the wiper pivot overlap.

[0006] (1) According to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, a pedestrian protection device is provided. The pedestrian protection device comprises a first airbag and a second airbag, which are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction so as to cover the upper surface of the cowl of a vehicle when fully deployed; a first case for housing the first airbag; a second case for housing the second airbag; and a connecting member for connecting the first case and the second case. The first case and the second case are mounted on the vehicle such that a wiper pivot located in the center of the cowl in the vehicle width direction is located between the first case and the second case, and the connecting member is fixed to the first case and the second case so as to avoid the wiper pivot when the first case and the second case are mounted on the vehicle. In this configuration, when mounting the first and second cases onto the vehicle, the first and second cases, which are connected by a connecting member, can be positioned together while avoiding the wiper pivot. Therefore, the first and second cases can be positioned more easily. (2) In the above configuration, the connecting member may be positioned between the first case and the second case. This configuration allows for a more compact pedestrian protection device. (3) In the above configuration, the first case and the second case are each fixed from above to a fixing part provided on the vehicle, the first case has a first side facing the second case, and the second case has a second side facing the first side, and the connecting member may be fixed to the first side above the center position in the vertical direction of the first side, and to the second side above the center position in the vertical direction of the second side. In such a configuration, the first case and the second case can be further suppressed from swinging when the airbags stored in the first case and the second case are inflated and deployed. (4) In the above configuration, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the connecting member may be covered by the first case and the second case. In this configuration, the pedestrian protection device can be made more compact. (5) In the above configuration, the connecting member may be rod-shaped. In this configuration, the connecting member can be constructed more simply. (6) In the above configuration, a fixing member may be provided which is attached to the connecting member and which fixes the connecting member to the vehicle. In this configuration, the pedestrian protection device can be attached to the vehicle with greater strength by fixing the connecting member to the vehicle with the fixing member.

[0007] This disclosure can be implemented in various forms other than the pedestrian protection device described above, such as a method for mounting a pedestrian protection device, a vehicle, or a method for manufacturing a vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A plan view showing a vehicle equipped with a pedestrian protection device. [Figure 2] A diagram showing the pedestrian protection device in operation. [Figure 3] A schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating the general configuration of an airbag system. [Figure 4] A schematic top view illustrating the arrangement of each part of the pedestrian protection device. [Figure 5] A schematic front view illustrating the arrangement of each part of the pedestrian protection device. [Figure 6] A process diagram showing an example of how to install a pedestrian protection device. [Figure 7] A schematic top view illustrating a pedestrian protection device in another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 is a plan view of a vehicle Vc equipped with a pedestrian protection device 80. Figure 1 shows arrows representing the longitudinal and lateral directions. The longitudinal direction indicates the direction of travel of the vehicle Vc, with the forward direction being forward. The lateral direction indicates the lateral direction of the vehicle Vc as it moves in the direction of travel. This lateral direction is also called the vehicle width direction. The height direction of the vehicle Vc is also called the up and down direction. Figure 1 is a view of the vehicle Vc from directly above. The directions described above in Figure 1 are the same as the directions in the other figures.

[0010] Vehicle Vc can be any vehicle, such as a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle), gasoline car, or diesel car. In this embodiment, vehicle Vc is a so-called left-hand drive vehicle, with the driver's seat located to the left of the passenger seat. In other embodiments, vehicle Vc may be a so-called right-hand drive vehicle, with the driver's seat located to the right of the passenger seat.

[0011] The pedestrian protection device 80 protects pedestrians by inflating and deploying an airbag so as to cover the upper surface of the cowl 7 of the vehicle Vc. The upper surface of the cowl 7 is formed by the upper surface of the cowl louvers 7b, which will be described later. Hereafter, inflation and deployment will also be simply referred to as deployment.

[0012] Figure 2 illustrates the operation of the pedestrian protection device 80. Figure 2 shows the completed deployment of the first airbag 120A and the second airbag 120B installed in the pedestrian protection device 80 upon activation. In Figure 2, the area where the first airbag 120A is deployed is indicated by a thicker dashed line, and the area where the second airbag 120B is deployed is indicated by a thinner dashed line. Furthermore, on the upper surface of the vehicle Vc, the area covered by the first airbag 120A upon completion of deployment is marked with an upward-sloping hatch, and the area covered by the second airbag 120B upon completion of deployment is marked with a downward-sloping hatch. In this embodiment, the pedestrian protection device 80 is configured to operate under the control of the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) installed in the vehicle Vc when a collision between the vehicle Vc and a pedestrian is detected by a sensor (not shown) provided on the front bumper FB of the vehicle Vc. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when a collision between the vehicle Vc and a pedestrian is detected, an actuator (not shown) is controlled by the ECU so that the rear end of the hood panel 8 is raised higher than normal.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the pedestrian protection device 80 comprises a first airbag device 100A having a first case 101A, a second airbag device 100B having a second case 101B, and a connecting member 110. The first case 101A houses the first airbag 120A shown in Figure 2. The second case 101B houses the second airbag 120B shown in Figure 2.

[0014] In this specification, when the first airbag device 100A and the second airbag device 100B are not specifically distinguished, they may both be simply referred to as the airbag device 100. Furthermore, when distinguishing between the components of the two, the components of the first airbag device 100A are denoted with the symbol "A," and the components of the second airbag device 100B are denoted with the symbol "B." For example, below, there are cases where the first case 101A and the second case 101B are distinguished and referred to as such, and cases where they are not distinguished and are simply referred to as case 101.

[0015] As will be described later, each case 101 is disposed below the cowl louver 7b. As shown in FIG. 1, each airbag 120 is deployed onto the upper surface of the cowl 7 through each opening 69 formed in the cowl louver 7b. Each opening 69 is provided above each case 101 corresponding to each case 101. Details of the case 101 will be described later.

[0016] The airbag 120 shown in FIG. 2 is formed, for example, by sewing a woven fabric formed by weaving polyamide yarn, polyester yarn, or the like. For example, a coating agent for preventing gas leakage is appropriately applied to the surface of such a woven fabric. As shown in FIG. 2, the first airbag 120A and the second airbag 120B are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction so as to cover the upper surface of the cowl 7 near the rear end of the hood panel 8 when the deployment is completed. In the present embodiment, the first airbag 120A is mainly deployed to the right side in the vehicle width direction, and the second airbag 120B is mainly deployed to the left side in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] The first airbag 120A and the second airbag 120B at the completion of deployment are substantially L-shaped when viewed from the front or above the vehicle Vc. More specifically, each airbag 120 at the completion of deployment has a cowl cover portion extending in the vehicle width direction along the upper surface of the cowl 7, and a pillar cover portion extending along the front pillar 20 from the outer end portion in the vehicle width direction of the cowl cover portion. For example, the first airbag 120A has a first cowl cover portion 121A extending from the left side of the right front pillar 20R toward the right front pillar 20R, and a first pillar cover portion 122A extending along the right front pillar 20R from the right end portion of the first cowl cover portion 121A. Substantially similarly, the second airbag 120B has a second cowl cover portion 121B extending from the right side of the left front pillar 20L toward the left front pillar 20L, and a second pillar cover portion 122B extending along the left front pillar 20L from the left end portion of the second cowl cover portion 121B.

[0018] In this embodiment, the left end EG1 of the first cowl cover part 121A and the right end EG2 of the second cowl cover part 121B are located to the left of the central position CH1 in the vehicle width direction of the cowl 7. Therefore, the first cowl cover part 121A covers a wider range in the vehicle width direction than the second cowl cover part 121B. On the other hand, the ranges in which the first pillar cover part 122A and the second pillar cover part 122B are deployed are substantially the same. Therefore, in this embodiment, the volume of the first airbag 120A at the completion of deployment is larger than the volume of the second airbag 120B at the completion of deployment.

[0019] Also, in this embodiment, the left end EG1 of the first cowl cover part 121A is located to the left of the right end EG2 of the second cowl cover part 121B. Therefore, in the region to the left of the central position CH1, the first cowl cover part 121A and the second cowl cover part 121B overlap vertically. The region where the first cowl cover part 12lA and the second cowl cover part 121B overlap in this way is also referred to as the overlapping region DA. In this embodiment, the first airbag 120A and the second airbag 120B are configured such that the left end of the first cowl cover part 121A overlaps above the right end of the second cowl cover part 121B in the overlapping region DA. In other embodiments, for example, the second cowl cover part 121B may be configured to overlap above the first cowl cover part 121A. Also, the first cowl cover part 121A and the second cowl cover part 121B may not have an overlapping portion with each other. For example, the first airbag 120A and the second airbag 120B may be configured such that the left end of the first cowl cover part 121A and the right end of the second cowl cover part 121B are adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the cowl 7 is equipped with a wiper pivot 12R and a wiper pivot 12L. Long wiper arms 10R and 10L, respectively, are rotatably connected to the wiper pivot 12R and wiper pivot 12L for wiping the front windshield 30. The wiper pivot 12R is positioned to the right of the wiper pivot 12L and, in this embodiment, is located in the center of the cowl 7 in the vehicle width direction. More specifically, the wiper pivot 12R is positioned closer to the central position CH1 than to each front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. More precisely, the wiper pivot 12R is positioned slightly to the left of the central position CH1. In contrast, the wiper pivot 12L is located at the left end of the cowl 7 in the vehicle width direction. More specifically, the wiper pivot 12L is positioned closer to the left front pillar 20L than to the central position CH1 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, wiper arm 10R is positioned to the right of wiper arm 10L. Also, the area of ​​the front windshield 30 wiped by wiper arm 10R is located to the right of the area wiped by wiper arm 10L.

[0021] The first case 101A and the second case 101B are mounted on the vehicle Vc such that the wiper pivot 12R is located between the first case 101A and the second case 101B. In this embodiment, the first case 101A is positioned to the right of the wiper pivot 12R, and the second case 101B is positioned to the left of the wiper pivot 12L. More specifically, in this embodiment, the second case 101B is positioned between the wiper pivot 12R and the wiper pivot 12L in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] The connecting member 110 connects the first case 101A and the second case 101B. In this embodiment, the connecting member 110 is positioned between the first case 101A and the second case 101B. More specifically, the first case 101A is positioned to the right of the connecting member 110, and the second case 101B is positioned to the left of the connecting member 110. Details of the connecting member 110 will be described later.

[0023] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the general configuration of the airbag system 100. Figure 4 is a schematic top view illustrating the arrangement of each part of the pedestrian protection device 80. Figure 5 is a schematic front view illustrating the arrangement of each part of the pedestrian protection device 80. Figure 3 shows the vicinity of the cowl 7 within the vehicle Vc. In Figure 3, the second airbag system 100B is shown as the airbag system 100. Figures 4 and 5 schematically show the arrangement of each part of the pedestrian protection device 80 when the first airbag system 100A and the second airbag system 100B are installed in the vehicle Vc. Hereafter, the state in which the first airbag system 100A and the second airbag system 100B are installed in the vehicle Vc will also be referred to as the mounted state.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the cowl 7 has a high-rigidity cowl panel 7a and a cowl louver 7b made of synthetic resin. The cowl panel 7a is positioned closer to the body, i.e., below, the cowl louver 7b. As shown in Figure 3, the wiper pivot 12R described above is positioned so that its upper end 13R, to which the wiper arm 10R is connected, protrudes upward from below the cowl louver 7b. Also, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, a drive mechanism 15 for driving the wiper arm 10R is connected to the lower end of the shaft of the wiper pivot 12R. The drive mechanism 15 is positioned below the cowl louver 7b and is fixed to the cowl panel 7a via a fixing part 62, which will be described later, as shown in Figure 5. The drive mechanism 15 consists of, for example, an electric motor and a crank mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force of the electric motor to the wiper pivot 12R. Note that, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the drive mechanism 15 is located to the right of the second airbag device 100B and is therefore not shown in Figure 3. Although not shown in the diagram, the wiper pivot 12L is also located on cowl 7 in much the same way as the wiper pivot 12R.

[0025] Case 101 is a box-shaped component. As shown in Figure 3, Case 101 houses the airbag 120 and the inflator 28 described above. In this embodiment, Case 101 is made of steel. Case 101 may be made of other materials, for example, a metal material other than steel. As shown in Figure 3, the folded airbag 120 is housed in Case 101. Case 101 is provided with a case opening 103 for allowing the deployed airbag 120 to protrude out of Case 101. More specifically, Case 101 in this embodiment is a roughly rectangular box shape that opens upward, and the case opening 103 is formed by the opening at the upper end of Case 101. In this embodiment, corresponding to the fact that the volume of the first airbag 120A when fully deployed is larger than the volume of the second airbag 120B when fully deployed, the volume of the first case 101A is larger than the volume of the second case 101B. More specifically, the dimensions of the first case 101A in the vehicle width direction are greater than the dimensions of the second case 101B in the vehicle width direction. In other embodiments, the shape and dimensions of the first case 101A and the second case 101B are not limited to those described above, as long as they can accommodate the airbag 120 and the inflator 28.

[0026] The inflator 28 supplies inflation gas to the airbag 120 for inflation. In this embodiment, the inflator 28 is configured as a cylindrical inflator and is substantially cylindrical in shape. The inflator 28 is positioned so that its axial direction is aligned with the vehicle width direction. The inflator 28 has a gas discharge section (not shown) at its tip for discharging inflation gas. The inflator 28 is positioned inside the airbag 120 so as to be enclosed within the airbag 120, and is fixed to the bottom of the case 101 by fasteners such as screws or bolts. The inflator 28 is configured to activate, for example, when a collision between the vehicle Vc and a pedestrian is detected by a sensor. When the inflator 28 is activated in this way, inflation gas is supplied to the airbag 120 via the gas discharge section.

[0027] A case cover 102 is attached to case 101, covering the case opening 103. More specifically, a first case cover 102A is attached to the first case 101A, and a second case cover 102B is attached to the second case 101B. The case cover 102 is formed of, for example, a resin material. The case cover 102 is pushed open by the inflating airbag 120 when the airbag 120 stored in case 101 is deployed. The case cover 102 is also called the airbag cover. In this embodiment, the case cover 102 covers the airbag 120 stored in case 101 from above by covering the case opening 103 from above.

[0028] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first case 101A has a first side surface 107A facing the second case 101B. The second case 101B has a second side surface 107B opposite to the first side surface 107A. The first side surface 107A is the left side of the first case 101A, and the second side surface 107B is the right side of the second case 101B. Hereafter, the side of the first case 101A opposite to the first side surface 107A will also be called the third side surface 108A. Similarly, the side of the second case 101B opposite to the second side surface 107B will also be called the fourth side surface 108B. In this embodiment, the third side surface 108A is the right side of the first case 101A, and the fourth side surface 108B is the left side of the second case 101B.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, in this embodiment, a fixing portion 62 for fixing the first airbag 120A and the second airbag 120B to the vehicle Vc is provided on the upper surface of the cowl panel 7a. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 62 is configured as a holder for fixing the first airbag 120A and the second airbag 120B. The fixing portion 62 is fixed to the cowl panel 7a by fasteners such as screws and bolts.

[0030] In this embodiment, the first case 101A and the second case 101B are fixed to the fixing part 62 from above. More specifically, the first case 101A is fixed to the fixing part 62 by the first case fixing member 130A while it is placed on the fixing part 62. In this embodiment, the first case fixing member 130A is configured as an L-shaped bracket and fixes the third side surface 108A of the first case 101A to the fixing part 62. Similarly, the second case 101B is fixed to the fixing part 62 by the second case fixing member 130B while it is placed on the fixing part 62. The second case fixing member 130B is configured as an L-shaped bracket, similar to the first case fixing member 130A, and fixes the fourth side surface 108B of the second case 101B to the fixing part 62.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the connecting member 110 in this embodiment is a rod-shaped member arranged along the vehicle width direction. More specifically, in this embodiment, the connecting member 110 is made of steel and is configured as a circular pipe with a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to its axial direction. In other embodiments, the connecting member 110 does not have to be hollow and may be, for example, a solid rod. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the rod-shaped connecting member 110 does not have to be circular and may be, for example, U-shaped or C-shaped, triangular or rectangular, or other polygonal shapes. In this specification, "along the vehicle width direction" means not only along a direction parallel to the vehicle width direction but also along a direction with an angular difference of 10° or less from the vehicle width direction.

[0032] The connecting member 110 has a first flange-like portion 111 at one end in its axial direction and a second flange-like portion 112 at the other end. The first flange-like portion 111 is fixed to the first side surface 107A of the first case 101A using a fixing member such as a screw or bolt. More specifically, in this embodiment, the first flange-like portion 111 is fixed to the first side surface 107A above the central position CV1 in the vertical direction of the first side surface 107A. Similarly, the second flange-like portion 112 is fixed to the second side surface 107B of the second case 101B. More specifically, the second flange-like portion 112 is fixed to the second side surface 107B above the central position CV2 in the vertical direction of the second side surface 107B. In this embodiment, the central position CV1 and the central position CV2 are the same position in the vertical direction. With this configuration, in this embodiment, the portion of the first side surface 107A above the central position CV1 and the portion of the second side surface 107B above the central position CV2 are connected by the connecting member 110. Note that when we say that "the connecting member 110 is fixed above the central position CV1 and the central position CV2," it is sufficient that at least a part of the connecting member 110 is fixed above the central position CV1 and the central position CV2. In other embodiments, the connecting member 110 may be fixed to the first case 101A and the second case 101B, for example, by welding.

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the connecting member 110 is configured to be located in front of the wiper pivot 12R when mounted. With this configuration, when mounted, the connecting member 110 and the wiper pivot 12R are both located between the first case 101A and the second case 101B, while the connecting member 110 connects the first case 101A and the second case 101B in such a way that it avoids the wiper pivot 12R. In other embodiments, the connecting member 110 may be fixed to the first case 101A and the second case 101B, for example, so that it is located behind the wiper pivot 12L when mounted.

[0034] Furthermore, the connecting member 110 has smaller dimensions than the first case 101A and the second case 101B in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, and is configured not to protrude outward from the first case 101A and the second case 101B. Therefore, in this embodiment, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the connecting member 110 is covered by the first case 101A and the second case 101B.

[0035] In this embodiment, a fixing member 119 is attached to the connecting member 110 for fixing the connecting member 110 to the vehicle Vc. The fixing member 119 in this embodiment is configured as a flat bracket and is fixed to the connecting member 110 so as to extend rearward from the connecting member 110. The fixing member 119 is fixed to the vehicle Vc by being fixed to the vehicle-side bracket 63. As shown in Figure 5, the vehicle-side bracket 63 in this embodiment is fixed to the fixing part 62 so as to extend upward from the fixing part 62. The fixing member 119 and the vehicle-side bracket 63 are fixed together, for example, by fasteners such as screws or bolts. Note that the shape and arrangement of the fixing member 119 are not limited to the above, as long as the connecting member 110 is fixed to the vehicle Vc via the fixing member 119, it may be configured, for example, by brackets extending forward or downward from the connecting member 110. Similarly, the shape and arrangement of the fixing portion on the vehicle Vc side to which the fixing member 119 is fixed are not particularly limited to the vehicle-side bracket 63 described above, as long as the connecting member 110 can be fixed.

[0036] Figure 6 is a process diagram showing an example of how to mount the pedestrian protection device 80 on a vehicle Vc in this embodiment. This mounting method can also be said to represent a method for manufacturing the vehicle Vc equipped with the pedestrian protection device 80. In this embodiment, first, in step S10, each airbag device 100 is assembled. More specifically, in step S10, the airbag 120, folded with the inflator 28 inside, is first placed in the case 101. Then, the inflator 28 is fixed to the case 101, and the case cover 102 is attached to the case 101. Next, in step S20, the connecting member 110 is fixed to each case 101, thereby connecting the connecting member 110 to each case 101. By performing steps S10 and S20 in this way, the pedestrian protection device 80 is prepared. In other embodiments, for example, steps S10 and S20 may be omitted, and a pre-assembled pedestrian protection device 80 may be prepared.

[0037] Next, in step S30, each airbag device 100 is transported to the vehicle Vc together with the connecting member 110, and each airbag device 100 is positioned. In step S30, it is possible to transport each airbag device 100 connected by the connecting member 110 to the vehicle Vc together, and it is also possible to position each case 101 together. After that, in step S40, each part of the pedestrian protection device 80 is fixed to the vehicle Vc. In step S40 of this embodiment, the first case fixing member 130A and the second case fixing member 130B are fixed to the fixing part 62, and the fixing member 119 is fixed to the vehicle-side bracket 63. Note that the fixing of the first case fixing member 130A, the second case fixing member 130B, and the fixing member 119 may be performed in any order. Alternatively, for example, prior to fixing the first case fixing member 130A and the second case fixing member 130B, the fixing member 119 may be temporarily fixed to the vehicle-side bracket 63 to suppress misalignment of the first case 101A and the second case 101B. Then, in step S50, the inflators 28 of each airbag device 100 are electrically connected to an operating circuit (not shown) provided in the vehicle Vc. In this way, the pedestrian protection device 80 is mounted on the vehicle Vc.

[0038] In the pedestrian protection device 80 of this embodiment described above, the connecting member 110 that connects the first case 101A and the second case 101B is fixed to each case 101 so as to avoid the wiper pivot 12R located between each case 101 when each case 101 is attached to the vehicle Vc. With this configuration, when the first case 101A and the second case 101B are mounted on the vehicle Vc, each case 101 connected by the connecting member 110 can be mounted on the vehicle Vc together while avoiding the wiper pivot 12R. Therefore, each case 101 can be positioned more easily.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting member 110 is positioned between the first case 101A and the second case 101B. Therefore, the pedestrian protection device 80 can be configured more compactly compared to a configuration in which the connecting member 110 is not positioned between the first case 101A and the second case 101B.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first case 101A and the second case 101B are each fixed to the fixing part 62 from above, and the connecting member 110 is fixed to the first side surface 107A of the first case 101A above the central position CV1, and to the second side surface 107B of the second case 101B above the central position CV2. Therefore, compared to, for example, an embodiment in which the connecting member 110 is fixed to the first case 101A and the second case 101B below the central position CV1 and the central position CV2, the oscillation of the first case 101A and the second case 101B when the airbag 120 housed in the first case 101A and the second case 101B is deployed can be further suppressed.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the connecting member 110 is covered by the first case 101A and the second case 101B. Therefore, the pedestrian protection device 80 can be configured in a more compact manner.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting member 110 is rod-shaped. Therefore, the connecting member 110 can be constructed more simply. In particular, in this embodiment, since the rod-shaped connecting member 110 is arranged along the vehicle width direction, the connecting member 110 can be arranged in a more space-saving manner in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a fixing member 119 is provided which is attached to the connecting member 110 and fixes the connecting member 110 to the vehicle Vc. Therefore, by fixing the connecting member 110 to the vehicle Vc with the fixing member 119, the pedestrian protection device 80 can be attached to the vehicle Vc more firmly. Also, in this embodiment, as described above, since the connecting member 110 is fixed above the central positions CV1 and CV2, the fixing member 119 can be positioned higher. By positioning the fixing member 119 higher in this way, the fixing member 119 can be easily fixed to the vehicle-side bracket 63 from above.

[0044] In other embodiments, the fixing member 119 may not be provided. In particular, in this embodiment, both ends of the pedestrian protection device 80 in the vehicle width direction are fixed to the fixing part 62 by the first case fixing member 130A and the second case fixing member 130B, so even without the fixing member 119, the pedestrian protection device 80 can be easily fixed to the vehicle Vc with high strength. As described above, by not providing the fixing member 119, the time required to fix each part of the pedestrian protection device 80 in step S40 of Figure 6 can be shortened.

[0045] In other configurations where the connecting member 110 is not provided, unlike this embodiment, it is highly likely that in order to ensure the fixing strength of each case 101, it will be necessary to provide, for example, a fixing member to fix the first case 101A to the vehicle Vc on its left side, in addition to the first case fixing member 130A and the second case fixing member 130B, and a fixing member to fix the second case 101B to the vehicle Vc on its right side. In this embodiment, these fixing members are not provided, so the effort required to fix each fixing member in step S40 of Figure 6 can be reduced.

[0046] B. Other embodiments: (B1) In the above embodiment, the connecting member 110 is fixed to the first side surface 107A above the central position CV1 and to the second side surface 107B above the central position CV2. In contrast, the connecting member 110 does not have to be fixed to the first side surface 107A or the second side surface 107B in this manner. For example, it may be fixed to the first side surface 107A below the central position CV1, or to the second side surface 107B below the central position CV2.

[0047] (B2) In the above embodiment, the first case 101A is fixed to the vehicle Vc using the first case fixing member 130A. In contrast, the first case 101A may be fixed to the vehicle Vc using other fixing members in addition to, or instead of, the first case fixing member 130A. For example, as fixing members for fixing the first case 101A to the vehicle Vc, fixing members that fix the first side surface 107A of the first case 101A to the fixing part 62, or fixing members that fix the front side surface or rear side surface of the first case 101A to the fixing part 62 may be used. Similarly, the second case 101B may be fixed to the vehicle Vc using other fixing members in addition to, or instead of, the second case fixing member 130B.

[0048] (B3) In the above embodiment, each case 101 is fixed to the vehicle Vc by being fixed to the fixing part 62 from above. In contrast, each case 101 does not have to be fixed to the fixing part 62 from above, and may be fixed by being suspended from the vehicle Vc by, for example, a bracket or holder.

[0049] (B4) In the above embodiment, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the connecting member 110 is covered by the first case 101A and the second case 101B. In contrast, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the connecting member 110 does not have to be covered by the first case 101A and the second case 101B. For example, the first flange portion 111 and the second flange portion 112 of the connecting member 110 may protrude forward from the first case 101A and the second case 101B. For example, Figure 7 is a schematic top view illustrating a pedestrian protection device 80b in another embodiment. In Figure 7, the first flange portion 111 and the second flange portion 112 of the connecting member 110b, which is positioned between the first case 101A and the second case 101B, protrude forward from the first case 101A and the second case 101B. Even in the configuration shown in Figure 7, the pedestrian protection device 80b is made compact by positioning the connecting member 110b between the first case 101A and the second case 101B. Furthermore, for example, parts of the connecting member 110b that are different from the first flange-shaped portion 111 and the second flange-shaped portion 112 may protrude forward or backward from the first case 101A or the second case 101B.

[0050] (B5) In the above embodiment, the connecting member 110 is rod-shaped. However, the connecting member 110 does not have to be rod-shaped, as long as it is configured to avoid the wiper pivot 12R when mounted. For example, the connecting member 110 may have a bent portion or a curved portion. Also, the connecting member 110 does not have to be made of steel, but may be made of various metal materials, for example. The shape and material of the connecting member 110 are preferably selected such that the connecting member 110 has a predetermined level of strength. This strength is preferably determined to be such that it can suppress misalignment of each case 101 when each case 101 is attached to the vehicle Vc.

[0051] (B6) In the above embodiment, the connecting member 110 is positioned between the first case 101A and the second case 101B. However, the connecting member 110 does not have to be positioned in this way, as long as it is configured to avoid the wiper pivot 12R when mounted. For example, the connecting member 110 may connect the front sides of the first case 101A and the second case 101B. In this case, the connecting member 110 passes in front of the wiper pivot 12R so as to avoid the wiper pivot 12R, similar to the above embodiment. Alternatively, the connecting member 110 may connect the rear sides of the first case 101A and the second case 101B. In this case, the connecting member 110 passes behind the wiper pivot 12R so as to avoid the wiper pivot 12R. In the above case, from the viewpoint of configuring the pedestrian protection device 80 to be more space-saving in the vehicle width direction, it is preferable that the connecting member 110 be positioned between the end of the first case 101A opposite to the wiper pivot 12R in the vehicle width direction and the end of the second case 101B opposite to the wiper pivot 12R in the vehicle width direction. In other words, when the first case 101A and the second case 101B are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment, it is preferable that the connecting member 110 be positioned between the second side surface 107B and the fourth side surface 108B.

[0052] (B7) In the above embodiment, the vehicle Vc is provided with two wiper pivots. In contrast, for example, the vehicle Vc may be a so-called single-wiper vehicle and may have only one wiper pivot provided in the center of the cowl 7.

[0053] (B8) In the above embodiment, for example, the first airbag device 100A may be located to the left of the second airbag 120B.

[0054] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be deleted as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 7...Cowl, 7a...Cowl panel, 7b...Cowl louvers, 8...Hood panel, 10L,10R...Wiper arm, 12L,12R...Wiper pivot, 13R...Upper end, 15...Drive mechanism, 20...Front pillar, 20L...Left front pillar, 20R...Right front pillar, 28...Inflator, 30...Front windshield, 62...Fixing part, 63...Vehicle side bracket, 69...Opening, 80,80b...Pedestrian protection device, 100...Airbag device, 100A...First airbag device, 100B...Second airbag device, 101...Case, 101A...First case, 101B...Second case, 102...Case cover, 102A...First case cover, 102B...Second case cover, 103...Case opening, 107A...First side, 107B...Second side, 108A...Third side, 108B...Fourth side, 110,110b...Connecting member, 111...First flange-like part, 112...Second flange-like part, 119...Fixing member, 120...Airbag, 120A...First airbag, 120B...Second airbag, 121A...First cowl cover part, 121B...Second cowl cover part, 122A...First pillar cover part, 122B...Second pillar cover part, 130A...First case fixing member, 130B...Second case fixing member

Claims

1. The first airbag and the second airbag are positioned side by side in the vehicle width direction so as to cover the upper surface of the vehicle's cowl when fully deployed, A first case for housing the first airbag, The second case for housing the second airbag, The first case and the second case are each fixed to the first case and the second case via fixing members, and the connecting member connects the first case and the second case, The first case and the second case are attached to the vehicle such that the wiper pivot, which is provided in the center of the cowl in the vehicle width direction, is located between the first case and the second case. The connecting member is fixed to the first case and the second case so as to avoid the wiper pivot when the first case and the second case are attached to the vehicle. The connecting member is positioned such that, when viewed from above the vehicle, a portion of the connecting member and a portion of the wiper pivot overlap, in a pedestrian protection device.

2. A pedestrian protection device according to claim 1, The connecting member is a pedestrian protection device positioned between the first case and the second case.

3. A pedestrian protection device according to claim 2, The first case and the second case are each fixed from above to a fixing part provided on the vehicle. The first case has a first side facing the second case, The second case has a second side facing the first side, A pedestrian protection device wherein the connecting member is fixed to the first side surface above the vertical center of the first side surface, and is fixed to the second side surface above the vertical center of the second side surface.

4. A pedestrian protection device according to claim 2, A pedestrian protection device in which, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the connecting member is covered by the first case and the second case.

5. A pedestrian protection device according to claim 1, The aforementioned connecting member is rod-shaped, and is a pedestrian protection device.

6. A pedestrian protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A pedestrian protection device, which is attached to the connecting member and includes a fixing member for fixing the connecting member to the vehicle.

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