Shock absorbing material

Abstract

To provide an impact absorption member which can preferably absorb an impact itself while having rigidity to push out an occupant to a vehicle cabin inner side at an initial stage during a vehicle collision.SOLUTION: An impact absorption member includes: a first facing wall part 31 which is disposed facing a door trim 20; an inner wall part 32 extending from a peripheral end part of the first facing wall part 31 to a vehicle cabin outer side; a second facing wall part 33 which extends from a vehicle cabin outer end in the inner wall part 32 to an outer periphery direction side of the first facing wall part 31 and is disposed facing a door panel 10; an outer wall part 34 which extends from a peripheral end part of the second facing wall part 33 to a vehicle cabin inner side and encloses the inner wall part 32; and attachment parts 40, 50, 60 attached to the door trim 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a shock-absorbing member.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a shock-absorbing member, the one described in Patent Document 1 below is known. The shock-absorbing member described in this Patent Document 1 is capable of absorbing shock by deforming during a vehicle collision.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, while the shock-absorbing member is required to reduce its rigidity to absorb the shock during a vehicle collision, in the initial stage of a vehicle collision, it is required to push the occupant more quickly inside the vehicle cabin for protection. If the shock-absorbing member does not have a certain degree of rigidity, there may be a case where the occupant cannot be pushed inside the vehicle cabin in the initial stage of a vehicle collision, and there was room for improvement in this regard.

[0005] The technology disclosed in this specification has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a shock-absorbing member that has rigidity so as to be able to push the occupant inside the vehicle cabin in the initial stage of a vehicle collision and that can preferably absorb the shock itself.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] As a means to solve the above problems, the impact absorbing member disclosed herein is an impact absorbing member attached to a vehicle interior material that covers a vehicle panel from the inside of the vehicle interior, and disposed between the vehicle panel and the vehicle interior material, and is characterized by comprising: a first opposing wall portion disposed opposite to the vehicle interior material; an inner wall portion extending outward from the peripheral end of the first opposing wall portion; a second opposing wall portion extending outward from the outer end of the inner wall portion toward the outer circumference of the first opposing wall portion and disposed opposite to the vehicle panel; an outer wall portion extending inward from the peripheral end of the second opposing wall portion and surrounding the inner wall portion; and a mounting portion provided at the end of the outer wall portion on the inside of the vehicle interior and attached to the vehicle interior material.

[0007] By providing a double wall section (inner wall section and outer wall section), it is possible to provide an impact-absorbing member that has sufficient rigidity to push occupants into the vehicle interior during the initial stages of a vehicle collision, while also being able to effectively absorb the impact itself. Furthermore, since the mounting section for attaching to the interior material of the vehicle is provided on the outer wall section, it is easily visible from the outside, and the workability of the installation is good.

[0008] Furthermore, the interior material for the vehicle is a door trim for the vehicle, and the shock-absorbing member is provided on the door trim at a location facing the thighs of an occupant seated in the vehicle, and a through hole can be formed at the rear end of the outer wall portion. The waist of an occupant seated in the vehicle is located further rear than the thighs. By forming a through hole at the rear end of the outer wall portion (closer to the waist), the portion of the shock-absorbing member closer to the waist can be made more easily crushed, thereby providing more reliable protection for the waist.

[0009] Furthermore, the mounting parts can be arranged so that they form the vertices of a triangle when viewed from the outside of the vehicle. Compared to a configuration in which the four mounting parts are arranged at the vertices of a square, this configuration allows for space savings and greater flexibility in mounting.

[0010] Furthermore, the outer wall portion may have a first opposing surface that is positioned opposite to a first functional component provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle interior material, and a second opposing surface that is positioned opposite to a second functional component provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle interior material. The impact absorbing member can be placed in the region surrounded by the first functional component and the second functional component.

[0011] Furthermore, by covering a portion of the first functional component from the outside of the vehicle compartment, a restricting wall portion can be provided that can restrict the displacement of that portion toward the outside of the vehicle compartment. This allows for a higher rigidity of the first functional component.

[0012] Furthermore, the interior material for the vehicle is a door trim for a vehicle, and comprises two mounting portions arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, wherein one of the two mounting portions has a boss insertion hole through which a mounting boss provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle door trim is inserted, and the other mounting portion has a claw insertion hole through which a locking claw provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle door trim is inserted.

[0013] Vehicle door trims are sometimes provided in pairs, left and right, relative to the direction of vehicle travel. In such a configuration, the pair of vehicle door trims are symmetrical, and the shock-absorbing members attached to them are also symmetrical. By using two different types of mounting means (boss insertion hole and claw insertion hole) for the two mounting parts aligned along the vehicle's front-to-rear direction, incorrect assembly of the shock-absorbing members to the door trim can be suppressed. For example, it is possible to prevent the shock-absorbing member corresponding to the left door trim from being attached to the door trim positioned on the right side relative to the direction of vehicle travel. Furthermore, by attaching the other mounting part to the locking claw, the shock-absorbing member can be temporarily assembled before being attached and fixed to the door trim, thus increasing convenience, for example, by allowing the vehicle to be transported with the shock-absorbing member temporarily assembled to the door trim. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a shock-absorbing member that has rigidity so as to be able to push a passenger toward the inside of the passenger compartment at an initial stage during a vehicle collision, and that can preferably absorb the shock itself.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] Front view of a door trim to which a shock-absorbing member according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached [Figure 2] View showing the outer surface of the door trim on the outside of the vehicle compartment [Figure 3] Perspective view of the shock-absorbing member [Figure 4] View of the shock-absorbing member as seen from the outside of the vehicle compartment [Figure 5] Perspective view of the shock-absorbing member as seen from the inside of the vehicle compartment [Figure 6] View of the shock-absorbing member as seen from the rear of the vehicle [Figure 7] View of the shock-absorbing member as seen from above the vehicle [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of a part of the shock-absorbing member taken by cutting (corresponding to the view cut along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7) [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view of a part of the shock-absorbing member taken by cutting (corresponding to the view cut along line IX-IX in FIG. 2) [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view of a part of the shock-absorbing member taken by cutting (corresponding to the view cut along line X-X in FIG. 2) [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view of a part of the shock-absorbing member taken by cutting (corresponding to the view cut along line XI-XI in FIG. 2) [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view of a part of the shock-absorbing member taken by cutting (corresponding to the view cut along line XII-XII in FIG. 2)

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. In this embodiment, a shock-absorbing member attached to a door trim for a vehicle is exemplified. The door trim 20 (vehicle interior material, vehicle door trim) is configured to cover the vehicle door panel 10 (vehicle panel, see FIG. 9) from the vehicle interior side (inside the vehicle cabin). As shown in FIG. 1, the door trim 20 includes a trim board 21 disposed opposite to the door panel 10 (more specifically, the inner panel), an armrest 22 having a shape bulging toward the vehicle interior side, and a door pocket board 23. The trim board 21 is a plate-like member constituting the main body of the door trim 20 and is made of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene, for example. Note that the material of the trim board 21 is not limited to a synthetic resin material, and for example, a material obtained by mixing a wood-based material and a synthetic resin material may be used.

[0017] A shock-absorbing member 30 is attached to the outer surface of the trim board 21 on the vehicle exterior side. As shown in FIG. 1, the shock-absorbing member 30 is disposed at a position in the door trim 20 that faces the thigh portion 11 of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat (not shown). The shock-absorbing member 30 is made of a synthetic resin (for example, polypropylene, etc.), but its material can be appropriately changed. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pull handle box 24 and a door pocket board 23 are provided on the outer surface of the door trim 20 (more specifically, the trim board 21) on the vehicle exterior side. The pull handle box 24 has a box shape that opens upward (not shown), and it is possible for an occupant to insert a hand from the vehicle interior side and above when opening and closing the vehicle door. Note that the pull handle box 24 may be composed of one member or a plurality of members. The shock-absorbing member 30 is disposed below the pull handle box 24 and at a position behind the vehicle of the door pocket board 23. The door pocket board 23 has a plate shape and is assembled to the trim board 21 so as to cover the opening 21A formed in the trim board 21 from the vehicle exterior side, and is a member that constitutes the door pocket 28 together with the trim board 21. It is possible for an occupant to take in and out luggage from the vehicle interior side and above in this door pocket 28.

[0018] As shown in Figure 9, the impact-absorbing member 30 is positioned between the door panel 10 and the door trim 20 (more specifically, the trim board 21) and comprises a first opposing wall portion 31 positioned opposite the door trim 20, an inner wall portion 32 extending from the peripheral end of the first opposing wall portion 31 toward the outside of the passenger compartment, a second opposing wall portion 33 extending from the outer-exterior end of the inner wall portion 32 toward the outer circumference of the first opposing wall portion 31 and positioned opposite the door panel 10, an outer wall portion 34 extending from the peripheral end of the second opposing wall portion 33 toward the interior of the passenger compartment and surrounding the inner wall portion 32, and mounting portions 40, 50, 60 (see Figure 4) provided at the interior end of the outer wall portion 34 and attached to the door trim 20 (more specifically, the trim board 21). As shown in Figure 3, the first opposing wall portion 31 and the inner wall portion 32 form a box-shaped member that opens to the outside of the vehicle interior, and the outer wall portion 34 surrounds this box-shaped member from the outside.

[0019] As shown in Figure 5, the first opposing wall portion 31 has a roughly triangular shape with three corners cut out when viewed from the outside of the vehicle interior. The inner wall portion 32 is provided around the entire circumference of the peripheral end of the first opposing wall portion 31, as shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 2, the inner wall portion 32 has a shape that follows the shape of the first opposing wall portion 31 when viewed from the outside of the vehicle interior. As shown in Figure 10, a gap is provided between the first opposing wall portion 31 and the trim board 21 to prevent abnormal noise. The first opposing wall portion 31 may be in contact with the trim board 21, or a cushioning material may be interposed between the first opposing wall portion 31 and the trim board 21.

[0020] As shown in Figure 4, the second opposing wall portion 33 is provided around the entire circumference of the outer end of the inner wall portion 32. As shown in Figure 10, the second opposing wall portion 33 comprises a plate-shaped main body portion 35 and ribs 36 (see Figure 4) that are erected from the outer surface of the main body portion 35 and form a grid when viewed from the outside of the vehicle. The ribs 36 reinforce the main body portion 35 to suppress damage to the main body portion 35 in the initial stages during a vehicle collision. The second opposing wall portion 33 is the part that is subjected to force when the door panel 10, etc., comes into contact with it during a vehicle side collision.

[0021] As shown in Figure 4, the outer wall portion 34 is provided around the entire circumference of the outer peripheral end of the second opposing wall portion 33. When viewed from the outside of the vehicle interior, the outer wall portion 34 has a roughly triangular shape with notches 71, 72, and 73 that are cut out at locations corresponding to the three mounting portions 40, 50, and 60. As shown in Figure 2, the outer wall portion 34 comprises a first wall portion 37 having a first opposing surface 37A that is positioned opposite the door pocket board 23 (first functional component), a second wall portion 38 having a second opposing surface 38A that is positioned opposite the pull handle box 24 (second functional component), and a third wall portion 39 that connects the vehicle rear ends of the first wall portion 37 and the second wall portion 38. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the outer wall portion 34 has a shape that follows the shape of the inner wall portion 32 and surrounds the inner wall portion 32 from the outside.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the pull handle box 24 has a mounting piece 24A. A mounting boss 24B is provided on the exterior surface of the trim board 21 facing the passenger compartment. The mounting piece 24A is attached to the mounting boss 24B by ultrasonic crimping (US crimping). In the second wall portion 38, an opening 38B is formed at the location corresponding to the mounting piece 24A. As shown in Figure 7, the opening 38B is shaped to open towards the passenger compartment (upper side of Figure 7). The presence of the opening 38B prevents the tool from interfering with the second wall portion 38 when performing crimping work on the mounting boss 24B, resulting in improved work efficiency.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the third wall portion 39 constitutes the rear end of the outer wall portion 34 on the vehicle side (rear of the vehicle). As shown in Figure 3, the third wall portion 39 has a through hole 39A that opens inward into the vehicle interior. As shown in Figure 6, the opening width of the through hole 39A increases towards the vehicle interior side (left side in Figure 6).

[0024] The impact-absorbing member 30 has three mounting parts 40, 50, and 60 for attachment to the trim board 21. As shown in Figure 2, the three mounting parts 40, 50, and 60 are arranged to form the vertices of a triangle when viewed from the outside of the vehicle interior. The two upper mounting parts 40 and 50 are aligned along the vehicle's longitudinal direction (vehicle longitudinal direction, left-right direction in Figure 2). Of the two mounting parts 40 and 50, the mounting part 40 located on the front side of the vehicle (one of the mounting parts) has a boss insertion hole 40A (see Figure 11) through which a mounting boss 25 provided on the exterior surface of the trim board 21 (door trim) is inserted. After inserting the mounting boss 25 through the boss insertion hole 40A, the mounting part 40 is attached to the mounting boss 25 by performing a US crimp on the tip of the mounting boss 25.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, of the two mounting parts 40 and 50, the mounting part 50 (the other mounting part) located on the rear side of the vehicle has a claw insertion hole 50A. As shown in Figure 12, a locking claw 26 provided on the exterior surface of the trim board 21 is inserted through the claw insertion hole 50A. An elastic piece 51 is provided at the edge of the claw insertion hole 50A. During the process of inserting the locking claw 26 into the claw insertion hole 50A, the tip 26A of the locking claw 26 is pressed against the elastic piece 51, causing the elastic piece 51 to elastically deform away from the claw insertion hole 50A. When the tip of the locking claw 26 exceeds the elastic piece 51, the elastic piece 51 elastically returns to its original position, and the locking claw 26 is locked to the tip of the elastic piece 51.

[0026] As shown in Figure 11, an extended piece 41 is provided at the lower end of the mounting portion 40, extending outwards to the vehicle interior (right side in Figure 11). A regulating wall portion 42 is provided at the tip of the extended piece portion 41, extending downward. The regulating wall portion 42 is configured to cover the upper end portion 23A (part of the first functional component) of the door pocket board 23 from the vehicle interior, and is positioned opposite the upper end portion 23A with a small gap between them. This configuration allows the regulating wall portion 42 to restrict displacement outwards to the vehicle interior. More specifically, when the upper end portion 23A is displaced outwards to the vehicle interior, such as when the door pocket board 23 is pressed from the vehicle interior, the upper end portion 23A comes into contact with the regulating wall portion 42, thereby restricting further displacement outwards to the vehicle interior.

[0027] The mounting portion 60 has a boss insertion hole 60A, as shown in Figure 4. After inserting the mounting boss 27 (see Figure 2), which is provided on the exterior side of the trim board 21, into the boss insertion hole 60A, the mounting portion 60 is attached to the mounting boss 27 by performing a US crimp on the tip of the mounting boss 27.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, on the exterior surface of the trim board 21, a straight rib 29A is provided at the location adjacent to the mounting portion 50, and a curved rib 29B is provided at the location adjacent to the mounting portion 60. By providing these ribs 29A and 29B, it is possible to suppress the situation in which the impact absorbing member 30 moves in the direction of the plate surface of the trim board 21 during a vehicle side collision. In other words, it is possible to suppress the situation in which the impact absorbing member 30 moves from its predetermined mounting position, thereby suppressing a decrease in impact absorption performance.

[0029] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, by providing a double wall portion (inner wall portion 32 and outer wall portion 34), it is possible to provide an impact absorbing member 30 that has rigidity to push occupants into the vehicle interior in the initial stages of a vehicle collision, while also being able to suitably absorb the impact itself. Furthermore, since the mounting portions 40, 50, and 60 that are attached to the door trim 20 are provided on the outer wall portion 34, they are easily visible from the outside, and the workability for installation is good.

[0030] Furthermore, the impact-absorbing member 30 is provided in the door trim 20 at a location facing the thighs 11 of an occupant seated in the vehicle, and a through-hole 39A is formed at the rear end of the outer wall portion 34. The waist of an occupant seated in the vehicle is located further rear than the thighs. By forming the through-hole 39A at the rear end of the outer wall portion 34 (closer to the waist), the impact-absorbing member 30 can be made more easily crushed in the area closer to the waist, thereby providing more reliable protection for the waist.

[0031] Furthermore, when viewed from outside the vehicle interior, it is equipped with three mounting parts 40, 50, and 60 positioned at the vertices of a triangle. This configuration allows for space savings and greater flexibility in installation compared to a configuration where the four mounting parts are positioned at the vertices of a square.

[0032] Furthermore, the outer wall portion 34 has a first opposing surface 37A that is positioned opposite to the door pocket board 23 provided on the exterior side of the door trim 20, and a second opposing surface 38A that is positioned opposite to the pull handle box 24 provided on the exterior side of the door trim 20. With this configuration, the impact absorbing member 30 can be placed in the area surrounded by the door pocket board 23 and the pull handle box 24.

[0033] Furthermore, the door pocket board 23 is equipped with a restricting wall portion 42 that covers the upper end portion 23A from the outside of the vehicle interior, thereby restricting the displacement of the upper end portion 23A toward the outside of the vehicle interior. With this configuration, the rigidity of the door pocket board 23 can be increased.

[0034] Furthermore, it is equipped with two mounting portions 40 and 50 aligned along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Mounting portion 40 has a boss insertion hole 40A through which a mounting boss 25 provided on the exterior side of the door trim 20 is inserted, and mounting portion 50 has a claw insertion hole 50A through which a locking claw 26 provided on the exterior side of the door trim 20 is inserted.

[0035] Door trims may be provided in pairs, left and right, relative to the direction of vehicle travel. In such a configuration, the pair of left and right door trims have a symmetrical shape, and the shock-absorbing members attached to them also have a symmetrical shape on the left and right sides. By using two different types of mounting means (boss insertion hole 40A and claw insertion hole 50A) for the two mounting parts 40 and 50 aligned along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, incorrect assembly of the shock-absorbing members to the door trims can be suppressed. For example, it is possible to prevent the situation where the shock-absorbing member corresponding to the left door trim is assembled to the door trim located on the right side (door trim 20 in this embodiment) relative to the direction of vehicle travel. Furthermore, by attaching the mounting part 50 to the locking claw 26, the shock-absorbing member 30 can be temporarily assembled before being attached and fixed to the door trim 20, making it more convenient, for example, by transporting the door trim 20 with the shock-absorbing member 30 temporarily assembled.

[0036] In this embodiment, for example, the shock-absorbing member 30 is assembled to the trim board 21 by attaching the mounting portion 50 to the locking claw 26 and then performing US crimping on the mounting portions 40 and 60. With the above configuration, the shock-absorbing member 30 can be fixed to the trim board 21 by attaching the mounting portion 50 to the locking claw 26, and the trim board 21 and the shock-absorbing member 30 can be easily transported to the US crimping work process.

[0037] <Other Embodiments> The technologies disclosed herein are not limited to the embodiments described above in the description and drawings, but also include, for example, the following embodiments.

[0038] (1) The impact-absorbing members illustrated in the above embodiments are not limited to vehicles. For example, the impact-absorbing members can also be applied to vehicles such as trains and amusement vehicles as ground vehicles, airplanes and helicopters as flying vehicles, and ships and submarines as vehicles used on or under the sea.

[0039] (2) The number and location of the mounting parts are not limited to those described above and can be changed as appropriate. Also, the mounting structure of each mounting part to the trim board 21 is not limited to those described above (structures using locking claws or US crimps) and can be changed as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10...Door panel (vehicle panel), 11...Thigh section, 20...Door trim (vehicle interior material), 23...Door pocket board (first functional component), 23A...Upper end (part of the first functional component), 24...Pull handle box (second functional component), 25...Mounting boss, 26...Locking claw, 30...Impact absorbing member, 31...First opposing wall section, 32...Inner wall section, 33...Second opposing wall section, 34...Outer wall section, 37A...First opposing surface, 38A...Second opposing surface, 39A...Through hole, 40...Mounting section (one mounting section), 40A...Boss insertion hole, 42...Restricting wall section, 50...Mounting section (the other mounting section), 50A...Claw insertion hole, 60...Mounting section

Claims

1. An impact-absorbing member that is attached to a vehicle interior material that covers a vehicle panel from the inside of the vehicle, and is positioned between the vehicle panel and the vehicle interior material, A first opposing wall portion is positioned opposite the aforementioned interior material for the vehicle, An inner wall portion extending from the peripheral end of the first opposing wall portion toward the outside of the vehicle compartment, A second opposing wall portion extends from the outer end of the inner wall portion on the vehicle side toward the outer circumferential direction of the first opposing wall portion and is positioned opposite the vehicle panel, An outer wall portion extending from the peripheral end of the second opposing wall portion toward the interior of the vehicle and surrounding the inner wall portion, It comprises a mounting portion provided at the end of the exterior wall portion on the vehicle interior side, which is attached to the interior material for the vehicle, An extended piece extending outwards from the vehicle interior is provided at the end of the aforementioned mounting portion. The impact absorbing member is provided with a restricting wall at the tip of the extended piece, which extends in a direction away from the mounting portion and covers a part of the first functional component provided in the interior material for the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle interior, thereby restricting the displacement of the part toward the outside of the vehicle interior.

2. The mounting portion has a boss insertion hole through which a mounting boss provided on the outer surface of the vehicle interior material is inserted, The extended piece is provided at the end of the portion of the mounting part that is spaced apart from the boss insertion hole on the side opposite to the outer wall portion. The shock-absorbing member according to claim 1, wherein the restricting wall portion extends at the tip of the extended piece portion in a direction away from the boss insertion hole of the mounting portion.

3. The aforementioned interior material for a vehicle is a door trim for a vehicle. The impact-absorbing member is provided in the vehicle door trim at a location facing the thigh of an occupant seated in the vehicle's seat, The impact absorbing member according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a through hole is formed at the rear end of the outer wall portion of the vehicle.

4. The impact absorbing member according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising three mounting portions arranged so as to be at the vertices of a triangle when viewed from the outside of the vehicle interior.

5. The aforementioned exterior wall portion is, A first opposing surface is positioned opposite to a first functional component provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle interior material, The impact absorbing member according to claim 4, having a second functional component provided on the exterior surface of the interior material for the vehicle and a second opposing surface positioned opposite to it.

6. The aforementioned interior material for a vehicle is a door trim for a vehicle. It comprises two mounting parts arranged along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, Of the two mounting portions, one of them has a boss insertion hole through which a mounting boss provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle door trim is inserted, and the mounting portion is attached to the mounting boss by inserting the mounting boss through the boss insertion hole and then crimping the tip of the mounting boss. The other mounting portion has a claw insertion hole through which a locking claw provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle door trim is inserted, and the tip of the locking claw is pressed against an elastic piece provided on the edge of the claw insertion hole, causing the elastic piece to deform elastically and allowing the locking claw to be inserted into the claw insertion hole, and the locking claw is attached to the claw insertion hole by the elastic return of the elastic piece, as described in claim 1 or claim 2.

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