Pillar connector mounting structure

Abstract

A bracket (6) having a plurality of adjacent mounting surface parts (8) to which a plurality of connectors (4) are attached is attached to a pillar panel (2) of a pillar (1). Each mounting surface part (8) of the bracket (6) extends in an extension direction of the pillar (1), and the mounting surface parts (8) adjacent to each other in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pillar (1) have mutually different surface orientations in a plane orthogonal to the extension direction of the pillar (1). At least one of the plurality of connectors (4) is attached to another mounting surface part (8) adjacent to the mounting surface parts (8) to which the other connectors (4) are attached.

Description

Pillar connector mounting structure

[0001] The present invention relates to a pillar connector mounting structure, and more particularly to a mounting structure for a connector disposed under a pillar to connect electrical wiring members routed inside the pillar of a vehicle.

[0002] In the following Patent Document 1, the panel-side connector and the roof-side connector are coupled (engaged) at the bottom of the pillar, and the connector is supported on the pillar by fitting a clip of the panel-side connector into a clamp hole provided in the pillar panel.

[0003] JP 2011-143797 A

[0004] In recent years, the number of electronic units installed on roofs has increased, resulting in an increase in the number of connectors installed inside pillars, such as front pillars. In this case, making the pillar thicker (wider) reduces visibility, and locating connectors in the middle or upper part of the pillar can impair assembly workability. Therefore, multiple connectors are densely mounted (placed) in the limited space of the pillar panel below the pillar. However, during a vehicle collision (frontal collision), the lower part of the pillar (front pillar) buckles and bends outward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, if multiple connectors are densely mounted on the same surface of a bracket attached to the pillar panel, for example, there is a risk of the connectors interfering with each other when the lower part of the pillar buckles. The present invention aims to provide a pillar connector mounting structure that can suppress interference between connectors when the lower part of the pillar buckles.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle comprising a plurality of connectors arranged on the lower part of a pillar, and a bracket extending in the extension direction of the pillar, attached to the pillar panel, and having a plurality of adjacent mounting surface portions to which the plurality of connectors are attached, wherein each mounting surface portion of the bracket extends in the extension direction of the pillar, and adjacent mounting surface portions in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pillar have different surface orientations in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the pillar, and at least one of the plurality of connectors is attached to another mounting surface portion adjacent to the mounting surface portion to which another connector is attached.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress interference between connectors when the lower part of the pillar buckles. The objects and advantages of the present invention are realized and attained by using the elements and combinations thereof set forth in the claims. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not intended to limit the invention as defined by the claims.

[0007] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pillar of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bracket attached to the pillar panel of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pillar of FIG. 1;

[0008] The pillar connector mounting structure of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is applied to a front pillar 1 on the (front) left side of a vehicle, as an example. Similar to the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the structure is for mounting a connector 4 to a pillar panel 2 at the bottom of the front pillar 1, connecting roof-side harnesses 51 and dash panel-side harnesses 51. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front pillar 1 viewed from the passenger compartment with the passenger compartment-side pillar trim 3 removed. Examples of the roof-side harnesses 51 include electrical wiring components for a camera that captures images in front of the vehicle and a camera that captures images inside the passenger compartment. As mentioned above, when multiple connectors 4 are arranged inside the pillar 1, making the pillar 1, particularly the front pillar, thick (wide) reduces visibility. Furthermore, arranging the connectors 4 in the middle or upper part of the pillar 1 requires work at a high position, which reduces assembly workability. Therefore, these connectors 4 are arranged at the bottom of the pillar 1. In this embodiment, the lower part of the pillar 1 accommodates harnesses 51, connectors 4, and an airbag 5. Needless to say, the front pillar 1 extends from the lower front of the vehicle toward the upper rear of the vehicle.

[0009] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the pillar 1 in the same orientation as Fig. 1 , with the harnesses 51, connector 4, airbag 5, and the like removed. Fig. 3, a view taken along arrow A in Fig. 2, shows the pillar 1 in the state shown in Fig. 2 as seen from the front right side of the vehicle. Fig. 4 shows a cross section of the pillar 1, including a bracket 6 (described later) and the pillar trim 3 removed in Fig. 1 . As shown in these figures, a bracket 6 made of a metal plate member is attached by welding or the like to the pillar panel (inner) 2 of the pillar 1. This bracket 6 is used to attach the connector 4 and airbag 5, with the harnesses 51 connected to them, to the pillar 1 (pillar panel 2). This bracket 6 is formed by bending a metal plate member extending in the extension direction of the pillar 1 into a channel shape with a roughly U-shaped cross section (see Fig. 4 ). Although the bracket 6 has a channel shape, unnecessary plate members have been removed mainly for the purpose of reducing weight, and of the opposing surfaces of the channel cross section 7 (of the U-shaped cross section), the lower surface shown in FIG. 4 is set appropriately short (narrow) because it does not need to be attached to the pillar panel 2. Furthermore, except for the connecting surface connecting the opposing surfaces of the channel cross section 7, and also the upper surface shown in FIG. 4 of the opposing surfaces of the channel cross section 7, unnecessary plate members have been almost entirely removed, except for four side mounting legs 10 that are attached (fixed) to the pillar panel 2. In this bracket 6, mounting legs 9 protrude from the connecting surfaces of the channel cross section 7 toward the pillar panel 2 at both ends in the extension direction of the pillar 1, i.e., at the upper and lower ends in FIGS. 2 and 3 . The protruding tips of the mounting legs 9 and the protruding tips of the side mounting legs 10 are fixed to the pillar panel 2 by welding or the like, thereby attaching the bracket 6 to the pillar panel 2. The side mounting legs 10 may be provided on the lower side surface of the channel cross section 7 in FIG.

[0010] In the bracket 6 of this embodiment, the upper side surface portion and connecting surface portion in Fig. 4 adjacent in the direction perpendicular to the channel cross-section portion 7 constitute the first and second mounting surface portions 8a, 8b for mounting the connector 4, but as mentioned above, the upper side surface portion in Fig. 4 has almost all of the plate-like portions other than the mounting side legs 10 removed, and does not unfold as a so-called plane, so this is referred to as the "plane portion." In the bracket 6 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, both the upper and lower portions in the figures constitute the channel cross-section portions 7 (7a, 7b), and mounting holes 21 are provided in the second-highest and lowest mounting side legs 10 of the four mounting side legs 10 protruding from the channel cross-section portions 7, and the first connector 4a and the second connector 4b are mounted in the respective mounting holes 21 of the first mounting surface portion 8a constituted by these mounting side legs 10. 2 and 3 also serves as the mounting surface 8, and the third connector 4c and the fourth connector 4d are attached to two mounting holes 21 provided in a second mounting surface 8b made of this connecting surface. Each of the first to fourth connectors 4a to 4d is attached to the respective mounting surface 8 by inserting a clip 22 into the mounting hole 21, as shown in FIG.

[0011] 2 and 3, the connecting surface portion of the upper channel cross-section 7a extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1 at a position farther away from the pillar panel 2 than the mounting surface portion 8 (second mounting surface portion 8b) formed by the connecting surface portion of the lower channel cross-section 7b, and this connecting surface portion of the upper channel cross-section 7a forms the airbag mounting surface portion 11. That is, the airbag 5 is mounted on this airbag mounting surface portion 11, and the step portion between this airbag mounting surface portion 11 and the mounting surface portion 8 of the lower channel cross-section 7b is connected obliquely to the extension direction of the pillar 1 by a plate-shaped connecting portion 23 formed of a part of a metal plate member. The airbag 5 installed in the front pillar 1 is mounted by screwing a cylindrical housing body 5a that houses an inflator and a bag into an internally threaded hole 24 provided in the airbag mounting surface portion 11 with a bolt 25. 2, a trim mounting hole 12a is formed above the female threaded hole 24 of the airbag mounting surface 11. For example, by inserting a clip portion provided on the pillar trim 3 into this trim mounting hole 12a, the pillar trim 3 is attached to the pillar panel 2 via the bracket 6. Therefore, the airbag mounting surface 11 is provided with a pillar trim mounting portion 12 for mounting the pillar trim 3.

[0012] The second mounting surface 8b, which is the connecting surface of the lower channel cross-section 7b in Figures 2 and 3, extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1 as shown. Furthermore, the first mounting surface 8a, which is composed of the second-highest mounting side leg 10 and the lowest mounting side leg 10 in Figures 2 and 3, also extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1 if considered as a "surface." That is, even if the plate members between the four mounting side legs 10 are removed, for example, to reduce weight, if that weight reduction is not required, the mounting side legs 10 may be connected by plate members. As long as the mounting side legs 10 are connected by plate members, the first mounting surface 8a actually extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1. In this embodiment, two surfaces adjacent in the perpendicular direction to the channel cross-section 7 formed in the bracket 6 form the first and second mounting surface portions 8. Therefore, these two mounting surface portions 8 are adjacent in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pillar 1, and the orientation of the surfaces of the two adjacent mounting surface portions 8 in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the pillar 1 is different.

[0013] In this example, two connectors 4 are attached to both the first mounting surface portion 8a and the second mounting surface portion 8b. However, in each mounting surface portion 8, the two connectors 4 are attached to that mounting surface portion 8 at different positions in the extension direction of the mounting surface portion 8 (i.e., the extension direction of the pillar 1). Furthermore, the first connector 4a and the second connector 4b attached to the first mounting surface portion 8a and the third connector 4c attached to the second mounting surface portion 8b are attached to the respective mounting surface portions 8 at different positions in the extension direction of the pillar 1. As described above, when the front pillar 1 buckles at its lower portion during a vehicle collision (frontal collision), the pillar panel 2 bends outward in the vehicle width direction. In FIG. 1 , the pillar panel 2 bends toward the depth of the page, so when the pillar panel 2 bends, the multiple connectors 4 arranged at the lower portion of the pillar 1 approach each other. As in this embodiment, if multiple connectors 4 are attached to the same or very close positions in the extension direction of the same mounting surface portion 8 of the bracket 6 attached to the pillar panel 2, the connectors 4 extending in the extension direction of the pillar 1, or if multiple connectors 4 are attached to mounting surface portions 8 with different surface orientations in the same or very close positions in the extension direction of the pillar 1, there is a risk that the connectors 4 will interfere with each other when the pillar panel 2 buckles or bends. In response to this, by arranging the multiple connectors 4 at different positions in the extension direction of one mounting surface portion 8 (= the extension direction of the pillar 1) or by arranging the connectors 4 attached to adjacent mounting surface portions 8 at different positions in the extension direction of the pillar 1, it is possible to suppress interference between the connectors 4 when the pillar panel 2 is bent. Note that the second connector 4b attached to the first mounting surface portion 8a and the fourth connector 4d attached to the second mounting surface portion 8b are exceptionally arranged at approximately the same position in the extension direction of the pillar 1, but this is due to layout restrictions.

[0014] The bracket 6 of this embodiment extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1 and has a channel cross-section 7 with a U-shaped cross-section. The channel cross-section 7 has higher rigidity against bending input in a direction intersecting the extension direction than a simple flat section. The bracket 6, which has the channel cross-section 7 and extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1, is attached to the pillar panel 2 by the mounting legs 9 at both ends in the extension direction. Therefore, the bracket 6 acts as a support against bending input of the pillar panel 2, suppressing bending of the pillar panel 2. Furthermore, four side mounting legs 10 are attached to the pillar panel 2 at the lateral portions in the extension direction of the bracket 6, improving the attachment strength of the bracket 6 to the pillar panel 2. This ensures that the bracket 6 acts as a support against bending input of the pillar panel 2, further suppressing buckling and bending of the pillar panel 2.

[0015] Furthermore, when the pillar panel 2 is bent, the central portion of the bracket 6 in the extension direction may bend outward in the vehicle width direction, i.e., toward the back of the page in Figure 2, which may cause the connector 4 and harnesses 51 to approach the airbag 5. However, in this embodiment, the airbag mounting surface 11 is farther from the pillar panel 2 than the second mounting surface 8b, and a connecting portion 23 is provided between the second mounting surface 8b and the airbag mounting surface 11, which is oblique to the extension direction of the pillar 1. As a result, even if the central portion of the bracket 6 in the extension direction is bent outward in the vehicle width direction, the connecting portion 23 acts as a barrier to prevent the connector 4 and harnesses 51 from climbing up onto the airbag mounting surface 11, thereby avoiding interference between them and the airbag 5, particularly the bolts 25 that attach the housing 5a to the bracket 6.

[0016] 4 , the passenger compartment side of the pillar 1 is covered with the pillar trim 3. When the inflator of the airbag 5 is activated, the airbag 5 deploys and pushes the pillar trim 3 away from the pillar 1. Because the airbag 5 is activated by impact (acceleration), if the mounting positions of the airbag 5 and the pillar trim 3 are misaligned (particularly in the extension direction of the pillar 1), the difference in the amount of deformation of the pillar 1 in the extension direction during a collision (frontal collision) causes relative movement between the airbag 5 and the pillar trim 3. This relative movement could prevent the airbag 5 from pushing the pillar trim 3 away from the pillar 1. In contrast, in this embodiment, the pillar trim mounting portion 12 to which the pillar trim 3 is attached is located on the airbag mounting surface 11 to which the airbag 5 is attached (particularly close to the extension direction of the pillar 1). Therefore, there is little or no relative movement between the airbag 5 and the pillar trim 3 during a collision. This allows the airbag 5 to reliably push the pillar trim 3 away from the pillar 1, thereby ensuring the airbag 5 is deployed.

[0017] Although the pillar connector mounting structure according to the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the bracket 6 according to the above embodiment, a metal plate member extending in the elongation direction of the pillar 1 is bent into a U-shaped cross section to form the channel cross section 7, and two adjacent surfaces thereof are the first mounting surface 8a and the second mounting surface 8b for mounting the connector 4. However, the configuration of the mounting surface 8 is not limited to this. Because the harnesses 51 routed on the pillar 1 extend in the elongation direction of the pillar 1, the mounting surface 8 for mounting the connector 4 should extend in the elongation direction of the pillar 1 so as not to interfere with the routing of the harnesses 51. Furthermore, to prevent multiple connectors 4 from being mounted too close together under the pillar 1, the number of mounting surfaces 8 for the connectors 4 should be at least two, i.e., multiple mounting surfaces 8. In order to suppress interference between the connectors 4 when the pillar 1 buckles or bends, the multiple mounting surface portions 8 only need to have different surface orientations within a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the pillar 1. When multiple mounting surface portions 8 are provided on one bracket 6, it is preferable to arrange two mounting surface portions 8 adjacent to each other so that they intersect with the extension direction of the pillar 1, taking into consideration factors such as ease of installation of the connectors 4. An example of such a bracket 6 is an angle-shaped bracket with an L-shaped cross section, in which two mounting surface portions 8 are arranged in a mountain shape. At least one of the multiple connectors 4 arranged on the lower part of the pillar 1 is attached to another mounting surface portion 8 adjacent to the mounting surface portion 8 to which the other connectors 4 are attached, thereby suppressing interference between the connectors 4 when the pillar 1 (pillar panel 2) buckles or bends.Furthermore, for example, by linking the color and number of terminals of the connector 4 (coupler) with the first mounting surface portion 8a and the second mounting surface portion 8b, it is possible to easily and clearly write instructions and directions for assembly, such as "connect the white connector at the first mounting surface portion and the gray connector at the second mounting surface portion" or "connect the connector with the greater number of terminals at the first mounting surface portion and the connector with the fewer terminals at the second mounting surface portion," which is particularly effective when multiple connectors 4 are of similar size.

[0018] As described above, in this embodiment, a bracket 6 having a plurality of adjacent mounting surface portions 8 to which a plurality of connectors 4 are attached is attached to the pillar panel 2 of the pillar 1, and each mounting surface portion 8 of the bracket 6 extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1, and adjacent mounting surface portions 8 in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pillar 1 have different surface orientations in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the pillar 1, and at least one of the plurality of connectors 4 is attached to another mounting surface portion 8 adjacent to the mounting surface portion 8 to which another connector 4 is attached. This makes it possible to suppress interference between the connectors 4 when the pillar 1 (pillar panel 2) buckles or bends. Furthermore, by attaching the plurality of connectors 4 to one mounting surface portion 8 at different positions in the extension direction of that mounting surface portion 8, it is possible to further suppress interference between the connectors 4 when the pillar 1 buckles or bends. Furthermore, by attaching the multiple connectors 4 to two adjacent mounting surface portions 8 to each mounting surface portion 8 at different positions in the extension direction of the pillar 1, it is possible to further suppress interference between the connectors 4 when the pillar 1 buckles or bends.

[0019] Furthermore, the bracket 6 is made of a plate member extending in the extension direction of the pillar 1 and has a channel cross-section portion 7 whose cross section, viewed from the extension direction of the pillar 1, is channel-shaped, and two surfaces adjacent to the channel cross-section portion 7 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction are formed as multiple mounting surfaces 8 to which connectors 4 are attached. This makes it possible to form the bracket 6 having multiple mounting surfaces 8 with a simple configuration, and by attaching the bracket 6, which has high rigidity against input in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pillar 1, to the pillar 1 (pillar panel 2) along the extension direction of the pillar 1, it is possible to improve the strength of the pillar 1 against buckling and bending. Furthermore, since the bracket 6 has mounting legs 9 attached to the pillar panel 2 at both ends in the extension direction of the pillar 1, the bracket 6 attached to the pillar panel 2 acts as a support rod, suppressing buckling and bending of the pillar panel 2. In addition, since the bracket 6 has a mounting side leg 10 that is attached to the pillar panel 2 on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the channel cross-section 7, the mounting strength of the bracket 6 to the pillar panel 2 is improved and the bracket 6's ability to act as a support rod against buckling and bending inputs to the pillar panel 2 is ensured, further suppressing buckling and bending of the pillar panel 2.

[0020] The bracket 6 also has an airbag mounting surface 11 that extends adjacent to the mounting surface 8, which is a connecting surface connecting the opposing surfaces of the channel cross-section 7, in the extension direction of the pillar 1 and that extends in the extension direction of the pillar 1 at a position farther from the pillar panel 2 than the connecting surface 8. This creates a step between the mounting surface 8 and the airbag mounting surface 11, and since this step is connected by a connecting portion 23, when the pillar 1 buckles or bends, the connecting portion 23 acts as a barrier to prevent the connector 4 and harnesses 51 from climbing up onto the airbag mounting surface 11, thereby avoiding interference between them and the airbag 5. Furthermore, the airbag mounting surface 11 is provided with a pillar trim mounting portion 12 to which the pillar trim 3 is attached. Therefore, there is little or no relative movement between the airbag 5 and the pillar trim 3 during a vehicle collision, and the bag body of the deploying airbag 5 reliably pushes the pillar trim 3 away from the pillar 1, thereby enabling the airbag 5 to be deployed reliably.

[0021] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Pillar (front pillar), 2... Pillar panel, 3... Pillar trim, 4 (4a to 4d)... Connector, 5... Airbag, 6... Bracket, 7... Channel cross section, 8 (8a, 8b)... Mounting surface, 9... Mounting leg, 10... Mounting side leg, 11... Airbag mounting surface, 12... Pillar trim mounting portion

Claims

1. A pillar connector mounting structure comprising: a plurality of connectors arranged on the lower part of a vehicle pillar; and a bracket extending in the extension direction of the pillar, attached to the pillar panel, and having a plurality of adjacent mounting surface portions to which the plurality of connectors are attached, wherein each mounting surface portion of the bracket extends in the extension direction of the pillar, and adjacent mounting surface portions in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pillar have different surface orientations in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the pillar, and at least one of the plurality of connectors is attached to another mounting surface portion adjacent to the mounting surface portion to which another of the connectors is attached.

2. The pillar connector mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of connectors are mounted on one mounting surface at different positions in the extension direction of the mounting surface.

3. The pillar connector mounting structure described in claim 1, characterized in that the multiple connectors mounted on two adjacent mounting surface portions are mounted on each mounting surface portion at different positions in the extension direction of the pillar.

4. The pillar connector mounting structure described in claim 1, characterized in that the bracket is made of a plate member extending in the extension direction of the pillar and has a channel cross-section portion whose cross-section when viewed from the extension direction of the pillar is channel-shaped, and two surface portions adjacent in a direction perpendicular to the channel cross-section portion constitute the multiple mounting surface portions.

5. A pillar connector mounting structure according to claim 4, wherein the bracket has mounting legs attached to the pillar panel at both ends in the extension direction of the pillar.

6. A pillar connector mounting structure according to claim 5, wherein the bracket has a mounting side leg portion attached to the pillar panel on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the channel cross section.

7. The pillar connector mounting structure described in claim 4, characterized in that the bracket has an airbag mounting surface portion that extends adjacent to the mounting surface portion consisting of a connecting surface portion that connects the opposing surfaces of the channel cross-section portion in the extension direction of the pillar and that extends in the extension direction of the pillar at a position farther away from the pillar panel than the connecting surface portion.

8. The pillar connector mounting structure according to claim 7, wherein the airbag mounting surface is provided with a pillar trim mounting portion to which a pillar trim is attached.

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