JPH0478748A - Starter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To actuate a plural number of actuators by providing a contact point means which comes to be in the state to detect an ignition member at the time when the ignition member is moved as well as actuating a detonator by way of moving the ignition member by an inertial body which moves at the time when a car suddenly decelerates. CONSTITUTION:A ball 44 is provided as an inertial body in a case of a starter 32 of an air bag, and when it is inertially moved in the arrow C direction at the time when a car suddenly decelerates, a drive shaft 46 is rotated in the arrow E direction and an ignition pin is collided against a detonator 62 by energization of a compression coil spring 58 so that gas is generated. By movement of the ignition pin 54, a contact point piece 104 on the opposite side of a driver makes contact with a contact point piece 102 on the side of the driver and a contact point 100 is led through and movement of the ignition pin 54 is detected. An air bag on an assistant's seat is actuated by an actuator on the opposite side of the driver by this electric signal. Consequently, it is possible to certainly actuate a plural number of actuators simply.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a starting device that operates a plurality of actuators when a vehicle suddenly decelerates.

[Conventional technology]

There are various types of actuators that operate when a vehicle suddenly decelerates, and among them, a case will be described in which an electrically ignited air bag device is installed in both the driver's seat and the passenger's seat.

In this type of airbag device, sensors that detect sudden deceleration of the vehicle are arranged near both front axles of the vehicle. These sensors are connected via wire harnesses to the electrically ignited airbag device body installed in the driver's seat steering wheel, the control device installed near the center console, and the passenger seat airbag device body. is connected to.

When the vehicle suddenly decelerates, one of the sensors disposed near both front axles detects this sudden deceleration, and the airbag device bodies for the driver's seat and the passenger's seat are activated, respectively, via a wire harness. As a result, the occupants seated in the driver's seat and the front passenger seat are protected by the respective inflatable bags.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in this type of airbag device, high reliability is required for the wire harness that connects the sensors near both front axles of the vehicle and each airbag device body. Since the electrical signal from the lever sensor must be reliably sent to the airbag device body through the wiring group in the wiring harness, it is necessary to use a wiring harness that strongly protects the wiring group, and the entire airbag device It was connected to the cost amplifier.

In addition, this type of airbag device requires sensors near both front axles in addition to the wire harness mentioned above, which increases the number of parts and complicates the structure, which also increases the cost of the entire airbag device. It was connected.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned facts, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an activation device that can be simplified in structure and that can reliably operate a plurality of actuators when a vehicle suddenly decelerates.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is a starting device in which a single starting device main body operates a plurality of actuators that are activated when a vehicle suddenly decelerates, and the starting device main body moves inertially when the vehicle suddenly decelerates. an inertial body; an ignition member that moves in the direction of the detonator due to inertial movement of the inertial body and collides with the detonator to activate one actuator; and when the ignition member is not moving, the ignition member is in a non-detection state. and contact means for bringing the ignition member into a detection state and actuating the other actuator when the ignition member is moved; and urging the contact means to the detection state and urging the ignition member toward the detonator. It is characterized by having a biasing means.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, when the vehicle is normally running, the acceleration applied to the inertial body is small, so the inertial body does not move or the amount of inertial movement is small. In this case, the ignition member will not move toward the detonator due to the urging force of the urging means. Therefore, the contact means is in a non-detecting state of the ignition member. As a result, the activation device will not operate.

When the vehicle suddenly decelerates from this state, the acceleration applied to the inertial body increases, so the inertial body moves largely inertly.

Therefore, the ignition member moves toward the detonator due to the urging force of the urging means, and the ignition member collides with the detonator. Therefore, one actuator is activated. Furthermore, as the ignition member moves toward the detonator, the contact means is brought into the detection state by the urging force of the urging means. As a result, the other actuator is actuated.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the activation device according to the present invention has the excellent effect of simplifying the structure and reliably operating a plurality of actuators when the vehicle suddenly decelerates.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 shows an airbag device A on the driver's seat side according to this embodiment.
A schematic cross-sectional view of the airbag device B on the passenger seat side is also shown.

In the airbag device A on the driver's seat side, a hub 14 of a steering link wheel 12 is fixed to the tip of a steering wheel, and a substantially box-shaped base plate 16 extends parallel to the hub 14. It is supported via a support bracket 18. A punt 20, a bag body 22, and an inflation flake 24 are attached to the base plate 16.

The pad 20 is arranged on the passenger side of the base plate 16 (the side opposite to the direction of arrow C in FIG. 4). A frame-shaped core metal (not shown) is embedded around the pad 20, and the base plate 16 is connected to the base plate 16 with rivets or the like via this core metal.
is fixed to the periphery of the Further, a thin wall portion 26 is formed at a portion of the pad 20 facing the base plate 16, and the pad 20 is easily broken at this thin wall portion 26.

The bag body 22 is arranged in a folded state on the passenger side of the base plate 16 and is connected to the base plate 16 and the pad 20.
is stored between. The opening side edge of the bag body 22 is attached to approximately the center of the base plate 16 via a ring plate 28. The ring plate 28 is fastened to the base plate 16 with bolts (not shown), and the bag body 2
The opening side edge of 2 is pressed against the base plate 1G.

The inflator 24 has a cylindrical shape and is attached to the base plate 1.
6 is disposed so as to be penetrated by a circular hole formed at approximately the center of the hole. The inflator 24 has a flange 30 extending in the radial direction of the inflator 24 at an axially intermediate portion thereof.
is formed.

The flange 30 is attached to the base plate 16 with bolts (not shown).
It is fixed on the side opposite to the passenger. Also, Inflake 24
A plurality of gas holes (not shown) are formed at predetermined intervals on the circumferential surface of the vehicle on the passenger side. Also, this inflation 24
A starter main body 32, which will be described later, is built into the shaft core of the starter main body 32, and an explosive charge (not shown) is disposed on the outer periphery of the starter main body 32, and a gas generating substance 34 is sealed.

The starting device main body 32 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the starting device main body 32 includes a substantially cylindrical upper case 36 and a lower case 38. When the upper case 36 and the lower case 38 are fitted together, the inside of the cover 40 is removed. The end is housed in a shank,! It is defined as 61m.

Inside the upper case 36, there is a cylinder 4 along the axial direction.
A ball 44 as an inertial body is housed in this cylinder 42. This ball 44
When the vehicle suddenly decelerates, it inertially moves in the direction of arrow C in FIG. Note that two of each component in the starting device main body 32, including the ball 44, which will be described later, are arranged in symmetrical positions with respect to the axis of the starting device main body 32, but only one component will be explained below. do.

One end in the axial direction of a shaft 46A of the drive shaft 46, which is disposed within the contact surface between the upper case 36 and the lower case 38, is in contact with the end of the ball 44 on the side opposite to the passenger. This drive shaft 46 has a shirt) 4
A locking portion 46B is formed near the axially intermediate portion of the shaft 46A and perpendicular to the shaft 46A, and a pair of support shafts 46C protrude from and are pivotally supported by the locking portion 46B.

A bias pin 5o biased by a bias spring 48 is disposed inside the upper case 36, and the tip of the bias pin 5o is in contact with the other end of the shaft 46A of the drive shaft 46. .

Inside the lower case 38, a coil spring 52 is arranged above the shaft 46A of the drive shaft 46 on the opposite side of the ball 44 stop. The coil spring 52 includes a coil portion and a hook portion that protrudes in the radial direction from the passenger side end of the coil portion. Although the hook part is not shown in FIG. 3, its coil part side is engaged with a release pin (not shown) inserted into the axis of the starter main body 32, and its tip end is engaged with the other ball (third It is located at the opposite end of the ball 44 with respect to the axis of the starting device main body 32 (in the figure) opposite to the passenger side. Before the airbag device A is assembled to the steering wheel 12, the coil spring 52 causes the other ball to move in the inertial movement direction and the drive shaft 46 to move.
However, in the assembled state, the release pin is pressed by the protruding portion 18A of the support bracket 18 and moves toward the side opposite to the passenger against the biasing force of the coil spring 52, thereby releasing the hook portion. makes the device main body 32 configured from the above position ready for operation.

Further, an ignition pin 54 as an ignition member is disposed within the starter main body 32. This ignition pin 54 is connected to the shaft portion 5
4A, and a gap portion 54B is formed in the axially intermediate portion thereof. The shaft portion 54A is a compression coil spring 5 inserted into a spring support portion 56 formed in the lower case 38.
8 is loosely fitted. A disc-shaped locking plate 54C is integrally formed on the passenger side surface of the flange portion 54B, and a stepped portion formed by the passenger side locking plate 54C and the flange portion 54B is provided with the drive shaft 46. The locking portion 46B is locked. Further, the compression coil spring 58 is abutted and locked on the surface of the flange portion 54B on the side opposite to the passenger. Therefore, the compression coil spring 58 presses and urges the ignition pin 54 in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

A detonator 62 is disposed on the locus of movement of the ignition pin 54.

Now, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a contact 100 as a contact means is disposed on the end surface of the lower case 38 of the starting device main body 32 on the side opposite to the passenger. Contact 100
includes a contact piece 102 disposed on the passenger side and a contact piece 104 disposed on the side opposite to the passenger. These contact pieces 1
02.104 are formed by bending rectangular thin metal pieces, both of which are made of conductive material. Further, each of the contact pieces 102 and 104 has elastic force itself, but the elastic force of the contact piece 102 on the passenger side is set to be slightly weaker than the elastic force of the contact piece 104 on the side opposite to the passenger. .

The contact piece 1υ2 on the passenger side is connected to the base 102A and this base 10.
The edge of 2A is slightly bent towards the passenger side! 102B. The contact piece 104 on the anti-occupant side includes a base end portion 104A, a bent intermediate portion provided by slightly bending the edge of the base end portion 104A toward the passenger side, and an edge of this bent intermediate portion 104B. and an extended portion 104C that is further extended in parallel to the base end portion 104A and in a direction away from the base end portion 104A.

The contact piece 102 on the passenger side and the contact piece 104 on the anti-occupant side are as follows:
The lower case 3 is connected to the male screw 108 with an insulating plate 106 having a cylindrical shape and made of an elastic material interposed therebetween.
It is fixed at 8. In the fixed state, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 1(A), the extended portion 104C is pushed down by the end of the shaft portion 54A of the ignition pin 54 on the side opposite to the passenger, so that the contact piece 102 on the passenger side Bent portion 102 of
B and the extending portion 104C of the contact piece 104 on the side opposite to the passenger are spaced apart from each other. However, the extending portion 104C is in contact with the end surface of the shaft portion 54A of the ignition pin 54 on the side opposite to the passenger, and although it is smaller than the urging force of the compression coil spring 58, it presses and urges the ignition pin 54 in the direction of the detonator 62. are doing. The elastic force that this contact piece 104 itself has is a biasing force that presses the ignition pin 54 toward the detonator 62, and a biasing force that biases the contact piece 104, which will be described later, to a detection state. That is, this contact 100 functions not only as a contact means but also as a biasing means.

To explain this contact point 100 in more detail, FIG. 1(A)
The state shown in is the normal vehicle running state, and the contact piece 1
02 bent portion 102B and contact piece 104 extended portion 104C
are separated from each other.

This state is a non-detection state of the ignition pin 54 at the contact 100.

What is shown in FIG. 1(B) is the state immediately after the ignition pin 54 moves toward the detonator 62 when the vehicle suddenly decelerates.
The corner on the base end 104A side of the bent intermediate portion 104B of the contact piece 104 on the anti-occupant side is the bent portion 102B of the contact piece 100 on the passenger side.
It is in contact with the surface on the side opposite to the passenger.

What is shown in FIG. 1(C) is that when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, similar to the state shown in FIG. 1(B), the contact piece 104 on the side opposite to the passenger is further removed from the state shown in FIG. Due to its own elastic force (restoring force), the corner of the proximal end portion 104A side of the bent intermediate portion 104B becomes the bent portion 102 of the contact piece 102 on the passenger side.
B is in a state of being moved while slightly elastically deforming toward the passenger side while sliding on the surface of the bent portion 102B on the side opposite to the passenger, and in this state, the bent intermediate portion 104B of the contact piece 104 on the side opposite to the passenger The end surface on the passenger side is in close contact with the surface opposite to the passenger of the bent portion 102B of the contact piece 102 on the passenger side. The states shown in FIGS. 1(B) and 1(C) are the states in which the ignition pin 54 is detected at the contact 100.

Note that the distance that the corner of the bent intermediate portion 104B on the proximal end 104A side slides on the surface of the bent portion 102B of the passenger-side contact piece 102 on the opposite side to the passenger is the length shown in FIG. 1 (A>). SaP
The time for sliding this length P is set to be necessary and sufficient to activate the airbag device B on the passenger seat side.

Mata, each contact piece 102.104i: D? , m1lO
1112 are connected to each other.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the contact piece 102 on the passenger side
is connected to the steering shaft 10 via a wiring 110, and the contact piece 104 on the opposite side to the passenger is connected via an insulator 66 to a fixed rotating ring 68 via a wiring 112.

A protrusion 68A is formed on this rotating ring 68.
This protrusion 68A is in contact with a connection plate 72 fixed to the vehicle body 70. Therefore, the projection 68A is always connected to the connecting plate 72 regardless of whether the steering wheel 12 is rotated or not.
is in contact with.

Further, the connection plate 72 is connected to a control device 76 by wiring 74, and is further connected to an electric detonator 78 via a filament (not shown) disposed in an electrically ignited airbag device B on the passenger seat side.

The steering shaft 10 is connected to the filament via wiring 80, a vehicle power supply 82, and a control device 76. The control device 76 is connected via a wiring 88 to a buckle switch 86 in a housing M84 on the passenger seat side.

In the airbag device B on the passenger seat side, current flows to the filament only when the buckle switch 86 and the contact pieces 102 and 104 are both in contact and turned on. When the current flows to the filament, Joule heat is generated. When the gas is generated, the electric detonator 78 ignites, the gas generating agent 90 reacts, and the bag 92 is expanded.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

Under normal vehicle running conditions, the ball 44 does not move or the amount of inertial movement is small, so the bias spring 4
The locking portion 46B of the drive shaft 46 is
The ignition pin 54 does not come off from the collar 54B.

Therefore, the extending portion 104C of the contact piece 104 is pressed against the shaft portion 54A of the ignition pin 54 against its own elastic force and is held in the state shown in FIG. 1(A), and each contact piece 102 and 104 are spaced apart from each other.

Therefore, each contact piece 102, 104 is in a non-detecting state in which it is not turned on and does not detect movement of the ignition pin 54. As a result, the starting device main body 32 does not operate, and the normal vehicle running state is maintained.

When the vehicle suddenly decelerates from this state, the ball 44 moves to the third position.
Large inertial movement in the direction of arrow C in the figure.

As a result, the drive shaft 46 rotates about the support shaft 46C in the direction of the arrow E in FIG.

As a result, the ignition pin 54 moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3 due to the urging force of the compression coil spring 58 and collides with the detonator 62. As a result, the detonator 62 ignites and the gas generating substance 34 reacts via a booster (not shown), generating a large amount of gas. Accordingly, the bag 22 expands, causing the pad 20 to break at the thin portion 26. The inflated bag 22 after being broken is interposed between the steering wheel 12 and the passenger. As a result, the occupants are reliably protected from impact when the vehicle suddenly decelerates.

On the other hand, as the ignition pin 54 moves, the contact piece 10 on the side opposite to the passenger
The corner of the bent intermediate portion 104B of No. 4 comes into contact with the surface of the bent portion 102B of the passenger-side contact piece 102 on the side opposite to the passenger due to elastic force, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 1(B). For this reason, the contact 100 is turned on and becomes conductive, and is brought into a detection state in which movement of the ignition pin 54 is detected. This sends electrical signals to the controller 76 via wires 110, 112 and 74, 80. Note that from the state shown in FIG. 1(B) in which the corner contacts the surface of the bent portion 102B on the opposite side of the passenger to the state shown in FIG. 1(C), the corner contacts the bent portion 102B.
It slides on the surface of 2B on the side opposite to the passenger.

Here, if no passenger is seated in the passenger seat, that is, if the buckle switch 86 on the passenger seat side is not turned on, this electrical signal is not sent to the control device 76.
Regardless of whether or not the contact 100 is electrically connected, the airbag device B will not operate. However, when a passenger is seated in the passenger seat, that is, when the buckle switch 86 is turned on, this electrical signal is sent to the control device 76.
Moreover, since the contact 100 is electrically connected and in the detection state, a current flows through the filament, generating Joule heat, the electric detonator 78 ignites, and the gas generating agent 90 generates a large amount of gas. As a result, the airbag device B on the passenger seat side is activated and the bag 92 is inflated, thereby protecting the passenger seated in the passenger seat.

In this embodiment, the mechanically ignited airbag device A is disposed on the driver's seat side, and the electrically ignited airbag device B is disposed on the passenger's seat side. Since a contact point 100 that is electrically connected as the ignition pin 54 moves is disposed on the end face on the side opposite to the passenger's seat, a single activation device main body 32 connects the air bag device on the driver's seat side and the air on the passenger's seat side. The bag device B can be operated simultaneously when the vehicle suddenly decelerates.

Additionally, compared to the conventional case where electrically ignited airbag devices are installed on both the driver's and passenger's seats, there is no need for sensors or wire harnesses installed near both front axles of the vehicle. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced and costs can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, since there is no need to secure space in the vehicle body for arranging sensors, wire harnesses, etc., there is an advantage in terms of design.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 76 prevents the airbag device B on the passenger seat side from operating when no occupant is seated in the passenger seat. can be prevented from operating unnecessarily, and can contribute to improving safety.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a compression coil spring 58 is attached to a stepped portion formed by the collar portion 54B and the locking portion 54C of the ignition pin 54.
With the locking portion 46B of the drive shaft 46 locked with the biasing force of
C connects the end surface of the shaft portion 54A of the ignition pin 54 on the side opposite to the passenger with the compression coil spring 5 due to the elastic force of the contact piece 104 itself.
8, the contact pressure (i.e., the extending portion 104C of the contact piece 104 on the side opposite to the passenger presses the end surface of the shaft portion 54A on the side opposite to the passenger). The pressure applied during energizing can be increased.

Therefore, the speed at which the ignition pin 54 moves in the direction of the detonator 62 can be increased when the vehicle suddenly decelerates.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the contact 100 is not only disposed on the surface of the lower case 380 opposite to the passenger, but also has the effect of increasing the contact pressure, so the contact is disposed near the detonator 62. Compared to the conventional structure where the detonator 6
Even if the contact is momentary, there is no risk that the contact, once in a conductive state, will become non-conductive due to the blowback when the fire blows back.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, each contact piece 102, 104 is in contact with each other for the first time (see FIG. 1(A)).
From the state shown in FIG. 1C to the state shown in FIG.
The base end portion 104A side corner of the contact piece 102 on the passenger side is configured to slide on the surface opposite to the passenger side of the bend R102B of the contact piece 102,
The sliding distance is set to a length P (see Figure 1 (C)) that can reliably activate the airbag device B on the passenger seat side, so when a passenger is seated in the passenger seat and the vehicle suddenly decelerates, Despite this, there were no problems such as the airbag device B on the passenger seat side not operating.

In this embodiment, the airbag device A on the driver's seat side is used as one actuator, and the airbag device B on the passenger seat side is used as the other actuator. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The take-up shaft drive member of the buri loader, which is installed in the webbing take-up device on the seat side and forcibly winds the webbing onto the take-up shaft when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, is installed as the other actuator in the webbing take-up device on the passenger seat side. The present invention can be applied to any device in which a plurality of actuators are actuated by a single actuator, such as applying a take-up shaft drive member of a burry loader having a similar structure.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the starter body 32 of the type in which the drive shaft 46 is disposed.
For example, the drive shaft 46 is not limited to this, but a cylindrical mass with a part protruding in the axial direction may be used as the inertial body, and the protruding part of the mass may directly engage the flange 54B of the ignition pin 54. The present invention may be applied to a starting device for an airbag device having a structure that has been abolished.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 76 is only connected to the contacts 100, the airbag device B on the passenger seat side, and the buckle switch 86; however, if the electric ignition type airbag device B breaks down for some reason. The configuration may be such that it is connected to a failure memory or the like that stores information when a failure occurs.

Further, in this embodiment, a compression coil spring 58 is provided that presses and biases the ignition pin 54 in the direction of the detonator 62, but this compression coil spring 58 is eliminated and the biasing force is transferred to the contact on the side opposite to the passenger. The load may be borne by increasing the elastic force of the piece 104. In this case, the number of parts can be reduced.

In connection with this, as a structure that eliminates the compression coil spring 58, the contact pieces 102 and 104 themselves are made of inelastic bodies,
Separate compression or tension coil springs may be used to bias these contact pieces 102,104.

Further, in this embodiment, each contact piece 102.104 is in a state separated from each other during normal vehicle running, and when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, each contact piece 102.1 is caused by its own elastic force.
Although the contact 10CI has a configuration in which the contact pieces 10 and 04 contact each other, this configuration may be reversed. For example, the contact pieces 10
2 and the contact piece 104 may be reversed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the main body of the activation device shown in FIG. 2; FIG. A... Airbag device (one actuator), B
...Airbag device (other actuator), 32
... Starting device main body, 44 ... Ball (inertial body), 54 ... Ignition pin (ignition member), 62 ... Detonator, 100 ... Contact (contact means, urging means). IF4 (A) +04 +04 Joo ・・Contact (buttock with contact 112 - F12)・Starting device main body・Ball (inertial body)・Ignition pin (ignition member)・Detonator,

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A starting device that operates a plurality of actuators that operate when a vehicle suddenly decelerates, with a single starting device main body, wherein the starting device main body includes an inertial body that moves by inertia when a vehicle suddenly decelerates; As a result, the ignition member moves toward the detonator and collides with the detonator to activate one of the actuators, and when the ignition member is not moving, the ignition member is in a non-detection state, and when the ignition member is moving, the ignition member A contact means for operating the other actuator when the detection state is set, and a biasing means for biasing the contact means to the detection state and biasing the ignition member toward the detonator. A starting device.