Pedestrian protection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12090950-B2
Application number	US-202118245836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2021
Priority date	Sep 23, 2020
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A pedestrian protection device for a motor vehicle having a windscreen and an A-pillar extending adjacent a side edge of the windscreen. The protection device comprises a base member securable to the A-pillar of the motor vehicle, and a trim member moveable relative to the base member. A deployment mechanism is operable upon actuation of the device to drive the trim member away from the base member from an initial position in which the trim member is proximal to the base member, to a deployed position in which the trim member is spaced from the base member. The deployment mechanism comprises a plastically deformable member interconnecting the base member and the trim member and which is arranged, in said deployed position of the trim member, to absorb impact energy arising from impact between a pedestrian and the trim member in compression.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pedestrian protection device for a motor vehicle having a windscreen and an A-pillar extending adjacent a side edge of the windscreen, the pedestrian protection device comprising:
a base member securable to the A-pillar of the motor vehicle;
a trim member moveable relative to said base member; and
a deployment mechanism operable upon actuation of said device to drive said trim member away from said base member from an initial position in which the trim member is proximal to said base member, to a deployed position in which the trim member is spaced from the base member,
wherein said deployment mechanism comprises a plastically deformable member pivotally connected to each of said base member and said trim member, and arranged, in said deployed position of said trim member, to absorb impact energy arising from impact between a pedestrian and said trim member in compression.

2. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein said base member and said trim member are both elongate and are arranged so as to be substantially parallel to one another in said initial position, and said deployment mechanism being operable to maintain said parallelism during movement of said trim member from said initial position to said deployed position.

3. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 2 , wherein said deployment mechanism comprises a parallel motion linkage arrangement.

4. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 3 , wherein said deformable member forms part of said parallel motion linkage arrangement.

5. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein said deformable member is substantially elongate and formed of ductile material.

6. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein said deformable member is provided in the form of a metal strut.

7. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein said deployment mechanism is operable to drive said trim member away from said base member via pivotal movement of said deformable member relative to said base member and said trim member.

8. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein said deployment mechanism comprises a plurality of said plastically deformable members.

9. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 8 , wherein each of said deformable members comprises a pair of non-parallel limbs terminating in cranked ends which are pivotally connected to said base member.

10. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 9 , wherein said plurality of deformable members are arranged in an initial nested relationship relative to one another in an initial un-deployed configuration of the device, such that the limbs of at least one said deformable member are at least partially received between the limbs of an adjacent deformable member.

11. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 10 , wherein said plurality of deformable members are received within said base member in said initial nested relationship.

12. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 9 , wherein said deployment mechanism further comprises a lifter member engaged with each of said deformable members and moveable to urge said deformable members from respective initial positions to respective deployed positions in synchronism.

13. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 8 , wherein said deployment mechanism further comprises a pyrotechnical actuator operable to move a lifter member and thereby urge said deformable members from respective initial positions to respective deployed positions in synchronism.

14. The pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein said deployment mechanism further comprises a pyrotechnical actuator operable to urge said trim member from said initial position towards said deployed position.

15. A motor vehicle comprising a windscreen, an A-pillar extending along a side edge of the windscreen, and a pedestrian protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the base member of said pedestrian protection device is secured to said A-pillar, and wherein the trim member of said pedestrian protection device lies against or adjacent the A-pillar to define at least part of an exterior surface of the A-pillar in its initial position.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein said base member and said trim member are both elongate and are arranged to be substantially parallel to one another in said initial position, and said deployment mechanism is operable to maintain said parallelism during movement of said trim member from said initial position to said deployed position.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein said deployment mechanism is operable to drive said trim member away from said base member via pivotal movement of said deformable member relative to said base member and said trim member.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein said deployment mechanism comprises a plurality of said plastically deformable members, each of said deformable members comprises a pair of non-parallel limbs terminating in cranked ends which are pivotally connected to said base member, and wherein said plurality of deformable members are arranged in an initial nested relationship relative to one another in an initial un-deployed configuration of the device, such that the limbs of each deformable member are at least partially received between the limbs of an adjacent deformable member.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 18 , wherein said plurality of deformable members are received within said base member in said initial nested relationship.

Assignees

• Autoliv Dev

Inventors

• Rydsmo Erik
• Andersson Mikael

Classifications

• F16F7/123

  Deformation involving a bending action, e.g. strap moving through multiple rollers, folding of members (F16F7/125, F16F7/128 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R2021/346

  means outside vehicle body · CPC title

• B60R2021/343

  using deformable body panel, bodywork or components · CPC title

• B60R21/34 Primary

  Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title