Knee air bag apparatus and method for manufacturing the same

• US 10,308,204 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, I Seul
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US15/233,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20170066397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide a knee air bag apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a knee air bag apparatus, including an air bag to be inflated by gas introduced thereinto, an air bag housing accommodating the air bag therein, and an inflator for generating the gas, the inflator having a first portion received in the air bag, and a remaining portion disposed outside the air bag within the air bag housing for connection of signal wiring.

Claims

1. A knee air bag apparatus, comprising:

an air bag;

an air bag housing accommodating the air bag therein; and

an inflator for generating gas, the inflator comprising a first portion received in the air bag, and a remaining portion disposed outside the air bag within the air bag housing;

wherein the inflator comprises at least one stud protruding from an outer peripheral surface of the inflator at a portion of the inflator received in the air bag and extending through the air bag such that the at least one stud is coupled to the air bag housing;

the at least one stud comprises a first stud and a second stud;

the first stud is coupled to the air bag housing after extending through the air bag; and

the second stud is coupled to the air bag housing after extending through the air bag and a seal member;

the air bag comprises a third through hole through which the first stud extends and a fourth through hole through which the second stud extends;

wherein the seal member comprises an extension portion extending from a seal portion, the extension portion enclosing at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the inflator disposed outside the air bag together with the seal portion;

the extension portion comprises a second slit open at one side thereof, to enclose at least the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the inflator disposed outside the air bag;

the second slit extends along a line passing the third and fourth through holes, and the open side of the second slit faces the third and fourth through holes.

2. The knee air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the air bag comprises a first slit through which the first portion of the inflator is inserted into the air bag; and

the knee air bag apparatus further comprises the seal member coupled to the air bag, the seal member sealing the first slit at an outside of the air bag when the first portion of the inflator has been inserted into the air bag through the first slit.

3. The knee air bag apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a protector disposed within the air bag;

the first stud is coupled to the air bag housing after extending through the protector and the air bag; and

the second stud is coupled to the air bag housing after extending through the protector, the air bag and the seal member.

4. The knee air bag apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the protector comprises a first through hole through which the first stud extends and a second through hole through which the second stud extends;

the seal member comprises a fifth through hole through which the second stud extends; and

the air bag housing comprises a first fastening hole into which the first stud is inserted after extending through the first through hole and the third through hole to be fastened to the air bag housing, and a second fastening hole into which the second stud is inserted after extending the fourth through hole and the fifth through hole to be fastened to the air bag housing.

5. The knee air bag apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the seal member comprises:

the seal portion for sealing the first slit when the first portion of the inflator has been inserted into the air bag through the first slit, the seal portion being formed with the fifth through hole.

6. The knee air bag apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wire for sending an electrical signal to the inflator to cause the inflator to generate gas;

wherein

the wire is coupled to the remaining portion of the inflator disposed outside the air bag.