Leg protection device for vehicle occupants

• US 20020171232A1
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abe, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,685,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23176 specially adapted for foot protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

Abstract

A leg protection device for protecting legs of a vehicle occupant from colliding against a vehicle member in front of the vehicle occupant includes an airbag installed inside the vehicle member and a gas generator for generating gas to inflate the airbag. The airbag has a first chamber having a first gas inlet and a second chamber having a second gas inlet. The airbag expands along the vehicle member when the airbag is inflated. The first chamber and the second chamber are connected so that the gas generated from the gas generator at first passes through the first chamber, then flows into the second chamber.

Claims

1. A leg protection device for protecting legs of a vehicle occupant from a member in front of the vehicle occupant, comprising:

a gas generator to be attached to the vehicle for generating gas, and

an airbag attached to the gas generator for receiving the gas therefrom for inflation, said airbag including a first chamber having a first gas inlet, and a second chamber having a second gas inlet so that the airbag expands outside and along the member when the airbag is inflated.

2. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein said first chamber and said second chamber are connected so that the gas generated from the gas generator at first enters the first chamber through the first gas inlet, and then flows into the second chamber through the second gas inlet.

3. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein said second gas inlet is formed to be narrower than an inside thereof.

4. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein said airbag comprises a front panel facing the vehicle occupant and a rear panel facing the member, and includes a linear joint portion connecting the front and rear panels to divide the airbag into the first chamber and the second chamber.

5. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein said airbag comprises a front panel facing the vehicle occupant and a rear panel facing the vehicle member, and includes a partition panel connecting the front and rear panels to divide the airbag into the first chamber and the second chamber.

6. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein said second chamber has a linear shape so that the gas flowing from the second inlet flows linearly, and a partition extending in a direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction to narrow the second gas inlet relative to an inside of the second chamber.

7. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein said airbag is provided with a plurality of the second chambers, at least one of the second chambers having a size different from that of the other second chambers.

8. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of said first chamber extends substantially vertically and the second chamber extends substantially laterally.

9. A leg protection device according to claim 1, further comprising a third chamber having a third gas inlet connected to the second chamber, said third gas inlet being formed narrower than an inside thereof.

10. A leg protection device according to claim 9, wherein the second chamber and the third chamber expand substantially laterally.

11. A leg protection device according to claim 1, wherein one of the chambers to be deployed near knees of the vehicle occupant has a thickness larger than that of the other chambers when inflated.

12. A leg protection device according to claim 7, wherein one of the second chambers is located at a top of the airbag when the airbag is inflated, and has a thickness larger than that of the other chambers to be deployed near knees of the vehicle occupant.