Folded rigid knee airbag

• US 20040036265A1
• Filed: 08/26/2002
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Bradley W., Nelson, Earl H., Larsen, Alan R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,848,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/753
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0051 Knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21525 the lid being fixed on the bag, or forming part of the bag wall, or the bag itself being used as wall liner
• 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

Abstract

A folded rigid knee airbag for preventing the lower body portion of a vehicle occupant from being propelled forward during a collision is provided. The folded rigid knee airbag includes a back panel and a front panel attached to the back panel. Both the front panel and the back panel may be made from a rigid material, such as sheet metal. The back panel may include first and second accordion folds, and first and second vertical folds. The airbag may be in communication with an inflator. During discharge of the inflator, the accordion folds and the vertical folds unfold to form four substantially planar walls. The accordion folds and the vertical folds enable the front panel to remain substantially flat and maintain a substantially uniform cross-sectional area during inflation.

Claims

1. An airbag for preventing the lower body portion of a vehicle occupant from being propelled forward during a collision, comprising:

a front panel made from a rigid material;

a back panel made from a rigid material and attached to the front panel, the back panel comprising an inflator interface configured to receive an inflator;

wherein the back panel is configured such that the front panel remains substantially flat during discharge of the inflator.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the back panel is configured so that the front panel is disposed substantially parallel to the back panel after discharge of the inflator.

3. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the back panel is configured so that the front panel is disposed at an angle relative to the back panel after discharge of the inflator.

4. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the back panel and the front panel are made from sheet metal.

5. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the front panel is thicker than the back panel.

6. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the front panel comprises a peripheral region, wherein the back panel comprises a peripheral region, and wherein the peripheral region of the front panel is folded around the peripheral region of the back panel.

7. An airbag for preventing the lower body portion of a vehicle occupant from being propelled forward during a collision, comprising:

a front panel made from a rigid material;

a back panel made from a rigid material and attached to the front panel, the back panel comprising an inflator interface configured to receive an inflator, the back panel further comprising a folded portion configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a substantially planar portion.

8. The airbag of claim 7, wherein the back panel is configured so that the front panel is disposed substantially parallel to the back panel after discharge of the inflator.

9. The airbag of claim 7, wherein the back panel is configured so that the front panel is disposed at an angle relative to the back panel after discharge of the inflator.

10. The airbag of claim 7, wherein the back panel and the front panel are made from sheet metal.

11. The airbag of claim 7, wherein the front panel is thicker than the back panel.

12. The airbag of claim 7, wherein the front panel comprises a peripheral region, wherein the back panel comprises a peripheral region, and wherein the peripheral region of the front panel is folded around the peripheral region of the back panel.

13. An airbag for preventing the lower body portion of a vehicle occupant from being propelled forward during a collision, comprising:

a front panel made from a rigid material;

a back panel made from a rigid material and attached to the front panel, the back panel comprising;

an inflator interface configured to receive an inflator;

a first accordion fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a first substantially planar wall;

a second accordion fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a second substantially planar wall opposite the first substantially planar wall;

a first vertical fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a third substantially planar wall adjacent the first and second substantially planar walls; and

a second vertical fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a fourth substantially planar wall opposite the third substantially planar wall.

14. The airbag of claim 13, wherein the size of the second accordion fold is substantially equal to the size of the first accordion fold.

15. The airbag of claim 14, wherein the first and second vertical folds extend from the first edge to the second edge, and wherein the first and second vertical folds have a substantially uniform height.

16. The airbag of claim 13, wherein the size of the second accordion fold is greater than the size of the first accordion fold.

17. The airbag of claim 16, wherein the first and second vertical folds extend from the first edge to the second edge, and wherein the height of the first and second vertical folds increases moving in a direction from the first edge to the second edge.

18. The airbag of claim 13, wherein the back panel and the front panel are made from sheet metal.

19. The airbag of claim 13, wherein the front panel is thicker than the back panel.

20. The airbag of claim 13, wherein the front panel comprises a peripheral region, wherein the back panel comprises a peripheral region, and wherein the peripheral region of the front panel is folded around the peripheral region of the back panel.

21. An airbag system for preventing the lower body portion of a vehicle occupant from being propelled forward during a collision, comprising:

a front panel made from a rigid material, the front panel having a first side and a second side;

a decorative trim panel attached to the first side of the front panel;

a back panel made from a rigid material and attached to the second side of the front panel, the back panel comprising;

an inflator interface configured to receive an inflator;

a first vertical fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a first substantially planar wall;

a second vertical fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a second substantially planar wall opposite the first substantially planar wall;

a first accordion fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a third substantially planar wall adjacent the first and second substantially planar walls; and

a second accordion fold configured to unfold during discharge of the inflator to form a fourth substantially planar wall opposite the third substantially planar wall.

22. The airbag of claim 21, wherein the size of the second accordion fold is substantially equal to the size of the first accordion fold.

23. The airbag of claim 22, wherein the first and second vertical folds extend from the first edge to the second edge, and wherein the first and second vertical folds have a substantially uniform height.

24. The airbag of claim 21, wherein the size of the second accordion fold is greater than the size of the first accordion fold.

25. The airbag of claim 24, wherein the first and second vertical folds extend from the first edge to the second edge, and wherein the height of the first and second vertical folds increases moving in a direction from the first edge to the second edge.

26. The airbag of claim 21, wherein the back panel and the front panel are made from sheet metal.

27. The airbag of claim 21, wherein the front panel is thicker than the back panel.

28. The airbag of claim 21, wherein the front panel comprises a peripheral region, wherein the back panel comprises a peripheral region, and wherein the peripheral region of the front panel is folded around the peripheral region of the back panel.