Apparatus including an inflatable knee bag
First Claim
1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having an instrument panel by preventing a forceful impact between lower portions of legs of the occupant and the instrument panel during a vehicle collision, the apparatus comprising:
- an inflator actuatable for providing inflation fluid; and
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for receiving inflation fluid from the inflator and inflating from a stored condition to an inflated condition engaging the lower portions of legs of the occupant, the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including upper and lower portions, the lower portion being rolled and the upper portion being folded into a stack of pleated sections when the vehicle occupant protection device is in the stored condition.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) helps to protect an occupant (12) of a vehicle (14) having an instrument panel (34) by preventing a forceful impact between lower portions (48) of legs (50) of the occupant (12) and the instrument panel (34) during a vehicle collision. The apparatus (10) comprises an inflator (18) that is actuatable for providing inflation fluid and an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20) for receiving inflation fluid from the inflator (18). The protection device (20) inflates from a stored condition to an inflated condition (46) engaging the lower portions (48) of legs (50) of the occupant (12). The protection device (20), when in the stored condition, includes a rolled lower portion (176) and an upper portion (178) that is folded into a stack (180) of pleated sections.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having an instrument panel by preventing a forceful impact between lower portions of legs of the occupant and the instrument panel during a vehicle collision, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflator actuatable for providing inflation fluid; and
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for receiving inflation fluid from the inflator and inflating from a stored condition to an inflated condition engaging the lower portions of legs of the occupant, the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including upper and lower portions, the lower portion being rolled and the upper portion being folded into a stack of pleated sections when the vehicle occupant protection device is in the stored condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having an instrument panel by preventing a forceful impact between lower portions of legs of the occupant and the instrument panel during a vehicle collision, the apparatus comprising:
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a reaction plate attached to the instrument panel of the vehicle and including structure defining a cavity having an opening;
an inflator in the cavity and secured to the structure of the reaction plate, the inflator being actuatable for providing inflation fluid;
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that, in response to receiving inflation fluid, inflates from a stored condition within the cavity to an inflated condition engaging the lower portions of legs of the occupant, the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when in the stored condition, including a stack of pleated sections that extends upwardly from a rolled portion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and
a cover for covering the opening of the cavity and the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is in the stored condition, the cover including a portion that is rupturable by the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to enable expansion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device from the stored condition to the inflated condition. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification