Knee airbag and glove box assembly

• US 20050116449A1
• Filed: 12/01/2003
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Enders, Mark L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,261,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.100
• 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

A glove box airbag system is disclosed that may be used to protect the knees and/or legs of a vehicle occupant during a crash. The airbag assembly includes a glove box and a housing that encases a knee airbag. The housing is positioned below the glove box. The entirety of the housing may be positioned below the entirety of the glove box. The airbag assembly also has a front member that covers the glove box and the housing. The front member may include a glove box door that covers the glove box and an airbag door that covers the housing. Alternatively, the front member may be a glove box door that covers both the housing and the glove box. Further, the front member may include a glove box door that covers the glove box and an aperture that is positioned in front of the housing. A hinge and/or a latch mechanism that allow the glove box door to move between a closed position and an open position may also be added.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly comprising:

a glove box;

a knee airbag;

a housing encasing the knee airbag, the housing being positioned proximate the glove box; and

a front member that covers the glove box and the housing.

2. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the front member comprises a glove box door and an airbag door.

3. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the front member comprises a glove box door that covers both the glove box and the housing.

4. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the assembly further comprises a hinge.

5. An airbag assembly as in claim 4 wherein the hinge may be positioned on a vehicle'"'"'s instrument panel below a bottom edge of the housing.

6. An airbag assembly as in claim 4 wherein the hinge is attached to a top edge of the housing.

7. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the front member comprises a tear seam.

8. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 further comprising a latch mechanism that is attached to the front member.

9. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the housing in integral with the glove box.

10. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the assembly is constructed such that the knee airbag will deploy substantially upward when installed onto a vehicle.

11. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the assembly is constructed such that the housing does not move when the glove box is opened.

12. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the assembly is constructed such that the housing will move when the glove box door is opened.

13. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the glove box is attachable to a vehicle'"'"'s instrument panel via one or more U-brackets.

14. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 further comprising an inflator for deploying the knee airbag into an inflated configuration.

15. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 further comprising a mounting bracket attached to the housing.

16. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the assembly further comprises a middle panel positioned behind the front member.

17. An airbag assembly as in claim 16 wherein the middle panel includes one or more ribs.

18. An airbag assembly as in claim 16 wherein the middle panel has an aperture positioned in front of the housing.

19. An airbag assembly as in claim 16 wherein the middle panel is held between the glove box and the front member via one or more extending tabs.

20. An airbag assembly as in claim 19 wherein the extending tabs pass through one or more slots in the middle panel.

21. An airbag assembly as in claim 16 wherein the middle panel is held between the housing and the front member via one or more extending tabs.

22. An airbag assembly as in claim 21 wherein the extending tabs pass through one or more slots in the middle panel.

23. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the front member comprises a glove box door and an aperture.

24. An airbag assembly as in claim 23 further comprising a cover sized and configured to cover the aperture.

25. An airbag assembly as in claim 24 wherein the cover includes one or more flanges.

26. An airbag assembly as in claim 25 wherein the flanges engage holes in the front member and openings in the housing.

27. An airbag assembly as in claim 25 wherein the flanges engage one or more engaging tanges that are positioned on the housing.

28. An airbag assembly as in claim 25 wherein the cover includes a tear seam that is positioned on the flanges.

29. An airbag assembly as in claim 24 wherein the cover includes a tear seam that is positioned on a front panel of the cover.

30. An airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein the airbag assembly is constructed such that during a crash, the airbag will deploy into an inflated configuration regardless of whether a glove box door is in an open position or a closed position.

31. An airbag assembly as in claim 30 wherein the deployment of the airbag into an inflated configuration moves the glove box door into a closed position.

32. An airbag assembly comprising:

a glove box;

a knee airbag;

a housing encasing the knee airbag, wherein the entirety of the housing is positioned below the entirety of the glove box; and

a front member that covers the glove box and the housing.

33. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 wherein the front member comprises a glove box door and an airbag door.

34. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 wherein the front member comprises a glove box door that covers both the glove box and the housing.

35. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 further comprising a hinge that is attached to a top edge of the housing.

36. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 further comprising a hinge that is positioned on a vehicle'"'"'s instrument panel below a bottom edge of the housing.

37. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 wherein the front member comprises a tear seam.

38. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 wherein the housing in integral with the glove box.

39. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 wherein the assembly further comprises a middle panel that is positioned behind the front member and in front of the housing and the glove box.

40. An airbag assembly as in claim 39 wherein the middle panel includes one or more ribs.

41. An airbag assembly as in claim 39 wherein the middle panel has an aperture positioned in front of the housing.

42. An airbag assembly as in claim 39 wherein the middle panel is held between the glove box and the front member via one or more extending tabs.

43. An airbag assembly as in claim 39 wherein the middle panel is held between the housing and the front member via one or more extending tabs.

44. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 wherein the front member comprises a glove box door and an aperture.

45. An airbag assembly as in claim 44 further comprising a cover sized and configured to cover the aperture.

46. An airbag assembly as in claim 45 wherein the cover includes one or more flanges.

47. An airbag assembly as in claim 46 wherein the flanges engage one or more engaging tanges positioned on the housing.

48. An airbag assembly as in claim 45 wherein the cover includes a tear seam.

49. An airbag assembly as in claim 32 wherein the airbag assembly is constructed such that during a crash, the airbag will deploy into an inflated configuration regardless of whether a glove box door is in an open position or a closed position.

50. An airbag assembly as in claim 49 wherein the deployment of the airbag into an inflated configuration moves the glove box door into a closed position.

51. An airbag assembly comprising:

a glove box;

a knee airbag;

a housing encasing the knee airbag, the housing being positioned below the glove box;

a front member that covers the glove box and the housing;

an inflator in fluid communication with the knee airbag; and

a middle panel positioned inside the front member.

52. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the middle panel includes one or more ribs.

53. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the middle panel has an aperture positioned adjacent to the housing.

54. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the middle panel is held between the glove box and the front member via one or more extending tabs.

55. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the middle panel is held between the housing and the front member via one or more extending tabs.

56. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the front member comprises a glove box door and an airbag door.

57. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the front member comprises a tear seam.

58. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the housing is integral with the glove box.

59. An airbag assembly as in claim 51 wherein the airbag assembly is constructed such that during a crash, the airbag will deploy into an inflated configuration regardless of whether a glove box door is in an open position or a closed position.

60. An airbag assembly as in claim 59 wherein the deployment of the airbag into an inflated configuration moves the glove box door into a closed position.

61. An airbag assembly comprising:

a glove box;

a knee airbag;

a housing that encases the knee airbag, the housing being positioned below the glove box; and

a front member comprising a glove box door and aperture, the glove box door being positioned in front of the glove box and the aperture being positioned in front of the housing; and

a cover positioned over the aperture, the cover being attached to the housing.

62. An airbag assembly as in claim 61 wherein the cover includes one or more flanges.

63. An airbag assembly as in claim 62 wherein the flanges are designed to engage holes in the front member and openings in the housing.

64. An airbag assembly as in claim 62 wherein the flanges engage one or more engaging tanges positioned on the housing.

65. An airbag assembly as in claim 62 wherein the cover includes a tear seam positioned on the flanges.

66. An airbag assembly as in claim 61 wherein the cover includes a tear seam positioned on a front panel of the cover.

67. An airbag assembly as in claim 61 wherein the airbag assembly is constructed such that during a crash, the airbag will deploy into an inflated configuration regardless of whether a glove box door is in an open position or a closed position.

68. An airbag assembly as in claim 67 wherein the deployment of the airbag into an inflated configuration moves the glove box door into a closed position.