Knee Airbags Including Film
First Claim
1. A vehicle, comprising:
- an instrument panel;
a front seat on which an occupant sits opposite said instrument panel;
a knee protection airbag having a storage position and a deployed position; and
an inflator for inflating said airbag from said storage position to said deployed position,said airbag being arranged to substantially fill a space between the knees and optionally lower extremities of the occupant when seated on said front seat and said instrument panel in said deployed position such that said airbag cushions only the knees and optionally lower extremities of the occupant.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Vehicle with a knee protection airbag having a storage position and a deployed position. The airbag includes at least one cell constructed from reinforced elastic film and an inflator for inflating the airbag from the storage position to the deployed position. The airbag is arranged to substantially fill a space between the knees and lower extremities of the occupant when seated on the front seat and the instrument panel in the deployed position such that the airbag cushions only the knees and lower extremities of the occupant. Alternatively, the airbag includes at least one cell constructed from a laminate of a first elastic film and a second inelastic film. Alternatively, the airbag is a composite airbag having at least one layer of inelastic plastic film attached to a second layer of a more elastic plastic film, the second layer serves to blunt the propagation of a tear.
49 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A vehicle, comprising:
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an instrument panel; a front seat on which an occupant sits opposite said instrument panel; a knee protection airbag having a storage position and a deployed position; and an inflator for inflating said airbag from said storage position to said deployed position, said airbag being arranged to substantially fill a space between the knees and optionally lower extremities of the occupant when seated on said front seat and said instrument panel in said deployed position such that said airbag cushions only the knees and optionally lower extremities of the occupant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19)
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16. The vehicle of clam 14, wherein the first elastic film comprises polyurethane.
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20. A vehicle including a knee bolster airbag system for protecting the knees of an occupant of the vehicle, comprising:
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a reinforced elastic film airbag having a plurality of interconnected, adjoining cells; an inflator arranged to inflate said airbag; and a housing for storing said airbag, said housing being mounted in the vehicle in a position in which said airbag is in a position to engage only the knees and lower extremities of the occupant upon inflation. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A vehicle including a knee bolster airbag system, comprising:
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a single reinforced elastic film airbag having a plurality of interconnected, adjoining chambers; and an inflator arranged to inflate said airbag, said airbag being structured and arranged to deploy into a position in which it engages only the knees and lower extremities of a vehicle occupant upon inflation and distributes the impact force imposed by the knees and lower extremities over said chambers. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A motor vehicle, comprising:
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an instrument panel; a compartmentalized reinforced elastic film airbag knee bolster device mounted to said instrument panel, said knee bolster device comprising an inflator for providing pressurized gas upon actuation thereof and a compartmentalized airbag having a plurality of interconnected, adjoining compartments in communication with said inflator; and mounting means for mounting said compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device to said instrument panel such that said compartmentalized airbag substantially occupies a space between said instrument panel and the knees or lower extremities of an occupant situated in front of said instrument panel when inflated. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. In a vehicle including an instrument panel and an inflatable tubular bolster for a vehicle, the tubular bolster comprising:
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an inflatable reinforced elastic film airbag comprising a plurality of interconnected, adjoining cells, said airbag being structured and arranged to deploy into a position entirely below the instrument panel of the vehicle; a gas generator fluidly connected to the airbag via a gas conduit; and a crash sensor connected to said gas generator for detecting an impact involving the vehicle such that when an impact is detected by said crash sensor, said gas generator is directed to cause said cells to be inflated and said airbag deploys from a stowed position rearward into a position such that it restrains forward movement of an occupant situated in front of the instrument panel.
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28. A motor vehicle, comprising:
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an instrument panel; a compartmentalized reinforced elastic film airbag knee bolster device mounted to said instrument panel, said knee bolster device comprising an inflator for providing pressurized gas upon actuation thereof and a compartmentalized airbag having a plurality of compartments in communication with said inflator; and mounting means for mounting said compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device to said instrument panel such that said compartmentalized airbag substantially occupies a space between said instrument panel and the knees or lower extremities of an occupant situated in front of said instrument panel when inflated.
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Specification