KNEE BOLSTER
First Claim
1. A knee bolster system for a vehicle having fixtures, the knee bolster system comprising:
- a first force load limiter including;
a rotational arm having an upper portion and a lower portion, anda contact plate coupled to the lower portion of the rotational arm, the contact plate configured to receive an impact force from an occupant during a collision;
a second force load limiter including a first rod, a first end of the first rod coupled to the fixture in a non-rotating manner and a second end of the first rod coupled to the rotational arm in a non-rotating manner, the first rod configured to deflect torsionally by allowing relative rotation between the first and second ends of the first rod; and
a third force load limiter including a locking gear and a female locking base, the locking gear and the female locking base coupled each other in a rotating manner, and the third force load limiter configured to lock the rotational arm after rotation of the first rod in the second force load limiter by a predetermined angle based on rotation of the rotational arm.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A knee bolster system for absorbing an impact energy of an occupant'"'"'s knee is provided with a multi-level force load limiter. The multi-level force load limiter includes three force load limiters. A first force load limiter includes a contact plate for receiving an impact force by the occupant'"'"'s knee during a vehicle collision. A second force load limiter includes a torsional deflection rod for deforming torsionally by allowing relative rotation, and a third force load limiter includes a locking gear and a female locking base for locking further rotation of a rotational arm after rotation of the torsional deflection rod in the second force load limiter by a predetermined angle based on rotation of the rotational arm. Accordingly, the multi-level force load limiter can create a higher torsion force on the rotational arm of the knee bolster system.
5 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A knee bolster system for a vehicle having fixtures, the knee bolster system comprising:
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a first force load limiter including; a rotational arm having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a contact plate coupled to the lower portion of the rotational arm, the contact plate configured to receive an impact force from an occupant during a collision; a second force load limiter including a first rod, a first end of the first rod coupled to the fixture in a non-rotating manner and a second end of the first rod coupled to the rotational arm in a non-rotating manner, the first rod configured to deflect torsionally by allowing relative rotation between the first and second ends of the first rod; and a third force load limiter including a locking gear and a female locking base, the locking gear and the female locking base coupled each other in a rotating manner, and the third force load limiter configured to lock the rotational arm after rotation of the first rod in the second force load limiter by a predetermined angle based on rotation of the rotational arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A knee bolster system for a vehicle having fixtures, the knee bolster system comprising:
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a first force load limiter including; a rotational arm having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a contact plate coupled to the lower portion of the rotational arm, the contact plate configured to receive an impact force from an occupant during a collision; a second force load limiter including a first rod, a first end of the first rod coupled to the fixture in a non-rotating manner and a second end of the first rod coupled to the rotational arm in a non-rotating manner, the first rod configured to deflect torsionally by allowing relative rotation between the first and second ends of the first rod; and a third force load limiter including a torsional cylinder, the torsional cylinder including a locking gear and a female locking base coupled in a rotational manner and configured to lock the rotational arm after rotation of the first rod in the second force load limiter by a predetermined angle based on rotation of the rotational arm, wherein the locking gear includes at least a knob and the female locking base includes at least a hole for receiving the knob. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for absorbing an impact energy by a knee bolster system for a vehicle having fixtures, comprising a step of:
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receiving an impact force from an occupant by a contact plate; deforming the contact plate until the contact plate is contacted to a stop pad of a rotational arm; deflecting torsionally a first rod by allowing relative rotation according to a longitudinal axis of the first rod; and locking the rotation of the rotational arm after torsional deflection of the first rod by a predetermined angle based on rotation of the rotational arm. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification