Gas bag cushion knee restraining system for motor vehicles
First Claim
1. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movable between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, said knee cushion being lockable in its activated position by force-locking elements which are formed on each side of said knee cushion on two lateral guide elements which are arranged spaced apart from each other and above each other and of which a first one is supported on the vehicle bodywork and a second one is connected to said knee cushion, said force-locking elements being formed on said first lateral guide element by teeth spaced apart longitudinally thereof and having teeth flanks which form repelling ramps for the force-locking elements of said second lateral guide element, said lateral guide element under the action of the load acting in the event of activation on said knee cushion and directed inclined upwardly in the direction of travel being moved into mechanical interlock with each other, but when the load is removed being moved out of engagement with each other under the action of said repelling ramps of said teeth.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A passive restraining system for vehicle occupants is presented in which the protective action of a gas bag is considerably increased by a knee cushion which is movable out of a rest position into an activated position closer to the knee of the vehicle occupant. To move the knee cushion out of its rest position into its activated position no separate drive mechanism is necessary because the energy required to do this is derived from the expansion pressure of the gas bag which is arranged in the direction of travel in front of the knee cushion and presses the latter into its activated position.
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Citations
23 Claims
- 1. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movable between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, said knee cushion being lockable in its activated position by force-locking elements which are formed on each side of said knee cushion on two lateral guide elements which are arranged spaced apart from each other and above each other and of which a first one is supported on the vehicle bodywork and a second one is connected to said knee cushion, said force-locking elements being formed on said first lateral guide element by teeth spaced apart longitudinally thereof and having teeth flanks which form repelling ramps for the force-locking elements of said second lateral guide element, said lateral guide element under the action of the load acting in the event of activation on said knee cushion and directed inclined upwardly in the direction of travel being moved into mechanical interlock with each other, but when the load is removed being moved out of engagement with each other under the action of said repelling ramps of said teeth.
- 3. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard, activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, and a pair of parallel and laterally spaced guide tube members telescopically received in corresponding guide openings of the vehicle and having a free end whereto said knee cushion is attached, said knee cushion being movable by telescopic movement of said guide tube members between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, and detent means being associated with said guide tube members to lock said knee cushion in said activated position.
- 6. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movable between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, said knee cushion being lockable in its activated position by a detent means.
- 11. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movably between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, said knee cushion being pivotally mounted about a shaft which is supported on a support member fixed with respect to the vehicle bodywork.
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17. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movably between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, said knee cushion being formed by a plate which is integrated at least partially flush into a lower portion of the vehicle dashboard covering and connected to said portion via a tear edge.
- 18. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movably between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, said gas bag and said gas generator being accommodated in a stowing space which on its front side remote from a vehicle occupant is closed by a support wall mounted on the vehicle bodywork and on its side facing the vehicle occupant is closed by a tearable cover which is integrated into the vehicle dashboard covering and forms at least part of said knee cushion.
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20. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movably between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, said gas bag having an at least approximately hose-like portion which in the activated state lies between a support wall on the vehicle bodywork and said knee cushion, said hose like portion, when inflated, urging said knee cushion into its activated position.
- 21. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movably between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, and wherein an auxiliary gas bag is provided which is connected to said gas generator to be inflatable by the gases generated by said gas generator to assume an activated state between a support wall on the vehicle bodywork and said knee cushion, said auxiliary gas bag, when activated, urging said knee cushion into its activated position.
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23. A gas bag knee cushion restraining system for motor vehicles having a gas bag inflatable by a gas generator, a knee cushion mounted in a lower region of the vehicle dashboard and activating means for activating said gas generator in an emergency situation to develop gas for inflating said gas bag, wherein said knee cushion is mounted movably between a retracted rest position and an activated position advanced towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, said gas developed by said gas generator, when activated, producing an expansion pressure a portion of which is used to drive said knee cushion from its rest position to its activated position, and wherein said gas bag, said gas generator and said knee cushion form a component assembly within a housing which is adapted to be installed into a corresponding recess in the lower side of the vehicle dashboard.
Specification