Compartmentalized airbag knee bolster

• US 5,458,366 A
• Filed: 06/01/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Morton International Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lang, Gregory J., Hock, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/252,443
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730 R, 280/732, 280/730 A, 280/752, 280/753, 280/743 R, 280/743 A, 280/736, 280/740, 280/742, 280/728 R, 280/728 B, 280/731, 280/730.1 , 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/728.1, 280/728.3
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

Abstract

A compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device is mounted to the instrument panel of a vehicle for restraining forward movement of the knees of the front seat occupants. The device contains a plenum chamber attached to an inflator for pressurizing the plenum chamber. A plurality of airbag compartments are in communication with the plenum chamber by a plurality of one way valves. A knee bolster panel is positioned in front of the plenum chamber with the compartments of the airbag situated therebetween. On inflation of the compartmentalized airbag, the knee bolster panel contacts the front of the knees of a vehicle occupant to restrain forward knee movement. The pressure in the compartments behind the area of the knee bolster panel engaged by the occupant'"'"'s knees increases in the contacted compartments, and accordingly the rigidity of the airbag in the proximate area of contact with the knees.

Claims

1. A compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device mounted to the instrument panel of a motor vehicle comprising:

an inflator for providing pressurized gas upon actuation of the inflator;

a plenum chamber having said inflator attached thereto such that when the inflator is activated, gas from the inflator flows into and pressurizes said plenum chamber;

a compartmentalized airbag having a plurality of compartments in communication with the plenum chamber;

a plurality of one-way valves mounted to said compartmentalized airbag and providing for communication of said pressurized gas from said plenum chamber to each of said compartments;

a knee bolster panel mounted on a vehicle occupant side of said compartmentalized airbag and opposite said plenum chamber with said compartmentalized airbag located between said knee bolster panel and said plenum chamber, said knee bolster panel having a tear line; and

means for mounting said compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device to said instrument panel such that when said compartmentalized airbag is inflated, said inflating compartmentalized airbag causes said knee bolster panel to split along said tear line and swing open away from the inflating compartmentalized airbag.

2. The compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said knee bolster panel is hingedly attached to the instrument panel at two ends of said knee bolster panel.

3. A compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device mounted to the instrument panel of a motor vehicle comprising:

an inflator for providing pressurized gas upon actuation of the inflator;

a plenum chamber having said inflator attached thereto such that when the inflator is activated, gas from the inflator flows into and pressurizes said plenum chamber;

a compartmentalized airbag having a plurality of compartments in communication with the plenum chamber, each of said compartments having a width approximately equal to the width of a knee of an occupant of the motor vehicle;

a plurality of one-way valves mounted to said compartmentalized airbag and providing for communication of said pressurized gas from said plenum chamber to each of said compartments;

a knee bolster panel mounted on a vehicle occupant side of said compartmentalized airbag and opposite said plenum chamber with said compartmentalized airbag located between said knee bolster panel and said plenum chamber; and

means for mounting said compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device to said instrument panel such that said knee bolster panel is adapted to contact the front of the knees of an occupant of the vehicle when the compartmentalized airbag is inflated.

4. The compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said knee bolster panel is mounted on the front of said compartmentalized airbag such that when the airbag is inflated, the knee bolster panel directly comes into contact with the front of the knees of an occupant of the vehicle.

5. The compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said knee bolster panel runs the length of the instrument panel from a passenger side front door across a middle passenger'"'"'s seat.