Knee protection system for the front passenger in a passenger car

• US 5,876,061 A
• Filed: 01/27/1998
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Stavermann, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US09/013,937
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 280/732, 280/730.1, 280/752, 280/753
• US Class Current: 280/732
• 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 7/06 mounted on or below dashboards

Abstract

Knee protection system for the front passenger in a passenger car, having a glove compartment which is arranged below the dashboard or the cross tube, which is constructed as a hinged compartment and can be swivelled about an approximately horizontal axis and is provided with a latching device in the area of its free edge. Above the hinged compartment, a dimensionally stable hood is arranged which can be swivelled together with the hinged compartment. The hood is provided with a locking element which interacts with the latching device of the hinged compartment. In the area of the free edge, the hood is connected by means of tear-off elements with the dashboard. An air bag module is stationarily arranged above the hood behind the dashboard. A dimensionally stable element is connected with the dashboard and is used as an upper support for the inflated air bag, while the top side of the hood is used as the lower support.

Claims

1. Knee protection system for the front passenger in a passenger car, having a glove compartment which is arranged below a dashboard or a cross tube, which is constructed as a hinged compartment and can be swivelled about an approximately horizontal axis and is provided with a latching device in an area of its free edge,

wherein a dimensionally stable hood is arranged above the hinged compartment which can be swivelled together with the hinged compartment,

wherein an air bag module is stationarily arranged above the hood,

wherein a dimensionally stable element is connected with the dashboard and/or with the cross tube and is used as an upper support for the inflated air bag, while the top side of the hood is used as the lower support,

wherein the hood is provided with a locking element which interacts with the latching device of the hinged compartment, and

wherein the hood is connected in the area of its free edge by means of tear-off elements with the dashboard or with the dimensionally stable element.

2. Knee protection system according to claim 1, wherein the hood, the dimensionally stable element and the air bag module are adapted such to a certain vehicle type that they can be installed as accessories.

3. Knee protection system according to claim 1, wherein the air bag module is fastened to the dimensionally stable element.

4. Knee protection system according to claim 2, wherein the air bag module is fastened to the dimensionally stable element.

5. Knee protection system according to claim 1, wherein the tear-off elements consist of plastic.

6. Knee protection system according to claim 2, wherein the tear-off elements consist of plastic.

7. Knee protection system according to claim 3, wherein the tear-off elements consist of plastic.

8. Knee protection system according to claim 5, wherein the tear-off elements are constructed as rotary toggles.

9. Knee protection system according to claim 6, wherein the tear-off elements are constructed as rotary toggles.

10. Knee protection system according to claim 7, wherein the tear-off elements are constructed as rotary toggles.

11. Knee protection system according to claim 1, wherein said system is adaptable, by means of geometrical adaptations in a region of a steering column penetration for use on a vehicle driver side.

12. Knee protection system according to claim 2, wherein said system is adaptable, by means of geometrical adaptations in a region of a steering column penetration for use on a vehicle driver side.

13. Knee protection system according to claim 3, wherein said system is adaptable, by means of geometrical adaptations in a region of a steering column penetration for use on a vehicle driver side.

14. Knee protection system according to claim 5, wherein said system is adaptable, by means of geometrical adaptations in a region of a steering column penetration for use on a vehicle driver side.

15. Knee protection system for a passenger car passenger sitting behind a dashboard assembly in a car having a hinged compartment swivellable about an axis extending horizontally in front of the car passenger, comprising:

a dimensionally stable hood disposed in use above the hinged compartment and being pivotal about a horizontal axis,

a dimensionally stable component disposed to be fixed in position with respect to the dashboard assembly,

a knee protection airbag module disposed above the hood and under the stable component,

a locking element at the hood interengaged with a latching device of the hinged compartment,

and at least one tearoff element holding the hood in position with respect to the dashboard assembly during normal driving conditions and being detachable in response to inflation of a knee airbag of the knee airbag assembly to force downward pivotal movement of the hood to permit movement of the airbag into a knee protection position.