Knee restraint device for vehicles

• US 6,039,380 A
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Schultz, Dirk, Heilig, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): HOGE, GARY CHAPMAN
• Application Number:
  US09/094,954
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 280/752, 280/753
• US Class Current: 296/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0051 Knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/024 mounted on dash-board
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2161 the cover being displaced towards the occupant during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/216 comprising tether means for limitation of cover motion during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

A knee restraint device for vehicles comprises a base, a knee protector component which is movable towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, a drive means which is arranged between the base and the knee protector component, and catching and positioning means which control the movement path of the knee protector component at least in the up/down direction relative to the vehicle and which, in the limit of travel of the drive means, define a predetermined end position of the knee protector component in the space. To provide a knee restraint device which accomplishes the controlling of the movement path and the definition of the end position of the knee protector component and which can be adjusted in a simple manner to various end positions of the knee protector component, the catching and positioning means are arranged outside the drive means and the drive means loosely contacts the knee protector component.

Claims

1. A knee restraint device for vehicles, comprising:

a base, a knee protector component which is movable towards the knees of a vehicle occupant, a drive means which is arranged between said base and said knee protector component, and catching and positioning means which control a movement path of said knee protector component at least in an up/down direction relative to the vehicle and which, in limits of travel of said drive means, define a predetermined end position of said knee protector component in space, wherein said catching and positioning means are arranged outside said drive means and said drive means loosely engages said knee protector component.

2. The knee restraint device according to claim 1, wherein said drive means is provided with an inflatable gas bag and a gas source.

3. The knee restraint device according to claim 1, wherein said catching and positioning means are provided as tethers.

4. The knee restraint device according to claim 1, wherein said catching and positioning means are provided as pivotally mounted guide arms.

5. The knee restraint device according to claim 4, wherein at least two guide arms are provided which are arranged in the manner of a parallelogram.

6. The knee restraint device according to claim 1, wherein said knee protector component is arranged behind a lining which is capable of being torn out.

7. The knee restraint device according to claim 2, wherein said catching and positioning means are tethers.

8. A knee restraint device for vehicles, comprising:

a base;

a knee protector component which is movable towards the knees of a vehicle occupant;

a drive means which is arranged between said base and said knee protector component; and

a catching and positioning means which control a movement path of said knee protector component at least in an up/down direction relative to the vehicle and which, in limits of travel of said drive means, define a predetermined end position of said knee protector component in space, wherein said catching and positioning means are arranged outside said drive means and said drive means loosely engages said knee protector component, and wherein said base is arranged on a movable front of a glove compartment.

9. The knee restraint device according to claim 8, wherein a front face of said glove compartment is formed as a flap, said drive means is provided with a gas source and a gas bag, said gas source and said gas bag are in communication with each other by a pipe line and said pipe line is arranged in a swivel axis of said flap.

10. A knee restraint device for vehicles, comprising:

a base;

a knee protector component which is movable towards the knees of a vehicle occupant;

a drive means which is arranged between said base and said knee protector component; and

catching and positioning means which control a movement path of said knee protector component at least in an up/down direction relative to the vehicle and which, in limits of travel of said drive means, define a predetermined end position of said knee protector component in space, wherein said catching and positioning means are arranged outside said drive means and said drive means loosely engages said knee protector component, and wherein said knee protector component is formed as a glove box, a front face of which forms a knee protector plate and a rear face of which faces said drive means.