Knee protecting airbag device

• US 7,370,879 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Masakazu, Hotta, Naoki, Takimoto, Masahiro, Nagata, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris; Joselynn Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/016,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20050140123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/730.1, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• 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 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

The knee protecting airbag device is assembled such that a retainer and an attachment bracket clamp the peripheral portion of a gas inlet opening of an airbag, bag holding wall parts of a case, and a gas providing inflator. This inflator is provided with a diffuser for covering the gas discharge port of a body. The retainer and the attachment bracket are connected by inserting bolts and connecting members through the airbag and the case, by retaining retaining portions on the retaining portions of the connecting members, and by inserting the bolts into through holes and fastening them with nuts. At this connecting time, guide portions of the retainer and the diffuser are fitted on each other to form a guide passage for guiding the gas into the airbag.

Claims

1. An airbag device arranged in front of a seat in a vehicle for knee protection comprising:

a case installed in the vehicle so as to have an opening that faces a rear of the vehicle;

an airbag accommodated in the case, wherein the airbag is provided with an inlet opening from which a gas is introduced, and the airbag is extendable toward a rear side of the vehicle, when the gas flows in the airbag;

an inflator for filling said airbag with gas;

an airbag cover made of a resin to cover a rear side of said case, wherein an airbag assembly is constituted by said case, said bag and said inflator, and said airbag assembly has a mount portion to be attached to a body of the vehicle with a mount member that is fastened to said body and said airbag cover includes;

a door arranging cover portion having a door portion capable of covering said opening on the rear side of said case and from which said airbag is protruded when said airbag is expanded; and

a general portion having an opening for housing said door arranging cover portion, wherein the general portion is arranged around said door arranging cover portion such that said door arranging cover portion is enabled to open and close said opening of said general portion, wherein a part of said door arranging cover portion is joined with said general portion to form a hinge between said door arranging cover portion and said general portion;

wherein a retaining portion is capable of retaining a peripheral portion of said opening of said general portion and a peripheral portion of said door arranging cover portion,

wherein an open area formed by opening said door arranging cover portion on said general portion is such that said airbag assembly is insertable through said opening from the rear side of the vehicle and is mountable to said mount member, and

said mount portion of said airbag assembly is so arranged that said mount member is fastened on said body while visible from said opening.

2. A knee protecting airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the door portion of said door arranging cover portion is pressed, when said airbag is expanded and inflated, by said airbag being inflated, to release the retention of said retaining portion.

3. A knee protecting airbag device according to claim 1,

wherein said door arranging cover portion includes portions to be broken, around said door portion, and

wherein said door portion is pressed and opened with said airbag inflated, by breaking said portions to be broken.