Motor vehicle with knee airbag

• US 7,758,067 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2005
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Narin, Muhammed Ali, Gruber, Arno
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECK, KAREN JANE AMORES
• Application Number:
  US11/596,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20080067790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,886 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/732, 280/751, 280/752
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration

Abstract

A knee airbag is described which is located in front of a front seat (S) in the footwell, whereby this footwell is limited on a first side by the vehicle inner structure (F) and on the side lying opposite the first side is limited by a center console (M). When it is completely filled and free from external forces, this knee airbag (10) exhibits a certain maximum width (b) horizontally and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle (f). In order to improve the safety of the vehicle occupants in case of a laterally-offset frontal collision, knee airbag (10) is arranged in the footwell in such a way that its maximum width (b) in inflated state is greater than the separation (a) between vehicle inner structure (F) and center console (M).

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

two front seats, whereby a footwell is located in front of each front seat which is limited on a first side by vehicle inner structure and on the side lying opposite the first side by a center console,

a knee airbag located in each footwell, whereby the completely filled knee airbag, free of outside forces, exhibits a certain maximum width horizontally and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle,

wherein each knee airbag is arranged in a respective footwell in such a way that its maximum width in an inflated state is larger than the available separation between the vehicle inner structure and the center console.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the maximum width is at least 30 mm greater than the separation between the vehicle inner structure and the center console.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the knee airbag is formed and positioned in such a way that in its fully inflated state its impact surface embraces the knee-shin areas of the relevant vehicle occupants in part at least on the outside.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the knee airbag is formed and positioned in such a way that in the case of a 50% H III Dummy in standard seating position, at least tangential surfaces of impact surfaces which are allocated to the outer upper knee-shin areas respectively include a first angle of between 15°

and 75°

with a straight line running horizontally and perpendicularly to vehicle longitudinal axis.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the knee airbag is formed and positioned in such a way that with a 50% H III Dummy in standard seating position, the impact surface also embraces the inner knee-shin areas.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the knee airbag is formed and positioned in such a way that in its fully inflated state its impact surface embraces the knee-shin areas of the relevant vehicle occupants in part at least on the outside.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the knee airbag is formed and positioned in such a way that with a 50% H III Dummy in standard seating position, the impact surface also embraces the inner knee-shin areas.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the width of the knee airbag in the inflated and unrestricted state is at least 30 mm greater than the available separation between the vehicle inner structure and the center console.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the width of the knee airbag in the inflated and unrestricted state is between 30 mm and 100 mm greater than the separation distance.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the knee airbag reacts against at least one of the vehicle inner structure and the center console to create a region of increased thickness adjacent to the at least one of the vehicle inner structure and the center console in the inflated state.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the knee airbag reacts against both of the vehicle inner structure and the center console to create regions of increased thickness proximate to the vehicle inner structure and the center console in the inflated state.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one capture tape disposed at a central region of the knee airbag to provide the knee airbag with regions of increased thickness proximate to the vehicle inner structure and the center console in the inflated state.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the knee airbag includes a substantially uniform depth in a direction of deployment when free of outside forces and an increased depth at first and second ends when reacted by the vehicle inner structure and the center console, respectively.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle inner structure and the center console are disposed laterally relative to the knee airbag and react against respective first and second ends of the knee air bag to displace the first and second ends further toward an occupant when compared to a central portion of the knee air bag.

10. A motor vehicle comprising:

a structure supporting internal door cladding;

a center console spaced apart and separated from the internal door cladding;

a seat disposed between the internal door cladding and the center console; and

a knee airbag actuable from a relaxed state to a deployed state in a direction substantially toward the seat and including a width in an inflated and unrestricted state measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of deployment that exceeds a distance between the internal door cladding and the center console, the knee airbag reacting against at least one of the door cladding and the center console in the deployed state to form a first region of increased thickness adjacent to the at least one of the door cladding and the center console.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the width of the knee airbag in the inflated and unrestricted state is at least 30 mm greater than the distance between the internal door cladding and the center console.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the width of the knee airbag in the inflated and unrestricted state is between 30 mm and 100 mm greater than the separation distance.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein the knee airbag reacts against the other of the door cladding and the center console in the deployed state to form a second region of increased thickness adjacent to the other of the door cladding and the center console.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 10, further comprising at least one capture tape disposed at a central region of the knee airbag to provide the knee airbag with regions of increased thickness proximate to the door cladding and the center console in the deployed state.

20. A motor vehicle comprising:

a structure supporting internal door cladding;

a center console spaced apart and separated from the internal door cladding;

a seat disposed between the internal door cladding and the center console; and

a knee airbag actuable from a relaxed state to a deployed state in a direction substantially toward the seat, the knee airbag including a first end reacting against the door cladding in the deployed state and a second end reacting against the center console in the deployed state to displace the first and second ends further toward the seat when compared to a central portion of the knee airbag.

21. The motor vehicle of claim 20, further comprising at least one capture tape disposed at a central region of the knee airbag to provide the knee airbag with regions of increased thickness proximate to the door cladding and the center console in the deployed state.