Knee protecting airbag device

A knee-protecting airbag device located below a steering column for protecting knees of a driver, the airbag device comprising:

• an airbag inflatable and deployable upward and rearward with inflation gas, the airbag including an upstream portion of inflation gas disposed at a lower part of the airbag at full inflation, a downstream portion of inflation gas disposed at an upper part of the airbag at full inflation, a tether disposed along the transverse direction inside the airbag for partitioning the upstream portion and downstream portion and regulating the thickness of the airbag upon inflation, and a gas communication hole that communicates the upstream portion and downstream portion one with the other, wherein the tether is configured to inflate the upstream portion in such a manner as to widen a lateral width of the upstream portion at the initial stage of inflow of inflation gas;
• and
• a housing disposed below the steering column for housing the airbag.

A knee-protecting airbag device located below a steering column for protecting knees of a driver, the airbag device comprising:

• an airbag inflatable and deployable upward and rearward with inflation gas, the airbag including an upstream portion of inflation gas disposed at a lower part of the airbag at full inflation, a downstream portion of inflation gas disposed at an upper part of the airbag at full inflation, and a gas flow regulating member that regulates a flow of inflation gas so as to inflate the upstream portion in such a manner as to widen a lateral width of the upstream portion and then inflate the downstream portion;
• and
• a housing disposed below the steering column for housing the airbag.

A knee-protecting airbag device located below a steering column for protecting knees of a driver, the airbag device comprising an airbag housed in a housing that is located below the steering column such that it is inflatable and deployable upward and rearward when with inflation gas, the airbag including an upper wall and lower wall opposing each other in the thickness direction of the airbag and being configured such that the upper wall is shorter in a longitudinal length than the lower wall such that the airbag is bent upward at a rear end at full inflation.