Knee protection airbag apparatus

A knee protection airbag apparatus comprising:

• an airbag that is accommodated in a folded state in front of the lower limbs of a sitting occupant;
• and
• a front panel that is provided in front of the lower limbs of the occupant along a substantially vertical direction,
• wherein the front panel includes
• a lower panel portion that is disposed on a rear side of an accommodation portion for the airbag, and
• an upper panel portion that is disposed above the lower panel portion,
• wherein the upper panel portion is configured to include
• a general portion that is disposed in an upper portion of the upper panel portion, and in front of the knees of the occupant, and
• a ceiling wall portion that is formed integrally with the general portion, and that is disposed so as to extend from the general portion downwardly, and to cover an upper side of the folded airbag,
• wherein the upper panel portion is provided in such a manner that an upper portion of the general portion is fixed to a vehicle body, and that a lower end of the ceiling wall portion becomes a free end,
• wherein the lower panel portion is separate from the upper panel portion, and covers a rear side of the folded airbag, and is provided with an upper end of the lower panel portion being close to the vicinity of a lower surface of a rear end of the ceiling wall portion, and
• wherein the upper panel portion is configured to include
• a pressure receiving portion that is a facing portion of the ceiling wall portion, facing the folded airbag, and is disposed on a front side of a fixation portion of the general portion, being fixed to the vehicle body, and receives a pressure from the airbag at an initial stage of inflation,
• a bending deformation portion that is the vicinity of the fixation portion of the general portion, being fixed to the vehicle body, and bends when the upper panel portion moves to the front along with the inflation of the airbag.