Expandable rigid knee airbag system
AssigneeAutoliv ASP, Inc.
InventorsMark L. Enders, Robert J. Hays
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inflatable rigid knee airbag system for assisting in positioning and decelerating a vehicle occupant is disclosed. The system includes an inflatable knee airbag having a front panel, an annular, accordion-folded bellows panel, and a rear panel having an inflation orifice and mounting brackets; and a pyrotechnic inflator. The system helps to improve the kinematics of a vehicle occupant in relation to a primary airbag cushion by bolstering the knees of the occupant. The system of the invention may be mounted in a vehicle in a panel under the steering column, in the door of a glove box, or in the lower section of the instrument panel of the vehicle directly in front of the occupant's lower legs.
Claims45
An inflatable airbag comprising:
- a front panel, a rear panel having an inflation orifice, and an extensible bellows panel disposed between said front panel and said rear panel, wherein each of said panels comprises a substantially rigid material.
An inflatable airbag comprising:
- a front panel, a rear panel having an inflation orifice, and an extensible bellows panel disposed between said front panel and said rear panel, wherein the front panel further comprises a decorative cover panel for use as a bolster for a vehicle occupant, and wherein the front, rear, and extensible bellows panels comprise a substantially rigid material.
An inflatable airbag system comprising:
- an inflatable airbag comprising a front panel, a rear panel having an inflation orifice, and an annular, accordion-folded bellows panel connected to the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the panels comprise a substantially rigid material;
- and
- an inflator attached to the inflation orifice of the back panel of the inflatable airbag, the inflator capable of expelling inflation gas sufficient to inflate the airbag upon activation;
- wherein when the inflatable airbag system is mounted in a vehicle and inflated, a vehicle occupant positioned near the airbag is decelerated by deformation of the airbag.
An inflatable knee airbag system comprising:
- an inflatable knee airbag having a front panel configured to be attached to a decorative cover panel, an annular accordion-folded bellows panel attached to the front panel, and a rear panel having an inflation orifice and mounting brackets, the rear panel also being attached to the bellows panel, wherein the front, bellows, and rear panels comprise a substantially rigid material;
- an airbag inflator attached to the inflation orifice of the rear panel of the knee airbag, the airbag inflator capable of expelling inflation gas sufficient to inflate the knee airbag upon activation;
- and
- a decorative cover panel attached to the front panel of the knee airbag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.