CN-122029085-A - Knee airbag for vehicle

Abstract

The knee airbag (10) includes a front panel (28A), a rear panel (28B) coupled to the front panel, and an intermediate panel (28C) located between the front and rear panels and within the inflation chamber (30). The intermediate panel is connected to the front and rear panels at various locations. The knee airbag has a double-layer structure including only a front panel and a rear panel in the depth direction, a three-layer structure including a front panel, a rear panel, and a middle panel in the depth direction, and a transition structure including a front panel, a rear panel, and a ventilation portion (42 a,42 b) in the depth direction. The knee airbag includes a three-layer structure in a laterally central region between a first side edge (38A) and a second side edge (38B).

Inventors

• A. Treglon

Assignees

• 全球安全纺织有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240725

Priority Date

20230926

Claims (10)

1. 1. A knee airbag 10, comprising: a front panel 28A; A rear panel 28B coupled to the front panel 28A to define an inflation cavity 30; An intermediate panel 28C located between the front panel 28A and the rear panel 28B and within the inflation cavity 30, the intermediate panel 28C being connected to the front panel 28A and the rear panel 28B at various locations between the proximal end 32 and the distal end 34 of the intermediate panel 28C, to control the inflation configuration of the knee airbag 10, The method is characterized in that: The knee airbag 10 has a double-layer structure including only the front panel 28A and the rear panel 28B in the depth direction, a three-layer structure including the front panel 28A, the rear panel 28B, and the intermediate panel 28C in the depth direction, and a transition structure including the front panel 28A, the rear panel 28B, and the air-permeable portions 42a,42B in the depth direction, and Wherein the knee airbag 10 comprises the double layer structure in at least a first double layer region and a second double layer region extending at least substantially along a first side edge 38A and a second side edge 38B, respectively, of the knee airbag, the knee airbag 10 comprising the three layer structure in a laterally central region between the first side edge 38A and the second side edge 38B.
2. 2. The knee airbag 10 of claim 1 further characterized by the transition structures in first and second lateral transition regions between the first double layer region and the lateral center region and between the second double layer region and the lateral center region, respectively.
3. 3. The knee airbag 10 of claim 1, wherein the first and second double layer regions extend at least substantially entirely along the first and second sides 38A, 38B of the knee airbag 10.
4. 4. The knee airbag 10 according to claim 1, characterized in that the three-layered structure in the lateral center region extends distally to the distal end 10B of the knee airbag 10.
5. 5. The knee airbag 10 of claim 2 wherein between the front panel 28A and the rear panel 28B, the transition structures in the first and second transition regions comprise warp and weft yarns that do not interweave with each other, the weft yarns of the first and second transition regions suspending the intermediate panel 28C laterally between the front panel 28A and the rear panel 28B while allowing inflation gas to pass through.
6. 6. The knee airbag 10 according to claim 2, wherein the transition structures in the first transition region 42A and the second transition region 42B include a weft-direction line and a warp-direction line between the front panel 28A and the rear panel 28A, the weft-direction line and the warp-direction line not being interwoven with each other.
7. 7. The knee airbag 10 according to claim 1, further characterized in that a gas generator 14 for inflating the knee airbag 10 is provided in the inflating chamber at a proximal end of the knee airbag.
8. 8. The knee airbag 10 of claim 2 wherein the airbag is an OPW airbag and the first and second transition regions transition the knee airbag 10 from the three-layer structure to the two-layer structure in first and second lateral directions from the lateral center region 40 to the first and second side edges 38A and 38B, respectively.
9. 9. The knee airbag 10 of claim 8 wherein the knee airbag 10 includes interwoven weft and warp yarns in the lateral center region 40 and in the first and second double layer regions along the first and second side edges 38A, 38B, and wherein non-interwoven weft and warp yarns are included laterally between the lateral center region 40 and the first and second double layer regions along the first and second side edges 38A, 38B.
10. 10. The knee airbag 10 according to claim 1, further characterized by a further double layer region at the proximal end 10B of the knee airbag 10, and a further transition region in the longitudinal direction between the further double layer region and the lateral center region 40, the first and second transition regions containing weft and warp yarns located between the front and rear panels 28A, 28B that do not interweave with each other, and the further transition region comprising only warp yarns between the front and rear panels 28A, 28B.

Description

Knee airbag for vehicle Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/372,728, filed on 9/26 of 2023. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to inflatable occupant restraint systems for vehicles. More particularly and according to one particular application, the present disclosure relates to knee airbag devices for vehicles. Background This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art. Inflatable occupant restraint devices or airbags are typically incorporated into motor vehicles for passive occupant protection. Airbags for frontal collision protection are typically installed in the vehicle steering wheel for the driver and behind the vehicle dashboard for other front seat occupants. In addition to frontal collision protection, inflatable restraint devices are also used to protect occupants from side collisions. For example, side curtain airbags are typically installed along the roof rail of a vehicle and deploy downward to provide an energy absorbing structure between the head and upper torso of an occupant and vehicle interior components. In the event of an accident or impending accident, such as an abnormal deceleration measured by a sensor in the vehicle, the airbag is triggered and inflated within a few milliseconds with gas generated by a device commonly referred to as a "inflator". The inflated airbag cushions the vehicle occupant from impact forces. The inflatable occupant restraint system may include a knee airbag device for protecting the knees and/or lower legs of an occupant during a collision event. Such knee airbag devices typically include an inflatable knee airbag for absorbing at least a portion of the impact energy that would otherwise be directed toward the knees and lower legs of an occupant during a collision event, particularly to restrain the occupant by limiting forward movement of the knees and lower legs. One suitable knee airbag device is shown and described in commonly assigned U.S. patent No. 9,592,787 (the' 787 patent). The' 787 patent discloses a knee airbag device having an inflatable cushion constructed and arranged to rapidly deploy between the knees of a passenger and the instrument panel of a vehicle. The inflatable cushion of the knee airbag device includes a front panel, a rear panel coupled to the front panel, and a hinge portion having a thin inflation cross section at a position corresponding to the case connecting portion. The inflatable cushion is connected to the housing connection at the hinge portion when inflated. The' 787 patent is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein. Another suitable knee airbag device is shown and described in commonly assigned U.S. serial No. 18/107332 (the' 332 application) filed on 8/2/2023. The' 332 application discloses a knee airbag device having a front panel, a rear panel coupled to the front panel to define an inflation cavity, and an intermediate panel between the front and rear panels and within the inflation cavity. The intermediate panel is connected to the front and rear panels at various locations between the proximal and distal ends of the intermediate panel to control the inflated configuration of the knee airbag. The first and second hanging portions hang the proximal end of the intermediate panel between the front and rear panels and allow inflation gas to pass through. The first hanging portion extends between the proximal ends of the front and intermediate panels. The second hanging portion extends between the proximal ends of the rear and intermediate panels. A gas generator for inflating the knee airbag is disposed in the inflation cavity at the proximal end of the knee airbag. The inflation gas diffusion device is disposed in the inflation chamber between the gas generator and the proximal end of the intermediate panel. The' 332 application is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. While known occupant restraint systems incorporating knee airbag devices, such as those shown and described in the '787 patent and the' 332 application, have proven suitable for their intended use, there is a continuing need for improvement in the relevant art. Disclosure of Invention This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. It is a general object of the present teachings to provide a knee airbag that can more easily guide inflation gas to the distal end of the knee airbag. According to one particular aspect, the present teachings provide a knee airbag for a vehicle. The knee airbag includes a front panel, a rear panel coupled to the front panel to define an inflation cavity, and a middle panel located between the front panel and the rear panel and within the infla