JPH11240411A - Knee air bag unit for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To directly protect the knees of a driver with the deployment of a knee air bag. SOLUTION: This knee air bag unit for a vehicle 20 is provided with a storage space 22 which is formed in a substantially U shape along a column cover in an instrument lower panel 21, and which stores a folded knee air bag body inside. Fixing parts 23, 24, 24 are provided at substantially the center and both ends of this storage space 22 with respect to the knee air bag body. Furthermore, a gas generator is provided at least one location of the fixing parts 23, 24, 24, which inflates the knee air bag body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a knee airbag device for a vehicle, in which a knee airbag body that operates in the event of a vehicle collision is provided in an instrument panel lower in front of a driver in a driver's seat.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, as this kind, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-80058 is known.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing an attached state and an operating state of a vehicle airbag device disclosed in this publication.

[0004] In FIG. 4, when an airbag for a vehicle is activated, the airbag 1a is inflated and inflated into the vehicle interior.
At this time, since the link mechanism 12 is operated by the inflation of the airbag 1a, the lid 11 is also rotated about the rotation shaft 13 to be opened.

The lid 11 opened toward the knee A1 of the occupant A supports the knee A1 by contacting the knee A1.
It is configured to prevent slippage into the instrument panel lower part 1.

[0006]

However, as described above, the airbag 1a does not directly contact the knee A1, but the lid 11 such as a hard resin molded product and the knee A1 of the occupant A contact. Therefore, even if the knee A1 is stopped from sliding into the lower part 1 of the instrument panel, it is difficult to protect the knee A1 from impact, and since the shape of the lid 11 is determined, the knee A1 depends on the posture or body shape of the occupant. Part A1
There is a problem that a difference occurs in the effect of protecting the battery from impact.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a knee airbag device for a vehicle in which an inflated and deployed knee airbag directly protects a knee portion of a driver's seat occupant.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is provided on an instrument lower panel located in front of a knee of a vehicle driver's occupant along a column cover. A storage section is formed in a U-shape and has a knee airbag body folded and stored therein,
Attachment portions for the knee airbag body are provided at substantially the center and both ends of the storage portion, and at least one of the attachment portions is provided.
A gas generator for inflating the knee airbag body is provided at each location.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the knee airbag device for a vehicle according to the first aspect, the gas generator is provided in the mounting portion located substantially at the center of the storage portion. It is characterized by:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle knee airbag device according to the first or second aspect, the mounting portions at both ends of the storage portion are provided with the knee airbag body. It is characterized in that a moving portion is provided in which both ends move along substantially the center of the storage portion.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a knee airbag device for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state where a knee airbag device for a vehicle is mounted on an instrument lower panel.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a mounting hole of the knee airbag body of the storage unit, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part schematically showing a mounted state and a deployed state of the knee airbag device.

1 to 3, reference numeral 2 denotes an instrument panel, reference numeral 20 denotes a knee airbag device for a vehicle, reference numeral 21 denotes an instrument lower panel, reference numeral 22 denotes a storage portion for storing a knee airbag body 25, and reference numeral 26 denotes a knee airbag. This is a gas generator for inflating the bag body 25.

The storage section 22 is formed substantially U-shaped on the back side along the opening 21a of the column cover 27 of the instrument lower panel 21.
Are formed in a shape that can be folded and stored.

A gas generator 26 is housed substantially at the center of the housing 22. The gas generator 26 has bolts and the like in a center mounting hole 23a of a center mounting portion 23 provided at the bottom of the housing 22. Through the conclusion. The gas generator 26 and the knee airbag body 25 are connected to each other by communicating with each other.

Further, end mounting portions 24, 24 of the knee airbag body 25 are provided at both ends of the storage portion 22, and left and right end mounting holes provided at the bottom of the end mounting portions 24, 24. Both ends of the knee airbag body 25 are fastened to 24a and 24b.

The position of the gas generator 26 is not limited to the central mounting part 23, but may be mounted to the end mounting parts 24, 24.

Also, left and right end mounting holes 24a, 24b
As shown in FIG. 2, a long hole may be formed so that the long hole can be moved so that the knee airbag body 25 is drawn toward the center mounting portion 23 when the knee airbag body 25 is inflated.

Next, the operation will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, the knee airbag body 25 folded and housed in the housing part 22 of the instrument lower panel 21 is operated by a gas generator 26 which is mounted in communication with the knee airbag body 25 and operates. When this occurs, the knee airbag body 25 is inflated and swells out of the storage portion 22, and is inflated and deployed along the surface of the instrument lower panel 21 as indicated by the two-dot chain line, and the knee P1 of the occupant P1 Abut.

Further, since the knee airbag body 25 is fastened by the center mounting portion 23 and the end mounting portions 24, 24, the occupant P is formed in a substantially triangular shape connecting three portions from the center to both ends. Expands and deploys on the front surface of the knee P1.

Further, as shown in FIG.
In the case where the end mounting holes 24a and 24b of the 4 and 24 are elongated holes, when the knee airbag body 25 is inflated and deployed, the fastening at both ends moves the elongated holes toward the central mounting portion 23 side.

Accordingly, the thickness of the knee airbag body 25 is increased by the movement of the long hole and the knee airbag body 25 is drawn to the central mounting portion 23, and the shock absorbing force when the knee P1 comes into contact is increased.

[0024]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the knee airbag device is provided on the instrument lower panel, the knees of the occupant do not come into contact with the hard lid but the knees. It comes into direct contact with the airbag body, preventing slippage into the lower part of the instrument lower panel, and deforming the knee airbag body by contacting the knee A1, regardless of the posture or body shape of the occupant. The knee A1 is reliably protected from impact.

Further, the mounting portions of the knee airbag main body are provided at three places at the center and both ends.

Therefore, the amount of movement of the knee airbag body inflating and deploying is reduced, and the knee airbag body can be quickly inflated to a predetermined position, thereby improving safety.

The gas generator can be attached to any of the three attachment portions of the knee airbag body.

Therefore, the gas generator can be mounted at an appropriate position while avoiding interference with the gear parts and the like for each vehicle type, so that the degree of freedom in layout is increased and the mounting operation is facilitated.

According to the invention of claim 2, the gas generator comprises:
The knee airbag is provided at a mounting portion located substantially at the center of the storage portion.

Accordingly, the distance of the generated gas is short, and the left and right sides can be expanded and deployed in a well-balanced manner, thereby improving safety.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the moving parts for moving both ends of the knee airbag body along the storage part are provided at the mounting parts located at both ends of the storage part.

Therefore, the thickness of the end of the knee airbag body is increased by the amount of movement from both ends, and the knee of the occupant in the event of an impact is easily protected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a knee airbag device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on an instrument lower panel.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a mounting hole of a knee airbag body of the storage section according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view schematically showing a mounted state and a deployed state of the knee airbag device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing an attached state and an operating state of an airbag device according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Knee airbag apparatus for vehicles 25 ... Knee airbag main body 22 ... Storage part 23 ... Center mounting part 24 ... End mounting part 26 ... Gas generator 27 ... Column cover

Claims (3)

[Claims] An instrument lower panel located in front of a knee of an occupant of a vehicle driver seat is provided with a storage portion formed substantially in a U shape along a column cover and in which a knee airbag body is folded and stored. A mounting portion for the knee airbag body is provided at substantially the center and both ends of the storage portion,
A knee airbag device for a vehicle, further comprising a gas generator for inflating the knee airbag body at at least one portion of the attachment portion. 2. The knee airbag device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the gas generator is provided at the mounting portion located substantially at the center of the storage portion. 3. A moving part in which both ends of the knee airbag main body move along substantially the center of the storage part, at the mounting parts located at both ends of the storage part. 3. The knee airbag device for a vehicle according to 1 or 2.