US 12,291,159 B2
Knee airbag device
Masaki Ohshino, Kanagawa (JP); Teppei Hotta, Kanagawa (JP); Shota Inoue, Kanagawa (JP); and Satoru Arai, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Autoliv Development AB, Vargarda (SE)
Appl. No. 18/263,477
Filed by Autoliv Development AB, Vargarda (SE)
PCT Filed Jan. 24, 2022, PCT No. PCT/JP2022/002419
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 28, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/168656, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 11, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-015436 (JP), filed on Feb. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0083380 A1, Mar. 14, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 21/206 (2011.01); B60R 21/215 (2011.01); B60R 21/231 (2011.01)
CPC B60R 21/206 (2013.01) [B60R 2021/21506 (2013.01); B60R 2021/21537 (2013.01); B60R 2021/23169 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A knee airbag device for protecting a knee of an occupant, comprising:
an airbag cushion configured to be stored in front of the knee of the occupant and for expanding and deploying toward the knee side;
an inflator for injecting expansion gas to expand the airbag cushion;
a storage case for storing the airbag cushion, in which is formed an opening part through which the airbag cushion that has expanded and deployed by the expansion gas pops out;
a first flap for covering the airbag cushion exposed through the opening part to transverse in an up-down direction or front-rear direction a center part of the airbag cushion in a lateral direction such that the airbag cushion is retained in the storage case, and having a first weak part that breaks when pressed by the airbag cushion during expansion and deployment; and,
a second flap, which is a component with a larger dimension in a length direction than the first flap, for covering an outer surface of the first flap so as to transverse in the up-down direction or front-rear direction a center part of the airbag cushion in the lateral direction, the second flap having a second weak part between a first end of the second flap and a second end of the second flap, wherein the second weak part breaks when pressed by the airbag cushion after rupture of the first weak part.