US 12,012,064 B2
Airbag assembly including deployable panel
Eric Axel Smitterberg, Berkley, MI (US); Russell Joseph Mihm, Beverly Hills, MI (US); Johnathan Andrew Line, Northville, MI (US); Chuck R. Reese, Northville, MI (US); and James Robert Chascsa, II, Farmington Hills, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/051,947.
Prior Publication US 2024/0140349 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 21/2338 (2011.01); B60R 21/16 (2006.01); B60R 21/205 (2011.01)
CPC B60R 21/2338 (2013.01) [B60R 21/205 (2013.01); B60R 2021/161 (2013.01); B60R 2021/23386 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly comprising:
a dash;
a deployable panel supported by the dash and moveable relative to the dash from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the deployable panel having a proximal end at the dash in the deployed position and a distal end spaced above the dash in the deployed position;
an airbag supported by the dash and inflatable to an inflated position, the airbag abutting the deployable panel when the deployable panel is in the deployed position and the airbag is in the inflated position;
a tether extending from the airbag to the deployable panel in the undeployed position;
a track supported by the dash, the deployable panel being slidably engaged with the track and moveable along the track from the undeployed position to the deployed position; and
a spring-loaded pin on one of the track or the deployable panel and a hole on the other of the track or the deployable panel, the hole receiving the spring-loaded pin when the deployable panel is in the deployed position to lock the deployable panel to the track when the deployable panel is in the deployed position.