Knee guards for vehicles

Abstract

Knee guard for vehicles, which is arranged in a lower dashboard of a vehicle and is mounted on a front bulkhead crossmember (1) and reduces impacts that are applied to the knees of a passenger in the event of an accident, wherein the knee guard comprises: a U-shaped bracket (100) mounted on the front wall cross member (1) and bent to form a U-shape to be deformed by an external force during an accident, and therefore initially and / or mainly absorbs the knee load of the passenger; and a shock-absorbing foam (200) which is mounted in the U-shaped bracket (100) and is deformed by the external force during an accident, and displaces along an inner surface of the U-shaped bracket (100), and therefore secondarily absorbs the knee load of the passenger, wherein the shock-absorbing foam (200) has: a displacement projection (210) formed in a front part of the shock-absorbing foam (200); a displacement groove (220) formed in a rear part of the shock-absorbing foam (200); and a safety projection (230) which is formed in the sliding groove (220).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a knee guard for vehicles, and in particular to a knee guard for vehicles that complies with the pedestrian protection regulations of the proven American NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) in crash tests, and that can minimize manufacturing costs and simplify the manufacturing process.

[0002] In general, during motor vehicle accidents, passengers, including the driver, who are seated in a front seat of the vehicle, move forward and come into contact with the lower dashboard or a lower part of the dashboard located in front of the front seats. In this situation, the knees of the front-seat passengers can move significantly forward if the lower part of the dashboard deforms even slightly, causing the passengers' heads and chests to tilt backward excessively. This can result in airbags failing to adequately protect the passengers from the impact energy.In an effort to solve such a problem, a knee guard was installed in the lower dashboard (in short: the lower dashboard) located in front of the driver's seats, in such a way that the knee guard can prevent the knees of the front-seated passengers from moving deeply towards the lower dashboard and can absorb the impact energy in the event of an accident.

[0003] Therefore, the knee deflector is designed as a restraint device that can control the posture of the front-seat passenger in the event of an accident, limiting knee movement and distributing impact energy evenly between the upper and lower body. The knee deflector can keep the impact on the front-seat passenger's knees within a predetermined level and prevent them from being forced too far into the lower dashboard in a crash, thus enabling effective airbag protection. The limits of knee, chest, and chest displacement in a crash are defined by regulations. Therefore, it is essential to ensure compliance with the regulations of the relevant localities or regions when manufacturing vehicles.Furthermore, improving the characteristics of the vehicles to maximize their commercial value was identified as an important task for corresponding local tests at commercial values.

[0004] Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the construction of a conventional knee guard for vehicles. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the conventional knee guard has an L-shaped knee guard bracket 2 mounted on an end wall cross member 1, a reinforcement bracket 3 held in the rear part of the knee guard bracket 2, and a (not shown) knee guard plate installed in front of the knee guard bracket 2.

[0005] When, in an accident, the knee load of a passenger (or load or stress exerted by the knee of a front-seated passenger) is applied to the conventional knee guard, the knee guard bracket 2 is exposed to most of the knee load, and the reinforcement bracket 3 controls deformation and penetration rate.

[0006] However, a conventional knee brace is designed in such a way that the absorption of the knee load in a crash can be achieved through deformation of the knee brace bracket 2. Therefore, the conventional knee brace cannot effectively absorb the load exerted by the passenger's knees and cannot comply with the pedestrian safety regulations of the established North American NCAP. Specifically, the pedestrian safety regulations of the established North American NCAP require that the knee load not exceed 2.8 kN, whereas the pedestrian safety regulations of the earlier North American NCAP required that the knee load not exceed 10 kN as a permissible reference load. However, the conventional knee brace design cannot comply with the pedestrian safety regulations of the established North American NCAP.

[0007] US 2007 / 0 164 548 A1 describes a motor vehicle knee guard located in a lower dashboard of a motor vehicle and mounted on a bulkhead crossmember, which mitigates impacts applied to the knees of a passenger in the event of an accident, comprising a U-shaped bracket mounted on the bulkhead crossmember and bent to form a U-shape to be deformed by an external force during an accident, and therefore primarily absorbing the knee load of the passenger, and an absorbent foam mounted in the U-shaped bracket which, in an accident, is deformed by the external force and therefore secondarily absorbs the knee load of the passenger.

[0008] US 2007 / 0 222 197 A1 describes a motor vehicle knee guard located in a lower dashboard of a motor vehicle and mounted on a bulkhead crossmember, mitigating impacts applied to the knees of a passenger in the event of an accident, comprising a U-shaped bracket mounted on the bulkhead crossmember and bent to form a U-shape to be deformed by an external force during an accident, and therefore primarily absorbing the knee load of the passenger.

[0009] The information disclosed in this “Background of the Invention” section is intended only to improve the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be construed as an admission or any form of suggestion that this information constitutes prior art already known to the person skilled in the art.

[0010] Several aspects of the present invention are aimed at creating a knee guard for motor vehicles in which a combined structure of a U-shaped bracket and a shock-absorbing foam is adapted and therefore the knee load of a passenger involved in an accident can be absorbed by two deformations, by the U-shaped bracket and by deformation of the shock-absorbing foam, so that the knee guard can comply with the pedestrian protection regulations of the proven North American NCAP.

[0011] According to the invention, this is achieved by a knee guard according to the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, a knee catcher of a motor vehicle, provided in a lower dashboard or lower parts of a dashboard (hereinafter referred to as "lower dashboard") of a motor vehicle and mounted on a front bulkhead crossmember, and which mitigates impacts applied to the knees of a passenger in the event of an accident, comprises a U-shaped bracket mounted on the front bulkhead crossmember and bent to form a U-shape in order to be deformed by an external force during an accident, and which primarily absorbs the knee load of a passenger, and an absorbent foam mounted in the U-shaped bracket which, in an accident, is deformed by an external force and displaces along the inner surface of the U-shaped bracket and therefore, as a second means, absorbs the knee load of the passenger.

[0013] The shock-absorbing foam comprises a sliding projection provided in the front part of the shock-absorbing foam, a sliding groove provided in the rear part of the shock-absorbing foam, and a securing projection or locking projection or locking projection or closure projection (hereinafter referred to as: securing projection) provided in the sliding groove.

[0014] The U-shaped bracket can comprise a rear unit mounted on the end wall cross member and extending downwards to a predetermined length, a U-shaped front unit connected to a lower part of the rear unit, and a reinforcement unit extending between the upper and lower parts of the rear unit, increasing the rear strength or load-bearing capacity (short: strength) of the U-shaped bracket.

[0015] The front unit may include a U-shaped body part that is attached to the rear unit, as well as a projection part that extends upwards from the U-shaped body part to form a U-shape.

[0016] The U-shaped bracket may include a guide groove formed in the projecting part of the front unit of the U-shaped bracket, which slidably receives the shock-absorbing foam to guide a sliding movement of the shock-absorbing foam when the external force is applied to it, wherein the rear unit of the U-shaped bracket may include a locking or latching opening (hereinafter referred to as a "locking opening") to temporarily secure the shock-absorbing foam to the rear unit.

[0017] The U-shaped body part of the front unit may be provided with a deformation initiation opening or deformation support opening (abbreviated: deformation initiation opening) for indicating the deformation of the U-shaped bracket in response to a knee of a leg approximately 5% shorter striking the knee catcher, with a second deformation initiation recess or deformation support recess (abbreviated: deformation initiation recess) being formed around the deformation initiation opening.

[0018] A first deformation initiation recess or deformation support recess (in short: first deformation initiation recess) may be formed between the extension part and the body part of the front unit, and causes a deformation of the U-shaped bracket in response to a blow from the knee of a leg approximately 50% longer into the knee catcher.

[0019] An upper part of the rear unit can be doubly bent, forming a doubly bent area, wherein a third deformation induction recess or deformation support recess (hereinafter: third deformation induction recess) and a fourth deformation induction recess or deformation support recess (hereinafter: fourth deformation induction recess), formed in the doubly bent area, (in particular, each) induce a deformation of the rear part of the U-shaped bracket in response to an impact of a knee of a leg approximately 5% shorter or cause an impact of the knee of a leg approximately 50% longer into the knee catcher.

[0020] The rear unit, the body part of the front unit, and the reinforcement unit of the U-shaped bracket can be coupled together in an overlapping manner, and therefore form an overlapping reinforcement part that increases the rear strength of the U-shaped bracket in the event of an accident.

[0021] As described above, the knee guard for vehicles according to the present invention uses a combined structure of a U-shaped bracket and a shock-absorbing foam and can therefore absorb the knee load in an accident through two deformations, namely the deformation of a U-shaped bracket and the deformation of a shock-absorbing foam, so that the knee guard can comply with the pedestrian protection requirements of the proven North American NCAP.

[0022] The methods and devices of the present invention have other features and advantages, which will be evident from the detailed explanations in the attached figures incorporated herein and the following detailed description of the invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the invention. Fig. Figure 1 is a view showing the construction of a conventional knee guard for vehicles. Fig. Figure 2 is a view showing the construction of a knee guard for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of a knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 4 is a view showing a shock-absorbing foam used in a knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 5 is a view showing the displacement of the shock-absorbing foam during an accident. Fig. Figure 6 is a view showing a U-shaped bracket shown in the knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 7 is a view showing a rear unit and a reinforcement unit of the U-shaped bracket used in a knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 8 is a view showing a condition in which the knee of a leg that is 5% shorter strikes the knee catcher for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention. Fig. Figure 9 is a view showing a condition in which the knee of a passenger's leg, which is 50% longer, strikes the knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 10 is a graph showing a comparison of knee stress when the knee strikes 50% of a longer leg into the knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention and into a conventional knee guard for vehicles. Fig. Figure 11 is a graph showing a comparison of knee stress when the knee of a leg that is 5% shorter strikes the knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention and a conventional knee guard for vehicles.

[0023] It should be understood that the accompanying figures are not necessarily limited to scale and present a somewhat simplified representation of various features that illustrate the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention, as disclosed herein, include, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes, and are partly determined by the particular intended application and by the environmental conditions.

[0024] In the figures, reference numerals refer to identical or equivalent parts of the present invention across the different figures.

[0025] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are shown in the accompanying figures and described below. While the invention is described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to these exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended that the invention not only covers the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments that may be included within the scope and protection of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0026] The following describes a knee guard for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached figures.

[0027] As in Fig. 2 to Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the knee guard for vehicles according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a shock-absorbing device which is arranged in a lower dashboard and is mounted on a front wall cross member 1 of a vehicle body, and which relieves impact energy applied to the knees of a passenger in an accident.

[0028] The knee guard for vehicles according to the present invention comprises a U-shaped bracket 100 which is mounted on the front wall cross member 1 and a shock-absorbing foam 200 which is combined with the U-shaped bracket 100.

[0029] The U-shaped bracket 100 is mounted on the front wall cross member 1 and is bent such that it has a U-shaped structure. In an accident, the U-shaped bracket 100 deforms and initially and / or mainly and / or primarily (in short: primarily) absorbs the knee load of a passenger.

[0030] The U-shaped bracket comprises a rear unit 130, which is securely mounted to the end wall cross member 1 and extends downwards, a U-shaped front unit, which is connected to the lower part of the rear unit 130, and a reinforcement unit 140, which extends between the upper and lower parts of the rear unit 130 and reinforces the rear strength or stability of the U-shaped bracket 100.

[0031] The front unit comprises a U-shaped body part 120 and an extension part 110 that extends upwards from the body part 120.

[0032] The shock-absorbing foam 200 is combined with the U-shaped bracket 100 and is deformed in an accident and simultaneously shifts upwards along the U-shaped bracket 100, thereby secondarily absorbing the knee load of the passenger in the accident.

[0033] The shock-absorbing foam has a sliding projection 210 in its front part and a sliding groove 220 in its rear part.

[0034] The expansion part 110 of the front unit of the U-shaped bracket 100 has a guide groove 111 which guides the sliding movement of the sliding projection 210.

[0035] The displacement groove 220, which is formed in the rear part of the shock-absorbing foam 200, is displaceable along the rear unit 130.

[0036] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the sliding groove 220 of the shock-absorbing foam 200 has a locking projection 230, which is used to secure the shock-absorbing foam 200 to the rear unit 130 of the U-shaped bracket 100. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the rear unit 130 has a locking opening 131 into which the locking projection 230 is inserted and thus secured.

[0037] In other words, the rear portion of the shock-absorbing foam 200 is mounted to the U-shaped bracket 100. However, the front portion of the shock-absorbing foam 200 is not fixed but is slidable along the extension section 110 of the front unit of the U-shaped bracket 100. Therefore, the shock-absorbing foam 200 slides along the extension section 110 from the front unit in the direction of arrow E and absorbs the knee load of the passenger when an impact occurs from a collision upwards onto the shock-absorbing foam 200 from a lower position, as indicated by arrow I in Figure 1. Fig. 5 shown, is applied. The displacement action of the shock-absorbing foam 200 realizes an additional shock-absorbing mechanism, which is added to the shock-absorbing mechanism that is added by the deformation of the shock-absorbing foam 200 and that absorbs the knee load of a passenger, and therefore improves the pedestrian protection performance applied by the knee guard according to the present invention.

[0038] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the body part 120 of the front unit of the U-shaped bracket 100 is provided with a deformation initiation opening 121. When the knee S of a leg that is 5% shorter strikes the kneecap, the deformation initiation opening 121 assists or initiates (in short: initiates) a deformation of the U-shaped bracket 100. Furthermore, a first deformation initiation recess N1 is formed between the extension part 110 and the body part 120 of the front unit of the U-shaped bracket 100 to initiate or assist a deformation of the U-shaped bracket in response to an impact of the knee L of a leg that is 50% longer into the kneecap. It should be noted that when referring to initiating a deformation, this specifically means initiating and / or assisting the deformation.

[0039] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second deformation introduction recess N2 is formed near the deformation introduction opening 121.

[0040] Furthermore, in the U-shaped bracket 100, the rear unit 130, the body part 120 of the front unit and the reinforcement unit 140 are coupled to each other in an overlapping manner and therefore form an overlapping reinforcement part M, which increases the rear strength of the U-shaped bracket 100 in the event of an accident.

[0041] Furthermore, the upper part of the rear unit 130 is bent twice, forming a doubly curved area, as shown in Fig. Figure 7 shows a third deformation introduction recess N3 and a fourth deformation introduction recess N4 are formed in the doubly curved area and introduce a deformation of the rear part of the U-shaped bracket 100 in response to a blow from the knee of a leg 5% shorter and a blow from the knee of a leg 50% longer into the knee catcher.

[0042] Due to the deformation of the deformation initiation opening 121 and the first deformation initiation recess N1, which is formed in predetermined areas of the U-shaped bracket 100, the knee guard according to the present invention can achieve improved knee load absorption efficiency regardless of the knees of passengers with short legs and regardless of the knees of passengers with long legs. In other words, if a front-seated passenger of a vehicle has short knees S, the U-shaped bracket 100 can be deformed in an accident based on the deformation initiation opening 121 and the second deformation initiation recess N2, as shown in Fig. 8 shown. Furthermore, the U-shaped bracket based on the first deformation initiation recess N1 can be deformed in the event of an accident if a front-seated passenger of a vehicle has a long knee L, as shown in Fig. 9 shown.

[0043] As in the Fig. 8 and Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the deformation of the shock-absorbing foam 200 for absorbing the knee load is mainly realized in the lower part 200a of the foam 200 when the knee S of a leg 5% shorter strikes the knee catcher. However, when the knee L of a leg 50% longer strikes the knee catcher, the deformation of the shock-absorbing foam 200 for absorbing the knee load is mainly realized in the upper part 200b of the foam 200.

[0044] The operational effects of the knee catcher for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is installed in a vehicle, can be seen from the knee load diagrams of the Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 are derived, in which the operational effects of the knee guard for vehicles according to the present invention are compared with those of a conventional knee guard for vehicles, which is in Fig. 1 is shown, compared.

[0045] It should be noted that, as in the Fig. 10 and Fig. As shown in Figure 11, the knee catcher according to the present invention reduces the knee load in the initial stage of an accident when the knee load diagram 20 of the present knee catcher is compared with the knee load diagram 10 of a conventional knee catcher when the knee L of a leg 50% longer strikes the knee catcher according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention and the conventional knee catcher. It should also be noted that the present knee catcher reduces the knee load for all stages of a crash when the knee load diagram 40 of the present knee catcher is compared with the knee load diagram 30 of the conventional knee catcher when the knee S of a leg 5% shorter strikes both types of knee catches.

[0046] As is evident from the above description, the knee guard for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention offers the advantages that the combined structure of a U-shaped bracket 100 and a shock-absorbing foam 200 is used in the knee guard and can therefore absorb the knee load of a passenger in an accident in two ways, namely by deformation of the U-shaped bracket 100 and by deformation of the shock-absorbing foam 200, so that the knee guard of the present invention can comply with the pedestrian protection regulations of the proven North American NCAP.

[0047] Furthermore, the combined structure of a U-shaped bracket 100 and one of shock-absorbing foam 200 reduces the size of the knee guard for vehicles, so that the knee guard according to the present invention can reduce the weight of the vehicles and can be easily used in passenger vehicles for which the layout is difficult to design.

[0048] Furthermore, the shock-absorbing foam 200 can be used with the U-shaped bracket 100 without the use of additional hardware, thus reducing manufacturing costs and enabling a simpler manufacturing process.

[0049] For the purposes of explanation and accurate definition in the attached claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner” and “outer” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as shown in the figures.

[0050] The preceding description of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been presented for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching described above. The exemplary embodiments have been chosen and described to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, thereby enabling other skilled persons to make and use various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of protection of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

[1] A knee guard for vehicles, which is arranged in a lower dashboard of a vehicle and is mounted on a front bulkhead crossmember (1) and reduces impacts which are applied to the knees of a passenger in the event of an accident, the knee guard comprising: a U-shaped bracket (100) mounted on the front wall cross member (1) and bent to form a U-shape to be deformed by an external force during an accident, and therefore initially and / or mainly absorbs the knee load of the passenger; and a shock-absorbing foam (200) which is mounted in the U-shaped bracket (100) and is deformed by the external force during an accident, and displaces along an inner surface of the U-shaped bracket (100), and therefore secondarily absorbs the knee load of the passenger, wherein the shock-absorbing foam (200) has: a displacement projection (210) formed in a front part of the shock-absorbing foam (200); a displacement groove (220) formed in a rear part of the shock-absorbing foam (200); and a safety projection (230) which is formed in the sliding groove (220). [2] Knee guard for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped bracket (100) comprises: a rear unit (130) which is mounted on the end wall cross member (1) and extends downwards to a predetermined length; a U-shaped front unit connected to a lower part of the rear unit (130); and a reinforcement unit (140) extending between the upper part and the lower part of the rear unit (130) and reinforcing a rear strength of the U-shaped bracket (100). [3] Knee guard for vehicles according to claim 2, wherein the front unit comprises: a U-shaped body part (120) that is attached to the rear unit (130); and an extension part (110) that extends upwards from the U-shaped body part (120) to form the U-shape. [4] Knee guards for vehicles according to claim 3, wherein the U-shaped bracket (100) engages a guide groove (111) formed in the extension part (110) of the front unit of the U-shaped bracket (100) and slidably receives the shock-absorbing foam (200) to guide a displacement movement of the shock-absorbing foam (200) when the external force is applied to it; and wherein the rear unit (130) of the U-shaped bracket (100) includes a locking opening (131) to temporarily close or secure the shock-absorbing foam (200) to the rear unit (130). [5] Knee guard for vehicles according to claim 3, wherein the U-shaped body part (120) of the front unit is provided with a deformation initiation opening (121) for initiating a deformation of the U-shaped support (100) in response to a knee (S) of a leg approximately 5% shorter striking the knee guard. [6] Knee guard for vehicles according to claim 5, wherein a second deformation introduction recess (N2) is formed around the deformation introduction opening (121). [7] Knee guard for vehicles according to claim 3, wherein a first deformation initiation recess (N1) is formed between the extension part (110) and the body part (120) of the front unit and initiates a deformation of the U-shaped support (100) in response to a striking of a knee (L) of a leg approximately 50% longer into the knee guard. [8] Knee guard for vehicles according to claim 2, wherein an upper part of the rear unit (130) is doubly bent and forms a doubly bent area, comprising a third deformation initiation recess (N3) and a fourth deformation initiation recess (N4) formed in the doubly bent area and having a deformation of the rear part of the U-shaped support (100) in response to an impact of a knee (S) of a leg approximately 5% shorter and in response to an impact of a knee (L) of a leg approximately 50% longer into the knee guard. [9] Knee guard for vehicles according to claim 2, wherein the rear unit (130), the body part (120) of the front unit and the reinforcement unit (140) of the U-shaped bracket (100) are coupled to each other in an overlapping manner and therefore form an overlapping reinforcement part (M) which increases the rear strength of the U-shaped bracket (100) in an accident.

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