KNEE AIRBAG MOUNTING STRUCTURE

Abstract

A knee airbag mounting structure that attaches a knee airbag body (2) to an instrument panel opening (3) for the protection of a passenger's knee, characterized in that the knee airbag body (2) comprises a knee airbag main body (20) and a cover section (21) which covers a surface of the knee airbag main body (20) on a rear of the vehicle, the cover section (21) comprises a cover main body (22) and a bag-side engagement piece (24) that attaches the cover main body (22) to the instrument panel opening (3), the bag-side engagement piece (24) has an extension plate section (25) which is provided at an end section of the knee airbag body (2) at the rear of the vehicle and extends in a plane direction of the instrument panel opening (3) to an edge (30c,30d) of the instrument panel opening (3) in a transverse direction of the vehicle, the edge (30c,30d) of the instrument panel opening (3) is provided with an instrument panel-side engagement piece (31) which engages with the bag-side engagement piece (24), and the instrument panel-side engagement piece (31) is provided with an opposing section (32) which is opposite the extension plate section (25) on a vehicle front of the extension plate section (25) in a state in which the knee airbag body (2) is attached to the instrument panel opening (3), wherein the instrument panel-side engagement piece (31) has: an engagement section (36) which is provided on a vehicle front with respect to the opposite section (32) and engages with the bag-side engagement piece (24), and a continuous section (34) which is continuous with the opposite section (32) and the engagement section (36) and extends in a vehicle front-to-rear direction.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a knee airbag mounting structure.

[0002] A knee protection airbag device for protecting the knee of a passenger, such as a driver, is known in the prior art (see JP 2004-98893A). JP 2004-98893A discloses a knee protection airbag device that consists of an airbag cover arranged on one side in front of a passenger and designed to deploy so that a passenger's knee can be protected, and an airbag cover that covers an opening on the rear of the knee airbag. In such prior art knee protection airbag devices, during a vehicle collision, a fracture line of the airbag cover (a thin section designed so that it can be easily broken open by the deployment force of the airbag during the collision) is broken open by the deployment of the knee airbag, causing the airbag to deploy.

[0003] JP 2014 - 221 582 A discloses a mounting structure for an airbag cover on a panel. The structure comprises a panel with an opening and a retaining section, and an airbag cover with a lid and a connecting section. During installation, the cover is inserted into the opening from the back of the panel, with the connecting section of the cover engaging in the retaining section of the panel. This mechanical locking mechanism enables simple and stable attachment of the airbag cover to the panel.

[0004] JP 2002 - 337 653 A describes an occupant leg protection device in which a cover guides the deployment direction of a knee airbag. The cover, which is part of the instrument panel, is equipped with a tear line and a hinged section. Depending on whether the hinge is located at the top or bottom edge of the cover, it swings open like a flap upon airbag deployment and directs the airbag so that it deploys either from bottom to top or from top to bottom in front of the occupant's knee.

[0005] KR 10 2016 0 108 715 A shows an instrument panel assembly with a rotatably coupled airbag door. The instrument panel has a projection and through-holes. The airbag door has a retaining unit and insertion units. During installation, the retaining unit is first placed over the projection. The entire door is then pivoted around the projection, causing the insertion units on the opposite side to engage in the through-holes. This manual, rotary process is intended to create a stable and secure connection.

[0006] JP 2001 - 191 887 A discloses an airbag device with a special housing for a tubular inflator. The housing consists of a main body and two caps that hold the ends of the inflator. The main body is designed as a flexible component with a substantially inverted Ω-shaped cross-section. Bending and deforming the main body clamps the caps in place, thus fixing the inflator airtight and securely within the housing. The housing also features flanges for mounting.

[0007] However, in the case of an airbag device for knee protection according to the state of the art, a circumferential section of the airbag cover may shift towards the front of the vehicle due to a reaction of the deployment or enlargement of the knee airbag in a vehicle collision.

[0008] The present invention provides a knee airbag mounting structure that can prevent a circumferential section of a cover section from shifting towards the front of the vehicle when the knee airbag is deployed.

[0009] To solve the problem described above, a knee airbag mounting structure according to claim 1 is provided according to the present invention. The dependent claims relate to further advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0010] According to the aspect of the invention, it can be prevented that the bag-side engagement piece, which is located on the circumferential section of the cover section, is displaced towards the front of the vehicle when the knee airbag is deployed. Fig. Figure 1 is a top view of a front structure of a vehicle body viewed from above, in which a knee airbag mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a knee airbag body as seen from the front of a vehicle, forming the knee airbag mounting structure. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a knee airbag body as seen from the rear of a vehicle, forming the knee airbag mounting structure. Fig. Figure 4 is an enlarged view showing a major part of the knee airbag mounting structure. Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing an instrument panel opening that forms the knee airbag mounting structure. Fig. Figure 6 is a top view of a front structure of a vehicle body, in which a modification of the knee airbag mounting structure is applied. Fig. Figure 7 is an enlarged view showing a major part of the modification of the knee airbag mounting structure.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a knee airbag mounting structure is provided which attaches a knee airbag body for the protection of a passenger's knee to an instrument panel opening, wherein the knee airbag body comprises a knee airbag main body and a cover section which covers a surface of the knee airbag main body on a rear of the vehicle, wherein the cover section has a cover main body and a bag-side engagement piece which attaches the cover main body to the instrument panel opening, wherein the bag-side engagement piece has an extension plate section which is provided at an end section of the knee airbag body on the rear of the vehicle and extends in a plane direction of the instrument panel opening to an edge of the instrument panel opening in a transverse direction of the vehicle.in which the edge of the instrument panel opening is provided with an instrument panel-side engagement piece that engages with the airbag-side engagement piece, and in which the instrument panel-side engagement piece is provided with an opposing section that faces the extension plate section on the front of the vehicle in a state in which the knee airbag body is attached to the instrument panel opening. Accordingly, if a force is applied to the airbag-side engagement piece towards the front of the vehicle due to a reaction when the knee airbag main body is deployed, the airbag-side engagement piece is prevented from being displaced towards the front of the vehicle because the extension plate section is in contact with the opposing section provided on the instrument panel opening.

[0012] A knee airbag mounting structure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to Fig. 1 to 5 described. Fig. Figure 1 is a diagram of a front structure D of a vehicle body viewed from above, in which the knee airbag mounting structure 1 according to the present invention is applied. The “front”, which is shown in Fig. Figure 1 and similar figures represent the front of the vehicle body, and the "rear" is the rear of the vehicle body. The "outer side in the transverse direction" is a direction extending away from the center of the vehicle body in a transverse direction, and the "inner side in the transverse direction" is a direction extending towards the center of the vehicle body in a transverse direction. The "vertical direction" is a vertical direction orthogonal to the vehicle's front-to-rear direction and the vehicle's transverse direction.

[0013] The in Fig. 1 The knee airbag mounting structure 1 shown is a structure that attaches a knee airbag body 2 to an instrument panel opening 3 for the protection of the passenger's knee and includes the knee airbag body 2 and the instrument panel opening 3.

[0014] As in Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows that in a vehicle collision, the knee airbag body 2 deploys to one side of the passenger (the rear of the vehicle) so that the passenger's knee is protected. The knee airbag body 2 comprises a knee airbag main body 20 (in Fig. 2 shown) and a cover section 21 covering a surface of the knee airbag main body 20 of a vehicle rear (a deployment surface 20A).

[0015] As in Fig. Figure 1 shows the knee airbag main body 20 arranged on the front of a passenger seat such that the deployed deployment surface 20A faces the rear of the vehicle.

[0016] As in Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows that the cover section 21 has a main cover body 22 (in Fig. 3 shown), a pipe section 23 (in Fig. 2 shown), which is erected on the front of the vehicle by a circumference of the cover main body 22 and covers a circumferential surface of the knee airbag main body 20, and bag-side engagement pieces 24 which can engage with the instrument panel opening 3.

[0017] The cover main body 22 is designed in a rectangular, plate-like shape that can cover the deployment surface 20A of the knee airbag main body 20. As shown in Fig. Figure 3 shows a fracture line T extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle, formed in a vertical direction at a central section of the main cover body 22.

[0018] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the pipe section 23 has upper and lower first plate-like sections 23A, 23B, which are opposite each other in an upper-lower direction, and left and right second plate-like sections 23C, 23D, which are opposite each other in the left-right direction (the vehicle transverse direction).

[0019] As in Fig. Figure 1 shows the bag-side engagement pieces 24 as a pair. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, each bag-side engagement piece 24 comprises an extension plate section 25 extending from the cover main body 22 in the transverse direction of the vehicle, an extension piece 26 extending to an engagement hole 36 (an engagement section) of an instrument panel-side engagement piece 31, and projections 27 provided on the extension piece 26 and engaging with the engagement hole 36.

[0020] The extension plate sections 25 extend in a plane direction of the cover main body 22. The extension plate sections 25 are formed in rectangular plate-like shapes and are designed such that they have sizes that can cover the instrument panel opening 3 together with the cover main body 22.

[0021] Each of the extension pieces 26 extends inclined in one direction with one end 26b of it being continuous with the extension plate section 25, and with the other end 26f, which is spaced apart from the knee airbag main body 20, towards the front of the vehicle. As in Fig. Figure 1 shows the extension piece 26 positioned opposite an outer surface 34A of an outer plate section 34, which will be described later, of the instrument panel-side engagement piece 31 in a state in which the knee airbag body 2 is attached to the instrument panel opening 3. Hereinafter, a surface of the extension piece 26 that is opposite the outer surface 34A of the outer plate 34 is referred to as an opposing surface 26A.

[0022] A pair of projections 27 are provided at each of the end sections of the extension piece 26 at the front of the vehicle (the other ends) at an interval in the vertical direction. Each projection 27 extends in a direction away from the knee airbag main body 20 in the transverse direction of the vehicle and can be engaged with a circumference of the engagement hole 36 of the instrument panel-side engagement piece 31.

[0023] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the instrument panel opening 3 has the instrument panel-side engagement pieces 31, which each project from opening edges 30c and 30d on both sides of the instrument panel opening 3 in the transverse direction of the vehicle to an inside in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0024] As in Fig. Figure 1 shows the instrument panel-side engagement pieces 31 arranged as a pair in an interval in the transverse direction of the vehicle. As in Fig. 4 and Fig. As shown in Figure 5, each of the instrument panel-side engagement pieces 31 has an opposing plate section 32 (an opposing section) facing the front of the instrument panel opening surface 30, an inner plate section 33 (an extension section), an outer plate section 34 (a continuous section), and a support section 35 extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The opposing plate section 32, the inner plate section 33, and the outer plate section 34 form a substantially U-shaped form when viewed from above.

[0025] As in Fig. Figure 5 shows the opposite plate section 32 in a rectangular, plate-like shape, the thickness of which is oriented in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The extension plate section 25 is also in a rectangular, plate-like shape, the central section M of which is located in the vertical direction (a longitudinal direction) along an extension line of the fracture line T formed on the main cover body 22. The opposite plate section 32 is designed such that one longitudinal direction of it extends along a direction that intersects the extension line of the fracture line T.

[0026] As in Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows the inner plate section 33 in a plate-like shape and extends inclinedly with one end (a rear end) 33b continuously with one end of the opposite plate section 32 at one side of the knee airbag body 32 and with the other end (a front end) 33f closer to the knee airbag body 2 towards the front of the vehicle. The front end 33f of the inner plate section 33 is located at the front of the vehicle with respect to a front end 34f of the outer plate section 34, which will be described later.

[0027] As in Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows the outer plate section 34 in a plate-like form and extends inclinedly with one end 34b of it continuously with an end section of the opposite plate section 32 spaced at one side from the knee airbag body 2 and with the other end 34f spaced from the knee airbag body 32 to the front of the vehicle.

[0028] As in Fig. Figure 1 shows the support section 35 in a plate-like form with one end of it continuously connected to an end section of the outer plate section 34 at the front of the vehicle and with the other end of it being supported by the instrument panel.

[0029] The support section 35 is provided with the engagement hole 36, which can engage with the projections 27 of the bag-side engagement piece 24. The engagement hole 36 is provided at an end section of the support section 35 on the side of the outer plate section 34. The engagement hole 36 is designed as a through hole that penetrates the support section 35.

[0030] Next, a process for assembling the knee airbag mounting structure 1 is described. The knee airbag body 2 brings the outer ends of the extension pieces 26 of the bag-side engagement pieces 24 closer to the engagement holes 36 of the instrument panel-side engagement pieces 31 in one direction, so that the pair of bag-side engagement pieces 24 is aligned in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The projections 27 of the bag-side engagement piece 24 are inserted into the circumference of the engagement hole 36 and thus engage. The instrument panel opening 3 is closed by the cover main body 22 and the extension plate sections 25 of the knee airbag body 2. Thus, the knee airbag mounting structure is completed.

[0031] According to the embodiment described above, if a force is applied to the front of the vehicle on the bag-side engagement pieces 24 due to a reaction when the knee airbag main body 20 is deployed, it can be prevented that the bag-side engagement piece 24 moves towards the front of the vehicle, since the extension plate sections 25 are each in contact with the opposite plate sections 32, which are provided at the instrument panel opening 3.

[0032] Each of the instrument panel-side engagement pieces 31 has the engagement hole 36 (the engagement section), which is provided on the front of the vehicle with respect to the opposite plate section 32 (the opposite section) and engages with the bag-side engagement piece 24, and the outer plate section 34 (the continuous section), which extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle such that it is continuous with the opposite plate section 32 and the engagement hole 36. According to this design, the outer plate section 34 bears the force applied to the cover section 21 towards the front of the vehicle, thereby further preventing the cover section from shifting towards the front of the vehicle.

[0033] Each of the bag-side engagement pieces 24 is provided with the opposite surface 26A, which faces the surface of the outer plate section 34 (the continuous section) on the side spaced from the knee airbag main body 20 in a manner that is continuously spaced from the end section of the extension plate section 25 to the knee airbag main body 20. Accordingly, in a case where the force towards the front of the vehicle is applied to the cover section 21, the fracture line breaks, the cover section 21 displaces, and the opposite surface 26A is in contact with the outer surface 34A of the outer plate section 34, the cover section 21 is prevented from displacing towards the front of the vehicle.

[0034] The main cover body 22 is provided with the fracture line T, which is continuous in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and the opposite plate section 32 (the opposing section) extends along the direction that intersects or crosses the extension line of the fracture line T. Accordingly, even if the fracture line T is broken, since the opposite plate section 32 extends in the direction that intersects or crosses the extension line of the fracture line T, the opposite plate section 32 can be in more reliable contact with the extension plate section 25 of the bag-side engagement piece 24.

[0035] The instrument panel-side engagement piece 31 is connected to the inner plate section 33 (the extension section), which extends towards the front of the vehicle such that it is continuous with the end section of the opposite plate section 32 (opposite section) on the side closer to the knee airbag body 2. According to this design, the strength of the instrument panel-side engagement piece 31 can be improved because of the inner plate section 33.

[0036] The invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but includes further embodiments and the like that can achieve the object of the invention, and the following modifications and the like are also included in the invention.

[0037] In the embodiment described above, the projecting sections 27 of the bag-side engagement piece 24 engage with the circumference of the engagement hole 36 of the instrument panel-side engagement piece 31, thereby attaching the knee airbag body 2 to the instrument panel opening 3, whereas the present invention is not limited to this. As in Fig. 6 and Fig. As shown in Figure 7, an end section of the bag-side engagement piece 24, spaced apart from the main cover body 22, can be provided with a bolt hole 51 into which a bolt B is inserted, and the knee airbag body 2 can be attached to the instrument panel opening 3 by screwing a nut N into a mounting hole 52 formed on the instrument panel-side engagement piece 31. The knee airbag body 2 can thus be attached to the instrument panel opening 3 by means of bolts.

[0038] Although the best embodiment, method, and the like for carrying out the invention are disclosed in the above description, the invention is not limited thereto. Although the invention has been precisely presented and described, particularly with regard to a specific embodiment, a person skilled in the art can add numerous modifications to the embodiment described above with respect to shape, material, number, or other detailed configurations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the above description limiting the shape, material, and the like is explained by way of example for the sake of clarity, but the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, the description of element names is included in the invention in addition to some or all of the limitations on shape, material, and the like. 1 Knee airbag mounting structure 2 knee airbag bodies 3 Instrument panel opening 20 Knee airbag main body 21 Cover section 22 Cover main body 24 bag-side engagement piece 25 Extension plate section 26a opposite surface 30c, 30d Edge of the instrument panel opening in the transverse direction of the vehicle 31 Instrument panel-side access piece 32 opposite plate section (opposite section) 33 inner plate section (extension section) 34 outer plate section (continuous section) 34a Outer surface of the outer plate section 36 Intervention hole (intervention section) T fracture line

Claims

[1] A knee airbag mounting structure that attaches a knee airbag body (2) to an instrument panel opening (3) for the protection of a passenger's knee, characterized by , that the knee airbag body (2) comprises a knee airbag main body (20) and a cover section (21) which covers a surface of the knee airbag main body (20) on a rear of the vehicle, the cover section (21) comprises a cover main body (22) and a bag-side engagement piece (24) that attaches the cover main body (22) to the instrument panel opening (3), the bag-side engagement piece (24) has an extension plate section (25) which is provided at an end section of the knee airbag body (2) at the rear of the vehicle and extends in a plane direction of the instrument panel opening (3) to an edge (30c,30d) of the instrument panel opening (3) in a transverse direction of the vehicle, the edge (30c,30d) of the instrument panel opening (3) is provided with an instrument panel-side engagement piece (31) which engages with the bag-side engagement piece (24), and the instrument panel-side engagement piece (31) is provided with an opposing section (32) which is opposite the extension plate section (25) on a vehicle front of the extension plate section (25) in a state in which the knee airbag body (2) is attached to the instrument panel opening (3), wherein the instrument panel-side engagement piece (31) has: an engagement section (36) which is provided on a vehicle front with respect to the opposite section (32) and engages with the bag-side engagement piece (24), and a continuous section (34) which is continuous with the opposite section (32) and the engagement section (36) and extends in a vehicle front-to-rear direction. [2] The knee airbag attachment structure according to claim 1, wherein the bag-side engagement piece (24) is provided with an opposing surface (26a) which is continuous with an end section of the extension plate section (25) spaced apart from the knee airbag main body (20) and is opposite the continuous section (34). [3] The knee airbag mounting structure according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the main cover body (22) is provided with a fracture line (T) which is continuous in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and the opposite section (32) extends in a direction that intersects or crosses a line of extension of the fracture line (T). [4] The knee airbag mounting structure according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the instrument panel-side engagement piece (31) is provided with an extension section (33) which is continuous with an end section of the opposite section (32) on one side of the knee airbag body (2) and extends to the front of the vehicle.

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