Knee Airbag Case Protrusion Restricts Under-Cover Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Knee airbag devices face challenges when disposed outside the glove box door, as they need to protect the connection between the inflator and harness from the under-cover and prevent the under-cover from interfering with the deployment of the bag body during impact.
Innovation Solution
An occupant protection device is designed with a protrusion on the case that extends towards the under-cover to restrict its movement and prevent interference with the harness and bag deployment, ensuring the connection between the inflator and harness is protected and allowing for unobstructed deployment of the bag body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the knee airbag device is disposed outside the glove box door in parallel with the under-cover, then the device can be installed in alternative locations, but the under-cover may contact and damage the connection portion between the inflator and the harness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective cover as an intermediary component between the under-cover and the connection portion. This protective cover specifically shields the connection portion between the inflator and harness from contact with the under-cover, resolving the contradiction by allowing flexible installation positioning while maintaining connection reliability through the mediating protective structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the knee airbag device is disposed outside the glove box door, then installation flexibility is improved, but the under-cover may interfere with the deploying of the bag body
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover serves as a mediating structure that prevents the under-cover from interfering with bag body deployment. By positioning this protective cover between the under-cover and the bag body, the system allows flexible installation locations while eliminating deployment interference through the protective intermediary.
3Ease of operation
If the connector is exposed without coverage, then the harness connection to the inflator is easier to access, but the connector is vulnerable to contact with the under-cover
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover acts as an intermediary that selectively protects the connector while maintaining accessibility. The cover is designed to shield the connector from under-cover contact during normal operation, yet can be easily removed or opened when harness connection is required, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an occupant protection device which is disposed side by side with an under-cover of an instrument panel and has a harness connected to an inflator disposed on a front side of the under-cover in a vehicle traveling direction to protect a knee portion of an occupant, including a case having a side wall on which the harness is disposed, and a protrusion configured to extend from the side wall of the case toward a front of the under-cover in forward and backward direction of a vehicle, to come in contact with the under-cover, and to restrict movement of the under-cover to the front side in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle.