Knee Airbag Flap Part Gap Blocking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Knee airbag cushion parts often get caught in gaps or distorted by lower panels during deployment due to misalignment between the housing and lower panel, leading to incomplete deployment and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A knee airbag apparatus with a flap part that surrounds the cushion and is designed to block the gap between the housing and lower panel, featuring a tear line that biases away from the panel to prevent interference, ensuring proper deployment direction and complete inflation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the lower end of the lower panel is installed lower than the lower side of the housing part, then the deployment space is increased, but the cushion part may be caught by or interfere with the lower end of the lower panel during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide member as an intermediary component between the cushion part and the lower panel. This guide member has a guide groove that directs the deployment path of the cushion part, preventing it from being caught by the lower panel while maintaining adequate deployment space. The guide member mediates the interaction between the expanding cushion and the vehicle structure.
2Length of stationary object
If the lower end of the lower panel is installed higher than the lower side of the housing part, then the gap between housing and panel is reduced, but the cushion part may be caught in the gap between the lower panel and housing part during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member acts as an intermediary that prevents the cushion part from entering the gap between the housing and lower panel. The guide groove on the guide member provides a controlled path that keeps the cushion part away from the hazardous gap region while still allowing proper deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member is pre-installed in the housing part before deployment occurs. The guide groove is pre-formed to direct the cushion part's deployment path, preventing the cushion from being caught in the gap before deployment issues can occur.
3Device complexity
If the cushion part is deployed without a guide structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the deployment direction may be distorted or deployment may be incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently manufactured and installed in the housing part. This segmentation allows for simple manufacturing of the guide groove while maintaining reliable deployment guidance, rather than integrating guidance features directly into the cushion part or housing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flap part effectively prevents the cushion from being caught by or interfering with the lower panel, ensuring complete deployment and enhanced passenger safety by maintaining the correct deployment direction and preventing partial inflation.
Implementation Method 1
As gas is supplied to the cushion part, the cushion part is inflated and deployed
Implementation Method 2
The flap part may be provided with a tear line that separates the flap part into a plurality of flap parts
Data Source
AI summary
A knee airbag apparatus including a housing part that is formed such that one side thereof is open, a cover part covering the open portion of the housing part, a cushion part that is accommodated in a folded state inside the housing part and connected to an inflator, and a flap part surrounding the folded cushion part on a side of the cover part, and blocking a gap between the housing part and a lower panel of a vehicle to substantially prevent the cushion part from being caught by the lower panel when the cushion part is deployed.