Knee Airbag Upper Panel Integral Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing knee protection airbag apparatuses suffer from unstable connections between the ceiling wall and general portions, leading to damage during inflation, which prevents the formation of a necessary space for airbag deployment and inflation in front of the knees of occupants.
Innovation Solution
The knee protection airbag apparatus features an upper panel portion with a pressure receiving portion that initially receives pressure from the inflating airbag, causing the ceiling wall and general portion to integrally turn forward, forming a stable space for airbag inflation without a notched groove or separation, ensuring the airbag deploys and inflates reliably in front of the knees.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a notched groove or locking portion is provided in the ceiling wall portion to connect with the general portion, then the upper panel portion can be assembled, but the connection is not satisfactory and the connection portion is damaged due to rupturing when the airbag inflates
Solution Approach 1:
The ceiling wall portion and general portion are integrated into a single integral structure, eliminating the separate connection components (notched groove or locking portion) that caused reliability issues. This merging of parts ensures a robust connection that can withstand the inflation forces without rupturing, while still allowing for manufacturing and assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ceiling wall portion is connected to the general portion via a notched groove or locking portion, then the upper panel portion can be assembled, but the connection portion is damaged and the space for airbag deployment cannot be formed
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the ceiling wall portion and general portion into one piece, the patent eliminates the complex and fragile connection mechanisms. This reduces structural complexity while improving integrity, as the integral structure has no weak connection points that could fail during inflation.
3Ease of operation
If the upper panel portion moves to the front during airbag inflation, then a space for airbag deployment is formed, but the connection between ceiling wall portion and general portion must be extremely reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The integral structure of the ceiling wall portion and general portion ensures maximum connection strength, as there is no separate joint to fail. This allows the upper panel portion to move forward reliably during inflation, forming the necessary deployment space without concern for connection failure.
Data Source
AI summary
A knee protection airbag apparatus includes an airbag and a front panel. The front panel includes a lower panel portion and an upper panel portion. When the airbag inflates, the airbag causes the upper panel portion to move to the front, and deploys in a space on a rear surface-side of the moving upper panel portion. The upper panel portion includes a general portion of an upper portion and a ceiling wall portion of a lower portion. The lower panel portion is separate from the upper panel portion, and covers a rear side of the folded airbag. The upper panel portion includes a pressure receiving portion facing the folded airbag. The upper panel portion has the vicinity of the fixation portion of the general portion as a bending deformation portion that bends when the upper panel portion moves to the front along with the inflation of the airbag.