Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Aaron Treglown

Michael Jay Daines

A knee airbag includes a front panel, a rear panel and an intermediate panel. The rear panel is coupled to the front panel to define an inflation chamber. The intermediate panel is disposed between the front panel and the rear panel and within the inflation chamber. The intermediate panel is connected to the rear panel by rows of first attachment points extending in a lateral direction across the knee airbag and connected to the front panel by rows of second attachment points extending in the lateral direction. The airbag includes a proximal bending area proximate a proximal end thereof. The longitudinal distances between adjacent rows of first and second attachment locations are greater than longitudinal distances between adjacent rows of second attachment locations.

Knee airbag for a vehicle

Airbag cushions and related assemblies configured to protect the lower extremities of a vehicle occupant and reduce the chances of leg slide off during deployment using one or more side panels. In some embodiments, the assembly may comprise an inflatable cushion comprising a top panel, a bottom panel coupled with the top panel, and two side panels, which may be coupled with the top and bottom panels. The side panels may be positioned, in an inflated configuration, opposite from one another and may be configured, upon deployment, to increase surface area contact with the occupant's lower extremities and/or to inhibit the occupant's lower extremities from sliding off of the inflatable cushion during deployment.

Side panel knee airbags and related assemblies

A knee airbag includes a front panel, a rear panel coupled to the front panel to define an inflation chamber, and an intermediate panel between the front panel and the rear panel and within the inflation chamber. The intermediate panel is connected to the front panel and the rear panel at various locations between a proximal end and a distal end of the intermediate panel to control an inflated configuration of the knee airbag. The knee airbag has a two-layer construction only including the front panel and the rear panel in a depth direction, a three-layer construction including the front panel, the rear panel, and the intermediate panel in the depth direction, and a transition construction including the front panel, the rear panel, and an air permeable portion in the depth direction. The knee airbag includes the two-layer construction in at least first and second two-layer areas that extend at least substantially along first and second lateral sides of the knee airbag. The knee airbag includes the three-layer construction in a laterally central area between the first and second lateral sides.

A knee airbag includes a front panel, rear panel coupled to the front panel to define an inflation chamber, and an intermediate panel between the front panel and the rear panel and within the inflation chamber. The intermediate panel is connected to the front panel and the rear panel at various locations between a proximal end and a distal end of the intermediate panel to control an inflated configuration of the knee airbag. First and second suspension portions suspend the proximal end of the intermediate panel between the front panel and the rear panel and are permeable to the passage of inflation gases. The first suspension portion extends between the front panel and the proximal end of the intermediate panel. The second suspension portion extends between the rear panel and the proximal end of the intermediate panel. An inflator for inflating the knee airbag is disposed in the inflation chamber at a proximal end of the knee airbag. An inflation gas diffusing arrangement is disposed in the inflation chamber between the inflator and the proximal end of the intermediate panel.

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Ogden, UT, United States of America

Aaron Treglown