Trw Occupant Restraint Systems Gmbh

Rainer Schroter

Martin Specht

A knee restraint device for vehicles comprises a knee protector plate movable in the direction of the knees of a vehicle occupant, a base plate connectable to a vehicle structure having at least one opening for connection to a gas generator and a wall of flexible material folded between said base plate and said knee protector plate in the resting condition. Said wall is connected along a first closed rim to said base plate and along a second closed rim to said knee protector plate. To control the movement path of the knee protector plate during the inflation action a first edge of said knee protector plate oriented in the vehicle transverse direction is held swivable and releasable on said base plate and a second edge of said knee protector plate located opposite said first edge is secured to said base plate by a fastener which releases on activation of said gas generator due to the expansion pressure of said wall being deployed. The fastener releases before said knee protector plate has swivelled about its first edge and has been subsequently released from said base plate.

Knee restraint device for vehicles

The present invention provides a knee restraining device for vehicles which comprises a knee protector plate adapted to be moved toward the knees of a vehicle occupant. The knee restraining device comprises a base plate adapted to be mounted against the outline of the bottom part of a dashboard. The base plate has at least one opening for connection with a gas source arranged in the dashboard. Furthermore, the knee restraining device has a wall, of flexible material, folded up between the base plate and the knee restraining plate in the inactive position thereof. This wall is connected along a first closed rim with the base plate and along a second closed rim with the knee restraining plate.

Growing community of inventors

Reichertshausen, Germany

Rainer Schroter