Patent ID: 11897410
Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A knee airbag module comprising:
an inflatable knee airbag;
an inflator for inflating the knee airbag;
a housing for supporting the knee airbag and inflator, the housing comprising an opening through which the knee airbag deploys;
a cover for enclosing the knee airbag in the housing; and
a deployment flap positioned beneath the cover, connected to the housing, and spanning across at least a portion of the opening;
wherein the knee airbag comprises a central portion that extends across the opening of the housing when the knee airbag is deployed, a first lateral portion that extends laterally from the central portion and laterally of the housing in a first direction when the knee airbag is deployed, and a second lateral portion that extends laterally from the central portion and laterally of the housing in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when the knee airbag is deployed, the central portion and first and second lateral portions defining a width of the knee airbag;
wherein the deployment flap is configured to initially inhibit deployment of the central portion of the knee airbag while the first and second lateral portions of the knee airbag initially deploy, the deployment flap being configured to thereafter rupture and permit deployment of the central portion, and wherein the deployment flap is configured to inhibit initial deployment of the central portion for a time period sufficient to cause the central portion and the first and second lateral portions to deploy away from the housing uniformly across the width of the knee airbag.