Patent ID: 7878540
Filing Date: 2011-02-01
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A knee-protecting airbag device located below a steering column for protecting knees of a driver, the airbag device comprising: an airbag inflatable and deployable upward and rearward with inflation gas, the airbag including an upstream portion of inflation gas disposed at a lower part of the airbag at full inflation, a downstream portion of inflation gas disposed at an upper part of the airbag at full inflation, a tether disposed along a transverse direction inside the airbag for partitioning the upstream portion and the downstream portion and regulating a thickness of the airbag upon inflation, and a gas communication hole that communicates between the upstream portion and the downstream portion one with the other, wherein the tether is configured to inflate the upstream portion in such a manner as to widen a lateral width of the upstream portion at an initial stage of inflow of inflation gas, and wherein the downstream portion of the airbag includes a knee-receiving region, for receiving the knees of the driver; and a housing disposed below the steering column for housing the airbag, wherein the knee-receiving region is located at an upper end of the airbag when the airbag is fully deployed, and the tether is located at a shin-receiving region which is located completely below the knee-receiving region when the airbag is fully deployed.