Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2003-02-11
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S732000, C280S753000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06517103
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to automotive safety restraint devices and, more particularly, to improved inflatable knee bolster module assemblies and associated methods such as may be useful in automotive safety restraint systems.
It is well known to protect a vehicle occupant using inflatable restraint systems which incorporate a cushion or bag, e.g., an “airbag cushion,” that is inflated or expanded with gas such as when the vehicle encounters a sudden deceleration, such as in the event of a collision. Such systems commonly comprise an inflatable airbag module stored behind the instrument panel of the vehicle. In such modules, the associated airbag cushion is normally housed in an uninflated and folded condition to minimize space requirements. Upon actuation of the system, such as in the event of a collision, the cushion begins to be inflated, in a matter of no more than a few milliseconds, with gas produced or supplied by a device commonly referred to as an “inflator.” This causes the airbag cushion to be deployed as a protective cushion for occupants within the vehicle passenger compartment.
As installed behind the vehicle instrument panel, the folded airbag cushion and the inflator device are typically contained within a module assembly reaction canister, which canister is commonly provided with a generally rectangular cover. The cover also comprises the cover or door for an airbag deployment opening that is formed in a portion of the instrument panel.
Automotive vehicles provided with inflatable airbag cushion safety restraint devices have commonly been designed with a stationary panel, located on a downward and forwardly inclined portion of the instrument panel, which panel acts as a knee crush zone. The portion of the instrument panel enclosed in the knee crush zone is oftentimes classified or referred to as a “knee bolster.” During a crash, momentum may cause the occupant to move forward and such that the legs of the occupant contact the knee bolster. As a result, such knee bolsters can desirably prevent the occupant from submarining beneath the inflated airbag. With such contact, the knee bolster may desirably deform under the load, absorbing energy and minimizing the forces acting on the legs of the occupant.
The use of a crushable stationary panel on the instrument panel of an automotive vehicle to provide a knee crush zone or bolster can be disadvantageous in a number of respects. For example, such a construction can serve to reduce the distance between the knees of an occupant and the instrument panel. Such a reduction may detract from and diminish the amount of leg room and the feeling of roominess the occupant would prefer to retain.
As a result, there has been a need and a demand for improved knee bolster assemblies.
At least partially in response to such need, airbag activated knee bolsters such as disclosed in commonly assigned Lang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,043, issued Jul. 16, 1996, and which patent disclosure is fully incorporated herein by reference, have been developed.
At least certain prior art inflatable knee bolster assemblies utilize retainer rings and a plurality of fasteners such as in the form of nuts, bolts or the like to attach the inflatable knee bolster cushion to either or both the associated knee bolster assembly module housing and the associated knee bolster panel or associated load distributor panel.
FIG. 1
illustrates a prior art knee bolster assembly, generally designated by the reference numeral
10
involving the attachment of a knee bag cushion
12
with an associated bolster panel
14
and an associated inflator
16
, respectively.
With respect to the attachment of the knee bag cushion
12
with the bolster panel
14
, the cushion
12
is secured between the bolster panel
14
and an associated bolster-side retainer plate or ring
20
. In particular, the bolster panel
14
is provided with studs
22
which extend through the cushion
12
and through clearance holes
24
provided in the bolster-side retainer plate
20
. Attachment nuts
26
are applied to the bolster panel studs
22
, thereby clamping the cushion
12
between the bolster panel
14
and the bolster-side retainer ring
20
.
With respect to the attachment of the knee bag cushion
12
with the inflator
16
, the inflator
16
includes a circumferential attachment flange
30
to which is applied an annular reaction housing
32
, also sometimes referred to as a “reaction plate.” The cushion
12
is secured between the reaction plate
32
and an associated inflator-side retainer plate or ring
34
by means of studs
36
or the like, such as is known in the art and such as may extend from the retainer ring
34
. For example, the rivets
36
can be sequentially passed through the cushion
12
, the reaction plate
32
and the inflator attachment flange
30
and then secured with associated attachment nuts
40
.
As will be appreciated, such attachment operations may be more difficult than desired as, for example, the bolster panel retainer plate
20
and the associated attachment nuts
26
are inside the cushion
12
and access to this interior region is through the relatively small inflator opening to the cushion. Further, the use of such multiple part fastening systems can be more complicated and costly than desired for efficient mass production.
FIG. 2
illustrates the assembly
10
of
FIG. 1
after inflation of the cushion
12
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, upon inflation of the cushion
12
, large, generally triangular shaped voids
44
can occur or be formed between the cushion
12
and the bolster panel
14
. As observed in previous tests, such an assembly can cause or result in undesired rotation of the bolster panel
14
relative to the retainer
20
, for example, as signified by the arrows
46
. As a result, the assembly
10
may experience or exhibit greater than desired instability.
The above-identified related application, now Schneider, U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,621, discloses a knee bolster assembly which advantageously overcomes at least some of the shortcomings or limitations of such earlier knee bolster assembly designs. The above-identified related application discloses a knee bolster assembly which advantageously eliminates the need for a bolster-side retainer and associated fasteners for attaching a bolster cushion to an associated bolster panel. In particular, it discloses attaching a bolster cushion to an associated bolster panel via the use of a rod and channel design. Further, as disclosed, such a knee bolster assembly can advantageously prevent the creation of undesirable voids which reduce assembly stability.
Certain limitations may, however, prevent or restrict the more widespread use of such knee bolster assemblies. For example, though such channels can generally be conveniently and economically formed via continuous extrusion processing, such processing generally necessitates that the channels have a continuous cross sectional form. As a result, contoured or other sweeping surface panel forms, such as may be desired to more closely fit or match vehicle interior trim sections may not be possible when using such extrusion processing. Also, a retainer ring and associated fasteners are employed to ensure a proper seal of the bolster cushion with the module housing, e.g., the reaction plate.
Thus, there is a continuing need and demand for further improved inflatable knee bolster module assembly and associated methods. In particular, there is a need and a demand for improved inflatable knee bolster module assemblies such that facilitate assembly and construction and such as may for readily permit contoured or other sweeping surface panel forms. Further, there is a need and a demand for such module assemblies and associated methods which are useful and effective in simplifying construction and assembly of associated inflatable knee cushions and reaction housings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A general object of the invention is to provide an improved inflatable knee bolster module assembly and associated methods.
A more specific objec
Autoliv ASP Inc.
Brown Sally J.
Dickson Paul N.
Erickson James D.
To Toan C
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