Knee airbag housing assembly

1. Field of the Invention

A knee airbag housing assembly housing a knee airbag module in a motor vehicle for preventing a lower panel of the housing assembly from being compromised during airbag deployment.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A knee airbag housing assembly of the type to which the subject invention pertains, having a cover panel with a tear seam through which an airbag deploys, a box case for supporting an airbag module, and a lower panel for instrument panel reinforcement is known. One such knee airbag housing assembly is illustrated in the Toyota Camry wherein the housing assembly includes a cover panel having an upper support portion extending transversely to an upper cover portion. The upper cover portion bends from the upper support portion and extends to a lower cover portion. The lower cover panel having a cantilevered support from which extends a lower support portion. A tear seam is formed between the upper cover portion and the lower cover portion. A lower support portion extends transversely from the cantilevered support.

The box case having a lower wall extending to a distal edge lower wall. The box case supports the airbag module and is housed in the space between the upper support and lower support portions of the cover panel, with the upper wall attached to the upper support and the lower wall attached to the lower support. A lower panel extends from a terminal edge adjacent the terminal free edge of the cover panel to a forward edge. The lower panel is disposed beneath and spaced apart from the lower support portion, such that the terminal edge of the lower panel extends at least as far as the distal edge lower wall of the box case.

A knee airbag assembly having a cover panel, a box case, and a lower panel. The box case having a lower wall extending to a distal edge lower wall, the distal edge lower wall being closer to a cantilevered support of a cover panel than a terminal edge of a lower panel and out of a path of exit from the box case. During airbag deployment, the box case is placed under pressure from the inflating airbag and bell mouths, meaning the open ends of the box case expand and thus the lower wall of the box case can come into contact and compromise the lower panel.

Therefore, the subject knee airbag assembly eliminates the possibility of the lower wall of the box case from compromising the lower panel by placing the distal edge lower wall of the box case closer to the cantilevered support of the cover panel than the terminal edge of the lower panel and out of a path of exit from the box case. In other words, this arrangement places the distal edge lower wall of the box case to the rear of the vertical plane of terminal edge of the lower panel with respect to the orientation of the motor vehicle. Accordingly, the distal edge lower wall of the box case extends beyond the terminal edge of the lower panel, and space is left therein to allow for the box case to bell mouth without compromising the lower edge panel.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a knee airbag assembly knee airbag housing assembly characterized by a distal edge lower wall being closer to a cantilevered support than a terminal edge of a lower panel;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional knee airbag assembly disclosed as prior art; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4 - 4 of FIG. 3 .

Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a housing assembly 10 for supporting a knee airbag module 12 in a motor vehicle, the housing assembly 10 , constructed in accordance with the subject invention is shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 .

The knee airbag housing assembly 10 includes a cover panel 14 , a box case 16 , and a lower panel 18 . The cover panel 14 has an upper support portion 20 , an upper cover portion 22 , a lower cover portion 24 , and a tear seam 26 . The upper support portion 20 extends transversely to the upper cover portion 22 . The upper cover portion 22 bends downward from the upper support portion 20 and extends to a lower edge 28 . The lower cover portion 24 having a cantilevered support 30 begins at an upper edge 32 adjacent the lower edge 28 of the upper cover portion 22 and continues downward along an inwardly arcuate path to a terminal free edge 34 . A tear seam 26 is disposed between the lower edge 28 of the upper cover portion 22 and the upper edge 32 of the lower cover portion 24 . The cantilevered support 30 is located proximate the terminal free edge 34 , and a lower support portion 36 extends transversely from the cantilevered support 30 . The upper wall 38 is attached below and spaced apart from the upper support portion 20 and the lower wall 40 is attached above and spaced apart from the lower support portion 36 . A lower panel 18 is disposed below and spaced apart from the lower support portion 36 .

The box case 16 supports the airbag module, and has an upper wall 38 spaced apart from the lower wall 40 , a pair of side walls (not shown) extending between the lower wall 40 and the upper wall 38 , and a back wall 44 extending between the upper wall 38 and the lower wall 40 and the side walls. The lower wall 40 and the upper wall 38 each extend from the back wall 44 to distal edge lower wall 46 and distal edge upper wall 48 respectively, forming an opening. The upper wall 38 is longer than the lower wall 40 , thus the distal edge upper wall 48 is further to the rear than distal edge lower wall 46 with respect to the motor vehicle.

The box case 16 is fitted in the space between the upper support portion 20 and lower support portion 36 of the cover panel 14 such that the upper wall 38 of the box case 16 is attached below and spaced apart from the upper support portion 20 of the cover panel 14 , and the lower wall 40 of the box case 16 is attached above and spaced apart from the lower support portion 36 of the cover panel 14 . The cover panel 14 is disposed transversely to and extends across distal edge upper wall 48 and distal edge lower wall 46 of the box case 16 . A lower panel 18 extends from a terminal edge 50 adjacent the terminal free edge 34 of the cover panel 14 to a forward edge 52 . The lower panel 18 is disposed beneath and spaced apart from the lower support portion 36 . The distal edge lower wall 46 extends beyond the vertical plane of the terminal edge 50 . Accordingly, distal edge lower wall 46 of the box case 16 is closer to the cantilevered support 30 of the cover panel 14 than the terminal edge 50 of the lower panel 18 and out of a path of exit from the box case 16 .

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of.