Knee-bag and occupant leg protection apparatus
View Patent ↗A knee-bag to be inflated in front of an occupant leg includes a first member facing the occupant, a second member facing the first member, and a tether provided in the knee-bag for connecting the first member and the second member. The tether extends in a lateral direction and has end portions in a thickness direction of the knee-bag, and lateral ends in the lateral direction. At least one of the lateral ends has a portion located inwardly in the lateral direction so that air-flow spaces are formed between a left end of the tether and a left side of the knee-bag and between a right end of the tether and a right side of the knee-bag.
1. A knee-bag to be inflated in front of an occupant leg, comprising:
a first member facing the occupant,
a second member facing the first member and connected to the first member to form the knee-bag,
a uniform width portion formed at an upper portion of the knee-bag when inflated, and a narrow width portion formed at a lower portion of the knee-bag and extending downwardly from the uniform width portion to have a width gradually decreased,
a first tether forming an uppermost tether and provided at a boundary between the uniform width portion and the narrow width portion or within 70 mm higher than the boundary in the knee-bag for connecting the first member and the second member, said first tether extending in a lateral direction of the knee-bag and having end portions in a thickness direction of the knee-bag where the first tether is connected to the first and second members, and lateral ends in the lateral direction, at least one of the lateral ends having a portion between the end portions, which is located inwardly in the lateral direction to form extra airflow space so that air-flow spaces are formed between a left lateral end of the first tether and a left side of the knee-bag and between a right lateral end of the first tether and a right side of the knee-bag, and
a second tether provided in the narrow width portion to be spaced from the first tether.
2. A knee-bag according to claim 1 , wherein said first tether further includes a middle portion between the lateral ends excluding the end portions, said middle portion having a width in the lateral direction, said width being less than each of widths at the end portions.
3. A knee-bag according to claim 2 , wherein said middle portion is spaced from the end portions in the thickness direction.
4. A knee-bag according to claim 1 , wherein said second tether has a middle and end portions substantially same as those of said first tether.
5. A knee-bag according to claim 1 , wherein said second member includes an opening for an inflator at a lower portion of the narrow portion, said second tether being located between the opening and said first tether.
6. A knee-bag according to claim 5 , further comprising a diffuser situated inside the narrow portion for covering the opening.
7. An occupant leg protection apparatus comprising the knee-bag according to claim 1 and an inflator for inflating the airbag.
8. A knee-bag according to claim 1 , wherein said portion located inwardly in the lateral direction of the first tether is dented laterally in the tether.
9. A knee-bag according to claim 8 , wherein said portion is located inwardly in the lateral direction relative to tips of the end portions at a side of said portion.
10. A knee-bag according to claim 1 , wherein said first tether has lateral lengths different in a thickness direction thereof so that the airflow space formed by the first tether when the knee-bag is inflated is substantially circular.
11. A knee-bag according to claim 10 , wherein the air flow spaces formed at two lateral sides of the first tether are substantially circular when the knee-bag is inflated.