An energy absorbing member for use in an automobile to absorb occupant impact forces. The energy absorbing member includes a hollow membrane defining a cushion with a plurality of chambers. The membrane includes walls defining the chambers and orifices hydraulically interconnecting the plurality of chambers to equalize fluid pressure within each of the chambers and dissipate impact forces acting on the membrane by conveying fluid between the plurality of chambers when the energy absorbing member...

A knee bolster for protecting the passengers of a motor vehicle comprises one or more deformable members positioned generally forward of each vehicle passenger; ultrasonic sensors for determining the position of the knees and tibiae of each passenger within the motor vehicle relative to the deformable members; and means responsive to the sensing means for articulating and translating each deformable member relative to the vehicle interior and, hence, relative to the knees and tibiae of each pass...

A protector for preventing legs and feet of a person in a vehicle when it collided consists of a panel in the form of a curved body extending toward a seat for the person and is provided with a pad adhered to a surface facing said seat. The protector disclosed herein includes the panel comprising at least one closed channel including a space therein filled with an energy absorption member, thereby greatly increasing plastic deformation load and yield load of the panel to prevent the legs and fee...

Provided at the occupant's side of a steering post is an energy absorbing knee protector, which is normally covered by a knee panel, whereby the occupant does not observe and contact the knee protector. In an emergency of the vehicle, if the knees of the occupant collide with the knee panel to deform the same, the knee panel imparts an energy of collision generated in the knees to the knee protector by deforming the same, so that the energy of collision can be effectively absorbed.

An air bag device comprising an air bag that is disposed between an under-window panel and a lining that covers a cabin interior side thereof and deploys upward along an inside surface of the window; and an impact absorption member that interposes between the air bag and the lining.

In a knee protection system according to the present invention, a knee protection panel is driven from a standby position surrounded by an interior member to the vehicle rear side to a knee-protecting position in front of the knees of an occupant by a drive mechanism when the vehicle is crashing, whereby the knees moving forward are protected by the knee protection panel thus driven. The drive mechanism includes a holding portion for holding the knee protection panel in such a manner that the kn...

An apparatus (10) helps to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) that has a roof (18), a side structure (16), and a trim piece (310) overlying the side structure. The apparatus (10) includes an inflatable curtain (14) inflatable away from the vehicle roof (18) to a position adjacent the side structure (16). The apparatus (10) also includes a deployment ramp (160) having a deployment position in which the deployment ramp directs the inflatable curtain (14) to deploy inboard of the trim piece (310...

A safety device for use in an automobile that comprises a bolster and a telescoping mechanism. The telescoping mechanism extends when pressurized by the rapid introduction of a fluid. Following extension, the telescoping mechanism vents the fluid to allow the device to be retracted.

An occupant protection apparatus has a panel which constitutes part of a passenger compartment side surface of an instrument panel and which is separatable from the instrument panel to move when at least a knee load of an occupant is inputted. There are a plurality of support members which face transverse end portions of the panel, respectively, and which have a rigidity higher than that of the instrument panel.

An impact absorbing knee bolster is provided with an impact absorbing structure and a knee bolster main body plate. The impact absorbing structure includes a pair of upper brackets having a first impact deformation load threshold and a pair of lower brackets having a second impact deformation load threshold that is lower than the first impact deformation load threshold. The knee bolster main body plate includes bracket attachment parts contacting the upper and lower brackets with a prescribed ga...