An airbag system for restraining a lower body of a vehicle occupant during a collision event and a method for deploying the same are disclosed. The airbag system includes a panel and a restraining airbag. The panel defines a support surface that is adapted to be deployed from a first configuration to a second configuration responsive to the collision event. In the first configuration, the panel forms part of an instrument panel of a vehicle and, in the second configuration, the panel is at least partially separated from the instrument panel of the vehicle. The restraining airbag is adapted to be deployed adjacent to the support surface of the panel between the support surface and the lower body of the vehicle occupant responsive to the collision event.

A knee airbag apparatus including a housing part that is formed such that one side thereof is open, a cover part covering the open portion of the housing part, a cushion part that is accommodated in a folded state inside the housing part and connected to an inflator, and a flap part surrounding the folded cushion part on a side of the cover part, and blocking a gap between the housing part and a lower panel of a vehicle to substantially prevent the cushion part from being caught by the lower panel when the cushion part is deployed.

A support apparatus includes a gas-fillable support that is connectable to a gas generator. The gas-fillable support is securable to a body of a motor vehicle and has a first operating state which exists before the gas generator is activated and which has a first volume. The gas-fillable support has a second operating state which exists after the gas generator is activated and which has a second volume which is greater than the first volume. The gas-fillable support in the second operating state is contactable against a first portion which is operationally connected to the body and is contactable against a second portion which is operationally connected to the body and which is remote from the first end portion. A first mechanical strength of the gas-fillable support in the first operating state is less than a second mechanical strength of the gas-fillable support in the second operating state.

An airbag assembly includes an airbag having a knee chamber and an upper chamber. A wall fluidly isolates the knee chamber and the upper chamber. A sleeve extends from the knee chamber through the wall to the upper chamber and fluidly communicates the knee chamber and the upper chamber. A one-way vent is in the sleeve. The one-way vent allows for the knee chamber and the upper chamber to be maintained at different relative pressures.

The invention describes a vehicle occupant restraint system (2) comprising a control unit and at least two restraint elements (8, 10) for the protection of lower extremities (6, 6′, 7, 7′) in the area of a footwell (4) of a vehicle of a vehicle occupant seated in a particular vehicle seat of the vehicle, wherein a first restraint element (8) is configured as a knee airbag module (12), wherein a second restraint element (10) is provided for mounting into the footwell (4) of the vehicle, especially in an area of the footwell (4) of the vehicle arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x) ahead of the knee airbag module (12), wherein, in a situation of restraint, the control unit can differentiate between different given situations, wherein the given situation can be determined via a vehicle seat position and parameters relating to vehicle occupants, wherein, in the situation of restraint, when a situation is given in which the vehicle seat (5) is in a position shifted backwards, especially in a position shifted backwards compared to the standard position, and the vehicle occupant is a short and/or light person, the control unit only activates the foot airbag module (16) of the second restraint element (10).

A vehicle airbag control system has an airbag module, a detector and an electronic controller. The airbag module has an airbag that is configured to be positioned below a vehicle floor panel in an undeployed state. The airbag that is configured to be positioned to be above the vehicle floor panel in the deployed state. The detector is configured to detect a presence of an obstruction over the airbag module at a location above the vehicle floor panel. The electronic controller is programmed to deploy the airbag based on a detected result of the detector.

An air bag device to be installed in a vehicle provided with a front seat and a rear seat disposed away from each other in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a reclining mechanism provided in the front seat to allow a seat back to pivot about a reclining pivot axis includes an air bag that deploys from a back surface of the seat back of the front seat toward the rear seat. At least an upper rear portion of the air bag in a deployed state is formed into an arc shape about the reclining pivot axis in a side view of the vehicle.

The present description relates to an occupant protecting system for a vehicle, a vehicle comprising such an occupant protecting system and an occupant protecting method for such a vehicle. The occupant protecting system comprises a seat assembly, a sensor unit, an actuator unit and a control unit. The sensor unit is configured to generate crash monitoring data of the vehicle. The control unit is configured to determine a crash type based on the crash monitoring data in case of a collision of the vehicle. The actuator unit comprises a pyrotechnic element. The actuator unit is arranged at the seat assembly and capable to adjust a position of the seat assembly. The control unit is configured to cause the actuator unit based on the crash type.

A knee airbag configured to rapidly restrain the knees of a passenger and reduce the risk of injury to the passenger by changing a deployment angle of the airbag depending on a seated state of the passenger, the knee airbag including an airbag module coupled to a hinge structure inside a cockpit and configured to rotate around the hinge structure to change a deployment direction of a cushion, a driving unit configured to provide rotational force to the airbag module, and a controller configured to adjust a rotation angle of the airbag module by operating the driving unit based on the seated state of the passenger.

A knee airbag configured to rapidly restrain the knees of a passenger and reduce the risk of injury to the passenger by changing a deployment angle of the airbag depending on a seated state of the passenger, the knee airbag including an airbag module coupled to a hinge structure inside a cockpit and configured to rotate around the hinge structure to change a deployment direction of a cushion, a driving unit configured to provide rotational force to the airbag module, and a controller configured to adjust a rotation angle of the airbag module by operating the driving unit based on the seated state of the passenger.