FOOT PROTECTION DEVICE

Abstract

A foot protection device for a driver (34) of a vehicle including pedals comprises an inflatable first airbag (40) located beneath at least one pedal (10, 12) which, in the inflated state, extends between a bulkhead (24) delimiting the footwell and the associated pedal (10, 12). The first airbag (40) in the inflated state and in a lateral view extends from the bulkhead (24) to the front side of the pedal (10, 12) and laterally encloses the pedal (10, 12) to prevent the foot from bending.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A foot protection device for a driver (34) of a vehicle that includes pedals, comprising an inflatable first airbag (40) located beneath a pedal (10, 12) which in the inflated state is positioned between a bulkhead (24) delimiting the footwell (26) and the associated pedal (10, 12), wherein the first airbag (40) in the inflated state and in a lateral view extends from the bulkhead (24) to the front side of the pedal (10, 12) and laterally encloses the pedal (10, 12), the first airbag (40) forming solely or with the front side of the pedal or pedals (10, 12) a step-free support wall for the feet of the occupant.

16. The foot protection device according to claim 15, wherein the first airbag (40) is associated with and laterally encloses plural pedals (10, 12).

17. The foot protection device according to claim 15, wherein for the associated pedal or pedals (10, 12) the first airbag (40) has an indentation (47, 48) adapted to the shape of the respective pedal (10, 12) which indentation (47, 48) in the inflated state receives the respective pedal (10, 12) and in which indentation the latter is embedded.

18. The foot protection device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one first airbag (40) extends to the pedal or pedals (10, 12) so far that it contacts the same.

19. The foot protection device according to claim 15, wherein the first airbag (40) extends to forward of the associated pedal or pedals (10, 12) to cover the front side thereof.

20. The foot protection device according to claim 15, wherein a second airbag (52) is arranged inside the vehicle so that, in the inflated state, it is positioned between an instrument panel (30) upwardly delimiting the footwell (28) and a foot (54) of the driver (34) resting on the associated pedal (10, 12).

21. The foot protection device according to claim 20, wherein the second airbag (52) is a separate airbag or is in fluid communication with the first airbag (40).

22. The foot protection device according to claim 20, wherein the second airbag (52) is arranged in the region of a transition (38) of a ceiling portion (28) upwardly delimiting the footwell (26) to a front side (36) of the instrument panel (30) facing obliquely upwards in the direction of the knees (32) of the driver and contacts said transition (38) in the inflated state.

23. The foot protection device according to claim 20, wherein the second airbag (52) has such a volume that it contacts a foot (54) of the driver (34) resting on the associated pedal (10, 12) and, moreover, is supported on the instrument panel (30) in the region of its upper side.

24. The foot protection device according to claim 15, wherein a third airbag (60) is provided which extends starting from the first airbag (40) along the floor (22), in particular farther to the associated seat than the first airbag (40).

25. The foot protection device according to claim 24, characterized in that, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the third airbag (60) extends transversely to plural pedals (10, 12).

26. The foot protection device according to claim 24, wherein the third airbag (60) is a separate airbag or is in fluid communication with the first airbag (40).

27. The foot protection device according to claim 24, wherein the third airbag (60) has a variable maximum inflation volume.

28. The foot protection device according to claim 15, wherein the first airbag (40) extends laterally from a center tunnel (44) to a floor-side lateral foot rest (45) protruding toward the occupant from the remaining footwell and in particular covers the front side of the foot rest.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description and from the following drawings which are referred to, and wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a front view of the footwell of a vehicle comprising a foot protection device according to the invention, and

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of the foot protection device according to the invention in the inflated state when viewing the footwell from the side.

DESCRIPTION

[0031] In FIG. 1, a footwell for the driver of a vehicle is shown obliquely from above, comprising pedals including a gas pedal 10 and a brake pedal 12, the gas pedal having a gas pedal plate 14 and a gas pedal lever 16 on which the plate 14 is fastened. The brake pedal has a brake pedal plate 18 and a brake pedal lever 20.

[0032] The footwell is delimited by a substantially horizontal floor 22 from which an obliquely upward extending bulkhead 24 extends forward. In a lateral view, the footwell provided with the reference symbol 26 in FIG. 2 is delimited by a ceiling portion 28 of an instrument panel 30.

[0033] The instrument panel 30 further includes a front side 36 directed obliquely upwards in the direction of the knee 32 of the driver 34 and a transition 38 between the ceiling portion 28 and the front side 36. Said transition 38 in reality is strongly rounded and is not as angular as shown in the stylized drawing of FIG. 2.

[0034] In the shown embodiment, suspended pedals are described, i.e., the levers 16, 20 in a lateral view project downward from the ceiling portion 28. Alternatively, the levers 16, 20 can also extend through the bulkhead 24 in terms of standing pedals.

[0035] There is provided a first airbag 40 which is inflated between the bulkhead 24 and the pedals 10, 12 and which, when inflated, fills the region between a center tunnel 44 and a foot rest 45 provided at the opposite lateral end of the footwell. This means that the airbag 40 bears against the bulkhead 24.

[0036] In FIG. 1, the airbag 40 is shown in hatched lines to make it visible, although it is not cut in FIG. 1, of course.

[0037] In the inflated state, the first airbag 40, on the one hand, bears against the bulkhead 24 and, on the other hand, contacts the respective pedals 10, 12, viz. both the levers 16, 20 and the plates 14, 18 thereof.

[0038] The inflated airbag 40 should form a largely smooth support surface 46, symbolized by a broken line in FIG. 2. To achieve this, the airbag 40 encloses the pedals 10, 12 including their plates 14, 18 laterally up to the front side thereof and, optionally, may even extend forward around the plates 14, 18.

[0039] On the rear side, the airbag 40 contacts the plates 14, 18 to support the pedals 10, 12.

[0040] As an alternative to the variant in which the airbag 40 extends forward around the pedals to cover the front side thereof, the airbag 40 may be provided, on the front side, with indentations 47, 48 which are adapted to the shape of each of the pedals 10 and, resp., 12 and in which the pedals 10 and, resp., 12 are located when the airbag 40 is completely inflated. In this way, the airbag 40 with its front wall and with the front side of the plates 14, 18 forms a largely step-free support surface level with the front sides of the plates 14, 18.

[0041] Said indentations 47, 48 can be materialized by darts, intermediate walls or tethers on the airbag 40.

[0042] The first airbag 40 can be accommodated either in the region of the bulkhead 24, i.e., behind the bulkhead or in a module housing forward of the bulkhead, or above the ceiling portion 28 of the instrument panel 30.

[0043] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the airbag includes an inflation mouth 50 positioned in the upper region of the airbag 40 at the ceiling portion 28, wherein it might alternatively also be placed vertically in the middle of the footwell behind the pedals 10, 12. The respective gas generator would also be provided in the region of the inflation mouth 50 or spaced apart from the inflation mouth 50, wherein, in this case, a connecting tube connects the gas generator to the inflation mouth 50.

[0044] In the inflated state of the illustrated foot protection device, there is also a second airbag 52 extending transversely to the pedals 10, 12 and behind the same (based on the driving direction) and above the same.

[0045] Said second airbag 52 is a joint airbag for all pedals 10, 12.

[0046] When viewed in a lateral view, said second airbag 52 extends preferably, which is not to be understood in a limiting sense, in the region of the transition 38.

[0047] The second airbag 52 has a such a volume that it reaches close to the foot 54 of the driver 34 and in particular also contacts the foot.

[0048] The second airbag 52 may be a separate airbag having a separate gas source 70. As an alternative, the airbag 52 is fluid-communicated with the first airbag 40. A third option consists in the fact that the second airbag 52 and the first airbag 40 form a joint airbag having plural chambers. One chamber or more chambers forms or form the first airbag 40, and one or more chambers forms or form the second airbag 52, wherein all of said chambers can be fluid-communicated with each other.

[0049] The driver 34 is symbolized by a 5%, a 50% or a 95% dummy with respect to his/her dimensions.

[0050] When, in a case of restraint, the foot 54 of the said driver 34 is moved rearward or upward, either by the first airbag 40 or by a deformation of the bulkhead 24 or a movement of the pedals 10, 12 in the direction of the vehicle tail, the movement of the foot 54 is either restrained by the second airbag 52 or the movement thereof is at least damped.

[0051] There is further provided a third airbag 60 that is complementary to the first airbag 40 and extends from the floor 22 upward up to the plates 14, 18 and into a region of the heel of the foot 54 of the driver 34 so as to reduce or even prevent a downward movement of the foot 54. The first and third airbags 40 and 60 may contact each other to form the afore-mentioned smooth support surface 46.

[0052] As an option, the first airbag 40 and the third airbag 60 can complete each other to form a joint airbag, similarly to the case of the first airbag 40 and the second airbag 52. Also in this case, in a large airbag, plural chambers are provided which are fluid-communicated with each other and form the first airbag 40 and the second airbag 52.

[0053] It may also be reasonable to design the third airbag 60 to be larger than shown in FIG. 2, as the third airbag which extends from the first airbag 40 along the floor 22 extends even farther toward the associated seat. This means that said third airbag, which is shown by the reference symbol 60′ and by the dot-dash line in FIG. 2, forms a kind of bead projecting toward the seat. When the foot of the occupant rests on the floor 22 in the comfort position, as this is the case with the foot 54′ of the driver 34′ shown on the right in FIG. 2, the airbag 60′ forms an even more effective heel run-on surface, for said run-on surface is located more closely to the foot than this is the case with the airbag 60. Thus, in the case of restraint, the leg is particularly prevented from straightening.

[0054] Alternatively, the third airbag has a variable maximum inflation volume, as, e.g., plural chambers are provided, a multi-stage gas generator inflates the airbag more or less strongly, and/or optionally releasable tethers are provided in its interior, just to name a few measures.

[0055] Depending on how far the occupant's feet 34, 34′ are away from the bulkhead 24, viz. how the feet 34, 34′ are positioned, the airbag is inflated such that it either has the volume sketched by reference symbol 60 or adopts the volume sketched by reference symbol 60′.

[0056] In one embodiment, sensors inside the vehicle detect the feet or allow conclusions of the position of the feet to appropriately inflate the airbag 60.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment, the airbag may comprise a passive venting device. Such a passive venting device includes at least one outflow opening and at least one closure element. For example, the venting device may be configured such that the outflow opening is closed by the closure element only if the feet 34′ of the occupant have a particular minimum distance from the bulkhead 24. If the feet 34 have a distance smaller than the minimum distance, the passive venting device is configured so that the outflow opening is not closed by the closure element and gas can flow out through the outflow opening.

[0058] In one embodiment, for example, the closure element of the passive venting device is connected to the airbag cover via a tether. If, in this embodiment, the feet 34′ have the minimum distance from the bulkhead, the airbag 60 can deploy unobstructed, thus causing the tether connected to the airbag shell to be tensioned and to pull the closure element over the outflow opening and close the latter so that the airbag adopts the volume sketched by the reference symbol 60′. If the occupant's feet 34 are close to the bulkhead 24, however, the deployment of the airbag 60 is restricted at an early stage by the feet 34 and the tether connected to the airbag shell is not tensioned. Thus, the closure element is not pulled over the outflow opening and the outflow opening remains opened. In this case, the airbag adopts the volume sketched by the reference symbol 60.

[0059] It is emphasized that the instrument panel 30 cannot only be a singular part but is composed of several parts including further covers specifically in the region of the ceiling portion 28.

[0060] Concerning the lateral extension of the airbags, it is mentioned that the first airbag 40 may also have such a width that it covers the front side of the foot rest 45.

[0061] The third airbag 60 preferably extends, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, also transversely over the entire width of the footwell.

[0062] The afore-mentioned individual features are not limited to a combination, but rather can be combined with each other at will. There are no limitations concerning the possible combinations, for the features per se offer individual advantages which may be complementary to other features.

[0063] Another invention (not shown) consists in providing the first airbag 40, of course without respective indentations, for the front passenger. Said passenger airbag has corresponding effects also for the feet and legs of the passenger. Consequently, it can be appropriately equipped just as the afore-described first airbag, except for the fact that no pedals are provided, of course. In this case, too, a second airbag 52 and/or a third airbag 60 may be provided in the same variety of variants—correspondingly fluid-communicated or not fluid-communicated with the first airbag 40 and having a smooth support surface 46 or having a bead-like projecting airbag 60′.