Knee bolster device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751485-B2
Application number	US-201514863445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2015
Priority date	Nov 6, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A knee bolster device for a vehicle includes a lower crash pad panel having a composite material injection-molded thereto at a rear surface of the lower crash pad panel to improve rigidity of the lower crash pad panel. A shock absorbing foam is mounted on a rear surface of the lower crash pad panel and absorbs an impact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A knee bolster device for a vehicle, comprising: a lower crash pad panel made up of an injection-molded composite material having a continuous fiber and a thermoplastic material woven in a net shape to form woven fabric and so that the woven fabric is stacked in a multi-layered shape thereto at a rear surface of the lower crash pad panel to improve rigidity of the lower crash pad panel, wherein the rear surface of the lower crash pad panel faces a forward direction of the vehicle;
a shock absorbing foam mounted on the rear surface of the lower crash pad panel, the shock absorbing foam being configured to absorb an impact; and
a rear supporting bracket formed at one side of a cowl cross bar to be spaced apart from a rear side of the shock absorbing foam, the rear side facing the forward direction of the vehicle at a predetermined interval and the rear supporting bracket having one end opened, wherein the rear supporting bracket is configured to absorb the impact while deforming together with the shock absorbing foam.

2. The knee bolster device of claim 1 , wherein the lower crash pad panel includes a pocket, on which the shock absorbing foam is mounted, protruding on the rear surface of the lower crash pad panel.

3. The knee bolster device of claim 2 , wherein the shock absorbing foam is mounted at one of a left side and a right side of the lower crash pad panel.

4. The knee bolster device of claim 1 , wherein the composite material is inserted into the lower crash pad panel to improve the rigidity of the lower crash pad panel.

5. The knee bolster device of claim 1 , further comprising:
the cowl cross bar installed inside the lower crash pad panel in a width direction of the vehicle.

6. The knee bolster device of claim 2 , wherein the shock absorbing foam is mounted at both of a left side and a right side of the lower crash pad panel.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• An Jae Hyun

Classifications

• B60R2021/0051

  Knees · CPC title

• B60R21/055

  Padded {or energy-absorbing} fittings {, e.g. seat belt anchors (sun visors B60J3/00; head rests B60N2/80)} · CPC title

• B60R21/205

  in dashboards · CPC title

• B60R21/206

  in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees · CPC title

• B60R21/045 Primary

  associated with the instrument panel or dashboard · CPC title