Active knee protection system

摘要

An active leg engagement system for a vehicle includes a selectively deployable leg-engaging member containing an airbag or expandable energy absorber for protecting a pedestrian from collision with the vehicle. An alternative embodiment may include an expandable energy absorber within or behind a vehicle bumper.

主权项

1. An active leg engagement system comprising:
a selectively deployable leg-engaging member; and an expandable energy absorbing device stored within said selectively deployable leg-engaging member, said expandable energy absorbing device actuatable upon said system detecting a pedestrian, wherein said expandable energy absorbing device is an airbag, and wherein the leg-engaging member is structured to reside in a stowed position prior to activation, and wherein the leg-engaging member is structured to be movable, prior to contact between a vehicle and a pedestrian and prior to deployment of the airbag, to a deployed position so the airbag engages a leg of a pedestrian when the pedestrian is positioned in front of a front bumper of the vehicle.