CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0059994, filed on May 22, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Field

Exemplary embodiments relate to a cover device of an airbag, and more particularly, to a cover device of an airbag capable of preventing a safety accident in which a passenger is injured due to the release of a cover unit.

Discussion of the Background

In general, an airbag device is a device which protects an occupant with a cushioning force as an airbag cushion is inflated by the pressure of a gas introduced therein when a vehicle accident occurs. Airbag devices include a driver seat airbag device which is mounted on a steering wheel, a passenger seat airbag device which is mounted over a glove box, a knee airbag device which is mounted on an instrument panel, a curtain airbag device which is mounted along a roof rail, and a side airbag device which is mounted to the side surface of a seat. The driver seat airbag device includes an inflator which generates a gas and an airbag cushion which is inflated and deployed to protect a driver when the gas generated from the inflator is introduced therein. The airbag cushion is kept in a folded state in the steering wheel when a vehicle accident does not occur, and is unfolded and deployed when a vehicle accident occurs and the gas generated from the inflator is introduced therein. An airbag cover which covers the surface of the steering wheel receiving the airbag cushion is formed with tear lines, and is torn along the tear lines when the airbag cushion is deployed. The airbag cover is torn along the tear lines, and a hinge portion is provided at an end portion of the airbag cover where the tear lines end and allows the airbag cover to rotate thereabout and thereby open the surface of the steering wheel. However, since the area of the hinge portion is narrow and thus a stress is concentrated on the hinge portion, the airbag cover may be completely torn to be released from the hinge portion, thereby causing an injury to the driver. Therefore, there is a need to solve such a problem.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and, therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute prior art.

SUMMARY

Features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a cover device of an airbag capable of preventing a safety accident in which a passenger is injured as a cover unit is released.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a cover device of an airbag including: a cover unit formed with first tear lines, and able to be torn along the first tear lines; and a housing unit formed to extend in a direction from a rim of the cover unit, and formed with second tear lines, wherein portions of the housing unit are torn along the second tear lines and rotate by the cover unit which is torn and rotates.

The cover device may further include first hinge units positioned between ends of the first tear lines, and connected with the cover unit and the housing unit.

The housing unit may include an outer housing part connected with the first hinge units, and formed with the second tear lines, wherein portions of the outer housing part are torn along the second tear lines and rotate along with the cover unit; and an inner housing part disposed inside the outer housing part, and connected with the cover unit, the first hinge units and the outer housing part.

The second tear lines may be disposed in a lengthwise direction on the outer housing part.

The second tear lines may be disposed on lines, respectively, which meet with the ends of the first tear lines.

The second tear lines may be disposed on an inner surface of the outer housing part.

The outer housing part may include outer base housing portions connected with the inner housing part; outer rotating housing portions connected with the first hinge units and the inner housing part, and rotating when the cover unit rotates; and the second tear lines formed between the outer base housing portions and the outer rotating housing portions.

When the cover unit rotates about the first hinge units, the outer rotating housing portions may be torn along the second tear lines, may be separated from the outer base housing portions, and may rotate together with the cover unit.

The inner housing part may include second hinge portions connected with the first hinge units and the outer rotating housing portions; and an inner body housing portion connected with the second hinge portions and the cover unit, and disposed to be spaced apart from the outer housing part.

When the first tear lines and the second tear lines are torn, the cover unit and the outer rotating housing portions may rotate about the first hinge units and the second hinge portions.

In the cover device of an airbag according to the embodiments of the disclosure, as portions of an outer housing part, that is, outer rotating housing portions, are torn along second tear lines formed in the outer housing part and rotate together with a cover unit, hinge regions may be widened to prevent the cover unit from being released from first hinge units due to stress concentrations on the first hinge units, thereby preventing a safety accident in which a passenger is injured.

Also, in the cover device of an airbag according to the embodiments of the disclosure, since the second tear lines are not only disposed in a lengthwise direction on the outer housing part but also disposed to meet with ends of first tear lines, respectively, when the cover unit rotates about the first hinge units, the second tear lines may be easily torn to widen the hinge regions.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

