Steering column system for vehicle occupant safety

• US 10,144,382 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Shanks, Kurt, Phillips, Barry, Gotwals, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Frisby, Keith J
• Application Number:
  US14/969,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20170166155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 280731, 280777
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0032 Position of passenger
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/268 using instantaneous release of stored pressurised gas B60R21/26005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/105 Non-rotatable hubs, e.g. the central part of the steering wheel not rotating
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/192 Yieldable or collapsible columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/195 Yieldable supports for the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 3/12 of rack-and-pinion type

Abstract

A steering column system of a vehicle includes: a rotatable, hollow steering shaft that has a proximal end attached to a steering wheel and is configured to transfer rotational input at the steering wheel to a steering rack of the vehicle; a stationary driver-side airbag (DAB) shaft that is surrounded by the steering shaft and extends along the steering shaft; and a DAB module that contains an airbag and is fixedly mounted to a proximal end of the DAB shaft within a region of the steering wheel. The airbag contained in the DAB module is formed to have a substantially circular center chamber and a pair of side extension chambers, one of the side extension chambers disposed on a right side of the center chamber, and the other of the side extension chambers disposed on a left side of the center chamber.

Claims

1. A steering column system of a vehicle comprising:

a rotatable, hollow steering shaft that has a proximal end attached to a steering wheel and is configured to transfer rotational input at the steering wheel to a steering rack of the vehicle;

a stationary driver-side airbag (DAB) shaft that is surrounded by the steering shaft and extends along the steering shaft;

a DAB module that contains an airbag and is fixedly mounted to a proximal end of the DAB shaft within a region of the steering wheel; and

a magnetic assembly that is configured to hold the DAB shaft in a stationary manner,

wherein the airbag contained in the DAB module is formed to have a substantially circular center chamber and a pair of side extension chambers, one of the side extension chambers disposed on a right side of the center chamber, and the other of the side extension chambers disposed on a left side of the center chamber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein inflation of the side extension chambers occurs more slowly than inflation of the center chamber.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the side extension chambers remain inflated for a longer period than the center chamber.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein end portions of the side extension chambers are curved toward a driver of the vehicle when the airbag is inflated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more gas vents are disposed on the airbag to allow for compressed gas used to inflate the airbag to exit the airbag.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic assembly includes:

one or more interior magnets disposed inside of the steering shaft, and

one or more exterior magnets disposed outside of the steering shaft positioned to be in alignment with the one or more interior magnets.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more interior magnets are embedded in an outer portion of the DAB shaft.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more exterior magnets are mounted to an outer surface of a stationary outer shaft assembly that encloses the steering shaft and the DAB shaft.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the steering wheel and the steering shaft are configured to rotate independently of the DAB module and the DAB shaft, respectively.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the DAB module is fixedly mounted at a central region of the steering wheel.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the DAB module remains in a fixed position while the steering wheel rotates about the DAB module.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the steering shaft is directly attached to the steering wheel.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is attached to the DAB module.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a spacing component that is disposed along an interior of the steering shaft to prevent contact between the DAB shaft and the steering shaft.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a stationary outer shaft assembly that encloses the steering shaft and the DAB shaft.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a spacing component that is disposed along an interior of the outer shaft assembly to prevent contact between the outer shaft assembly and the steering shaft or the DAB shaft.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more internal energy absorbing components that are disposed inside of the steering shaft for absorbing energy during a collision event.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more external energy absorbing components that are disposed outside of the steering shaft for absorbing energy during a collision event.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the DAB shaft is substantially hollow and allows for passage of compressed air therethrough to inflate the airbag contained in the DAB module.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a compressed gas assembly that is configured to supply compressed gas to inflate the airbag contained in the DAB module.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the compressed gas assembly includes:

a compressed gas providing member that provides compressed gas to inflate the airbag; and

a compressed gas transfer member that is disposed around gas portals formed in the steering shaft and configured to receive the compressed gas provided from the compressed gas providing member and to transfer the received compressed gas into the steering shaft through the gas portals.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein an inlet is formed in the DAB shaft to receive compressed gas flowing through the steering shaft.

23. A steering column system of a vehicle comprising:

a rotatable, hollow steering shaft that has a proximal end attached to a steering wheel and is configured to transfer rotational input at the steering wheel to a steering rack of the vehicle;

a stationary driver-side airbag (DAB) shaft that is surrounded by the steering shaft and extends along the steering shaft; and

a DAB module that contains an airbag and is fixedly mounted to a proximal end of the DAB shaft within a region of the steering wheel,

wherein the airbag contained in the DAB module is formed to have a substantially circular center chamber and a pair of side extension chambers, one of the side extension chambers disposed on a right side of the center chamber, and the other of the side extension chambers disposed on a left side of the center chamber, and

wherein the steering shaft includes an upper portion and a lower portion connected together via a breakaway mechanism which allows the upper portion and the lower portion to separate from one another during a collision event.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

an energy absorbing component that is disposed near a location where the upper portion connects to the lower portion for absorbing energy during a collision event.

25. A steering column system of a vehicle comprising:

a rotatable, hollow steering shaft that has a proximal end attached to a steering wheel and is configured to transfer rotational input at the steering wheel to a steering rack of the vehicle;

a stationary driver-side airbag (DAB) shaft that is surrounded by the steering shaft and extends along the steering shaft;

a DAB module that contains an airbag and is fixedly mounted to a proximal end of the DAB shaft within a region of the steering wheel; and

a magnetic assembly that is configured to hold the DAB shaft in a stationary manner, wherein the magnetic assembly includes one or more interior magnets disposed inside of the steering shaft and one or more exterior magnets disposed outside of the steering shaft positioned to be in alignment with the one or more interior magnets.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more interior magnets are embedded in an outer portion of the DAB shaft.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more exterior magnets are mounted to an outer surface of a stationary outer shaft assembly that encloses the steering shaft and the DAB shaft.