Steering column adjustment assembly

• US 10,328,966 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Riefe, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US15/620,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20180354545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 74492, 74493, 701 45, 701 47
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/181 with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/183 adjustable between in-use and out-of-use positions, e.g. to improve access
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/189 the entire column being tiltable as a unit
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/197 incorporating devices for preventing ingress of the steering column into the passengers space in case of accident

Abstract

A steering column adjustment assembly includes a steering column that is automatically adjustable in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode. Also included is a controller receiving information from at least one detection component, the controller adjusting the steering column in the autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode to a position that is selected for an impact event, the position determined by at least one factor related to the information received from the at least one detection component.

Claims

1. A steering column adjustment assembly comprising:

a steering column that is adjustable over a range of positions, the steering column manually adjustable by a driver in a manual driving mode and automatically adjustable in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode;

at least one sensor detecting a seated configuration of a driver; and

a controller in operative communication with the at least one sensor, the controller adjusting the steering column in the autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode to a position that is selected for an impact event, the position determined at least partially by the seated configuration of the driver.

2. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is one of a plurality of sensors.

3. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 2, wherein a weight sensor is one of the plurality of sensors.

4. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 2, wherein a height sensor is one of the plurality of sensors.

5. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 2, wherein a seat position sensor is one of the plurality of sensors.

6. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 1, wherein the position that is selected for an impact event is determined by a plurality of factors.

7. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 6, wherein the plurality of factors comprises at least two of a weight of the driver, a seated height of the driver, a seat position of a seat that the driver is seated in, and a vehicle speed.

8. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 1, wherein the steering column is retracted to a fully retracted position if the determined position is outside of a range of positions stored in the controller.

9. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 1, wherein the steering column is adjusted with at least one column actuator that is in operative communication with the controller.

10. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 1, including a manual adjustment mode of the steering column to manually adjust the steering column in the autonomous driving mode.

11. A steering column adjustment assembly comprising:

a steering column that is automatically adjustable in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode; and

a controller receiving information from at least one detection component, the controller adjusting the steering column in the autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode to a position that is selected for an impact event, the position determined by at least one factor related to the information received from the at least one detection component.

12. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 11, wherein the at least one detection component detects at least one of a weight of a driver, a seated height of the driver, a seat position of a seat that the driver is seated in, and a vehicle speed.

13. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 11, wherein the steering column is retracted to a fully retracted position if the determined position is outside of a range of positions stored in the controller.

14. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 11, wherein the steering column is automatically adjusted with at least one column actuator that is in operative communication with the controller.

15. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 11, wherein the driver may override the automatic adjustment of the steering column to manually adjust the steering column in the autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode.

16. The steering column adjustment assembly of claim 11, wherein the steering column is manually adjustable by a driver in a manual driving mode.

17. A method of adjusting a steering column assembly comprising:

obtaining data related to a seated configuration of a driver with a plurality of sensors;

communicating the data to a controller;

determining a seated configuration of the driver with the controller;

determining a selected position of a steering column based on the seated configuration of the driver; and

adjusting the steering column to the selected position during operation of the steering column in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data obtained comprises at least one of driver weight data, driver seated height data, and seat position data.