Adaptive energy absorber

• US 20050194777A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Riefe, Richard K., Manwaring, Marvin V., Tinnin, Lee M., Jwalapathy, Ravindra, Armstrong, Ray G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,118,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/777
• 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: F16F 7/123 Deformation involving a bending action, e.g. strap moving through multiple rollers, folding of members F16F7/125, F16F7/128 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/128 characterised by the members, e.g. a flat strap, yielding through stretching, pulling apart

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for absorbing energy. The energy absorbing device includes an anvil movable relative to a spaced axis. The anvil defines a plurality of profiles corresponding to different rates of energy absorption. The plurality of profiles are radially adjacent to one another with respect to axis. The anvil can be moved by explosive charges. For example, the anvil can define a follower portion adjacent a first explosive charge and move in response to an explosion of the first explosive charge.

Claims

1. An apparatus for absorbing energy in a collapsible steering column of a vehicle in response to an excessive frontal impacting force to the steering column so that injury to the vehicle operator is reduced comprising:

an anvil for variably transmitting an amount of energy associated with collapse of a steering column by being movable with respect to a spaced axis and having a plurality of different bending profiles radially spaced with respect to said axis;

a strap for absorbing energy transmitted by said anvil by being deformable during sliding movement across one of said profiles; and

a moving device for adjusting an amount of energy absorbed by said strap by moving said anvil with respect to said axis to selectively position one of said bending profiles adjacent to said strap to adjust a rate of deformation of said strap.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said anvil is further defined as including a follower portion engageable with said moving device during movement of said anvil.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein moving rotating device is further defined as including an explosive charge.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said explosive charge is further defined as including first and second explosive charges, and wherein said follower portion is further defined as including first and second follower portions, and wherein said first explosive charge being adjacent to said first follower portion and said second explosive charge being adjacent to said second follower portion, and wherein said anvil being movable in a first direction in response to an explosion of said first explosive charge and movable in a second direction in response to an explosion of said second explosive charge.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said axis is further defined as extending parallel to said strap.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said moving device includes a housing defining a slot and said anvil being movably positioned in said slot.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said slot is further defined as being angular.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said anvil is further defined as being rotatable about said axis.