Steering wheel retracting device for vehicle

• US 20070241548A1
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jian Fong
• Original Assignee: Jian Fong
• Inventors: Fong, Jian
• Application Number:
  US11/403,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/777
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/09 Control elements or operating handles movable from an operative to an out-of-the way position, e.g. pedals, switch knobs, window cranks specially adapted for brake pedals, e.g. by venting of master cylinder or destruction of force transmitting rod, B60T7/065
• 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 wheel retracting device includes a steering wheel of a vehicle, and a moving device for moving the steering wheel relative to the vehicle to selectively move the steering wheel away from a vehicle driver when a car accident is happened. A cylinder housing may be attached to the vehicle, and a shaft is engaged through the cylinder housing for coupling the steering wheel to the front wheels of the vehicle. A piston rod is slidably engaged onto the shaft and has a piston slidably engaged in the cylinder housing, and an actuator is coupled to the cylinder housing for selectively moving the piston relative to the cylinder housing to retract the steering wheel away from the vehicle driver.

Claims

1. A steering wheel retracting device comprising:

a steering wheel provided in a vehicle, and

means for moving said steering wheel relative to the vehicle to selectively move said steering wheel away from a vehicle driver when a car accident is happened.

2. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said moving means includes a cylinder housing for attaching to the vehicle and having a chamber formed therein, and a shaft engaged through said chamber of said cylinder housing and having an upper portion attached to said steering wheel.

3. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cylinder housing includes at least one bearing disposed between said cylinder housing and said shaft.

4. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said shaft includes a bore formed therein, a coupling device is provided for coupling to front wheels of the vehicle and includes a link having an upper portion engageable into said bore of said shaft for coupling said steering wheel to the front wheels of the vehicle.

5. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said shaft includes at least one guiding rib formed therein and extended into said bore of said shaft, and said link includes at least one guiding rib provided on said upper portion of said link for engaging with said at least one guiding rib of said shaft and allowing said link of said coupling device to be rotated by said shaft.

6. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said moving means includes a piston rod slidably engaged onto said shaft and includes a piston provided on said piston rod and slidably engaged in said chamber of said cylinder housing for separating said chamber of said cylinder housing into a first space and a second space, and an actuator coupled to said second space of said cylinder housing for selectively moving said piston relative to said cylinder housing.

7. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a bearing device is coupled between said piston rod and said shaft for rotatably coupling said piston rod and said shaft together but for preventing said piston rod and said shaft from moving axially relative to each other.

8. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bearing device includes at least one thrust bearing disposed between said piston rod and said shaft.

9. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bearing device includes at least one needle bearing disposed between said piston rod and said shaft.

10. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a retaining ring is engaged between said piston rod and said shaft for rotatably coupling said piston rod and said shaft together.

11. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said moving means includes at least one breakable latch for coupling said piston rod to the vehicle and for being selectively broken when said piston rod is moved relative to said cylinder housing.

12. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said moving means includes a frame for attaching to the vehicle and for attaching said at least one breakable latch.

13. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said actuator includes an outwardly extended piston rod for being actuated to supply a pressurized fluid to said second space of said cylinder housing.

14. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said actuator includes at least one check valve coupled between said cylinder housing and actuator.

15. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said actuator includes at least one relief valve coupled between said cylinder housing and actuator.

16. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said moving means includes an actuating device having a piston rod coupled to said cylinder housing for selectively moving said cylinder housing and said steering wheel away from the vehicle driver.

17. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said moving means includes a frame for attaching to the vehicle and for attaching said actuating device.

18. The steering wheel retracting device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said moving means includes an actuator coupled to said actuating device for selectively actuating said actuating device to move said cylinder housing and said steering wheel away from the vehicle driver.