Occupant knee restraint
First Claim
1. The combination comprising, an automotive vehicle including an occupant compartment for supporting a driver in seated attitude, an energy absorbing steering column assembly for absorbing the kinetic energy of the upper torso of said driver when engaged thereby, column support means mounted on the vehicle, means mounting said steering column assembly to said column support means, a knee restraint including a center portion partially surrounding the lower part of said steering column assembly and a pair of knee deformable side portions, each located to one side of said steering column assembly and engageable by the knees of said driver to absorb kinetic energy of the lower torso of said driver and control the kinematics of the upper torso of said driver with respect to said steering column assembly, and rigid generally U-shaped bracket means including a base portion connected to said center portion of said knee restraint below said lower part of said steering column assembly and spaced leg portions, each located to one side of said steering column assembly and secured to said column support means, said bracket means being spaced from said column assembly and blocking deformation of said center portion into said steering column assembly upon engagement of said driver'"'"'s knees with said knee restraint.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle body includes an energy absorbing steering column having a forward portion rigidly secured to the forward wall of the body and a rearward portion slidably connected by energy absorbing structure to the forward portion for movement forwardly thereof under impact. A rigid bracket structure extends rearwardly from the forward body wall. Impact releasable structure secures the column bracket structure to the rearward portion of the column. The rigid bracket structure guides movement of the column bracket structure during forward movement of the rearward column portion. A knee panel is mounted on the body opposite the driver and includes a center portion which partially surrounds the lower part of the rearward column portion and driver knee deformable side portions to each side of the center portion. A U-shaped bracket has its base secured to the center portion of the knee panel and has its legs straddling the rearward column portion and secured to the rigid bracket structure, to assist in blocking deformation of the center portion into the rearward column portion.
26 Citations
1 Claim
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1. The combination comprising, an automotive vehicle including an occupant compartment for supporting a driver in seated attitude, an energy absorbing steering column assembly for absorbing the kinetic energy of the upper torso of said driver when engaged thereby, column support means mounted on the vehicle, means mounting said steering column assembly to said column support means, a knee restraint including a center portion partially surrounding the lower part of said steering column assembly and a pair of knee deformable side portions, each located to one side of said steering column assembly and engageable by the knees of said driver to absorb kinetic energy of the lower torso of said driver and control the kinematics of the upper torso of said driver with respect to said steering column assembly, and rigid generally U-shaped bracket means including a base portion connected to said center portion of said knee restraint below said lower part of said steering column assembly and spaced leg portions, each located to one side of said steering column assembly and secured to said column support means, said bracket means being spaced from said column assembly and blocking deformation of said center portion into said steering column assembly upon engagement of said driver'"'"'s knees with said knee restraint.
Specification