Collapsible steering column
First Claim
1. A collapsible steering column assembly for a vehicle adapted to be connected to a steering column support member secured to a vehicle dashboard assembly, said steering column assembly being collapsible relative to said support member and comprising;
- a break-away coupling member fixed to one end portion of said steering column assembly and being adapted to connect said steering column assembly to said steering column support member;
an energy absorbing means integral with and located at the remaining portion of said steering column assembly and adapted to be affixed to the vehicle dashboard assembly;
an axially oriented slide means adapted be secured between said steering column support member and the remainder of said steering column assembly, said slide means including a flat plane substantially rigid slide surface;
said break-away coupling member including a slide portion means in sliding engagement with said slide surface for allowing that upon the vehicle occupant'"'"'s impact with a steering wheel at said one end portion of said steering column assembly during a collision the steering column assembly will slide axially in the direction of the dashboard assembly relative to the steering column support member.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An energy absorbing vehicular steering column assembly (10) including telescopically engaged upper and lower column tubes (16,17). The upper column tube (16) being mounted to a steering column support member (12) at its rearward end by a break-away coupling member or bracket (20) affixed to the upper column tube and having shear modules (44) forming a portion of the bracket, thus allowing it to break-away from the steering column support member upon driver impact. The remainder of the steering column assembly including means (22) for absorbing impact loads through a plastic deformation as the column tubes move together axially during a collision, and a pair of axially oriented relatively non-deformable plate-like slide members (60) secured to the steering column support member (12) and positioned between the break-away coupling and the steering column support member and on which a portion (42) of the break-away bracket or coupling member may slide as the upper column tube is collapsing.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A collapsible steering column assembly for a vehicle adapted to be connected to a steering column support member secured to a vehicle dashboard assembly, said steering column assembly being collapsible relative to said support member and comprising;
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a break-away coupling member fixed to one end portion of said steering column assembly and being adapted to connect said steering column assembly to said steering column support member; an energy absorbing means integral with and located at the remaining portion of said steering column assembly and adapted to be affixed to the vehicle dashboard assembly; an axially oriented slide means adapted be secured between said steering column support member and the remainder of said steering column assembly, said slide means including a flat plane substantially rigid slide surface; said break-away coupling member including a slide portion means in sliding engagement with said slide surface for allowing that upon the vehicle occupant'"'"'s impact with a steering wheel at said one end portion of said steering column assembly during a collision the steering column assembly will slide axially in the direction of the dashboard assembly relative to the steering column support member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A collapsible steering column assembly for a vehicle adapted to be connected to a steering column support member secured to a vehicle dashboard assembly, said steering column assembly being collapsible relative to said support member and comprising:
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an upper column tube and a lower column tube, the upper column tube being adapted to be operatively associated with a steering wheel, one said tube being telescopically received within the other, and each being collapsible relative to the other upon collision and the occupants resulting impact of a predetermined magnitude with the steering wheel; a coupling member operatively affixed to one end portion of said steering column assembly and being adapted to connect said steering column assembly to said steering column support member; an energy absorbing means operatively affixed to the remaining portion of said steering column assembly and adapted to be affixed to the vehicle dashboard assembly; an axially oriented slide means adapted to be secured between said steering column support member and the remainder of said steering column assembly, said slide means including a flat plane substantially rigid slide surface; said upper column tube including a slide portion means in sliding engagement with said slide surface for allowing that upon the vehicle occupant'"'"'s impact with the steering wheel at said one end portion of said steering column assembly during a collision, the steering column assembly will slide axially in the direction of the dashboard assembly relative to the steering column support member.
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Specification