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Vehicle collision damage reduction system

  • US 6,574,540 B2
  • Filed: 07/08/2002
  • Issued: 06/03/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A vehicle collision damage reduction system comprising:

  • means for sequentially detecting distance information to an object to be impacted moving relatively;

    means for determining a collision danger level using the distance information;

    means for absorbing at least a portion of the collision energy to which a vehicle occupant is exposed to in a secondary collision following a vehicle collision; and

    means for controlling the collision absorbing energy means by outputting an operational command, be ore the collision, on the basis of one of an object detecting means and the collision danger level means, wherein the collision energy absorbing means for a vehicle occupant is a mechanism for shortening the steering column at least in part in the axial direction, so as to increase the distance between the occupant and one of the steering column and a shaft of the steering column.

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