Steering column for a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a jacket unit, supporting a steering shaft rotatably about its longitudinal axis, and a retaining part, with respect to which the jacket unit is held nondisplaceably up to a limit value of a force acting parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction toward the vehicle front onto the jacket unit, and, if the limit value is exceeded, is displaceable parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction toward the vehicle front, wherein the jacket unit is connected with the retaining part, for one, across an energy absorption connection which comprises at least one bending wire or strip which, during a displacement of the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction toward the vehicle front, is deformed and, for another, across a break-away connection which, up to the limit value of the force is closed and blocks a displacement of the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part and, if the limit value of the force is exceeded, is released, wherein for the case, that the break-away connection is closed, between the jacket unit and the retaining part, at least one of the bending wires or strips, is elastically deformed and prestresses the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part relative to a displacement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction toward the vehicle front.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A steering column for a motor vehicle includes a casing unit, which rotatably supports a steering shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof, and a retaining part. The casing unit is held in a fixed manner relative to said retaining part up to a threshold value of a force acting on the casing unit in a parallel manner to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction of the front of the vehicle. When the threshold value is exceeded, the casing unit is movably held in a parallel manner to the longitudinal axis in the direction of the front of the vehicle. The casing unit is connected to the retaining part via an energy-absorbing connection, which a bending wire or strip that is deformed when the casing unit is moved relative to the retaining part parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction of the front of the vehicle, and via a breakaway connection closed up to a threshold value of the force and blocks a movement of the casing unit relative to the retaining part and which opens when the threshold value of the force is exceeded.
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Citations
12 Claims
- 1. A steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a jacket unit, supporting a steering shaft rotatably about its longitudinal axis, and a retaining part, with respect to which the jacket unit is held nondisplaceably up to a limit value of a force acting parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction toward the vehicle front onto the jacket unit, and, if the limit value is exceeded, is displaceable parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction toward the vehicle front, wherein the jacket unit is connected with the retaining part, for one, across an energy absorption connection which comprises at least one bending wire or strip which, during a displacement of the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction toward the vehicle front, is deformed and, for another, across a break-away connection which, up to the limit value of the force is closed and blocks a displacement of the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part and, if the limit value of the force is exceeded, is released, wherein for the case, that the break-away connection is closed, between the jacket unit and the retaining part, at least one of the bending wires or strips, is elastically deformed and prestresses the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part relative to a displacement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction toward the vehicle front.
- 10. A method of producing a steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column including a jacket unit, supporting a steering column rotatably about its longitudinal axis, and a retaining part, with respect to which the jacket unit up to a limit value of a force, acting parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction toward the vehicle front onto the jacket unit, is held nondisplaceably and, if the limit value is exceeded, is displaceable parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction toward the vehicle front, wherein the jacket unit is connected with the retaining part, for one, across an energy absorption connection which comprises at least one bending wire or strip which, upon a displacement of the jacket unit parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction toward the vehicle front with respect to the retaining element, is deformed and, for another, across a break-away connection, which, up to the limit value of the force, is closed and blocks a displacement of the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part and, if the limit value of the force is exceeded, is released, said method comprising, before the development of the break-away connection between the retaining part and the jacket unit, prestressing at least one of the bending wires or strips through elastic deformation whereby the at least one of the bending wires or strips exerts a reset force prestressing the jacket unit with respect to the retaining part relative to a displacement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction toward the vehicle front, and, subsequently, while maintaining the prestress of the at least one bending wire or strip, forming the break-away connection between the retaining part and the jacket unit.
Specification