An energy absorbing steering column with a J-shaped (or hook-shaped) lower intermediate shaft that is coupled to an upper intermediate shaft. The J-shaped lower shaft 302 includes a curved slider portion that fits within a bent portion of the upper shaft 304 such that even when the rigid connection, i.e. shear pin coupling 308, 308a, 308b, between the J-shaped lower shaft and the upper shaft is broken, the slider portion of the J-shaped lower shaft remains in contact with the upper shaft. Such a configuration dissipates the force applied to the steering column and enables the driver to maintain control of the vehicle through the steering wheel following a load event, such as a frontal impact (Figure 4B). A first predetermined level of force may cause the J-shaped lower shaft to break its rigid connection with the upper shaft but maintain a geometric contact with the upper shaft (Figure 4B). A second predetermined level of force may cause the J-shaped lower shaft to break its rigid connection, i.e. break the shear pin, and de-couple from the upper shaft (Figure 3B, 4B) so that the upper shaft absorbs the energy and avoids transmitting a rearward force back to the driver.
Steering column with decoupling J-slider
2017-07-05
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B62D MOTOR VEHICLES , Motorfahrzeuge |