Safety steering column for vehicles

Abstract

Abstract 1. A safety steering column for motor vehicles with a steering shaft section (7) mounted rigidly on the vehicle body and driven by means of the steering wheel (2), and with a steering gear box (5) attached to the vehicle frame whose input shaft (6) is at least roughly in line with both the steering shaft section (7) and an intermediate shaft (10, 10') located between the input shaft (6) and steering shaft section (7), this intermediate shaft being linked to the steering shaft section (7) preferably by means of a universal joint (9) and incorporating a coupling (13) wich - following a collision where the input shaft (6) axially approaches the steering shaft section (7) - automatically releases in such a way that the disengaged shaft segments (11, 12, 12') of the intermediate shaft (10, 10') are free to deflect to the side at least within limits, the coupling (13) being formed by the form-locking overlap of the facing ends (14, 15) of the two shaft segments (11, 12, 12') and the bandaging of these overlapped ends (14, 15) by means of a sliding but axially secured bandaging sleeve (16, 16'), whereby the shaft segment ends (14, 15) are shaped (23, 24) so as to assist lateral movement, of a kind in which one of the two shaft segments (11, 12, 12') is circumferentially fixed in relation to the adjacent steering shaft section (7) or input shaft (6, 6') but can slide relatively in axial direction for a distance at least approximately equivalent to the axial length of the bandaging sleeve (16, 16'), and wherein a pushrod connection or similar (18, 19 or 25, 26, 27, 19') maintaining the relative axial position of the bandaging sleeve (16, 16') is provided between the adjacent steering shaft section (7) or input shaft (6, 6') on the one hand and the bandaging sleeve (16, 16') on the other so that the latter - when the steering column is compressed in an accident - is forcefully moved in axial direction over the coupling (13), preferably after first overcoming a safety element (28), in such a way that the shaft segment ends (14, 15) are essentially free to deflect.

Inventors

• 👤 Harald Dipl.-Ing. Selzer

Bibliographic Details