Energy absorbing steering column

Claim 2

A telescopingly collapsible torque transmitting component adaptable for use in an automotive steering column assembly comprising: an outer elongate element, an inner elongate element slidingly and telescopingly received within the outer element, said outer and inner elements having adjoining portions with complementary cross sectional shapes capable of transmitting a torque therebetween, a recess formed in at least one of the adjoining portions, a retainer positioned between the adjoining portions of the outer and inner elements including a resilient portion exerting a generally radially directed force upon the elements, abutment means engaging and extending axially past the adjoined end of one of said elements, and at least one protruding portion extending into the recess when said elements are in a normal relative axial position, said protruding portion being displaceable from said recess and compressed between said adjoining portions as the elements are telescopingly displaced from the normal relative axial position.

Claim 3

A telescopingly collapsible torque tRansmitting component adaptable for use in an automotive steering column assembly comprising: an outer elongate element, an inner elongate element slidingly and telescopingly received within the outer element, said outer and inner elements having adjoining portions with complementary cross sectional shapes capable of transmitting a torque therebetween, a resilient retainer positioned between the outer and inner elements, a first portion of said retainer being elastically compressed between said elements and providing a generally radially directed force tending to increase the sliding friction between the two elements, said retainer having a second portion engaging the adjoining end of said inner element and extending radially inwardly therefrom and a third portion engaging the adjoining end of said outer element and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said retainer defining a normal relative axial position of said inner and outer elements, said second and third portions being deformable to permit telescopic displacement of the elements upon application of predetermined axial force to the steering column assembly.

Claim 4

A telescopingly collapsible torque tRansmitting component adaptable for use in an automotive steering column assembly comprising: an outer elongate element, an inner elongate element slidingly and telescopingly received within the outer element, said outer and inner elements having adjoining portions with complementary cross sectional shapes capable of transmitting a torque therebetween, a resilient retainer positioned between the outer and inner elements, a first portion of said retainer being elastically compressed between said elements and providing a generally radially directed force tending to increase the sliding friction between the two elements, said retainer having a second portion engaging the adjoining end of said inner element and extending radially inwardly therefrom and a third portion engaging the adjoining end of said outer element and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said retainer defining a normal relative axial position of said inner and outer elements, said second and third portions being deformable to permit telescopic displacement of the elements upon application of predetermined axial force to the steering column assembly.

Claim 5

A shift tube assembly for an automotive steering column assembly including: a first tubular element, a second tubular element slidingly and telescopingly received within the first element, said elements each including substantially flat end portions being mutually adjacent and providing a torque transmitting connection between the elements, a recess formed in the flat portion of a first of said elements, a retainer received between said flat portions including a curved portion resiliently tending to increase the separation between said flat portions, said retainer including a protrusion extending into said recess when said elements are in a normal relative axial position, said protrusion being displaceable from said recess upon telescopic collapse of the shift tube, said retainer including abutment means engaging and extending axially past an end of a second of said elements to prevent movement of the retainer relative to said other element upon telescopic collapse of the shift tube assembly.

Claim 6

A shift tube assembly for an automotive steering column assembly including: a first tubular element, a second tubular element slidingly and telescopingly received within the first element, said elements each including substantially flat end portions being mutually adjacent and providing a torque transmitting connection between the elements, a recess formed in the flat portion of a first of said elements, a retainer received between said flat portions including a curved portion resiliently tending to increase the separation between said flat portions, said retainer including a protrusion extending into said recess when said elements are in a normal relative axial position, said protrusion being displaceable from said recess upon telescopic collapse of the shift tube, said retainer including abutment means engaging and extending axially past an end of a second of said elements to prevent movement of the retainer relative to said other element upon telescopic collapse of the shift tube assembly.

Claim 7

A shift tube according to claim 3 and including: a portion of the retainer engaging and extending axially past the joined end of said first tubular element and being angularly disposed from the shift tube in a radial direction, said just-mentioned portion providing an elastically deformable abutment preventing telescopic collapse of the tubular elements from the normal relative axial position until a force exceeding a predetermined magnitude is applied to the steering column assembly.

Claim 8

An axially collapsible steering column assembly comprising: an outer jacket and controlled deformation energy absorbing means, means to attach the steering column to the body of an automotive vehicle, a telescopingly collapsible shift tube component rotatably received within said outer jacket comprising an outer tubular element and an inner tubular element slidingly received within said outer element, said outer and inner tubular elements having adjoining portions with complementary cross sectional shapes capable of transmitting a torque therebetween, one of said adjoining portions having a recess formed therein, a retainer positioned between said adjoining portions when the shift tube elements are normally situated, said retainer having a resilient portion compressed between said adjoining portions and an elastically deformable protrusion extending into said recess when the shift tube elements are normally situated, said protrusion being displaceable from said recess and compressible between the inner and outer components as the tube elements are telescopingly collapsed from their normal relative axial position, said retainer including an abutment means engaging and extending axially past an end of one of said tube elements to prEvent movement of the retainer relative to said just-mentioned tube element upon axial collapse of said steering column assembly.

Claim 9

An axially collapsible steering column assembly comprising: an outer jacket and controlled deformation energy absorbing means, means to attach the steering column to the body of an automotive vehicle, a telescopingly collapsible shift tube component rotatably received within said outer jacket comprising an outer tubular element and an inner tubular element slidingly received within said outer element, said outer and inner tubular elements having adjoining portions with complementary cross sectional shapes capable of transmitting a torque therebetween, one of said adjoining portions having a recess formed therein, a retainer positioned between said adjoining portions when the shift tube elements are normally situated, said retainer having a resilient portion compressed between said adjoining portions and an elastically deformable protrusion extending into said recess when the shift tube elements are normally situated, said protrusion being displaceable from said recess and compressible between the inner and outer components as the tube elements are telescopingly collapsed from their normal relative axial position, said retainer including an abutment means engaging and extending axially past an end of one of said tube elements to prEvent movement of the retainer relative to said just-mentioned tube element upon axial collapse of said steering column assembly.

Claim 10

A telescopingly shaft assembly comprising: an outer shaft element, an inner shaft element slidingly and telescopingly received within the outer element, a retainer positioned between the overlapping portions of the inner and outer elements, said retainer having a first portion engaging the overlapping end of the inner element and extending radially inwardly therefrom, said retainer having a second portion engaging the overlapping end of the outer element and extending radially outwardly therefrom, the first and second portions acting as abutment means to provide a normal axial position of the inner element relative to the outer element.

Claim 11

A telescopingly shaft assembly comprising: an outer shaft element, an inner shaft element slidingly and telescopingly received within the outer element, a retainer positioned between the overlapping portions of the inner and outer elements, said retainer having a first portion engaging the overlapping end of the inner element and extending radially inwardly therefrom, said retainer having a second portion engaging the overlapping end of the outer element and extending radially outwardly therefrom, the first and second portions acting as abutment means to provide a normal axial position of the inner element relative to the outer element.

Claim 12

A shaft assembly according to claim 6 and including: at least one of said portions of the retainer being elastically deformable to permit the telescopic collapse of the shaft assembly upon application of an axial force in excess of a predetermined magnitude to the shaft assembly.