Energy absorbing steering column assembly

Claim 2

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle comprising a support structure, an outer tube, means operatively connecting said tube to said support structure, said means comprising a first support assembly having deforming means engaging said tube, a second support assembly slidably engaging said tube, said first and second support assemblies being axially spaced apart and secured to said support structure, said deforming means being constructed to plastically deform said outer tube upon axial displacement of said tube with respect to said first assembly, said second support assembly including means constructed to reduce the sliding friction between said tube and said second support assembly only when said axial displacement of said tube exceeds a given minimum distance.

Claim 3

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: means constructed to provide an increase in the effective diameter of said tube in the region of said second support assembly whereby clearance is provided between said tube and said second support assembly when said tube is axially displaced and said last mentioned means is displaced from said second support assembly.

Claim 4

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: means constructed to provide an increase in the effective diameter of said tube in the region of said first support assembly, said just mentioned means being constructed to increase the torsional rigidity of the interconnection between said first support assembly and said tube.

Claim 5

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: means constructed to provide an increase in the effective diameter of said tube in the region of said first support assembly, said just mentioned means being constructed to increase the torsional rigidity of the incterconnection between said first support assembly and said tube, and means constructed to provide an increase in the effective diameter of said tube in the region of said second support assembly whereby clearance is provided between said tube and said second support assembly when said tube is axially displaced and said last mentioned means is displaced from said second support assembly.

Claim 6

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle comprising a supporting structure, an outer tube, means connecting said tube to said support structure, said means comprising a first support assembly having deforming means engaging said tube, a second support assembly releasably supporting said tube, said first and second support assemblies being axially spaced apart and secured to said support structure, said deforming means being constructed to plastically deform said outer tube upon axial displacement of said tube with respect to said first support assembly, means constructed to provide an enlarged effective diameter portion of said tube in the region Of said first support assembly, said last mentioned means being constructed to increase the torsional rigidity of the interconnection between said first support assembly and said tube.

Claim 7

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle comprising a supporting structure, an outer tube, means connecting said tube to said support structure, said means comprising a first support assembly having deforming means engaging said tube, a second support assembly releasably supporting said tube, said first and second support assemblies being axially spaced apart and secured to said support structure, said deforming means being constructed to plastically deform said outer tube upon axial displacement of said tube with respect to said first support assembly, means constructed to provide an enlarged effective diameter portion of said tube in the region Of said first support assembly, said last mentioned means being constructed to increase the torsional rigidity of the interconnection between said first support assembly and said tube.

Claim 8

An energy absorbing steering column according to claim 5 and including: said deforming means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart inwardly directed projections.

Claim 9

An energy absorbing steering column according to claim 5 and including: said deforming means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart inwardly directed projections, said tube having axially elongated grooves extending for substantially the entire length of that portion of said tube having an increase in effective diameter, said projections being seated in said grooves.

Claim 10

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle comprising a support structure, an outer tube, means connecting said tube to said support structure, said means comprising a first support assembly having deforming means engaging said tube, a second support assembly having means releasably engaging said tube, said first and second support assemblies being axially spaced apart and operatively secured to said support structure, said deforming means being constructed to plastically deform said outer tube upon axial displacement of said tube with respect to said first support assembly, means constructed to provide first and second enlarged effective diameter portions on said tube, said first and second portions being of relatively short axial length and juxtaposed said first and second support assemblies, said tube being of generally uniform smaller diameter at portions adjacent said first and second portions.

Claim 11

An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle comprising a support structure, an outer tube, means connecting said tube to said support structure, said means comprising a first support assembly having deforming means engaging said tube, a second support assembly having means releasably engaging said tube, said first and second support assemblies being axially spaced apart and operatively secured to said support structure, said deforming means being constructed to plastically deform said outer tube upon axial displacement of said tube with respect to said first support assembly, means constructed to provide first and second enlarged effective diameter portions on said tube, said first and second portions being of relatively short axial length and juxtaposed said first and second support assemblies, said tube being of generally uniform smaller diameter at portions adjacent said first and second portions.

Claim 12

An energy absorbing steering column assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a support structure, an outer tube operatively connected to said support structure, a steering shaft rotatably supported within said outer tube, said shaft being adapted to be connected to a steering wheel at its rearward end to a steering gear at its forward end, steering column lock means mounted on said tube and having means to selectively rigidly interconnect said steering shaft and said tube, spaced apart first and second support means connecting said tube to said support structure, said first support means comprising a rigid annular member encircling said tube and secured to said support structure, said annular member having inwardly directed projections, said tube having axially extending grooves receiving said projections, said first support means being constructed to plastically deform said tube upon axial displacement thereof under the force of an impact load on the rearward end of said steering column assembly, said tube having an enlarged diameter portion in the region where it is engaged by said projections, said enlarged diameter portion being constructed to increase the torsional rigidity of the connection between said tube and said first support means for the effective operation of said steering column lock means.

Claim 13

An energy absorbing steering column assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a support structure, an outer tube operatively connected to said support structure, a steering shaft rotatably supported within said outer tube, said shaft being adapted to be connected to a steering wheel at its rearward end to a steering gear at its forward end, steering column lock means mounted on said tube and having means to selectively rigidly interconnect said steering shaft and said tube, spaced apart first and second support means connecting said tube to said support structure, said first support means comprising a rigid annular member encircling said tube and secured to said support structure, said annular member having inwardly directed projections, said tube having axially extending grooves receiving said projections, said first support means being constructed to plastically deform said tube upon axial displacement thereof under the force of an impact load on the rearward end of said steering column assembly, said tube having an enlarged diameter portion in the region where it is engaged by said projections, said enlarged diameter portion being constructed to increase the torsional rigidity of the connection between said tube and said first support means for the effective operation of said steering column lock means.

Claim 14

An energy absorbing steering column assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a support structure, an outer tube operatively connected to said support structure, a steering shaft rotatably supported within said outer tube, said shaft being adapted to be connected to a steering wheel at its rearward end and to a steering gear at its forward end, spaced apart first and second support means connecting said tube to said support structure, said first means having deforming means engaging said tube and operatively secured to said support structure, said second means comprising clip means connected to said tube, said clip means having a relatively short axial length, said clip means being constructed to increase the effective diameter of said tube in the region of said second support means, bushing means operatively connected to said support structure, said bushing means having a surface slidably engaging said clip means, said bushing means including resilient means constructed to isolate vibratiOn and limit its transmittal from said tube to said support structure, said first support means having means constructed to plastically deform said tube upon axial displacement thereof under the force of an impact load on the rearward end of said steering column assembly, said second support means being constructed to slidably support and guide said tube during said axial displacement.

Claim 15

An energy absorbing steering column assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a support structure, an outer tube operatively connected to said support structure, a steering shaft rotatably supported within said outer tube, said shaft being adapted to be connected to a steering wheel at its rearward end and to a steering gear at its forward end, spaced apart first and second support means connecting said tube to said support structure, said first means having deforming means engaging said tube and operatively secured to said support structure, said second means comprising clip means connected to said tube, said clip means having a relatively short axial length, said clip means being constructed to increase the effective diameter of said tube in the region of said second support means, bushing means operatively connected to said support structure, said bushing means having a surface slidably engaging said clip means, said bushing means including resilient means constructed to isolate vibratiOn and limit its transmittal from said tube to said support structure, said first support means having means constructed to plastically deform said tube upon axial displacement thereof under the force of an impact load on the rearward end of said steering column assembly, said second support means being constructed to slidably support and guide said tube during said axial displacement.

Claim 16

An energy absorbing steering column assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a fire wall, a support structure situated rearwardly of said fire wall, means connecting said support structure to said fire wall, an outer steering column tube having its forward terminus spaced rearwardly of said fire wall, a deforming means and a releasable means connecting said tube to said support structure, said deforming means and said releasable means being axially spaced apart and spaced rearwardly of said fire wall, a steering shaft rotatably supported within said outer tube, said shaft being adapted to be connected to a steering wheel at its rearward end and to a steering gear at its forward end, said forward terminus of said outer tube being situated forwardly of said deforming means, said releasable means releasably engaging said outer tube and constructed to permit axial displacement of said outer tube relative to said support structure in response to the force of an impact load above a preset value, said deforming means being constructed to plastically deform said tube upon relative axial displacement of said tube with respect to said support structure and thereby absorb the energy of said impact load, said tube having a main body portion of substantially uniform diameter, first and second means providing axially spaced apart surface portions on said tube having larger effective diameters than said main body portion, said deforming means and said releasable means engaging said surface portions.

Claim 17

An energy absorbing steering column assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a fire wall, a support structure situated rearwardly of said fire wall, means connecting said support structure to said fire wall, an outer steering column tube having its forward terminus spaced rearwardly of said fire wall, a deforming means and a releasable means connecting said tube to said support structure, said deforming means and said releasable means being axially spaced apart and spaced rearwardly of said fire wall, a steering shaft rotatably supported within said outer tube, said shaft being adapted to be connected to a steering wheel at its rearward end and to a steering gear at its forward end, said forward terminus of said outer tube being situated forwardly of said deforming means, said releasable means releasably engaging said outer tube and constructed to permit axial displacement of said outer tube relative to said support structure in response to the force of an impact load above a preset value, said deforming means being constructed to plastically deform said tube upon relative axial displacement of said tube with respect to said support structure and thereby absorb the energy of said impact load, said tube having a main body portion of substantially uniform diameter, first and second means providing axially spaced apart surface portions on said tube having larger effective diameters than said main body portion, said deforming means and said releasable means engaging said surface portions.