Mounting arrangement for collapsible steering column

Claim 2

In a mounting arrangement for a collapsible steering column assembly a first portion of which is fixed on a vehicle body and a second portion of which is adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion, the combination comprising, bracket means rigidly attached to said second portion and defining an edge portion extending generally longitudinally of said steering column assembly, means on said bracket means generally adjacent said edge portion defining a plurality of land surfaces imparting to said edge portion progressively increasing thickness in the direction of collapse of said steering column assembly, a rigid anchor means on said vehicle body, and resilient finger means on said anchor means grippingly engaging respective ones of said land surfaces in an uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly thereby to support said second portion on said vehicle body and further adapted to separate generally simultaneously from each of said land surfaces under predetermined axial loading on said second portion without thereafter grippingly engaging any other of said land surfaces thereby to permit substantially unimpeded separation between said bracket means and said anchor means during collapse of said steering column assembly.

Claim 3

In a mounting arrangement for a collapsible steering column assembly a first portion of which is fixed on a vehicle body and a second portion of which is adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion, the combination comprising, bracket means rigidly attached to said second portion and having therein a slot opening rearwardly with respect to the direction of collapse of said steering column assembly and defining a pair of laterally spaced side edges extending generally longitudinally of said steering column assembly, means on said bracket means generally adjacent each of said side edges defining a plurality of axially spaced land surfaces, said land surfaces imparting to each of said edges progressively increasing thickness from the open end of said slot to the closed end thereof, a rigid anchor means on said vehicle body reclined in said slot in an uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly, and resilient finger means on said anchor means grippingly engaging respective ones of said land surfaces in the uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly thereby to support said second portion on said vehicle body and to retain said anchor means in said slot and further adapted to separate generally simultaneously from each of said land surfaces under predetermined axial loading on said second portion without thereafter grippingly engaging any other of said land surfaces thereby to permit substantially unimpeded separation between said bracket mEans and said anchor means during collapse of said steering column assembly.

Claim 4

In a mounting arrangement for a collapsible steering column assembly a first portion of which is fixed on a vehicle body and a second portion of which is adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion, the combination comprising, bracket means rigidly attached to said second portion and having therein a slot opening rearwardly with respect to the direction of collapse of said steering column assembly and defining a pair of laterally spaced side edges extending generally longitudinally of said steering column assembly, means on said bracket means generally adjacent each of said side edges defining a plurality of axially spaced land surfaces, said land surfaces imparting to each of said edges progressively increasing thickness from the open end of said slot to the closed end thereof, a rigid anchor means on said vehicle body reclined in said slot in an uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly, and resilient finger means on said anchor means grippingly engaging respective ones of said land surfaces in the uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly thereby to support said second portion on said vehicle body and to retain said anchor means in said slot and further adapted to separate generally simultaneously from each of said land surfaces under predetermined axial loading on said second portion without thereafter grippingly engaging any other of said land surfaces thereby to permit substantially unimpeded separation between said bracket mEans and said anchor means during collapse of said steering column assembly.

Claim 5

In a mounting arrangement for a collapsible steering column assembly a first portion of which is fixed on a vehicle body and a second portion of which is adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion, the combination comprising, bracket means rigidly attached to said second portion and having therein a slot opening rearward with respect to the direction of collapse of said steering column assembly and defining a pair of laterally spaced side edges extending generally longitudinally of said steering column assembly, means on said bracket means generally adjacent each of said side edges defining a plurality of axially spaced land surfaces, said land surfaces imparting to each of said edges progressively increasing thickness from the open end of said slot to the closed end thereof, a mounting capsule adapted for insertion in said slot through the open end of the latter, means rigidly affixing said mounting capsule to said vehicle body in a manner whereby said capsule is disposed in said slot in an uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly, and means on said capsule defining a plurality of integral resilient fingers grippingly engaging respective ones of said land surfaces in the uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly thereby to support said second portion on said vehicle body and to retain said capsule in said slot and further adapted to separate generally simultaneously from each of said land surfaces under predetermined axial loading on said second portion without thereafter grippingly engaging any other of said land surfaces thereby to permit substantially unimpeded separation between said bracket means and said capsule during collapse of said steering column assembly.

Claim 6

In a mounting arrangement for a collapsible steering column assembly a first portion of which is fixed on a vehicle body and a second portion of which is adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion, the combination comprising, bracket means rigidly attached to said second portion and having therein a slot opening rearward with respect to the direction of collapse of said steering column assembly and defining a pair of laterally spaced side edges extending generally longitudinally of said steering column assembly, means on said bracket means generally adjacent each of said side edges defining a plurality of axially spaced land surfaces, said land surfaces imparting to each of said edges progressively increasing thickness from the open end of said slot to the closed end thereof, a mounting capsule adapted for insertion in said slot through the open end of the latter, means rigidly affixing said mounting capsule to said vehicle body in a manner whereby said capsule is disposed in said slot in an uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly, and means on said capsule defining a plurality of integral resilient fingers grippingly engaging respective ones of said land surfaces in the uncollapsed condition of said steering column assembly thereby to support said second portion on said vehicle body and to retain said capsule in said slot and further adapted to separate generally simultaneously from each of said land surfaces under predetermined axial loading on said second portion without thereafter grippingly engaging any other of said land surfaces thereby to permit substantially unimpeded separation between said bracket means and said capsule during collapse of said steering column assembly.

Claim 7

In a collapsible steering column assembly mounting arrangement including a steering column assembly having a first portion adapted for fixed anchorage on a vehicle body and a second portion adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion and further including rigid bracket means on said second portion, a mounting capsule adapted to releasably connect said bracket means and a rigid portion of said vehicle body comprising, a body portion having means therein adapted to facilitate rigid attachment of said body portion to said vehicle body, and a plurality of resilient finger portions for gripping said bracket means integral with said body portion and extending transversely of the latter in vertically spaced relation to define a pair of channels extending in parallel relation along a pair of opposite edges of said body portion, said resilient finger portions in a relaxed condition thereof being spaced vertically progressively further apart from one end of said body portion to the other thereby to impart to each of said channels generally a longitudinal tapering configuration.

Claim 8

In a collapsible steering column assembly mounting arrangement including a steering column assembly having a first portion adapted for fixed anchorage on a vehicle body and a second portion adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion and further including rigid bracket means on said second portion, a mounting capsule adapted to releasably connect said bracket means and a rigid portion of said vehicle body comprising, a body portion having means therein adapted to facilitate rigid attachment of said body portion to said vehicle body, and a plurality of resilient finger portions for gripping said bracket means integral with said body portion and extending transversely of the latter in vertically spaced relation to define a pair of channels extending in parallel relation along a pair of opposite edges of said body portion, said resilient finger portions in a relaxed condition thereof being spaced vertically progressively further apart from one end of said body portion to the other thereby to impart to each of said channels generally a longitudinal tapering configuration.

Claim 9

In a collapsible steering column assembly mounting arrangement including a steering column assembly having a first portion adapted for fixed anchorage on a vehicle body and a second portion adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion and further including rigid bracket means on said second portion, a mounting capsule adapted to releasably connect said bracket means and a rigid portion of said vehicle body comprising, a generally flat body portion having means thereon adapted to facilitate rigid attachment of said body portion to said vehicle body, and a plurality of integral resilient finger portions for gripping said bracket means struck from said body portion along a pair of opposite edges of the latter, alternate ones of said finger portions along each of said edges being disposed in vertically spaced relation thereby to define a pair of channels extending in parallel relation along said edges, the vertical spacing between said finger portions progressively increasing from one end of said body portion to the other thereby to impart to each of said channels generally a longitudinal tapering configuration.

Claim 10

In a collapsible steering column assembly mounting arrangement including a steering column assembly having a first portion adapted for fixed anchorage on a vehicle body and a second portion adapted for axial collapse relative to said first portion and further including rigid bracket means on said second portion, a mounting capsule adapted to releasably connect said bracket means and a rigid portion of said vehicle body comprising, a generally flat body portion having means thereon adapted to facilitate rigid attachment of said body portion to said vehicle body, and a plurality of integral resilient finger portions for gripping said bracket means struck from said body portion along a pair of opposite edges of the latter, alternate ones of said finger portions along each of said edges being disposed in vertically spaced relation thereby to define a pair of channels extending in parallel relation along said edges, the vertical spacing between said finger portions progressively increasing from one end of said body portion to the other thereby to impart to each of said channels generally a longitudinal tapering configuration.