Safety steering arrangements for motor vehicles

Claim 2

In a safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, having a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column, for conversion into work of deformation of at least a part of the kinetic energy acting on the sTeering wheel in the event of impact of the driver thereagainst, the improvement which comprises utilising as the deformation member a helically wound strip of sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays.

Claim 3

In a safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, having a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column, for conversion into work of deformation of at least a part of the kinetic energy acting on the steering wheel in the event of impact of the driver thereagainst, the improvement which comprises utilising as the deformation member a helically would strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays likewise made of steel sheet material, and connected to the windings of the helically wound strip by spot welds.

Claim 4

In a safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, having a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column, for conversion into work of deformation of at least a part of the kinetic energy acting on the steering wheel in the event of impact of the driver thereagainst, the improvement which comprises utilising as the deformation member a helically would strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays likewise made of steel sheet material, and connected to the windings of the helically wound strip by spot welds.

Claim 5

An arrangement according to claim 2, in which each of the longitudinally extending stays of the deformation member is formed with convex corrugations disposed between the individual windings of the helically wound strip.

Claim 6

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising : a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member adapted to be connected to a rotary steering shaft of a steering column; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays, each of the longitudinally extending stays having convex corrugations thereof disposed between the individual windings of the helically wound strip; and means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively.

Claim 7

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising : a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member adapted to be connected to a rotary steering shaft of a steering column; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays, each of the longitudinally extending stays having convex corrugations thereof disposed between the individual windings of the helically wound strip; and means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively.

Claim 8

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising: a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member adapted to be connected to a rotary steering shaft of a steering column; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by four longitudinally extending stays uniformly circumferentially spaced around the periphery of the helically wound strip, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip, each of the longitudinally extending stays having convex corrugations thereof disposed between the individual windings of the helically wound strip; and means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively.

Claim 9

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising: a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member adapted to be connected to a rotary steering shaft of a steering column; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by four longitudinally extending stays uniformly circumferentially spaced around the periphery of the helically wound strip, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip, each of the longitudinally extending stays having convex corrugations thereof disposed between the individual windings of the helically wound strip; and means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively.

Claim 10

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising: a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member; a rotary steering shaft forming part of a steering column connected to the steering wheel; means for permitting longitudinal collapse of a portion of the steering shaft; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of uniformly circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip, each of the longitudinally extending stays having convex corrugations thereof disposed between the individual windings of the helically wound strip; means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively; a supplementary deformation element in the form of a lattice tube arranged as An energy-absorbent jacket tube coaxially surrounding the longitudinally collapsible portion of the steering shaft; and means for transmitting longitudinal thrust forces from relatively longitudinally collapsible portions of the steering shaft to respective axial end portions of the supplementary deformation element.

Claim 11

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising: a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member; a rotary steering shaft forming part of a steering column connected to the steering wheel; means for permitting longitudinal collapse of a portion of the steering shaft; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of uniformly circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip, each of the longitudinally extending stays having convex corrugations thereof disposed between the individual windings of the helically wound strip; means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively; a supplementary deformation element in the form of a lattice tube arranged as An energy-absorbent jacket tube coaxially surrounding the longitudinally collapsible portion of the steering shaft; and means for transmitting longitudinal thrust forces from relatively longitudinally collapsible portions of the steering shaft to respective axial end portions of the supplementary deformation element.

Claim 12

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising : a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member; a rotary steering shaft forming part of a steering column connected to the steering wheel; means for permitting longitudinal collapse of a portion of the steering shaft; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays uniformly circumferentially spaced around the periphery of the helically wound strip, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip; means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively; a further deformation member coaxially surrounding the longitudinally collapsible portion of the steering shaft; and means for transmitting longitudinal thrust forces from relatively longitudinally collapsible portions of the steering shaft to respective axial end portions of the further deformation member, such that the further deformation member forms an energy-absorbent jacket tube for said longitudinally collapsible steering shaft portion.

Claim 13

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising : a steering wheel having a plurality of spokes; a steering wheel hub member; a rotary steering shaft forming part of a steering column connected to the steering wheel; means for permitting longitudinal collapse of a portion of the steering shaft; a deformation member arranged concentrically of the steering column and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending stays uniformly circumferentially spaced around the periphery of the helically wound strip, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip; means connecting axially opposite ends of the deformation member to the steering wheel spokes and to the steering wheel hub member respectively; a further deformation member coaxially surrounding the longitudinally collapsible portion of the steering shaft; and means for transmitting longitudinal thrust forces from relatively longitudinally collapsible portions of the steering shaft to respective axial end portions of the further deformation member, such that the further deformation member forms an energy-absorbent jacket tube for said longitudinally collapsible steering shaft portion.

Claim 14

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising : a steering wheel; a rotary steering shaft connected to the steering wheel for the transmission of steering effort therefrom to dirigible wheel means of the vehicle, the steering shaft and steering wheel together forming part of a steering column of the vehicle; means for permitting longitudinal collapse of a portion of the steering shaft; a deformation member coaxially surrounding the longitudinally collapsible portion of the steering shaft and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of longitudinally extending stays uniformly circumferentially spaced around the periphery of the helically wound strip, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip; and means for transmitting longitudinal thrust forces from relatively longitudinally collapsible portions of the steering shaft to respective axial end portions of the deformation member, such that the deformation member forms an energy-absorbent jacket tube for said longitudinally collapsible steering shaft portions.

Claim 15

A safety steering arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising : a steering wheel; a rotary steering shaft connected to the steering wheel for the transmission of steering effort therefrom to dirigible wheel means of the vehicle, the steering shaft and steering wheel together forming part of a steering column of the vehicle; means for permitting longitudinal collapse of a portion of the steering shaft; a deformation member coaxially surrounding the longitudinally collapsible portion of the steering shaft and comprising a helically wound strip of steel sheet material with the windings interconnected by a plurality of longitudinally extending stays uniformly circumferentially spaced around the periphery of the helically wound strip, the longitudinally extending stays likewise being of steel sheet material, and having spot welds forming connections to the windings of the helically wound strip; and means for transmitting longitudinal thrust forces from relatively longitudinally collapsible portions of the steering shaft to respective axial end portions of the deformation member, such that the deformation member forms an energy-absorbent jacket tube for said longitudinally collapsible steering shaft portions.