Energy absorbing steering column

Claim 2

An energy absorbing steering column comprising a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to said wheel and adapted to extend through an opening in a floorboard of a vehicle, a tubular jacket surrounding said shaft between said floorboard and said steering column, and a movable die means inside the lower end of said tubular jacket, said movable die means being resiliently connected to said floorboard and movable toward said floorboard and angularly with respect thereto, said die means and jacket initially moving toward said floorboard together when a force of a predetermined magnitude is applied to the upper end of said column, said die means after it is prevented from further movement by said floorboard, causing said jacket to fold back upon itself, thereby absorbing energy.

Claim 3

An energy absorbing steering column comprising a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to said wheel and adapted to extend through an opening in a floorboard of a vehicle, a tubular jacket surrounding said shaft between said floorboard and said steering column, and a movable die means inside the lower end of said tubular jacket, said movable die means being resiliently connected to said floorboard and movable with respect thereto, said die means and jacket initially moving toward said floorboard together when a force of a predetermined magnitude is applied to the upper end of said column, said die means after it is prevented from further movement by said floorboard, causing said jacket to fold back upon itself, thereby absorbing energy, said die means comprising a tubular member extending through said floorboard opening, a resilient member surrounding said tubular member between the latter and said floorboard in said opening.

Claim 4

An energy absorbing steering column comprising a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to said wheel and adapted to extend through an opening in a floorboard of a vehicle, a tubular jacket surrounding said shaft between said floorboard and said steering column, and a movable die means inside the lower end of said tubular jacket, said movable die means being resiliently connected to said floorboard and movable with respect thereto, said die means and jacket initially moving toward said floorboard together when a force of a predetermined magnitude is applied to the upper end of said column, said die means after it is prevented from further movement by said floorboard, causing said jacket to fold back upon itself, thereby absorbing energy, said die means comprising a tubular member extending through said floorboard opening, a resilient member surrounding said tubular member between the latter and said floorboard in said opening.

Claim 5

An energy absorbing steering column as set forth in claim 2 wherein said tubular member has a portion thereof folded upon itself and curved outwardly to flare said jacket outwardly as the latter is moved toward said curved portion.

Claim 6

An energy absorbing steering column comprising a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to said wheel and adapted to extend through an opening in a floorboard of a vehicle, a tubular jacket surrounding said shaft between said floorboard and said steering column, and a movable die means inside the lower end of said tubular jacket, said movable die means being resiliently connected to said floorboard and movable with respect thereto, said die means and jacket initially moving toward said floorboard together when a force of a predetermined magnitude is applied to the upper end of said column, said die means after it is prevented from further movement by said floorboard, causing said jacket to fold back upon itself, thereby absorbing energy, said die means comprising a tubular member having a forward tubular portion and a rearward tubular portion, and a curved die portion between said tubular portions, said die portion being formed by the wall of said tubular member being folded upon itself.

Claim 7

An energy absorbing steering column comprising a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to said wheel and adapted to extend through an opening in a floorboard of a vehicle, a tubular jacket surrounding said shaft between said floorboard and said steering column, and a movable die means inside the lower end of said tubular jacket, said movable die means being resiliently connected to said floorboard and movable with respect thereto, said die means and jacket initially moving toward said floorboard together when a force of a predetermined magnitude is applied to the upper end of said column, said die means after it is prevented from further movement by said floorboard, causing said jacket to fold back upon itself, thereby absorbing energy, said die means comprising a tubular member having a forward tubular portion and a rearward tubular portion, and a curved die portion between said tubular portions, said die portion being formed by the wall of said tubular member being folded upon itself.

Claim 8

An energy absorbing steering column as set forth in claim 4 wherein said die portion is spaced rearwardly of said floorboard, and a resilient buShing located between said forward tubular portion and said floorboard in said opening.

Claim 9

An energy absorbing steering column as set forth in claim 4 wherein said die means includes a tubular member extending through said opening, rivets connecting the upper end of said rearward tubular member to the lower end of said jacket, said rivets being adapted to shear to permit movement of said jacket over said die portion.

Claim 10

An energy absorbing steering column as set forth in claim 4 wherein said jacket has a plurality of longitudinally extending rows of longitudinal slots, said rows being spaced apart from one another around the periphery of said jacket.

Claim 11

An energy absorbing steering column as set forth in claim 7 wherein said jacket, between said rows of slots, has a plurality of relatively flat longitudinally extending sides.

Claim 12

An energy absorbing steering column as set forth in claim 8 wherein said slots in each of said rows are separated by relatively short webs, said jacket, between said rows of slots, having a plurality of relatively flat longitudinally extending sides, said webs being curved and joining said sides together.

Claim 13

An energy absorbing steering column adapted to extend through an opening in a wall, comprising an elongated jacket member, a die member located at the lower end of said jacket member, means mounting said die member for limited movement relative to said wall, said jacket being telescoped over a portion of said die member, said die member having a portion thereof curved outwardly to flare said jacket outwardly as the latter is forced thereover, said jacket having a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slots separated from each other by elongated flat sides, said jacket being generally polygonal adjacent said rows of slots, said portion of said die member being formed by folding the wall thereof upon itself.

Claim 14

An energy absorbing steering column adapted to extend through an opening in a wall, comprising an elongated jacket member, a die member located at the lower end of said jacket member, means mounting said die member for limited movement relative to said wall, said jacket being telescoped over a portion of said die member, said die member having a portion thereof curved outwardly to flare said jacket outwardly as the latter is forced thereover, said jacket having a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slots separated from each other by elongated flat sides, said jacket being generally polygonal adjacent said rows of slots, said portion of said die member being formed by folding the wall thereof upon itself.

Claim 15

An energy absorbing steering column as set forth in claim 10 further including rivets connecting said jacket to said die member, said rivets shearing when said jacket is moved relative to said die member.