Steering column for a motor vehicle
AssigneesThyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
InventorsSebastian Regner, Hieronymus Schnitzer, Carsten Manneck, Stefan Sawall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering column for a motor vehicle may include a supporting unit and a displacement unit. The supporting unit may be connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle, and the displacement unit may be displaceable relative to the supporting unit along a displacement path in a crash event. The steering column may further include an energy absorption element positioned between the supporting unit and the displacement unit. In a crash event, the energy absorption element may absorb energy over the displacement path. In some examples, the energy absorption element includes local laser solidifications that help control an energy absorption level of the energy absorption element.
Claims22
A steering column for a motor vehicle comprising:
- a supporting unit that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;
- a displacement unit that is displaceable relative to the supporting unit along a displacement path in a crash event;
- and
- an energy absorption element disposed between the supporting unit and the displacement unit, the energy absorption element comprising a local laser solidification on or adjacent local areas of the energy absorption element that are configured to preferentially deform and/or tear relative to other areas of the energy absorption element, wherein the energy absorption element is configured to absorb energy over the displacement path in the crash event and wherein the other areas are free of local laser solidification.
A method of adapting an energy absorption behavior of a steering column that comprises an energy absorption element to a type of motor vehicle, the method comprising introducing local laser solidifications into the energy absorption element on or adjacent local areas of the energy absorption element that are configured to preferentially deform and/or tear relative to other areas of the energy absorption element, wherein the other areas are free of local laser solidification.
A steering column for a motor vehicle comprising:
- a supporting unit that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;
- a displacement unit that is displaceable relative to the supporting unit along a displacement path in a crash event;
- and
- an energy absorption element disposed between the supporting unit and the displacement unit, the energy absorption element comprising a steering column tube including a local laser solidification, wherein the energy absorption element is configured to absorb energy over the displacement path in the crash event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.