Controlled energy absorbing rake adjustment lever
AssigneeSteering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
InventorsMatt Vincent, Carl Seamon, Doug Butterfield, Robert Dubay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lever assembly includes a lever that extends between a first lever end and a second lever end and a lever member. The lever member has a lever member first portion connected to the second lever end and a lever member second portion extending from the lever member first portion. The lever member second portion has an intermediate portion defining a predefined plastically deformable stress point that is arranged to facilitate movement of the lever member second portion relative to the lever member first portion.
Claims6
A lever assembly provided with a steering column, comprising:
- a lever having a first lever end and a second lever end, the lever being a plastic, hollow component that defines a receiving cavity;
- and
- a lever member disposed within the receiving cavity of the lever, the lever member being a metallic component having a lever member first portion connected to the first lever end and a lever member second portion extending from the lever member first portion, the lever member second portion has an intermediate portion defining a predefined plastically deformable stress point that is arranged to facilitate movement of the lever member second portion relative to the lever member first portion, the intermediate portion comprising a bend area, the predefined plastically deformable stress point being a notch located within the bend area, the lever member second portion extending from a first end to a second end, the second end of the lever member second portion spaced from the second lever end of the lever to define an empty space between the second end of the lever member second portion and the lever second end;
- wherein the lever member first portion protrudes from the first lever end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.