Collapsible control knob

A collapsible control knob assembly, comprising;

• a shaft having an end and an end portion;
• a knob slidable over said end portion;
• at least one stop in said knob for abutting said shaft end;
• and
• shearing means for shearing said at least one stop upon a compressive force between said shaft and said knob exceeding a selected limit.

An automobile control knob comprising;

• a head;
• a trunk connected to said head, said trunk having a tunnel therein;
• and
• at least one shearable stop disposed in said tunnel.

A collapsible control knob assembly, comprising;

• a shaft having a distal end and an end portion inwardly of said distal end, said end portion being D-shaped in cross section;
• a spring sleeve disposed on said end portion, said spring sleeve have a hollow body and also being D-shaped in cross section;
• and
• a knob having a head and a trunk, said trunk extending outwardly from said head and having a tunnel therein defined by a tunnel surface, said tunnel having an opening at an end of said trunk opposite said head, said tunnel being adapted to receive said end portion of said shaft, said tunnel having at least one rib extending radially inwardly from said tunnel surface and having a rib end inwardly in said tunnel from said opening, said at least one rib having a height substantially similar to a thickness of said spring sleeve body, said rib end adapted to abut said spring sleeve, said spring sleeve adapted to shear said at least one rib from said tunnel surface when a force from a collapsing event exceeds a pre-established limit, forcing said shaft and said knob toward each other.