Safety device and method for a vehicle with a steering system
AssigneeThyssenkrupp Presta AG
InventorOlaf Muller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a vehicle wherein a load absorption for an impact of the knees relative to the steering column is provided arranged in case of an accident to be adjusted toward the driver's knees.
Claims11
In a vehicle safety device for protecting a passenger's legs in the event of a vehicle collision including an impact sheet, swivel levers each having a first end and a second end, pivotally connected at their second ends to the impact sheet at spaced locations, and at their first ends to fixed vehicle structure so that the swivel levers control the movement of the impact sheet from a retracted position away from the lower limbs of the passenger to a projecting position toward the lower limbs of the passenger in the event of a collision to protect the passenger, and a device responsive to a collision to activate the swivel levers into the protracted position, the improvement comprising a bearing fixed to the vehicle structure, an elongated load absorber having a first end and a second end, with the first end pivotally attached at an angle to the impact sheet and the second end containing a slot slidably and pivotally mounted relative to the bearing fixed to the vehicle structure, the slot in said load absorber having a configuration to function as a reverse lock, and the load absorber containing a permanently deformable section that will deform permanently to provide an optimum absorbency and deceleration of the passenger's kinetic energy in the event of a vehicle collision.
In a vehicle safety device for protecting a passenger's legs in the event of a vehicle collision including an impact sheet, swivel levers each having a first end and a second end, pivotally connected at their second ends to the impact sheet at spaced locations, and at their first ends to fixed vehicle structure so that the swivel levers control the movement of the impact sheet from a retracted position away from the lower limbs of the passenger to a projecting position toward the lower limbs of the passenger in the event of a collision to protect the passenger, and a device responsive to a collision to activate the swivel levers into the protracted position, the improvement comprising, a load absorber having a first end and a second end, with the first end pivotally attached at an angle to the impact sheet and the second end pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle structure, the load absorber containing a permanently deformable section that will deform permanently to provide an optimum absorbency and deceleration of the passenger's kinetic energy in the event of a vehicle collision.
In a vehicle safety device for protecting a passenger's legs in the event of a vehicle collision including an impact sheet, swivel levers each having a first end and a second end, pivotally connected at their second ends to the impact sheet at spaced locations, and at their first ends to fixed vehicle structure so that the swivel levers control the movement of the impact sheet from a retracted position away from the lower limbs of the passenger to a projecting position toward the lower limbs of the passenger in the event of a collision to protect the passenger, and a driver responsive to a collision to drive the swivel levers into the protracted position, the improvement comprising, a load absorber having a first end and a second end, with the first end pivotally attached at an angle to the impact sheet and the second end mounted relative to the vehicle structure, and wherein in the event of a vehicle collision, the load absorber is drawn by the impact sheet to the protracted position, the load absorber containing a permanently deformable section that will deform permanently upon load over a predetermined distance thereby absorbing energy of collision to a lower peak load level to provide an optimum absorbency and deceleration of the passenger's kinetic energy during a vehicle collision, and a lock that becomes effective to prevent the load absorber from reversing when the load absorber is drawn by the impact sheet into the protracted position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.