Energy absorbing steering assembly
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsGenyo Murase, Hisahal Mineda, Yozo Yamaguchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An energy absorbing steering assembly for a motor vehicle having a steering column supporting assembly for supporting the steering column substantially at a right angle from the instrument panel of the vehicle and a steering wheel supporting assembly being able to forwardly deflect. The steering column supporting assembly is enabled to buckle to absorb forward impact energy when an impact force is exerted onto the steering wheel and the steering wheel supporting assembly functions to absorb further the forward impact energy in addition to the buckling operation of the steering column supporting assembly.
Claims10
In a vehicle having a steering column assembly, including a steering shaft, steering gear means, means for flexibly coupling said shaft vertically to said gear means for forward pivotal movement of said shaft, and a column tube having said steering shaft journalled therein and permitting said forward pivotal movement of said shaft, apparatus for supporting said steering column assembly, comprising:
- a support structure releasably mounted at its front part to a portion of the instrument panel of said vehicle and secured at its rear part to said steering column tube, said steering asssembly support structure including an impact energy absorbing member having a deformable portion to be plastically expanded outwardly and means for expanding said deformable portion of said energy absorbing member during the forward displacement of said support structure by secondary impact energy exerted thereon from said steering column.
A steering column supporting apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said slots of said flanges are tapered towards the rear portions of said flanges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.