Automatic tilt mechanism for steering wheel with inflatable restraint

Apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle steering column having an upper portion, a lower portion, and means for supporting said upper portion for pivotal movement relative to said lower portion;
• a vehicle steering wheel mounted on said upper portion of said steering column for pivotal movement with said upper portion of said steering column;
• latch means including a latch member which is movable into and out of a locked condition, said latch member engaging said upper and lower portions of said steering column with each other to block said upper portion of said steering column from being pivoted manually when said latch member is in said locked condition;
• said latch means further including automatic means for pivoting said upper portion of said steering column automatically when said latch member is in said locked condition, said automatic means moving said latch member relative to said lower portion of said steering column to pivot said upper portion relative to said lower portion when said automatic means is actuated;
• and
• means for actuating said automatic means in response to a vehicle condition indicative of a vehicle collision;
• said automatic means including an ignitable material which, when ignited, generates gas, a cylinder in which said gas is contained under pressure, a piston which is movable relative to said cylinder under the influence of the pressure of the gas, and means for connecting said piston with said latch member to move said latch member with said piston, said automatic means moving said latch member relative to said lower portion of said steering column under the influence of the pressure of said gas.

Apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle steering column having an upper portion, a lower portion, and means for supporting said upper portion for pivotal movement relative to said lower portion;
• a vehicle steering wheel mounted on said upper portion of said steering column for pivotal movement with said upper portion of said steering column;
• latch means including a latch member which is movable into and out of a locked condition, said latch member engaging said upper and lower portions of said steering column with each other to block said upper portion of said steering column from being pivoted manually when said latch member is in said locked condition;
• said latch means further including automatic means for pivoting said upper portion of said steering column automatically when said latch member is in said locked condition, said automatic means moving said latch member relative to said lower portion of said steering column to pivot said upper portion relative to said lower portion when said automatic means is actuated;
• means for actuating said automatic means in response to a vehicle condition indicative of a vehicle collision;
• and
• means for maintaining said latch member in its locked condition during movement of said latch member by said automatic means.

Apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle steering column having an upper portion, a lower portion, and means for supporting said upper portion for pivotal movement relative to said lower portion;
• a vehicle steering wheel mounted on said upper portion of said steering column for pivotal movement with said upper portion of said steering column;
• latch means including a latch member which is movable into and out of a locked condition, said latch member engaging said upper and lower portions of said steering column with each other to block said upper portion of said steering column from being pivoted manually when said latch member is in said locked condition;
• said latch means further including automatic means for pivoting said upper portion of said steering column automatically with said latch member in said locked condition, said automatic means moving said latch member relative to said lower portion of said steering column to pivot said upper portion relative to said lower portion when said automatic means is actuated;
• means for actuating said automatic means in response to a vehicle condition indicative of a vehicle collision.