Adaptive energy absorbing device for a steering column

An energy absorbing device for a collapsible steering column of a vehicle, comprising:

• a housing having at least one fixed abutment surface;
• at least one adjuster disposed in said housing for selective lateral slidable movement therein and having an initial abutment surface;
• at least one anvil disposed in said housing abutting said initial abutment surface of said adjuster and spaced longitudinally from said fixed abutment surface in a first position of said anvil;
• a plastically deformable strap supported at least in part for engagement between said anvil and said housing;
• and
• said anvil having an arcuate mating surface engaging said strap restricting slidable movement therebetween and having a base portion for engaging said initial abutment surface of said adjuster maintaining said base portion in spaced relation from said fixed abutment surface of said housing and said adjuster being laterally slidable in response to a signal in a crash condition of the vehicle removing said adjuster from between said anvil and said housing allowing said base portion of said anvil to move from said first position into mating contact with said fixed abutment surface of said housing in response to an applied force from said strap defining a second position of said anvil, said arcuate surface of said anvil having a first coefficient of friction with said strap while said anvil is in said first position and said arcuate surface having a second coefficient of friction with said strap while said anvil is in said second position, said second coefficient of friction being less than said first coefficient of friction allowing the steering column to collapse under a lighter axial load while said anvil is in said second position.