Adaptive energy absorber

An apparatus for absorbing energy comprising:

• a first steering column member;
• a second steering column member connected to said first steering column member for sliding movement;
• a first anvil associated with said first steering column member;
• an energy absorbing member having a first portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said first anvil in response to said sliding movement and a second portion connected to said second steering column member and a third portion spaced from said first portion and said second portion and deformable in response to said sliding movement before said first portion is drawn over said first anvil;
• a second anvil associated with said second steering column member and said second portion of said energy absorbing member is further defined as extending around and operable to be drawn over said second anvil;
• and
• a locking device associated with said energy absorbing member to lock one of said first and second portions relative to the respective anvil.

An apparatus for absorbing energy comprising:

• a first steering column member;
• a second steering column member connected to said first steering column member for sliding movement;
• a first anvil having a first axis and associated with said first steering column member;
• a second anvil having a second axis and associated with said second steering column member;
• and
• an energy absorbing member having a first portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said first anvil about said first axis and a second portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said second anvil about said second axis wherein said first and second axes are transverse with respect to one another.

An energy absorbing apparatus, comprising:

• a first member;
• a second member;
• said first and second members being relatively moveable in response to application of a predetermined moving force to at least one of said first and second members;
• first and second anvils respectively mounted on said first and second members;
• a plastically deformable energy absorbing member having first and second portions respectively bent around said first and second anvils, said energy absorbing member having a third portion comprising an section extending between said first and second portions;
• and
• a dead loop formed in said extending section of said energy absorbing member in unconfronting relation to any anvil to enable said dead loop to straighten in response to application of said applied force prior to movement of said energy absorbing member across at least one of said first and second anvils.