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Title: Energy absorbing steering column for vehicles, particularly motor vehicles
Claims: What is claimed is: 1. In a vehicle having dirigible road wheels, a steering column assembly comprising elongated and generally cylindrical steering shaft means, said steering shaft means having upper and lower portions, means operatively connecting said lower portion to said road wheels, manual steering means operatively secured in a predetermined position in said vehicle to one end of said upper portion of said steering shaft means, mounting means secured in said vehicle operatively connected to one of said portions of said steering shaft means for supporting said steering shaft means for limited rotation within said vehicle, said lower portion of said steering shaft means having an energy absorbing helical part integrally formed therewith, said helical part having at least 1 convolution, said convolution having a diameter larger than the diameter of the remainder of said steering shaft means, said helical part being adapted to axially collapse in response to an impact load applied to one end of said steering shaft means to absorb impact energy and so that said one end of said steering shaft means and said manual steering means connected thereto substantially remain in position in said vehicle. 2. In a vehicle having dirigible road wheels, a steering column assembly comprising an elongated cylindrical steering shaft, mounting means secured in said vehicle operatively connected to said shaft for supporting said shaft for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft and for inhibiting the longitudinal movement of said shaft, a steering wheel, first deformable energy absorbing means operatively securing said steering wheel to said shaft, mounting means for absorbing the energy of an impact exerted on said steering wheel, said second energy absorbing means for said assembly being formed by an integral and continuous portion of shaft below said support and shaped in the form of a helix of at least one convolution with a diameter larger than the diameter of the remainder of said shaft and deformable in response to an impact load of a predetermined magnitude applied to said shaft to absorb the energy of said impact load. 3. In a vehicle having dirigible road wheels, a steering column assembly, said steering column assembly comprising an elongated cylindrical steering shaft, means operatively connecting one end portion of said steering shaft to said road wheels, manual steering means operatively connected to the other end of said steering shaft, mounting means operatively connected to one portion of said steering shaft for supporting said steering shaft for turning movement to permit said steering shaft to steer said road wheels and to inhibit the movement of said steering shaft along its longitudinal axis, another portion of said steering shaft being integral with said one portion and describing the path of a helix with at least one convolution having a diameter greater than the diameter of the remainder of said steering shaft, said last mentioned portion forming an energy absorbing section of said steering shaft which collapses axially in a controlled manner to reduce steering shaft length in response to an impact load of predetermined magnitude applied to said steering shaft to absorb the energy of the impact load. 4. In a vehicle having dirigible road wheels, a steering column assembly comprising cylindrical steering shaft means, manually operable steering means operatively connected to one end of said steering shaft means and located in a predetermined station in said vehicle, means operatively connecting the other end of said shaft means to said dirigible road wheels, support means operatively connected to one portion of said shaft means between the ends thereof to support said shaft means for rotation in response to turning said manually operable steering means, said shaft means having an integral energy absorbing helical portion, said helical portion having at least one convolution with a diameter larger than the diameter of said steering shaft means which collapses in response to an impact load applied to one end portion of said steering shaft means to absorb impact energy and so that said one end of said steering shaft and said steering means remain in said predetermined station in said vehicle. Other info: Inventors: Moos, Jakob (Rheingau, DT) Application Number: 504193 Filing Date: 1974-09-09 Publication_date: 1976-01-27 Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Detroit, MI) Primary Class(es): 280/777 74/492, 180/78, 280/750 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Song, Robert R. Assistant Examiner: Siemens, Terrance L. Attorney: Schwartz; S. |
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