Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
280777000 | Steering column or wheel movable in response to collision | 46 |
20080224459 | Impact absorption steering apparatus - Disclosed is an impact absorption steering apparatus, which includes: a mounting bracket for supporting an outer tube so as to fix the outer tube in a chassis of a vehicle; and a plate bracket which has one opened side and another side assembled with the mounting bracket, the plate bracket enclosing the outer tube, wherein the plate bracket is fixedly assembled with the mounting bracket, at least one protuberance is formed at an inner side of a guide part of the mounting bracket, and at least one groove is formed at each end of both sides of the plate bracket in such a manner that the groove corresponds to the protuberance. | 09-18-2008 |
20080238070 | Shear capsule for steering column assembly - A shear capsule for an energy absorbing steering column assembly of a vehicle has a pin projecting along a centerline and from a preferably stationary bracket generally of the vehicle chassis. The pin extends along a centerline through a deformation member being or connected to a support of the steering column assembly and to a distal end that connects to a fastener. The fastener is preferably a threaded nut that exerts an axial compressive force upon the bracket through a portion of the spring clip and another axially directed force to the resiliently flexible fingers of the spring clip through the deformation member. Upon a forward directed force placed upon the assembly with respect to the vehicle and during a vehicle collision, the deformation member plastically deforms thereby releasing the steering column assembly from the bracket and preferably with the pin, spring clip and fastener remaining as one rigid and non-compliant element attached to the bracket. | 10-02-2008 |
20080238071 | Steering column of vehicle having collision energy absorbing apparatus - Disclosed is a steering column of a vehicle having a collision energy absorbing apparatus. The steering column includes: a hollow tube having a steering shaft disposed in the hollow tube; a plate bracket surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the tube and having guide grooves formed on a top part of the plate bracket; a reinforcing member for reinforcing and supporting the plate bracket, the reinforcing member being coupled to the tube and being provided within the plate bracket; and a mounting bracket having impact-absorbing guide members inserted in the guide grooves and fixing holes formed on both sides of the mounting bracket for fixing the mounting bracket to a chassis. | 10-02-2008 |
20080272582 | ENERGY ABSORBING STEERING SYSTEM - In an energy absorbing steering system including a steering shaft to which a steering member is coupled, and a steering column that rotatably supports the steering shaft, at least one of the steering shaft and the steering column includes an impact absorbing portion that contracts when a load equal to or higher than a predetermined value is applied, and the impact absorbing portion includes a first impact absorbing portion having a first impact absorption load, and a second impact absorbing portion having a second impact absorption load different from the first impact absorption load. | 11-06-2008 |
20080272583 | STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY - A steering column assembly for a vehicle includes an outer jacket, an inner shaft that is received in and rotatable relative to the outer jacket, and an energy absorbing bracket. The energy absorbing bracket includes a mounting portion rigid attached to the vehicle and a body portion extending from the mounting portion. The outer jacket is rigidly attached to the body portion and the body portion is deformable to absorb energy in response to movement of the outer jacket. A tab is connected to one of the body portion and the mounting portion and abuts the outer jacket for applying a resistive force against movement of the outer jacket. The tab releases the resistive force in response to a predetermined collapsing force to allow the outer jacket to move while the body portion of the energy absorbing bracket deforms to absorb energy from the outer jacket. | 11-06-2008 |
20080284150 | STEERING SYSTEM - If a component of a high collision load obliquely upward of the vehicular front at a secondary collision time acts on a steering column | 11-20-2008 |
20090001701 | Shock absorbing steering device for vehicle - A shock absorbing steering device for vehicle includes an intermediate shaft that couples a steering shaft and a steering gear. The intermediate shaft includes a hollow accordion portion allowed to undergo plastic deformation. The accordion portion has plural pairs of crest portions and trough portions disposed alternately in an axial direction. At least in a part of the accordion portion in the axial direction, a height from bottoms of the trough portions to apexes of the crest portions is set relatively high in one of first and second parts of the accordion portion opposing in a radial direction and relatively low in the other one of the first and second parts. | 01-01-2009 |
20090020996 | Collapsible vehicle steering column - A vehicle safety system including a steering column, a keying member, and a squib. The steering column includes a first steering column section longitudinally slidably connected to a second steering column section. The keying member locates the first and second steering column sections at a fixed longitudinal position relative to each other. The squib is located relative to the keying member to exert a force on the keying member when the squib is initiated to thereby allow the first and second steering column sections to longitudinally slide relative to each other to shorten a length of the steering column. | 01-22-2009 |
20090026748 | Shock absorbing steering apparatus for motor vehicle - A shock absorbing steering apparatus for motor vehicle includes an intermediate shaft including first and second ends. The intermediate shaft includes a hollow bellows portion having convexes and concaves alternating with each other. The convexes include at least one slant convex. A plane including a ridge line of the slant convex is tilted to a perpendicular plane perpendicular to a center axis of the intermediate shaft. As a result, a part of an axial force exerted on the intermediate shaft at a motor vehicle collision is converted to a bending force on the intermediate shaft. | 01-29-2009 |
20090033082 | Steering column for a motor vehicle - Steering column for a motor vehicle with
| 02-05-2009 |
20090058060 | Steering shock absorbing apparatus for motor vehicle - A steering shock absorbing apparatus for motor vehicle according to the invention comprises a first universal joint for interconnecting a first end of an intermediate shaft and a steering shaft, and a second universal joint for interconnecting a second end of the intermediate shaft and an input shaft of a steering gear. The intermediate shaft includes a hollow bellows portion having slant convexes and slant concaves alternating with each other. A line interconnecting the joint centers of the first and second universal joints is tilted to the center axis of the intermediate shaft at a predetermined angle. At motor vehicle collision, a bending moment derived from an impact force of the collision is exerted on the intermediate shaft because the line is tilted. As a result, the intermediate shaft is bucklingly contracted at the bellows portion thereof. | 03-05-2009 |
20090085338 | Structure of instrument panel area of vehicle - A structure of a vehicle instrument panel area, which is capable of sufficiently ensuring a frontward displacement of a steering column adapted to be displaced frontwardly in response to an impact load applied thereto frontwardly, even under a condition that a column cover is disposed to overlap with a meter unit when viewed in an axial direction of the steering column. A meter unit | 04-02-2009 |
20090108576 | Retractable steering mechanism - A retractable steering mechanism includes a steering wheel, a steering column connected to the steering wheel, a telescopic device connected to steering column, a connector for connecting the telescopic device to two front wheels of the vehicle. A first cover is connected to the vehicle. A second cover is connected to the first cover and includes at least two slots defined therein. A shell is used to house the steering column so that the steering column is rotational but not movable in the shell. The shell includes at two bosses formed thereon and movably disposed in the slots. A moving unit is provided between the vehicle and the shell and operable, in a car accident, to retract and tilt the shell due to the bosses moving in the slots. | 04-30-2009 |
20090212547 | Crash-Protected Steering Device Of A Vehicle - Crash behavior is to be made variable in an application-dependent manner in a crash-protected steering device. For this purpose, the steering device of this type is provided with a piezoelectric actuator for a controllable reduction in a presettable crash or release force. | 08-27-2009 |
20090218801 | COLLISION ENERGY ABSORBABLE STEERING COLUMN FOR VEHICLE - Disclosed is a vehicular collision energy absorbable steering column coupled to a steering shaft. The steering column comprises shaped wires deformable to absorb a collision load in a vehicle collision, a cylindrical hollow outer tube, a cylindrical hollow inner tube having on its interior circumferential surface mounting grooves to secure the wires, and a distance bracket that is formed of a hollow tubular member having an outer tube joint at one end and an inner tube joint at the opposite end and has a pair of fastening flanges shaped into two spaced opposing plates formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the tubular member for receiving the wires so that the distance bracket may collapse in the axial direction in the event of a vehicle collision through deforming the wires. | 09-03-2009 |
20090256342 | COLLAPSIBLE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY - A steering column assembly includes an upper jacket and a lower jacket partially disposed within said upper jacket. A bushing is disposed between the upper jacket and the lower jacket. The upper jacket and the lower jacket are collapsible along a longitudinal axis in response to a collision event. A first roller mechanism and a second roller mechanism are mounted to the upper jacket near a forward end and a rearward end of the bushing respectively for engaging the lower jacket in rolling engagement. The first and second roller mechanisms resist a resultant force caused by a bending moment created by a transverse load applied to a distal end of the upper jacket to minimize an increase in a sliding frictional force between the bushing and the lower jacket. | 10-15-2009 |
20100032933 | STEERING COLUMN HAVING AN ACTUATOR FOR APPLYING A RESULTANT FORCE - The invention provides for a collapsible steering column assembly and method for applying a varying resultant force to resist the collapse of the steering column assembly during an emergency condition. The steering column assembly includes a column jacket adapted to be releasably coupled to the frame for movement along the longitudinal axis L in the emergency condition. The column jacket includes an anvil and is supported by a support bracket. An absorbing strap secured to the supporting bracket is routed around the anvil. The absorbing strap is plastically deformed as the column jacket moves along axis L and an actuator supported by the support bracket applies a force against the absorbing strap. The actuator selectively varies the applied for as the absorbing strap is drawn over the anvil in the emergency condition to optimize the resultant force for the emergency condition. | 02-11-2010 |
20100156081 | IMPACT ABSORBING DEVICE FOR STEERING COLUMN OF VEHICLE - An impact absorbing device for a steering column of a vehicle including a bearing and a pipe in addition to a mounting bracket, the structure of the mounting bracket being modified so that a bearing member and a bolt are installed thereto, wherein the impact transfer to a shaft through a steering shaft in the case of collision of a vehicle can be prevented since capsules and the bolt are broken, thereby preventing excessive impact and interference with peripheral parts. | 06-24-2010 |
20100237598 | STEERING WHEEL RELEASE/STROKING USING ACTIVE MATERIAL ACTUATION - A tunable steering wheel release/stroking system adapted for use with a steering column, and to selectively absorb energy during a crash event, includes a steering column and an energy-absorbing element configured to receive a force from the column during the event, wherein the element is formed at least in part of an active material changeable between first and second phases when exposed to an activation signal, and configured so as to be caused to deform by and therefore absorb energy from the force at a first energy-absorbing magnitude in the first phase and at a second energy-absorbing magnitude in the second phase. | 09-23-2010 |
20110084470 | SHOCK ABSORBING STEERING APPARATUS - An upper bracket for mounting a column to a vehicle body includes a column support portion which is press-fitted on an outer periphery of the column through axial press-fitting action with a predetermined interference between the column and the column support portion. Hence, the column is in relative press-fit relation to the bracket and is normally in pressure contact with the column support portion. Therefore, if a secondary collision exerts an impact force on the column pushing the column in the axial direction, the column is moved as generating strong friction with the column support portion. Accordingly, the impact energy of the secondary collision is attenuated by the friction. Thus, a shock absorbing steering apparatus featuring a simple structure ensuring a stable operation can be provided. | 04-14-2011 |
20110227322 | STEERING APPARATUS - In a steering apparatus, an upper bracket that supports a steering column is configured as a breakaway bracket, and has a telescopic adjustment function that allows the steering wheel position to be adjusted in the axial direction of the steering column. The upper bracket has a first through-hole extending through the upper bracket in the axial direction. The upper bracket is provided with a guide rail | 09-22-2011 |
20110260438 | LENGTH ADJUSTABLE STEERING COLUMN MODULE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE - A length adjustable steering column module for a motor vehicle has a support beam attachable to the motor vehicle. The module includes a steering column rotatable about a longitudinal axis, and has an upper and a lower steering tube. The upper steering tube is displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal axis and is non-rotatably connected to the lower steering tube. An adjusting device adjusts the distance of the upper steering tube from the lower steering tube. A jacket tube has an annular area, a crash member, and an upper and a lower end portion, the upper end portion grasps around the upper steering tube, and axially fixes and rotatably supports the upper steering tube. A central bearing is disposed between the annular area and the upper steering tube. The crash member, located between the central bearing and the lower end portion, shortens in the event of an accident. | 10-27-2011 |
20120018991 | VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM - A vehicle steering system includes: a steering member; steered wheels; a steered shaft; a housing; a fitting bracket that has a first bolt insertion hole; a vehicle body-side member that has a second bolt insertion hole; and a bolt that is inserted through the first bolt insertion hole and the second bolt insertion hole. One of the first bolt insertion hole and the second bolt insertion hole is a long hole. When a reverse input equal to or larger than a predetermined value is applied from a road surface to the steered wheel, the bolt is displaced within the long hole in the lateral direction, causing the fitting bracket to displace with respect to the vehicle body-side member in the lateral direction. | 01-26-2012 |
20120074678 | STEERING COLUMN FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE - A steering column for a motor vehicle comprises a casing unit, which serves to rotatably mount a steering spindle section adjoining a steering-wheel-side end, and at least one support piece which can be fastened at one side to a motor vehicle part fixed with respect to the body and which is or can be fixedly connected at the other side to the casing unit. At least one rupturing region is formed, along which, when a displacement force which exceeds a predefined release force acts in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the steering spindle section adjoining the steering-wheel-side end, the connection of the support piece to the casing unit or the support piece can be ruptured, wherein a displacement of the casing unit relative to the part fixed with respect to the body takes place. | 03-29-2012 |
20120080873 | IMPACT ABSORBING STEERING APPARATUS - Construction of an impact absorbing steering wheel apparatus that is capable of obtaining excellent performance at low cost while maintaining the freedom of design is achieved. An energy absorbing member | 04-05-2012 |
20120080874 | IMPACT ABSORBING STEERING APPARATUS - Construction of an impact absorbing steering wheel apparatus that is capable of obtaining excellent performance at low cost while maintaining the freedom of design is achieved. An energy absorbing member comprises: a base plate section | 04-05-2012 |
20120112443 | STEERING COLUMN SUPPORT APPARATUS - Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that is able to suppress an increase in the height dimension, maintain a function of the steering column | 05-10-2012 |
20120169035 | STEERING COLUMN SUPPORT APPARATUS - A steering column support apparatus that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, keeping material costs, processing costs and assembly costs of an energy absorbing member low, and when necessary, preventing the steering wheel from dropping down excessively during a secondary collision. A locking capsule | 07-05-2012 |
20120187669 | STEERING COLUMN SUPPORT APPARATUS - Provided is a steering column support apparatus that simplifies tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel during a secondary collision, and suppresses the absolute value and variation of the break away load without strong rubbing between the bracket | 07-26-2012 |
20120193902 | IMPACT ABSORBING STEERING APPARATUS - Construction is achieved wherein a steering wheel can displace smoothly in the forward direction during a secondary collision, even when an electric motor | 08-02-2012 |
20120267884 | STEERING COLUMN SUPPORT APPARATUS - Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that simplifies tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, lowers and stabilizes the break away load, and when necessary, prevents the steering wheel from dropping excessively after a secondary collision. A locking cutout section | 10-25-2012 |
20120299281 | STEERING COLUMN SUPPORT APPARATUS AND ASSEMBLY METHOD - Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel | 11-29-2012 |
20120319388 | STEERING APPARATUS - A steering apparatus has a column | 12-20-2012 |
20130207370 | DEVICE FOR SECONDARY ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN A STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY - A pencil brace is incorporated into a cross car assembly of an automotive vehicle as a secondary energy absorption device to assist in managing the energy and controlling the column stroke due to a collision. | 08-15-2013 |
20140028008 | MOTOR VEHICLE WITH RETRACTABLE STEERING WHEEL - A motor vehicle includes an instrument panel, a steering column defining a longitudinal axis, and a steering wheel arranged on the steering column in a region of the instrument panel. The steering wheel is configured for movement in relation to the instrument panel in a direction of the longitudinal axis towards the instrument panel from a first position to a second position. The steering column is also constructed to enable the steering wheel to move from the second position to the first position when the motor vehicle is subjected to a force caused by an accident. | 01-30-2014 |
20140210196 | STEERING APPARATUS - A steering apparatus includes an inner column, an outer column fitted onto the inner column, a vehicle body mounting bracket, a distance bracket fixed to the outer circumference of the outer column and slidably held between left and right side plates of the vehicle body mounting bracket, and a tightening rod. The distance bracket is formed with telescopic slots through which the tightening rod is inserted. The distance bracket includes left and right front tightening portions and left and right rear tightening portions. The axial distance between the pair of left and right front tightening portions and the pair of left and right rear tightening portions is shorter than the axial length of each telescopic slot. The outer column is formed with a pair of left and right through-holes into which the left and right front tightening portions or the left and right rear tightening portions is inserted. | 07-31-2014 |
20140217713 | STEERING APPARATUS - A steering apparatus includes a steering shaft, a column rotatably supporting the steering shaft, a bracket attached to the column, a capsule configured to be fixed to a vehicle body and having upper and lower holding plates sandwiching the flange portion, a coupling part coupling the flange portion and the capsule such that the flange portion is detachable from the capsule by an impact force toward the front of the vehicle body, a rounded portion formed at a front end portion of the flange portion with a curvature radius varying along a vehicle-width direction, and an energy-absorbing member. The energy-absorbing member includes a rear portion engaged with the capsule, a front extension portion extending forward from the rear portion, a bent portion bent in front of the rounded portion, and a rear extension portion extending rearward and inclined in the vehicle-width direction with respect to the column center axis. | 08-07-2014 |
20140246848 | STEERING COLUMN DEVICE - A steering column device includes a steering column for supporting a steering shaft in a freely rotatable manner, and a guide plate and a column bracket for assembling the steering column onto a part of a vehicle body. The steering column device further includes coupling bolts coupled to the column bracket through guide grooves of the guide plate and movable along the guide grooves when the column bracket moves toward the front of the vehicle relative to the guide plate. Further, an upper column cover movable toward the front of the vehicle together with the steering column is assembled above the steering column at a position corresponding to a vehicle rear of the guide plate. Means A unit for mitigating an impact is provided to a vehicle rear portion of the guide plate, and is configured to mitigate an impact to be caused when the upper column cover strikes, in the event of collision of the vehicle, against the vehicle rear portion of the guide plate along with movement of the steering column toward the front of the vehicle together with the column bracket. | 09-04-2014 |
20140312603 | STEERING SYSTEM OF AUTOMOBILE - A steering system of an automobile may include a mounting bracket having a flange portion supporting a steering column and contacting with an automobile body, and an opening hole formed at the flange portion and opening toward one side of the flange portion, a capsule slidably coupled to the opening hole and adapted to be decoupled from the opening hole when an impact is given thereto, and at least one molded supporter fixing the capsule and the flange portion and adapted to be sheared off from the capsule or the flange portion when the impact is given thereto. | 10-23-2014 |
20140327235 | STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - Provided is a steering apparatus for a vehicle including a steering column, a mounting bracket laterally installed at the steering column and having a pair of through-holes formed at each of both sides and spaced apart from each other, a guide block including a base section and a pair of guide sections extending upward from the base section and spaced apart from each other to be inserted into the through-holes, and a capsule including a fixing section fixed to the mounting bracket and configured to be separated from the mounting bracket upon a collision of a vehicle, and a slide section lengthily extending from the fixing section and slidably inserted between the pair of guide sections. | 11-06-2014 |
20140346760 | STEERING SYSTEM - In a steering system, a first through-hole is formed in a stationary bracket secured to vehicle body. A second through-hole is formed in a movable bracket that is movable relative to the stationary bracket in a prescribed direction at the time of a secondary collision. A pin passed through both the first through-hole and the second through-hole breaks at a position between the first through-hole and the second through-hole at the time of the secondary collision, thereby allowing the movable bracket to move relative to the stationary bracket. An under plate attached to the movable bracket closes the second through-hole from below. | 11-27-2014 |
20150021890 | STEERING APPARATUS - A steering apparatus includes an engaging portion movable in a predetermined moving direction at a time of a secondary collision; a fixation portion fixed to a vehicle body; and an absorbing member. The absorbing member includes a fixed portion fixed to the fixation portion, an engaged portion facing the engaging portion, and a connecting portion that includes a curved portion and connects the fixed portion and the engaged portion. An area of a cross-section of the curved portion taken along a plane perpendicular to a creeping direction along the curved portion varies depending on a position in the creeping direction. The connecting portion of the absorbing member is deformed so that the absorbing member absorbs energy of the secondary collision. | 01-22-2015 |
20150069747 | Steering Assemblies - A collapsible steering column assembly includes a shroud comprising an outer tube that supports a steering wheel through a bearing and an inner tube that is fixed to a part of the vehicle, the column assembly being able to collapse telescopically by the outer tube moving over the inner tube, the assembly further including an energy absorbing strap that is fixed to the inner tube and a plough which is fixed to the outer tube, whereby in use the assembly is so arranged that upon a telescopic collapse the relative movement between the inner tube and the outer tube forces a part of the plough through the strap to progressively peel away a part of the strap from the remainder of the strap. | 03-12-2015 |
20150137499 | ENERGY ABSORBING STEERING APPARATUS - An energy absorbing steering apparatus in which shock applied to a steering column is absorbed by plastic deformation of a bracket for suspending the steering column from a vehicle body. The bracket includes: a first plate portion; a second plate portion bent from a rear edge of the first plate portion toward a lower portion; a third plate portion bent from a lower edge of the second plate portion toward a rear upper portion; and a fourth plate portion bent from an upper edge of the third plate portion toward the lower portion. An angle of a first bent portion between the first and second plate portions is an obtuse angle. An angle of a second bent portion between the second and third plate portions is an acute angle. An angle of a third bent portion between the third and fourth plate portions is an acute angle. | 05-21-2015 |
20150344064 | STEERING-COLUMN DEVICE - A steering column device is provided with a suspension mechanism which is supported on a fixed bracket, suspends a movable jacket through a movable bracket, and can move in a column movement direction at the time of a secondary collision. The suspension mechanism includes a suspension bolt which is inserted into a first plate of the fixed bracket and a second plate of a tilt bracket and is screwed into a nut. A leaf spring which is interposed between a head portion of the suspension bolt and the second plate in a state of bringing a stepped portion of the suspension bolt into contact with the second plate biases the first plate to the second plate side. Further, the second plate is pinched between the stepped portion and the nut. | 12-03-2015 |
20160185379 | TELESCOPIC SHAFT AND STEERING SYSTEM - A telescopic shaft includes an inner shaft, an outer shaft, a plurality of rolling bodies that are disposed between recessed grooves of the inner shaft and the outer shaft and form a line in an axial direction, a stopper, and a buffer body. The stopper restricts falling of the rolling bodies from the recessed groove of the inner shaft. The buffer body is interposed between the stopper and a rolling body at an end portion of the line. An end surface of the buffer body includes an inclined abutment portion that is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to an axis of the inner shaft. The abutment portion abuts against the rolling body at the end portion of the line at a stroke end of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft. | 06-30-2016 |