Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Alan Joseph Porter

Erik William Soderlind

Alvin Matti

James Thornton

A steering column assembly includes a first shaft and a second shaft telescopically engaged with the first shaft. The steering column assembly includes a bore extending through the first shaft to the second shaft. A plug is disposed in and occludes the bore. The plug is resiliently expandable relative to the first shaft.

Steering column assembly

Decoupler deflector devices and systems for automobile steering systems are provided. A decoupler deflector device in an automobile steering system can be connected to an upper intermediate shaft ('I-shaft') portion or an I-shaft joint. The decoupler device can be adapted to contact a lower I-shaft portion and rotate the upper I-shaft portion downwardly such that the upper I-shaft portion does not interfere with a collapsing steering column when subjected to loading from an automobile driver during a front-end collision impact event. The decoupler device can comprise a first end portion coupled to an upper I-shaft portion and an I-shaft joint; and a second end portion spaced apart from the first end portion to contact a lower I-shaft portion and rotate the upper I-shaft portion. Other embodiments are also claimed and described.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Alan Joseph Porter