Thyssen Krupp Ag

Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag

Bryce Welch

Christian Pichonnat

Stephen W McBride

Justin Yoho

Alexander Weselý

Kevin Templin

Marvin Miller

Stephen Mcbride

A steering column has a housing. A steering spindle jacket is disposed within the housing. An outer steering spindle is disposed within the steering spindle jacket and has a spline hub. An inner spindle is disposed within the outer steering spindle and includes a spline shaft configured to permit axial movement and prevent rotation of the outer steering spindle when the spline hub and the spline shaft are engaged. In a non-stowed state the spline shaft and the spline hub are engaged and in a stowed state the spline shaft and the spline hub are free of engagement. A pin is disposed in the housing engages the spline hub portion in the stowed state and prevents rotation of the outer steering spindle and is free of engagement in the non-stowed state.

Stowable steering column

A steering column may have a steering spindle jacket that is disposed within a support assembly. An outer steering spindle may include a spline hub portion and may be disposed within the steering spindle jacket. An inner steering spindle may be disposed within the outer steering spindle and may include a spline shaft portion configured to permit axial movement and prevent rotation of the outer steering spindle when the spline hub portion and the spline shaft portion are engaged. In a deployed state the spline shaft and the spline hub portions may be engaged, and in a stowed state the spline shaft and the spline hub portions may be free of engagement. A base disposed in the support assembly engages the spline hub portion in the stowed state to prevent rotation of the outer steering spindle.

A compound energy absorption system for a steering column may include different first and second energy absorption mechanisms. The first energy absorption mechanism may involve a slide that deforms a deformation strip in a crash event. The second energy absorption mechanism may involve an energy absorbing strap and a carrier, with the energy absorbing strap being configured to bend and/or tear in a crash event. The energy absorbing strap, the carrier, the deformation strip, and the slide may be packaged compactly in series along an inner jacket tube of the steering column such that the carrier and the deformation strip move relative to the slide and a portion of the energy absorbing strap in a crash event. A pyrotechnic switch, a solenoid, or the like may selectively couple or decouple the second energy absorption mechanism depending on the severity or anticipated severity of a crash event.

Compound energy absorption systems for steering columns

A steering column assembly for a motor vehicle constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure includes a box rocker, a column jacket and a first section of tape. The box rocker has a rocker body including a box rocker inner surface that defines a box rocker bore. The box rocker is configured to be fixed relative to the motor vehicle in an assembled position. The column jacket is configured to be slidably received into the box rocker bore. The column jacket has a column jacket outer diameter including an outer surface that opposes the box rocker inner surface. The first section of tape is disposed between the box rocker inner surface and the column jacket outer surface.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Bryce Welch