Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Carl T Seamon

Melvin Lee Tinnin

William David Cymbal

Michael C Vermeersch

Robert W Dubay

Arthur W Nellett

Larry W Burr

Benjamin D Reichard

Matt Vincent

Ronald J Huntley

Doug Butterfield

Jerry Wade

A steering column assembly includes an upper jacket. The steering column assembly also includes a lower jacket that the upper jacket is telescopingly coupled to. The steering column assembly further includes an energy absorbing strap operatively coupled to the upper jacket and the lower jacket, the energy absorbing strap having a first leg, a second leg and a U-shaped portion connecting the first leg and the second leg. The steering column assembly yet further includes a pin located within a slot defined by the first leg and the second leg of the energy absorbing strap.

Energy absorbing strap assembly for a steering column

A lever assembly includes a lever that extends between a first lever end and a second lever end and a lever member. The lever member has a lever member first portion connected to the second lever end and a lever member second portion extending from the lever member first portion. The lever member second portion has an intermediate portion defining a predefined plastically deformable stress point that is arranged to facilitate movement of the lever member second portion relative to the lever member first portion.

Controlled energy absorbing rake adjustment lever

A first steering column member and a second steering column member are engaged for pivoting movement, and include confronting surfaces that limit the relative movement of the members. A bumper is disposed between the confronting surfaces to absorb impact during the adjusting movement. The bumper is fixedly connected to one of the first and second steering column members in a snap-fit connection.

Snap in tilt bumper

The collapsible vehicle steering column has a jacket slideably supported by a jacket support bracket and by at least one severable steering column support capsule. A steering wheel is journaled in a housing on the upper end of the jacket assembly. A bearing is supported by the jacket support bracket. A collapsible upper shaft is connected to the steering wheel and is slideably supported by the bearing. A collapsible intermediate shaft is connected to the upper shaft by a universal joint. Force on the steering wheel initially severs the support capsule from the jacket assembly, moves the upper steering shaft and the jacket rearward collapsing the intermediate shaft. After a stop surface on the upper shaft contacts the bearing, the upper shaft starts to collapse and the jacket housing envelopes the universal joint.

Collapsible steering column and method

An energy-absorbing motor vehicle steering column including a structural housing, a pair of wedge blocks supported in guide channels on the structural housing for linear translation parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the steering column, a retainer plate on the structural housing over the guide channels, a lateral shoulder on each wedge block, and springs between each of the wedge blocks and the structural housing. When the wedge blocks are pushed backward in their guide channels, the springs are compressed and tip the wedge blocks upward to seat the lateral shoulders on the wedge blocks against the retainer plate and thereby retain the wedge blocks in retracted positions. The retainer plate is hooked over a lateral rod on a body of the motor vehicle to support an aft end of the structural housing vertically on the vehicle body. The lateral rod releases the wedge blocks from their retracted positions by tipping the wedge blocks downward in the guide channels whereupon the thrust of the springs wedges the ramps on the wedge blocks under the lateral rod to eliminate vertical lash and lash in the direction of the longitudinal centerline of the steering column.

Energy-absorbing steering column for motor vehicle

Growing community of inventors

New Lothrop, MI, United States of America

Carl T Seamon