Nacam

Jean-Michel Fouquet

Benoit Duval

Eddy Dupont

Laurent Fevre

Pascal Millet

An energy-absorbing device for an automobile steering column having a body-tube housing the steering shaft. A support made as two parallel vertical members mountably fixed on a vehicle body mount the steering column axially between them. The body-tube has reinforcement members on two opposite sides. An attaching device compresses the reinforcement members in the support with a tightening non-rotatable bolt extending axially through the body-tube reinforcement members and the support members. A nut on one end of the bolt is tightened by an operator for establishing a determined level of a frictional force between the support and body tube. The reinforcement members have release passage openings for the tightening member in the form of an edge notch open in the direction of the driver's wheel to allow the body-tube to translate axially free in response to an impact force parallel to the body-tube longitudinal axis in a direction away from the driver's wheel at a force level greater than the determined frictional force between the body-tube and support, as when an unrestrained driver impacts the steering wheel in a collison. A deformable element to which the body-tube tube is articulated absorbs the impact force energy as the body-tube translates in response to the impact force. An elongated passage opening in the support for the tightening element provides for adjusting inclination of steering columns if needed.

Energy-absorbing device for automobile vehicle steering columns

An energy-absorbing device disposed between two elements which are movable apart from each other in response to an externally applied force. The device has a wire coil winding having a plurality of turns at one end and a rectilinear length portion at another end extending away from a turn of the coil winding. One of the two elements has a support axis about which the coil winding turns are would axially thereof. A second of the two elements has an end of the rectilinear length portion of the wire secured thereto. The turns of the coil winding are deformable and unwind about the axis to absorb energy of a force applied in a direction parallel to the rectilinear relatively separating apart the two elements. The energy device is uable on automobile vehicle steering columns for absorbing impact forces.

Energy-absorbing device, particularly for automobile vehicle steering

An energy-absorbing device for an automobile steering column adjustable in depth and/or inclination mounted on a support structure fixed to the vehicle body. The body-tube and steering shaft are clamped and locked in the support structure. A securing device with a rotatable elongate tightening element, such as a bolt or rod, and an operator for rotating the axis of the tightening element clamps the body-tube between coacting clamping elements and vertical sides of the support structure. Provision is made for depth adjustment and inclination of the steering column body-tube by slots in the clamping elements and support structure that allow positioning the tightening element axis at a selected position in accordance with a selected depth and inclination of the body-tube. An energy-absorbing element, in the form of a flat coiled band or a coiled wire, is fixed to an end of the body-tube facing the vehicle steering wheel so that an impact force applied at that end and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body-tube effects axial translation of the body-tube relative to the support structure. Intermediate toothed elements of the securing device connect the energy-absorbing element to the body-tube and the securing device operator which translates in response to the body-tube translation. If the impact force reaches the value of the tightening or clamping forces, the energy-absorbing element absorbing element absorbs the energy of the impact force as the body-tube translates.

Energy-absorbing device with axial holding for automobile vehicle

An energy-absorbing device for an automobile steering column adjustable in depth and/or inclination mounted on a support structure fixed to the vehicle body. The body-tube and steering shaft are received in the support structure and clamped and locked therein by clamping elements coactive with the support structure. A locking device is provided with a rotatable elongate locking element to which is connected an operator for rotating the axis of the locking element in a direction for clamping the body-tube between coacting clamping elements and vertical sides of the support structure. The locking element is a bolt or rod having reverse pitch nuts on opposite ends and which tighten the sides of the support structure and clamping elements toward the body-tube to lock the body-tube in place when the locking element axis is rotated by the locking device operator. Provision is made in parts of the support structure and clamping elements for depth adjustment and inclination of the steering column body-tube by providing in the support structure and clamping elements slots that allow positioning of the locking element axis at a selected position in accordance with the selected depth and inclination of the body-tube. An energy-absorbing device is provided in the form of a hydraulic shock absorber the body or cylinder of which is fixed to an end of the body-tube facing the vehicle steering wheel so that an impact force applied at that end and which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body-tube effects axial translation of the body-tube relative to the support structure. An intermediate element of the locking device connects a piston of the shock absorber to the locking device operator which rotates the axis of the elongate locking element in a direction for tightening the body-tube in the support structure as the body-tube translates. The locking element thus preliminarily tightens the support structure and clamping elements in response to the body-tube translation. If the impact force reaches the value of the tightening or clamping forces the damping device is rendered effective and absorbs the energy of the impact force.

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Vendome, France

Jean-Michel Fouquet