Chrysler Corporation

Keith Jensen

Travis D Bechtel

William A Jolley

Richard T Stuedemann

William J Elliot

Leonid Smorgonsky

A vehicle steering assembly includes a steering column having a forward section and a rearward section movable relative to the forward section, a mounting plate adapted to be carried by the vehicle and a bracket releasably coupled to the mounting plate, and operably coupled to the rearward section of the steering column for movement therewith. The assembly also includes a stationary reaction surface disposed adjacent to the rearward section of the steering column and adapted to be engaged by the steering column during at least some events wherein the rearward section is displaced relative to the forward section. This maintains the position of a reaction force on the steering column during movement of the rearward section of the steering column, which provides a decreasing reaction force on the steering column.

Collapsible steering assembly with a stationary reaction surface

A vehicle steering assembly with a movable steering column includes a mounting plate carried by the vehicle, a bracket supporting a portion of the steering column, movable with the steering column, and coupled to the mounting plate, a bend mandrel, and a bend strap operably associated with the bracket for movement with the bracket. The bend strap has a pair of legs on opposed sides of the bend mandrel and a bight interconnecting the legs and arranged so that upon movement of the bracket relative to the mounting plate the bend strap engages the bend mandrel and one leg is progressively deformed about the mandrel to absorb energy from the moving bracket and steering column. A portion of the leg progressively deformed about the mandrel upon movement of the bracket engages a reaction surface defined by at least one of the mounting plate or the bracket.

Growing community of inventors

Shelby Township, MI, United States of America

Keith Jensen