Thyssen Krupp Ag

Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag

Sascha Fricke

Thomas Raich

Martin Fleischer

Helmut Kirmsze

Johannes Ganahl

Thomas Geiselberger

An adjustable steering column may include an actuating unit, a carrying unit, a transmission device, an energy absorption apparatus, and a coupling device. The coupling device may be disconnected from the actuating unit and/or the transmission device in a crash event, which enables movement between the actuating unit and the transmission device. The coupling device includes a pin-shaped holding element with a head, which holding element is fixed in a counterholder. An element that is connected fixedly to the transmission device or the actuating unit may be arranged between the counterholder and the head. A second thickness of all the elements arranged between the counterholder and the head may be smaller, in the case of a movement of the actuating unit relative to the transmission device, than a first thickness of all the elements in the case where the actuating unit is fixed relative to the transmission device.

Adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising an energy absorption device

An adjustable steering column assembly includes a lower jacket, a rake bracket, a rake guide, and a fastener coupling each. The lower jacket has an attachment portion with an end, and a passage extends from that end at least partially through the attachment portion. The attachment portion end has upper and lower seating faces extending into the passage. The rake bracket has a base portion and an arm with an aperture. The rake guide has upper and lower ends and a hole. The upper and lower ends respective have configurations complementary to configurations of the upper and lower seating faces, and the rake guide is positioned in the end of the lower jacket attachment portion such that the rake guide upper end mates with the upper seating face and such that the rake guide lower end mates with the lower seating face.

Adjustable steering column assembly

One steering column assembly includes a bracket connectable to a vehicle, a jacket with an aperture and a wall thickness at the aperture, a steering shaft supported by the jacket, a locking assembly, a bending strap having jacket and rack portions, and an engaging body irrotatably positioned at least partially inside the aperture. The steering shaft is rotatable relative to the jacket about a longitudinal axis of the steering shaft, and the rack portion overlays and is separated from the jacket portion. The engaging body is coupled to or forms part of the bending strap jacket portion and thereby couples the bending strap rack portion to the jacket. The engaging body has a thickness that extends toward the longitudinal axis past the jacket wall thickness at the aperture. The locking assembly is configured to selectively restrict the rack portion from moving relative to the bracket.

Energy-absorbing steering column assembly

One steering column assembly includes an outer jacket having a first end, a cavity defined by an inner surface extending from the first end, and protrusions extending from the inner surface into the cavity. Each protrusion includes a front end at or adjacent the first end, a rear end, and a curved contact surface telescopically supporting an inner jacket. The front end has first and second endpoints, the rear end has third and fourth endpoints, and one side connects the first and third endpoints while another side connects the second and fourth endpoints. Each protrusion is configured such that, when the front and rear ends and the sides are projected onto a flat surface and an angle is measured between one straight line passing through the first and third endpoints and another straight line passing through the second and fourth endpoints, the measurement is from one to fifteen degrees.

One steering column assembly for use with a vehicle includes a steering shaft; a bracket having a base and an arm; a jacket supporting the steering shaft and having a locking assembly; and a stop. The arm has an adjustment slot and upper and lower brakes separated from one another by empty space. The jacket has an axle passage, and the locking assembly has a shaft passing through the axle passage and the adjustment slot. The stop is located along the jacket adjacent the arm in the empty space, such that the stop contacts the upper and lower brakes before the shaft reaches upper and lower ends of the adjustment slot. The stop has a main body with passenger-facing and forward-facing ends, an upper leaf spring extending above the main body, and a lower leaf spring extending below the main body.

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Hard, Austria

Sascha Fricke