Nsk Americas, Inc.

Nsk Corporation

Nsk Steering Systems America, Inc.

Simon Read

Victor Corona Martinez

David Ray Hartman

Abhishek Mathur

Gerald Lim

Jonathon Lyte

Yoshifumi Kurokawa

Steven Marmillo

A portion of a shroud () is adapted to be secured to a steering column assembly (). The portion of the shroud () includes a slot () for receiving a portion of a fastener () and an opening () of sufficient size that at least a portion of the fastener () is permitted to fit through to allow the shroud () to break away from the steering column assembly () upon an impact exceeding a threshold load. The shroud () is fastened to the steering column assembly () via a fastener () and a connection member that is joined to the column tube.

Steering column shroud break away interface

An assembly for a steering column assembly including an engagement plate and a telescope plate at least partially disposed within the engagement plate. The engagement plate may be adapted to be located between a column tube of a steering column assembly and the telescope plate. The engagement plate and the telescope plate have one or more features for engaging with or contacting each other to provide energy absorption during an impact exceeding a threshold load. These features may include one or more projections or protrusions, one or more slots, one or more ribs, or a combination.

Steering column telescope assembly and energy absorption device

The position adjustment mechanism is configured to perform a storage operation of storing the steering wheel in a storage position to secure a space in a driver seat for a driver and an adjustment operation of adjusting the steering wheel to a position suitable for driving within an adjustment operation range. The motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that a speed of the steering wheel during the storage operation is higher than a speed of the steering wheel during the adjustment operation.

Electrically adjustable steering

An energy absorption strip () having a generally elongated body portion (), a first end () and a curved portion () between the first end () and the generally elongated body () portion that forms and angle between the first end () and the generally elongated body portion (). The energy absorption strip () is adapted to be carried within a steering column assembly () and absorb energy by plastic deformation during translation of a column tube () during an impact exceeding a threshold load. A steering column assembly () including the energy absorption strip () is also contemplated.

Energy absorbing device for internally collapsing steering column assembly

A collapsible steering column assembly comprising an inner tube operatively connectable with a steering wheel; a top bracket for mounting the steering column assembly; a column housing pivotally coupled with the top bracket and configured to telescopically receive the inner tube; a telescoping actuator device operatively attached to the column housing and the inner tube by one or more drive members; and an energy absorption device housed at least partially within or carried at least partially on the telescoping actuator device and fixed in place to the column housing; wherein the column housing remains generally fixed in place relative to the top bracket in an event of a secondary impact, and during the secondary impact, the inner tube telescopically translates into the column housing; and wherein, during the secondary impact, the energy absorption device undergoes plastic deformation to absorb energy from a load caused by the secondary impact.

Internally collapsible steering column assembly

A steering column assembly for an automotive vehicle that includes an inner column tube, a steering shaft supported at least in part by the inner column tube and having a longitudinal axis, a top bracket adapted for receiving a least a portion of the steering shaft and for mounting the steering column assembly within the automotive vehicle, and a telescoping motor subassembly adapted for selectively driving the steering shaft in a fore or aft direction. A telescoping motor subassembly mounting structure is coupled during normal operation to a column housing, the telescoping motor subassembly and the inner column tube, wherein the telescoping motor subassembly mounting structure is adapted to detach from the column housing in the event of an impact exceeding a predetermined first impact load. A plastically deformable energy absorption device is adapted to be carried least partially by the telescoping motor subassembly mounting structure and is fixed in place relative to the column housing during normal operation for maintaining the steering column assembly in an operational position. The energy absorption device absorbs energy by plastic deformation during impact after the telescoping motor subassembly starts to translate along the column housing, and wherein during the impact, the column housing remains in a fixed position.

Growing community of inventors

Dexter, MI, United States of America

Simon Read