The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 19, 1989
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1988
Howard D Beauch, Frankenmuth, MI (US);
Leland N Olgren, Frankenmuth, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A collapsible, energy absorbing steering column with staged energy absorption. A sleeve around a lower mast jacket of the column has a primary part in the annulus defined by the overlap between the lower mast jacket and an upper mast jacket of the column and a secondary part outside the annulus. A plurality of primary roll deforming steel balls in interference in the annulus are also loosely received in pockets in the sleeve primary part. A plurality of secondary roll deforming steel balls are loosely received in the sleeve secondary part outside the annulus and held on the sleeve by a strippable retainer. When the column collapses, the secondary roll deforming steel balls enter the axially expanding overlap between the mast jackets to increase the level of energy absorption.