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:
Jan. 21, 1997
Filed:
Jan. 05, 1995
NACAM, Vendome, FR;
Abstract
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.