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:
Apr. 17, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 29, 1999
Klaus Friedewald, Braunschweig, DE;
Joachim Klement, Braunschweig, DE;
Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, DE;
Abstract
A steering column arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a steering wheel, a telescoping steering spindle, and a telescoping jacket tube made up of a lower tube part and an upper tube part. The steering wheel is connected by way of the spindle to a steering gear and the spindle is rotatably mounted in the jacket tube, the lower tube part being supported by a lower steering column bearing on a first support component which projects the passenger compartment in the event of a frontal collision and the upper tube part being supported by an upper steering column bearing on a second support component which substantially retains its position in event of a frontal collision. An unlocking device normally couples the second support component and the upper tube part and is activatable to uncouple them in the event of a frontal collision, and a wedge member is movable in the event of a frontal collision to prevent and/or diminish an upward movement of the steering wheel. A deformation element cooperating with the wedge member enhances the action of the wedge member so that an upward movement of the steering wheel is diminished or prevented. The deformation element is arranged and configured so that, in the event of a frontal collision, the wedge member is movable into its operative start position by the second support component no later than the time of complete unlocking of the upper tube part from the second support component.