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:
Aug. 03, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 03, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:
Richard Kremer Riefe, Saginaw, MI (US);
David Michael Byers, Saginaw, MI (US);
Richard Paul Nash, Frankenmuth, MI (US);
Assignee:
Other;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 1/19 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 1/19 ;
Abstract
An energy absorbing device includes a plastically deformable metal strap for resisting the collapse of a steering column. The strap is initially deformable into one or more V-shaped wave formations by anvils to increase the energy required to advance the strap, thereby increasing the resistance to collapse of the steering column. One of the anvils may be removed to eliminate one of the wave formations and thereby reduce the amount of resistance to collapse of the steering column. Alternatively, the position of an anvil may be varied to vary the shape of a wave configuration from a deep V to a shallow V.