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. 04, 2007
Filed:
Jun. 22, 2005
Jason R. Ridgway, Bay City, MI (US);
Sam L. Scrivener, Durand, MI (US);
Jason R. Ridgway, Bay City, MI (US);
Sam L. Scrivener, Durand, MI (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A steering column assembly () of the collapsible type includes a mounting plate () for rigid attachment to a vehicle body structure. The mounting plate () supports the steering column () during normal operation through interconnecting release capsules () which allow the steering column () to collapse, away from the rigidly attached mounting plate (), during a frontal collision. An energy absorbing tear strip () in formed integrally in the mounting plate () and is connected via tab () to a fixed connection () which adjoins a portion of the column bracket (). The column bracket () moves together with the steering column () during a collapse situation. The tear strip () simultaneously bends and tears in a peeling fashion as the steering column () collapses to provide energy absorption for the assembly (). The transverse cross-sectional area of the tear strip () can be varied along its length to tune the energy absorption force exhibited by the tear strip () throughout the collapsing stroke.