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. 08, 2017
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2015
Applicant:
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Inventor:
Jeff Steven Vinton, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 1/19 (2006.01); F16D 9/06 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 1/192 (2013.01); F16D 9/06 (2013.01);
Abstract
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an energy absorbing steering column assembly with a J-shaped lower intermediate shaft that is coupled to an upper intermediate shaft. The J-shaped lower shaft includes a curved 'slider' portion that fits within a bent portion of the upper shaft such that even when the rigid connection between the J-shaped lower shaft and the upper shaft is broken, the slider portion of the J-shaped lower shaft remains in contact with the upper shaft. Such a configuration enables the driver to maintain control of the vehicle through the steering wheel.