Patent · US Expired

Energy absorption type steering apparatus

US4989898A · kind A · utility

34Cited by
10References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 7, 1989
Grant dateFeb 5, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 7, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB62D1/195
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An energy absorption type steering apparatus, which comprises a steering shaft with a steering wheel mounted on its rear end, a steering column rotatably supporting the steering shaft, a column bracket mounting said steering column for axially forward movement on a vehicle portion, an energy absorption box secured to the vehicle portion, and a deformable member having one end secured to the energy absorption box and another end extending from the energy absorption box and engaging, with an axial play, a projection formed on the steering column, the deformation member having a U-shaped folding portion and also having a flaring plastic deformation portion accommodated in the energy absorption box and flaring toward the aforementioned one end. The plastic deformation portion of the deformable member is restrained between upper and lower walls of the energy absorption box such that the load on the plastic deformation portion is gradually increased as a U-shaped folding portion is progressively shifted with constant radius of curvature.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.