Steering column mounting pad

摘要

An improved mounting pad for an energy absorbing steering column and an improved procedure for fabricating the same from a continuous ribbon of stock, the procedure including the steps of transversely severing the ribbon to define a pad blank, piercing the blank to define a slot at each end, bending the blank into a U-shaped configuration with one slot disposed at the distal end of each leg of the U, and bending the distal end of each leg outboard through an included angle of substantially 180 DEG so that each distal end defines a flange having an open ended channel therein. Each channel is adapted for slidably receiving the edge of a slot in a bracket on the steering column and the center of each pad is adapted for reception of a rod rigidly attached to a vehicle body so that when the pad is clamped to the rod the steering column assembly is supported on the vehicle body for movement only in an energy absorbing mode.