| 摘要 |
An assembly is provided for fixing the position of an adjustable component ( 22 ) of a vehicle, comprising in combination a fixed reference frame ( 20 ) within the vehicle such as a dash or a firewall, an adjustable component ( 22 ) also disposed in the vehicle such as an adjustable steering column ( 10 ), pedals, or a seat. Interconnecting the fixed reference frame ( 20 ) and the adjustable component ( 22 ) is a fluid locking mechanism ( 50 ) which permits selective positioning of the adjustable component relative to the fixed reference frame ( 20 ) and holds the adjustable component ( 22 ) in position. The fluid locking mechanism ( 50 ) is preferably a non-Newtonian flow fluid locking mechanism which uses a magneto-rheological fluid ( 97 ) to fix the position of the adjustable component ( 22 ) in place once the desired position is selected. To provide additional safety for the vehicle occupants, the fluid locking mechanism may be controlled by an electrical microprocessor ( 556 ) or circuit which adjusts the locking strength of the fluid locking mechanism ( 50 ) based upon user inputs and dynamic events.
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