Energy absorbing steering column for motor vehicle

摘要

A steering column (10) for a motor vehicle including a mast jacket (16) having a collapse stoke (5) in response to an impact on a steering hand wheel (30) on the steering column and an energy absorber (32) for converting into work a fraction of the kinetic energy of the impact. The energy absorber (32) includes a mounting bracket (34) on the mast jacket, a slot (40A,40B) in the mounting bracket, and a capsule (46A,46B) clamped to a body of the motor vehicle and coupled to the mounting bracket in the slot therein. The capsule supports the mast jacket vertically on the vehicle body and separates from the mounting bracket at the onset of the collapse stroke of the mast jacket. A pair of J-shaped flat metal straps (78A,78B,80A,80B) are seated in guide slots in the capsule with a concave web (86) of each strap bearing against a convex anvil (68) on the capsule. One end (82) of each strap is welded to the mounting bracket so that the J-shaped flat metal straps are plastically deformed by being pulled over the convex anvil during the collapse stroke of the mast jacket to convert into work a fraction of the kinetic energy of the impact on the steering hand wheel.