Patent ID: 11964719
Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 13:
14. A system for distributing crash energy within a vehicle, comprising:
the vehicle;
a front wheel of the vehicle;
a steering knuckle coupled the front wheel;
a frame of the vehicle;
a steering rack coupled to the frame;
a tie rod,
wherein the tie rod is connected to the steering knuckle by a distal ball joint,
wherein the tie rod is connected to the steering rack by a proximal ball joint,
wherein the tie rod comprises:
a longitudinal axis;
a rod portion aligned with the longitudinal axis, wherein the rod portion comprises:
a proximal end;
the proximal ball joint disposed at the proximal end;
a distal end;
a male coupling section disposed at the distal end;

a receiver portion aligned with the longitudinal axis, wherein the receiver portion comprises:
a proximal end;
a female coupling section disposed at the proximal end;
a distal end;
the distal ball joint disposed at the distal end;
a wrench flat;
a narrowing feature different from the wrench flat and disposed between the proximal end and distal end of the receiver portion, wherein the narrowing feature is configured to fracture when subjected to a threshold shearing force substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; and
a protuberance disposed on the receiver portion adjacent to the narrowing feature and projecting in a substantially forward direction along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, such that during a crash event involving a barrier, the protuberance allows the barrier to contact the component earlier in the crash event than would occur if the protuberance were not present.