Patent ID: 11958525
Assignee: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A power driven, telescoping steering column, comprising:
a tubular lower jacket extending along a central axis between a lower jacket lower end and a lower jacket upper end;
a tubular upper jacket extending along said central axis between an upper jacket lower end and an upper jacket upper end;
a first actuator assembly configured to power relative telescoping movement between said tubular lower jacket and said tubular upper jacket to move said tubular upper jacket between a manual operating position and a stowed position during normal use;
a second actuator configured to impart a gas and/or fluid pressure between said tubular lower jacket and said tubular upper jacket to move said tubular upper jacket from the manual operating position to the stowed position during a crash condition;
wherein said second actuator is a pyrotechnic actuator that imparts a gas pressure between said tubular lower jacket and said tubular upper jacket to move said tubular upper jacket from the manual operating position to the stowed position during a crash condition;
a tubular intermediate jacket disposed between said tubular lower jacket and said tubular upper jacket, said tubular intermediate jacket being configured for telescopic movement relative to said tubular lower jacket and said tubular upper jacket when said tubular upper jacket moves toward said stowed position; and
wherein said tubular intermediate jacket has a cavity extending generally parallel to said central axis, and further including a reaction member disposed within said cavity, the gas pressure being configured to act on said reaction member to cause said reaction member to translate through said cavity, whereupon said tubular upper jacket is caused to move toward said stowed position.