Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6109652?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=patent:+7360079
Timestamp: 2014-09-18 13:52:07
Document Index: 145231556

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 113', 'art 112', 'art 112', 'art 113', 'art 113', 'art 113', 'art 113']

Patent US6109652 - Shock absorbing device for steering column - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA shock absorbing device for a steering column. The shock absorbing device is provided in the interferential fitting junction between the upper and lower columns of the steering column. The shock absorbing device has a plurality of friction members formed on the upper column by a piercing process, with...http://www.google.com/patents/US6109652?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6109652 - Shock absorbing device for steering columnAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6109652 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/986,422Publication dateAug 29, 2000Filing dateDec 8, 1997Priority dateDec 30, 1996Fee statusLapsedPublication number08986422, 986422, US 6109652 A, US 6109652A, US-A-6109652, US6109652 A, US6109652AInventorsJi-Youl Kim, Young-Moon ParkOriginal AssigneeMando CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (5), Referenced by (16), Classifications (7), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetShock absorbing device for steering columnUS 6109652 AAbstract A shock absorbing device for a steering column. The shock absorbing device is provided in the interferential fitting junction between the upper and lower columns of the steering column. The shock absorbing device has a plurality of friction members formed on the upper column by a piercing process, with the base part of each friction member facing the outside of the upper column and the remainder being folded down into the internal surface of the upper column to form a friction part. The friction part is brought into frictional contact with the external surface of the lower column, thus increasing the frictional contact surface area of the shock absorbing device. The shock absorbing device effectively absorbs and relieves shock in the initial stage of a car collision, thus effectively preventing the shock from being transmitted to a steering wheel in order to protect the driver in a collision.
What is claimed is: 1. A shock absorbing device provided in an interferential fitting junction between upper and lower columns of a steering column, with the lower column being interferentially fitted into the upper column, and adapted for absorbing and relieving shock applied to the steering column in the initial stage of a collision, comprising:a plurality of friction members formed on the upper column by a piercing process at positions around the interferential fitting junction, each of said plurality of friction members being folded down into the upper column to be brought into frictional contact with an external surface of the lower column when the lower column is fitted into the upper column, wherein each of said plurality of friction members comprises:a base part exposed facing the outside of the upper column; and a friction part integrally extending from said base part and folded down into the upper column to be brought into close contact with an internal surface of the upper column, said friction part coming into frictional contact with the external surface of the lower column when the lower column is fitted into the upper column. 2. The shock absorbing device according to claim 1, further comprising:a narrowed junction between said base part of each of said plurality of friction members and a main body of the upper column is inwardly rounded on opposite sides, to form a neck having opposingly concave webs. 3. The shock absorbing device according to claim 2, further comprising:a plurality of inward projections formed on the internal surface of the upper column and brought into frictional contact with the external surface of the lower column. 4. The shock absorbing device according to claim 1, further comprising:a plurality of inward projections formed on the internal surface of the upper column and brought into frictional contact with the external surface of the lower column. Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shock absorbing device for a steering column, which effectively absorbs and relieves shock applied to a steering column in the initial stage of a car collision, thus preventing the shock from being transmitted to a steering wheel and to the driver in the event of a collision.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 4 is a side view of a steering column with a shock absorbing device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, two mounting brackets 101 and 102 are welded to upper and lower portions of a car body 100, while upper and lower columns 110 and 120 are welded to the brackets 101 and 102 respectively, one end of the lower column 120 being interferentially fitted into the upper column 110 to form a shock absorbing device in the interferential fitting junction between the two columns. A steering wheel 130 is connected to the top end of the upper column 110.
The friction members 111 are preferably formed on the upper column 110 by a piercing (stamping) process, such that a base part 113 of each friction member 111 faces the outside of the column 110 and the remainder is folded down into the column 110 and against its interior to form a friction part 112. That is, the friction part 112, which integrally extends from the base part 113, is folded inwardly to be positioned under the base part 113. A narrowed junction between the base part 113 and the main body of the column 110 is inwardly rounded on opposite sides, thus forming a neck having opposingly concave webs 114 and 114'. The webs 114 and 114' of the neck allow each friction member 111 to be easily folded, while preventing cracking and stress concentration at this location. In addition, the webs 114 and 114' allow each friction member 111 to be easily deformed outwardly from the column 110 when the lower column 120 forcibly retracts into the upper column 110 in the initial stage of a car collision.
When the lower column 120 forcibly retracts into the upper column 110 in the initial stage of a car collision, each folded friction member 111 deforms at the base part 113 toward the outside of the upper column 110 to absorb part of the impact load. In the above state, the webs 114 and 114' formed on the neck of each friction member 111 allow the member 111 to be easily deformed.
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