Patent ID: 7156420

Claim:
A vehicle steering column including modulatable energy absorbing means, comprising: (a) a fixed column member ( 8 ) adapted for fastening to the vehicle chassis, said fixed column member having a longitudinal axis, said fixed column member having a generally U-shaped cross-section and including a base portion ( 15 ), and a pair of parallel spaced side wall portions ( 13 , 14 ) extending normal to said base portion; (b) a movable column member ( 9 ) connected for collinear movement relative to said fixed column member from a normal first position toward a second position, said movable column member having corresponding U-shaped cross-sectional configuration including a base portion ( 23 ) and a pair of orthogonally arranged side wall portions ( 21 , 22 ), said movable column member being mounted within and operable for collinear sliding movement relative to said fixed column member; (c) means resisting movement of said movable column member from said first position toward said second position, said movement resisting means including: (1) a deformable wire ( 4 ) formed of metal, said wire having first ( 41 ), second ( 42 ), and third ( 43 ) portions, said first wire portion being linear and extending parallel with said fixed member longitudinal axis; (2) first connecting means including a hitching post ( 26 ) connected with said movable column member base portion and extending through a longitudinal opening ( 20 ) contained in said fixed column member base portion, the length of said opening corresponding with the length of travel of said movable member from said first position to said second position, said first connecting means ( 26 , 47 ) connecting one end of said first wire portion with said movable column member; and (3) second connecting means connecting said wire second portion with said fixed column member, and with said first wire portion extending in the direction of travel of said movable column member from said first position to said second position, said second connecting means including a first fixed support member ( 5 ) connected with said base portion of said fixed column member, said first fixed support member including a semi-spherical surface the axis of which is contained in a plane extending normal to the longitudinal axis of said fixed column member, said second wire portion being deformed into a semi-circular configuration in engagement with said support member semi-circular surface, whereby said wire second portion cooperates with said fixed support to frictionally resist movement of said movable column member from said first position to said second position relative to said fixed column member; and (d) force generating means ( 7 ) for controlling the degree of frictional resistance of said wire to the displacement thereof relative to said fixed support, thereby to control the degree of resistance of movement of said movable member from said first position to said second position.