Patent ID: 8764064

Claim:
A steering column assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising: a column jacket configured to undergo a collapse event involving a translation of the column jacket along a longitudinal axis in response to application of a column compression force following the occurrence of a predefined event; an energy absorption system including an anvil coupled to the vehicle and a strap coupled to the column jacket with the strap extending through the anvil such that the strap is drawn over the anvil in response to the collapse event; the strap being configured to cause a friction force to be created between the strap and the anvil so as to resist relative movement between the strap and the anvil during the collapse event; the strap being configured to cause a deformation force to be created between the strap and the anvil so as to resist relative movement between the strap and the anvil during the collapse event; the strap being configured such that at least one of the friction force and the deformation force varies along the length of the strap.