US 11,814,097 B2
Steering column assembly
Pawel Ponikiewski, Pewel Mala (PL); Artur Wojtalik, Katowice (PL); Dawid Klimek, Żywiec (PL); and Lukasz Dudzic, Tychy (PL)
Assigned to ZF Steering Systems Poland Sp. Z.o.o., Czechowice-Dziedzice (PL)
Filed by ZF Steering Systems Poland Sp. Z.o.o., Czechowice-Dziedzice (PL)
Filed on Oct. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/972,755.
Claims priority of application No. 21461608 (EP), filed on Oct. 27, 2021; and application No. 2202121 (GB), filed on Feb. 17, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0129317 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 1/19 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 1/195 (2013.01) 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A collapsible steering column assembly comprising:
a collapsible steering column shroud that supports a collapsible steering shaft that has a first end for connection to a steering wheel of a vehicle;
a mounting bracket that supports the steering column shroud relative to the vehicle, comprising a fixed portion secured to a fixed part of a vehicle body and a releasable portion secured to the steering shaft and also secured to the fixed portion of the mounting bracket by one or more frangible connectors, the connectors being adapted to break in the event of a crash to permit the releasable portion and the steering shaft to move relative to the fixed portion;
wherein the fixed portion includes;
a first anvil which has a rounded nose that faces towards the steering wheel,
a guide part which is offset from the first anvil in a direction away from the steering wheel, and
wherein the guide part has a surface that is vertically offset from an adjacent surface of the fixed portion of the mounting bracket to define a space bounded by the surface of the guide part and the adjacent surface of the fixed part of the mounting bracket defining a convoluted path, and further comprising an energy absorption strap that has a first region fixed to at least one of the steering column shroud and the releasable portion of the mounting bracket and from which the energy absorption strap extends along a path that first loops around the first anvil and then passes along the convoluted path.