Steering column induced break away

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11707985-B2
Application number	US-202017060887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2020
Priority date	Oct 1, 2020
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

An assembly includes a steering column and an instrument panel. A bezel is fixed to the instrument panel. A releasable panel is releasably connected to the bezel. A cable extending from the releasable panel to the steering column. In the event of a vehicle impact, the releasable panel releases from the bezel to absorb energy from the steering column.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly comprising:
a steering column;
an instrument panel;
a bezel fixed to the instrument panel;
a releasable panel releasably connected to the bezel;
a cable extending from the releasable panel to the steering column; and
a tear seam between the releasable panel and the bezel.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tear seam is a first tear seam between the bezel and the releasable panel and a second tear seam is between the bezel and the releasable panel, the first tear seam and the second tear seam being spaced from each other.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the releasable panel includes a hinge having a rotational axis extending through the first tear seam and the second tear seam, the hinge being between the cable and the bezel.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a second hinge, the second hinge being between the hinge and the bezel.

5. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the releasable panel has a free edge, the hinge being between the free edge and the bezel.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the releasable panel has a class-A surface at the free edge.

7. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the hinge is elongated in a generally cross-vehicle direction and the first tear seam and the second tear seam are elongated in generally vehicle-longitudinal directions.

8. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the releasable panel is elongated from the first tear seam to the second tear seam.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tear seam is designed to break in response to impact of the steering column by an occupant during a frontal vehicle impact.

10. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a gauge cluster supported by the instrument panel, the releasable panel being between the gauge cluster and the steering column.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the releasable panel is below the gauge cluster, the cable is below the releasable panel, and the steering column is below the cable.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the releasable panel has a class-A surface facing the gauge cluster.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable is designed to release from at least one of the releasable panel and the steering column when tensile load on the cable exceeds between 225-275N.

14. The assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the releasable panel includes a distal panel and a proximate panel between the bezel and the distal panel;
wherein the cable is connected to the distal panel;
further comprising a first hinge connecting the distal panel and the proximate panel;
further comprising a second hinge connecting the proximate panel to the bezel; and
wherein the tear seam is a first tear seam connecting the bezel and the releasable panel and a second tear seam is connecting the bezel and the releasable panel, the first tear seam and the second tear seam being spaced from each other; and
wherein the first tear seam and the second tear seam are elongated in directions transverse to a rotational axis of the second hinge.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first tear seam and the second tear seam extend along the distal panel and the proximate panel.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the distal panel includes a free edge spaced from the second hinge.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the distal panel includes a class-A surface at the free edge.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Malapati Srinivas Reddy
• Kadam Mangesh

Classifications

• B62D1/16 Primary

  Steering columns · CPC title

• B60K35/55

  Instruments with parts that can change their shape or position to configure an active screen, e.g. by folding or by rolling · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/53

  Movable instruments, e.g. slidable · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title