Energy absorbing device and steering column assembly having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384445-B2
Application number	US-202218713815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2022
Priority date	Oct 28, 2021
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

An energy absorbing device for a steering column assembly of a vehicle is provided. The energy absorbing device includes tear initiation grooves having offset tear initiation points, such that tearing is initiated in the grooves at different points in time, thus balancing loads experienced during a frontal crash and collapse of the steering column assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy absorbing device for a steering column assembly, the energy absorbing device comprising:
a plate, including:
a first portion;
a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to be coupled to one or more movable components of the steering column assembly; and
a third portion positioned between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third portion is configured to be coupled to a stationary component of the steering column assembly;

a first groove between the first portion and the third portion;
a second groove between the second portion and the third portion; and
at least one tear initiation slit formed in one of the first groove or the second groove, wherein the at least one tear initiation slit includes:
a first tear initiation slit formed in the first groove, the first tear initiation slit having a first length; and
a second tear initiation slit formed in the second groove, the second tear initiation slit having a second length that is greater than the first length of the first tear initiation slit formed in the first groove;

wherein tearing of the first groove is initiated before tearing of the second groove is initiated due to an offset between the first length of the first tear initiation slit and the second length of the second tear initiation slit.

2. The energy absorbing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tear initiation slit has a first tear initiation point that is offset relative to a second tear initiation point of the other of the first groove or the second groove.

3. The energy absorbing device of claim 1 , wherein an initiation of tearing of the second groove is offset from an initiation of tearing of the first groove based on the second length of the second tear initiation slit being greater than the first length of the first tear initiation slit.

4. The energy absorbing device of claim 3 , wherein the offset between the second length of the second tear initiation slit and the first length of the first tear initiation slit corresponds to an offset between the initiation of tearing of the second groove and the initiation of tearing of the first groove.

5. The energy absorbing device of claim 1 , wherein the third portion of the plate defines a tear portion of the energy absorbing device that separates from the first portion and the second portion of the plate in response to tearing at the first groove and the second groove.

6. The energy absorbing device of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling portion configured to provide for coupling of the energy absorbing device to the stationary component of the steering column assembly.

7. The energy absorbing device of claim 6 , wherein the coupling portion is defined by a tab and an opening formed at a tab end portion of the third portion.

8. An energy absorbing device for a steering column assembly, the energy absorbing device comprising:
a plate, including:
a first portion;
a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to be coupled to one or more movable components of the steering column assembly; and
a third portion positioned between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third portion is configured to be coupled to a stationary component of the steering column assembly:

a first groove between the first portion and the third portion;
a second groove between the second portion and the third portion; and
at least one tear initiation slit formed in one of the first groove or the second groove;
wherein the at least one tear initiation slit includes no tear initiation slit formed in the first groove, and a tear initiation slit formed in the second groove, wherein an initiation of tearing of the second groove is offset from an initiation of tearing of the first groove, such that tearing of the first groove is initiated before tearing of the second groove.

9. The energy absorbing device of claim 8 , further comprising a coupling portion configured to provide for coupling of the energy absorbing device to the stationary component of the steering column assembly.

10. The energy absorbing device of claim 9 , wherein the coupling portion is defined by a tab and an opening formed at a tab end portion of the third portion.

11. A steering column assembly, comprising:
a drive spindle;
a telescoping shaft coupled to the drive spindle; and
an energy absorbing device, including:
a first plate portion coupled to a portion of the telescoping shaft;
a second plate portion coupled to a portion of the telescoping shaft; and
a third plate portion positioned between the first plate portion and the second plate portion and coupled to the drive spindle;
a first groove between the first plate portion and the third plate portion;
a second groove between the second plate portion and the third plate portion; and
a first tear initiation slit formed in the first groove; and
a second tear initiation slit formed in the second groove of the energy absorbing device, wherein the first tear initiation slit has a first length, and the second tear initiation slit formed in the second groove has a second length that is greater than the first length of the first tear initiation slit formed in the first groove, wherein an initiation of tearing of the second groove is offset from an initiation of tearing of the first groove based on the second length of the second tear initiation slit being greater than the first length of the first tear initiation slit, and wherein tearing of the first groove is initiated before tearing of the second groove is initiated due to an offset between the first length of the first tear initiation slit and the second length of the second tear initiation slit.

12. The steering column assembly of claim 11 , wherein a tear initiation point of the first groove formed in the energy absorbing device is offset relative to a tear initiation point of the second groove formed in the energy absorbing device.

13. The steering column assembly of claim 11 , wherein the offset between the second length of the second tear initiation slit and the first length of the first tear initiation slit corresponds to the offset between the initiation of tearing of the second groove and the initiation of tearing of the first groove.

14. The steering column assembly of claim 11 , wherein the third plate portion defines a tear portion of the energy absorbing device that separates from the first plate portion and the second plate portion in response to tearing at the first groove and the second groove.

15. The steering column assembly of claim 11 , wherein the energy absorbing device further comprises a coupling portion configured to provide for coupling of the energy absorbing device to a stationary component of the steering column assembly.

16. The steering column assembly of claim 15 , wherein the coupling portion is defined by a tab and an opening formed at a tab end portion of the third plate portion.

17. A steering column assembly, comprising:
a drive spindle;
a telescoping shaft coupled to the drive spindle; and
an energy absorbing device, including:
a first plate portion coupled to a portion of the telescoping shaft;
a second plate portion coupled to a portion of the telescoping shaft;
a third plate portion positioned between the first plate portion and the second plate portion and coupled to the drive spindle;
a first groove between the first plate portion and the third plate portion;
a second groove between the second plate portion and the third plate portion; and
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Assignees

• Atieva Inc

Inventors

• Ng Meng
• Hall Hayden
• Walker Zachary Mark
• Scheick John
• Blancas-Galicia Moises

Classifications

• F16F7/127

  by a blade element cutting or tearing into a quantity of material; Pultrusion of a filling material · CPC title

• B62D1/181

  with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory · CPC title

• B62D1/197 Primary

  incorporating devices for preventing ingress of the steering column into the passengers space in case of accident · CPC title

• B62D1/195 Primary

  Yieldable supports for the steering column · CPC title