Vehicle comprising collision control system, collision control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9862402-B2
Application number	US-201615250206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2016
Priority date	May 7, 2015
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

Collision control system ( 40 ) for controlling deflection of an instrument cluster ( 30 ) in a vehicle during collision. Said collision control system ( 40 ) comprises a steering assembly ( 10 ) including a steering wheel ( 12 ) and a steering column ( 11 ), a cross car beam ( 20 ) comprising a first sliding surface ( 22 ), and an instrument panel assembly ( 35 ) including an instrument cluster ( 30 ) and a second sliding surface ( 32 ), which is arranged to abut and slide along said first sliding surface ( 22 ) during said collision. During collision said steering column ( 11 ) is configured to move forward in a controlled manner and said steering column assembly ( 10 ) is arranged to push said instrument cluster ( 30 ), such that said second sliding surface ( 32 ) of said instrument panel assembly ( 35 ) slides along the first surface ( 22 ) for controlled deflection of the instrument cluster ( 30 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Collision control system for controlling deflection of an instrument cluster in a vehicle during collision, wherein said collision control system comprises:
a steering assembly including a steering wheel and a steering column;
a cross car beam comprising a first sliding surface; and
an instrument panel assembly including the instrument cluster and a second sliding surface, which is arranged to abut and slide along said first sliding surface during said collision,
wherein during collision said steering column is configured to move forward in a controlled manner and said steering assembly is arranged to push said instrument cluster, such that said second sliding surface of said instrument panel assembly slides along the first sliding surface for controlled deflection of the instrument cluster.

2. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein said instrument cluster comprises said second sliding surface or wherein said instrument panel assembly comprises an instrument panel substrate that comprises said second sliding surface.

3. Collision control system according to claim 2 , wherein said first sliding surface of said cross car beam is located on a cross car beam attachment located on said cross car beam.

4. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein an extension direction of said first sliding surface defines an angle (al) relative to a direction of axial extension of the steering column, and wherein said angle (al) is in the range of 10-80° degrees.

5. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein said steering assembly comprises a steering assembly attachment arranged at said steering column, wherein said steering assembly attachment comprises a bearing surface, wherein said steering assembly is arranged to push said instrument cluster by said bearing surface during said collision, wherein an extension direction of said bearing surface defines an angle relative to a direction of axial extension of the steering column, and wherein said angle is in the range of 10-80° degrees.

6. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second sliding surfaces is equipped with at least one groove along at least part of the extension of the first or second sliding surface, which at least one groove extends in an intended sliding direction of said second sliding surface along said first sliding surface.

7. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second sliding surfaces are configured for deflecting the instrument cluster in a direction towards a point above the cross car beam.

8. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first sliding surface is substantially flat.

9. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein the collision control system is configured such that the force needed to displace said instrument cluster 50 mm along said first sliding surface is below 500 N.

10. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second sliding surfaces comprises two transversally spaced sliding surface parts.

11. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second sliding surfaces are arranged to abut during normal operation of the vehicle.

12. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein the cross car beam has a beam-like structure that is arranged to extend from one transverse side of the vehicle to the other, and wherein the cross car beam is arranged to be fixed to a vehicle frame.

13. Collision control system according to claim 1 , wherein the steering column is fastened and supported by the cross car beam or a cross car beam attachment.

14. Vehicle comprising a collision control system according to claim 1 .

15. Collision control system according to claim 4 , wherein said angle (al) is in the range of 20-60° degrees.

16. Collision control system according to claim 4 , wherein said angle (al) is in the range of 30-55° degrees.

17. Collision control system according to claim 5 , wherein said angle is in the range of 30-75° degrees.

18. Collision control system according to claim 5 , wherein said angle is in the range of 45-70° degrees.

19. Collision control system according to claim 9 , wherein the collision control system is configured such that the force needed to displace said instrument cluster 50 mm along said first sliding surface is below 300 N.

Assignees

• Ningbo Geely Automobile Res & Development Co Ltd
• Ningbo Geely Automobile Res & Development Co Ltd

Inventors

• Earl Tony
• Wendt Urban

Classifications

• B62D25/14

  Dashboards as superstructure sub-units (other dashboard aspects B60K) · CPC title

• B62D25/145

  having a crossbeam incorporated therein · CPC title

• B62D1/11 Primary

  incorporating energy-absorbing arrangements, e.g. by being yieldable or collapsible (padded linings associated with the steering wheel B60R21/05; shock absorbers using plastic deformation of members in general F16F7/12) · CPC title

• B62D1/19 Primary

  incorporating energy-absorbing arrangements, e.g. by being yieldable or collapsible (shock absorbers using plastic deformation of members in general F16F7/12) · CPC title

• B60R21/05

  associated with the steering wheel, {steering} hand lever or {steering} column (yieldable steering columns B62D1/18) · CPC title