A steering column collapse energy absorption device and a steering column assembly

Abstract

The application provides a kind of steering column collapse energy absorption device and steering column assembly, belongs to the technical field of automobile crash protection.The steering column assembly provided by the application adopts the steering column collapse energy absorption device, which is fixedly connected by means of point connection between the collapse groove on the back plate, the fixed plate connected with the upper part of the collapse groove, the resistance bending piece connecting the fixed plate and the bottom of the collapse groove, and the fixed connection between the fixed plate and the instrument panel beam.When the steering wheel is pressed, the point connection between the fixed plate and the upper part of the collapse groove is disconnected, which makes the steering column collapse energy absorption device not only play the role of the steel belt deformation energy absorption type steering column collapse energy absorption device in the prior art, but also have a simpler structure, lower cost and more reliable work.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive collision protection technology, and in particular relates to a steering column collapsible energy absorption device and a steering column assembly. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the automotive industry, consumers have increasingly higher demands for vehicle safety. In serious traffic accidents, once a collision occurs, the driver's body continues to move forward due to inertia, causing the driver's chest or head to impact the steering wheel and resulting in injury. Therefore, better protecting the driver and reducing the impact of the steering wheel on the head or chest has become particularly important. Existing steering column assemblies are usually designed with a collapsible energy absorption device. After a collision, the driver's head or chest first contacts the steering wheel. When the impact force on the steering wheel reaches a certain value, the steering column can smoothly displace, thereby limiting the collision drag provided by the steering wheel to a certain peak value and ensuring the safety of the driver.

[0003] Existing steering column collapsible energy absorption devices mainly include steel strip deformation energy absorption type, insert shearing and detachment type, and separable type structures. They mainly rely on the deformation of the steel strip, shearing of the injection-molded insert, and detachment of the rubber sleeve to achieve the collapsible energy absorption of the steering column.

[0004] For example Figure 2 Taking the steel strip deformation energy-absorbing steering column collapse energy-absorbing device shown as an example, this steering column collapse energy-absorbing device is installed on the steering column. The device includes a bracket, a back plate, an N-shaped steel strip, a fixing block, and a bent steel strip component. The specific working principle of the device is as follows: The bracket is fixed to the steering column, and the back plate is fixed to the bracket. A fixing groove is provided on the upper part of the back plate, and a fixing block is fixedly installed in the fixing groove. A fixing hole is provided on the fixing block. A fixing hole corresponding to the fixing hole is provided on the upper part of the N-shaped steel strip. The bent steel strip is fixedly embedded in the back plate. The N-shaped steel strip passes through the bent steel strip. The function of the bent steel strip is to bend the steel strip into an "N" shape. Bolts pass through the fixing hole and the fixing hole to fix the fixing block and the N-shaped steel strip to the instrument panel crossbeam of the vehicle.

[0005] When a car collides, the driver's body continues to move forward due to inertia, impacting the steering wheel. The steering shaft, connected to the steering wheel, moves downward, and the steering column, which is coaxially fixed to the steering shaft, also moves downward. The downward movement of the steering column causes the bracket to move downward. When the impact force between the body and the steering wheel reaches the set safety value, because the fixing block and the N-shaped steel strip are fixed to the dashboard crossbeam by bolts, the fixing block and the N-shaped steel strip do not move downward along with it. Therefore, the bracket and the fixing block are disengaged. During the downward movement of the bent steel strip, although the N-shaped steel strip as a whole does not move downward, its bend point moves downward.

[0006] The aforementioned steering column collapse energy absorption device reduces the direct impact force between the driver's body and the steering wheel. At the same time, due to the combined effect of the N-shaped steel strip and the bent steel strip, the downward movement of the back plate after the fixing block and the back plate separate is gradual rather than instantaneous. The advantage of this design is that after the steering wheel contacts the driver's body, the steering wheel and the driver move downward together, providing more buffer distance, thereby further reducing the probability of driver injury.

[0007] The disadvantage of the above-mentioned steel strip deformation energy-absorbing steering column collapse energy-absorbing device is that the structure on the back plate is too complex. In order to ensure the processing dimensions are qualified, the bent steel strip parts often need to be manufactured separately and then reassembled, which not only increases the production cost, but also makes it more difficult to ensure its reliability the more complex the structure is. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to provide a steering column collapsible energy absorption device and a steering column assembly, which solves the problems of the overly complex structure on the back plate of the steel strip deformation energy absorption steering column collapsible energy absorption device in the prior art, the high production cost, and the difficulty in ensuring its working reliability.

[0009] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a steering column collapsible energy absorption device, comprising: The bracket is fixedly connected to the steering column of the car. The back plate is fixedly connected to the bracket; The collapsible energy-absorbing component is fixedly connected to the dashboard beam of the car and to the back plate. When the steering wheel is compressed, the collapsible energy-absorbing component disengages from the back plate. The collapse energy-absorbing component includes: Collapse grooves are formed on the back plate; A fixing plate is fixedly connected to the upper part of the collapse groove by a point connection, and the fixing plate is fixedly connected to the instrument panel crossbeam; A resistance bending member, wherein the top end of the resistance bending member is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and the bottom end of the resistance bending member is fixedly connected to the bottom of the collapse groove; When the steering wheel is compressed, the connection between the fixing plate and the upper part of the crumple groove is broken.

[0010] Optionally, the fixing plate, the resistance bending member, the back plate, and the connection between the fixing plate and the upper point of the collapse groove are all integrally formed by stamping the sheet metal to remove material.

[0011] Optionally, the fixing plate has fixing holes, and the fixing plate is fixedly connected to the instrument panel beam by bolts passing through the fixing holes.

[0012] Optionally, there may be multiple resistance bending elements.

[0013] Optionally, the resistance bending member has multiple bends.

[0014] Optionally, there are two collapsible energy-absorbing components, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steering column.

[0015] The present invention provides a steering column assembly, including a steering shaft, a steering column assembly and a steering column collapsible energy absorption device. The steering column is sleeved on the steering shaft, and the steering column collapsible energy absorption device is disposed on the steering column. The steering column collapsible energy absorption device is the steering column collapsible energy absorption device described above.

[0016] As described above, the steering column collapsible energy absorption device and steering column assembly of the present invention have at least the following beneficial effects: The steering column assembly provided by this invention employs a steering column crumple zone energy absorption device. This device consists of a crumple zone formed in the back plate, a fixed plate fixedly connected to the upper part of the crumple zone via a point connection, a resistance bending member connecting the fixed plate to the bottom of the crumple zone, and the fixed plate fixedly connected to the dashboard crossbeam. When the steering wheel is compressed, the point connection between the fixed plate and the upper part of the crumple zone is disconnected. In the event of a collision, the driver's body continues to move forward due to inertia, and the driver's chest or head impacts the steering wheel. After receiving the impact force, the steering wheel pulls the steering axis downwards. The steering axis moves downwards, causing the steering column to move downwards as well. The steering column then moves downwards along with the support, which in turn moves downwards along with the backplate. When the impact force reaches a set value, the point connection between the upper part of the backplate crumple zone and the fixed plate breaks, and the fixed plate and backplate are no longer fixedly connected. At this point, the steering wheel begins to sink. Meanwhile, the resistance bending component prevents the backplate from completely disengaging from the fixed block, thus preventing the steering wheel from suddenly sinking. In other words, the resistance bending component plays the role of the N-shaped steel strip and the bent steel strip component in the steel strip deformation energy-absorbing steering column crumple energy-absorbing device in the background technology.

[0017] Therefore, it can be seen that the steering column assembly provided by the present invention uses a steering column collapse energy absorption device that plays the same role as the steel strip deformation energy absorption steering column collapse energy absorption device in the background art, while having a simpler structure, lower cost, and more reliable operation. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic of a steering column collapsible energy absorption device and a steering column assembly according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic of a steel strip deformation energy-absorbing steering column collapse energy-absorbing device in the background art.

[0020] Component designation explanation Steering column collapsible energy absorption device 1, bracket 11, back plate 12, collapsible energy absorption component 13, collapsible groove 131, fixing plate 132, resistance bending component 133, fixing hole 134, steering column 2, steering shaft 3. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0022] Please see Figures 1 to 2 It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and to facilitate understanding. They are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention.

[0023] The following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. These embodiments can be combined and are not limited to the content shown in any single embodiment below.

[0024] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This invention provides a steering column collapse energy absorption device, which, like the steel strip deformation energy absorption steering column collapse energy absorption device mentioned in the background art, also includes: The bracket 11 is fixedly connected to the steering column 2 of the car.

[0025] The back plate 12 is fixedly connected to the bracket 11.

[0026] The collapsible energy-absorbing component 13 is fixedly connected to the dashboard beam of the vehicle and to the back plate 12.

[0027] When the steering wheel is compressed, the collapsible energy-absorbing component 13 disengages from the back plate 12.

[0028] The difference between this steering column collapsible energy absorption device 1 and the prior art is that its collapsible energy absorption component 13 includes: A crumple groove 131 is formed on the back plate 12.

[0029] The fixing plate 132 is fixedly connected to the upper part of the collapse groove 131 by a point connection, and the fixing plate 132 is fixedly connected to the instrument panel crossbeam.

[0030] The top end of the resistance bending member 133 is fixedly connected to the fixing plate 132, and the bottom end of the resistance bending member 133 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the collapse groove 131.

[0031] When the steering wheel is squeezed, the point connection between the fixing plate 132 and the upper part of the crumple groove 131 is broken.

[0032] The steering column collapsible energy absorption device 1 is designed with a collapsible groove 131 on the back plate 12, a fixed plate 132 fixedly connected to the upper part of the collapsible groove 131 by a point connection, a resistance bending member 133 connecting the fixed plate 132 to the bottom of the collapsible groove 131, and the fixed plate 132 fixedly connected to the instrument panel crossbeam. When the steering wheel is squeezed, the point connection between the fixed plate 132 and the upper part of the collapsible groove 131 is disconnected. When a car collision occurs, the driver's body continues to move forward under the action of inertia. The driver's chest or head hits the steering wheel. After the steering wheel is subjected to the impact force, it moves the steering shaft 3 downward. The downward movement of the steering column 2 causes the steering column 2 to move downwards, which in turn causes the bracket 11 to move downwards, and the bracket 11 causes the back plate 12 to move downwards. When the impact force reaches a set value, the point connection between the upper part of the crumple groove 131 of the back plate 12 and the fixed plate 132 is broken, and the fixed plate 132 and the back plate 12 are no longer fixedly connected. At this time, the steering wheel begins to sink. At the same time, the resistance bending member 133 prevents the back plate 12 from completely losing contact with the fixed block, thus preventing the steering wheel from suddenly sinking. In other words, the resistance bending member 133 plays the role of the N-shaped steel strip and the bent steel strip member in the steel strip deformation energy-absorbing steering column crumple energy-absorbing device 1 in the background art. Therefore, it can be seen that this steering column crumple energy-absorbing device 1 plays the role of the steel strip deformation energy-absorbing steering column crumple energy-absorbing device in the background art (including the instruction manual). Figure 2 While fulfilling the functions of the N-shaped steel strip, bracket, bent steel strip, back plate and fixing block, it has a simpler structure, lower cost and more reliable operation.

[0033] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 1 The fixing plate 132, the resistance bending member 133, the back plate 12, and the upper connection point between the fixing plate 132 and the collapse groove 131 are all integrally formed by stamping the sheet metal to remove material, which is simple to process and low in cost.

[0034] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 1 The fixing plate 132 has a fixing hole 134, and the fixing plate 132 is fixedly connected to the instrument panel beam by bolts passing through the fixing hole 134, which makes the installation convenient and reliable.

[0035] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 1 There are multiple resistance bending elements 133, the specific number of which is determined according to the vehicle model and the manufacturing material of the steering column collapse energy absorption device 1, for example, 3.

[0036] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 1 The resistance bending component 133 has multiple bends to ensure reliable operation.

[0037] In other implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, there are two collapsible energy-absorbing components 13, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steering column 2 to further improve the collapsible energy-absorbing effect. When the steering wheel of the car is squeezed, the two sets of steering column collapsible energy-absorbing devices 1 can collapsible energy at the same time, thereby improving the collapsible energy-absorbing effect and improving the safety of the car.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The present invention provides a steering column 2 assembly, including a steering shaft 3, a steering column 2 assembly and a steering column collapse energy absorption device 1. The steering column 2 is sleeved on the steering shaft 3, and the steering column collapse energy absorption device 1 is disposed on the steering column 2. The steering column collapse energy absorption device 1 is the steering column collapse energy absorption device 1 described above, thereby obtaining a steering column 2 assembly with a simpler structure, lower cost and more reliable operation.

[0039] In summary, this utility model effectively overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies and has high industrial application value.

[0040] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steering column collapse energy absorption device, comprising: The bracket is fixedly connected to the steering column of the car. The back plate is fixedly connected to the bracket; The collapsible energy-absorbing component is fixedly connected to the dashboard beam of the car and to the back plate. When the steering wheel is compressed, the collapsible energy-absorbing component disengages from the back plate. The collapse energy-absorbing component is characterized in that it comprises: Collapse grooves are formed on the back plate; A fixing plate is fixedly connected to the upper part of the collapse groove by a point connection, and the fixing plate is fixedly connected to the instrument panel crossbeam; A resistance bending member, wherein the top end of the resistance bending member is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and the bottom end of the resistance bending member is fixedly connected to the bottom of the collapse groove; When the steering wheel is compressed, the connection between the fixing plate and the upper part of the crumple groove is broken.

2. The steering column collapse energy absorption device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing plate, the resistance bending member, the back plate, and the connection point between the fixing plate and the upper part of the collapse groove are all integrally formed by stamping the sheet metal to remove material.

3. The steering column collapse energy absorption device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing plate has fixing holes, and the fixing plate is fixedly connected to the instrument panel beam by bolts passing through the fixing holes.

4. The steering column collapse energy absorption device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple resistance bending components.

5. The steering column collapse energy absorption device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The resistance bending component has multiple bends.

6. The steering column collapse energy absorption device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: There are two collapsible energy-absorbing components, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steering column.

7. A steering column assembly, comprising a steering shaft, a steering column assembly, and a steering column collapsible energy-absorbing device, wherein the steering column is sleeved on the steering shaft, and the steering column collapsible energy-absorbing device is disposed on the steering column, characterized in that: The steering column collapse energy absorption device is the steering column collapse energy absorption device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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