Explosive-Stowed Steering Column Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional steering column assemblies that move between stowed and extended positions often rely on airbags and energy-absorbing structures, which complicate manufacturing and increase costs, and may not be ideal for crash situations as they extend the steering wheel towards the occupant.
Innovation Solution
An automatically-stowed steering column assembly using a controlled explosive system to move the steering shaft to a stowed position upon sensing or predicting an impact, without relying on airbags or energy-absorbing structures, utilizing a push plate and biasing member to rapidly retract the steering shaft away from the passenger cabin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If airbags and energy-absorbing structures are used to move the steering wheel between stowed and extended positions, then the steering column assembly can achieve position adjustment, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes airbags and energy-absorbing structures from the steering column assembly, replacing them with a simpler explosive-driven retraction mechanism. This extraction of complex safety components directly reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining the core function of steering wheel position adjustment through the explosive material and push plate system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical systems (airbags, springs, energy-absorbing structures) with a chemical-explosive system. The explosive material provides rapid force generation to retract the steering shaft, eliminating the need for complex mechanical safety components and reducing overall device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If airbags are used to extend the steering wheel towards the occupant, then the steering column assembly can maintain operational position, but the safety in crash situations deteriorates as the steering wheel moves toward the occupant
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using airbags to extend the steering wheel forward (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using explosive material to rapidly retract the steering shaft backward toward the dashboard. This inversion ensures that in crash situations, the steering wheel moves away from the occupant rather than toward them, improving safety while maintaining operational capability during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The explosive material is pre-positioned to provide immediate counter-action in crash situations. When detonated, it creates a force that rapidly moves the steering shaft away from the occupant, preventing harmful forward movement before it can occur. This preliminary anti-action counteracts the potential harm of steering wheel extension during impact.
3Reliability
If conventional mechanical systems are used to move the steering shaft between positions, then the system can maintain structural simplicity, but the response time to impact events increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of force generation from gradual mechanical action to instantaneous chemical-explosive action. The explosive material provides extremely rapid force application (within milliseconds) compared to conventional mechanical systems, dramatically improving response time to impact events while the overall system remains relatively simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses detonation - an instantaneous periodic action - to achieve rapid steering shaft retraction. The explosive material is detonated at the precise moment of impact detection, providing a sudden, high-intensity force pulse that moves the steering shaft quickly to the stowed position, achieving fast response without complex continuous control systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for rapid retraction of the steering shaft to a stowed position within milliseconds of an impact prediction, enhancing safety by avoiding the need for airbags and energy-absorbing structures, while meeting Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) requirements and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The steering shaft is movable from an extended position to a stowed position upon detonation of the explosive material
Implementation Method 2
the explosive material includes chemicals that, when combined together, react to produce a propulsive or shattering force
Implementation Method 3
a biasing member is included for imparting the force on the push plate upon detonation of the explosive material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
One steering column assembly for use with a vehicle includes a jacket, a steering shaft rotatably supported by the jacket, and a retractor for moving the steering shaft from an extended position to a stowed position. The retractor does not interfere with rotation of the steering shaft when the steering shaft is at the extended position, and the retractor includes explosive material and a detonation device. The detonation device is in communication with the explosive material for detonating the explosive material when an impact event is sensed or predicted, and detonation of the explosive material results in the steering shaft moving from the extended position to the stowed position.