Steering Column Wire Deformation for Collision Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle steering columns face challenges in efficiently absorbing collision energy due to complex components and high manufacturing costs, along with issues of interference and unbalanced collision loads, particularly when the impact direction varies.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular collision energy absorbable steering column design featuring a cylindrical hollow outer and inner tube structure with U-shaped wires, where one end of the wire is secured to the inner tube and the other end extends through the distance bracket's grip holes and guide grooves, allowing the wire to deform axially during a collision to absorb energy, thus aligning with the collision load direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional collision energy absorption mechanisms using capsules and tearing plates are employed, then collision energy can be absorbed, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the capsule and tearing plate components from the conventional steering column design. Instead of using these separate energy-absorbing components, the invention integrates the energy absorption function directly into the telescopic tube structure itself, which collapses to absorb collision energy without requiring additional specialized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the collision energy absorption function with the telescopic tube structure. The telescopic tube is designed to perform both its primary function of housing the steering shaft and the secondary function of absorbing collision energy through controlled collapse, eliminating the need for separate energy-absorbing components.
2Force
If conventional capsules and fastening means are used for energy absorption, then collision load can be managed, but the manufacturing cost and assembling processes increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the capsule and complex fastening means from the design. The collision load management is achieved through the inherent telescopic collapse mechanism of the tube structure itself, which requires no additional components or complex fastening systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic tube structure is designed to automatically manage collision loads through its own collapse mechanism. The structure self-regulates the collision force through controlled telescopic deformation without requiring external capsules, fasteners, or additional energy-absorbing components.
3Loss of energy
If conventional energy absorption components are added, then collision energy can be absorbed, but interferences between adjacent components occur causing unbalanced collision load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the capsule and tearing plate components that caused interference issues. By eliminating these separate energy-absorbing components, the invention avoids the interferences and unbalanced collision loads that arose from the interaction between multiple adjacent components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the energy absorption function into the telescopic tube itself, eliminating the interference problems that occurred when separate energy-absorbing components were placed adjacent to each other. The unified structure ensures balanced collision load distribution without component interference.
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 design effectively reduces manufacturing costs and assembly processes while minimizing interferences between components, ensuring balanced collision load absorption by aligning impact absorption with the collapsing direction, enhancing energy absorption efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
one or more wires are deformed in the axial direction with the vehicle load in the vehicle collision in order to cushion the vehicle collision
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a vehicular collision energy absorbable steering column coupled to a steering shaft. The steering column comprises shaped wires deformable to absorb a collision load in a vehicle collision, a cylindrical hollow outer tube, a cylindrical hollow inner tube having on its interior circumferential surface mounting grooves to secure the wires, and a distance bracket that is formed of a hollow tubular member having an outer tube joint at one end and an inner tube joint at the opposite end and has a pair of fastening flanges shaped into two spaced opposing plates formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the tubular member for receiving the wires so that the distance bracket may collapse in the axial direction in the event of a vehicle collision through deforming the wires.