Motor vehicles – With means for protecting occupant region of vehicle from...
Patent
1985-08-08
1987-11-03
Love, John J.
Motor vehicles
With means for protecting occupant region of vehicle from...
180274, B60R 2200
Patent
active
047038276
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is related to application Ser. No.: 749,532 filed June 13, 1985.
The invention is directed to safety apparatus for vehicles more particularly, the invention relates to novel apparatus for removing the steering wheel of a vehicle from a zone of possible impact with the head of a driver.
In case of a heavy frontal collision one may often observe the head of the driver impacting with the steering wheel even though the drive may be wearing a seatbelt. This is caused by the momentum resulting either in a strong forward movement of the upper body and head of the driver and/or by the steering wheel being pushed into the passenger cabin by the steering column, in a frontal collision.
In order to reduce the effects of an impact of the head it is known to provide the steering wheel with a collision plate. An airbag, too, may reduce the risk of injury. Neither apparatus may, however, totally prevent an injury caused by the steering arrangement. The airbag in particular is very complicated owing to its inflation device and its sensor, and is unacceptable for certain users.
The task of the invention resides in preventing, by simple means, the head of the driver from impacting with the steering wheel in case of a frontal collision.
The task is solved by the elements listed in the characterizing portion of claim 1.
An impact of the head may be prevented by removing the steering wheel from the area where the head may impact, by means of the safety apparatus actuated in case of a frontal collision of predetermined magnitude, that is to say, that instead of merely attempting to reduce the effects of an impact, as is the case with known devices, the cause for a possible injury to the head is removed.
In accordance with the invention, the removal of the steering wheel in case of a frontal collision may be accomplished mechanically.
For removing the steering wheel from the area of a possible head impact various kinematic means are possible, depending upon structural conditions; for instance lateral or upward pivoting of the steering column is conceivable. It is, however, particularly advantageous to remove the steering wheel substantially vertically with respect to the surface circumscribed by it, in a direction toward the front of the vehicle, i.e. away from the driver. Such a direction of movement can be easily controlled and would lead to the steering wheel engaging, or even penetrating into, the dash board.
It is of particular advantage if the safety apparatus comprises a mechanism which utilizes the relative movement between an aggregate (e.g. the engine-transmission-aggregate) positioned in a frontal portion of a vehicle and an element of the frame (e.g. a cross bar or girder in the area of the fire wall) positioned in a forward portion of the passenger compartment for removing the steering wheel in case of a frontal collision.
Such movement may, for instance, be transferred to the steering wheel by a cable. Of course, means must be provided for reversing the direction of movement as the steering wheel is to be moved in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the aggregate relative to the chassis.
By taking advantage of the relative movement between the aggregate and the passenger compartment during a frontal collision a very large force and a sufficient stroke are available. In this connection, the proportionality between this force and the impact energy is of advantage. Also, the direct relationship between the displacement of the components and the impact of the collision contribute to the effectiveness of the apparatus. Relative movement between the aggregate and the frame--and especially the passenger compartment--results from the fact that shortly after the frontal collision the aggregate engages the barrier or obstacle and the frame additionally moves across the aggregate.
In contrast to known devices--the airbag, for instance--no sensor is necessary because the safety apparatus operates as a result of deformation resulting from a frontal collision. Unintentional release is, therefore im
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Adam Helmut
Hofmann Jens
Vollmer Elmar
Audi A.G.
Ferriter Karin L.
Hormann Karl
Love John J.
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