An automotive vehicle steering assembly includes a safety steering wheel having a hub comprised of an energy absorbing member subject to axial crushing under predetermined force. The energy absorbing member is generally tubular and includes a circumferential series of longitudinal strip elements formed with a radially inward prebend to cause the strips to bend further radially inwardly during axial crush of the member, the prebend of each of the strips in the series being selected with respect to its neighbors such that the strips undergo buckling into an orderly overlapping relationship.
A shock absorber disposed between a steering wheel and a steering post, which comprises upper and lower holding rings to be coupled to hold the steering wheel and the steering post, respectively, and a plurality of supporting elements connected between the upper and lower holding rings. The upper and lower holding rings and the supporting elements form one substantially cylindrical unit, and the supporting elements are bent radially inwardly and outwardly to absorb an impact which may be caused during operating the vehicle.
An energy absorbing structure for the steering column or steering wheel of a motor vehicle which undergoes energy absorbing plastic deformation under a high axial force, the structure comprising a plurality of angularly adjacent energy absorbing member portions of serpentine shape whose extremities are integral with or welded to the steering assembly, and which, while not deformable under torque, are stretchable in the axial direction, as the serpentine shapes are bent and their loops are twisted.
A steering wheel assembly for vehicles which incorporates an energy absorbing coupling which mounts the steering wheel for tilting movement with respect to a column to an optimum impact position when the wheel receives inertia load and which provides for subsequent energy management by deformation of a plurality of metallic legs which collapse at controlled rates.
Disclosed is an energy absorption element adapted for connecting a vehicular steering wheel to a steering wheel shaft, comprising a generally tubular body comprised of a plurality of support members extending axially between the steering wheel and the steering wheel shaft, and means incorporated in the support members for producing a radially outward collapse of said support members in response to an impact upon the steering wheel. Preferably each support member comprises an X-shaped configuration having an outward bend located in the area of intersection of the legs of the X-shaped configuration.
A plurality of horn switches are provided between a steering wheel body and a horn pad provided above the steering wheel body. Each of the horn switches includes a spacer having an insulating property, a horn spring which is connected to a positive electrode of a horn operating circuit and urges the horn pad upwardly, a tongue connected to a negative electrode of the horn operating circuit, and a shearable shoulder bolt. The horn spring and the tongue are mounted on the spacer. The spacer has a tubular portion having an enlarged portion formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof at a distal end thereof. The tubular portion is retained in a retaining hole in the steering wheel body. The shoulder bolt is inserted into the tubular portion from an end thereof opposite to the horn pad, and is screw-mounted to the horn pad.
