Provided at the occupant's side of a steering post is an energy absorbing knee protector, which is normally covered by a knee panel, whereby the occupant does not observe and contact the knee protector. In an emergency of the vehicle, if the knees of the occupant collide with the knee panel to deform the same, the knee panel imparts an energy of collision generated in the knees to the knee protector by deforming the same, so that the energy of collision can be effectively absorbed.
A shock absorbing material suited for use in automobile steering wheel comprises a core portion and a skin layer integrally formed on the core portion by foaming. The core portion and the skin layer are formed of isocyanurate ring-containing foam obtained by reacting polyhydroxy compounds having a hydroxyl value of 200 to 700, triethanolamine and polymethylene having a mean functional group number of 2.3 to 3.5 in an equivalent ratio of NCO/OH=2.5 to 5 in the presence of foaming agents and trimerization catalysts followed by foaming. It is important that the density of the skin layer is higher than that of the core portion. When the driver beats against the steering wheel in car accidents, the shock absorbing materials are deformed by absorbing impact force, thereby protecting the driver.
This patent discloses a shield for an automatic transmission used in race cars radial that includes a strengthened fluid pan and a formed metal jacket shield that extends around the section of the housing of the transmission adjacent to the fluid pan from opposite sides of the fluid pan. The strengthened fluid pan is constructed to extend outwardly from the transmission housing to provide locations at which the jacket shield may be secured to the fluid pan and to increase the volume of the fluid pan as compared to conventional fluid pans. The jacket shield is secured directly to the fluid pan and in combination with the fluid pan provides a shield that continuously surrounds the transmission and resists perforation and separation due to impact of fragments propelled from the transmission after breakage of rotating components of the transmission.
The present invention comprises a column support fixed to a deck cross member extending along a width of a vehicle; a steering column supported by the column support; a column bracket disposed about an axis of the steering column in such a manner as to widen toward a front part of the vehicle, both ends of the column bracket being fixed to a body of the vehicle; and knee absorbers disposed at both sides of the column bracket, each of the knee absorbers having a base end fixed to the deck cross member and a front end facing the knees of an occupant, the front end coming into contact with the knees of the occupant. When the vehicle crashes, the occupant and his or her knees move forward to collide with the column bracket. The column bracket, however, is not displaced since both ends of the column bracket are fixed to the body of the vehicle. The knees of the occupant are guided forward along the surface of the column bracket to the right and left knee absorbers. This prevents the deformation of the steering column, and prevents the disturbance of the contracting function of a steering system for absorbing the impact energy. Moreover, the knee absorbers buckle and deform when the knees collide with them, and this results in the absorption of the impact energy to reduce the load that is applied to the knees. It is therefore possible to protect the knees of the occupant.
An energy absorbing bolster (32) is provided for attachment to downward facing surfaces of an energy absorbing steering column support bracket (24). The bolster (32) includes longitudinally spaced mounting flanges (40, 42) for securement to the support bracket (24) and a energy absorbing linkage (44) arranged between the mounting flanges, the linkage taking the form of front and rear carrier portions (64, 46), depending from the support bracket and a bridge portion (66), and a load transfer portion (68) arranged between them.
