AU4510700A - Energy management system - Google Patents

Description

-1- P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

0*

S

5555 IP Australia Documents received on: 0 7 JUL 2000 Batch No: Name of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: AIM METALS PTY LIMITED Peter Holzinger and Mark Nilsen Freehills Carter Smith Beadle 101 Collins Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Details of Associated Provisional Application: PQ1532 filed 9 July 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us Field of the Invention This invention relates to an energy management system and relates particularly to an energy management system for use in automobiles or other vehicles to provide a controlled and predictable dissipation of energy should the vehicle be involved in an event such as an accident or the like.

While the present invention has been designed particularly for use with the steering column of a motor vehicle, the principles of the invention can be applied to a large range of other vehicle components. Accordingly, it will be understood that while the invention will be described with particular reference to a vehicle steering column, the invention is not limited to this one application.

Background of the Invention For many years, steering columns of vehicles have been designed to collapse .000 in the event of a vehicle collision to minimise the likelihood of the steering column causing injury through contact with the vehicle driver. However, while it is 15 relatively simple to construct a steering column that will collapse, it is more difficult to absorb the energy which is associated with contact of a vehicle driver's body with the steering wheel in a collision producing relative movement between *o the steering column and the supports therefor.

Vehicles are constructed with crumble zones, collapsible structural members 20 and other features to absorb collision energy. It is known to manufacture steering oo columns which will telescopically crumble progressively thereby absorbing some collision energy. However, such steering columns are relatively complicated and o.o expensive to manufacture and may therefore only be used in relatively expensive vehicles.

It is therefore desirable to provide an energy management system which allows the progressive dissipation of energy should the vehicle be involved in a collision and the body of the vehicle driver comes into contact with the steering wheel.

It is also desirable to provide an improved energy management system which can be adapted for a large range of vehicle components and which dissipates energy when components which are normally interconnected are caused to move relative to DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000 each other on the occurrence of an event such as an accident.

It is also desirable to provide an improved mounting for a vehicle steering column which includes an energy management system.

It is also desirable to provide an improved mounting for a steering column or other vehicle component which incorporates energy absorption components and which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture and install.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided an energy management system for vehicle components comprising a mounting for mounting a vehicle component to vehicle support means, said mounting including at least one mounting flange having an elongated aperture to receive a securing fastener, an elongated, energy absorbing metal strip adapted to be disposed between the *°$ooo mounting flange and the support means, said strip having a reversely turned one end portion which is turned about one end of the mounting flange and is fastened thereto 15 by said securing fastener which passes through one end of said elongated aperture.

Preferably, the mounting has two or more mounting flanges with elongated apertures running substantially parallel.

It is also preferred that the metal strip is formed with two legs which extend substantially along each side of the elongate aperture.

20 With preferred embodiments of the invention, in the event of, for example, a •go.

vehicle accident which gives rise to forces tending to move the mounting relative to the vehicle support means, when such forces exceed predetermined limits sufficient to overcome the securing forces applied by the securing fastener, the mounting moves relative to the vehicle support means. Because the securing fastener engages through the elongated aperture, there is no abutment between the mounting and the fastener which would otherwise prevent such relative movement, in the plane of the mounting flange. The elongated aperture, therefore, enables the mounting flange to move relative to the securing fastener. However, the reversely turned end of the metal strip is held relative to the securing fastener thereby causing relative movement to occur between the said one end of the mounting flange and the metal strip. The flange end engages with an inside surface of the reversely turned one end DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000 portion of the metal strip so that relative movement between the mounting flange and the securing fastener causes the strip to deform around the said one end portion thus dissipating energy during said relative movement as the metal strip is withdrawn from between the mounting flange and the support means.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle component, such as a steering column mounting bracket, has a pair of mounting flanges by which a bracket is attached to the underside of a vehicle dashboard structure. Each mounting flange has an elongated aperture or slot to receive a first securing fastener, such as a bolt, and a second, open ended aperture or slot to receive a second securing fastener, such as a second bolt. Thus, the steering column mounting bracket is secured to the dash board structure by the four mounting bolts.

Preferably, the or each securing fastener or bolt is attached to the mounting flange and metal strip by a breakaway capsule, preferably formed of synthetic plastics material. The structure of such capsules, which are known in the art, enables the components, i.e. the bolts, metal strips and mounting bracket, to be held together as an assembly prior to installation. The capsule also facilitates the assembly of the components to the vehicle support structure, and further facilitates the mounting flange to "breakaway" from the securement in the event of an accident or the like producing "breakaway" forces.

20 The elongated aperture or slot is preferably formed with a rebate along one side to assist relative movement of the flange and securing fastener when the initial breakaway forces produce the initial movement. Thus, when "breakaway" forces are sufficient to cause relative movement between the flange and the vehicle support means, and flanges move a small distance to a position where the securing fastener is opposite the rebate at which position a clearance exists between the fastener the breakaway capsule and the mounting. Therefore, even if the forces producing the relative movement are reduced, the fastener will not act to restrict such relative movement by maintaining tight contact with the flange, and the deformation of the metal strip will constitute the major, if only, retarding force.

It is also preferred that the said one end of the mounting flange be shaped to facilitate the deformation of the energy absorbing metal strip about the said one end.

DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000 In one embodiment, the said one end curves upwardly out of the plane of the mounting flange.

It will be seen that, with one embodiment of the invention used for mounting a vehicle steering column to a vehicle dashboard structure, forces produced by, for example, a vehicle accident, act to move the mounting bracket relative to the dashboard structure in a plane substantially parallel to the mounting bracket flanges.

Such movement is restricted, and energy dissipated, by the metal strips, which are held at one end relative to the vehicle dashboard structure by the securing fasteners.

The forces produced by, for example, a vehicle accident, act to move the mounting bracket laterally relative to the dashboard structure in the plane of the mounting flanges. The mounting bracket is able to move by reason of the elongated apertures or slots through which the fasteners engage until one end of the mounting flanges engages the reversely turned end of the respective metal strips. Continued movement of the mounting bracket relative to the dashboard causes the metal strip to be withdrawn from the channel and deformed around the ends of the flanges thereby dissipating energy associated with the relative movement.

In order that the invention will be more readily understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings ooo.

wherein: i. 20 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle steering column mounting bracket in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bracket of Figure 1 taken from the opposite direction; Figure 3 is a plan view of the vehicle steering column mounting bracket of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a part cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the mounting bracket of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment illustrated comprises a steering column support bracket 12 which is designed to support a vehicle steering column 14 beneath a vehicle dash board structure (not shown). The bracket 12 has a pair of DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000 opposed walls 16 to which the steering column 14 is adjustably mounted by means of the aligned, elongated holes 15 which facilitate vertical adjustment.

A pair of opposed coplanar mounting flanges 17 extend outwardly from the bracket base 18. Each flange has an elongate aperture 19 extending from a forward end 21 towards a rear end 22 of each flange 17. Each elongate aperture 19 terminates in advance of the rear end 22, and a second, open ended aperture 23 is formed in the rear end 22 of each flange 17.

Each flange 17 has an upwardly (as seen in Figure 5) extending longitudinal edge projection 24 which defines, with an inner shoulder 26 a shallow channel 27.

The channel is formed with a rebate 28 which extends around the elongate aperture 19 except for the forward end thereof. A further rebate 29 is provided adjacent the sides of the second aperture 23.

The forward end 21 of each flange 17 has a shaped, downwardly (as viewed in Figure 3) directed end part 31 the purpose of which is hereinafter described.

15 The bracket of this embodiment is designed to be used in conjunction with a pair of energy absorbing metal strips 32. Each metal strip 32 has a pair of spaced legs 33 adapted to engage within the channel 27, the spacing of the legs being similar to the width of the elongate aperture 19. Forwardly of the legs 33, the metal strip 32 narrows to a single width strip which is reversely turned at its forward end 20 34 over the end part 31 of the respect flange 17.

The bracket 12 with the pair of metal strips 32 is adapted to be attached to the underside of a dash board structure of the like of a motor vehicle by four securing bolts 36 (one of which is shown in Figure The two forward securing bolts 36 pass through holes in the end of the reversely turned forward end 34 of the metal strip 32 and through the forward end of the elongate aperture 19. The rear pair of securing bolts 36 engage through the forward ends of the second apertures 23. All the securing bolts 36 are mounted in breakaway plastic capsules 37 which are designed to hold the parts in an assembled condition prior to engagement of the threaded ends of the bolts with the dash board structure to which the bracket 12 is to be fixed. The capsules 37 are also constructed to firmly and securely support the bracket 12 in its mounted position during normal use. However, the capsules are DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000 7 designed to "breakaway" from their secured position in the event of the application of forces such as might occur in a vehicle collision. In the event of such a collision, which tends to move the mounting bracket 12 relative to its securement to the dash board structure, the plastic capsules "breakaway" and slide along the elongated apertures 19 and 23 for a short distance until the capsules drop into the rebates 28 and 29. At this position, the securing bolts 36 and capsules 37 impart only minimal force restricting relative movement of the bracket 12 relative to the securing bolts 36. However, at the position where the plastic capsules engage within the rebates 28 and 29, the forward end part 31 of the flanges 17 makes contact with the inside surface of the reversely turned forward end 34 of the metal strip 32. The strip, however, is retained within the channel 37 so that further relative movement is able to occur only by defamation of the metal strip 32 around the shaped end part 31 of *s ee.

the flange 17 which draws the strip 32 from the channel 37 as it curls around the end part 31. Such defamation absorbs energy at a predetermined rate which is dependent on the nature of the material of the metal strip 32 and the relative thickness and width dimensions of the metal strip and legs 33.

When the relative movement of the bracket 12 and the securing bolts 36 equals the length of the elongated apertures 19, the forward bolts 36 contact the rear end of the aperture 19 and further additional relative movement is prevented 20 without destruction of individual components. However, such relative movement may allow up to 100mm or more of relatively controlled energy management movement of the bracket 12 which can substantially reduce the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

It will be understood the particular shape of the forward end part 31 of each flange 17 may be designed to provide a desired controlled defamation of the metal strips 32. Similarly, the design of the channel 27 in each flange 17 may incorporate tracks for separate legs of the metal strips 32. The mounting flanges 17 may be of any length commensurate with the component for which the flanges are designed.

The second elongated aperture 23 may also be of any suitable length commensurate with the length of the flange 17.

It will be understood that the metal strip 32 is preferably Teflon® coated to DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000 8 assist its movement relative to the mounting flange 17. By forming the metal strip with a Teflon® coating, the rate of defamation or unfolding of the strip can be closely controlled as a function of the material, shape and relative dimensions of the strip without uncontrolled factors such as friction-changing design parameters.

It will be understood that the principles of the present invention may be applied to a range of vehicle components, that one or more mounting flanges may be associated with any particular component, and that the energy absorbing metal strips may be formed of any suitable shape commensurate with their application to any particular component.

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Claims (21)

1. An energy management system for vehicle components comprising a mounting for mounting a vehicle component to vehicle support means, said mounting including at least one mounting flange having an elongated aperture to receive a securing fastener, an elongated, energy absorbing metal strip adapted to be disposed between the mounting flange and the support means, said strip having a reversely turned one end portion which is turned about one end of the mounting flange and is fastened thereto by said securing fastener which passes through one end of said elongated aperture.

2. A system according to Claim 1 wherein said mounting has two or more mounting flanges each having an elongate aperture, the elongate apertures being substantially parallel.

3. A system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the or each mounting ooo flange has a second, open ended aperture or slot, the opening extending in a direction away from the elongate aperture.

4. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein second, open ended aperture or slot is adapted to receive a second securing fastener.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each mounting flange has an upturned outer edge and an opposed shoulder defining a 20 shallow channel into which the metal strip is received. *49*

6. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each :.•..flange end engages an inside surface of the respective reversely turned one end portion of the respective metal strip to causes the strip to deform therearound to dissipate energy during relative movement between the mounting and the vehicle component as the strip is withdrawn from between the mounting flange and support means during such relative movement.

7. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said vehicle component mounting comprises a steering column mounting bracket having a pair of mounting flanges adapted to be attached to the underside of a vehicle dashboard structure.

8. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000 s. 0*06.0 S 0 0 0 *59* S S 5.5. securing fastener is attached to the mounting flange by a breakaway capsule.

9. A system according to Claim 8 wherein the capsule is formed of a synthetics plastics material.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each flange is formed with a rebate along one side, the rebate extending on both sides of the elongate aperture.

11. A system according to Claim 10 wherein the rebate extends from a position spaced rearwardly from a forward end of the aperture to a position at or adjacent a rearward end of the aperture.

12. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a rebate is formed in the flange surface extending rearwardly from a position spaced rearwardly from a forward end of the second aperture or slot.

13. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the metal strip has a pair of legs extending substantially along each side of the respective 15 aperture, and said fastener means engages with the forward, free end of the strip and passes through the aperture and the legs to engage with the vehicle support means.

14. A mounting bracket for a system according to any one of the preceding claims.

A mounting bracket for a vehicle component comprising a casting having a base with a pair of oppositely extending, elongate mounting flanges by which the bracket is mounted to a vehicle structure, each flange having a rib extending along its outer edge, the ribs defining with a shoulder extending along an inner edge of the respective flange a channel, an elongate aperture extending along each flange from a forward position to a rearward position spaced from a rearward end of the flanges, a second aperture, or slot, in a rearward portion of the flanges, a metal strip disposed within the channel and extending from the rearward portion to and around the front end of the flanges, the metal strip having a pair of legs extending substantially along each side of the respective aperture, and fastener means engaged with the forward, free end of the strip and passing through the aperture and the legs.

16. A mounting bracket according to Claim 15 wherein said second, open ended aperture or slot is adapted to receive a second securing fastener. DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000

17. A mounting bracket according to Claims 15 or 16 wherein the or each flange end engages an inside surface of a respective reversely turned one end front portion of the respective metal strip whereby during relative movement between the mounting and the vehicle structure the front end portion of the strip is held in its fastened position by the fastener such that the front edge of the flange engages an inside surface of the strip to cause the strip to be drawn from the channel and bent or deformed around said front end, to thereby dissipate energy during relative movement as the strip is withdrawn from between the mounting flange and vehicle structure.

18. A mounting bracket according to any one of Claims 15 to 17 wherein said vehicle component comprises a steering column mounting bracket having a pair of mounting flanges adapted to be attached to the steering column and the bracket is ooo0 adapted to be attached to the underside of a vehicle dashboard structure. ooo•

19. A mounting bracket according to any one of the preceding Claims 15 to 18 wherein the or each securing fastener is attached to the mounting flange by a :"breakaway capsule.

20. A mounting bracket according to Claim 19 wherein the capsule is formed of oooo .0 a synthetics plastics material. 0000

21. A mounting bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to 20 the accompanying drawings. see* 0000 DATED: 7 July 2000 Freehills Carter Smith Beadle Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: AIM METALS PTY LIMITED DCC:TG:40430270.CAP 7 July 2000