US-12623712-B2 - Steering column for vehicle and vehicle

Abstract

Provided are a steering column for a vehicle and a vehicle. The steering column includes a first mounting plate, an adjustment plate, an upper column, an adjustment mechanism, and an energy absorption mechanism. The adjustment plate is movably connected to the first mounting plate in a first direction. The upper column is fixed to the adjustment plate. The adjustment mechanism includes a drive portion and a first adjustment portion. The drive portion is fixed to the first mounting plate. The energy absorption mechanism includes an energy absorption block and an energy absorption strip. The energy absorption block is connected to the adjustment plate and the first adjustment portion. The energy absorption block has an energy absorption groove extending in a curved shape. The energy absorption groove is movable along the energy absorption strip in the first direction when an impact force borne by the adjustment plate reaches a predetermined threshold.

Inventors

• Fuhai Li
• Lei Ding
• Lixin LUO
• Jianfeng BIAN
• Zuguo MA

Assignees

• Zhejiang Zeekr Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
• ZHEJIANG GEELY HOLDING GROUP CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20250320

Priority Date

20221024

Claims (16)

1. 1 . A steering column for a vehicle, the steering column comprising: a first mounting plate; an adjustment plate movably connected to the first mounting plate in a first direction; an upper column fixed to the adjustment plate; an adjustment mechanism comprising a drive portion and a first adjustment portion, the drive portion being fixed to the first mounting plate and configured to drive the first adjustment portion to move in the first direction; and an energy absorption mechanism comprising an energy absorption block and an energy absorption strip, the energy absorption block being fixedly connected to the adjustment plate and the first adjustment portion, the energy absorption block internally having an energy absorption groove extending in a curved shape, the energy absorption strip having an end passing through the energy absorption groove and fixed to the first adjustment portion and another end extending in the first direction, and the energy absorption groove being movable along the energy absorption strip in the first direction when an impact force borne by the adjustment plate reaches a predetermined threshold.
2. 2 . The steering column according to claim 1 , wherein the energy absorption block comprises: a body portion; and a connection arm, wherein: the body portion is fixed to the adjustment plate; the energy absorption groove is formed in the body portion; the connection arm is connected to the body portion and fixedly connected to the first adjustment portion; a weakening structure is formed at a joint between the connection arm and the body portion and located at a side of the first adjustment portion facing towards the adjustment plate; and when the impact force borne by the adjustment plate reaches the predetermined threshold, the body portion is separated from the connection arm at the weakening structure and moves along the energy absorption strip.
3. 3 . The steering column according to claim 2 , wherein the weakening structure has a thinning groove, a length direction of the thinning groove being perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the adjustment plate.
4. 4 . The steering column according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustment plate has a mounting recess, the body portion being at least partially disposed in the mounting recess.
5. 5 . The steering column according to claim 2 , wherein the body portion comprises a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion, the energy absorption groove being formed in the first sub-portion and having a side opening formed at a side surface of the first sub-portion, and the second sub-portion being adapted to be fixedly connected to the first sub-portion to block the side opening, wherein the side surface of the first sub-portion is perpendicular to the energy absorption groove.
6. 6 . The steering column according to claim 5 , wherein: one of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion is provided with a positioning pin; and another one of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion has a positioning hole adapted to be engaged with the positioning pin.
7. 7 . The steering column according to claim 1 , further comprising a second mounting plate, the first mounting plate being movably connected to the second mounting plate in the first direction, wherein: the adjustment mechanism further comprises a second lead screw fixed to the second mounting plate; the first adjustment portion is a nut; and the drive portion comprises a drive motor, a drive box, and a first lead screw, the drive motor being fixed to the first mounting plate through the drive box, the drive box being in a transmission connection with the drive motor, the second lead screw, and the first lead screw, the drive motor being configured to drive the first adjustment portion to move in the first direction by means of the drive box and the first lead screw, and the drive motor being further configured to drive the drive box to move along the second lead screw in the first direction.
8. 8 . The steering column according to claim 1 , wherein the energy adsorption strip is a steel strip.
9. 9 . A vehicle, comprising the steering column according to claim 1 .
10. 10 . The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the energy absorption block comprises: a body portion; and a connection arm, wherein: the body portion is fixed to the adjustment plate; the energy absorption groove is formed in the body portion; the connection arm is connected to the body portion and fixedly connected to the first adjustment portion; a weakening structure is formed at a joint between the connection arm and the body portion and located at a side of the first adjustment portion facing towards the adjustment plate; and when the impact force borne by the adjustment plate reaches the predetermined threshold, the body portion is separated from the connection arm at the weakening structure and moves along the energy absorption strip.
11. 11 . The vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the weakening structure has a thinning groove, a length direction of the thinning groove being perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the adjustment plate.
12. 12 . The vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the adjustment plate has a mounting recess, the body portion being at least partially disposed in the mounting recess.
13. 13 . The vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the body portion comprises a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion, the energy absorption groove being formed in the first sub-portion and having a side opening formed at a side surface of the first sub-portion, and the second sub-portion being adapted to be fixedly connected to the first sub-portion to block the side opening, wherein the side surface of the first sub-portion is perpendicular to the energy absorption groove.
14. 14 . The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein: one of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion is provided with a positioning pin; and another one of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion has a positioning hole adapted to be engaged with the positioning pin.
15. 15 . The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the steering column further comprises a second mounting plate, the first mounting plate being movably connected to the second mounting plate in the first direction, wherein: the adjustment mechanism further comprises a second lead screw fixed to the second mounting plate; the first adjustment portion is a nut; and the drive portion comprises a drive motor, a drive box, and a first lead screw, the drive motor being fixed to the first mounting plate through the drive box, the drive box being in a transmission connection with the drive motor, the second lead screw, and the first lead screw, the drive motor being configured to drive the first adjustment portion to move in the first direction by means of the drive box and the first lead screw, and the drive motor being further configured to drive the drive box to move along the second lead screw in the first direction.
16. 16 . The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the energy adsorption strip is a steel strip.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2023/107959, filed on Jul. 18, 2023, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202211304450.0, entitled “STEERING COLUMN FOR VEHICLE AND VEHICLE” and filed on Oct. 24, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technologies, and more particularly, to a steering column for a vehicle and a vehicle. BACKGROUND With the continuous development of vehicle technologies, vehicle safety has been widely concerned by people. When a vehicle collision occurs, a steering column and a steering wheel on the steering column are easy to cause injuries to a driver. In the related art, the steering column is designed with a shrinkable energy absorption structure to protect the driver during a collision. However, an existing shrinkable energy absorption structure is complicated, costly to assemble and maintain, and may cause the steering column to drop during the collision, leading to secondary injuries to the driver. SUMMARY A steering column for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a first mounting plate, an adjustment plate, an upper column, an adjustment mechanism, and an energy absorption mechanism. The adjustment plate is movably connected to the first mounting plate in a first direction. The upper column is fixed to the adjustment plate. The adjustment mechanism includes a drive portion and a first adjustment portion. The drive portion is fixed to the first mounting plate and configured to drive the first adjustment portion to move in the first direction. The energy absorption mechanism includes an energy absorption block and an energy absorption strip. The energy absorption block is fixedly connected to the adjustment plate and the first adjustment portion. The energy absorption block internally has an energy absorption groove extending in a curved shape. The energy absorption strip has an end passing through the energy absorption groove and fixed to the first adjustment portion and another end extending in the first direction. The energy absorption groove is movable along the energy absorption strip in the first direction when an impact force borne by the adjustment plate reaches a predetermined threshold. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the energy absorption block includes a body portion and a connection arm. The body portion is fixed to the adjustment plate. The energy absorption groove is formed in the body portion. The connection arm is connected to the body portion and fixedly connected to the first adjustment portion. A weakening structure is formed at a joint between the connection arm and the body portion and located at a side of the first adjustment portion facing towards the adjustment plate. When the impact force borne by the adjustment plate reaches the predetermined threshold, the body portion is separated from the connection arm at the weakening structure and moves along the energy absorption strip. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the weakening structure has a thinning groove. A length direction of the thinning groove is perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the adjustment plate. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the weakening structure has a plurality of weakening holes arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the adjustment plate. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the adjustment plate has a mounting recess. The body portion is at least partially disposed in the mounting recess. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the body portion includes a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion. The energy absorption groove is formed in the first sub-portion and has a side opening formed at a side surface of the first sub-portion, and the second sub-portion is adapted to be fixedly connected to the first sub-portion to block the side opening. The side surface of the first sub-portion is perpendicular to the energy absorption groove. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, one of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion is provided with a positioning pin; and another one of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion has a positioning hole adapted to be engaged with the positioning pin. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the steering column further includes a second mounting plate. The first mounting plate is movably connected to the second mounting plate in the first direction. The adjustment mechanism further includes a second lead screw fixed to the second mounting plate. The first adjustment portion is a nut. The drive portion includes a drive motor, a drive box, and a first lead screw. The drive motor is fixed to the first mounting plate through the