Rake adjustment mechanism for steering column

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279834-B2
Application number	US-201615279977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Sep 29, 2016
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A rake adjustment mechanism of a steering column assembly includes a lower jacket defining a first tapered slot and a second tapered slot, the first and second tapered slots disposed on opposing sides of the lower jacket. Also included is a rake bracket coupled to the lower jacket. Further included is a first rake guide and a second rake guide, each rake guide a single, integrally formed component and disposed between the lower jacket and rake bracket, the first rake guide disposed at least partially within the first tapered slot and the second rake guide disposed at least partially within the second tapered slot, each rake guide translatable within the tapered slot in an axial direction of the lower jacket. Yet further included is a rake bolt extending through the lower jacket, the rake bracket and the first and second rake guides.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A rake adjustment mechanism of a steering column assembly comprising:
a lower jacket defining a first tapered slot and a second tapered slot, the first and second tapered slots disposed on opposing sides of the lower jacket;
a rake bracket coupled to the lower jacket;
a first rake guide and a second rake guide, each rake guide a single, integrally formed component and disposed between the lower jacket and rake bracket, the first rake guide disposed at least partially within the first tapered slot and the second rake guide disposed at least partially within the second tapered slot, each rake guide translatable within the tapered slot in an axial direction of the lower jacket; and
a rake bolt extending through the lower jacket, the rake bracket and the first and second rake guides.

2. A rake adjustment mechanism of a steering column assembly comprising:
a lower jacket defining a first tapered slot and a second tapered slot, the first and second tapered slots disposed on opposing sides of the lower jacket;
a rake bracket coupled to the lower jacket;
a first rake guide and a second rake guide, each rake guide a single, integrally formed component and disposed between the lower jacket and rake bracket, the first rake guide disposed at least partially within the first tapered slot and the second rake guide disposed at least partially within the second tapered slot, each rake guide translatable within the tapered slot in an axial direction of the lower jacket; and
a rake bolt extending through the lower jacket, the rake bracket and the first and second rake guides, each of the first and second rake guides comprising a first portion and a second portion flexibly connected to each other with a hinge.

3. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the hinge extends along an entire length of the first and second rake guides.

4. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the hinge terminates at first and second edges recessed from a wall of each of the rake guides to define outer contact pads engaged with walls of the tapered slots.

5. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the hinge is flush with a wall of each of the rake guides to define a single, flush wall.

6. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second rake guides comprises at least one tapered wall corresponding to geometry of the first and second tapered slots.

7. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second rake guides are formed of a trapezoidal geometry.

8. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the recesses are equally spaced from each other around a circumference of the aperture wall and located a top center position, a first side position, a lower center position, and a second side position.

9. A rake adjustment mechanism of a steering column assembly comprising:
a lower jacket defining a first tapered slot and a second tapered slot, the first and second tapered slots disposed on opposing sides of the lower jacket;
a rake bracket coupled to the lower jacket;
a first rake guide and a second rake guide, each rake guide a single, integrally formed component and disposed between the lower jacket and rake bracket, the first rake guide disposed at least partially within the first tapered slot and the second rake guide disposed at least partially within the second tapered slot, each rake guide translatable within the tapered slot in an axial direction of the lower jacket; and
a rake bolt extending through the lower jacket, the rake bracket and the first and second rake guides, each of the first and second rake guides including an aperture wall defining a rake bolt aperture for receiving the rake bolt therethrough, the aperture wall defining a plurality of recesses extending radially outwardly providing inner contact pads in engagement with the rake bolt.

10. A rake adjustment mechanism of a steering column assembly comprising:
a lower jacket defining a first tapered slot and a second tapered slot, the first and second tapered slots disposed on opposing sides of the lower jacket;
a rake bracket coupled to the lower jacket;
a first rake guide and a second rake guide, each rake guide a single, integrally formed component and disposed between the lower jacket and rake bracket, the first rake guide disposed at least partially within the first tapered slot and the second rake guide disposed at least partially within the second tapered slot, each rake guide translatable within the tapered slot in an axial direction of the lower jacket; and
a rake bolt extending through the lower jacket, the rake bracket and the first and second rake guides, each of the first and second rake guides including a radial contact pad protruding from a wall of each of the rake guides into engagement with the rake bracket.

11. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 10 , further comprising a fastener configured to be positioned onto the rake bolt, tightened, and seated on the rake bracket, the rake bolt being forced through the fastener, rake bracket, rake guides, and lower jacket and the rake bolt being seated on the rake bracket as the fastener is tightened and draws the rake bolt, fastener, rake bracket, rake guides, and lower jacket together as the fastener is being seated on the rake bracket, thereby de-lashing respective interfaces defined between and among the rake bolt, fastener, rake bracket, rake guides, and lower jacket.

12. A rake adjustment mechanism of a steering column comprising:
a lower jacket defining a first tapered slot and a second tapered slot, the first and second tapered slots disposed on opposing sides of the lower jacket;
a rake bracket coupled to the lower jacket;
a first rake guide and a second rake guide, each rake guide including a first and second portion structurally separate from each other and together defining a rake bolt aperture, each rake guide disposed between the lower jacket and rake bracket, the first rake guide disposed at least partially within the first tapered slot and the second rake guide disposed at least partially within the second tapered slot, each rake guide translatable within the tapered slot in an axial direction of the lower jacket; and
a rake bolt extending through the lower jacket, the rake bracket and the first and second rake guides.

13. The rake adjustment mechanism of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second rake guides comprises at least one tapered wall corresponding to geometry of the first and second tapered slot.

14. A rake adjustment mechanism of a steering column comprising:
a lower jacket defining a first tapered slot and a second tapered slot, the first and second tapered slots disposed on opposing sides of the lower jacket;
a rake bracket coupled to the lower jacket;
a first rake guide and a second rake guide, each rake guide including a first and second portion structurally separate from each other and together defining a rake bolt aperture, each rake guide disposed between the lower jacket and rake bracket, the first rake guide disposed at least partially within the first tapered slot and the second rake guide disposed at least partially within the second tapered slot, each rake guide translatable within the tapered slot in an axial direction of the lower jacket; and
a rake bolt extending through the lower jacket, the rake bracket and the first and second rake guides, each of the first and second rake guides comprising at least one tapered wall corresponding to geometry of the first and second tapered slots, each of the first and second rake guides formed of a trape

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Stinebring Scott A
• Maida Robert D
• Messing Nicholas M

Classifications

• B62D1/187 Primary

  with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment (B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/181

  with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory · CPC title