Steering column for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315684-B2
Application number	US-201515504260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2015
Priority date	Aug 18, 2014
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A steering column for a motor vehicle may include a holding device that is connectable to a chassis of a motor vehicle as well as a shifting device, which in the event of a crash is displaceable relative to the holding device along a displacement axis. The shifting device may be configured to receive a steering spindle. The steering column may further include a deformation element that is connected to the holding device and to the shifting device via a respective connection portion with respective fastening means. At least in some examples, the deformation element may include a deformation portion that is deformed about a deformation axis during displacement of the shifting device relative to the holding device. The deformation axis may be oriented substantially parallel to a surface normal of at least one connection portion in a center of the associated fastening means.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:
a holding device that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;
a shifting device configured to receive a steering spindle, wherein in a crash event the shifting device is displaceable relative to the holding device along a displacement axis; and
a deformation element connected via respective fastening means to the holding device via a first connection portion and to the shifting device via a second connection portion, the deformation element comprising a deformation portion that is deformed about a deformation axis during displacement of the shifting device relative to the holding device, wherein the deformation axis is oriented substantially parallel to a surface normal of at least one of the first connection portion or the second connection portion in a center of the associated fastening means,
wherein the deformation portion is a first deformation portion and the deformation element comprises a second deformation portion, wherein both the first and second deformation portions are connected to the second connection portion, and
wherein the first connection portion includes a first part and a second part, wherein the first part of the first connection portion is in communication with the first deformation portion and the second part of the first connection portion is in communication with the second deformation portion.

2. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the deformation portion is configured such that during displacement of the shifting device relative to the holding device the deformation axis moves in a direction of the displacement axis in a manner substantially parallel to a starting position of the deformation axis.

3. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the deformation element is positioned on the holding device via the first connection portion and on the shifting device via the second connection portion, wherein at least one of the first connection portion or the second connection portion is perpendicular to the surface normal.

4. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion are disposed in a common plane.

5. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the deformation portion is bent around the deformation axis and comprises an inner region and an outer region that lie opposite one another and that lie substantially parallel to a plane spanned by the deformation axis and the displacement axis.

6. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the deformation portion is bent around the deformation axis and comprises an inner region and an outer region that lie opposite one another and that lie parallel to a plane spanned by the deformation axis and the displacement axis.

7. The steering column of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first connection portion or the second connection portion comprises form-fitting recesses that engage with mutually complementary form-fitting elements of at least one of the holding device or the shifting device.

8. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the first and second deformation portions are oriented substantially parallel to one another, wherein the first and second connection portions are positioned perpendicular to planes in which the first and second deformation portions lie.

9. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the deformation portion is positioned perpendicular to a displacement direction next to the first and second connection portions.

10. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the first connection portion or the second connection portion comprises at least one of
latching recesses for receiving a latch in a steering column that is adjustable in a longitudinal direction, or
mounting bores for receiving a clamping spindle in a steering column that is adjustable in the longitudinal direction.

11. A steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:
a holding device that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;
a shifting device configured to receive a steering spindle, wherein in a crash event the shifting device is displaceable relative to the holding device along a displacement axis; and
a deformation element connected to the holding device via a first connection portion and to the shifting device via a second connection portion, the deformation element comprising a deformation portion that is deformed about a deformation axis during displacement of the shifting device relative to the holding device, wherein the deformation axis is substantially normal to at least one of the first connection portion or the second connection portion,
wherein the first connection portion is connected to the first deformation portion along a tearing line, wherein during displacement of the shifting device relative to the holding device the deformation element tears along the tearing line.

12. The steering column of claim 11 wherein the deformation element includes two deformation portions that are substantially parallel to one another.

13. The steering column of claim 11 wherein the deformation portion of the deformation element is U-shaped.

14. The steering column of claim 11 wherein the deformation element is mounted within a channel-shaped guide of the holding device.

15. The steering column of claim 11 wherein the holding device is configured as a sliding capsule.

16. A steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:
a holding device that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;
a shifting device configured to receive a steering spindle, wherein in a crash event the shifting device is displaceable relative to the holding device along a displacement axis; and
a deformation element connected via respective fastening means to the holding device via a first connection portion and to the shifting device via a second connection portion, the deformation element comprising a deformation portion that is deformed about a deformation axis during displacement of the shifting device relative to the holding device, wherein the deformation axis is oriented substantially parallel to a surface normal of at least one of the first connection portion or the second connection portion in a center of the associated fastening means,
wherein the deformation portion is a first deformation portion and the deformation element comprises a second deformation portion, wherein both the first and second deformation portions are connected to the second connection portion, and
wherein the first and second deformation portions are oriented substantially parallel to one another, wherein the first and second connection portions are positioned perpendicular to planes in which the first and second deformation portions lie.

17. A steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:
a holding device that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;
a shifting device configured to receive a steering spindle, wherein in a crash event the shifting device is displaceable relative to the holding device along a displacement axis; and
a deformation element connected via respective fastening means to the holding device via a first connection portion and to the shifting device via a second connection portion, the deformation element comprising a deformation portion that is deformed about a deformation axis during displacement of the shifting device relative to the holding device, wherein the deformation axis is oriented substantially parallel to a surface normal of at least one of the first connection portion or the second connection

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Schiele Emanuel
• De Castro Riemann Felix

Classifications

• B62D1/185

  adjustable by axial displacement, e.g. telescopically (B62D1/183, B62D1/187, B62D1/19 take precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/195 Primary

  Yieldable supports for the steering column · CPC title

• B62D1/184

  Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions · CPC title