Steering shaft for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10619666-B2
Application number	US-201515531002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2015
Priority date	Nov 28, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A steering shaft for a motor vehicle, comprises an outer shaft which is configured as a hollow shaft and an inner shaft which is arranged coaxially in the hollow shaft. The inner shaft can be telescoped relative to the hollow shaft in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft, and is connected to the hollow shaft in a torque-transmitting manner via at least one positively locking element. A securing apparatus with at least one stop element is attached on an end region of the hollow shaft which faces the inner shaft. A stop face is arranged in the opening cross section of the hollow shaft and faces the hollow shaft in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering shaft for a motor vehicle, the steering shaft comprising:
an outer shaft which is configured as a hollow shaft, the outer shaft having an inner circumferential face on an opening cross-section that defines at least one outer shaft recess;
an inner shaft which is arranged coaxially in the hollow shaft, wherein the inner shaft is configured to be telescoped relative to the hollow shaft in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the steering shaft, and is connected to the hollow shaft in a torque-transmitting manner via at least one positively locking element;
a securing apparatus with at least one stop element which is attached on that end region of the hollow shaft which faces the inner shaft, and has a stop face which is arranged in the opening cross section of the hollow shaft and faces the hollow shaft in the direction of the longitudinal axis; and
wherein the stop element comprises at least one connector means which can be fixed from an inside of the opening cross section on the inner circumferential surface of the outer hollow shaft wherein the at least one connector means comprises at least one fastening element that is selectively introduced into the outer shaft whereby the fastening element moves relative to the stop face in a direction outwardly into an outer shaft recess of the at least one outer shaft recess in a positively locking manner.

2. The steering shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fastening element comprises an elastically sprung latching lug.

3. The steering shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fastening element comprises a bolt element which can be inserted into an outer shaft recess of the at least one outer shaft recess in the connector element in a positively locking manner with regard to the direction of the longitudinal axis.

4. The steering shaft of claim 3 wherein the bolt element comprises a slotted spring ring.

5. The steering shaft of claim 4 wherein the stop element further defines a stop element recess, wherein the slotted ring concurrently locates into the outer shaft recess and the stop element recess in an inserted state.

6. The steering shaft as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connector means comprises at least one connector element which can be inserted in a torque-transmitting manner into the opening cross section of the outer hollow shaft, and the stop element comprises a through opening, in which the inner shaft can be attached in a torque-transmitting manner with regard to rotation about the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft.

7. The steering shaft as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
a seal element which runs around along the inner contour of the through opening is arranged in said through opening.

8. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the stop element comprises a covering element which goes beyond the opening cross section of the outer hollow shaft and comprises an axial supporting face which can be supported against an axial end side of the outer hollow shaft.

9. The steering shaft as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the connector means and the covering element are configured in one piece.

10. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the at least one positively locking element comprises at least one rolling body arranged between the inner shaft and the outer shaft which rolling body can roll on the outer circumferential surface of the inner shaft and the inner circumferential surface of the outer shaft.

11. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the at least one fastening element is fixed exclusively from the inside into the at least one shaft recess in the opening cross section.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Müntener Herbert
• Gstach Werner

Classifications

• F16C3/035 Primary

  with built-in bearings · CPC title

• B62D1/16 Primary

  Steering columns · CPC title

• F16C29/04

  Ball or roller bearings · CPC title

• F16C2326/24

  Steering systems, e.g. steering rods or columns · CPC title

• F16D3/065

  by means of rolling elements · CPC title