Steering column for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10759465-B2
Application number	US-201716324814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2017
Priority date	Aug 9, 2016
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A steering column includes a steering spindle rotatably mounted in an inner casing tube, which is disposed in an outer casing unit, and a clamping device that selectively secures the outer casing unit in a longitudinal direction. The clamping device includes a locking element, which in a fixing position is non-displaceably connected to an engagement part connected to the inner casing tube, which in a release position is released from the engagement part and permits movement of the inner casing tube relative to the outer casing unit. The inner casing tube and the outer casing unit are coupled by an energy absorption device. The engagement part includes a first driver element and a connecting part with a second driver element. The engagement part and the connecting part are connected to each other in the longitudinal direction via the coupling device in a releasable manner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering column for a motor vehicle comprising:
an inner casing tube in which a steering spindle is mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis;
an outer casing unit in which the inner casing tube is held, the outer casing unit being connectable to a body of the motor vehicle;
a clamping device, wherein in a fixing position the clamping device secures the outer casing unit relative to the inner casing tube, wherein in a release position the clamping device permits adjustment of the inner casing tube relative to the outer casing unit at least in a longitudinal direction, wherein the clamping device comprises a locking element that is supported in the longitudinal direction on the outer casing unit, wherein in the fixing position the locking element is non-displaceably connected in the longitudinal direction to an engagement part connected to the inner casing tube, wherein in the release position the locking element is released from the engagement part and permits relative movement between the inner casing tube and the outer casing unit in the longitudinal direction;
an energy absorption device that couples the inner casing tube and the outer casing unit, the energy absorption device comprising at least two energy absorption elements and a coupling device, wherein a first energy absorption element of the at least two energy absorption elements is configured to be coupled-in or coupled-out between the inner casing tube and the outer casing unit via the coupling device, wherein in a coupled-in state and in the fixing position of the clamping device the first energy absorption element is plastically deformable in an event of a relative displacement in the longitudinal direction between the inner casing tube and the outer casing unit,
wherein the engagement part comprises
a first driver element that is configured to be brought into operative engagement with the first energy absorption element, and
a connecting part that includes a second driver element that is configured to be brought into operative engagement with a second energy absorption element of the at least two energy absorption elements, wherein the coupling device connects in the longitudinal direction in a releasable manner the connecting part and a remainder of the engagement part.

2. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the coupling device comprises an actuator, which interacts with a movable coupling element, which is disposed between the connecting part and the remainder of the engagement part and upon activation of the actuator is movable for releasing the connecting part from the remainder of the engagement part.

3. The steering column of claim 2 wherein the engagement part and the connecting part have form-fitting elements with which the coupling element interacts.

4. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the coupling device comprises a pyroelectrical actuator.

5. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the remainder of the engagement part and the connecting part have positioning elements that are engageable with one another.

6. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the engagement part is connected by a predetermined breaking element to the inner casing tube.

7. The steering column of claim 1 comprising an energy absorption element configured as a U-shaped bending element that includes two legs joined together by a bend, wherein a first leg of the two legs is configured to be secured on the remainder of the engagement part or on the connecting part, wherein a second leg of the two legs is configured to be supported on the inner casing tube in the longitudinal direction.

8. The steering column of claim 7 wherein the U-shaped bending element is a first bending element, the steering column comprising a second bending element, wherein the two legs of the first bending element and legs of the second bending element are oriented equally in the longitudinal direction.

9. The steering column of claim 1 wherein at least two energy absorption elements are positioned in succession in the longitudinal direction.

10. The steering column of claim 9 wherein the at least two energy absorption elements are positioned in a common housing.

11. The steering column of claim 9 wherein the at least two energy absorption elements are positioned in a radially open C-shaped inner profile mounted on the inner casing tube.

12. The steering column of claim 11 wherein the at least two energy absorption elements are positioned in a common housing, wherein the housing is connected to the inner casing tube, wherein the common housing comprises a slot elongated in the longitudinal direction through which the first and second driver elements extend.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Ganahl Johannes
• Fleischer Martin
• Geiger Adrian
• Paltinisanu Ciprian

Classifications

• B62D1/195 Primary

  Yieldable supports for the steering column · CPC title

• B62D1/184

  Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions · CPC title

• B62D1/185

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