Damper assembly for steering column

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10913483-B2
Application number	US-201916375007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2019
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A steering column assembly including a column assembly, a follower assembly, and a cam assembly is provided. The column assembly may be secured to a mount bracket defining a cavity and may include a column housing and a translatable steering column disposed within the column housing. The follower assembly may include a follower mechanically coupled to a lever for rotational movement. The cam assembly may include a cam mechanically coupled to the steering column and arranged for mechanical communication with the follower. The follower and the cam may be arranged with one another upon a shaft such that actuating the lever in a first direction spaces the follower and the cam from one another relative to a shaft axis to generate a clamp load to retain the translatable steering column in position.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A steering column assembly comprising:
a column housing secured to a mount bracket;
a steering column sized for at least partial insertion into the column housing;
a cam assembly mechanically coupled to the steering column to facilitate locking and unlocking of telescopic movement of the steering column, the cam assembly including a cam having a plurality of cam extensions;
a lever assembly having a lever and a follower component, the follower component including a plurality of follower extensions, each of the plurality of follower extensions including a ramp located adjacent an insert cutout; and
a plurality of inserts, each of the plurality of inserts sized for at least partial disposal within one of the insert cutouts, the cam assembly and the lever assembly being arranged with one another such that each of the plurality of cam extensions contacts one of the plurality of inserts as promoted by a respective ramp to selectively disengage the lever assembly and the cam assembly from one another to permit telescoping movement of the steering column.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cam assembly and the lever assembly are further arranged with one another to at least transition between a locked position and an unlocked position.

3. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a rake bolt, each of the cam and the follower component being disposed about the rake bolt and adjacent one another, the locked position being further defined as a position in which the cam and the follower component are oriented with one another on the rake bolt to generate a clamp load such that an audio output related to the clamp load is below a predetermined threshold in compliance with noise, vibration, and harshness standards.

4. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a rake bolt, each of the cam and the follower component being disposed about the rake bolt and adjacent one another, the unlocked position being further defined as a position in which the cam and the follower component are oriented with one another on the rake bolt such that the lever may freely rotate relative to an axis defined by the rake bolt.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of follower extensions defines a first radial width and each of the plurality of inserts defines a second radial width of a length substantially equal to a length of the first radial width.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of follower extensions defines a first radial width and each of the plurality of inserts defines a second radial width of a length less than a length of the first radial width.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lever assembly further has a rake bolt defining a bolt central axis and a spring, the rake bolt being arranged with the cam and the follower component such that the spring is located between the cam and the column housing to bias the cam toward the follower component.

8. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a spring, wherein the spring is arranged with the cam assembly to bias movement of the cam toward the lever assembly.

9. A steering column assembly comprising:
a column housing secured to a mount bracket;
a steering column sized for at least partial insertion into the column housing;
a follower assembly mechanically coupled to the steering column to facilitate locking and unlocking of telescopic movement of the steering column, the follower assembly including
an inner follower component having a plurality of follower extensions, each of the plurality of follower extensions including a ramp, and
a follower housing sized to receive the inner follower component, the follower housing including a plurality of walls, each of the plurality of walls arranged to define a plurality of quadrant cavities therebetween, each of the plurality of quadrant cavities sized to receive one of the plurality of follower extensions; and

a cam assembly having a cam including a plurality of cam extensions, each of the plurality of cam extensions arranged for contacting one of the plurality of walls when the cam is oriented in a first position and each of the plurality of cam extensions being arranged for being outside a respective one of the plurality of quadrant cavities when the cam is oriented in a second position.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the follower assembly further includes a lever in mechanical communication with the cam assembly such that a user may move the lever to disengage the cam to facilitate cam movement from the second position to the first position.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein each of the ramps is structured to guide one of the plurality of cam extensions toward a respective one of the plurality of walls.

12. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the cam and the inner follower component are arranged with one another to generate a clamp load to retain the cam in the first position or the second position such that an audio output related to the clamp load is below a predetermined threshold in compliance with noise, vibration, and harshness standards.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the follower housing is of a rubber material.

14. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the follower assembly further includes a shaft and a spring, the inner follower component, the follower housing, the cam and the spring being arranged relative to the shaft such that the spring biases the cam in a direction along a shaft axis towards the inner follower component and the follower housing.

15. A vehicle steering column assembly comprising:
a column assembly secured to a mount bracket defining a cavity, the column assembly including a column housing and a translatable steering column disposed within the column housing, the column assembly and the mount bracket arranged with one another such that at least the steering column extends partially into the cavity;
a follower assembly including a follower mechanically coupled to a lever for rotational movement; and
a cam assembly including a cam mechanically coupled to the translatable steering column and arranged for mechanical communication with the follower, the follower and the cam are arranged with one another upon a shaft such that actuating the lever in a first direction spaces the follower and the cam from one another relative to a shaft axis to generate a clamp load to retain the translatable steering column in position.

16. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising a spring disposed upon the shaft between the cam and the column assembly to bias the cam toward the follower.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the follower includes a plurality of follower extensions each extending from a body of the follower, each of the plurality of follower extensions including a ramp extending from the body, the follower and the cam being further arranged with one another to generate the clamp load such that an audio output related to the clamp load is below a predetermined threshold in compliance with noise, vibration, and harshness standards.

18. The assembly of claim 15 , the follower including an inner component and a housing component sized to receive the inner component, the housing component including one or more walls arranged with one another to define a plurality of quadrants, each of the plurality of quadrants sized to receive an inner extension of the inner component, the inner component and the housing component being arranged with one another such that a plurality of ramps of the inner component are arranged to guide extensions of the

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Huber Albert C
• Schultz Zachery P
• Reno Tyler M
• Anspaugh Michael P

Classifications

• B62D1/184 Primary

  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

• B62D1/195 Primary

  Yieldable supports for the steering column · CPC title