Steering column for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11014594-B2
Application number	US-201816618551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2018
Priority date	Jun 8, 2017
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A steering column for a motor vehicle includes a steering shaft, mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis in a steering column housing, and a rotation limiter, and has a smooth and quiet construction of the rotation limiter. The rotation limiter includes two oppositely directed flat spiral springs, which are operatively arranged between a coupling part, disposed in a rotationally secure manner on the steering shaft, and the steering column housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a steering column housing;
a steering shaft mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis in the steering column housing; and
a rotation limiter comprising
a coupling part that includes a coupling portion and a shaft portion that is disposed radially inwards of and radially spaced apart from the coupling portion such that a void exists radially between the coupling portion and the shaft portion, wherein the shaft portion of the coupling part is disposed in a rotationally secure manner on the steering shaft, and
two oppositely directed flat spiral springs operatively arranged between the coupling portion of the coupling part and the steering column housing.

2. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion is coaxial with the steering shaft, wherein the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs are arranged side by side in an axial direction on the coupling portion, wherein an inner end of each of the flat spiral springs is fastened to the coupling portion.

3. The steering column of claim 2 , wherein the coupling portion is provided with a slot-shaped aperture, in which respectively a bent-over inner end of each of the flat spiral springs engages.

4. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein the shaft portion of the coupling part is configured to slip axially onto the steering shaft and which, on its inner side thereof facing the steering shaft, comprises a profile that is complementary to an outer profile of the steering shaft.

5. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein the rotation limiter is disposed at a longitudinal end of the steering column that is configured to be nearest a front of a vehicle and configured to be distal a steering wheel.

6. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein outer ends of the flat spiral springs are fastened to a cap part that is rotationally-fixedly connected to the steering column housing, wherein at a longitudinal end of the cap part a surface of the cap part extends radially inwards from the coupling portion.

7. The steering column of claim 6 , wherein the outer ends of the flat spiral springs are fastened to the cap part by fastening screws.

8. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein the flat spiral springs are dimensioned in terms of their length such that they respectively allow a steering wheel turning angle within the range between 360° and 720° to the right and left.

9. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein, at least in some sections thereof, the flat spiral springs exhibit a linear spring characteristic.

10. A steering column comprising:
a steering shaft mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis; and
a rotation limiter comprising a coupling part disposed in a rotationally secure manner on the steering shaft and two oppositely directed flat spiral springs disposed on the coupling part, wherein a first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs is seated on an exterior surface of the coupling part, wherein an inner end of the first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extends completely through an aperture in the exterior surface and radially into an interior of the coupling part.

11. The steering column of claim 10 wherein an inner end of a second of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extends completely through the aperture in the exterior surface and radially into the interior of the coupling part.

12. The steering column of claim 11 comprising a cap part that is disposed about the coupling part and is rotationally fixed to or with a steering column housing, wherein an outer end of the first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extends radially and completely through a first opening in the cap part and is attached with a first fastener to an exterior surface of the cap part, wherein an outer end of the second of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extends radially and completely through a second opening in the cap part and is attached with a second fastener to the exterior surface of the cap part.

13. The steering column of claim 10 comprising a cap part that is disposed about the coupling part and is rotationally fixed to or with a steering column housing, wherein an outer end of the first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extends radially and completely through an opening in the cap part and is attached with a fastener to an exterior surface of the cap part.

14. The steering column of claim 10 wherein the inner end of the first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs is bent about the aperture in the exterior surface of the coupling part.

15. The steering column of claim 10 wherein to limit rotation of the steering shaft the first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs is configured such that winding the first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs causes coils of the first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs to lie tightly against one another.

16. A steering column comprising:
a steering shaft mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis;
a rotation limiter comprising a coupling part disposed in a rotationally secure manner on the steering shaft and two oppositely directed flat spiral springs disposed on the coupling part; and
a cap part that at least partially surrounds the coupling part, wherein outer ends of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs are fastened to the cap part by fastening screws, with the fastening screws being disposed at a same circumferential location along an exterior of the cap part.

17. The steering column of claim 16 wherein a first of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extends radially through a first opening in the exterior of the cap part, wherein a second of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extends radially through a second opening in the exterior of the cap part, with the first and second openings being circumferentially spaced apart along the exterior of the cap part.

18. The steering column of claim 16 wherein at a longitudinal end of the cap part a surface of the cap part extends radially inwards from a coupling portion of the coupling part on which the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs are supported.

19. The steering column of claim 16 wherein the coupling part comprises a coupling portion on which the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs are supported, wherein the coupling portion includes a slot-shaped through-hole through which bent-over inner ends of the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs extend.

20. The steering column of claim 16 wherein the coupling part includes a coupling portion and a shaft portion that is disposed radially inwards of and radially spaced apart from the coupling portion such that a void exists radially between the coupling portion and the shaft portion, wherein the shaft portion of the coupling part is disposed in a rotationally secure manner on the steering shaft, wherein the two oppositely directed flat spiral springs are supported on the coupling portion.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Forte Sebastian
• Galehr Robert

Classifications

• B62D1/16

  Steering columns · CPC title

• B62D5/005 Primary

  means for generating torque on steering wheel or input member, e.g. feedback · CPC title

• B62D1/185

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

• B62D5/001

  Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup · CPC title

• B62D1/166 Primary

  Means changing the transfer ratio between steering wheel and steering gear · CPC title