Steering shaft for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11091189-B2
Application number	US-201816651734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

A steering shaft for a vehicle includes a hollow outer shaft arranged telescopically and coaxially about an inner shaft and connected in a torque-transmitting manner via at least one rolling body. The rolling body bears against the inner shaft and the outer shaft in a positively locking manner in the circumferential direction with regard to a rotation about the longitudinal axis. The steering shaft includes a securing element fixed on the outer shaft and a torque-transmitting coupling section via which the inner shaft and the outer shaft are connected. For an improved redundant transmission of torque in the case of the failure of rolling bodies, the coupling section has at least one transmission body which engages in a loose positively locking connection with regard to a rotation about the longitudinal axis between the rolling body raceways of the inner shaft and the outer shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering shaft for a motor vehicle, the steering shaft comprising:
a hollow outer shaft;
an inner shaft arranged coaxially within the outer shaft, the inner shaft configured to telescope relative to the outer shaft in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the steering shaft;
a rolling body that connects in a torque-transmitting manner the outer shaft to the inner shaft;
wherein the rolling body is configured to roll in the direction of the longitudinal axis, said rolling body bearing against the inner shaft and against the outer shaft in a positively locking manner between rolling body raceways in the circumferential direction with regard to a rotation about the longitudinal axis; and
a securing element fixed on the outer shaft, the securing element comprising a coupling section disposed between the inner shaft and the outer shaft and configured, in a torque-transmitting manner, to connect the inner shaft and the outer shaft;
wherein the coupling section includes a transmission body which engages in a loose positively locking connection with regard to a rotation about the longitudinal axis between the rolling body raceways of the inner shaft and the outer shaft.

2. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the coupling section has a carrier, in which at least one separate transmission body is receivable.

3. The steering shaft of claim 2 wherein the carrier has at least one fastening means, on which the transmission body is fixable.

4. The steering shaft of claim 2 wherein the transmission body consists of a transmission body material, and the carrier consists of a carrier material which is different than said transmission body material.

5. The steering shaft of claim 4 wherein the transmission body material is harder and/or stronger and/or stiffer than the carrier material.

6. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the coupling section has connecting means which is configured to connect to the outer shaft in a positively locking and/or non-positive and/or integrally joined manner.

7. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the number of transmission bodies corresponds to the number of rolling body raceways.

8. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein said transmission body has a smaller cross-sectional area than said rolling body.

9. The steering shaft of claim 1 where said transmission body has a higher shear strength with regard to a shear in the circumferential direction between rolling body raceways which lie radially opposite one another than one of the rolling bodies which are arranged therein.

10. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the carrier has an outwardly projecting collar which is configured to be supported on the outer shaft.

11. The steering shaft of claim 1 wherein the securing element is configured as a pull-out securing means which prevents complete pulling out of the inner shaft from the outer shaft.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Wyss Martin

Classifications

• F16D3/065

  by means of rolling elements · CPC title

• F16C29/04

  Ball or roller bearings · CPC title

• B62D1/20 Primary

  Connecting steering column to steering gear · CPC title

• B62D1/185 Primary

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

• F16C2326/24

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