Telescope drive bracket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11891116-B1
Application number	US-202218087954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2022
Priority date	Dec 23, 2022
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

A telescope drive bracket for coupling a telescoping actuator to an upper steering jacket, the telescope drive bracket includes a plate including a first end, an opposite second end, and a pair of sides extending from the first end to the second end, a strap retainer formed with the plate and including a reaction wall extending in parallel with the plate, and a strap including a first portion engaging the strap retainer, a second portion extending along the plate, and a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion and the second portion extend from the bent portion in a same direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A telescope drive bracket for coupling a telescoping actuator to an upper steering jacket, the telescope drive bracket comprising:
a plate comprising a first end, an opposite second end, and a pair of sides extending from the first end to the second end;
a strap retainer formed with the plate and comprising a reaction wall extending in parallel with the plate; and
a strap comprising a first portion engaging the strap retainer, a second portion extending along the plate, and a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion and the second portion extend from the bent portion in a same direction.

2. The telescope drive bracket of claim 1 , wherein the telescope drive bracket is configured to be attached to the upper steering jacket, the plate having a curvature complementary to a curvature of the upper steering jacket.

3. The telescope drive bracket of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-rotation feature comprising a pair of tabs extending from the sides of the plate that are configured to prevent the telescope drive bracket from rotating relative to the upper steering jacket.

4. The telescope drive bracket of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment portion coupled to the plate at the first end, and comprising a pair of tabs extending from the pair of sides of the plate and each tab defining an opening for receiving and coupling to the telescoping actuator.

5. The telescope drive bracket of claim 1 , wherein the strap retainer further comprises a side wall extending from one of the sides of the plate, the reaction wall is coupled to the side wall and is spaced apart from the plate to define an opening at the second end of the plate, and the bent portion of the strap extends through the opening.

6. The telescope drive bracket of claim 1 , wherein the strap retainer further comprises a hook extending from the reaction wall that an end of the strap is engaged with.

7. The telescope drive bracket of claim 6 , wherein the strap defines a notch at the end of the strap that receives the hook of the strap retainer to engage the strap with the strap retainer.

8. The telescope drive bracket of claim 1 , wherein the strap is made of steel.

9. The telescope drive bracket of claim 1 , wherein the telescoping actuator adapted for moving the upper steering jacket along a steering axis to move a steering wheel toward or away from a driver.

10. A steering assembly comprising:
an upper steering jacket; and
a telescope drive bracket comprising:
a plate comprising a first end, an opposite second end, and a pair of sides extending from the first end to the second end;
a strap retainer formed with the plate and comprising a reaction wall extending in parallel with the plate; and
a strap comprising a first portion engaging the strap retainer, a second portion extending along the plate, and a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion and the second portion extend from the bent portion in a same direction, and the second portion is attached to the upper steering jacket.

11. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , further comprising a telescoping actuator coupled to an attachment portion of the telescope drive bracket, and adapted for moving the upper steering jacket along a steering axis.

12. The telescope drive bracket of claim 11 , further comprising an attachment portion coupled to the plate at the first end, and comprising a pair of tabs extending from the pair of sides of the plate and each tab defining an opening for receiving and coupling to the telescoping actuator.

13. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , wherein the strap is rigidly coupled to the upper steering jacket, and the plate is coupled to the upper steering jacket by a shear pin such that, when a predetermined load is placed on the steering assembly, the shear pin decouples the plate from the upper steering jacket and the strap remains coupled to the upper steering jacket.

14. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , wherein the upper steering jacket comprises a hollow cylinder configured to receive a lower steering jacket, and a nodule that the second end of the strap is coupled to.

15. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , wherein the plate has a curvature complementary to a curvature of the upper steering jacket.

16. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , further comprising an anti-rotation feature comprising a pair of tabs extending from the sides of the plate that are configured to prevent the telescope drive bracket from rotating relative to the upper steering jacket.

17. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , wherein the strap retainer further comprises a side wall extending from one of the sides of the plate, the reaction wall is coupled to the side wall and is spaced apart from the plate to define an opening at the second end of the plate, and the bent portion of the strap extends through the opening.

18. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , wherein the strap retainer further comprises a hook extending from the reaction wall that an end of the strap is engaged with.

19. The telescope drive bracket of claim 18 , wherein the strap defines a notch at the end of the strap that receives the hook of the strap retainer to engage the strap with the strap retainer.

20. The telescope drive bracket of claim 10 , wherein the strap is made of steel.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Schultz Zachery P
• Neifert Raymond J
• Maida Robert D

Classifications

• B62D1/185 Primary

  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

• B62D1/181

  with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory · CPC title