Single stalk steering assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227225-B2
Application number	US-202318341948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2023
Priority date	Jun 27, 2023
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A steering control assembly including: a base configured to couple with a steering shaft; a ring mounted to the base and configured to rotate independent of the base; a locking member movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, in the locked configuration the locking member locks the ring to the base to restrict rotation of the ring independent of the base, and in the unlocked configuration the ring is free to rotate independent of the base; and a handle mounted to the ring and rotatable with the ring independent of the base when the locking member is in the unlocked configuration to adjust a radial position of the handle relative to the base, the handle configured to be grasped by a user to rotate the steering control assembly and the steering shaft when the locking member is in the locked configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering control assembly comprising:
a base configured to couple with a steering shaft;
a ring mounted to the base and extending around an outermost base circumference of the base, the ring configured to rotate independent of the base;
a locking member movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, in the locked configuration the locking member locks the ring to the base to restrict rotation of the ring independent of the base, and in the unlocked configuration the ring is free to rotate independent of the base;
bearings between the base and the ring; and
a handle mounted to the ring and extending radially outward beyond an outermost ring circumference of the ring, the handle rotatable with the ring independent of the base when the locking member is in the unlocked configuration to adjust a radial position of the handle relative to the base, the handle configured to be grasped by a user to rotate the steering control assembly and the steering shaft when the locking member is in the locked configuration.

2. The steering control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bearings are roller bearings between a circular flange of the base and the ring.

3. The steering control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a base flange defining an aperture, the aperture configured to receive the steering shaft therein to couple the base to the steering shaft.

4. The steering control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a plurality of surface ridges, the locking member is configured to cooperate with any of the plurality of surface ridges to rotationally lock the ring to the base.

5. The steering control assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of surface ridges are arranged at least 180° about the base.

6. The steering control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of control buttons mounted to the base.

7. The steering control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ring is included with a cover that covers at least a portion of a front side of the steering control assembly.

8. The steering control assembly of claim 7 , wherein the cover defines an opening for an airbag included with the steering control assembly.

9. The steering control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle is adjustable in height.

10. The steering control assembly of claim 9 , wherein the handle is tiltable towards and away from a front of the steering control assembly.

11. The steering control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a base plate and a prong extending from the base plate.

12. The steering control assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a post extending from the base plate, the post is seated within a receptacle defined by a support member mounted to the ring, the support member is rotatable towards and away from a front of the steering control assembly.

13. The steering control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the support member is connected to the ring with a fastener.

14. A steering control assembly comprising:
a base configured to couple with a steering shaft of a vehicle such that rotation of the base rotates the steering shaft;
a button bank including a plurality of control buttons mounted to the base;
a ring mounted to the base and configured to rotate independent of rotation of the base;
a locking member configured to rotationally lock the ring relative to the base;
a plurality of bearings between the base and the ring; and
a handle mounted to the ring and rotatable with the ring independent of the base, the handle configured such that both a height and a tilt angle of the handle are adjustable.

15. The steering control assembly of claim 14 , wherein the handle is included with a stalk assembly including a support member mounted with a fastener to a ring post extending from the ring, the support member defining a receptacle with a stalk post seated therein, the stalk post is mounted to the handle and configured to be supported within the receptable at a plurality of different heights to adjust the height of the handle.

16. The steering control assembly of claim 14 , wherein the locking member is a locking tab pivotably mounted to the ring and configured to cooperate with surface ridges of the base to rotationally lock the ring relative to the base.

17. The steering control assembly of claim 16 , wherein the locking tab is biased to cooperate with the surface ridges.

18. A steering control assembly comprising:
a base configured to couple with a steering shaft of a vehicle such that rotation of the base rotates the steering shaft;
a button bank including a plurality of control buttons mounted to the base;
a ring mounted to the base and configured to rotate independent of rotation of the base;
a locking member movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, in the locked configuration the locking member locks the ring to the base to restrict rotation of the ring independent of the base, and in the unlocked configuration the ring is free to rotate independent of the base;
a plurality of roller bearings between the base and the ring; and
a stalk assembly including a support member mounted with a fastener to a ring post extending from the ring, the stalk assembly is rotatable with the ring independent of the base to adjust a radial position of the stalk assembly relative to the base, the support member defining a receptacle with a stalk post seated therein, the stalk post is mounted to a handle and configured to be supported within the receptable at a plurality of different heights to adjust a height of the handle, and the support member is pivotable about the fastener to adjust a tilt angle of the handle.

19. The steering control assembly of claim 18 , wherein the handle includes at least one prong configured to be grasped by a user to rotate the steering control assembly and the steering shaft when the ring is in the locked configuration.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Nolan Kyle Patrick
• Wong Victor
• Knight Cameron Tyler

Classifications

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B62D1/043

  with a device allowing single-hand operation of the steering wheel · CPC title

• B62D1/04

  Hand wheels · CPC title

• B62D1/02 Primary

  vehicle-mounted · CPC title

• B60K2360/782

  on the steering wheel · CPC title