Steering column having anti-rotation feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9663136-B2
Application number	US-201514624687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2014
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A steering column for a vehicle having an anti-rotation feature is provided. The steering column includes a lower jacket and an upper jacket configured for telescopic movement relative to the lower jacket. A telescope drive bracket is coupled to the upper jacket. A telescope actuator is operably coupled to the telescope drive bracket and configured to telescopically move the upper jacket relative to the lower jacket.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A steering column comprising:
a lower jacket;
an upper jacket configured for telescopic movement relative to the lower jacket;
a telescope drive bracket coupled to the upper jacket by at least one shear pin;
a telescope actuator operably coupled to the telescope drive bracket and configured to telescopically move the upper jacket relative to the lower jacket; and

an energy-absorbing strap having a first end directly coupled to the drive bracket and a second end coupled to the upper jacket.

2. The steering column according to claim 1 , wherein the telescope drive bracket is disposed distal the upper jacket.

3. The steering column according to claim 1 , further comprising a mounting bracket configured for attachment to a vehicle.

4. The steering column according to claim 3 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a pair of opposed side plates and a top plate attached to and extending between respective upper portions of the side plates.

5. The steering column according to claim 4 , wherein the lower jacket is coupled to the mounting bracket and disposed between the side plates and up to the top plate of the mounting bracket.

6. The steering column according to claim 5 , further comprising a steering shaft rotatably disposed within the column jacket and to which a steering wheel is configured to be mounted.

7. The steering column according to claim 6 , wherein the column jacket and steering shaft extend along a longitudinal axis, the steering shaft is located radially inward from and generally concentric with the column jacket, and the column jacket is movable to telescopically adjust a position of the steering wheel relative to the mounting bracket along the longitudinal axis.

8. The steering column according to claim 5 , further comprising a telescope bushing configured to enable the lower and upper jackets to move axially with respect to each other.

9. The steering column according to claim 8 , wherein the bushing is interposed between an outer periphery of the upper jacket and an inner periphery of the lower jacket and configured to reduce friction acting between the lower and upper jackets so that the upper jacket can be slid on an inner periphery of the bushing during telescopic movement between the lower and upper jackets.

10. The steering column according to claim 1 , wherein the telescope drive bracket comprises a body portion that includes a pair of opposed slots, an actuator trunnion is disposed within an opening of the body portion with opposite ends proximate the opposed slots and coupled along an axis “a” defined by the pivot pins to the drive bracket, and wherein the drive bracket and actuator trunnion each include at least one interfacing surface that together define an anti-rotation feature to prevent rotation of the drive bracket about axis “a” upon release of the shear pin.

11. A steering column comprising:
a lower jacket;
an upper jacket configured for telescopic movement along a longitudinal axis relative to the lower jacket;
a telescope drive bracket coupled to the upper jacket;
a telescope actuator operably coupled by a lead screw to the telescope drive bracket and configured to telescopically move the upper jacket relative to the lower jacket, the lead screw extending parallel to the longitudinal axis; and

a telescope actuator trunnion coupled to the lead screw and the drive bracket, the telescope actuator trunnion is disposed distal the lower jacket.

12. The steering column according to claim 11 , wherein the telescope drive bracket is positioned proximate to an opening defined by the lower jacket to define at least one minimal clearance allowing for linear and tangential motion of the upper jacket such that the drive bracket reduces tangential motion of the upper jacket.

13. A steering column comprising:
a lower jacket;
an upper jacket configured for telescopic movement relative to the lower jacket;
a telescope drive bracket coupled to the upper jacket;
a telescope actuator operably coupled to the telescope drive bracket and configured to telescopically move the upper jacket relative to the lower jacket; and

a telescope actuator trunnion coupled to the drive bracket, the telescope drive bracket is attached to the upper jacket with at least one shear pin and to an energy-absorbing strap through at least one second pin, the telescope drive bracket, telescope actuator, and second pin being configured to retain a first end of the strap while a second end of the strap moves with the upper jacket.

14. The steering column according to claim 13 , wherein the telescope drive bracket defines a body portion, a base portion, and an aperture extending through the body portion configured to receive a leadscrew.

15. The steering column according to claim 14 , wherein the aperture is sized to permit the leadscrew to move freely through the aperture.

16. The steering column according to claim 14 , wherein the base portion of the telescope drive bracket has at least one leg that defines at least one slot configured to receive the shear pin.

17. The steering column according to claim 14 , wherein the body portion of the telescope drive bracket defines at least one slot configured to receive the second pin.

18. The steering column according to claim 14 , wherein the telescope drive bracket provides a link between the telescope actuator and upper jacket for telescopic movement of the upper jacket.

19. The steering column according to claim 8 , wherein the telescope drive bracket is configured to transmit generally linear motion from the telescope actuator via the leadscrew through the telescope actuator trunnion to the upper jacket during telescopic movement of the upper jacket.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Stinebring Scott A
• Maida Robert D
• Caverly Jacob A

Classifications

• B62D1/195 Primary

  Yieldable supports for the steering column · CPC title

• B62D1/181

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