Steering column for a motor vehicle

• US 10,005,485 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thyssenkrupp AG, ThyssenKrupp Presta AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Original Assignee: Thyssenkrupp AG, ThyssenKrupp Presta AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Inventors: Kurz, Hannes, Schiele, Emanuel, Adelmann, Werner, Nicolussi, Matthias, Hehle, Karl Mathias
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew J
• Application Number:
  US15/503,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/185 adjustable by axial displacement, e.g. telescopically B62D1/183, B62D1/187, B62D1/19 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/187 with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering column for a motor vehicle may include a holding element that is securable on a chassis of the motor vehicle, an adjustment element that is adjustable relative to the holding element and is configured to receive a steering shaft, and a locking device for locking the adjustment element relative to the holding element. The locking device may include a clamping lever that is movable between a locking position where the adjustment element is locked with respect to the holding element and an open position where the adjustment element is adjustable with respect to the holding element. The steering column may further include a retaining element that provides a form-fitting connection between the holding element and the adjustment element in the locking position of the clamping lever. The retaining element may include a slotted guide contour, which in the locking position of the clamping lever, is supported on a contact section of the clamping lever.

Claims

1. A steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:

a holding element that is securable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;

an adjustment element that is adjustable relative to the holding element, the adjustment element for receiving a steering shaft;

a locking device that locks the adjustment element relative to the holding element, the locking device comprising a clamping lever that is movable between a locking position in which the adjustment element is locked with respect to the holding element and an open position in which the adjustment element is adjustable with respect to the holding element; and

a retaining element that provides a form-fitting connection between the holding element and the adjustment element in the locking position of the clamping lever, the retaining element comprising a slotted guide contour, which in the locking position of the clamping lever is supported against a stroke of the locking device on a contact section of the clamping lever or on a contact section connected for conjoint rotation to the clamping lever.

2. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the slotted guide contour is configured such that the retaining element is preloaded by contact with the contact section of the clamping lever to provide the form-fitting connection.

3. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the slotted guide contour is ramp-shaped so as to move the retaining element from an open position into a form-fitting position through contact with the contact section of the clamping lever.

4. The steering column of claim 1 wherein a toothing of the retaining element is engageable with a mating toothing of the holding element to form the form-fitting connection.

5. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the retaining element comprises an attachment section by way of which the retaining element is attached to the adjustment element, wherein the attachment section is penetrated by a clamping pin for applying a clamping force in the locking position of the clamping lever.

6. The steering column of claim 5 wherein the attachment section comprises an aperture that is penetrated by the clamping pin.

7. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the retaining element comprises a locking section that accommodates a form-fitting element, the locking section comprising the slotted guide contour and being connected by a springy section to an attachment section attached to the adjustment element.

8. The steering column of claim 7 wherein the form-fitting element is a toothing.

9. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the locking device comprises a clamping mechanism that acts on an attachment section of the retaining element, wherein a locking section of the retaining element is preloaded independently of the clamping mechanism by contact of the contact section of the clamping lever with the slotted guide contour to produce the form-fitting connection.

10. The steering column of claim 9 wherein the clamping mechanism comprises wedging disks or a cam mechanism.

11. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the clamping lever performs a rotary motion or a translational motion between the locking position and the open position.

12. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the retaining element is configured as a springy sheet-metal part.

13. The steering column of claim 1 wherein the retaining element comprises a springy section that preloads the retaining element out of the form-fitting connection.

14. A steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:

a holding element that is securable to a chassis of the motor vehicle;

an adjustment element that is adjustable relative to the holding element, the adjustment element for receiving a steering shaft;

a locking device that locks the adjustment element relative to the holding element, the locking device comprising a clamping lever that is movable between a locking position in which the adjustment element is locked with respect to the holding element and an open position in which the adjustment element is adjustable with respect to the holding element; and

a retaining element that is attached to the adjustment element and provides a connection between the holding element and the adjustment element in the locking position of the clamping lever, wherein in the locking position of the clamping lever the retaining element fixedly engages with the holding element or a structure secured to the holding element to prevent the adjustment element from moving relative to the holding element.

15. The steering column of claim 14 wherein in the locking position of the clamping lever toothing of the retaining element fixedly engages with mating toothing of or disposed on the holding element.

16. The steering column of claim 14 wherein the retaining element comprises a slotted guide contour that in the locking position of the clamping lever is supported against a stroke of the locking device on a contact section of the clamping lever or on a contact section connected for conjoint rotation to the clamping lever.

17. The steering column of claim 14 further comprising two wedging disks that are rotatable relative to one another, wherein rotation of the clamping lever causes rotation of two wedging disks relative to one another, which in turn causes a clamping stroke whereby the adjustment element is locked in place.

18. The steering column of claim 14 wherein the retaining element further comprises an attachment section with an aperture, wherein the attachment section is attached to the adjustment element and a clamping pin extends through the aperture of the attachment section of the retaining element.

19. The steering column of claim 14 further comprising two wedging disks that are rotatable relative to one another, wherein rotation of the clamping lever causes rotation of two wedging disks relative to one another, which in turn causes a clamping stroke whereby the adjustment element is locked in place, wherein the retaining element further comprises an attachment section with an aperture, wherein the attachment section is attached to the adjustment element and a clamping pin extends through the aperture of the attachment section of the retaining element, wherein the aperture of the attachment section is configured so as to receive in a form-fitting manner one of the wedging disks and secure that wedging disk against rotation in the aperture.

20. The steering column of claim 19 wherein a portion of the wedging disk that is received in the aperture of the attachment section of the retaining element extends through the aperture and into a slotted hole of the holding element through which the clamping pin also extends, wherein the portion of the wedging disk extending into the slotted hole of the holding element prevents the retaining element and the wedging disk received by the retaining element from rotating relative to the holding element.