Electric power steering column assembly

• US 10,160,477 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bodtker, Joen C., Buzzard, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US15/225,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20180029632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/16 Steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/001 Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/005 means for generating torque on steering wheel or input member, e.g. feedback

Abstract

An electric power steering column assembly includes a steering shaft and a travel stop assembly. The steering shaft has a first end that is configured to attach to a steering wheel. The steering shaft has a second end that extends through a steering actuator. The travel stop assembly engages the second end of the steering shaft. The travel stop assembly is configured to inhibit rotation of the steering shaft.

Claims

1. An electric power steering column assembly, comprising:

a steering shaft extending along a steering axis, the steering shaft having a first end configured to attach to a steering wheel and a second end extending through a steering actuator; and

a travel stop assembly comprising;

a first mounting arm extending from the steering actuator;

a second mounting arm spaced apart from the first mounting arm, extending from the steering actuator; and

a member extending between the first mounting arm and the second mounting arm.

2. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 1, wherein the travel stop assembly comprising:

a travel nut disposed between the first mounting arm and the second mounting arm, the travel nut is threadedly mounted to the second end of the steering shaft.

3. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 2, wherein the travel nut includes a first face disposed opposite a second face and a travel nut body extending between the first face and the second face.

4. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 3, wherein the first mounting arm and the second mounting arm engage the travel nut body.

5. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 3, wherein the first face faces towards the member and the second face faces towards the steering actuator.

6. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 5, wherein the first face defines a first projection that extends towards the member.

7. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 6, wherein in response to rotation of the steering shaft, relative to the travel nut, about the steering axis in a first direction, the travel nut travels along the second end of the steering shaft towards the member.

8. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 7, wherein in response to engagement between the first projection and the member, further rotation of the steering shaft in the first direction is inhibited.

9. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 6, wherein the second face defines a second projection that extends towards the steering actuator.

10. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 9, wherein in response to rotation of the steering shaft, relative to the travel nut, about the steering axis in a second direction, the travel nut travels along the second end of the steering shaft towards the steering actuator.

11. The electric power steering column assembly of claim 10, wherein in response to engagement between the second projection and an end stop disposed proximate the steering actuator, further rotation of the steering shaft in the second direction is inhibited.

12. A steer by wire steering column assembly, comprising:

a steering actuator having an end plate defining a recess;

a steering shaft having a first end disposed opposite a second end, the second end is received within the steering actuator, the second end disposed proximate the end plate; and

a travel stop assembly including a screw member disposed within the steering actuator, the screw member having a first portion at least partially received within the second end of the steering shaft and a second portion at least partially received within the recess.

13. The steer by wire steering column assembly of claim 12, wherein the second end of the steering shaft is provided with a set of threads and the first portion of the screw member is provided with a complementary set of threads in threaded engagement with the set of threads.

14. The steer by wire steering column assembly of claim 13, wherein the recess of the end plate includes an end wall and at least one sidewall extending from the end wall and disposed substantially perpendicular to the end wall.

15. The steer by wire steering column assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least one sidewall is configured to engage the second portion of the screw member to inhibit rotation of the screw member.

16. The steer by wire steering column assembly of claim 15, wherein in response to rotation of the steering shaft in a first direction relative to the screw member, the screw member travels along the second end of the steering shaft towards the end wall.

17. The steer by wire steering column assembly of claim 16, wherein engagement between the second portion of the screw member and the end wall of the end plate inhibits further rotation of the steering shaft in the first direction.

18. The steer by wire steering column assembly of claim 17, wherein in response to rotation of the steering shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the screw member, the screw member travels along the second end of the steering shaft towards the first end of the steering shaft.

19. The steer by wire steering column assembly of claim 18, wherein engagement between the first portion of the screw member and an end stop of the second end of the steering shaft inhibits further rotation of the steering shaft in the second direction.