Adjustable steering column for motor vehicles

• US 20040061322A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NSK Steering Systems Company Limited (NSK Limited)
• Original Assignee: NASTech, Inc.
• Inventors: DʼAgostino, John, Konstorum, Boris, Egnaczak, Ken, Billert, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 7,021,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/775
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions

Abstract

A tilt or rake adjustable steering column having a first or tilt lever locking mechanism and a second locking mechanism separate from the first locking mechanism. The second locking mechanism has a pivotable eccentric cam or locking wedge that engages a fixed member to hold the adjustable steering column in the event the first locking mechanisms fails. The tilt lever locking mechanism is linked by a spring to the second locking mechanism so that movement of the tilt lever locking mechanism from a locked position to an unlocked position moves the pivotable eccentric cam from an engaged position to a non-engaged position.

Claims

1. An adjustable steering column comprising:

at least one moveable steering column section;

a first locking mechanism to selectively lock and unlock the at least one moveable steering column section; and

at least one second locking mechanism to lock the at least one moveable steering column section against movement,

wherein the at least one second locking mechanism is linked to the first locking mechanism by a biasing member, whereby movement of the first locking mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position causes movement of the at least one second locking mechanism between an operative position and an inoperative position.

2. The adjustable steering column according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second locking mechanism is biased towards the operative position.

3. The adjustable steering column according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second locking mechanism comprises a pivotable cam.

4. The adjustable steering column according to claim 3, wherein the pivotable cam has an engaging surface thereon, the engaging surface being adapted to grippingly engage a fixed surface fixed to a portion of a vehicle.

5. The adjustable steering column according to claim 4, wherein the engaging surface is an arcuate surface.

6. The adjustable steering column according to claim 5, wherein curvature of the arcuate surface is eccentric to an axis of pivot of the pivotable cam.

7. The adjustable steering column according to claim 4, wherein the fixed surface is a generally vertically extending surface.

8. The adjustable steering column according to claim 3, wherein the pivotable cam pivots about a horizontal axis.

9. The adjustable steering column according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a spring.

10. The adjustable steering column according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a torsion spring.

11. The adjustable steering column according to claim 1, wherein the number of second locking mechanisms is two.

12. An adjustable steering column comprising:

at least one moveable steering column section;

a first locking mechanism to selectively lock and unlock the at least one moveable steering column section; and

a second locking mechanism to lock the at least one moveable steering column section against movement, the second locking mechanism being moved between an operative position and an inoperative position by movement of the first locking mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position, the second locking mechanism is adapted to grippingly engage a generally vertically extending surface.

13. The adjustable steering column according to claim 12, wherein the generally vertically extending surface includes a curved portion.

14. The adjustable steering column according to claim 12, wherein the second locking mechanism comprises a pivotable cam.

15. The adjustable steering column according to claim 14, wherein the pivotable cam has an engaging surface thereon, the engaging surface grippingly engaging the generally vertically extending surface.

16. The adjustable steering column according to claim 15, wherein the engaging surface is an arcuate surface.

17. The adjustable steering column according to claim 16, wherein curvature of the arcuate surface is eccentric to an axis of pivot of the pivotable cam.

18. The adjustable steering column according to claim 12, further comprising:

a linking spring linking the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism.

19. An adjustable steering column comprising:

at least one moveable steering column section;

a first locking mechanism to selectively lock and unlock the at least one moveable-steering column section, the first locking mechanism including a first shaft; and

a second locking mechanism to lock the at least one moveable steering column section against movement, the second locking mechanism being moved between an operative position and an inoperative position by movement of the first locking mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position, the second locking mechanism including a second shaft separate from the first shaft.

20. The adjustable steering column according to claim 19, wherein the second shaft is parallel to and offset from the first shaft.

21. The adjustable steering column according to claim 19, further comprising:

a linking spring linking the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism.

22. The adjustable steering column according to claim 21, wherein the linking spring biases the second locking mechanism to the operative position.

23. The adjustable steering column according to claim 19, wherein the second locking mechanism comprises a pivotable cam attached to the second shaft.

24. The adjustable steering column according to claim 23, wherein the pivotable cam has an arcuate engaging surface thereon, curvature of the arcuate engaging surface being eccentric to an axis of pivot of the pivotable cam, the arcuate engaging surface being adapted to grippingly engage a fixed surface fixed to a portion of a vehicle.

25. The adjustable steering column according to claim 24, wherein the fixed surface generally extends in a vertical direction.

26. An adjustable steering column comprising:

at least one moveable steering column section;

a first locking mechanism to selectively lock and unlock the at least one moveable steering column section; and

means for preventing vertical movement of the at least one moveable steering column section, the means for preventing vertical movement being separate from and operably engaging the first locking mechanism.

27. The adjustable steering column according to claim 26, wherein the means for preventing vertical movement comprises:

a pivotable cam having an arcuate engaging surface thereon, the arcuate engaging surface being adapted to grippingly engage a fixed surface fixed to a portion of a vehicle, curvature of the arcuate surface being eccentric to an axis of pivot of the pivotable cam.

28. The adjustable steering column according to claim 27, wherein the fixed surface is a generally vertically extending surface.

29. The adjustable steering column according to claim 27, further comprising:

a spring attached to the pivotable cam, the spring biasing the pivotable cam to the operative position.

30. The adjustable steering column according to claim 27, wherein the first locking mechanism includes a rotatable shaft, and further comprising:

a lever arm attached to the rotatable shaft, the lever arm configured to move the pivotable cam between an operative position, where the arcuate engaging surface engages the fixed surface, and an inoperative position, where the arcuate engaging surface is out of engagement with the fixed surface.

31. The adjustable steering column according to claim 27, further comprising:

a spring linking the first locking mechanism and the pivotable cam so that movement of the first locking mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position causes movement of the pivotable cam between an operative position, where the arcuate engaging surface engages the fixed surface, and an inoperative position, where the arcuate engaging surface is out of engagement with the fixed surface.

32. An adjustable steering column comprising:

at least one moveable steering column section;

a first locking mechanism to selectively lock and unlock the at least one moveable steering column section; and

a pivotable locking wedge adapted to grippingly engage a fixed surface fixed to a portion of a vehicle,

wherein the locking wedge is connected to the first locking mechanism by a spring, so that movement of the first locking mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position causes movement of the spring and movement of the spring causes movement of the locking wedge between an operative position, where the locking wedge engages the fixed surface, and an inoperative position, where the locking wedge is out of engagement with the fixed surface.

33. The adjustable steering column according to claim 32, wherein the locking wedge has a curved surface eccentric to an axis of pivot of the locking wedge, the curved surface engaging the fixed surface when the locking wedge is in the operative position.

34. An adjustable steering column comprising:

at least one moveable steering column section;

a first locking mechanism to selectively lock and unlock the at least one moveable steering column section; and

at least one second locking mechanism to lock the at least one moveable steering column section against movement, the at least one second locking mechanism comprising a pivotable cam having an arcuate engaging surface thereon, the arcuate engaging surface being adapted to grippingly engage a generally vertically extending surface fixed to a portion of a vehicle, curvature of the arcuate engaging surface being eccentric to an axis of pivot of the pivotable cam,

wherein the pivotable cam is linked to the first locking mechanism by a spring, so that movement of the first locking mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position causes movement of the pivotable cam between an operative position, where the arcuate engaging surface engages the generally vertically extending surface, and an inoperative position, where the arcuate engaging surface is out of engagement with the generally vertically extending surface.

36. The adjustable steering column according to claim 35, wherein the generally vertically extending surface includes a curved portion.

37. The adjustable steering column according to claim 35, wherein the number of second locking mechanisms is two.