STEERING COLUMN

• US 20080150269A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AMA S.p.A
• Original Assignee: AMA S.p.A
• Inventors: Longo, Biagio
• Granted Patent: US 7,621,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/775
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/187 with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering column, in which a steering wheel is connected to a jointed shaft extending through a steering tube, a first telescopic portion of which, arranged at the lower part thereof, presents a lower end anchorable to a support, and a second portion of which, arranged at the upper part thereof, is coupled to the first portion to rotate about a joint axis; and in which a control member is movable towards an operative position to disengage, against the bias of a spring, a pin element from one of a series of holes obtained on a sector integral with one of the two positions of the steering tube to adjust the angular position of the steering wheel about the joint axis.

Claims

1. A steering column comprising a steering tube (2) presenting a lower end anchorable to a support (3), a shaft (4) rotationally mounted inside the steering tube (2);

a steering wheel (5) angularly coupled to an upper end of the shaft (4); and

an control device (20) of the position of the steering wheel (5) with respect to the lower end of the steering tube (2);

the steering tube (2) comprising two portions, the first (6) of which, arranged at the lower part thereof, is fixed, of adjustable length and presents a first axis (7) and the second (13), arranged at the upper part thereof, presents a second axis (14) and is coupled to the first portion (6) to rotate with respect to the first portion (6) about a third axis (17) transverse to the first and to the second axis (7, 14);

the steering column (1) being characterized in that the control device (20) comprises a control device (22) for adjusting the angular position of the steering wheel (5) with respect to the first portion (6) about the third axis (17), the control device (22) comprising a sector (37) integral with one of the two portions (6, 13) and provided with a plurality of holes (36) obtained through the sector (37) parallelly to the third axis (17);

a pin element (32) integral with the other of the two portions (6, 13), parallel to the third axis (17) and movable, in a parallel direction to the third axis (17), from and to a position of selective engagement of one of said holes (36) and of locking the angular position of the steering wheel (5) about the third axis (17); and

a control member (23) of said pin element (32).

2. A steering column according to claim 1, wherein the sector (37) is mounted on the first portion (6) and the control member (23) is mounted on the second portion (13).

3. A steering column according to claim 1, wherein the control member (23) is a manually operable lever (23).

4. A steering column according to claim 3, wherein the lever (23) is mounted on the second portion (13) to rotate, with respect to the second portion (13) itself, about a fourth axis (26).

5. A steering column according to claim 4, wherein the fourth axis (26) is transverse to the second (14) and to the third axis (17).

6. A steering column according to claim 1, wherein the pin element (32) is movable from the engagement position against the bias of elastic means (38).

7. A steering column according to claim 6, wherein the pin element (32) presents transverse resting pins (34) of the elastic biasing means (38) of the pin element (32) towards the engaging position.

8. A steering column according to claim 7, wherein the lever (23) is a rocker lever, one arm of which is defined by a fork (29) adapted to engage the transverse pins (34) to displace the pin element (32) against the bias of the elastic means (38) towards a disengaging position from the sector (37).