VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN STRUCTURE

• US 20080238068A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kumar, Amarendra, Harada, Hirotake
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/775
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/183 adjustable between in-use and out-of-use positions, e.g. to improve access
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions

Abstract

A vehicle steering column structure includes a fixed steering column portion, a movable steering column portion movably coupled to the fixed steering column portion and a steering column positioning mechanism. The steering column positioning mechanism is operably coupled between the fixed and movable steering column portions for adjusting a relative position therebetween. The steering column positioning mechanism includes a release member and a biasing member. The biasing member biases the release member to a locking orientation such that the biasing force of the biasing member applied to the release member changes with corresponding movement of the release member along a first movement portion of a prescribed movement range and the biasing force of the biasing member is generally constant with movement of the release member along a second movement portion of the prescribed movement range.

Claims

1. A vehicle steering column structure comprising:

a fixed steering column portion;

a movable steering column portion movably coupled to the fixed steering column portion;

a steering column positioning mechanism operably coupled between the fixed and movable steering column portions for adjusting a relative position therebetween, the steering column positioning mechanism including;

a release member movably mounted between a locking orientation and a releasing orientation along a prescribed movement range having a first movement portion and a second movement portion subsequent to the first movement portion, with a transition point located between the first and second movement portions that is spaced from the releasing and locking orientations;

a biasing member biasing the release member to the locking orientation such that the biasing force of the biasing member applied to the release member changes with corresponding movement of the release member along the first movement portion and the biasing force of the biasing member is generally constant with movement of the release member along the second movement portion.

2. The steering column structure according to claim 1, wherein

the biasing force of the biasing member applied to the release member increases linearly with movement of the release member along the first movement portion of the prescribed movement range.

3. The steering column structure according to claim 1, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a tilting mechanism operably coupled to the movable steering column portion configured to selectively position a section of the movable steering column portion with respect to the fixed steering column portion, and

the release member is operably coupled to the tilting mechanism for selective operation thereof.

4. The steering column structure according to claim 3, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a telescoping mechanism operably coupled between the fixed and movable steering column portions, and

the release member is operably connected to the telescoping mechanism for selective operation thereof.

5. The steering column structure according to claim 1, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a telescoping mechanism operably coupled between the fixed and movable steering column portions, and

the release member is operably connected to the telescoping mechanism for selective operation thereof.

6. The steering column structure according to claim 1, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a cam wheel rotatable about a pivot axis that at least partially extends through the second steering column portion,

the release member being pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a direction generally parallel to the pivot shaft of the cam wheel, with the biasing member being operably coupled to the cam wheel such that the biasing force of the biasing member is transmitted through the cam wheel to the release member.

7. The steering column structure according to claim 6, wherein

the biasing member includes a flexible connecting portion;

the cam wheel includes a shaft extension positioned such that along the first movement portion of the prescribed movement range the extension portion of the biasing member and the flexible connecting portion are spaced apart from the shaft extension and along the second movement portion of the prescribed movement range the flexible connecting portion contacts the shaft extension.

8. The steering column structure according to claim 7, wherein

the flexible connecting portion includes a first end fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the cam wheel and a second end,

the biasing member including a first end fixed to a second end of the extension portion, the biasing member also including a second end fixed to the second steering column portion.

9. The steering column structure according to claim 6, wherein

the biasing member includes a first end fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the cam wheel and a second end coupled to a fixed point on the second steering column portion.

10. The steering column structure according to claim 9, wherein

the biasing member biases the release member into the locking orientation such that along the first movement portion of the prescribed movement range a section of the biasing member pivots about the fixed point on the movable steering column portion and along the second movement portion of the prescribed movement range the biasing member remains generally stationary.

11. The steering column structure according to claim 1, wherein

the release member pivots about a pivot axis that extends through the movable steering column portion, and

the first movement portion of the prescribed movement range corresponds to approximately 0 to 7 degrees of rotation of the release member about the pivot axis with 0 degrees of rotation corresponding to the locking orientation, and

the second movement portion of the prescribed movement range corresponds to approximately 7-15 degrees of rotation of the release member about the pivot axis.

12. A steering column structure comprising:

a fixed steering column portion;

a movable steering column portion movably coupled to the fixed steering column portion;

a steering column positioning mechanism operably coupled to at least one of the fixed and movable steering column portions for controlling positioning of the movable steering column portion relative to the fixed steering column portion, the steering column positioning mechanism including;

a release member movably mounted between a locking orientation and a releasing orientation along a prescribed movement range having a first movement portion and a second movement portion subsequent to the first movement portion, with a transition point located between the first and second movement portions that is spaced from the releasing and locking orientations;

a biasing member having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to a fixed point on the movable steering column portion, the second end being operably connected to the release member biasing the release member into the locking orientation such that along the first movement portion the biasing member pivots about the fixed point on the movable steering column portion and along the second movement portion the biasing member remains generally stationary.

13. The steering column structure according to claim 12, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a tilting mechanism operably coupled to the second steering column portion, and

the release member being operably connected to the tilting mechanism for selective operation thereof.

14. The steering column structure according to claim 13, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a telescoping mechanism operably coupled between the fixed and movable steering column portions, and

the release member being operably connected to the telescoping mechanism for selective operation thereof.

15. The steering column structure according to claim 12, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a telescoping mechanism operably coupled between the fixed and movable steering column portions, and

the release member being operably connected to the telescoping mechanism for selective operation thereof.

16. The steering column structure according to claim 12, wherein

the steering column positioning mechanism includes a cam wheel rotatable about a first pivot axis that at least partially extends through the movable steering column portion, and

the release member is pivotable about a second pivot axis extending in a direction generally parallel to the first pivot shaft, with the second end of the biasing member being operably coupled to the cam wheel such that the biasing force of the biasing member is transmitted through the cam wheel to the release member.

17. The steering column structure according to claim 16, further comprising:

a flexible connecting portion operably connected between the cam wheel and the second end of the biasing member, and

the cam wheel includes a shaft extension extending along the first pivot axis such that along the first movement portion of the prescribed movement range the extension portion is spaced apart from the shaft extension and along the second movement portion of the prescribed movement range the extension portion contacts the shaft extension.

18. The steering column structure according to claim 12, wherein

the release member pivots about a pivot axis that extends through the movable steering column portion, and

the first movement portion of the prescribed movement range corresponds to approximately 0 to 7 degrees of rotation of the release member about the pivot axis with 0 degrees of rotation corresponding to the locking orientation, and

the second movement portion of the prescribed movement range corresponds to approximately 7-15 degrees of rotation of the release member about the pivot axis.

19. The steering column structure according to claim 12, wherein

the biasing member operably biases the release member into the locking orientation such that along the first movement portion of the prescribed movement range the biasing force of the biasing member applied to the release member increases linearly and along the second movement portion of the prescribed movement range the biasing force is generally constant.