Clamp Assembly for a Steering Column Assembly
First Claim
1. A clamp assembly for securing a fixed portion of a support bracket of a vehicle to a movable portion of a steering column shroud of a steering column shroud, the clamp assembly comprising:
- a clamp pin which passes through an opening in the fixed portion and an opening in the moveable portion, a stopper located towards one end of the clamp pin,a toothed block carried by the clamp pin having a set of rake teeth, the rake teeth being urged by the stopper into engagement with a set of teeth fixed to the support bracket when the clamp assembly is in a clamped condition, thereby securing the relative positions of the fixed portion and the moveable portion of the steering assembly;
and a biasing means that provides a biasing force that acts in an unclamped condition of the clamp assembly to bias the stopper of the clamp pin away from the moveable portion to permit the set of rake teeth on the block to move clear of the set of teeth of the fixed portion, thereby permitting relative movement of the fixed portion and moveable portion of the steering assembly;
wherein the biasing force provided by the biasing means acts upon the clamp pin without passing through the toothed block.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A clamp assembly for securing a steering column shroud, comprising: a clamp pin which passes through an opening in the shroud and having a stopper towards one end, a toothed block carried by the clamp pin having a set of rake teeth, the teeth of the block being urged into engagement with a rack of teeth fixed to a support bracket by the stopper when the clamp assembly is in the clamped condition, thereby securing the relative positions of the fixed and moving portions of the steering assembly; and a biasing means that provides a biasing force that acts in an unclamped condition to bias the stopper of the clamp pin away from the moving part to permit the rack of teeth on the block to move clear of the rack of the support bracket, in which a substantial part of the biasing force provided by the biasing means acts upon the clamp pin without passing through the toothed block.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A clamp assembly for securing a fixed portion of a support bracket of a vehicle to a movable portion of a steering column shroud of a steering column shroud, the clamp assembly comprising:
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a clamp pin which passes through an opening in the fixed portion and an opening in the moveable portion, a stopper located towards one end of the clamp pin, a toothed block carried by the clamp pin having a set of rake teeth, the rake teeth being urged by the stopper into engagement with a set of teeth fixed to the support bracket when the clamp assembly is in a clamped condition, thereby securing the relative positions of the fixed portion and the moveable portion of the steering assembly; and a biasing means that provides a biasing force that acts in an unclamped condition of the clamp assembly to bias the stopper of the clamp pin away from the moveable portion to permit the set of rake teeth on the block to move clear of the set of teeth of the fixed portion, thereby permitting relative movement of the fixed portion and moveable portion of the steering assembly; wherein the biasing force provided by the biasing means acts upon the clamp pin without passing through the toothed block. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16)
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3. (canceled)
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15. (canceled)
Specification