Adjustable steering wheel hub

• US 4,721,008 A
• Filed: 06/17/1987
• Issued: 01/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Jeep Eagle Corp. (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Grabowski, William A., Stoops, George J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Gary L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luong, Vinh
• Application Number:
  US07/065,074
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• Field of Search: 74/552, 403/335-338, 403/4, 29/159 B
• US Class Current: 74/552
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/10 Hubs; Connecting hubs to steering columns, e.g. adjustable B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/506 bolted or riveted
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/12 allowing adjustment of the parts about the axis during motion F16D3/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

An adjustable steering wheel hub in an automobile steering mechanism comprises a first hub member and a second hub member. The first hub member includes a circumferentially splined bore adapted to be engaged with a circumferentially splined section of a steering shaft. The second hub member is coupled to a steering wheel and includes at least one threaded aperture registering with an arcuate aperture in the first member through which a fastener is secured to provide a selectively, adjustable, angularly fixed connection between the first hub portion and the second hub portion.

Claims

1. In combination with a vehicle steering mechanism having a steering wheel and a rotatable steering shaft including means for fixedly engaging said steering wheel for rotation with said steering shaft, said means comprising a set of circumferential splines on said steering shaft, the improvement comprising:

a means for selectively, angularly adjusting said steering wheel in infinitely variable increments with respect to said steering shaft regardless of the length, the width, and the distance between the splines,

wherein said adjusting means comprises a two piece hub having a first hub member and a second hub member, and a tapered portion of said steering shaft adjacent said set of splines;

said first hub member including a means for engaging the splines on the rotatable steering shaft, and an axially elongated annular wall;

said second hub member including aperture means for rotatably receiving the steering shaft, said aperture means being defined by a tapered peripheral wall engaging at least a portion of the tapered portion of the steering shaft;

said second hub member also including a means for fixedly securing the steering wheel to said second hub member, and a central recess receiving said axially elongated wall; and

a means for selectively locking said first member with said second member in a fixed, angularly adjustable position.

2. The mechanism disclosed in claim 1 wherein said means for selectively locking comprises at least one threaded aperture in said second member for receiving a fastener.

3. The mechanism disclosed in claim 1 wherein said means for locking comprises at least one arcuate aperture in said first hub member radially registering with said at least one threaded aperture, and an equal number of threaded fasteners removably threaded into said registering threaded apertures in said second hub portion, said threaded fasteners passing through the arcuate apertures in said first hub portion.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said axially elongated wall includes an annular surface and said second hub includes a corresponding surface in mating engagement with said annular surface.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said axially elongated wall includes a cylindrical surface and wherein said second hub member includes a corresponding surface in mating engagement with said cylindrical surface.

6. In combination with a vehicle steering mechanism having a steering wheel and a rotatable steering shaft including means for fixedly engaging said steering wheel for rotation with said steering shaft, said means comprising a set of circumferential splines on said shaft, the improvement comprising:

a two piece hub having a first hub member and a second hub member, and a tapered portion of said steering shaft adjacent said set of splines;

said first hub member including a circumferentially splined aperture adapted to engage said splines on said rotatable steering shaft, and an axially elongated, annular wall;

said first hub member also including at least one arcuately shaped, eccentric aperture;

said second hub member having a tapered aperture defined by a tapered peripheral wall engaging at least a portion of the tapered portion of the steering shaft, said second member also including at least one threaded aperture radially registering with each said arcuately shaped aperture, means for securing the steering wheel to said second hub member, and a central recess receiving said axially elongated wall; and

at least one threaded fastener having an enlarged head and adapted to extend through said at least one arcuately shaped aperture in said first hub portion so as to become threadably engaged in said registering threaded aperture.