System employing a bracket to obtain secure engagement of a holding device for a system for clamping two members

• US 6,092,957 A
• Filed: 08/28/1998
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lemforder Nacam SA
• Original Assignee: Lemforder Nacam SA
• Inventors: Fevre, Laurent, Bodin, Jean-Christophe, Carrer, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOMRAK, DANIELLE A
• Application Number:
  US09/141,597
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 74/493, 74/527, 280/775, 403/104, 403/105, 403/106, 403/107, 403/110, 403/373, 403/374.1, 403/374.2, 403/374.5, 403/DIG. 4, 403/DIG. 8
• US Class Current: 403/373
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0225 allowing for adjustment parallel to the plane of the plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32451 Step-by-step adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32532 Clamped members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7062 Clamped members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7071 Lever actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20636 Detents

Abstract

A holding device hold a first member in position relative to a second member on a clamping pin. Two racks respectively one connected to the first and second members and adapted to interengage in a locked position. A return spring separates the racks in an unlocked position. An additional spring co-operates with a bracket. The racks, return spring and additional spring are mounted on the clamping pin. The additional spring bears against the bracket and operates on the mobile rack to assure complete interpenetration of the mobile rack and the fixed rack. The main application of the device is to automobile vehicle steering columns.

Claims

1. A holding device for clamping a moveable first member (1) to a stationary second member (2), comprising:

(a) a mobile first rack (7) adapted for connection with the first member, and a stationary second rack (8) adapted for connection with the second member;

(b) clamping means for displacing said racks together toward an engaged condition, said clamping means including a clamping pin (4) extending at one end through aligned openings contained in said first and second racks, said clamping pin having an enlargement (14.15) at its other end;

(c) return spring means for biasing said first and second racks apart toward a disengaged condition, said return spring means including a return spring (9) arranged between said racks;

(d) a bracket (12) mounted for movement on said clamping pin adjacent said clamping enlargement; and

(e) additional spring means for biasing said racks together toward said engaged condition, said additional spring means including an additional spring (10) arranged between said bracket and said mobile first rack;

(f) said additional spring means and said bracket being so arranged and shaped that when said racks are in said locked condition;

(1) said bracket is in engagement with said second member; and

(2) said additional spring means bears against said bracket and biases said mobile second rack toward engagement with said first rack.

2. The holding device claimed in claim 1, wherein said bracket comprises a U-shape section including:

(a) a base containing a hole through which said clamping pin passes, and

(b) flanges extending at the ends of said base substantially perpendicular to said base,

(c) said flanges being at a distance from each other greater than the width of each of said racks so that said mobile rack can be mounted in said bracket, and

(d) in said locked position of said clamping system, said flanges of said bracket surrounding said fixed rack to obtain positive abutment of said clamping system.

3. The holding device claimed in claim 2 wherein said additional spring means comprise a cup-shape compression spring which is mounted on said clamping pin and which is accommodated in said bracket between said base of said bracket and said mobile rack.

4. The holding device claimed in claim 1, wherein said return spring disposed between said racks comprises a leaf spring including:

(a) a central position containing a hole through which said clamping pin passes, said central portion being disposed against said mobile rack,

(b) flexible curved portions on respective opposite sides of said central portion, said flexible curved portions bearing on said fixed rack, and

(c) two tongues extending toward said mobile rack so that said two tongues engage respectively into notches defined in said mobile rack, thereby to couple said return spring in rotation to said mobile rack.

5. The holding device claimed in claim 1, wherein said first member comprises the body tube of an automobile vehicle steering column, said column being adjustable in at least one of the heightwise and depthwise adjustment directions in said vertical plane;

and further including;

(a) a steering shaft mounted to rotate freely in said body tube;

(b) said second member comprising a support member; and

(c) an adjustment system for adjusting position of said steering column, when said first member is disposed in said second member, and when said clamping system is in said unlocked position, whereby when said first member is placed at a required position relative to said second member by said adjustment system, said first member is immobilized relative to said second member in said locked position by said clamping system.

6. The holding device claimed in claim 5, wherein said fixed rack which is mounted against said second member comprises a plate having:

(a) a bearing face which is provided with studs for positioning it into said second member;

(b) two contact faces which are oriented in the adjustment direction and which are disposed on respective opposite sides of an oblong hole through which said clamping pin passes, thereby allowing movement of said clamping pin during positional adjustment; and

(c) two paths with teeth, oriented in said adjustment direction and extending along said contact faces respectively.

7. The holding device claimed in claim 5 wherein said mobile rack which is connected to said first member is a plate which has:

a hole through which said clamping pin passes,

a bearing face for said additional spring means,

two contact faces for said return spring disposed around said hole,

two paths with teeth, oriented in the adjustment direction and extending along said contact faces respectively, and

two opposite central notches adapted to receive said two tongues of said return spring respectively.

8. The holding device claimed in claim 5 wherein

said fixed rack which is mounted against said second member is a plate which has:

a bearing face which is provided with studs for positioning it into said second member,

two contact faces which are oriented in the adjustment direction and which are disposed on respective opposite sides of an oblong hole through which said clamping pin passes and allowing movement of said clamping pin during positional adjustment, and

two paths with teeth, oriented in said adjustment direction and extending along said contact faces respectively; and

said mobile rack which is connected to said first member is a plate which has;

a hole through which said clamping pin passes,

a bearing face for said additional spring means,

two contact faces for said return spring disposed around said hole and opposite to said two contact faces of said fixed rack,

two paths with teeth, oriented in the adjustment direction, extending along said contact faces respectively, and cooperating with said tooth paths of said fixed rack, and

two opposite central notches adapted to receive said two tongues of said return spring respectively;

each of said racks comprising asymmetric teeth each having flanks which are very slightly inclined to a plane perpendicular to said contact rack faces and which shape of a flank angle less than the angle corresponding to a coefficient of friction between said two racks.

9. The holding device according to claim 8 characterized in that said two paths of each rack have teeth whose flank angles are opposed in order to oppose in a longitudinal direction of said racks.

10. The holding device claimed in claim 1 wherein said mobile rack and said fixed rack are made of sintered steel.

11. The holding device claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixed rack is made of a thermoplastics material reinforced with glass fibers.

12. The holding device claimed in claim 1 wherein said additional spring means comprises a compression spring in said form of a Belleville spring washer.

13. The holding device claimed in claim 1 wherein said additional spring means comprises a cylindrical compression coil spring.

14. The holding device claimed in claim 1 wherein said additional spring means comprises a conical compression coil spring.

15. The holding device claimed in claim 1 wherein said additional spring means comprises a compression leaf spring which has two flexible curved portions.