Steering wheel impact positioning system

• US 6,244,128 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian C. Bowerman, Corbin G. Glidden, Joseph C. Spencer, Patrick D. Gaukel
• Original Assignee: Brian C. Bowerman, Corbin G. Glidden, Joseph C. Spencer, Patrick D. Gaukel
• Inventors: Bowerman, Brian C., Spencer, Joseph C., Glidden, Corbin G., Gaukel, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US09/404,942
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 744/93, 745/31, 280/753, 280/775, 280/777
• US Class Current: 74/493
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/197 incorporating devices for preventing ingress of the steering column into the passengers space in case of accident
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2066 Friction

Abstract

A steering column assembly for a vehicle wherein the steering column may be adjustable in a tilt direction, telescoping direction or both. The steering column includes a first housing, a second housing pivotally coupled to one end of the first housing, and a locking assembly interconnecting the first and second housings. The locking assembly includes a clutch having one end attached to the first housing, and an opposite end in sliding engagement with the second housing. A caliper member is provided on the second housing, and extending through the clutch to selectively fix the clutch in place and thus fix the relative position of the first housing in relation to the second.

Claims

1. A steering column assembly, comprising in combination:

a first housing assembly;

a second housing assembly pivotally coupled to said first housing assembly along a first pivot axis said second housing having a fixed member having a longitudinal axial passage and a shuttle member slidably disposed within said fixed member and adapted to telescope between a first and second position with respect to said fixed member; and

a clutch assembly interconnecting said first housing assembly to said second housing assembly for selectively controlling a relative orientation of said first housing assembly to said second housing assembly, said clutch assembly having one end pivotally coupled to said first housing assembly along a second pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis, and having a second end in sliding engagement with said second housing assembly, and a caliper member attached to said second housing assembly for selectively fixing said clutch assembly relative to said second housing assembly.

2. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said clutch assembly includes a plurality of clutch blades arranged in parallel spaced relationship and interconnected together at said one end.

3. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of locking plates disposed between said plurality of clutch blades and cooperating with said caliper for clamping against said plurality of clutch blades.

4. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said caliper member comprises:

a linkage having a pair of arms pivotally coupled together proximate one end;

a biasing member disposed between said pair of arms at said one end; and

a lever proximate said first housing assembly and connected to an opposite end of said pair of arms for moving said one end of said pair of arms toward each other.

5. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising an actuator assembly interconnecting said first and second housing assemblies.

6. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 2, further including a plurality of locking plates disposed between said plurality of clutch blades and cooperating with said caliper member for clamping against said plurality of clutch blades.

7. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 4, further comprising a rod extending through said one end of said pair of arms, said plurality of clutch blades, and said plurality of locking plates.

8. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said actuator assembly includes:

an actuator fixed with respect to one of said first and second housing assemblies; and

a cable attached at one end to said actuator and at an opposite end to an opposite one of said first and second housing assemblies.

9. A steering column assembly, comprising in combination:

a first housing assembly including a fixed member and a concentrically received telescoping member;

a second housing assembly pivotally coupled about a first pivot axis to one end of said concentrically received telescoping member, said second housing assembly adapted to tilt about said first pivot axis relative to said first housing assembly, and with said telescoping member, translate with respect to said fixed member; and

locking means coupling said first housing assembly to said second housing assembly and selectively controlling the tilt and translation of said second housing assembly relative to said first housing assembly, said locking means comprising a clutch assembly having one end pivotally coupled to one of said first and second housing assemblies along a second pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis, and a second end in sliding engagement with an opposite one of said first and second housing assemblies, and a locking assembly coupled to said second end of said clutch assembly for selectively fixing said clutch assembly relative to said first and second housing assemblies.

10. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 9, further comprising an actuator assembly having one end attached to said second housing assembly and an opposite end attached to a fixture moving said second housing assembly from a first position to a safety position substantially instantaneously.

11. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said clutch assembly includes:

a plurality of parallel spaced apart blade-shaped fingers, each having a longitudinal slot extending therethrough; and

a plurality of locking plates, each disposed between adjacent ones of said parallel spaced apart blade-shaped fingers, each of said locking plates having a hole extending therethrough and aligned with said longitudinal slot in each of said spaced apart blade-shaped fingers.

12. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said locking assembly includes:

a longitudinal member extending through said longitudinal slots in each of said plurality of parallel spaced apart blade-shaped fingers and through said hole in each of said plurality of locking plates, and having one end adjacent a portion of said first housing assembly; and

a lever attached to an opposite end of said longitudinal member for selectively forcing said plurality of parallel spaced apart blade-shaped fingers against said plurality of locking plates.

13. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said actuator assembly includes:

a pretensioner attached to a fixed component;

a tether having one end attached to said second housing assembly, and having an opposite end attached to said pretensioner; and

whereby actuation of said pretensioner substantially instantaneously places said tether in tension with a force sufficient to overcome said locking means and move said second housing to a predetermined position.

14. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said longitudinal member is a bolt.

15. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said lever includes:

a caliper having two arms pivotally coupled together proximate one end of each arm, an end of one of said two arms attached to said longitudinal member;

a biasing member disposed between said two arms for forcing one end of said arms away from the other;

a cable having one end attached to an opposite end of one of said two arms; and

a lever attached to an opposite end of said cable whereby activation of said handle forces said one end of said two arms toward each other, releasing tension on said longitudinal member.

16. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein said pretensioner includes one of a linear actuator and a rotary actuator.

17. A steering column assembly, comprising in combination:

a first housing assembly;

a shuttle pivotally coupled to said first housing assembly along a first pivot axis;

a second housing slidably receiving said shuttle axially therein and translating telescopically therein;

an adjustable locking member interconnecting said first housing assembly to said second housing assembly for selectively controlling a relative position of said first housing assembly to said second housing assembly; and

a pretensioning assembly interconnecting said first and second housing assemblies, said pretensioning assembly adapted to move said first housing assembly from a first position to a second position upon a specific circumstance.

18. The steering column assembly as defined in claim 17, further comprising a ball coupling interconnecting said first and second housing assembly.