Electric steering column lock with single direction actuator travel

• US 8,056,437 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nexteer beijing Technology Co Ltd
• Inventors: Bodtker, Joen C., Rouleau, James E., Harris, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): KRAUSE, JUSTIN MITCHELL
• Application Number:
  US12/114,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20080202275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 744/93, 744/94, 744/95, 74/45, 74/47, 74/48, 74/49, 74/50, 280/775, 292/144, 292/201
• US Class Current: 74/495
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/187 with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering column assembly includes a column jacket coupled to a support bracket. The column jacket is moveable in a longitudinal direction along a longitudinal axis and in a pivotable direction relative to the support bracket about a pivot axis. A locking mechanism interconnects the support bracket and the column jacket, and includes a torsion shaft rotatable about a shaft axis in a first direction and a second direction to move the locking mechanism between a lock position and a release position. A motor includes an output shaft rotatable about a primary axis in a single rotational direction. A linkage interconnects the motor and the torsion shaft of the locking mechanism. The linkage is actuated by rotation of the output shaft in the single rotational direction to rotate the torsion shaft in alternating fashion between the first direction and the second direction.

Claims

1. An adjustable steering column assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a support bracket for attachment to the vehicle;

a column jacket coupled to said support bracket and moveable in at least one of a longitudinal direction along a longitudinal axis and a pivotable direction relative to said support bracket about a pivot axis;

a locking mechanism interconnecting said support bracket and said column jacket and moveable between a lock position restricting said movement of said column jacket and a release position permitting said moment of said column jacket;

a motor coupled to said column jacket and having an output shaft rotatable about a primary axis in a single rotational direction;

a linkage interconnecting said output shaft of said motor and said locking mechanism and actuated by said rotation of said output shaft in said single rotational direction to move said locking mechanism in alternating fashion between said lock position and said release position, said linkage including a plate and a lever, said plate having a generally smooth outer perimeter, said plate attached to and concentric with said output shaft and extending radially outward from said output shaft for rotation with said output shaft, and said lever mounted to said locking mechanism and coupled to said plate, said plate configured to rotate about said primary axis to move said lever in a back and forth motion transverse to said primary axis.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said linkage includes a peg interconnecting said plate and said lever.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said peg is radially spaced from said primary axis.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said peg is fixedly mounted to said plate and wherein said lever includes a first end mounted to said locking mechanism and a second end defining an elongated slot extending transverse to said primary axis with said peg extending through said elongated slot and moveable within said elongated slot in response to rotation of said plate about said primary axis.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a compression bracket coupled to said column jacket.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said locking mechanism includes a telescope locking mechanism interconnecting said support bracket and said compression bracket and moveable between a telescope lock position restricting said movement of said column jacket in said longitudinal direction and a telescope release position permitting said movement of said column jacket in said longitudinal direction.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said locking mechanism includes a pivot locking mechanism interconnecting said support bracket and said compression bracket and moveable between a pivot lock position restricting said movement of said column jacket in said pivotable direction and a pivot release position permitting said movement of said column jacket in said pivotable direction.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said locking mechanism includes a torsion shaft coupled to said telescope locking mechanism and said pivot locking mechanism and rotatable about a shaft axis in a first direction to move said telescope locking mechanism into said telescope release position from said telescope lock position and move said pivot locking mechanism into said pivot release position from said pivot lock position and rotatable about said shaft axis in a second direction to move said telescope locking mechanism into said telescope lock position from said telescope release position and to move said pivot locking mechanism into said pivot lock position from pivot rake release position.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said lever is fixedly attached to said torsion shaft adjacent said first end of said lever.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said motor includes an electric motor.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said peg is fixedly attached to said lever and wherein said plate defines an eccentric cam groove radially about said primary axis with said peg disposed with said eccentric cam groove and moveable within said eccentric cam groove in response to rotation of said plate about said primary axis to move said lever in a back and forth motion transverse to said primary axis.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a compression bracket coupled to said column jacket.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said locking mechanism includes a telescope locking mechanism interconnecting said support bracket and said compression bracket and moveable between a telescope lock position restricting said movement of said column jacket in said longitudinal direction and a telescope release position permitting said movement of said column jacket in said longitudinal direction.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said locking mechanism includes a pivot locking mechanism interconnecting said support bracket and said compression bracket and moveable between a pivot lock position restricting said movement of said column jacket in said pivotable direction and a pivot release position permitting said movement of said column jacket in said pivotable direction.