Adjustable steering column assembly

• US 8,297,145 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Olgren, Leland N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Krause, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/083,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20110179900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 744/93, 280/775
• US Class Current: 74/493
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions

Abstract

An adjustable steering column assembly having a column jacket defining a longitudinal axis and moveable in at least one of a telescoping direction and a tilting direction is disclosed. A bracket is coupled to the column jacket with at least one pivot shaft coupled to the bracket along a pivot axis. A lever is mounted to the pivot shaft and rotates between a set position for preventing movement of the column jacket and an adjustable position for allowing movement of the column jacket. A locking device engages the lever and moves between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to rotation of the lever between the set and adjustable positions, respectively. A restrictor encircles the bracket, the column jacket, the lever and the locking device for resisting against an outwardly radial force produced by the locking device when in the locked position.

Claims

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

a column jacket defining a longitudinal axis and moveable in at least one of a telescoping direction and a tilting direction;

a bracket coupled to said column jacket;

at least one pivot shaft defining a pivot axis extending transverse to said longitudinal axis with said pivot shaft coupled to said bracket along said pivot axis;

a lever extending along said longitudinal axis and mounted to said pivot shaft

with said lever rotatable about said pivot axis between a set position for preventing movement of said column jacket in at least one of said telescoping and tilting directions and an adjustable position for allowing movement of said column jacket in at least one of said telescoping and tilting directions; and

a locking device engaging said lever and moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to rotation of said lever between said set and adjustable positions, respectively;

said locking device including at least one plate having a predetermined length extending along said longitudinal axis and transverse to said pivot axis and having a first edge and a second edge spaced from each other with said first edge engaging said lever along said predetermined length and said second edge engaging said bracket along said predetermined length such that said first and second edges rotate relative to said longitudinal axis between an upright position increasing a locking force between said lever and said bracket when in said locked position for preventing movement of said column jacket and an angled position decreasing said locking force between said lever and said bracket when in said unlocked position for allowing movement of said column jacket.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate includes a first end and a second end adjacent said first and second edges with one of said first and second edges having an angled surface extending from said first end to said second end along said predetermined length and an other one of said first and second edges having a flat surface extending from said first end to said second end along said predetermined length.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said locking device includes at least one cam surface disposed on one of said lever and said bracket.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first end includes a first height and said second end includes a second height with said first height greater than said second height and said first and second heights less than said predetermined length.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein one of said lever and said bracket defines at least one slot disposed along said longitudinal axis for receiving one of said first and second edges and an other one of said lever and said bracket defines at least one recess disposed along said longitudinal axis for receiving an other one of said first and second edges with said slot and said recess facing each other and said cam surface disposed in one of said slot and said recess.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first edge defines said angled surface and said second edge defines said flat surface with said cam surface and said first edge disposed in said recess on said lever and said second edge disposed in said slot on said bracket.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said recess includes a first end surface having a first width and a second end surface having a second width with said first width greater than said second width and said recess having a sloped surface extending from said first end surface to said second end surface along said longitudinal axis with said first end of said plate abutting said first end surface and said second end of said plate abutting said second end surface.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said recess includes a plurality of first side walls spaced from each other with one of said first side walls having a first inclined surface extending angularly away from an other one of first side walls for allowing said plate to move between said angled position and said upright position such that said plate abuts said first inclined surface when in said angled position.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said slot includes a plurality of second side walls spaced from each other with one of said second side walls having a second inclined surface extending angularly away from an other one of said second side walls for allowing said plate to move between said angled position and said upright position such that said plate abuts said second inclined surface when in said angled position.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one plate is further defined as a first plate and a second plate with said first edge of each of said first and second plates facing away from each other when in said angled position such that said first plate rotates in a first direction and said second plate rotates in a second direction opposite said first direction relative to said longitudinal axis.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including a restrictor encircling said bracket, said column jacket, said lever and said locking device for resisting against an outwardly radial force produced by said locking device when in said locked position.