Pivoting locking device for an adjustable steering column

• US 8,327,733 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ozsoylu, Suat A., Boswell, Karen A., Anspaugh, Michael P., Pyrett, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boes, Terence
• Application Number:
  US12/367,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20090229400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 744/93, 744/96, 744/97, 280/777, 280/775
• US Class Current: 74/493
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions

Abstract

A steering column assembly includes a mounting bracket and a column jacket moveable relative to the mounting bracket to adjust a position of the column jacket. A rake plate is pivotably coupled to the mounting bracket and defines a rake slot having rake slot teeth. A telescope plate is pivotably coupled to the column jacket and defines a telescope slot having telescope slot teeth. A rake lock having rake lock teeth is disposed within the rake slot and a telescope lock having telescope lock teeth is disposed within the telescope slot. The rake plate and the telescope plate pivot as the rake lock and the telescope lock move into interlocking toothed engagement to avoid peak-to-peak contact between the lock teeth and the slot teeth, thereby permitting full meshing engagement between the lock teeth and the slot teeth.

Claims

1. A steering column assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket;

a column jacket extending along a longitudinal axis and moveable relative to said mounting bracket in at least one of a vertical direction and a longitudinal direction for adjusting at least one of a vertical position and a longitudinal position of said column jacket;

a compression bracket fixedly attached to said column jacket;

a plate coupled to at least one of said mounting bracket and said column jacket, said plate defining one of at least one rake slot, at least one telescope slot, or both, each rake slot and/or telescope slot defined by the plate including a plurality of slot teeth;

a lock including a plurality of lock teeth and disposed within said at least one of said rake slot and said telescope slot with said lock moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

said plate pivotally mounted to at least one of said mounting bracket and said column jacket such that said plate pivots relative to said lock to align said slot teeth with said lock teeth in full meshing engagement in response to said lock moving into said locked position.

2. A steering column assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket;

a column jacket extending along a longitudinal axis and moveable relative to said mounting bracket in at least one of a vertical direction and a longitudinal direction for adjusting at least one of a vertical position and a longitudinal position of said column jacket;

a plate coupled to at least one of said mounting bracket and said column jacket and defining at least one of a rake slot and a telescope slot with said at least one of said rake slot and said telescope slot including a plurality of slot teeth;

a lock including a plurality of lock teeth and disposed within said at least one of said rake slot and said telescope slot with said lock moveable between a locked position wherein said lock teeth are disposed in interlocking engagement with said slot teeth to prevent movement of said column jacket relative to said mounting bracket and an unlocked position wherein said lock teeth are disengaged from said slot teeth to permit movement of said column jacket relative to said mounting bracket;

a pivotal connection interconnecting said plate and at least one of said mounting bracket and said column jacket to permit pivotal movement of said plate relative to said lock to align said slot teeth with said lock teeth in full meshing engagement in response to said lock moving into said locked position.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said pivotal connection defines a pivot axis with said plate pivotal about said pivot axis.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said lock moves along a path and said pivot axis is laterally offset from said path.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said pivotal connection includes a pin defining said pivot axis and extending through and interconnecting said plate and at least one of said column jacket and said mounting bracket.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a locking mechanism coupled to said lock for moving said lock between said locked position and said unlocked position.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a shaft coupled to said locking mechanism and extending through said at least one of said rake slot and said telescope slot with said shaft rotatable about a shaft axis transverse to said longitudinal axis for actuating said locking mechanism.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a handle attached to said shaft for rotating said shaft.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said shaft is coupled to and extends through said lock.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said locking mechanism includes a cam coupled to and rotatable with said shaft.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said plate includes a ledge engaging said cam.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said cam defines a cam profile biasing said shaft away from said ledge in response to rotation of said shaft in a first direction to move said lock into said locked position.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said cam profile releases said bias against said shaft in response to rotation of said shaft in a second direction opposite to said first direction to move said lock into said unlocked position.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said slot teeth and said ledge are disposed opposite each other on opposing sides of said shaft.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said plate includes a rake plate coupled to said mounting bracket.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said cam includes a rake cam engaging a ledge of said rake plate.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said pivotal connection includes a rake pivotal connection interconnecting said rake plate and said mounting bracket.

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said plate includes a telescope plate coupled to said column jacket.

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said cam includes a telescope cam engaging a ledge of said telescope plate.

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said pivotal connection includes a telescope pivotal connection interconnecting said telescope plate and said column jacket.

21. An assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said lock includes a rake lock disposed within said rake slot and a telescope lock disposed within said telescope slot.

22. An assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said column jacket includes a compression bracket and said telescope plate is coupled to said compression bracket.

23. An assembly as set forth in claim 22 further comprising a compression camming mechanism for compressing said mounting bracket against said compression bracket to create a compressive frictional force between said mounting bracket and said compression bracket to resist movement of said column jacket relative to said mounting bracket.