Adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle

• US 8,590,932 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Presta AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Original Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Presta AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Inventors: Dietz, Maximilian, Rutzel, Tillmann
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Karen
• Application Number:
  US13/061,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 411/360, 411/371.2, 295/05, 280/777, 280/775, 744/93, 741/07, 745/27, 745/31
• US Class Current: 280/775
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/09 Control elements or operating handles movable from an operative to an out-of-the way position, e.g. pedals, switch knobs, window cranks specially adapted for brake pedals, e.g. by venting of master cylinder or destruction of force transmitting rod, B60T7/065
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions

Abstract

An adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle includes a clamping device, in the opened state of which the steering column is adjustable and in the closed state of which the set position of the steering column is fixed. The clamping device comprises an actuating lever and a clamping piece, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation by the actuating lever in order to open and close the clamping device. The actuating lever can be twisted about the axis of rotation at least in one direction of rotation with respect to the clamping piece when a limit of a torque acting between the actuating lever and the clamping piece is exceeded.

Claims

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

a clamping mechanism, in the opened state of which the steering column is adjustable and in the closed state of which the set position of the steering column is fixed,

wherein the clamping mechanism comprises an actuating lever and a clamp element, which is rotatable by the actuating lever about a rotational axis for opening and closing the clamping mechanism,

wherein, when a limit value of a torque acting between the actuating lever and the clamp element is exceeded, the actuating lever is turnable out of position with respect to the clamp element about the rotational axis in at least one rotational direction;

wherein the actuating lever is rotated about the rotational axis in a rotational closed direction and the clamp element is entrained by the actuating lever in the rotational closed direction to close the clamping mechanism,

wherein the clamp element in the closed state of the clamping mechanism is blocked against a further rotation in the rotational closed direction.

2. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, wherein the rotational axis about which the clamp element and the actuating lever are rotatable for opening and closing the clamping mechanism is oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the steering column.

3. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, wherein the rotational axis about which the clamp element and the actuating lever are rotatable for opening and closing the clamping mechanism is formed by a clamp bolt of the clamping mechanism, the clamp element and the actuating lever being disposed on the clamp bolt.

4. The adjustable steering column of claim 3, wherein, during a turning out of position of the actuating lever with respect to the clamp element after the limit value of the torque acting between the actuating lever and the clamp element is exceeded, the actuating lever remains disposed on the clamp bolt.

5. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, further comprising a counterclamp element,

wherein the clamp element cooperates with the counterclamp element, and the counterclamp element is not rotatable with respect to the rotational axis,

wherein the clamp element and/or the counterclamp element shifts or shift in the axial direction of the rotational axis during the opening and closing of the clamping mechanism.

6. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, wherein the clamp element is stayed on a stop of the counterclamp element against a further rotation in the rotational closed direction in the closed state of the clamping mechanism.

7. The adjustable steering column of claim 4, wherein the actuating lever is turnable out of position at least in the rotational closed direction with respect to the clamp element when a limit value of a torque acting between the actuating lever and the clamp element is exceeded.

8. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, wherein a connection acting in both rotational directions under form closure is formed between the actuating lever and the clamp element, and the connection yields when the limit value of the torque acting between the actuating lever and the clamp element is exceeded.

9. The adjustable steering column of claim 8, wherein the form-closure connection includes at least one connection stud extending parallel to the rotational axis and spaced apart therefrom.

10. The adjustable steering column of claim 9, wherein the actuating lever or the clamp element has at least one circular arc-shaped guide track along which the at least one connection stud can travel during a turning out of a position of the actuating lever with respect to the clamp element while overcoming its form-closure retention.

11. The adjustable steering column of claim 5, wherein the clamp element includes at least one cam which cooperates with an oblique face of the counterclamp element for opening and closing the clamping mechanism.

12. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, wherein the clamp element is connected torsion-tight with a clamp bolt of the clamping mechanism.

13. The adjustable steering column of claim 5, the counterclamp element includes at least one cam which cooperates with an oblique face of the clamp element for opening and closing the clamping mechanism.

14. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, wherein the actuating lever is connected to the clamp element with a connection that yields when the limit value of the torque acting between the actuating lever and the clamp element is exceeded.

15. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, wherein the clamping mechanism remains in the closed state after the limit value of the torque is exceeded and the actuating lever has rotated relative to the clamp element.

16. The adjustable steering column of claim 1, further comprising a counterclamp element,

wherein the clamp element cooperates with the counterclamp element, and the counterclamp element is not rotatable with respect to the rotational axis,

wherein the clamp element and/or the counterclamp element shifts or shift in the axial direction of the rotational axis during the opening and closing of the clamping mechanism, and

wherein the clamping mechanism remains in the closed state after the limit value of the torque is exceeded and the actuating lever has rotated relative to the clamp element.