Steering column for a motor vehicle

• US 9,150,240 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Presta AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Original Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Presta AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Inventors: Schnitzer, Hieronymus, Manger, Philipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M
• Application Number:
  US14/372,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20150053041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/06 in a direction perpendicular or inclined to the axis of rotation F16F7/023 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering column for a motor vehicle including a steering spindle bearing unit for rotatably supporting a steering spindle of the steering column and a bracket unit for securing the steering column on the motor vehicle. The steering spindle bearing unit is bearing supported by a securement device on at least one bracket part of the bracket unit, wherein the position of the steering spindle bearing unit relative to the bracket unit is secured in position in a closed position of the securement device and, in an open position of the securement device, is displaceable. The securement device includes an operating lever swivellable about a lever swivel axis, by which the operating lever is displaceable between the closed position and the open position. The steering column includes at least one damping element for damping the swivel movement of the operating lever about the lever swivel axis.

Claims

1. A steering column for a motor vehicle, said steering column comprising:

a steering spindle;

a steering spindle bearing unit that provides rotatable bearing of the steering spindle of the steering column;

a bracket unit for securing the steering column on the motor vehicle, said bracket unit including two bracket parts, wherein the steering spindle bearing unit is disposed between the bracket parts;

a securement device on at least one bracket part of the bracket unit, the securement device including an operating lever swivel-able about a lever swivel axis, and the securement device being displaceable by said operating lever between a closed position and an open position; and

at least one damping element for damping a swivel movement of the operating lever about the lever swivel axis;

wherein the at least one damping element is disposed on a side, opposing the operating lever, of at least one of the bracket parts, and wherein the at least one damping element is disposed between the bracket parts, or both bracket parts are disposed between the damping element and the operating lever, and

wherein the steering spindle bearing unit is secured in position relative to the bracket unit in the closed position of the securement device and, the steering spindle bearing unit is displaceable in position relative to the bracket unit in the open position of the securement device.

2. The steering column recited in claim 1, wherein the securement device comprises a clamp bolt penetrating at least one of the two bracket parts, on which bolt the operating lever is disposed.

3. The steering column recited in claim 2, wherein the damping element is disposed on top of or on the clamp bolt.

4. A steering column for a motor vehicle, said steering column comprising:

a steering spindle;

a steering spindle bearing unit that provides rotatable bearing of the steering spindle of the steering column;

a bracket unit for securing the steering column on the motor vehicle, said bracket unit including one or more bracket parts;

a securement device on at least one bracket part of the bracket unit, the securement device including an operating lever swivel-able about a lever swivel axis, and the securement device being displaceable by said operating lever between a closed position and an open position; and

at least one damping element for damping a swivel movement of the operating lever about the lever swivel axis;

wherein the at least one damping element is disposed on a side, opposing the operating lever, of at least one of the bracket parts,

wherein the steering spindle bearing unit is secured in position relative to the bracket unit in the closed position of the securement device and, the steering spindle bearing unit is displaceable in position relative to the bracket unit in the open position of the securement device,

wherein the damping element comprises at least two structural damper parts which are rotatable relative to one another about a rotational damper axis,

wherein the securement device comprises a clamp bolt penetrating the bracket part or the bracket parts, on which bolt the operating lever is disposed, and one of the structural damper parts is connected torque-proof with the clamp bolt, and the other of the structural damper parts is directly or indirectly connected torque-proof with the bracket part or one of the bracket parts, and

wherein the other of the structural damper parts is connected via a detachable connection torque-proof with the bracket part or one of the bracket parts.

5. The steering column as recited in claim 4, wherein the rotational damper axis is disposed coaxially with the lever swivel axis about which the operating lever is swivel-able.

6. The steering column as recited in claim 4, wherein the securement device comprises a clamp bolt penetrating the bracket part or the bracket parts, on which bolt the operating lever is disposed, and the clamp bolt is disposed coaxially with the lever swivel axis about which the operating lever is swivel-able.

7. The steering column as recited in claim 4, comprising a friction closure or a damping fluid or a combination of both between the structural damper parts.

8. The steering column as recited in claim 4, wherein the detachable connection is destructionlessly detachable.

9. The steering column as recited in claim 4, wherein the detachable connection is a bolt or snap connection.