# US 10,370,022 B2 · Steering column assembly for autonomous vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,022 B2 - Document ID: US10370022B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/431,034 - Filed: 2017-02-13 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-13 - Assignees: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation - Applicants: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation - Inventors: Brian J. Magnus; John S. Beam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370022B2 ## CPC - B62D 1/16: Steering columns - B62D 1/10: Hubs; Connecting hubs to steering columns, e.g. adjustable (B62D1/11 takes precedence) - F16D 1/00: Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements (attachment of wheels to axles for railway carriages B60B; for attachment of cranks to their shafts F16C3/10) - F16D 1/116: the interengaging parts including a continuous or interrupted circumferential groove in the surface of one of the coupling parts (circlips for retaining hubs on shafts F16B21/18) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES ## Abstract A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle includes a steering wheel. Also included is a steering shaft selectively coupleable to the steering wheel with a plurality of balls, the steering wheel and the steering shaft transitioning between a rotationally coupled condition and a rotationally decoupled condition, the steering wheel in a rotationally stationary position during the decoupled condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprising: a steering wheel; and a steering shaft operatively coupled to the steering wheel, the steering shaft comprising: an annular recess extending around a circumference of the steering shaft to receive a ball therein; a pocket defined by the steering shaft to receive the ball therein; and a track defined by the steering shaft, the track extending from the annular recess to the pocket to transfer the ball therebetween. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering column assembly of claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is decoupled from the steering shaft when the ball is disposed in the annular recess to permit independent rotation of the steering shaft and the steering wheel during an autonomous driving mode, the steering wheel coupled to the steering shaft when the ball is disposed in the pocket to provide common rotation of the steering shaft and the steering wheel during a manual driving mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The steering column assembly of claim 1, further comprising a coupler shaft fixed to the steering wheel, the steering wheel and the coupler shaft rotationally coupled to each other, the coupler shaft having an annular ball cage for retaining the ball in an axial position of the coupler shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The steering column assembly of claim 1, further comprising a coupler plate operatively coupled to the steering wheel and having a tube portion surrounding the ball, an inner wall of the tube portion angled to selectively retain the ball within the annular recess or the pocket and to selectively transfer the ball between the annular recess and the pocket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The steering column assembly of claim 4, wherein the coupler plate is axially translatable to translate the inner wall of the tube portion to allow the ball to move radially outwardly and out of the pocket or the annular recess. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The steering column assembly of claim 5, wherein the coupler plate includes at least one grounding structure engageable with a non-rotating structure of the steering column assembly to fix the steering wheel in a non-rotational position when the steering wheel is decoupled from the steering shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The steering column assembly of claim 6, wherein the at least one grounding structure comprises at least one pin and the non-rotating structure of the steering column assembly is a steering column jacket. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The steering column assembly of claim 5, further comprising a spring biasing the coupler plate to an axial position that locates the inner wall to retain the ball within the annular recess or the pocket. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The steering column assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball is one of a plurality of balls, each of the balls located within a common axial plane and transferrable between the annular recess and one of a plurality of pockets defined by the steering shaft via one of a plurality of tracks. ### Claim 10 A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprising: a steering wheel; a steering shaft selectively coupleable to the steering wheel with a plurality of balls, the steering wheel and the steering shaft transitioning between a rotationally coupled condition and a rotationally decoupled condition, the steering wheel in a rotationally stationary position during the decoupled condition; at least one recess extending around a circumference of the steering shaft to receive a ball therein; a pocket defined by the steering shaft to receive the ball therein; and a track extending between the recess and the pocket. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The steering column assembly of claim 10, further comprising a coupler shaft fixed to the steering wheel, the steering wheel and the coupler shaft rotationally coupled to each other, the coupler shaft having an annular ball cage for retaining the ball in an axial position of the coupler shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The steering column assembly of claim 10, further comprising a coupler plate operatively coupled to the steering wheel and having a tube portion surrounding the ball, an inner wall of the tube portion angled to selectively retain the ball within the annular recess or the pocket and to selectively transfer the ball between the annular recess and the pocket. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The steering column assembly of claim 12, wherein the coupler plate is axially translatable to translate the inner wall of the tube portion to allow the ball to move radially outwardly and out of the pocket or the annular recess. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The steering column assembly of claim 13, wherein the coupler plate includes at least one grounding structure engageable with a non-rotating structure of the steering column assembly to fix the steering wheel in a non-rotational position when the steering wheel is decoupled from the steering shaft. ### Claim 15 A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprising: a steering wheel; a coupler shaft fixed to the steering wheel, the steering wheel and the coupler shaft rotationally coupled to each other, the coupler shaft having an annular ball cage for retaining a plurality of balls; a steering shaft coupled to the coupler shaft, the steering shaft comprising: a first ball retaining structure extending completely around a circumference of the steering shaft; a second ball retaining structure; and a track defined by the steering shaft, the track extending from the first ball retaining structure to the second ball retaining structure to transfer the plurality of balls therebetween; and a coupler plate operatively coupled to the steering wheel and having a tube portion surrounding the plurality of balls, an inner wall of the tube portion angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the steering column assembly to selectively retain the plurality of balls within the first ball retaining structure or the second ball retaining structure and to selectively transfer the plurality of balls between the first ball retaining structure and the second ball retaining structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The steering column assembly of claim 15, wherein the steering wheel is decoupled from the steering shaft when the ball is disposed in the annular recess to permit independent rotation of the steering shaft and the steering wheel during an autonomous driving mode, the steering wheel coupled to the steering shaft when the ball is disposed in the pocket to provide common rotation of the steering shaft and the steering wheel during a manual driving mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The steering column assembly of claim 16, wherein the coupler plate includes at least one grounding structure engageable with a non-rotating structure of the steering column assembly to fix the steering wheel in a non-rotational position when the steering wheel is decoupled from the steering shaft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The steering column assembly of claim 17, wherein the at least one grounding structure comprises at least one pin and the non-rotating structure of the steering column assembly is a steering column jacket. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The steering column assembly of claim 16, further comprising a spring biasing the coupler plate to an axial position that locates the inner wall to retain the ball within the first ball retaining structure or the second ball retaining structure.