US 2012/0073399 A1Published application

Steering column assembly

AssigneeKongsberg Power Products Systems AB

InventorTobias Olsson

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Abstract

A steering column assembly includes an outer jacket defining a through aperture and an inner jacket slidably disposed within the outer jacket. A plurality of steering shafts are movable relative to one another within the inner jacket. A frictional plate is disposed within the through aperture for selectively engaging the inner jacket. A radial force transmitting assembly is coupled to the frictional plate and applies a force on the frictional plate causing the frictional plate to engage the inner jacket. The radial force transmitting assembly includes a first cam member and a second cam each coupled to the frictional plate and each including a plurality of inclined surfaces facing one another. A lever is coupled to one of the cam members for rotating the other of the cam members for applying a force on the frictional plate to prevent movement of the steering shafts.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Steering column assembly (12) with steering shafts (31, 32) axially movable along an axis but prevented from rotating about the axis in relation to each other and disposed in a column jacket (8, 9) which column jacket comprises an outer jacket (8) and an inner jacket (9), the inner jacket (9) being axially slidably along the axis and disposed in the outer jacket (8) which is provided with a first through aperture (44) extending through the outer jacket (8) in which aperture a frictional plate (6) is located and provided with radially force transmitting assembly (2, 4, 5, 46) arranged for applying a radial directed force relative to the axis on the frictional plate (6) resulting in the frictional plate being pressed against the inner jacket (9) while maneuvering the force transmitting assembly (2, 4, 5, 46), with the force transmitting assembly (2, 4, 5, 46) comprising a first cam member (4) and a second cam member (5) each of which include a number of inclined surfaces (510, 520, 410, 420) facing each other and with one of the cam members (4) fixedly mounted in relation to the frictional plate (6) while the other cam member (5) is rotationally mounted in relation to the frictional plate (6) and operated by a lever (17) in order to provide a radial displacement force relative to the axis between the two cam members (4, 5) by said surfaces which displacement force provides a radial motion acting upon the frictional plate (6) and directed towards the inner jacket (9).

A steering column assembly comprising:

an outer jacket defining a first through aperture;
an inner jacket defining an axis and slidably disposed along the axis within the outer jacket;
a plurality of steering shafts movable relative to one another along the axis and disposed within the inner jacket;
a frictional plate disposed within the first through aperture of the outer jacket and selectively engaging the inner jacket;
a radial force transmitting assembly coupled to the frictional plate for applying a force on the frictional plate radially relative to the axis which causes the frictional plate to engage the inner jacket, the radial force transmitting assembly comprising:
a first cam member and a second cam each coupled to the frictional plate such that at least one of the first and second cam members is rotatable relative to the frictional plate with the first cam member having a first plurality of inclined surfaces and the second cam member having a second plurality of inclined surfaces facing the first plurality of inclined surfaces;
and
a lever coupled to one of the first and second cam members for rotating the other of the second and first cam members for applying a radial force relative to the axis on the frictional plate through the cam members such that the frictional plate engages the inner jacket for preventing axial movement of the steering shafts along the axis.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.