Ball coupling assembly for steering column assembly
AssigneeSteering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
InventorsBrian J. Magnus, John S. Beam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle includes a steering wheel and an upper steering shaft rigidly coupled to the steering wheel. Also included is a lower steering shaft operatively coupled to the upper steering shaft. Further included is a ball coupling assembly comprising balls retained within the upper steering shaft, the balls disposed in a first radial position that engages the balls with the upper steering shaft and the lower steering shaft to place the steering shafts in a coupled condition, the balls disposed in a second radial position that disengages the balls from at least one of the upper steering shaft and the lower steering shaft to place the steering shafts in a decoupled condition.
Claims19
A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle having a steering wheel, the assembly comprising:
- an upper column steering shaft rigidly coupled to the steering wheel;
- a lower column steering shaft operatively coupled to the upper column steering shaft;
- and
- a ball coupling assembly for switching the upper column steering shaft and the lower column steering shaft between a coupled condition and a decoupled condition, the ball coupling assembly comprising:
- a plurality of balls retained within the upper column steering shaft;
- a plurality of pockets circumferentially spaced from each other and defined by the lower steering shaft, each of the pockets sized to receive a portion of one of the plurality of balls;
- a collar surrounding the balls, the collar having an angled portion of an inner wall disposed in contact with the balls;
- and
- a collar actuating mechanism for selectively axially translating the collar between a coupled condition and a decoupled condition.
A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle having a steering wheel, the assembly comprising:
- an upper column steering shaft rigidly coupled to the steering wheel;
- a lower column steering shaft operatively coupled to the upper column steering shaft;
- and
- a ball coupling assembly for switching the upper column steering shaft and the lower column steering shaft between a coupled condition and a decoupled condition, the ball coupling assembly comprising:
- a plurality of balls retained within respective holes defined by the lower column steering shaft in a single axial plane;
- a central pin disposed within a bore of the lower column steering shaft and axially translatable therein;
- an annular recess defined by the central pin;
- and
- a central pin actuating mechanism for axially translating the central pin, the balls disposed at a first radial position that disposes the balls within the annular recess to place the upper and lower column steering shafts in a decoupled condition, the balls disposed at a second radial position that disposes the balls in abutment with a radially outer surface of the central pin and within the holes of the lower column steering shaft and holes of the upper column steering shaft to place the upper and lower column steering shafts in a coupled condition, the coupled condition providing common rotation of the upper and lower column steering shafts and the decoupled condition permitting independent rotation of the upper and lower column steering shafts.
A steering column assembly for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle having a steering wheel, the assembly comprising:
- an upper column steering shaft rigidly coupled to the steering wheel;
- a lower column steering shaft operatively coupled to the upper column steering shaft;
- and
- a ball coupling assembly comprising a plurality of balls retained within the upper column steering shaft, the balls disposed in a first radial position that engages the balls with the upper column steering shaft and the lower column steering shaft to place the upper and lower column steering shafts in a coupled condition, the balls disposed in a second radial position that disengages the balls from at least one of the upper column steering shaft and the lower column steering shaft to place the upper and lower column steering shafts in a decoupled condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.