Telescopically length variable steering column arrangement

A telescopically length variable steering column arrangement for a motor vehicle having an axis and comprising:

• at least two telescopically and torque transmittingly interengaging steering column elements rotatably mounted in a bearing system;
• a steering wheel allocated to a first one of said steering column elements for connection through a second one of said steering column elements with steering control means;
• fluid locking means provided within at least one of said at least two steering column elements for locking said steering column elements in a plurality of selectable relative axial positions;
• locking valve means operatively coupled to said fluid locking means for selectively locking and unlocking said fluid locking means;
• locking control means operatively coupled to said locking valve means and accessible to the vehicle operator for controlling said locking valve means;
• and
• means biasing said steering column elements towards a terminal relative position, said steering column elements being axially moved towards said terminal relative position by said biasing means upon the opening of said locking valve means.

A telescopically length variable steering column arrangement for a motor vehicle having an axis and comprising:

• at least two telescopically and torque-transmittingly interengaging steering column elements rotatably mounted in a bearing system;
• a steering wheel (1) allocated to a first one of said steering column elements for connection through a second one of said steering column elements with steering control means;
• fluid locking means provided within at least one of said at least two steering column elements for locking said steering column elements in a plurality of selectable relative axial positions;
• locking valve means (22, 23, 24) operatively coupled to said fluid locking means for selectively locking and unlocking said fluid locking means;
• and
• locking control means operatively coupled to said locking valve means and accessible to the vehicle operator for controlling said locking valve means.

A telescopically length variable steering column arrangement for a motor vehicle, having a steering-column axis and comprising:

• at least two telescopically and torque-transmittingly interengaging steering column elements (3, 6) rotatably mounted in a bearing system (10, 11);
• a steering wheel (1) allocated to a first one (3) of the steering column elements (3, 6) for connection by a second one (6) of the steering column elements (3, 6) with steering control means;
• locking means for locking the steering column elements in selectable relative axial positions, comprising two chambers (20, 21) filled with a liquid, which have individual volumes which depend on the selected relative axial position of the steering column elements, and which have a substantially fixed combined volume;
• valve means (24) in a hydraulic passage (22, 23) between the chambers (20, 21), having open and closed positions, for transfer of liquid between the chambers (20, 21) in the open position and for hydraulic locking between the chambers (20, 21) in the closed position;
• and
• control means (15) operatively coupled to the valve means (24) and accessible to a vehicle operator for controlling the valve means (24).

A telescopically length variable steering column arrangement for a motor vehicle, having a steering-column axis and comprising;

• at least two telescopically and torque-transmittingly interengaging steering column elements (3, 6) rotatably mounted in a bearing system (10, 11);
• a steering wheel (1) allocated to a first one (3) of the steering column elements (3, 6) for connection by a second one (6) of the steering column elements (3, 6) with steering control means;
• locking means for locking the steering column elements in selectable relative axial positions, comprising two chambers (20, 21) filled with a liquid, which have individual volumes which depend on the selected relative axial position of the steering column elements, and which have a substantially fixed combined volume;
• the two chambers (20, 21) being disposed within a cylinder-piston unit (4) comprising a cylindrical tube member (6) having a tube-member axis and two ends and a piston unit (5, 19) axially movable with respect to the cylindrical tube member (6), the piston unit (5, 19) comprising a rod member (5) sealingly movable in axial direction through one of the two ends of the cylindrical tube member (6) and a piston member (19) fixed to the rod member (6) and separating the two chambers (20, 21) from each other within the cylindrical tube member (6), a first one (20) of the two chambers (20, 21) being disposed axially between the one end and the piston member (19), a second one (21) of the chambers (20, 21) being disposed axially between the piston member (19) and a partition of the cylindrical tube member (6), the piston unit (5, 19) having an extension (25) on the side remote from the one end, the extension (25) having a diameter which is substantially equal to the diameter of the rod member (5), and the extension (25) sealingly extending through the partition and being axially movable with respect to the partition in response to axial movement of the piston unit (5, 19) with respect to the cylindrical tube member (6), the cylindrical tube member (6) having a tube extension beyond the partition defining a further chamber (29), which further chamber (29) is substantially free of gas pressure;
• valve means (24) in a hydraulic passage (22, 23) between the chambers (20, 21), having open and closed positions, for transfer of liquid between the chambers (20, 21) in the open position and for hydraulic locking between the chambers (20, 21) in the closed position;
• and
• control means (15) operatively coupled to the valve means (24) and accessible to a vehicle operator for controlling the valve means (24).