# US 5,481,938 A · Position control apparatus for steering column

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- Number: US 5,481,938 A
- Document ID: US5481938A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/236,075
- Filed: 1994-05-02
- Granted: 1996-01-09
- Earliest claimed: 1994-05-02
- Assignees: General Motors Corporation
- Inventors: Richard T. Stuedemann; Russell L. Herlache; Ray G. Armstrong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5481938A

## CPC

- F16D 1/12: allowing adjustment of the parts about the axis (during motion F16D3/10)
- B62D 1/184: Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
- Y10S 411/961: Pawl and ratchet
- Y10T 74/2066: Friction
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- 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)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A position control apparatus for a raked steering column including a stationary bracket having a pair of vertical legs on opposite sides of the steering column, a spacer on the steering column between the legs of the stationary bracket, and a clamp on the steering column for squeezing the legs of the stationary bracket against the spacer. The clamp includes a long bolt spanning the legs of the stationary bracket, a nut on the bolt, a one-way clutch between a head of the bolt and the stationary bracket permitting rotation of the bolt in only a tension-increasing direction, and a snap-on operating lever rotatable as a unit with the nut. After assembly on a vehicle, the clamp afforded by the bolt can be adjusted without changing the terminal positions of the lever by rotating the head of the bolt in a tension increasing direction while the operating lever is maintained in a clamped terminal position corresponding to maximum bolt tension between the vertical legs of the stationary bracket.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A position control apparatus for a rake adjustable motor vehicle steering column comprising:
a stationary bracket having a first vertical leg with a first substantially vertical slot therein and a second vertical leg with a second substantially vertical slot therein disposed on opposite sides of a mast jacket of said steering column,
a bolt rotatably supported on said mast jacket spanning said first and said second vertical legs through said first and said second substantially vertical slots having a head outboard of said first vertical leg and a screw thread portion outboard of said second vertical leg,
a nut outboard of said second vertical leg engaging said screw thread portion of said bolt such that relative rotation between said bolt and said nut in a clamping direction tensions said bolt between said first and said second vertical legs and relative rotation in an opposite releasing direction releases said bolt tension between said first and said second vertical legs,
a one-way clutch means between said bolt head and said first vertical leg operative to permit rotation of said bolt relative to said first vertical leg in only said bolt tensioning direction,
an operating lever, and
means connecting said operating lever to said nut for rotation as a unit therewith between a clamped position corresponding to maximum bolt tension between said first and said second vertical legs and a released position corresponding to minimum bolt tension between said first and said second vertical legs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The position control apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said means connecting said operating lever to said nut for rotation as a unit therewith includes:
a snap-on connecting means between said operating lever and said nut.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The position control apparatus recited in claim 2 further including:
means on said snap-on connecting means operative to release said operating lever from said nut.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The position control apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said one-way clutch means includes:
a ratchet wheel rotatably supported on said bolt between said bolt head and said first vertical leg,
means on said ratchet wheel and on said stationary bracket operative to prevent rotation of said ratchet wheel relative to said first vertical leg without restricting movement of said bolt in said first substantially vertical slot,
means defining a circular array of ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheel on a side thereof facing said bolt head,
a ratchet driver between said bolt head and said ratchet wheel having a pawl with a drive tooth thereon biased against said circular array of ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheel such that said ratchet driver is rotatable relative to said ratchet wheel in only said bolt tensioning direction, and
means connecting said ratchet driver to said bolt for unitary rotation so that said bolt is rotatable in only said bolt tensioning direction relative to said stationary bracket.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The position control apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein said means connecting said ratchet driver to said bolt includes:
means on said ratchet driver defining a socket shaped to closely receive said bolt head.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The position control apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein:
each of said ratchet wheel and said ratchet driver are unitary molded plastic elements.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The position control apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein:
each of said ratchet wheel and said ratchet driver are molded as a unit and tethered together by an integral plastic bridge.