# US 9,039,041 B2 · Steering column anti-rotation pin

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- Number: US 9,039,041 B2
- Document ID: US9039041B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/189,578
- Filed: 2014-02-25
- Published: 2014-08-28
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2013-02-28
- Assignees: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
- Applicants: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
- Inventors: Donald A. Buzzard; James C. Russell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039041B2

## CPC

- B62D 1/16: Steering columns
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- Y10T 70/5646: Rotary shaft
- Y10T 74/20636: Detents
- 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)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention, an anti-rotation assembly for a steering column is provided. The anti-rotation assembly includes a bushing and a pin having a detent for engaging the bushing when the pin is inserted into the bushing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An anti-rotation assembly for a steering column, the anti-rotation assembly comprising:
a bushing comprising a main body having an inner wall defining an aperture extending through said main body; and
a pin extending through said aperture, said pin having a detent for engaging said bushing when said pin is inserted into said bushing, and
after installation of said anti-rotation assembly in said steering column, said pin is removable from said bushing and said steering column such that said bushing remains within said steering column.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said pin is non-cylindrical.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said bushing further comprises at least one retractable tab extending from said main body and configured to engage said pin detent.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said bushing further comprises at least two retention tabs extending from said main body and configured to engage a steering column jacket.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The assembly of claim 4, wherein said at least two retention tabs comprises a first pair of opposed retention tabs and a second pair of opposed retention tabs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The assembly of claim 4, wherein each retention tab of said at least two retention tabs includes a retention surface configured to engage the jacket and facilitate preventing removal of said bushing from said jacket when said pin is removed from said bushing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said main body includes a first surface and an opposed second surface, said bushing further comprising:
retractable tabs extending outwardly from said first surface, said retractable tabs configured to engage said pin detent; and
retention tabs extending outwardly from said second surface in a direction away from said first surface, said retention tabs configured to engage a steering column jacket.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The assembly of claim 7, wherein said retractable tabs have distal ends extending toward each other.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The assembly of claim 7, wherein said retention tabs have distal ends extending away from each other.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said pin has a rectangular cross-section.

### Claim 11

A steering column comprising:
a tubular jacket comprising a wall and a first aperture extending through said jacket wall;
a steering shaft oriented at least partially within said tubular jacket, said steering shaft comprising a wall and a second aperture extending through said steering shaft wall; and
an anti-rotation assembly extending through said first and second apertures to facilitate limiting relative rotation between said tubular jacket and said steering shaft, said anti-rotation assembly comprising:
a bushing; and
a pin having a detent for engaging said bushing when said pin is inserted into said bushing, and
said pin is removable from said bushing and said first and second apertures such that said bushing remains within said first aperture.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The steering column of claim 11, wherein said pin is non-cylindrical.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The steering column of claim 11, wherein said bushing comprises at least one retractable tab configured to engage said pin detent.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The steering column of claim 11, wherein said bushing comprises at least two retention tabs configured to engage said tubular jacket.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The steering column of claim 14, wherein said at least two retention tabs comprises a first pair of opposed retention tabs and a second pair of opposed retention tabs.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The steering column of claim 14, wherein each retention tab of said at least two retention tabs includes a retention surface configured to engage said tubular jacket and facilitate preventing removal of said bushing from said tubular jacket when said pin is removed from said bushing.

### Claim 17

A method of assembling a steering column, the method comprising:
providing a tubular jacket comprising a wall and a first aperture extending through the jacket wall;
providing a steering shaft oriented at least partially within the tubular jacket, the steering shaft including a wall and a second aperture extending through the steering shaft wall;
providing an anti-rotation assembly including a bushing and a pin having a detent for engaging the bushing;
inserting the anti-rotation assembly into the first and second apertures to facilitate limiting relative motion between the tubular jacket and the steering shaft; and
removing, after said step of inserting the anti-rotation assembly, the pin from the bushing and the first and second apertures such that the bushing remains within the first aperture.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising inserting the pin into the bushing such that the bushing engages the pin detent.