Position lock for steering column
AssigneeSteering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
InventorsMichael P. Anspaugh, Melvin L. Tinnin, John Schulz, Donald A. Buzzard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A position lock for a steering column comprises a rake lock bracket, a tooth lock and a driver. The rake lock bracket is fixed to the vehicle has a rake lock tooth wall that bounds a control slot and that defines a plurality of rake lock teeth. The tooth lock is coupled to the steering column for movement in a raking direction and supported for rotation about a tooth lock rotation axis. The driver, supported for translation with the tooth lock and for rotation about a driver rotation axis, is configured for contacting an actuation feature of the tooth lock so as to cause the tooth lock to rotate with the driver as the driver rotates within the active range of rotation of the driver.
Claims7
A position lock for selectively resisting or facilitating raking movement of a steering column, the position lock comprising:
- a rake lock bracket disposed adjacent to the steering column along a direction of raking movement of the steering column, the rake lock bracket having a rake lock tooth wall that bounds a control slot and that defines a plurality of rake lock teeth;
- a tooth lock coupled to the steering column for movement with the steering column in a raking direction and supported for rotation about a tooth lock rotation axis;
- a driver supported for translation with the tooth lock and for rotation about a driver rotation axis, the driver configured and positioned for contacting an actuation feature of the tooth lock within an active range of rotation of the driver so as to cause the tooth lock to rotate with the driver as the driver rotates within the active range of rotation of the driver;
- and
- the tooth lock being configured for engaging, upon rotation in locking direction, at least one tooth of the plurality of rake lock teeth so as to selectively resist translation of the tooth lock and the steering column in the raking direction;
- the tooth lock being configured for disengaging, upon rotation in an adjustment direction, from the at least one tooth of the plurality of rake lock teeth so as to selectively facilitate translation of the tooth lock and the steering column in the raking direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.