GB2357118A

GB2357118A - Pivot for rake-adjustable vehicle steering column

Info

Publication number: GB2357118A
Application number: GB9928750A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Thomas Hancock
Original assignee: Nastech Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Nastech Europe Ltd
Priority date: 1999-12-07
Filing date: 1999-12-07
Publication date: 2001-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-07
Also published as: GB9928750D0; DE10060637A1; DE10060637C2; GB2357118B

Abstract

A pivot device (5) for a rake adjustable steering column (1) has a resilient member such as a plastics tube (7) receiving the steering column shaft and a second member such as an extruded bracket (8) fixed to a vehicle cross beam pivotally receives the tube (7). The pivotal interface of the tube (7) with the bracket (8) is part spherical. To eliminate clearance between the tube 7 and the bracket (8), the tube (7) has compression zones (12) and a compression ring (15) compresses the tube 7 into its pivotal relationship with the bracket (8).

Description

2357118 PIVOT DEVICE FOR RAKE ADJUSTABLE STEERING COLUMN FOR A VEHICLE

This invention relates to a pivot device for a rake adjustable steering column for a vehicle.

One of the problems associated with known steering columns that are rake adjustable, i.e. in the up and down directions relative to the driver, is that play can develop between the relatively moving parts and in particular where the lower part of the steering column is pivotally attached to a fixing point of the vehicle.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pivot device for a rake adjustable steering column for a vehicle comprising a first member of resilient material formed to receive part of a steering column shaft within it and a second member pivotally to receive said first member, the pivotal interface of the first member with the second member being part spherical and there being means to compress the first member into its pivotal relationship with the second member to take up clearance between the members.

The first member may be of plastics material and may be in the form of a plastics tube to receive a steering shaft within it.

The second member may be in the form of a bracket receiving the first member. The bracket can be fixed, for example, to a vehicle cross beam. The bracket may be an extruded member.

2 In order to take up clearance between the members, the first member may be provided with compression zones where the first member can be compressed upon application of compression forces by said means. The compression zones can comprise hollow pockets in the region of the pivotal interface.

The first and second members may be so shaped as to locate the first member within the second member in a set radial location with respect to the axis of the steering shaft.

The means to compress the first member into its pivotal relationship with the second member can comprise a pre-loaded compression ring located on one side of the second member and acting in an axial direction between the first and second members. On the other side of the second member, in an axial direction, the part-spherical form of the first member may be provided with a detent having a pivot lobe against which the. pre-load provided by the compression ring can react.

The compression ring can be located by means of a location device which may be a circlip or wire clip passing through the first member and the compression ring.

The invention also extends to a rake adjustable steering column for a vehicle incorporating a pivot device as essentially defined above.

3 For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a rake adjustable steering column for a vehicle incorporating the present pivot device; Fig. 1A is a view of the encircled part on arrow B in Fig. 1; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pivot device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is side view of the pivot device shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view illustrating a feature of the pivot device; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a vehicle steering column including a steering column shaft 1 having a steering wheel at one end. The steering column has a rake adjustment system 3 to allow adjustment of the steering column in the direction of the arrows C. A steering column rack 4 is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1.

4 As part of the rake adjustment system, the lower region of the steering column is pivoted by a pivot device 5 and the rake adjustment system 3 and pivot device 5 are mounted to fixing points 6 to the vehicle.

The pivot device 5 includes a first member of resilient material in the form of a plastics tube 7 receiving the steering column shaft 1 within it. A second member, in the form of an extruded bracket 8 fixed to a vehicle cross car beam at the fixing point 6, pivotally receives the plastics tube 7.

As shown in Fig. 2, the pivotal interface of the plastics tube 7 with the bracket 6 is a part-spherical rotational sliding face 9.

Fig. 5, the tube 7 is radially located in the bracket 8 by opposed flat faces 10. Reliefs 11 are provided in the tube 7 to allow for rotation of the tube within the bracket.

In order to eliminate clearance between the tube 7 and the bracket 8 at the pivotal interfaces, the tube 7 is provided with compression zones 12 which are hollow portions within the tube itself and the tube in the region of these compression zones 11 is compressed to take up clearance between the tube 7 and bracket 8.

With the steering column shaft 1 supported by a bearing 13 within the plastics tube 7, the tube 7 is axially located at the bracket 8 by on the one hand a formed pivot point 14 on the rotation axis and on the other hand by a pre-loaded formed pivot point 15 on the rotation axis. This pre-load is provided by a compression ring 16 surrounding the tube 7 on the opposite side of bracket 8 to the formed pivot point 14, the compression ring 15 being held in compression by any suitable location device such as a circlip or wire clip 17 (Fig. 4) passing through the compression ring 16 and the plastics tube 7.

Accordingly, with the tube 7 compressed at the compression zones 12 and pre-loaded by the compression ring 15 and opposed pivot point 14, a low-cost pivot device for the steering column is provided.

6

Claims

1. A pivot device for a rake adjustable steering column for a vehicle comprising a first member of resilient material formed to receive part of a steering column shaft within it and a second member pivotally to receive said first member, the pivotal interface of the first member with the second member being part spherical and there being means to compress the first member into its pivotal relationship with the second member to take up clearance between the members.

2. A pivot device according to claim 1, wherein the first member is of plastics material.

3. A pivot device according to claim 2, wherein the first member is in the form of a tube to receive a steering shaft within it.

4. A pivot device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the second member is in the form of a bracket receiving the first member.

5. A pivot device according to claim 4, wherein the bracket is fixable to a vehicle cross beam.

6. A pivot device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first member is provided with compression zones where the first member can be compressed upon application of compression forces by said means to compress the first member in order to take up clearance between the members.

7 7. A pivot device according to claim 6, wherein the compression zones comprise hollow pockets in the region of the pivotal interface.

8. A pivot device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second members are so shaped as to locate the first member within the second member in a set radial location with respect to the axis of the steering shaft.

9. A pivot device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means to compress the first member into its pivotal relationship with the second member comprises a pre-loaded compression ring located on one side of the second member and acting in an axial direction between the first and second members.

10. A pivot device according to claim 9 wherein, on the other side of the second member, in an axial direction, the pa.rt-spherical form of the first member is provided with a detent having a pivot lobe against which the pre-load provided by the compression ring can react.

11. A pivot device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the compression ring is located by means of a location device which is a circlip or wire clip passing through the first member and the compression ring.

12. A pivot device for a rake adjustable steering column for a vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A rake adjustable steering column for a veh. icle incorporating a pivot device according to any one of the preceding claims.