Patent Application
20190017539
Vehicles may be provided with an intermediate steering shaft assembly that connects a portion of a steering shaft to a steering gear input shaft. The intermediate steering shaft assembly is connected to the steering shaft and to the steering gear input shaft by respective yokes. A length of the intermediate shaft may be adjusted to aid in the assembly process of the steering shaft assembly into the vehicle.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an adjustable steering shaft assembly.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a steering shaft assembly is provided. The steering shaft assembly includes an outer member and an inner member. The outer member has an inner wall and an outer wall that each extend from an outer member first end to an outer member second end along a first axis. The outer member defines a first key way that extends along a second axis from the inner wall towards the outer wall and extends along the first axis between the outer member first end and the outer member second end. The inner member has an outer surface that extends from an inner member first end to an inner member second end along the first axis. The inner member has a first key that extends along the second axis away from the first axis and extends along the first axis between the inner member first end and the inner member second end. The first key is at least partially received within the first key way.
According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a steering shaft assembly is provided. The steering shaft assembly includes an outer member and an inner member. The outer member defines a first key way that extends from an outer member first end towards an outer member second end along a first axis and extends from an inner wall towards an outer wall along a second axis that is disposed transverse to the first axis. The inner member is at least partially received within the outer member. The inner member has a first key that extends along the second axis from an inner member first end towards an inner member second end and is at least partially received within the first key way.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter which is regarded as the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to the Figures, the present disclosure will be described with reference to specific embodiments, without limiting same, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative of the present disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The Figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
Referring to
The outer member 12 includes an inner wall 20 and an outer wall 22 each extending from an outer member first end 24 towards an outer member second end 26 along a first axis 28. The outer member second end 26 is operatively connected to a first yoke, as shown in
Referring to
Referring to
The second key way 32 is disposed opposite the first key way 30 and has a substantially similar configuration as the first key way 30. The second key way 32 extends along the first axis 28 between the outer member first end 24 and the outer member second end 26. The second key way 32 extends along the second axis 40 from the inner wall 20 towards the outer wall 22. The extension of the second key way 32 along the second axis 40 forms or defines a second protrusion 60. The second protrusion 60 is defined by the outer wall 22 and extends along the second axis 40. The second protrusion 60 is disposed opposite the first protrusion 42. The second protrusion 60 is proximately aligned with the second key way 32 along the second axis 40.
Referring to
The inner member 14 is at least partially received within the outer member 12 along the first axis 28, as shown in
The inner member 14 defines a first notch 80 and a first trough 82. The first notch 80 extends from the inner member first end 72 towards the inner member second end 74 along the first axis 28. The first notch 80 extends from the outer surface 70 towards the first axis 28 along the second axis 40. The first notch 80 has a first depth that is measured from the outer surface 70 to a floor 84 of the first notch 80.
The first trough 82 extends between an end of the first notch 80 towards the inner member second end 74 along the first axis 28. The first trough 82 extends from the outer surface 70 towards the first axis 28 along the second axis 40. The first trough 82 has a second depth that is measured from the outer surface 70 to a floor 86 of the first trough 82. The second depth being less than the first depth.
The inner member 14 includes a first key 90 and the second key 92. The first key 90 and the second key 92 are arranged to be sliding keys, enabling to the inner member 14 to slide relative to the outer member 12 along the first axis 28. The first key 90 extends from the inner member first end 72 towards the inner member second end 74 along the first axis 28. The first key 90 extends along the second axis 40 away from the first axis 28 and is at least partially received within the first key way 30, as shown in
The first key 90 includes a first key surface 100, a second key surface 102, and a third key surface 104 that extends between the first key surface 100 and the second key surface 102. The first key surface 100 and the second key surface 102 each extend from the outer surface 70 towards the third key surface 104. In at least one embodiment, the first key surface 100 and the second key surface 102 become progressively closer to each other in a direction that extends along the second axis 40 from the first axis 28 towards the third key surface 104.
Referring to
Referring to
The compressive load 110 causes the elastic deformation of the outer member 12 such that the outer member 12 grows or elongates along the second axis 40 creating clearance between the first key 90 and the first key way 30 (and creates clearance between the second key 92 and the second key way 32) to facilitate relative translation between the outer member 12 and the inner member 14 along the first axis 28 to vary a total length of the steering shaft assembly 10. The total length of the steering shaft assembly 10 may be adjusted while the compressive load 110 is being applied to the outer member 12 by a tool assembly 114 to aid in the installation of the steering shaft assembly 10 into a vehicle.
The releasing of the compressive load 110 causes the outer member 12 to return to its previous shape due to its modulus of elasticity.
The second key 92 is disposed opposite the first key 90. The second key 92 has a substantially similar configuration as the first key 90. The second key 92 extends along the first axis 28 between the inner member first end 72 and the inner member second end 74. The second key 92 extends along the second axis 40 away from the first axis 28 and is at least partially received within the second key way 32, as shown in
A desired torsional resistance of the steering shaft assembly 10 may be obtained by adjusting an amount of interference between the first key 90 and the first key way 30 as well as adjusting an amount of interference between the second key 92 and the second key way 32. Furthermore, responsive to a vehicle impact event the first key 90 and the second key 92 may move axially along the first axis 28 within their respective key ways 30, 32 to enable the collapsing of the steering shaft assembly 10 and may absorb energy.
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The first protrusion 132 extends from an inner surface of the retainer body 130 in a direction that is disposed generally parallel to the second axis 40 and is at least partially received within the first trough 82. The second protrusion 134 is disposed opposite the first protrusion 132. The second protrusion 134 extends from the inner surface of the retainer body 130 in a direction that is disposed generally parallel to the second axis 40 and is at least partially received within a second trough 142 that is disposed opposite the first trough 82 and has a substantially similar configuration as the first trough 82.
The first retaining arm 136 and the second retaining arm 138 each extend from a face of the retainer body 130 that abuts the outer member first end 24. The first retaining arm 136 and the second retaining arm 138 extend towards the outer member second end 26. At least one of the first retaining arm 136 and the second retaining arm 38 is at least partially received within the retaining groove 34.
Referring to
A pivot 170 is defined between the first arm 150 and second arm 152 proximate the first jaw 160 and the second jaw 164. The pivot 170 enables to the first jaw 160 and the second jaw 164 to move relative to each other when a force is applied to at least one of the first lever arm 162 and the second lever arm 166. A length of the first lever arm 162 and the second lever arm 166 is chosen to such that a desired compressive load is applied to the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10 by the first jaw 160 and the second jaw 164, responsive to a manual force that is applied to at least one of the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 and the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152.
A first distance, L1, measured between the pivot 170 and a location where the force is applied along the length of at least one of the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 and the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152 is greater than a second distance, L2, measured between the pivot 170 and a location where the compressive load 110 is applied to the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10 along the length of at least one of the first jaw 160 of the first arm 150 and the second jaw 164 of the second arm 152.
The locking mechanism 154 is arranged to maintain the force applied to the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10 by the first jaw 160 and the second jaw 164 during assembly of the steering shaft assembly 10. The locking mechanism 154 includes a ratchet arm 180 and a detent 182. The ratchet arm 180 is pivotally connected to at least one of the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 and/or the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152. The ratchet arm 180 may be spring loaded and may be provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth. The detent 182 is disposed on or extends from the other of the at least one of the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 and/or the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152. The ratchet arm 180 maintains the compressive load on the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10 by the detent 182 engaging or interacting with the plurality of ratchet teeth of the ratchet arm 180. The compressive load may be released by applying a load to at least one of the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 and/or the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152 and moving the ratchet arm 180 away from the detent 182. At least one of the first jaw 160 of the first arm 150 or the second jaw 164 of the second arm 152 moves away from the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10 to release the compressive load and permit easy removal of the tool assembly 114 from the steering shaft assembly 10 during assembly.
Referring to
The clamp actuator 190 is operatively connected to the first lever arm 162 of first arm 150 and the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152. The clamp actuator 190 includes a drive member 194 and an actuator housing 196. The drive member 194 is operatively connected to the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 and responsive to operation of the clamp actuator 190, the drive member 194 moves the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 relative to the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152 such that at least one of the first jaw 160 and the second jaw 164 to selectively apply the compressive load 110 to the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10.
The actuator housing 196 includes a button or a switch member 198 that is movable between a load position and an unload position. The load position is a position in which the drive member 194 moves the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 relative to the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152 such that at least one of the first jaw 160 and the second jaw 164 to applies the compressive load 110 to the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10. The unload position is a position in which the drive member 194 moves the first lever arm 162 of the first arm 150 relative to the second lever arm 166 of the second arm 152 such that at least one of the first jaw 160 and the second jaw 164 to remove the compressive load 110 from the outer member 12 of the steering shaft assembly 10 to allow removal of the tool assembly 114′ from the steering shaft assembly 10 during assembly.
The present disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure may be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of or combinations of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.
