BE1029836B1 - Steering column for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steering column (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing tube (22) in which a steering spindle (31) is mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis (L) running in the longitudinal direction, and which is accommodated in an outer casing (21) so as to be telescopically adjustable in the longitudinal direction, wherein a roller guide (6) has at least one roller (61) which is mounted on the outer casing (21) so as to be rotatable about a roller axis (62) lying transversely to the longitudinal axis (L) on a radially displaceable bearing carrier (63), and which can roll with its outer circumference on the casing tube (22) in the longitudinal direction, wherein a pretensioning device (7) cooperates with the bearing carrier (63) in order to pretension the roller (61) against the casing tube (22). In order to enable improved adaptation to an existing installation space and an optimized support effect, the invention proposes that the roller guide (6) has at least two rollers (61) mounted on a bearing carrier (63), which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction and whose roller axes (62) are arranged at an angle relative to one another.

Description

tBE2022/5893

Steering column for a motor vehicle

State of the art

The invention relates to a steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing tube in which a steering spindle is mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis running in the longitudinal direction, and which is accommodated in an outer casing so as to be telescopically adjustable in the longitudinal direction, wherein a roller guide has at least one roller which is mounted on the outer casing about a transverse axis to the

The roller axis lying along the longitudinal axis is rotatably mounted on a radially displaceable bearing support, and the outer circumference of which can roll along the casing tube in the longitudinal direction, wherein a preloading device cooperates with the bearing support to preload the roller against the casing tube, wherein the roller guide has at least two rollers mounted on a bearing support, which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction, and whose roller axes are arranged at an angle relative to one another.

To enter manual steering commands, a steering wheel or other manual steering handle is attached to the rear end of the steering spindle facing the driver, which is mounted in a casing unit so that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis. This comprises a

Jacket pipe, which is enclosed in an outer jacket, which is also known as a guide box or

Box-shaped swing arm, which can be described as telescopically adjustable in the longitudinal direction given by the longitudinal axis. The outer casing is held on the vehicle body by a support unit. By pushing in or pulling out the casing tube relative to the outer casing, the steering column can be adjusted longitudinally to adjust the steering wheel position.

Simple telescopic arrangements are known which comprise the outer casing and the casing tube as telescopic elements, and also three- or multiple-telescopic arrangements in which one or more further casing tubes or inner casings are telescopically accommodated in the casing tube.

In order to enable smooth and low-play adjustment, it is known to provide a linear roller guide between the outer casing and the casing tube, as described, for example, in DE 10 2022 201 101 B1. This comprises a roller which is mounted so as to be rotatable relative to the outer casing about its roller axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axis.

? BE2022/5893 which can roll longitudinally on the outside of the casing tube. To ensure play-free rolling, the roller is mounted in a bearing carrier that can be moved radially relative to the outer casing, i.e. in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The bearing carrier is loaded radially inwards with a preloading force by a preloading device, which can, for example, comprise a spring element or the like supported against the outer casing. This allows the roller to be held in play-free rolling contact with the outside of the casing tube.

One or more support rollers mounted in fixed bearings on the outer casing can be located opposite the pre-tensionable roller in a pre-tensioning plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.

The well-known telescopic arrangement enables smooth, play-free adjustment with high rigidity. However, the arrangement of the pre-tensioned roller protrudes relatively far radially in one direction. This makes adaptation to the available installation space more difficult. In addition, the support effect achievable by a single pre-tensioned roller is limited.

A similarly constructed steering column, which however does not have a radially displaceable bearing carrier, is known from GB 2 579 375 A1.

In view of the problems explained above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved adaptation to an existing installation space and an optimized

to enable a supporting effect.

Description of the invention

This object is achieved according to the invention by the steering column with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments emerge from the subclaims.

In a steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing tube in which a steering spindle is mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis running in the longitudinal direction, and which is accommodated in an outer casing so as to be telescopically adjustable in the longitudinal direction, wherein a roller guide has at least one roller which is mounted on the outer casing so as to be rotatable about a roller axis lying transversely to the longitudinal axis on a radially displaceable bearing carrier, and which can roll with its outer circumference on the casing tube in the longitudinal direction, wherein a pretensioning device cooperates with the bearing carrier in order to pretension the roller against the casing tube, it is provided according to the invention that the roller guide has at least two on a

Bearing carrier has rollers mounted which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction and whose

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Roller axes are arranged at an angle relative to one another, wherein the two bearing supports are elastically supported against one another and/or against a common support element to which the bearing supports are attached via a preloading device.

According to the invention, a paired arrangement with at least two, preferably with exactly two pre-tensioned rollers is realized, which are arranged in a pre-tensioning plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis. The rollers are arranged in circumferentially spaced-apart circumferential sections of a circumferential circle that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis and lies in the pre-tensioning plane, with the respective roller axis being aligned tangentially to the circumferential circle and tangent to it at a point of contact. Accordingly, the points of contact are offset relative to one another around the longitudinal axis by an angle a > 0°, and the roller axes are at an angle to one another B = 180°- a, i.e. B < 180°.

It is preferred that the rollers are arranged at an angle a relative to each other, where: 30° < a < 90°. Particularly preferably, a can be about 60°, whereby an optimized support of the casing pipe can be realized within a semicircle.

Because in the invention two pre-tensioned rollers are arranged offset in the circumferential direction instead of the one pre-tensioned roller in the prior art, the radial construction height can be reduced, which means that the available installation space can be better utilized. Because transverse forces acting on the casing tube are supported by the at least two offset rollers in different angular directions, the support effect and the natural frequency of the steering column are advantageously increased.

According to the invention, at least two bearing supports are provided, each of which supports at least one roller, and which are preferably independent of one another relative to the

Benmantel can be moved. This allows a secure rolling contact of the rollers and an improved guidance and support of the roller guide to be achieved.

The bearing supports are attached to a support element. The support element is connected to the

Benmantel and supports the bearing carrier(s) radially outwards. The

Preloading force can be exerted by the carrier element in a radially inward direction on the bearing supports, for example by a spring element that is effectively inserted between the carrier element and the bearing support(s). The carrier element can, for example, have a spring element that is attached to the outside of the outer casing and at least partially covers the opening.

* BE2022/5893 covering cover plate, which is fixed to the outer casing, for example via a detachable or non-detachable connection, preferably on the outside of the outer casing.

The use of a common support element for two bearing supports designed and arranged according to the invention enables simplified assembly, reduced installation space requirements and high functional and operational reliability.

According to the invention, it is further provided that the bearing supports are elastically supported against each other and/or against a common support element via the pre-tensioning device. Two

Bearing carriers can be connected, for example, by a common spring element or by two

Spring elements are supported against the support element. It is also possible for the pre-tensioning device, for example a spring element, to be arranged between the two bearing supports and to load them relative to one another. The bearing supports can be loaded with the pre-tensioning force against the casing tube via a guide device. One advantage of this is that a structurally simple and yet robust arrangement is possible.

Preferably, it can be provided that two bearing supports are arranged at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction. The bearing supports can preferably be displaced radially independently of one another.

One could also say that the bearing supports are floating. This allows the

Pre-tensioning force can be applied individually to the rollers so that optimum rolling contact between all rollers and the casing pipe can be ensured in every operating situation, particularly when high transverse forces are applied.

Preferably, a bearing carrier extends in the circumferential direction over a circumferential section, and particularly preferably two bearing carriers arranged next to one another in the circumferential direction together also extend over only one circumferential section. The

In this case, the circumferential section always extends over an angular section of less than 180°.

It is advantageous that a bearing carrier is guided on guide surfaces of the outer casing. Preferably, all bearing carriers are guided in this way, for example by the bearing carriers being mounted on the

Can slide along guide surfaces, with at least one radially directed movement component of the guide. This specifies a defined displacement of the bearing carrier(s) relative to the casing tube along a guide track. In this way, a forced guide, for example a sliding guide, can be implemented so that the preload force is introduced radially into the rollers in the direction defined by the guide.

> BE2022/5893

It can preferably be provided that the bearing supports are arranged in an opening in the outer casing. The opening can preferably be designed as a continuous

The opening can be designed as an opening, or as a recess that is open radially inwards. The opening or recess can have guide surfaces on which the bearing carrier(s) are guided in the radial direction. The advantage here is the easy accessibility for mounting the roller guide, in which the bearing carrier with the rollers and the preloading device can be inserted into the outer casing from the outside. In the circumferential direction, the opening preferably extends over an angular section of less than 180°.

It is advantageous that at least one spring element is arranged between the outer casing and the bearing supports. The spring element is part of the preloading device and exerts an elastic preload force on the bearing supports, with which the bearings stored therein

Rollers are pre-tensioned against the outside of the casing pipe.

It can be provided that the pre-tensioning device has a spring-loaded wedge arrangement. A wedge arrangement can be realized by pushing a wedge element with flat converging wedge surfaces in the wedge direction between the bearing carrier(s) and the outer casing, for example by a spring element. It is also possible for the bearing carriers to have one or more wedge surfaces that are supported directly or indirectly against the outer casing. The wedge effect can result in a force transmission and/or a

Force deflection can be realized so that by a relatively small force generating element acting on the wedge element, for example a spring element or the like, with little

A sufficiently high preload force can be exerted on the bearing supports in the required preload direction without any effort and reliably.

It can preferably be provided that the rollers are arranged in a pre-tensioning plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, in which at least one fixed support roller is arranged opposite the rollers with respect to the longitudinal axis. In a pre-tensioning plane, the two pre-tensioned rollers mounted in the movable bearing supports and at least one support roller mounted in a radially fixed bearing are thus arranged distributed over the circumference. The pre-tensioning force introduced via the rollers presses the casing pipe against the

Support rollers are pressed against each other. Preferably, exactly two support rollers spaced apart in the circumferential direction can be arranged in a circumferential area opposite the pre-tensioned rollers with respect to the longitudinal axis. This creates a four-roller bearing in a pre-tensioning plane, which is advantageous in terms of high rigidity and functional reliability.

° BE2022/5893

Preferably, a mirror-symmetrical arrangement of the rollers and support rollers can be realized with respect to an imaginary radial plane between the rollers. In an advantageous further development, it can be provided that the rollers have an angular offset relative to one another with respect to the longitudinal axis, which differs from a relative angular offset of the support rollers.

It can preferably be provided that two rollers are arranged in axially spaced prestressing planes. In this way, two roller guides are formed which are arranged at a distance in the longitudinal direction and are designed according to the invention each with at least two prestressed rollers. This provides a rigid guide for the casing pipe which can absorb high transverse forces. It is particularly advantageous that two prestressed rollers and two support rollers are provided in each of the prestressing planes, so that the casing pipe is guided on a total of eight rollers.

It is possible that the roller in the bearing carrier is rotatably mounted in a plain bearing.

Each roller is rotatably mounted on an axis, for example a bearing pin, such as a

Needle pin or the like, which is housed in the bearing carrier. The plain bearing has the

Advantage of high rigidity and natural frequency of the bearing arrangement.

Alternatively, it is possible for the roller to be rotatably mounted in the bearing carrier in a rolling bearing. Each roller is rotatably mounted on an axle, for example a bearing pin or the like, which is accommodated in the bearing carrier, via rolling elements that can roll around, for example a needle roller and cage. Such a rolling bearing has the advantage of a low

Bearing friction, which benefits easy adjustment.

It can be provided that the casing pipe has a polygonal hollow profile. The casing pipe can be a polygonal pipe with a polygonal cross section and at least one polygonal

External profile, for example as a square, hexagonal, octagonal, ten- or twelve-sided

Pipe. The passage cross-section of the outer casing, in which the casing pipe is telescopically accommodated, corresponds to its polygonal outer profile. The rollers can roll between the edges on the preferably flat side surfaces of the polygonal profile, whereby the rolling contact between the rollers and the casing pipe is wider than with a circular

Cross-section, which is advantageous in terms of high rigidity and lower surface pressure. A further advantage is the clearly defined, torsion-proof arrangement of the jacket pipe in the outer jacket.

It can also be provided that at least one inner casing is accommodated in a telescopic manner in the casing tube. In this way, a multiple telescopic arrangement with at least three telescopic elements can be provided, namely the outer casing, the casing tube and at least one inner casing. If necessary, further casing tubes and/or inner casings can be inserted in between. Multiple telescopic arrangements enable a greater ratio between the maximum shortened and the maximum extended adjustment state of the steering column.

Description of the drawings

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. In detail:

Figure 1 shows a steering column according to the invention in a schematic perspective view,

Figure 2 shows the steering column according to Figure 1 in another perspective view,

Figure 3 the steering column according to Figure 1 in a plan view from above,

Figure 4 shows a section A-A through the steering column according to Figure 3,

Figure 5 shows a section B-B through the steering column according to Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a schematic partial view of the roller guide of the steering column according to Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a schematic partial view of the pretensioning device of the steering column according to Figure 1,

Figure 8 is a further view of the pretensioning device according to Figure 7.

Embodiments of the invention

© BE2022/5893

In the various figures, identical parts are always provided with the same reference symbols and are therefore usually only named or mentioned once.

Figures 1 and 2 show overall perspective views of the steering column 1, and Figure 3 shows a view from above.

The steering column 1 has a casing unit 2, which has an outer casing 21 and a

The casing tube 22 comprises a casing tube 22 which is telescopically adjustable in the longitudinal direction of a longitudinal axis L, and an inner casing 23 which is also telescopically adjustable in the casing tube 22, as indicated by the double arrow. The casing tube 22 and the inner casing 23 can also be referred to together as the telescopic elements 21, 22, 23.

In the example shown, the jacket tube 22 is designed as a polygonal hollow profile, specifically as a 12-

Square tube.

In the casing unit 2, a steering spindle 3 is mounted so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis L. At an end section which is at the rear in relation to the direction of travel and is directed towards the driver's position in the installed position, the steering spindle 3 has a connection section 31 for attaching a manual steering handle (not shown here), for example a steering wheel.

The casing unit 2, specifically the outer casing 21, is held by a support unit 4, which can be attached to a vehicle body (not shown here).

A motorized adjustment drive 5, here a known linear spindle drive, engages in

Longitudinal direction between the outer casing 21 and the inner casing 23. This comprises a drive unit 51 fixed to the outer casing 23, which has a spindle nut (not explicitly shown here) that can be driven by an electric motor to rotate about its thread axis and into which a threaded spindle 52 engages. With its free end, the

Threaded spindle 52 is connected to the inner casing 23 in a rotationally fixed manner and in the longitudinal direction. By rotating the spindle nut, the threaded spindle 52 can be moved forwards or backwards relative to the drive unit 51 depending on the direction of rotation, as indicated by the double arrow in Figure 1. This allows the inner casing 23 and the casing tube 22 to be telescopically extended or retracted relative to the outer casing 21 to adjust the steering wheel position in the longitudinal direction.

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The cross sections A-A and B-B shown in Figure 3 are laid out in two pre-tensioning planes transverse to the longitudinal axis L through the steering column 1, and are reproduced in Figure 4 and Figure 5. In the two pre-tensioning planes A-A and B-B, roller guides 6 according to the invention are arranged, which are basically constructed in the same way, so that in the following for equally acting

The same reference numerals are used for all components.

Each roller guide 6 has two preloaded rollers 61, which are each rotatably mounted in a bearing carrier 63 about roller axes 62 arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis L.

The two bearing supports 63 are guided in a radially outwardly continuous opening 24 of the outer casing 22 parallel to a radial direction, i.e. in the direction of the longitudinal axis L, on guide surfaces 25 which are arranged in the said opening 24. As is indicated in Figures 4 and 5 with the arrows pointing vertically downwards.

On the outside of each opening 24, in Figures 4 and 5 at the top, a carrier plate 26 as a carrier element in the sense of the invention is firmly connected to the outer casing 21, for example by means of screws as shown in the example.

A preloading device 7 is operatively arranged between the bearing supports 63 and the underside of the support plate 26 which is directed radially inward and downwards in the figures.

The function is explained below using the schematically separated representations in Figures 7 and 8.

The pretensioning device 7 has an elastic element in the form of a compression spring 71, as can be seen in Figures 7 and 8, which has two mirror-symmetrically arranged, against the

Wedge elements 72 supported on the underside of the carrier plate 26 are resiliently loaded and pushed apart parallel to the carrier plate 26, i.e. tangentially with respect to the longitudinal axis L, as indicated by the arrows in Figures 7 and 8.

The wedge elements 72 each slide against corresponding wedge surfaces 64 on the bearing supports 63, which are inclined against the circumferential direction. The spring force of the compression spring 71 drives a wedge element 72 between the carrier plate 26 and one of the bearing supports 63. The wedge effect loads the guide surfaces 25 parallel to a radial direction towards the longitudinal axis L, i.e., in the installed position, they are pressed downwards, as indicated in Figures 7 and 8 with the arrows pointing downwards. As a result, the rollers 61, which are arranged inclined relative to this, are radially inwardly in rolling contact with the outer

The outer side of the casing tube 22 is prestressed with the prestressing force F, as indicated by the dashed arrows in Figures 7 and 8.

As can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, support rollers 65 are arranged on the underside of the outer casing 21 opposite the rollers 61 in order to

Axles 66 are mounted. These can also be rolled longitudinally on the outside of the casing tube 22. The radial pre-tensioning force exerted by the rollers 61 causes the casing tube 22 to be

Rolling contact is preloaded against the support rollers 65. This creates a four-roller bearing for each of the two preload levels A-A or B-B, as shown in Figure 4 or Figure 5.

Due to the roller axes 62 inclined relative to one another according to the invention, the contact points of the rollers 61 on the circumference of the casing tube 22 are offset relative to one another by an angle a around the longitudinal axis L, as is shown schematically in Figure 6. Due to the fact that the rollers 61 are connected to two rollers 61 on both sides of a side surface lying between them,

Rolling the side surfaces of the uniform 12-edge is a = 60° in the example shown.

Due to the fact that in the two longitudinally axially spaced prestressing planes A-A and

B-B each form a four-roller bearing according to the invention, the casing tube 22 is telescopically mounted in a rigid 8-roller guide which can withstand high transverse forces.

List of reference symbols 1 Steering system 2 Shell unit 21 Outer shell 22 Shell tube 23 Inner shell 24 Opening 25 Guide surface 26 Support plate 3 Steering spindle 31 Connection section 4 Support unit 5 Adjustment drive 6 Roller guide 61 Roller 62 Roller axle 63 Bearing carrier 64 Wedge surface 65 Support roller 66 Axle 7 Pre-tensioning device 71 Compression spring 72 Wedge element

L Longitudinal axis

F Preload force

A-A prestressing level

B-B prestressing level

Claims (12)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Steering column (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing tube (22) in which a steering spindle (31) is mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis (L) running in the longitudinal direction, and which is accommodated in an outer casing (21) so as to be telescopically adjustable in the longitudinal direction, wherein a roller guide (6) has at least one roller (61) which is mounted on the outer casing (21) so as to be rotatable about a roller axis (62) lying transversely to the longitudinal axis (L) on a radially displaceable bearing carrier (63), and which can roll with its outer circumference on the casing tube (22) in the longitudinal direction, wherein a pretensioning device (7) cooperates with the bearing carrier (63) in order to pretension the roller (61) against the casing tube (22), characterized in that the roller guide (6) has at least two rollers (61) mounted on a bearing carrier (63), which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction, and whose roller axes (62) are arranged at an angle relative to one another, wherein the two bearing supports (63) are elastically supported against one another and/or against a common support element (26) to which the bearing supports (63) are attached via a prestressing device (7). 2. Steering column according to claim 1, characterized in that two bearing supports (63) are arranged spaced apart in the circumferential direction. 3. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a bearing carrier (63) is guided on guide surfaces (25) of the outer casing (21). 4. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing supports (63) are arranged in an opening (24) of the outer casing (21). 5. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one spring element (71) is operatively arranged between the outer casing (21) and the bearing supports (63). 6. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pretensioning device (7) has a spring-loaded wedge arrangement (64, 72). 7. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rollers (61) are arranged in a preloading plane (A-A, B-B) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L), in which at least one fixed support roller (65) is arranged opposite the rollers (61) with respect to the longitudinal axis (L). 8. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two rollers (61) are arranged in axially spaced preload planes (A-A, B-B). 9. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller (61) is rotatably mounted in the bearing carrier (63) in a plain bearing. 10. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller (61) is rotatably mounted in the bearing carrier (63) in a rolling bearing. 11. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the casing tube (22) has a polygonal hollow profile. 12. Steering column according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one inner casing (23) is telescopically received in the casing tube (22).