GB2032863A - Steering Column Assemblies - Google Patents
Steering Column Assemblies Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2032863A GB2032863A GB7842264A GB7842264A GB2032863A GB 2032863 A GB2032863 A GB 2032863A GB 7842264 A GB7842264 A GB 7842264A GB 7842264 A GB7842264 A GB 7842264A GB 2032863 A GB2032863 A GB 2032863A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- steering column
- bush
- tube
- column apparatus
- resilient
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D1/00—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
- B62D1/02—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle vehicle-mounted
- B62D1/16—Steering columns
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Steering Controls (AREA)
Abstract
The invention relates to a steering column assembly and to a steering column apparatus in which the steering column shaft 3 is located within an outer tube 6 by means of an alignment bush 12. The bush 12 is resilient and includes means to restrain movement of the bush longitudinally relative to the tube, and includes projections extending between said bush 12 and said tube 6 to restrain the bush means from longitudinal movement relative to the tube. The steering column assembly and the steering column apparatus may further include a housing 8 attached to a frame 7 of a vehicle in which the steering column apparatus is located and the bush means or another resilient bush means is adapted to support the steering column apparatus in the housing 8. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Steering Column Apparatus and Assembly
Technical Field
The invention relates to a steering column assembly and to an alignment bush means therefor, which bush means facilitates alignment of the steering column during the assembly of the steering column apparatus of a vehicle.
Statement of Invention and Advantages
According to the invention there is provided a steering column apparatus comprising:
a steering column shaft,
a tube, within which the steering column shaft is supported, and
a resilient bush means, at least a portion of which is within the tube at a position remote from the steering input end of said tube and which bush means is adapted to support and to align the steering column shaft within the tube.
Still further according to the present invention there is provided a steering column assembly comprising:
a steering column apparatus, as specified in the immediately preceding paragraph,
a frame means, of a vehicle, in which the steering column apparatus is supported, and
wherein the resilient bush means of the steering column apparatus or a second resilient bush means, supports said steering column apparatus, to restrain longitudinal movement of the apparatus relative to said frame means.
Preferably the bush means of the steering column apparatus of the second bush means includes projections between the bush means and the wall of said frame means to restrain the movement of the bush means relative to the frame means.
Preferably the frame means is a support
means, usually in the form of a housing.
Preferably the lower means of the steering
column apparatus projections which extend
between the bush means and the wall of the tube
within which the steering column shaft is
supported to restrain the bush means from
longitudinal movement relative to the tube.
Preferably the bush of the steering column
apparatus is resiliently deformable to allow for
radial displacement of the shaft relative to the
tube during alignment. More preferably the bush
of the steering column apparatus has resilient
fingers which engage the steering column shaft.
Preferably the resilient bush means of the steering column apparatus is provided with splines adapted to support the steering column shaft so that the shaft is supported without the splines collapsing. It is usual for the splines to be inwardly directed. More preferably the bush means of the steering column apparatus is a split bush. Usually the bush means of the steering column apparatus is made of such material as sponge rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or such plastics material as hytrel, delrin and nylon.
Specific Description
The invention will now be illustrated, by way of reference only, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a steering assembly of the invention being a section taken through the steering assembly in which the bush of the steering column apparatus is fixed to locate a steering column shaft within the steering apparatus and wherein a second bush means locates the steering column apparatus in the shroud by the means of two pips.
Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of a steering assembly of the invention being a section through the steering assembly in which the bush means of the steering column apparatus is provided with inwardly directed splines to locate the tube of a steering shaft within a shroud of the apparatus.
Figure 3 illustrates a third embodiment of a steering assembly of the invention in which the steering has a bush means of the steering column apparatus which bush means has splines to support the steering column shaft within the tube and a second bush means to support the steering column apparatus within the housing of the apparatus.
Figure 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a steering assembly of the invention in which the bush means is located through external pips of the wall of a shroud of the steering apparatus, the walls of the tube contract to the wall of the shroud.
With reference to Figure 1, a steering column assembly according to the invention is shown in which a steering column shaft 3 is connected to a pinion shaft 4 through a coupling comprising a pair of circular plates 1 and 2 between which plates is a plate 5 of resilient or flexible material.
Within a tube 6 is located a steering column shaft 3, which is located in position by a first bush means 10 which bush means 10 is resilient preferably made of sponge rubber or polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). This enables the bush means 10 to give in response to slight lateral movement of the shaft 3 which may occur during rotation of shaft 3 and consequently the rotation of shaft 3 is not impaired. The tube 6 is located in a position in the neck of a shroud 8 by means of a second bush means 9 having two internal locating pips 8, which may be integral in one piece with the bush or attached to the bush, the shroud 8 being attached to a toe board 7 of the frame of a vehicle. Preferably bush means 9 is also made of a resilient material to enable the pips of the bush to be located within the apparatus without causing stress to the tube 6 or shroud 8.
Figure 1 b is a cross-section along the line A
A showing the bush means 10 in relation to the tube 6 and shroud 8.
With reference to Figure 2 a steering column assembly according to the invention is shown
having a shroud 8 attached to a toe board 7. A tube of a steering column shaft 6 is located by a bush means 12 in the neck of shroud 8. The bush means 12 is adapted to accommodate the end of the tube 6 to and further includes flanges 11 which locates shaft 3 in tube 6. The flanges are of resilient material to enable substantially unimpaired rotation of shaft 3 to occur. The flanges 11 may be of the same or of different resilient material to the bush means 12, if the flanges 11 are attached to bush means 12.
However, it is usual for the flanges 1 and the bush means 12 to be a one piece unit, being made of the same resilient material. Steering column shaft 3 connects the pinion shaft 4 by a coupling comprising plates 1 and 2 connected by plate 5 made of an expandable material.
Figure 2a shows a cross-section through B-B showing the splines 11 of the bush means 12 which supports the shaft 3 in tube 6.
Figure 2b shows in more detail the bush means 12 and flanges 11 which support tube 6, shroud 8 and steering column shaft 3 within the tube 6.
Figure 2c shows a cross-section along B'-B' showing bush means 12 relative to tube 6 and shroud 8.
With reference to Figure 3, a steering column assembly according to the invention is shown in which a steering column shaft 3 is located in a tube 6 by a first flanged bush 22. A tube 6 is located in the neck of shroud 8 attached to a toe board 2 by bush means 19 having two pips which holes in shroud 8. The pips may be attached to bush means 19 or form a one piece unit with bush means 19.
Figure 3b is a section along the line C-C showing the bush 1 9 locating the tube 6 in the neck of shroud 8.
With reference to Figure 4, a steering assembly according to the invention is shown having a shroud 8 attached to a toe board 7. A tube 6 is spot welded to the neck of shroud 8 and there are holes in the tube 6 for receiving the pips of bush means 13. The pips of bush means 13 may be attached to the bush or may form a one piece unit with the bush means 13. The splines 1 8 of bush means 13, support the shaft 3 in tube 6, and splines 18 are resilient to allow the rotation of shaft 3 to be substantially unimpaired. Preferably the splines 18 and the bush means 13 are integral. However the splines 1 8 may instead be attached to bush means 13.
Claims (14)
1. A steering column apparatus comprising:
a steering column shaft,
a tube within which the steering column shaft is supported, and
a resilient bush means, at least a portion of which is within the tube at a position remote from the steering input end of said tube and is adapted to support and to align the steering column shaft within the tube.
2. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 1, in which the resilient bush means includes projections extending between said bush means and said tube to restrain the bush means from longitudinal movement relative to the tube.
3. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 2, in which the projections, extending between the bush means and the tube are a one piece unit, with the bush means.
4. A steering column apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the resilient bush means is resiliently deformable to allow for radial displacement of the steering column shaft.
5. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the resilient bush means has resilient fingers which engage the steering column shaft.
6. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the resilient bush means has splines adapted to support the steering column shaft.
7. A steering column apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the resilient bush means is a split bush.
8. A steering column apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the resilient bush means is made of sponge rubber or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or a plastics material.
9. A steering column assembly comprising:
a steering column apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims,
a frame means of a vehicle in which the steering column apparatus is supported, and
wherein the resilient bush means of the steering column apparatus is adapted to support said steering column apparatus in said frame means.
10. A steering column assembly comprising:
a steering column apparatus, as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8,
a frame means of a vehicle in which the steering column apparatus is supported, and
a second resilient bush means which supports the steering column apparatus in said frame means.
11. A steering column assembly as claimed in
Claim 9 or Claim 10, in which the frame means is a support means in the form of a housing.
12. A steering column assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 11, in which the resilient bush means includes projections extending between the resilient bush means and the wall of the frame means to retain the resilient bush means from longitudinal displacement relative to the frame means.
13. A steering column assembly, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of
Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
13. A steering column apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to any one of
Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
14. A steering column assembly, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of
Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
New Claims or Amendments to Claims fiied on 18 May 1 979.
Superseded Claims 1 to
14.
New or Amended Claims:
1. A steering column apparatus comprising:
a steering column shaft,
a tube within which the steering column shaft is supported, and
a resilient bush means, at least a portion of which is within the tube at a position remote from the steering input end of said tube and is adapted to support and to align the steering column shaft within the tube,
the resilient bush means including projections extending between said bush means and said tube to restrain the bush means from longitudinal movement relative to the tube.
2. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 1, in which the projections, extending between the bush means and the tube, are a one piece unit, with the bush means.
3. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the resilient bush means is resiliently deformable to allow for radial displacement of the steering column shaft.
4. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the resilient bush means has resilient fingers which engage the steering column shaft.
5. A steering column apparatus as claimed in
Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the resilient bush means has splines adapted to support the steering column shaft.
6. A steering column apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the resilient bush means is a split bush.
7. A steering column apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the resilient bush means is made of sponge rubber or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or a plastics material.
8. A steering column assembly comprising:
a steering column apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
a frame means of a vehicle in which the steering column apparatus is supported, and
wherein the resilient bush means of the steering column apparatus is adapted to support said steering column apparatus in said frame means.
9. A steering column assembly comprising:
a steering column apparatus, as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7,
a frame means of a vehicle in which the steering column apparatus is supported, and
a second resilient bush means which supports the steering column apparatus in said frame means.
10. A steering column assembly as claimed in
Claim 8 or Claim 9, in which the frame means is a support means in the form of a housing.
11. A steering column assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 10, in which the resilient bush means includes projections extending between the resilient bush means and the wall of the frame means to retain the resilient bush means from longitudinal displacement relative to the frame means.
12. A steering column apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to any one of
Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7842264A GB2032863B (en) | 1978-10-27 | 1978-10-27 | Steering column assemblies |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7842264A GB2032863B (en) | 1978-10-27 | 1978-10-27 | Steering column assemblies |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2032863A true GB2032863A (en) | 1980-05-14 |
| GB2032863B GB2032863B (en) | 1983-03-30 |
Family
ID=10500646
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7842264A Expired GB2032863B (en) | 1978-10-27 | 1978-10-27 | Steering column assemblies |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2032863B (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2667038A1 (en) * | 1990-09-26 | 1992-03-27 | Ecia Equip Composants Ind Auto | STEERING SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE. |
| FR2701518A1 (en) * | 1993-02-10 | 1994-08-19 | Ecia Equip Composants Ind Auto | Device for joining a shaft and a cardan fork especially for a motor vehicle steering column |
| EP0805090A1 (en) * | 1996-05-03 | 1997-11-05 | Lemforder Nacam S.A. | Holding device of a turning shaft of a motor vehicle steering column |
| EP1548339A1 (en) * | 2002-08-27 | 2005-06-29 | Nsk Ltd., | Dust cover for steering shaft |
-
1978
- 1978-10-27 GB GB7842264A patent/GB2032863B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2667038A1 (en) * | 1990-09-26 | 1992-03-27 | Ecia Equip Composants Ind Auto | STEERING SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE. |
| EP0479630A1 (en) * | 1990-09-26 | 1992-04-08 | Ecia - Equipements Et Composants Pour L'industrie Automobile | Supporting structure for the steering column of a motor car |
| FR2701518A1 (en) * | 1993-02-10 | 1994-08-19 | Ecia Equip Composants Ind Auto | Device for joining a shaft and a cardan fork especially for a motor vehicle steering column |
| EP0805090A1 (en) * | 1996-05-03 | 1997-11-05 | Lemforder Nacam S.A. | Holding device of a turning shaft of a motor vehicle steering column |
| FR2748303A1 (en) * | 1996-05-03 | 1997-11-07 | Lemforder Nacam Sa | DEVICE FOR HOLDING A ROTATING SHAFT OF A STEERING COLUMN OF A MOTOR VEHICLE |
| EP1548339A1 (en) * | 2002-08-27 | 2005-06-29 | Nsk Ltd., | Dust cover for steering shaft |
| EP1548339A4 (en) * | 2002-08-27 | 2006-02-08 | Nsk Ltd | Dust cover for steering shaft |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2032863B (en) | 1983-03-30 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 746 | Register noted 'licences of right' (sect. 46/1977) | ||
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |