GB2298262A - Steering wheel/column quick release comprising chuck-like three finger assembly cammed into engagement with a hexagonal column top. - Google Patents

Abstract

To ease removal of the steering wheel in the event of an accident and speed up manufacture. Three downwardly depending fingers 5 are arranged equally spaced around a central aperture in the hub 1 of a steering wheel by a retaining ring 6 running through a recess 10 in the top of the finger; the ring, in turn, being supported in the hub by a collar 3. The hexagonal end 7 of a steering column 8 is inserted into the aperture and the fingers forced into engagement with the column by the rotation of the camming ring 4.

Description

COUPLING FOR RAPIDLY COINING STERING WHF,F,T,S TO THE STEERING COLUMN OF A VEHICLE The present specification concerns a rapid coupling which can be used to join steering wheels to the steering column of a vehicle and the aim of which is to act as a device which permits the rapid joining of the steering column and the steering wheel.

A projection from the lower area of the hub or core of tbe steering wheel proper is used, as well as there being used fur the fluxed connection or later separation an appropriate tool having a curved deformed portion and a projection for securing to the arca of thc cam and thc finger prcscnt insidc the slccvc carrying the coupling. This invention can be applied in the industrial field concerned with the manufacture of steering wheels for vehicles.

The rapid coupling, which can be used to join steering wheels to the steering column of a vehicle, which the invention proposes, is beneficial in that a coupling is obtained which simplifies in a specific manner all the operations customarily carried out hitherto in order to obtain the connection between the steering wheel and the column and at the samt time to ensure that the wheels moved by means of this coupling arc aligned in a suitable manner.

More specifically, the rapid coupling, which can be used to join steering wheels to the steering column of a vehicle, is obtained by securing, to the lower portion of a hub or core of a steering wheel by means of a central peripheral projection, a sleeve inside which is accommodated a ccntral ccll which has a hcxagonal configuration and which is retained by three vertical projections called fingers, which fingers project partially towards the inside of the hexagonal cell owing to the presence of three vertical grooves intended for this purpose.These members referred to as fingers are provided at their opposite ends with an angular projection similar to that provided at the end which is visible, but arranged in the oppositc dircction, with the rcsult that thc cxtcrnal sleeve accommodates the three fingers, and the hexagonal coupling and at the same time the fingers retain the coupling in the internal arca of the hub owing to the projection of the dcribd dt:ùrmt:d portions which is accommodated in the collar projecting from the lower portion of the core.

The sleeve is provided with three internal deformed portions or grooves with a semi circular recess or deformed portion in which the fingers are connected once the sleeve has been moved across thc projections present inside, and consequently are accommodated in these curved vertical recesses, thereby preventing any movement of the end of the steering column. One end of the steering column is accommodated inside the hexagonal sleeve while its opposite end projects towards thc outside1 crossing an arca of thc corc which has the circular configuration similar to thc cnd of the column.

In order to complcment thc abovc dcscription and in order to aid bcttcr undcrstanding ofthe features of the invention, drawings. are appended to the present specification as an integral part thereof and show, by way of non-limiting illustration, the following: Figure 1 is a side view, partially in section, of the rapid coupling which can be used to join steering wheels lo the steering column of a vehicle; Figure 2 is a sectional end view taken along line 11 it shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a collar 3 and ring 6 for the invcntion.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, it can be seen how the rapid coupling, which can be used to join steering wheels to Lhe steering column of a vehiclc, is formed by securing to the lower portion ot a core or hub (1) provided with a plurality of vcrtically arranged peripheral slots (2) a movable sleeve (4) adjacent a deformed portion or collar (3) present in the lower f6Ct: u the core (1).The sleeve is secured to the core (1) by means of three vertical members (5) called fingers which have a deformed portion projecting towards the outside at the upper end (10), whilc the lower end (10') has a deformed portion projecting towards the inside which acts as a securing connection or at least as a connection which reinforces the securing of the cnd of a steering column (8). The end of steering column (8) is inside a hexagonal sleeve (7) present inside the external sleeve (4) provided with three vertical grooves which are arranged in alternate faces of the hcxagon.

The invention includes a cam (4) which is formed by the external sleeve proper and which can bc rotated as a result of the application of a tool which incorporales a suitable deformed portion so that, by engaging in external slots (9) arranged in the cam, it permits the movement of the internal fingers and consequently the locking or unlocking adjustment is effected.

It should be pointcd out that the invention provides for the prescrice of a retaining ring (6) between the deformed portions (10) projecting towards the outside of the tingers (5). Also, the steering column (8) of course has an end (7) which has the hexagonal configuration suitable for adaptation to the internal sleeve in which the fingers act as retaining elements once they have been moved, being connected in the mentioned deformed portions described above, acting directly on the end (7) of the column (8).

Accordingly, in one embodiment ofthe invention, a steering wheel hub (1) can have a central rccess having a hcxagonal radial cross-scction adapted to receive the end of a steering wheel column having a complimentary hexagonal shape thereby to prevent rotational movement ofthe steering wheel with respect to the steering column. Hub (1) can comprise a collar (3) in which can be retained a ring (6) which can for example be a split ring which engages recesses in collar (3). Retaining ring (6) can bc adaptcd to rcccivc a number of fingers (5) by engaging end parts (10) thereof so that the fingers project outwardly from hub (1).By passing steering column (8) into hub (1) and consequently passing fingers (5) into the loosest fitting part of the cam surface (11) on the inside of sleeve (4), the steering wheel and column can be coupled together by rotation after each projection (10') is engaged in the recess in steering wheel column (8). Thc fingers (5) are mockingly engaged with column (8) by rotation of sleeve (4) so that a cam surface passes over a finger (5) until the finger is locked in the vertical recess on the inside surface of sleeve (4). Release from the lock position can bc cffccted by counter rotation of sleeve (4) so that fmgcrs (5) arc disengaged from the vertical recesses and once again slide over the cam surfaces to the loosest fitting part whereby hub (1) can be pulled axially away from column (8).

Sleeves (4) preferably displays a certain amount ot resilience during the camming action over fingers (5). Preferably sleeve (4) is made of a cold-extruded steel. It is possible to unlock the coupling but this is not usual during the entire life a vehicle except as a result of an accident for example.

A pcrspective view of hub (3) having ring (6) and fingers (5) attached thereto, is shown by way of example in Figure 3. Tt can be seen that collar (3) can comprise three internally projection portions (20). Each projection portion (20) can comprise a slot (22) for receiving part of a retaining ring (6). Rttaining ring (6) could for example be a split ring made from resilient material which can be compressed and inserted passed projections (20) into recesses (22) wherc it cxpands and is hcld in position in collar (3). Collar (3) can further comprise regions (24) for receiving fingers (S) which can be clipped on to retaining ring (6) using the recess in the end portion thereof adjacent projection (10).

Claims (7)

1. Rapid coupling which can be used to join steering wheels to the steering column of a vehicle, characterised in that it is produced by incorporating, in the lower arca of a hub or core, a central projection in which there are connected three fingers in the form of vertical members which have a deformed portion towards the outside at one of their ends and which are held with the projecting area by means of a retaining ring, there being arranged at the opposite end of the fingers a deformed portion towards the inside and the fingers being moved by acting on the external sleeve or cam from the outside, using deformed portions present on the outer surfacc thereof.

2. Rapid coupling which can be used to join steering wheels to the steering column of a vehicle, according to Claim 1, characterised in that there is arranged in thc cam a hcxagonal slccve having thrcc longitudinal slots which are arranged in alternate faces and through which the fingers partially project towards the inside.

3. Rapid coupling which can be used to join steering wheels to the steering column of a vehicle, according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the inside ofthe cam or external sleeve has three semi-circular cells between which are located three elongate curved defonned portions and three slightly curved rcccssos in which the external areas Or Gngcrs fit when the cam is moved in order to retain the hexagonal area ot the steering shaft or column.

4. A coupling for securing a steering wheel to a steering column, comprising a plurality of elongate members each having means for cooperating with the steering column and mcans for cooperating with the steering wheel, a locking sleeve having an axially groove for each of the elongate members and a cam surface which allows insertion of the elongate members between the sleeve and steering column and subsequent rotation of the sleeve over the elongate msnbsrs until they are engaged in respective grooves, the sleeve thus being operable to hold the members in position with respect to the stccring column and stccring wheel.

5. A coupling according to claim 4 wherein the steering column cooperating means comprises a lug which projccts outwardly from the elongatc mcmbcr.

6. A coupling according to claim 4 or 5 having three axial grooves equally spaced on the inner surface thereof.

7. A sleeve for a coupling according to any one of claims 1 to 5.