Thyssen Krupp Ag

Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag

Andreas Willi

Daniel Kreutz

Christian Pichonnat

Patrick Riedmann

Jean-Pierre Specht

Thomas Geiselberger

Simon Blaettler

Justin Yoho

Sedat Sen

Daniel Vitalis

Anton Spildenner

Tamás Fejes

Gabor Major

Simon BLÄTTLER

The present disclosure relates to an electrically adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a positioning unit on which a steering control element can be arranged, a support unit by which the positioning unit is held in an adjustable manner, an adjustment device which is configured to adjust the positioning unit relative to the support unit and which comprises, for the adjustment of the positioning unit, an electric motor. The steering column further has a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to activate the electric motor. The control unit is further configured, for the activation of the electric motor, to generate a first signal and a second signal, wherein the activation of the electric motor requires the presence of the first signal and of the second signal, in particular at a first switch unit and a second switch unit of the control unit which are connected in series with the electric motor.

Electrically adjustable steering column with safety circuit, and method for operating an electrically adjustable steering column

The disclosure relates to a method for operating an adjustment drive of a motor-adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle, said steering column comprising an actuating unit with a rotatably mounted steering spindle, to which a steering wheel is attached, wherein the actuating unit is adjustable by at least one adjustment drive for setting a longitudinal position and/or height position of the steering wheel, wherein in the method: a) a setpoint value of an adjustment speed of the actuating unit is predefined; b) on the basis of the setpoint value, the at least one adjustment drive is driven with a voltage signal by way of at least one controller; c) an actual value of the adjustment speed of the actuating unit is detected after a predetermined time period and is compared with the setpoint value; and d) the setpoint value is reduced depending on the result of the comparison between setpoint value and actual value until the voltage signal for driving the adjustment drive lies below the maximum value of a supply voltage, in particular an onboard electrical system voltage of the motor vehicle.

Method for operating an adjustment drive of a motor-adjustable steering column, control unit, steering column and motor vehicle

The present disclosure relates to an adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a support unit by which a positioning unit is adjustably held, and an adjustment device which is designed to adjust the positioning unit relative to the support unit. Associated with the steering column is a control unit which is designed to receive a signal, to evaluate the signal in terms of a predefined release condition, and to produce a release state of the steering column when the signal meets the release condition, and to produce a locked state of the steering column when the signal does not meet the release condition. Adjustment of the positioning unit is thus enabled exclusively in the release state.

Steering column with verifiable adjustability and method for operating such a steering column

A steering column for a motor vehicle including a first component, a second component, wherein the first component and the second component are adjustable relative to one another in two non-parallel adjustment directions. A position detection device having a sensor connected to the first component including at least one sensor unit and a sensor target connected to the second component comprising at least one target unit, wherein the sensor is configured to detect relative position of the sensor target, wherein the target unit includes a measurement portion extending in the two adjustment directions which has a local measuring quantity varying in each of the two adjustment directions that can be detected locally by the sensor unit.

Steering column for a motor vehicle

The present invention relates to an electrically adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a supporting unit, by which a positioning unit is adjustably held, an adjustment device with an adjustment motor, said adjustment device being designed for adjusting the positioning unit relative to the supporting unit, a mechanical adjustment stop, which mechanically limits an adjustment of the positioning unit in a first adjustment direction, and a control unit. The control unit is designed here to activate the adjustment motor, wherein a virtual adjustment stop is defined, said adjustment stop being located upstream of the mechanical adjustment stop with respect to the first adjustment direction. The steering column is designed here for adjusting a positioning unit.

Method and electrically adjustable steering column for adjusting a positioning unit of a steering column

A steering column for a motor vehicle includes comprising a supporting unit which can be connected to the chassis of the motor vehicle and an actuating unit, which is mounted on the supporting unit and which supports a steering shaft for rotation. The position of the actuating unit can be adjusted in relation to the supporting unit and the steering column has a position detection device for determining the position of the actuating unit relative to the supporting unit.

Position detection for a steering column of a motor vehicle

A method for operating a motor-adjustable steering column may be employed by a motor vehicle with an actuating unit supported by a supporting unit. A steering spindle may be rotatably supported in the actuating unit. The actuating unit may be adjustable relative to the supporting unit by means of at least one adjustment drive. The adjustment drive is controlled by a control unit, and the adjustment speed caused by the adjustment drive is determined based on measurement data of a sensor. The control unit controls the adjustment drive in a control loop based on a control deviation between a specifiable speed profile and the determined adjustment speed.

Method for operating a motor-adjustable steering column and motor-adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle

A steering column for a motor vehicle may include an actuating unit in which a steering spindle is rotatably mounted and which is held in an adjustable manner by a supporting unit, an adjustment device for adjusting the actuating unit with respect to the supporting unit, and a position-sensing device that includes a first sensor unit for sensing the position of the actuating unit with respect to the supporting unit. The position-sensing device may also include a second sensor unit for sensing a state when the actuating unit is in a predetermined position relative to the supporting unit. One or both of the sensor units may be configured to operate in a contactless manner.

A method can be used to adjust a steering column for a motor vehicle that includes a casing unit in which a steering spindle is mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis and at least two casing tubes that are guided so as to be adjustable relative to one another by adjustment travel in a longitudinal direction of the longitudinal axis. Along the adjustment travel, the casing tubes are extended farther out of one another in an operating region than in a transitional region, and a motorized adjustment drive acting on the casing tubes is actuated electrically for the relative adjustment of the casing tubes at a predetermined adjustment speed. To allow optimized switching between the operating region and the stowage position, a first adjustment speed is set in the operating region and a second adjustment speed, which is higher than the first adjustment speed, is set in the transitional region.

Growing community of inventors

Lauterach, Austria

Andreas Willi