Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation

Brandon L Finney

Michael E Partyka

Sergio R Molinar

Hui Ma

Carl R Castanier

Ace Jiang

Polen Li

An I-shaft assembly includes an upper shaft extending along an axis between a first upper end and a first lower end bounding a first hollow bore. An intermediate shaft extends along the axis between a second upper end and a second lower end bounding a second hollow bore. The second upper end is disposed in the first hollow bore. A lower shaft extends along the axis between a third upper end and a third lower end disposed in the second hollow bore. The upper shaft is releasably fixed for controlled movement along the axis relative to the intermediate shaft, and the lower shaft is releasably fixed against movement along the axis relative to the intermediate shaft during a normal operating condition. The upper shaft moves along the axis relative to the intermediate shaft and the lower shaft moves along the axis relative to the intermediate shaft during an abnormal operating condition.

Three segment intermediated shaft

A steering shaft assembly comprising female shaft and a male shaft. The female shaft includes an inner surface defining a plurality of outer roller bearing tracks. The male shaft includes an outer surface defining a plurality of inner roller bearing tracks. An adaptable sleeve assembly is located between the inner surface of the female shaft and the outer surface of the male shaft and includes a body. The body defines an outer surface for contacting the inner surface of the female shaft and an inner surface for contacting the outer surface of the male shaft. The body defines at least one rib projecting radially outwardly from the outer surface of the body and projecting radially inwardly from the inner surface of the body. The at least one rib is inserted into one of the plurality of inner roller bearing tracks and one of the plurality of outer roller bearing tracks.

Steering shaft assembly and method of assembling same

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Brandon L Finney