Nsk Americas, Inc.

Nsk Corporation

Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Nsk Steering Systems America, Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

David Ray Hartman

Victor Corona Martinez

Simon Read

Brandon William Bailey

Michael Dean Strickler

Brian Stanley Modrzejewski

Abhishek Mathur

Gerald Lim

Jonathon Lyte

Logananth Chinniah

Isabel Chong Hok Yuen

Timothy Matthew Staton

Scott Lewis Strong

Daniel Gazzerro

Justin R Palmer

Alex Carl

Brian S M Modrzejewski

Antonio Otero

Michelle Koch

Rakesh Nahta

A wedge assembly for a steering column assembly including a wedge body and a pre-load member. The wedge body has a generally curved column tube contact face for contacting an outer surface of a column tube and a column housing contact face configured to contact a column housing. The wedge assembly has a thick edge and a thin edge, and the thickness of the wedge body decreases from the thick edge to the thin edge. The pre-load member has an elongated body between a first and a second end. The first end and the second end are secured to and/or positioned within the wedge body. A steering column assembly including the wedge assembly, a column tube, and column housing is also contemplated.

Single radial wedge for steering column tube to housing de-lash

A portion of a shroud () is adapted to be secured to a steering column assembly (). The portion of the shroud () includes a slot () for receiving a portion of a fastener () and an opening () of sufficient size that at least a portion of the fastener () is permitted to fit through to allow the shroud () to break away from the steering column assembly () upon an impact exceeding a threshold load. The shroud () is fastened to the steering column assembly () via a fastener () and a connection member that is joined to the column tube.

Steering column shroud break away interface

An assembly for a steering column assembly including an engagement plate and a telescope plate at least partially disposed within the engagement plate. The engagement plate may be adapted to be located between a column tube of a steering column assembly and the telescope plate. The engagement plate and the telescope plate have one or more features for engaging with or contacting each other to provide energy absorption during an impact exceeding a threshold load. These features may include one or more projections or protrusions, one or more slots, one or more ribs, or a combination.

Steering column telescope assembly and energy absorption device

An article for a steering column assembly () including a connection member () having a base portion () adapted to be attached to a column tube () of the steering column assembly () and opposing side walls () extending from the base portion (). The article further includes an energy absorption member () having a first generally flat segment (), a second generally flat segment () generally parallel to the first generally flat segment (), and a curved portion () therebetween. The energy absorption member () extends from the base of the connection member (). The present teachings also envision a telescoping adjustment subassembly and a steering column assembly () employing the article.

Steering column breakaway and energy absorption apparatus

A tilt assembly () for a steering column assembly () including a pair of downwardly disposed plates each having a slot (); an elongated member adapted to be rotated, wherein the elongated member penetrates the slot () of each downwardly disposed plate and extends therebetween; a rotational member () located within each slot () and having an opening through which the elongated member is received; a biasing member () with a first end () and a second end (), where at least one end engages with the rotational member (). The biasing member () is adapted to drive rotation of the rotational member (). When the tilt assembly () is in an unlocked position, the rotational member () is adapted to travel with respect to the slot (), and when the tilt assembly () is in a locked position, the rotational member () is adapted to rotate and engage with a wail that is fixed with respect to the slot (). The elongated member, rotational member (), and biasing member () may be configured to eliminate lash. A steering column assembly () incorporating the tilt assembly () is also contemplated.

Steering column positive lock drive mechanism

The present teachings relate to a spacer having a body portion and two or more opposing contact surfaces extending from the body portion, forming an angle with the body portion. The spacer may be adapted to engage with a portion of a steering column assembly to reduce or prevent rotation of a column tube during a telescoping adjustment. The teachings also include an adjustable steering column assembly having a column tube with a portion extending therefrom; a steering shaft supported for rotation at least in part by the column tube; a column housing for at least partially supporting the column tube; and the spacer. The spacer may be secured to the column tube to reduce or prevent rotation of the column tube. The teachings further contemplate a method of limiting rotational travel of a column tube during telescoping adjustment using the spacer.

Steering column anti-rotational device

An energy absorption plate () for a steering column assembly () having a first end () and a second end (), an arcuate segment (), a first generally flat segment () between the first end () and the arcuate segment (), and a second generally flat segment () between the second end () and the arcuate segment (). The first generally flat segment () is situated generally parallel to the second generally flat segment (). The first generally flat segment () is configured to face away from a column tube () of a steering column assembly (). The second generally flat segment () is adapted to be secured to the column tube () of the steering column assembly (). The first generally flat segment () includes one or more features, such as a toothed portion (), for engaging with a fastener, such as a spring-biased fastener (), to lock the column tube () in proper position. A steering column assembly () including this energy absorption plate () is also contemplated.

Steering assembly with positive lock and energy absorption and pyrotechnic actuator

An energy absorption strip () having a generally elongated body portion (), a first end () and a curved portion () between the first end () and the generally elongated body () portion that forms and angle between the first end () and the generally elongated body portion (). The energy absorption strip () is adapted to be carried within a steering column assembly () and absorb energy by plastic deformation during translation of a column tube () during an impact exceeding a threshold load. A steering column assembly () including the energy absorption strip () is also contemplated.

Energy absorbing device for internally collapsing steering column assembly

The present teachings include a steering column assembly including an outer tube and an inner tube adapted for fore and aft translation relative to the outer tube. The assembly includes an actuator for causing the fore and aft translation. The actuator includes a motor and a screw having a longitudinal axis that is rotationally driven about the longitudinal axis by the motor. The assembly includes a pivoting nut assembly adapted to travel fore and aft generally along an axis that is the same as or generally parallel with the longitudinal axis. The pivoting nut assembly includes a bracket that is operably Joined with the inner or outer tube, for causing fore or aft translation of the inner tube in response to operation of the motor, and a nut that is assembled on the bracket and is adapted for pivotal movement in an axis generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Self-aligning drive gear

A steering column assembly () including a mounting structure (); a column housing () having a wall opening () and being fixed in position for upward and downward pivotal motion; a tilt screw () having a threaded shank and a gear; a tilt nut () and optionally a bushing surrounding the tilt nut positioned at least partially within and contacting a surface defining wall opening () and having a threaded bore adapted to receive the tilt screw, the contact between the tilt nut and the wall opening such that the load transmitted from the wall opening to the tilt nut is substantially on axis with the threaded bore; a motor () for raising and lowering the column housing by rotating the gear portion and causing the tilt nut to advance toward or away from the gear, causing the column housing to raise or lower, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the threaded shank can pivot fore or aft as the column housing is raised or lowered.

Linkage for steering wheel electric motor tilt assembly

A steering column assembly () and method for an automotive vehicle, comprising: an inner column tube (), a steering shaft (), at least one bracket structure, such as a top bracket (), adapted for receiving a least a portion of the steering shaft and for mounting the steering column assembly within the automotive vehicle, the at feast one bracket structure (e.g., top bracket) including a side wall (). A column housing () is pivotally coupled with the at least one bracket structure. An adjustable spacer () is disposed between the column housing and the top bracket and is mounted to the side wall of the at least one bracket structure by a single fastener (), by a generally vertically oriented fastener adapted for allowing lateral translation (e.g., by sliding) for position adjustment of the spacer or both. The exposed surface of the spacer is in facing relation with a part of the column housing for contacting the column housing during a tilt adjustment.

Steering column assembly with tilt adjustment and improved assembly method for resisting lash

A collapsing steering column assembly for an automotive vehicle, comprising an inner column tube, a steering shaft, a tilt bracket, and a steering wheel adjustment subassembly. During a secondary impact, at least a portion of the steering wheel adjustment subassembly is adapted to detach relative to the tilt bracket by way of at least one breakaway structure and translate (e.g., at least partially longitudinally) during the impact, such as a secondary impact, for moving away from a vehicle operator.

Collapsible steering column assembly

A power steering pump for an automotive vehicle including a housing defining a compartment, a cam plate disposed within the housing, a rotor disposed within the housing and a lower pressure plate disposed within the housing between the cam plate and a closed end of the housing. A cover sealingly engages the housing to close an open end of the housing. The cover includes under vane porting to provide a fluid path from an outlet port on the cover to the rotor.

Growing community of inventors

Brighton, MI, United States of America

David Ray Hartman