Lucas Automotive Gmbh

Lucas Industries Public Limited Company

Trw Lucasvarity Electric Steering Limited

Trw Das A.s.

Eckart Op Den Camp

Michael Appleyard

Jiri Nevrkla

Ulrich H Seuser

Josef Pivny

Petr Navratil

Petr Bachel

Herman Brix

A steering assembly for a vehicle comprising: a fixed guide portion; a movable steering column portion which is arranged to move relative to the fixed portion to permit a collapse of the steering column assembly; and at least one bearing element which is located between the fixed guide portion and the movable steering column portion and provides a bearing surface upon which the movable portion can slide relative to the guide portion in which the bearing element is able to articulate relative to the guide portion. The bearing element may provide longitudinal guidance to the movable portion in the event of a collapse or reach adjustment.

Steering assembly

A steering column assembly comprising a steering column shroud which supports a steering column shaft, the shroud being connected to the vehicle by a clamping mechanism which is operable between a locked position in which the shroud is clamped in position relative to a fixed portion of the vehicle chassis and an unlocked position in which the shroud is adjustable for reach and/or rake relative to the vehicle chassis. The clamping mechanism includes an actuator and a user operated switch that is connected to the actuator and which is operable to control the operation of the actuator to move the clamp between the locked and the unlocked position.

Steering column assembly

The assembly comprises: a hollow lower guide portiona hollow upper shroud portion, which fits at least partially within the guide portion and extends away from the guide portion a telescopic steering shafthaving at least an upper partand a lower part, the upper part co-operating with the lower part and the two parts extending through the guide portion and the upper shroud portion a lower axial bearing, which is supported in a seat in the guide portion and provides axial location for the lower steering shaft part an upper axial bearing, which is supported in a seat in the upper shroud portion and provides axial location for the upper steering shaft part and in which the guide portion has at least one arcuate guide wall, which co-operates with a complimentary arcuate guide wall of the upper shroud to define a contact surface along which the upper shroud portion is adapted to slide relative to the guide portion in the event of an accident.

Vehicle steering assembly

An adjustable steering column assembly for a vehicle comprises an upper shroud portion () which is adapted to receive a steering column (), a lower guide portion () which is adapted to support the shroud portion () and be secured to a mounting bracket () fixed relative to the chassis of the vehicle, a connecting pin () which projects through an elongate opening provided in the fixed bracket (), an opening in the lower guide portion () and an elongate opening in the upper shroud portion (), a toothed rail member () which is connected to the upper-shroud portion by an energy absorbing device (), and an operating lever () which is operatively connected to the connecting pin (). The pin () carries a toothed member () provided on an end of the connecting pin nearest the steering column () which engages with the toothed rail member when the pin () is drawn towards the fixed bracket by operation of the operating lever to a locked position to clamp the toothed rail member, the upper shroud and the guide portion onto the fixed mounting bracket. This permits the assembly to collapse under control of the energy absorbing member () in the event of a crash.

An axle journal (20), especially for the front axle of a front wheel drive motor vehicle comprises a main body (30) made of shaped sheet metal parts (32, 34) which enclose a circumferentially extending cavity (36). The cavity (36) houses portions (43) and (46) of mounting components (brake carrier member 42 and a combination 45 steering tie rod mount and transverse link seat) which portions stiffen the axle journal (20). The section of the cavity not taken up by the stiffening portions of the mounting components may be foam-filled. This composite-structure axle journal can be manufactured at low cost due to the reduced mechanical finishing required and can sustain heavy loads, whereby it meets present day requirements of lightweight construction.

Composite-structure axle journal

A drum brake in a motor vehicle, comprising a parking brake which includes a brake cable connected detachably to a hand brake lever arranged in the drum brake by the brake cable being passed through a retaining member which is connected to the hand brake lever an engaging behind the retaining member by a nipple of larger cross sectional dimensions connected to the corresponding free end of the brake cable is characterized in that the brake cable (6) is passed through a guide tube (7) which is fixed to the anchor plate (1) of the drum brake, is exposed to the outside of the drum brake, and terminates at a distance ahead of the retaining means (8), the inner diameter of the guide tube (7) being somewhat greater than the maximum outer diameter of the nipple (9), in that the retaining member (8) has a guide path (10) for the nipple (9) extending from its front face (11) which faces the guide tube (7) to its rear face (12), and in that rear face ( 12) of the retaining member (8) is provided with a locking member (13) for the nipple (9) positioned there.

Growing community of inventors

Koblenz, Germany

Eckart Op Den Camp