Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag

Thyssen Krupp Ag

Thomas Geiselberger

Martin Fleischer

Justin Yoho

Christian Pichonnat

Thomas Agbor

Benedikt Heigenhauser

Daniel Kreutz

Andreas Willi

Michael Hahn

Sedat Sen

Adrian Geiger

Johannes Ganahl

Sascha Rist

Marcus Massonnaud

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 clamping apparatus may include a stroke-generating disk that is rotatable about a clamping axis and is connected via a first stroke-generating gearing and a second stroke-generating gearing to a pressure disk, which is stationary relative to the rotation of the stroke-generating disk. The first stroke-generating gearing converts a relative rotation of the stroke-generating disk in a first actuating angle range in the clamping direction into a first axial stroke relative to the pressure disk. The second stroke-generating gearing converts a further rotation of the stroke-generating disk following the first actuating angle range in a second actuating angle range into a second axial stroke between the stroke-generating disk and the pressure disk. At least one of the stroke-generating gearings is a tilting pin gearing, with at least one tilting pin supported in the direction of its pin axis between corresponding bearing points on the stroke-generating disk and the pressure disk.

Clamping apparatus for a steering column and steering column for a motor vehicle

A steering shaft may include an inner shaft at least partially within an outer shaft where the inner shaft includes a sliding element with an outer profile portion. The outer shaft may be displaced relative to the inner shaft axially in a direction of a longitudinal axis between a storage position and an operating position. A steering column may include an inner covering pipe in which such a steering shaft is rotatably supported and an outer covering unit in which the inner covering pipe is retained. The outer shaft may have a bearing means having an inner profile portion that corresponds to the outer profile portion. In the storage position the outer profile portion is at least partially received in the bearing means.

Steering shaft for a steering column of a motor vehicle and steering column for a motor vehicle

A steering column that is adjustable by a motor may include a supporting unit that is attachable to a vehicle body, an actuating unit held by the supporting unit, a steering spindle mounted in the actuating unit rotatably about a longitudinal axis, an adjusting drive for adjusting the actuating unit relative to the supporting unit via a threaded spindle and spindle nut, and a drive unit by which the threaded spindle can be driven rotationally relative to the spindle nut. To improve compactness and greater structural freedom, the drive unit may be connected via a flexible drive connection to a gear unit that can be moved spatially relative to the drive unit.

Steering column for a motor vehicle

A steering column includes an adjustment unit having a steering spindle rotatably supported in a casing pipe about a longitudinal axis. A carrier unit configured to receive the casing pipe includes at least one clamping face facing the casing pipe. A clamping device clamps the clamping face against the casing pipe to longitudinally fix the adjustment unit relative to the carrier unit, releases the clamping face from the casing pipe and releases an adjustment of the adjustment unit relative to the carrier unit at least in the longitudinal direction. The carrier unit includes at least one sliding face facing the casing pipe along which the casing pipe can be moved longitudinally in the release position. The sliding face may be arranged on a support device which presses the sliding face against the casing pipe with a support force which can be predetermined independently of the clamping force.

One steering column assembly includes a jacket, a bearing, and a steering spindle rotatably supported by the bearing and at least partially extending inside the jacket. The spindle includes a hollow outer tube and a hollow inner tube. The outer tube has lengthening and attachment sections, and the attachment section has transition and connection portions. The lengthening section adjoins the attachment section at an end of the transition portion, and the transition portion is between the lengthening section and the connection portion. The lengthening section has first and second portions, with the second portion being between the first and transition portions, and the outer tube terminates at an end of the connection portion. The inner tube is press-fit into the outer tube, and an end of the inner tube is adjacent the transition portion end. The inner tube does not extend into either the attachment section or the first portion.

Spindle and steering column assembly having same

A steering column for a motor vehicle may include a steering shaft that is rotatably supported in a cover unit, an interface for fitting a steering column switch fixed relative to the cover unit, and a transmission element connected to the steering shaft so as to conduct torque by way of a securing means. The transmission element may include actuation means that is movable into operational engagement with the steering column switch fitted to the interface. The transmission element may be constructed in one piece together with at least one securing means for a rotationally secure connection to the steering shaft.

Steering column for a motor vehicle and method for producing a steering column

A height-adjustable steering column for motor vehicles may include an outer sleeve that receives a steering spindle and is connected to an actuating unit. The actuating unit can be mounted pivotably by way of two pivot bearings on a retaining unit, which can be fixedly connected to a vehicle chassis. The two pivot bearings may be disposed at a horizontal distance to one another on a pivot axis and may each comprise a dihedron projection and a recess that engages with the dihedron projection. Each recess may comprise an introduction region for introduction of the respective dihedron projection in a radial direction with respect to the pivot axis. An inner span of the introduction region may correspond to a smaller outer diameter of the dihedron projection and may form a transition into a partially circular bearing region, an inner diameter of which may be adapted to a larger outer diameter of the dihedron projection so that the dihedron projection is mounted pivotably in the bearing region after a rotation about the pivot axis by approximately 90&#xb0;.

Pivot bearings for a height-adjustable steering column

A steering column assembly for a vehicle comprises a motorized length adjustment drive unit, a box rocker having a control surface, a column jacket, and a crash bracket releasably coupled to the column jacket. The assembly includes an energy absorbing member having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is coupled to the crash bracket and the distal end is coupled to the column jacket. A plate is attached to the box rocker such that a channel is formed between the plate and the control surface. At least one anti-rotation member is coupled to the crash bracket and extends through the channel. The at least one anti-rotation member is adapted to inhibit rotation of the crash bracket during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

Steering column assembly with crash bracket rotation dampening mechanism and methods of making and using same

A steering column may include a steering spindle mounted rotatably about its longitudinal axis in an inner casing tube. An outer casing unit in which the inner casing tube is held may be directly or indirectly connectable to a body of a motor vehicle. A clamping device in a fixing position affixes the outer casing unit relative to the inner casing tube. In a release position, the clamping device permits adjustment of the inner casing tube relative to the outer casing unit at least in a longitudinal direction. The clamping device may have at least one locking part for prohibiting or permitting movement between the inner casing tube and the outer casing unit. The inner casing tube and the outer casing unit may be coupled by an energy absorption device that has at least two energy absorption elements that are plastically deformed in the event of displacement between the inner casing tube and the outer casing unit.

The invention relates to an apparatus for guiding a body, comprising two guide walls which have inwardly directed surfaces with in each case a sliding area, wherein, in the event of loading perpendicular to the sliding areas, the loaded guide wall is elastically deformed outward away from the guided body in the region of the sliding area and therefore the risk of damage to the guide at the sliding areas is minimized.

Device for guiding a body and steering column for a motor vehicle

The invention relates to a steering column for a motor vehicle, wherein the steering column comprises a steering spindle bearing unit and a steering spindle mounted in the steering spindle bearing unit so as to be rotatable about a steering spindle longitudinal axis, and a support unit, which is provided in the motor vehicle for fixing the steering column and against which the steering spindle bearing unit is retained. The steering spindle bearing unit has a thread and can be adjusted by means of a motor along the steering spindle longitudinal axis relative to the support unit, wherein the steering spindle bearing unit, for adjustment thereof along the steering spindle longitudinal axis relative to the support unit, is connected by means of at least one drive belt or at least one drive chain to the motor.

Growing community of inventors

St. Gallen, Switzerland

Thomas Geiselberger