The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 12, 2023
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2022
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Erik William Soderlind, Harrison Township, MI (US);
Taras Palczynski, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Steven Bryan Amburgy, Commerce Township, MI (US);
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A handwheel actuator for a steer by wire system of a vehicle may include a column for operably coupling a handwheel to other components of the steer by wire system and a feedback actuator operably coupled to the column to provide tactile feedback to the operator responsive to movement of the handwheel. The column may include a lower column portion and an upper column portion that are movable relative to each other to alternately retract the handwheel away from an operator seated in the vehicle or extend the handwheel toward the operator. The column may further include a frictional engagement assembly and a time-specific release initiator. The frictional engagement assembly may be engaged to fix the lower column portion relative to the upper column portion at a selected distance from the operator, and disengaged to enable movement of the upper column portion relative to the lower column portion. The time-specific release initiator may be actuated by an electrical trigger signal to cause the lower column portion and the upper column portion to be disengaged a selected time after a triggering event.