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:
Jan. 14, 1986
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1983
Kevin B Parks, Mishawaka, IN (US);
Allied Corporation, Morristown, NJ (US);
Abstract
A steering column comprises inner and outer hexagonal-shaped shafts (12, 16), the inner shaft (12) being disposed within a bore (14) of the outer shaft (16). A mechanism for eliminating lost motion or 'lash' between the two shafts comprises a plurality of slots (20) located in the outer shaft (16), the slots being circumferentially offset relative to one another. Wedges (22, 23) are located in respective slots (20) and abut corresponding polygonal surfaces of the inner shaft (12), with a collar (28) telescoped over the inner and outer shafts and having inclined ramps (30) at the interior thereof in alignment with respective wedges (22, 23) and slots (20), the ramps loading and causing inward movement of the wedges against the surfaces of the inner shaft (12) upon axial movement of the collar (28) relative to the outer shaft (16). A spring member (29) telescoped over the inner and outer shafts biases the collar member (28) axially into engagement with the wedges (22, 23) whereby a plurality of surfaces (13, 17) of the inner shaft (12) engage in surface-to-surface contact a plurality of adjacent surfaces (18, 21) of the outer shaft (16).