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:
Oct. 31, 2000
Filed:
May. 06, 1999
Richard Kremer Riefe, Saginaw, MI (US);
James Salois, Midland, MI (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A tilt-adjustable motor vehicle steering column including a stationary mast, a tilt housing supported on the mast jacket for up and down pivotal movement, an articulated steering shaft having a lower portion rotatably supported on the mast jacket and an upper portion rotatably supported on the tilt housing, a steering hand wheel on the upper portion of the steering shaft, and a long composite balance spring preloaded in compression flexure between the tilt housing and the mast jacket. The composite balance spring consists of a hinge and a pair of short helical coil springs on opposite sides of the hinge. To preload the composite balance spring in compression flexure, the short coil springs are first arrayed as straight sides of a 'V' between respective ones of a pair of spring seats on the mast jacket and the tilt housing. Then, when the hinge is thrust laterally to align the short coil springs on a longitudinal centerline of the composite balance spring between the spring seats, the hinge closes and the helical coil springs are compressed longitudinally without buckling. A latch automatically locks the hinge closed to reinforce the middle of the composite balance spring against lateral buckling.