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:
May. 21, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 19, 2000
Erik C. Wilson, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
International Truck Intellectual Property Company, L.L.C., Warrenville, IL (US);
Abstract
An automotive vehicle steering column ( ) and adjustment system has a telescope adjustment mechanism for adjusting the fore-aft position of the steering wheel ( ) to the driver of the vehicle and a tilt adjustment mechanism for adjusting steering wheel inclination. Each adjustment mechanism includes a respective motorized linear actuator ( ). A force feedback system operates the actuators and includes telescope and tilt sensors ( ) for sensing telescope and tilt adjustment forces externally applied to the steering wheel by the driver during adjustment of steering wheel position. A controller ( ) is responsive to the sensors for operating the actuators to position the steering wheel in directions of adjustment corresponding to the directions of telescope and tilt forces applied by the driver. Adjustment motion stops when the externally applied forces causing the motion cease.