Steering shaft assembly
A steering shaft assembly includes a shaft having an end region to be coupled to another component with a mechanical fastener, the shaft comprising a protrusion extending radially outwardly from the shaft within the end region of the shaft. The steering shaft assembly also includes a ring flag coupleable to the end region of the shaft, the ring flag comprising a recess positioned to receive the protrusion of the shaft at a desired relative axial position of the ring flag and the shaft to rotationally align the ring flag and the shaft at a desired rotational position.
1 . A steering shaft assembly comprising:
a yoke;
a shaft having an end region to be coupled to the yoke with a mechanical fastener, the shaft comprising a protrusion extending radially outwardly from the shaft within the end region of the shaft, and including a lead-in taper positioned at the end region, a retention shoulder, and a groove; and
a ring flag coupleable to the end region of the shaft, the ring flag comprising a ring portion defining an aperture to receive the shaft, the ring portion having an inner wall that defines a recess positioned to receive the protrusion of the shaft at a desired relative axial position of the ring flag and the shaft to rotationally align the ring flag and the shaft at a desired rotational position, and a retention lip positioned on the inner wall of the ring portion, wherein the retention lip is snap-fit over the lead-in taper and snaps into the groove to define the desired relative axial position.
2 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is one of a plurality of protrusions axially aligned with each other and circumferentially spaced from each other.
3 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 2 , wherein the recess of the ring flag is one of a plurality of recesses axially aligned with each other and circumferentially spaced from each other.
4 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is a pinch tab.
5 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the recess of the ring flag is defined within an inner wall of the ring flag.
6 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ring flag further comprising:
a flag portion extending from the ring portion.
7 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 6 , wherein the flag portion is longer axially relative to the ring portion.
8 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ring flag comprises at least one gusset.
9 . The steering shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is an intermediate shaft and the component the intermediate shaft is to be coupled to is a yoke.
10 . A method of assembling a steering shaft assembly comprising:
aligning a protrusion extending radially outward from an end portion of a shaft with a recess defined by an inner wall of a ring portion of a ring flag, the shaft including a lead-in taper and a groove;
inserting a shaft through an aperture defined by a ring flag with the protrusion disposed within the recess to provide a desired rotational position of the ring flag relative to the shaft;
axially moving the shaft to a desired axial position relative to the ring flag; and
snap-fitting a retention lip positioned on the inner wall of the ring portion over the lead-in taper and into the groove to define the desired axial position; and
coupling the shaft to a yoke.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising aligning a plurality of protrusions of the shaft with a plurality of recesses defined by the ring flag to align the shaft relative to the ring flag.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the protrusion is inserted within the recess prior to snap-fitting the retention lip over the lead-in taper.