IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,030,549
Granted Patent B2
US 12,030,549 · App. 17/297,548 · Granted Jul 9, 2024

Clamping apparatus for a steering column and steering column for a motor vehicle

Inventors: Sascha Rist (Hard, AT); Martin Fleischer (Balgach, CH); Thomas Geiselberger (St. Gallen, CH); Thomas Agbor (Homburg, DE)
Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG; thyssenkrupp AG
B62D1/184B62D1/166B62D1/189
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,030,549
App. No.
17/297,548
Granted
Jul 9, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A clamping apparatus may include a stroke-generating disk that is rotatable about a clamping axis and is connected via a first stroke-generating gearing and a second stroke-generating gearing to a pressure disk, which is stationary relative to the rotation of the stroke-generating disk. The first stroke-generating gearing converts a relative rotation of the stroke-generating disk in a first actuating angle range in the clamping direction into a first axial stroke relative to the pressure disk. The second stroke-generating gearing converts a further rotation of the stroke-generating disk following the first actuating angle range in a second actuating angle range into a second axial stroke between the stroke-generating disk and the pressure disk. At least one of the stroke-generating gearings is a tilting pin gearing, with at least one tilting pin supported in the direction of its pin axis between corresponding bearing points on the stroke-generating disk and the pressure disk.

Claims (22)

1. A clamping apparatus for a steering column, the clamping apparatus comprising:

a stroke-generating disk that is rotatable about a clamping axis and is connected to a pressure disk via a first stroke-generating gearing and a second stroke-generating gearing, with the pressure disk being stationary relative to rotation of the stroke-generating disk,

wherein the first stroke-generating gearing is configured to convert a relative rotation of the stroke-generating disk in a first actuating angle range in a clamping direction into a first axial stroke relative to the pressure disk,

wherein the second stroke-generating gearing is configured to convert further rotation of the stroke-generating disk following the first actuating angle range in a second actuating angle range into a second axial stroke between the stroke-generating disk and the pressure disk,

wherein at least one of the first or second stroke-generating gearings is a tilting pin gearing with a tilting pin that is supported in a direction of a pin axis between corresponding bearing points on the stroke-generating disk and the pressure disk.

2. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second stroke-generating gearing is a tilting pin gearing.

3. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein either

the first stroke-generating gearing is the tilting pin gearing and has a larger transmission ratio than the second stroke-generating gearing, or

the second stroke-generating gearing is the tilting pin gearing and has a larger transmission ratio than the first stroke-generating gearing.

4. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stroke-generating disk is attached to and rotates with a drive element.

5. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stroke-generating disk is rotatable with a clamping bolt about the clamping axis.

6. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second stroke-generating gearings are coaxial.

7. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bearing points have bearing pockets molded in a recessed manner into at least one of the stroke-generating disk or the pressure disk.

8. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 comprising a positioning element configured for defined positioning of the tilting pin relative to at least one of the stroke-generating disk or the pressure disk.

9. The clamping apparatus of claim 8 wherein the positioning element comprises a spring element that loads the tilting pin resiliently against at least one of the stroke-generating disk or the pressure disk.

10. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tilting pin gearing has a stable clamping position in which the stroke-generating disk and the pressure disk are rotated counter to each other beyond a maximum stroke of the tilting pin gearing, wherein in the stable clamping position stop means strike against one another in a circumferential direction and block further rotation beyond the stable clamping position.

11. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first stroke-generating gearing is a cam gearing, wherein cams on the stroke-generating disk are directed axially against a complementary slotted guide mechanism on the pressure disk.

12. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second stroke-generating gearings are tilting pin gearings.

13. A steering column comprising:

a supporting unit;

an actuating unit; and

the clamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the clamping apparatus is operatively connected to the supporting unit and to the actuating unit and is configured to exert a clamping force for bracing the supporting unit and the actuating unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2022
From: RIST, SASCHA; FLEISCHER, MARTIN; GEISELBERGER, THOMAS; AGBOR, THOMAS
To: THYSSENKRUPP PRESTA AG; THYSSENKRUPP AG
Reel/Frame 058975/0955 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2018 220 847.6 · Dec 3, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220041204A1 · Feb 10, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,479,495