Sliding contact bearing with lash reduction
A sliding contact bearing includes a body configured for insertion within, and movement along, a slot of a fixed structure. The body includes a bore disposed about an axis that receives a shaft and first and second flats on a radially outer surface that engage opposed surfaces formed in the slot. First, second, third and fourth legs project radially from the body, the first and second legs on opposite circumferential sides of the first flat and engaging the first surface formed in the slot and the third and fourth legs on opposite circumferential sides of the second flat and engaging the second surface formed in the slot. Insertion of the bearing into the slot causes movement of the first and second legs in a first direction and movement of the third and fourth legs in a second direction, opposite the first direction, from an unstressed position to a stressed position.
1 . A sliding contact bearing, comprising:
a bearing body configured for insertion within, and movement along, a slot of a fixed structure, the bearing body defining
a bore disposed about an axis and configured to receive a shaft; and
a first flat on a radially outer surface of the bearing body and configured to engage a first surface formed in the slot; and,
a second flat on the radially outer surface of the bearing body, diametrically opposite the first flat and configured to engage a second surface formed in the slot opposing the first surface;
first and second legs projecting radially from the bearing body and disposed on opposite circumferential sides of the first flat, the first and second legs configured for engagement with the first surface formed in the slot and insertion of the bearing body into the slot causing movement of each of the first and second legs in a first direction from an unstressed position to a stressed position; and,
third and fourth legs projecting radially from the bearing body and disposed on opposite circumferential sides of the second flat, the third and fourth legs configured for engagement with the second surface formed in the slot and insertion of the bearing body into the slot causing movement of each of the third and fourth legs in a second direction, opposite the first direction, from an unstressed position to a stressed position.
2 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth legs are elastically deformable.
3 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein the bearing body and the first, second, third and fourth legs form a unitary structure.
4 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein a distance between a geometric center of the first leg and a geometric center of the second leg increases as the first and second legs move from the unstressed position to the stressed position.
5 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein a distance between a geometric center of the first leg and a geometric center of the third leg decreases as the first and third legs move from the unstressed position to the stressed position.
6 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein the radially outer surface of the bearing body is arcuate in shape between the first and third legs and between the second and fourth legs.
7 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth legs extend substantially along an entirety of an axial length of the bearing body.
8 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first, second and third and fourth legs includes a chamfer at one axial end.
9 . The sliding contact bearing of claim 1 wherein a radially outermost portion of each of the first, second, third and fourth legs has a curved shape in cross-section.
10 . An apparatus for mounting a steering column in a vehicle, comprising:
a steering column body configured to couple a steering column mounting bracket in a fixed position relative to the steering column body, the steering column mounting bracket configured to support the steering column;
a first side bracket configured for coupling to a vehicle body mounting bracket and coupled to a first side of the steering column body in a manner permitting translational movement of the steering column body relative to the first side bracket along a first axis and rotational movement of the steering column body relative to the first side bracket about a second axis, the first side bracket defining a first elongate slot;
a first pivot pin extending from the first side of the steering column body;
a first sliding contact bearing disposed within the first elongate slot of the first side bracket, the first sliding contact bearing having
a bearing body configured for insertion within, and movement along, the first elongate slot, the bearing body defining
a bore disposed about the second axis and configured to receive the first pivot pin; and
a first flat on a radially outer surface of the bearing body configured to engage a first surface formed in the first elongate slot; and,
a second flat on the radially outer surface of the bearing body, diametrically opposite the first flat and configured to engage a second surface formed in the first elongate slot opposing the first surface;
first and second legs projecting radially from the bearing body and disposed on opposite circumferential sides of the first flat, the first and second legs configured for engagement with the first surface formed in the first elongate slot and insertion of the bearing body into the first elongate slot causing movement of each of the first and second legs in a first direction from an unstressed position to a stressed position; and,
third and fourth legs projecting radially from the bearing body and disposed on opposite circumferential sides of the second flat, the third and fourth legs configured for engagement with the second surface formed in the first elongate slot and insertion of the bearing body into the first elongate slot causing movement of each of the third and fourth legs in a second direction, opposite the first direction, from an unstressed position to a stressed position.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second side bracket configured for coupling to the vehicle body mounting bracket and coupled to a second side of the steering column body, opposite the first side of the steering column body, in a manner permitting translational movement of the steering column body relative to the second side bracket along the first axis and rotational movement of the steering column body relative to the second side bracket about the second axis, the second side bracket defining a second elongate slot;
a second pivot pin extending from the second side of the steering column body;
a second sliding contact bearing disposed within the second elongate slot of the second side bracket, the second sliding contact bearing having
a bearing body configured for insertion within, and movement along, the second elongate slot, the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing defining
a bore disposed about the second axis and configured to receive the second pivot pin; and
a first flat on a radially outer surface of the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing and configured to engage a first surface formed in the second elongate slot; and,
a second flat on the radially outer surface of the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing, diametrically opposite the first flat and configured to engage a second surface formed in the second elongate slot opposing the first surface;
first and second legs projecting radially from the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing and disposed on opposite circumferential sides of the first flat of the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing, the first and second legs of the second sliding contact bearing configured for engagement with the first surface formed in the second elongate slot and insertion of the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing into the second elongate slot causing movement of each of the first and second legs of the second sliding contact bearing in the first direction from an unstressed position to a stressed position; and,
third and fourth legs projecting radially from the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing and disposed on opposite circumferential sides of the second flat of the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing, the third and fourth legs of the second sliding contact bearing configured for engagement with the second surface formed in the second elongate slot and insertion of the bearing body of the second sliding contact bearing into the second elongate slot causing movement of each of the third and fourth legs of the second sliding contact bearing in the second direction, opposite the first direction, from an unstressed position to a stressed position.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first, second, third and fourth legs of the first sliding contact bearing are elastically deformable.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the bearing body of the first sliding contact bearing and the first, second, third and fourth legs form a unitary structure.
14 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein a distance between a geometric center of the first leg and a geometric center of the second leg increases as the first and second legs move from the unstressed position to the stressed position.
15 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein a distance between a geometric center of the first leg and a geometric center of the third leg decreases as the first and third legs move from the unstressed position to the stressed position.
16 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the radially outer surface of the bearing body is arcuate in shape between the first and third legs and between the second and fourth legs.
17 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first, second, third and fourth legs extend substantially along an entirety of an axial length of the bearing body.
18 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first, second and third and fourth legs includes a chamfer at one axial end.
19 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein a radially outermost portion of each of the first, second, third and fourth legs has a curved shape in cross-section.