Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Coupling facilitates relative axial motion between coupled...
Patent
1987-07-29
1989-03-21
Stodola, Daniel P.
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Coupling facilitates relative axial motion between coupled...
74493, B62D 118, F16C 303
Patent
active
048139106
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a reach adjustable steering column having two telescoping shafts, more particularly to the elimination of the rotational lash between the two telescoping shafts.
In such steering columns the two telescoping shafts comprise a first shaft of cylindraceous shape and a second corresponding cylindraceous bore for receiving the first shaft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to provide a lash free axially collapsible steering column by providing a plurality of spring loaded members located in one of the shafts which abut polygonal surfaces of the other shaft to eliminate torsional lash therebetween. This spring loading can be by spring loaded balls, or by utilizing a coil spring, a rubber block or other resilient member in a blind bore behind a ball or cylindrical roller.
In Australian Pat. No. 429,180 the lash is eliminated by balls press-fitted into corresponding bores in one of the shafts, there being provided a rotationally flexible section between these balls and a fail-safe portion, which fail-safe portion becomes operative at torque levels above a predetermined value.
The embodiments also show examples where either the inner hex shaft is twisted or the outer tube is twisted to provide a pre-load, there still being provided a torsional fail-safe portion in the inner hex shaft.
However, with the invention to Australian Pat. No. 429,180 it is apparent that due to the hex shaft, and the outer tube of corresponding shape that the load applied is virtually a point loading at the apices of the hex shaft.
In order to eliminate indentation of the tube and/or rounding or other deforming of the apices of the hex shaft the torsional fail shaft portion is required which then transfers the torque to the other end of the hex shaft where the excess torque is transmitted.
It is an object of this invention to provide a lash axially adjustable steering column in which the column is simple and economic to produce and which does not require a fail-safe portion.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
Thus, there is provided according to the invention, an axially movable column comprising torque transmitting inner and outer relatively axially movable telescopic shafts, said inner shaft having a cylindraceous shape with at least one large flat surface and said outer shaft having a corresponding bore therein with a cylindraceously-shaped inner surface for receiving said inner shaft characterized by anti-lash means comprising a tube welded or otherwise attached to said outer shaft and having a corresponding polygonal bore for engaging said inner shaft, said tube being welded in a manner that it applies a pre-load in a torsional sense between the inner and outer shafts on the large flat surfaces thereof.
In a further form of the invention the anti-lash means can comprise that the outer shaft at its end or an extension thereof is torsionally displaced to provide a pre-load to the inner shaft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to more fully describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one form of the invention,
FIG. 1a is a view along the lines A--A of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 2 is an alternative form of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1a of the drawings, the tube shaft 1 is shown, this tube extending downwardly to the steering box or mechanism, and slidable within this tube shaft is a solid shaft 2 which extends upwardly to which is affixed the steering wheel.
Preferably the shaft 2 is of the shape as shown in FIG. 1a having a pair of opposite flats 3 and arcuate joining portions 4.
The shaft tube 1 is cylindrical, but at its upper end is formed to have a complimentary shape to the shaft 2 as shown in FIG. 1a.
According to this form of the invention, there is provided a continuation of the tube 1 as a separate portion 5, this abutting the end of the shaft tube 1 and is expanded at its upper end to a circular portion 6.
The extension portion 5 is formed to h
REFERENCES:
patent: 3369425 (1968-02-01), Runkle et al.
patent: 3399549 (1968-09-01), Nagele
patent: 3473406 (1969-10-01), Runkle
patent: 3545299 (1970-12-01), Scherenberg
patent: 3922928 (1975-12-01), Kester
patent: 4106311 (1978-08-01), Euler
Nissen J. Harold
Stodola Daniel P.
Tubemakers of Australia Limited
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