Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02834010 2013-11-21
RETENTION BRACKET FOR STEERING COLUMN MEMBER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a retention bracket for coupling or securing an
object to
another object at a mounting location, or most preferably a steering column
member to a
vehicle cross-support member. The invention further relates to a vehicle
steering wheel
arrangement which includes a plurality of retention bracket coupled to
mounting
locations provided on a vehicle cross-support member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the automobile industry, vehicle cross-support members, crossbeams, cross
car
beams, and other similar components (collectively referred hereinafter as
"vehicle cross-
support members" or "cross-support members") are utilized as part of the
vehicular body
structure. The vehicle cross-support member normally spans between or fastened
to a
pair of laterally disposed vertical pillars, or A-pillars, in the region below
the windscreen,
and between a forward engine compartment and a rearward passenger compartment,
so as
to extend in a direction transverse to the length of an automobile. As part of
a motor
vehicle body, the cross-support member provides for cross car stiffness and
rigidity
against for example side load impacts.
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Located forwardly of the driver and the front-row passenger, the cross-support
member also supports or provides mounting surfaces for various vehicle
components,
including an instrument panel, a glove and/or storage compartment, a center
console, a
dashboard and a steering column member. Although direct attachment may be
possible,
various attachment devices or assemblies could be utilized on the cross-
support member
to effect attachment of such vehicle components. The attachment devices and
assemblies
are preferably designed such that the noise and vibrations transferring from
the vehicle
engine, drivetrain, transmission or any other moving parts are reduced for
optimal
passenger comfort. Reduction of weight and production costs are also of
important
consideration in designing such attachment devices and assemblies.
A number of attachment assemblies for attaching the steering column member to
the cross-support member are known. United States Patent No. 8,029,045 to
Merkle
discloses an integrated cross-support member design having an attachment
device of a
three-dimensional ribbed structure fastened to a crossbeam body. The
attachment device
of Merkle includes a plurality of vertically oriented blanks coupled to the
crossbeam
body in a distributed, side-by-side manner over a partial length thereof, and
in an
orientation extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the crossbeam
body to form a
ribbed structure. Merkle describes that the ribbed structure provides multiple
mounting
locations for attachment elements, such as bushes and threaded pins, for
attaching a
vehicle component or a steering column to the crossbeam body. Specifically,
Merkle
describes that the attachment elements are coupled to two adjacent blanks in
the gap
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between the blanks. Merkle further provides that for rigidity and stiffness, a
bracing bar
and rigid linking elements (to connect free ends of adjacent blanks) could be
utilized.
Merkle suggests that such arrangements provide for improved stiffness and
strength, as well as improved maximum mechanical load which may be placed on
the
attachment device. Merkle further suggests that the open structure of the
attachment
device allows for improved weight reduction, when compared to other known
devices
incorporating a closed structure.
It is believed that the attachment device of Merkle may suffer the
disadvantages
in that the individual blanks could be prone to transferring noise and
vibrations from the
engine compartment to the driver and the passenger compartment. Furthermore,
the use
of multiple blanks which must be fastened individually to the crossbeam body
may
require greater fabrication precision, and involve greater complexity and
manufacturing
costs. The vertically oriented blanks may also pose a serious safety concern
for the
driver, especially in the context of a head-on collision at higher speeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One possible non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide a
retention
bracket for coupling a steering column member to a cross-support member, and
which is
for improving noise, vibration and harshness ("NVH") performance.
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Another possible non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide a
retention bracket for coupling a vehicle steering column member to a vehicle
cross-
support member, and which is for improving distribution of mechanical load,
and for
withstanding torsional moments generated by the steering column member.
Another possible non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide a
retention bracket which allows for reduced manufacturing costs and simpler
installation
and design as a single pre-formed integral unit.
Another possible non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide a
retention bracket which broadly permits improved and more stable coupling of
an object
to another object at a mounting location.
In view of the disadvantages of previously known devices, the present
invention
provides in one simplified aspect a retention bracket having a mounting shoe
and a
reinforcing rod, and which in a most preferred embodiment, is for coupling a
steering
column member to a vehicle cross-support member.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a retention bracket for
coupling a
steering column member to a vehicle cross-support member, the cross-support
member
defining a mounting location having a downwardly oriented mounting surface
disposed
adjacent to and above a forwardly oriented mounting surface, the forwardly
oriented
mounting surface defining an aperture, the retention bracket comprising a
mounting shoe
and an axially extended reinforcing rod mechanically engageable by a threaded
end of an
attachment bolt in the securement of the steering column member to the
retention bracket,
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wherein the mounting shoe comprises: a pair of laterally spaced gusset plates,
each said
gusset plate extending forwardly from a respective rear edge, and being
integrally joined
at respective forward portions by a forward end plate to define an open
interior
therebetween, wherein an upper edge of at least one of the gusset plates and
the forward
end plate is positionable in substantially abutting contact with the
downwardly oriented
mounting surface, and at least one of the rear edges is positionable in
substantially
abutting contact with the forwardly oriented mounting surface; and a lowermost
flange
extending inwardly along a bottom edge portion of a first one of the gusset
plates towards
the second other gusset plate to define a lowermost channel therebetween; and
the
reinforcing rod comprises at least one elongated reinforcement portion and a
threaded
bore portion, the threaded bore portion defining an internally threaded bore,
wherein the
reinforcing rod is positioned in the lowermost channel with an outer
peripheral surface of
the reinforcing rod being coupled to an inner end of the lowermost flange and
a bottom
edge of the second gusset plate; and wherein the threaded end of the
attachment bolt is
receivable through the aperture for complementary mated engagement with the
internally
threaded bore.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a retention bracket for
securing a first object to a second object, the second object defining a
mounting location
having a first generally planar mounting surface oriented at an acute, right
or obtuse
angle to a second generally planar mounting surface, wherein the second
mounting
surface defines an aperture, the retention bracket comprising a mounting shoe
and an
axially extended reinforcing rod mechanically engageable by an attachment bolt
in the
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securement of the first object to the retention bracket, wherein the mounting
shoe
comprises: a pair of laterally spaced plates integrally joined along
associated first ends by
an end wall to define an open interior therebetween, wherein at least one of
second other
ends of the plates are positionable in substantially abutting contact with the
second
mounting surface, and at least one of first edges of the plates are
positionable in
substantially abutting contact with the first mounting surface; and at least
one flange
extending inwardly from a second other edge of a first one of the plates
towards a second
other edge of the second other plate to define a rod receiving channel
therebetween; and
the reinforcing rod comprises at least one elongated reinforcement portion and
a bolt
engagement portion, the bolt engagement portion defining an attachment bolt
receiving
bore, wherein the reinforcing rod is positioned in the channel with an outer
peripheral
surface of the reinforcing rod being coupled to at least one of an inner end
of the at least
one flange and the second edge of one of said plates; and wherein the
attachment bolt is
receivable through the aperture for engagement in the attachment bolt
receiving bore.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle steering wheel
arrangement for mounting a steering column member, the arrangement comprising
a
vehicle cross-support member defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced
mounting
locations and a plurality of retention brackets welded to an associated one of
the
mounting locations, each said mounting location having a downwardly oriented
mounting
surface disposed adjacent to and above a forwardly oriented mounting surface,
each said
retention bracket comprising a mounting shoe and an axially extended
reinforcing rod
mechanically engageable by a threaded end of an attachment bolt in the
securement of the
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steering column member to the arrangement, wherein the mounting shoe
comprises: a
pair of laterally spaced gusset plates, each said gusset plate extending
forwardly from a
respective rear edge weldable to the forwardly oriented mounting surface, and
being
integrally joined at respective forward portions by a forward end plate to
define an open
interior therebetween, wherein respective upper edges of the gusset plates and
the end
plate cooperatively define a partial upper rim welded to the downwardly
oriented
mounting surface; and a lowermost flange extending inwardly along a bottom
edge
portion of a first one of the gusset plates towards the second other gusset
plate to define a
lowermost channel therebetween; and the reinforcing rod is positioned in the
lowermost
channel with an outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing rod being welded
to an inner
end of the lowermost flange and a bottom edge of the second gusset plate, the
reinforcing
rod extending past a lower edge of the forward end plate in abutting contact
therewith,
wherein the reinforcing rod comprises at least one elongated reinforcement
portion and a
threaded bore portion, the at least one reinforcement portion defining a
generally hollow
interior, and comprising external and internal cross sections independently
selected from
the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a square, a rectangle, a hexagon
and an
octagon; and the threaded bore portion defining an internally threaded bore;
wherein the
threaded end of the attachment bolt is receivable through the aperture for
complementary
mated engagement with the internally threaded bore.
Preferably, the arrangement comprises two said retention brackets for mounting
the steering column member therebetween, and wherein the lowermost flange of
each
said retention bracket extends inwardly towards the other retention bracket.
In an
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alternative embodiment, the lowermost flange of each retention bracket extends
outwardly away from the other retention bracket. In a further alternative
embodiment,
the lowermost flange of a first one of the retention brackets extends inwardly
towards the
second other retention bracket, and the lowermost flange of the second other
retention
bracket extends outwardly away from the first retention bracket.
In one embodiment, the first and second mounting surfaces comprise generally
horizontally and vertically oriented mounting surfaces, respectively. In an
alternative
embodiment, the first and second mounting surfaces comprise generally
vertically and
horizontally oriented mounting surfaces, respectively.
The attachment bolt most preferably comprises a threaded end and the
attachment
bolt receiving bore comprises an internally threaded bore for complementary
mated
engagement with the threaded end. The internally threaded bore preferably
comprises a
thread length of about 5 threads to 10 threads, and most preferably 7 threads,
where heat
treatment may not be necessary when preparing the reinforcing rod.
In one embodiment, the mounting shoe comprises two said flanges extending
inwardly from respective second edges of the plates to define the rod
receiving channel
therebetween, and wherein the outer peripheral surface is coupled to
respective inner
ends of the flanges.
In one embodiment, the plates are oriented in a generally parallel
relationship
with each other. In an alternative embodiment, the plates are provided in a
non-parallel
orientation to each other. It is to be appreciated that the plates are not
limited or intended
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to limited as having equal or similar dimensions or configurations, and may
vary for
example to accommodate differing orientations and dimensions of the mounting
surfaces.
The reinforcing rod preferably further comprises on a rearward axial end a
rearward facing shoulder integrally joined to a generally hollow cylindrical
portion, the
cylindrical portion being sized for insertion at least partially in the
aperture with the
shoulder seated around a circumferential edge of the aperture, and wherein the
threaded
bore portion extends towards the rearward axial end and through the
cylindrical portion.
Similarly, in a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing rod further comprises on
an
axial end a shoulder integrally joined to a generally hollow cylindrical
portion, the
cylindrical portion being sized for insertion at least partially in the
aperture with the
shoulder seated around a circumferential edge of the aperture, and wherein the
bolt
engagement portion extends towards the axial end and through the cylindrical
portion.
Most preferably, the cylindrical portion is axially aligned with the
reinforcement
portion. The shoulder is most preferably weldable to the circumferential edge
of the
aperture in the seated arrangement. In an alternative embodiment, the
reinforcing rod is
provided without the shoulder or the cylindrical portion, and the axial end or
the rearward
axial end is weldable to the circumferential edge of the aperture.
The location of the threaded bore portion or bolt engagement portion in the
reinforcing rod is not particularly limited. The threaded bore portion or bolt
engagement
portion may be disposed in the reinforcing rod on or adjacent to an axial end,
or a
rearward or forward axial end, or between the axial ends.
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The elongated reinforcement portion preferably defines a generally hollow
interior, and comprises external and internal cross sections independently
selected from
the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a square, a rectangle, a hexagon
and an
octagon. The reinforcing rod most preferably comprises a reinforcing cylinder
defining a
generally hollow interior extending between the two axial ends, and which
includes
substantially circular external and internal cross sections. It is to be
appreciated that the
external and internal cross sections are not restricted to the aforementioned
preferred
shapes, and may furthermore be selected from other known geometric or
combinations of
geometric shapes, such as oval, parallelogram, trapezoid, triangle, rhombus,
pentagon,
heptagon, nonagon, decagon and others.
Preferably, the forward end plate of the mounting shoe is angled rearwardly
towards a lower edge of the forward end plate, and the reinforcing rod extends
past the
lower edge in abutting contact therewith or to provide a weldable interface,
such that
improved load distribution may be obtained. Respective upper edges of the
gusset plates
and the forward end plate most preferably cooperatively define a partial upper
rim shaped
for substantially abutting contact with the downwardly oriented mounting
surface.
Preferably, a longitudinal axis of the reinforcing rod is positionable in a
substantially normal orientation to the forwardly oriented mounting surface or
the second
mounting surface. Alternatively, the reinforcing rod may be positionable at an
angled,
non-perpendicular orientation to the forwardly oriented mounting surface or
the second
mounting surface.
CA 02834010 2013-11-21
Most preferably, the mounting shoe and the reinforcing rod are welded together
to
form a single pre-formed integral unit. The welding method for forming the
integral
retention bracket unit is not particular limited, as long as the method
operates to couple
the mounting shoe and the reinforcing rod. Such welding methods may include
but not
limited to electric resistance welding, shielded metal arc welding, gas metal
arc welding,
submerged arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, electroslag welding, laser beam
welding,
electron beam welding, electromagnetic pulse welding, friction stir welding,
cold metal
transfer welding and any other welding processes known in the relevant arts.
In an alternative embodiment, the mounting shoe and the reinforcing rod may be
assembled using other known joining methods including but not limited to
bonding,
crimping, clinching, riveting and screwing.
The materials for preparing the individual components of the retention bracket
are
not particularly limited. Possible materials include steel, aluminum, iron,
magnesium,
carbon fiber, high strength polymers or plastics and any combinations or
alloys thereof.
In a most preferred embodiment, the reinforcing rod comprises a cold-formed or
raw-
formed steel having a steel grade between about AISI 1008 and about AISI 1018,
or most
preferably about AISI 1010. For ease and reduce cost of manufacturing, the
mounting
shoe may be prepared as a machine stamped component or by die casting.
The forwardly oriented mounting surface or the second mounting surface are not
particularly limited, and may be defined by the steering column member or the
first
object, or a structural component thereof included for effecting engagement
with the
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retention bracket. In a most preferred embodiment, the mounting location
further
includes a rearwardly oriented mounting surface, and the retention bracket is
for use with
a mounting plate, the mounting plate comprising a forward attachment surface
having
generally planar upper and lower portions, wherein the lower portion defines
the
forwardly oriented mounting surface, and wherein in a mounted arrangement the
upper
portion is attachable to at least part of the rearwardly oriented mounting
surface, and the
lower portion is positionable in substantially abutting contact with at least
one of said rear
edges of the gusset plates and the reinforcing rod.
Similarly, in a most preferred embodiment, the retention bracket is for use
with a
mounting plate having first and second surface portions, the second surface
portion
defining the second mounting surface, wherein in a mounted arrangement the
first portion
is attachable to the second object adjacent to the first mounting surface.
Furthermore, in a most preferred embodiment, each said mounting location
further includes a rearwardly oriented mounting surface, and the retention
bracket is for
use with a mounting plate, the mounting plate comprising a forward attachment
surface
having generally planar upper and lower portions, wherein the lower portion
defines the
forwardly oriented mounting surface, and wherein in a mounted arrangement the
upper
portion is attachable to at least part of the rearwardly oriented mounting
surface.
Additional and alternative features of the present invention will be apparent
to a
person skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the
preferred
embodiments thereof
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference may now be had to the following detailed description taken together
with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a retention bracket in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, and which is shown in use with a
vertically
oriented coupling plate for coupling a vehicle steering column member to a
vehicle cross-
support member;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the retention bracket and the coupling plate
shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the vertically oriented coupling plate shown
in
Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a load bearing mounting shoe of the
retention
bracket shown in Figure 1;
Figure 5 is another perspective view of the mounting shoe shown in Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an elongated fastening cylinder of the
retention
bracket shown in Figure 1;
Figure 7 is a cross-section view of the elongated fastening cylinder taken
along
the line A-A as shown in Figure 6;
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Figure 8 is a front view of the retention bracket and the coupling plate shown
in
Figure 1, and which are welded to a vehicle cross-support member;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a vehicle steering wheel arrangement having
a
pair of retention brackets in use with associated vertically oriented coupling
plates, and
which are welded to a vehicle cross-support member in accordance with a
preferred
embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 10 is another perspective view of the preferred vehicle steering wheel
arrangement shown in Figure 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference is made to Figure 1 which shows a side view of a retention bracket
10
for use with a vertically oriented coupling plate 20 in coupling a vehicle
steering column
member 100 to a vehicle cross-support member 200 in accordance with a
preferred
embodiment of the present invention. As will be described, the retention
bracket 10
includes a load bearing mounting shoe 40 and an elongated fastening cylinder
60. For
greater clarity, Figure 2 separately illustrates a fully assembled retention
bracket 10 in
which the shoe 40 and the cylinder 60 are welded together with the coupling
plate 20 to
form a single integral unit.
As seen in Figure 3, the coupling plate 20 has a generally rectangular backing
portion 22 which is formed having a generally planar configuration along its
lower
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portion, and which may have formed therein one or more stamped reinforcing
ribs 24 for
improved structural rigidity. The backing portion 22 defines a forwardly
oriented
weldable surface 26 and a rearward steering column mounting surface (not
shown)
opposed to the weldable surface 26. The backing portion 22 further defines in
the lower
portion an aperture 28 offset towards a lateral edge 30, and which extends
between the
weldable surface 26 and the opposed rearward surface. A rearwardly projecting
cradling
lip 32 is integrally formed at a bottom edge of the coupling plate 20.
Although not strictly limited, the coupling plate 20 preferably extends
vertically
between about 5 cm and about 15 cm in length and between about 2 cm and about
7 cm
in width, and more preferably between about 7 cm and about 12 cm in length and
between about 3 cm and about 5 cm in width. The coupling plate 20 preferably
has a
thickness between about 0.1 cm and 1 cm.
Reference is made to Figures 4 which shows a perspective view of the load
bearing mounting shoe 40. The mounting shoe 40 is formed from a single stamped
metal
piece, and most preferably is comprised of cold-formed or raw-formed steel.
The
mounting shoe 40 includes a pair of generally parallel gusset plates 42, 44
each extending
forwardly between about 2 cm and about 7 cm from their respective rear edges
43, 45
(shown in Figure 5). The gusset plates 42, 44 are laterally spaced between
about 1 cm
and 6 cm, and are integrally merged at their forward edges with a transverse
forward end
plate 46. The forward end plate 46 is angled forwardly towards an upper edge
at an
inclination angle selected at between about 2 and 20 , and preferably at
about 5 , such
that with the retention bracket 10 mated to the cross-support member 200, the
end plate
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46 extends further forwardly on the cross-support member 200 than on the
fastening
cylinder 60. The respective upper edges of the gusset plates 42, 44 and the
forward end
plate 46 cooperatively define a generally planar, continuous U-shaped upper
rim 48.
The gusset plates 42, 44 and the forward end plate 46 further cooperatively
define
an open interior 50. The gusset plate 42 includes a lowermost flange 52
extending along
a lower portion thereof, so as to project inwardly between about 0.5 cm and
about 4 cm
towards the open interior 50 and the gusset plate 44, to an inner end 54. The
inner end 54
does not fully extend to contact the gusset plate 44, such that a cylinder
receiving channel
56 is defined therebetween.
In an alternative embodiment, the gusset plate 44 includes the lowermost
flange
52 extending along its lower portion, and projecting inwardly towards the open
interior
50 and the gusset plate 42.
Reference is made to Figure 6 which illustrates a perspective view of the
elongated fastening cylinder 60 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present
invention. The fastening cylinder 60 includes a cylindrical body 61 defining
an axially
extended hollow interior 62 and an outer peripheral surface 63 which is
circular in cross
section normal to the axis of the cylinder 60. The cylindrical body 61
includes at an axial
end a reduced diameter portion 64 integrally joined thereto with a shoulder
66. As best
seen in Figure 7, the rearward end of the cylindrical body 61 and the reduced
diameter
portion 64 define an internally threaded bore surface 68 which extends axially
to open to
a rearward end of the reduced diameter portion 64. The cylindrical body 61
preferably
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extends axially between about 3 cm and about 10 cm from the shoulder 66. The
outer
diameter of the out peripheral surface 63 is preferably between about 1 cm and
about 4
cm, and larger than that of the reduced diameter portion 64 which is
preferably between
about 0.5 cm and about 2.5 cm. The reduced diameter portion 64 preferably
extends
rearwardly between about 0.1 cm and about 0.5 cm.
For assembly, the reduced diameter portion 64 of the fastening cylinder 60 is
inserted into the aperture 28 of the coupling plate 20, such that the shoulder
66 is seated
around a circumferential edge of the aperture 28. With the reduced diameter
portion 64
received in the aperture 28, the fastening cylinder 60 is secured to the
weldable surface
26 by weldments extending circumferentially about the outermost circumference
of the
shoulder 66. With the upper rim 48 oriented upwardly, the rear edges 43, 45 of
the gusset
plates 42, 44 are positioned in juxtaposition with the weldable surface 26,
such that the
rear edges 43, 45 are aligned generally parallel to the lateral edge 30, and
the inner end
54 of the lowermost flange 52 and the bottom edge of the gusset plate 44 are
adjacent to
or in physical contact with the outer peripheral surface 63. Once the
fastening cylinder 60
is oriented in position within the cylinder receiving channel 56 as such, to
complete
assembly the rear edges 43, 45 are then welded to the weldable surface 26 and
the outer
peripheral surface 63 to the inner end 54 and the bottom edge of the gusset
plate 44.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fastening cylinder 60 extends past a lower
edge
of the forward end plate 46, so as to provide an additional weldable interface
or abutting
contact between the fastening cylinder 60 and the mounting shoe 40 for
improved load
distribution. Furthermore, in the fully assembled form the reduced diameter
portion 64
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does not protrude past the rearward mounting surface (best shown in Figure 9),
such that
the rearward surface is maintained as a generally planar surface.
It is to be appreciated that a person skilled in the art would readily
appreciate
other possible ways of preparing or assembling the retention bracket 10. For
example,
the fastening cylinder 60 may be welded to the mounting shoe 40 first to form
the
retention bracket 30, and the retention bracket 30 can then be welded to the
coupling
plate 20. Alternatively, the mounting shoe 40 may be welded to the coupling
plate 20
first, followed by welding of the fastening cylinder 60 to the coupling plate
20 and the
mounting shoe 40.
In operation, to mount the steering column member 100 in an automobile, the
fully assembled retention bracket 10, together with the coupling plate 20 are
welded to
the vehicle cross-support member 200 at a mounting location having a
rearwardly
oriented mounting surface (not shown) and a downwardly oriented mounting
surfaces
210 as seen in Figure 8. In particular, an upper portion of the weldable
surface 26 of the
coupling plate 20 is welded to the rearwardly oriented mounting surface, and
the upper
rim 48 of the mounting shoe 40 to the downwardly oriented mounting surface
210. When
welded to the mounting location, the internally threaded bore surface 68 of
the fastening
cylinder 60 is in position to receive an externally threaded end of an
attachment bolt in
securing the steering column member 100 thereto.
It has been appreciated that the combination of the mounting shoe 40 and the
fastening cylinder 60 of the invention may provide for improved load
distribution and
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NVH performance of the steering column member 100 mounted with the retention
bracket 10.
Reference is made to Figure 9 which shows a perspective view of a preferred
vehicle steering wheel mounting arrangement 300 which includes the vehicle
cross-
support member 200 and a pair of longitudinally spaced retention brackets 410,
510 and
associated vertically oriented coupling plates 420, 520 welded to the cross-
support
member 200. As seen in Figure 10, respective apertures 428, 528 defined by the
coupling
plates 420, 520 are offset towards a center steering column mounting area 320,
such that
respective lowermost flanges 452, 552 extend inwardly towards the same. It has
been
appreciated that such arrangement of the retention brackets 410, 510, and the
inwardly
extending lowermost flanges 452, 552 may provide for further improved load
distribution
and NVH performance.
It is to be appreciated that although the retention bracket 10, 410, 510 has
been
described with respect to a most preferred use with the coupling plate 20,
420, 520 in
mounting the steering column member 100 to the vehicle cross-support member
200, the
retention bracket 10, 410, 510 is not or intended to be limited solely to such
use. In
particular, the retention bracket 10, 410, 510 could also permit uses in
mounting or
coupling other mechanical components or objects at a mounting location with an
attachment bolt, where the mounting location most preferably includes a
generally planar
mounting surface oriented at an angle to another mounting surface.
Furthermore, it is to
be appreciated that the retention bracket 10, 410, 510 does not necessarily
require the
preferred mounting orientations illustrated in Figures 1, 9 and 10.
Specifically, in
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alternative embodiments, the reinforcing cylinder may be oriented vertically,
horizontally
or at any other angles therebetween when welded or secured at a mounting
location.
While the invention has been described with reference to preferred
embodiments,
the invention is not or intended by the applicant to be so limited. A person
skilled in the
art would readily recognize and incorporate various modifications, additional
elements
and/or different combinations of the described components consistent with the
scope of
the invention as described herein.
