Patent ID: 9540030
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: B62D,F16C

Claim:
1. A steering column assembly, comprising: an upper column jacket; a steering control shaft extending through the upper column jacket; and a steering column bearing assembly disposed between the upper column jacket and the steering control shaft to rotatably support the steering control shaft, the steering column bearing assembly comprising: the annular cavity defines an interior column opening disposed between the outer edge surface and an inner edge surface of the outer race surface of the outer race and an extra-column opening disposed opposite the interior column opening disposed between the outer race surface and the inner race surface, and the outer race surface has a curved cross-sectional area with a radius of curvature equal to a radius of a ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings so as to form an outer ball bearing track in which the plurality of ball bearings are disposed, and the inner race, the inner race extension, and the outer race are configured to retain the plurality of ball bearings therein.