Patent Description:
Vehicles such as cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossovers, mini-vans, or other suitable vehicles employ steering assemblies to facilitate steering of the vehicle. Steering assemblies typically include a steering column coupling between a hand wheel and wheels of the vehicle. When the hand wheel rotates, relative rotation of the hand wheel transfers through the steering column to turn the wheels and steer the vehicle. Accordingly, a driver engaging, and rotating, the hand wheel may steer the vehicle.

Hand wheels typically include electronic components in communication with an electrical system of the vehicle. More specifically, wires connect between the electrical components of the hand wheel and the electrical system of the vehicle. These wires, however, can become tangled and break due to over rotation of the hand wheel. Accordingly, the steering column typically employs a steering roll connector configured to connect between wires of the electronic components and the electrical system to prevent the wires from becoming tangled and breaking.

The steering roll connector typically includes a roll stator and a roll rotor rotatably coupled to the roll stator. The roll rotor may also include an electrical connector that electrically connects between the wires of the electronic components and the electrical system. The relative rotation between the roll stator and the roll rotor prevents the wires from becoming tangled and breaking. However, the relative rotation may cause a misalignment between the hand wheel and the steering column during assembly of the steering system.

<CIT> discloses a lock member for a rotary connector device including a ring portion defining an aperture.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved steering roll connector assembly.

The object is satisfied by a steering roll connector assembly according to claim <NUM>. The steering roll connector assembly includes a roll stator. The assembly also includes a roll rotor telescoped in and rotatably coupled to the roll stator to allow relative rotation between the roll rotor and roll stator. The assembly further includes a lock pin operatively engaging the roll rotor, and the lock pin is releasable from the operative engagement with the roll rotor. The assembly yet further includes an arm extending from the lock pin and operatively engaging the roll stator when the lock pin couples to the roll rotor to prevent relative rotation between the roll rotor and the roll stator. The lock pin releasably engages and releasably couples to the roll rotor by a snap-fitting arrangement. The roll rotor includes an upper surface, and the upper surface defines a rotor recess. A lock pin support includes protrusion, and the protrusion, when disposed in the rotor recess, engages and couples to the roll rotor to define the snap-fitting arrangement between the lock pin support and the roll rotor.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the lock pin support couples to the roll rotor and the lock pin releasably engages and releasably couples to the lock pin support.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the lock pin releasably engages and releasably couples to the lock pin support by a snap-fitting arrangement, wherein the roll stator defines a slot for receiving and engaging the arm of the lock pin to prevent relative rotation between the roll rotor and the roll stator.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the lock pin support defines a female portion of the snap-fitting arrangement, and the lock pin has an end configured as a male portion of the snap-fitting arrangement.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the lock pin support includes a base defining a lock pin opening configured to receive the male portion of the lock pin. The lock pin also includes a plurality to teeth extending from the base and radially inwardly into the lock pin opening, where the teeth are configured to releasably engage and releasably couple to the male portion of lock pin.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the base includes a top end, a bottom end spaced from the top end, and an interior surface at least partially defining the lock pin opening and disposed between the top and bottom end. Each of the plurality of teeth have a base interface end in contact with the interior surface. Each of the plurality of teeth extends from the base interface end upwardly, in a direction towards the top end, to a tab end, and the tab end is releasably engageable and releasably coupleable to the male portion of the lock pin.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the male portion of the lock pin includes a male end. The male portion also includes a flared edge spaced from the male end, and the flared edge configured to engage and reset on the tab ends of the plurality of teeth when the lock pin engages and couples to the lock pin support. The male portion further includes an engagement section positioned adjacent the flared edge, and between the flared edge and the male end, and the plurality of teeth releasably engaging and releasably coupling to the engagement section when the lock pin releasably engages and releasably couples to the lock pin support.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the tab ends of the plurality of teeth define a tooth opening, where the tooth opening is smaller in size than the lock pin opening.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the male portion of the lock pin has a flared section defining a taper from the engagement section to the male end.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the male end is larger in size than the tooth opening to prevent engagement and coupling between the lock pin and the lock pin support when the lock pin is released from its releasable engagement and releasable coupling to the lock pin support.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the lock pin is released from its releasable engagement and releasable coupling to the lock pin support when a force is applied to the lock pin in a direction away from the top end of the lock pin support.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of assembling a steering roll assembly, as defied in claim <NUM>. The method includes providing a roll stator defining a stator recess. The method also includes providing a roll rotor having an outer wall, and the outer wall defines a rotor recess. The method further includes providing a lock pin having an arm, and the lock pin defining a male portion of a snap-fitting. The method yet further includes providing a lock pin support defining a female portion of the snap-fitting, and the lock pin assembly having a protrusion. The method also includes coupling the lock pin to the lock pin support by snap-fitting the male portion to the female portion. The method further includes disposing the arm of the lock pin in the stator recess. The method yet further includes coupling the lock pin support to the roll rotor by snap-locking the protrusion in the rotor recess.

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:.

It is to be appreciated that the Figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components.

The following disclosure is directed to various embodiments of the invention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.

Generally, vehicles employ steering assemblies to facilitate steering of a vehicle by a driver. Steering assemblies typically include a steering column, which may include a steering shaft, coupling between a hand wheel and wheels of the vehicle. When the hand wheel rotates, relative rotation of the hand wheel transfers through the steering column to the wheels of the vehicle. Accordingly, a driver engaging, and turning, the hand wheel may steer the vehicle.

Hand wheels typically include electronic components in communication with an electrical system of the vehicle. More specifically, wires connect between the electrical components of the hand wheel and the electrical system of the vehicle. To prevent tangling and breakage of the wires due to over rotation of the hand wheel, a steering roll connector may be used to connect between the electrical components of the hand wheel and the electrical system of the vehicle.

With reference to the FIGS. , a steering roll connector <NUM> of the present disclosure is illustrated. The steering roll connector <NUM> may include a roll stator <NUM> and a roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> telescoped in and rotatably coupled to the roll stator <NUM>. The telescoped relationship between the roll stator <NUM> and the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> facilitates relative rotation between the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> and the roll stator <NUM>. In some embodiments, the roll stator <NUM> may define a female seat <NUM> (<FIG>) and the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> may define a male seat <NUM> (<FIG>). The female and male seats <NUM>, <NUM> may engage one another and be configured to facilitate the relative rotation between the roll stator <NUM> and the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM>.

The roll stator <NUM> may define a first central opening <NUM> (<FIG>), and the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> may define a second central opening <NUM>, <NUM> coaxially aligned with, and telescoped in, the first central opening <NUM>. The second central opening <NUM>, <NUM> of the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> is configured to receive a steering column, or shaft (not illustrated), and the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> is configured to couple the steering roll connector <NUM> to the steering column. It is to be appreciated the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> may be configured in many different ways to receive and couple with the steering column and be within the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> may have an upper surface, or outer wall, <NUM>, <NUM> and an electrical connector housing <NUM>, <NUM> may be integrally formed with, or coupled to, the upper surface <NUM>, <NUM>. The electrical connector housing <NUM>, <NUM> may be configured to facilitate the connection between the electrical components of the hand wheel and the electrical system of the vehicle.

The steering roll connector <NUM> may also include a lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) operatively engaged with the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM>. The operative engagement of the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> with the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> provides for the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> to engage, and to be releasable from its engagement with, the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM>. More specifically, the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> may engage and disengage from the roll rotor <NUM> without breaking. In some embodiments, the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> may include an arm <NUM>, <NUM> extending from the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM>. When the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> couples to the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM>, the arm <NUM>, <NUM> may operatively engage (i.e., may directly or indirectly couple to) the roll stator <NUM> to prevent the relative rotation between the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> and the roll stator <NUM>. In some embodiments, the roll stator <NUM> may have an exterior wall <NUM> that defines one or more slots, or stator recesses, <NUM> for receiving the arm <NUM>, <NUM> of the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM>.

In some embodiments, a lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM> may couple, directly or indirectly, to the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM>. In some embodiments, the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM> is coupled to the roll rotor <NUM> by being integrally formed with the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM>. With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the lock pin support <NUM> is coupled to the roll rotor <NUM> by being integrally formed with the roll rotor <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the lock pin support <NUM> may couple to the roll rotor <NUM> by a snap-fitting or snap-locking arrangement. More specifically, and as best illustrated in <FIG>, the roll rotor <NUM> may have a male protrusion <NUM> that may be integrally formed with, or coupled to, the upper surface <NUM>, <NUM>. The male protrusion <NUM> may have one or more clips <NUM> configured to engage the lock pin support <NUM> to facilitate the snap-fitting or snap-locking arrangement. As best illustrated in <FIG>, the lock pin support <NUM> may define one or more female, or clip, recesses <NUM> configure to receive the clips <NUM> of the male protrusion <NUM> to facilitate the snap-fitting or snap-locking arrangement. It is to be appreciated that the snap-fitting or snap-locking arrangement may be permanent (e.g., the lock pin support <NUM> and the male protrusion <NUM>, once coupled, cannot be uncoupled) or releasable (e.g., the lock pin support <NUM> and the male protrusion <NUM> may be coupled and uncoupled).

In some embodiments, the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> may releasably engage and couple to the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM>. In some embodiments, the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> is released from its releasable engagement and coupling to the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM> when a force is applied (e.g., when the lock pin is manually pulled) to the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> in a direction away from the top end of the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM>. The lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> may releasably engage and couple to the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM> by a snap-fitting arrangement. More specifically, the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM> may define a female portion of the snap-fitting arrangement and the lock pin may have an end configured as a male portion <NUM>, <NUM> of the snap-fitting arrangement.

With reference to <FIG>, the lock pin support <NUM> may have a base <NUM> that defines a lock pin opening <NUM>. The lock pin opening <NUM> may be configured to receive the male portion of the lock pin <NUM>. The lock pin support <NUM> may also include a plurality of teeth <NUM>. The teeth <NUM> may extend from the base <NUM> and radially inward into the lock pin opening <NUM>, and the teeth <NUM> may be configured to releasably engage and couple to the male portion of the lock pin <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the base <NUM> has a top end <NUM> and a bottom end <NUM> spaced from the top end <NUM>. The base <NUM> may also have an interior surface (shown in the FIGS. , but not numbered) that at least partially defines the lock pin opening <NUM> and is disposed between the top and bottom ends <NUM>, <NUM>. Each of the teeth <NUM> may have a base interface end <NUM> (<FIG>) that is in contact with the interior surface. The base interface end <NUM> may directly or indirectly couple to the interior surface. Each of the teeth <NUM> may extend from the base interface end <NUM> upwardly, in a direction towards the top of the base <NUM>, to a tab end <NUM> (<FIG>). As best illustrated in <FIG>, the tab end <NUM> may releasably engage and couple to the male portion of the lock pin <NUM>.

In some embodiments, and as best illustrated in <FIG>, the male portion <NUM> of the lock pin <NUM> may have a male end <NUM> and a flared edge <NUM> spaced from the male end <NUM>. The flared edge <NUM> may be configured to engage and reset on the tab ends <NUM> of the teeth <NUM> when the lock pin <NUM> engages and couples to the lock pin support <NUM>. The male portion <NUM> may also have an engagement section <NUM> positioned adjacent the flared edge <NUM> and between the flared edge <NUM> and the male end <NUM>. The lock pin <NUM> may also have a flared section <NUM> that defines a taper from the engagement section <NUM> to the male end <NUM>. When the lock pin <NUM> releasably engages and couples to the lock pin support <NUM> the teeth <NUM> releasably engage and couple to the engagement section <NUM> (e.g., the teeth <NUM> compress against the engagement section <NUM> to releasably engage and couple to the engagement section <NUM>). In some embodiments, the tab ends <NUM> of the teeth <NUM> may define a tooth opening (not numbered), where the tooth opening is smaller in size than the lock pin opening <NUM>. In some embodiments, the male end <NUM> is larger in size than the tooth opening to prevent re-engagement and re-coupling between the lock pin <NUM> and the lock pin support <NUM> when the lock pin <NUM> is pulled from the lock pin support <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the upper surface <NUM>, <NUM> of the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> may define a female, or rotor, recess (not illustrated). In such embodiments, the lock pin support <NUM> may include one or more locking protrusions (not illustrated). The locking protrusions, when disposed in the rotor recess, may engage and couple to the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> to define the snap-locking arrangement between the lock pin support <NUM> and the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM>.

In some embodiments, and as best illustrated in <FIG>, the lock pin <NUM> may define a pair of snap legs <NUM>. The snap legs <NUM> may releasably engage and couple to the lock pin support <NUM>. In some embodiments, the lock pin support <NUM> may include a ledge <NUM> that defines a lock pin opening <NUM> having a width and/or diameter. The lock pin support <NUM> may also include a bottom <NUM>, and a lock pin recess <NUM> defined between the ledge <NUM> and the bottom <NUM>. The lock pin recess <NUM> may be configured to receive the pair of snap legs <NUM>, and the ledge <NUM> and the bottom <NUM> are configured to retain the pair of snap legs <NUM> in the recess <NUM>. In some embodiments, the snap legs <NUM> extend outwardly from the lock pin <NUM> to a snap leg width, and the snap legs <NUM> are configured to releasably engage and couple to the lock pin support <NUM> when disposed in the recess <NUM>. Moreover, to prevent engagement and coupling between the lock pin <NUM> and the lock pin support <NUM> when the lock pin <NUM> is pulled from the lock pin support <NUM>.

The present disclosure also includes a method of assembling the steering roll assembly <NUM>. In some embodiments, the method may include coupling the lock pin <NUM> to the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM> by snap-fitting the male portion <NUM>, <NUM> to the female portion of the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, the lock pin <NUM> is illustrated in uncoupled with the lock pin support <NUM> and illustrated coupled to the lock pin support <NUM> by snap-fitting the male portion <NUM> to the female portion of the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM>.

The method may also include disposing the arm <NUM>, <NUM> of the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> in the stator recess <NUM>, <NUM>. With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the arm <NUM>, <NUM> of the lock pin <NUM>, <NUM> in the stator recess <NUM>, <NUM>. The method may also include coupling the lock pin support <NUM>, <NUM> to the roll rotor <NUM>, <NUM> by snap-locking the protrusion in the rotor recess.

In some embodiments, and as best illustrated in <FIG>, the method may provide a tool <NUM> having a slot <NUM> with a slot width. As best illustrated in <FIG>, the method may include disposing the lock pin <NUM> in the slot of the tool <NUM>, wherein the snap-leg width is compressed to the slot width. The method may also include positioning the tool <NUM> to align the slot <NUM> with the lock pin opening192. The method may also include sliding the lock pin <NUM>, in the slot <NUM>, towards the lock pin opening <NUM> to dispose the pair of snap legs <NUM> into the lock pin recess <NUM>, whereby the pair of snap legs <NUM> expend to the snap-leg width to retain the lock-p <NUM> in the recess.

Claim 1:
A steering roll connector assembly, comprising:
a roll stator (<NUM>);
a roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>) telescoped in and rotatably coupled to the roll stator (<NUM>) to allow relative rotation between the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>) and roll stator (<NUM>);
a lock pin (<NUM>, <NUM>) operatively engaging the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>), and the lock pin (<NUM>, <NUM>) is releasable from the operative engagement with the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>); and,
an arm (<NUM> ,<NUM>) extending from the lock pin (<NUM>, <NUM>) and operatively engaging the roll stator (<NUM>) when the lock pin (<NUM>, <NUM>) couples to the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>) to prevent relative rotation between the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the roll stator (<NUM>),
wherein the lock pin (<NUM>, <NUM>) releasably engages and releasably couples to the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>) by a snap-fitting arrangement,
wherein the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>) includes an upper surface (<NUM>, <NUM>), and the upper surface (<NUM>, <NUM>) defines a rotor recess, and
wherein a lock pin support (<NUM>, <NUM>) includes a protrusion, and the protrusion, when disposed in the rotor recess, engages and couples to the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>) to define the snap-fitting arrangement between the lock pin support (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the roll rotor (<NUM>, <NUM>).