1. Field of the Invention
An adjustable vehicle steering column is locked to the vehicle chassis by a remote-controlled electrically-operable locking arrangement that is carried solely by a locking arm that is pivotally connected between the steering column and the vehicle chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known in the prior art to provide vehicle steering columns wherein the position of the steering wheel can be adjusted in terms of height and/or in terms of depth. The position of the steering wheel is selected by the driver and is maintained in place by a locking system whose manual control consists of an operating lever that is worked by the driver.
These different types of locking devices, operated by means of a lever, possess several inconveniences. First of all, the lever can be positioned only in the proximity of the locking axis, in other words, in an area where accessibility is reduced along with poor visibility, which creates a risk of injury as the fingers are squeezed. Moreover, the locking and unlocking operations necessitate a major effort and is interfered with by the driver's knees. Finally, the operating lever is situated in areas that must be used for other functions so as to provide a good ergonomy for the driver's position. This environment can be the area of computers when the locking axis is placed adjacent or above the column spindle. This environment can also be the area where the driver's legs are located when the locking axis is placed below the column shaft, which introduces a risk of impact against the knees in case of an accident.
The present invention was developed to provide a device for locking an adjustable automotive vehicle steering column, which will eliminate the above-described inconveniences by providing remote locking control. This remote control must employ a simple and rather small device to allow great adaptation flexibility depending on the type of steering column and the environment of the driver's position.