Steering column vehicle switch assembly having rotary and lineal movement

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a steering column, a switch assembly comprising, in combination; a post mounted on said steering column, said post being pivotal about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of said steering column said post having an arcuate passage extending through it; a shank coupled to and extending from said post, said shank when moved causing said post to pivot about said post axis, said shank having a passage within it, one end of said shank passage being in alignment with one end of said arcuate passage in said post; a rod within said shank passage; handle means coupled to said shank and to said rod, for controlling rotational and longitudinal movement of said rod within said shank passage; a switch having a housing mounted on said steering column in spaced relation with said post, said switch having a member capable of both rotary and lineal movement relative to said switch housing to change the switching condition of said switch; a conduit connected at one of its ends to said switch housing and at its other end to said post, said other end of said conduit being in alignment with the other end of said arcuate passage in said post; and a flexible cable coupled to said movable switch member and to said rod, said flexible cable extending through said conduit, through said arcuate passage in said post, and into said shank passage.

Claim 3

A switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said handle means comprises a first member stationary with respect to said shank, said stationary first member having a circular flange, a second member rotatable on said circular flange of said stationary first member, said rotatable second member being coupled to said rod, rotation of said rotatable second member causing rotation of said rod.

Claim 4

A switch assembly according to claim 2, said handle assembly further comprising a push-button having a projecting portion, said rotatable second member having an opening receiving said projecting portion of said push-button, said push-button engaging said rod, said push-button being longitudinally movable within said rotatable second member and said push-button being coupled to said rotatable second member and said rod.

Claim 5

A switch assembly according to claim 2, wherein said post and said switch housing each have projecting flange portions and wherein said conduit has a conduit connector affixed to each of its ends, each of said conduit connectors having an ovally-shaped end portion for grasping said projecting flange portions, thereby, to couple said conduit to said post and said switch.

Claim 6

A switch assembly according to claim 3, wherein said post and said switch housing each have projecting flange portions and wherein said conduit has a conduit connector affixed to each of its ends, each of said conduit connectors having an ovally-haped end portion for grasping said projecting flange portions, thereby, to couple said conduit to said post and said switch.

Claim 7

A switch assembly according to claim 3, said switch assembly further comprising a turn signal switching mechanism coupled to said post, said switching mechanism having a member stationary relative to said steering column and a member movable in response to pivotal movement of said post about said post axis.

Claim 8

In a vehicle having a steering column, a switch asSembly comprising, in combination: a post mounted on said steering column, said post being pivotal about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of said steering column, said post having an arcuate passage extending through it; a vehicle turn signal switch assembly comprising a first member stationary relative to said steering column, said stationary first member of said turn signal mechanism having a bearing, said post being journaled in said bearing, said turn signal mechanism having a second member coupled to said post for rotation with said post when said post rotates in said bearing to actuate said turn signal mechanism; a shank having a tubular construction and a passage extending through it, said shank having a collar larger in diameter than the remainder of said shank and having a projecting portion extending into said arcuate passage in said post; a shank sleeve surrounding said shank, abutting said collar, and in threaded engagement with said post to retain said shank on said post and to maintain said passage in said shank in alignment with one end of said arcuate passage in said post; a rod within said shank passage, said rod extending from said shank at the end of said shank opposite its end connected to said post; a handle assembly, said handle assembly comprising a conically-shaped first member in stationary engagement with said shank, said stationary first member having a circular flange and an opening defined by said circular flange, a second handle assembly member rotatable on said circular flange and relative to said stationary first member, said rotatable member having a projecting portion received in said opening in said stationary first member, said rotatable second member having an opening within it, a push-button having a projecting portion received by said opening in said rotatable second member and in non-rotatable engagement with the end of said rod extending from said shank, said projecting portion of said push-button and said opening in said rotatable second member permitting longitudinal movement, in the direction of the length of said rod, of said push-button and said rod and preventing rotational movement of said push-button relative to said rotatable second member, and means for limiting rotation of said rotatable second member relative to said stationary first member to less than one revolution; a switch having a housing mounted on said steering column and spaced from said post, said switch having a member capable of both rotary and lineal movement relative to said switch housing to change the switching condition of said switch; a conduit connected at one of its ends to said switch housing and at its other end to said post, said other end of said conduit being in alignment with the other end of said arcuate passage in said post; and a flexible cable coupled to said movable switch member and to said rod, said flexible cable extending through said conduit, through said arcuate passage in said post, and into said shank passage.

Claim 9

In a vehicle having a steering column, a switch asSembly comprising, in combination: a post mounted on said steering column, said post being pivotal about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of said steering column, said post having an arcuate passage extending through it; a vehicle turn signal switch assembly comprising a first member stationary relative to said steering column, said stationary first member of said turn signal mechanism having a bearing, said post being journaled in said bearing, said turn signal mechanism having a second member coupled to said post for rotation with said post when said post rotates in said bearing to actuate said turn signal mechanism; a shank having a tubular construction and a passage extending through it, said shank having a collar larger in diameter than the remainder of said shank and having a projecting portion extending into said arcuate passage in said post; a shank sleeve surrounding said shank, abutting said collar, and in threaded engagement with said post to retain said shank on said post and to maintain said passage in said shank in alignment with one end of said arcuate passage in said post; a rod within said shank passage, said rod extending from said shank at the end of said shank opposite its end connected to said post; a handle assembly, said handle assembly comprising a conically-shaped first member in stationary engagement with said shank, said stationary first member having a circular flange and an opening defined by said circular flange, a second handle assembly member rotatable on said circular flange and relative to said stationary first member, said rotatable member having a projecting portion received in said opening in said stationary first member, said rotatable second member having an opening within it, a push-button having a projecting portion received by said opening in said rotatable second member and in non-rotatable engagement with the end of said rod extending from said shank, said projecting portion of said push-button and said opening in said rotatable second member permitting longitudinal movement, in the direction of the length of said rod, of said push-button and said rod and preventing rotational movement of said push-button relative to said rotatable second member, and means for limiting rotation of said rotatable second member relative to said stationary first member to less than one revolution; a switch having a housing mounted on said steering column and spaced from said post, said switch having a member capable of both rotary and lineal movement relative to said switch housing to change the switching condition of said switch; a conduit connected at one of its ends to said switch housing and at its other end to said post, said other end of said conduit being in alignment with the other end of said arcuate passage in said post; and a flexible cable coupled to said movable switch member and to said rod, said flexible cable extending through said conduit, through said arcuate passage in said post, and into said shank passage.

Claim 10

A switch assembly according to claim 7, wherein said means for limiting the rotation of said rotatable second member relative to said stationary first member comprises a groove in said projecting portion of said rotatable second member and a pin in said stationary first member, said pin being located in said groove.