JP2000203434A - Hole cover of steering column - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a displacement absorption function in a rotation direction to the front and the rear of a steering column having a high vehicle mounting angle and to stabilize the energy absorption function of the steering column. SOLUTION: This steering column 1 has an upper part removably supported at a car body and lower end part supported at a car body through a hole cover 2. In this case, the hole cover 2 comprises a cylindrical coupling part 21 securely fitted in the lower end part of a jacket tube rotatably supporting a steering shaft; an approximately conical cover part 22 formed continuously from the coupling part 21; and a flange-form mounting part 23 Fixed at the dash panel 3 of a car body formed at the external end of the cover part 22. Folded parts 24 approximately in an S-shape in cross section are arranged on the front and rear sides of at least the car body of the cover part 22 of the hole cover 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hole cover for a steering column, and more particularly to a hole cover having a function of absorbing displacement during a secondary collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a steering column of an automobile, when a mounting angle is large due to a vehicle layout, it is necessary to provide an energy absorbing function in a secondary collision not only in the axial direction of the steering column but also in the rotational direction.

At present, in a steering column in which a hole cover is directly attached to a dash panel, displacement in the rotational direction is absorbed by a fitting portion between a jacket tube of the steering column and the hole cover.

[0004]

However, the structure in which the displacement in the rotational direction is absorbed by the fitting portion between the jacket tube and the hole cover has a problem that the dispersion of the displacement load is large and the energy absorption characteristics are not stable.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the rigidity of the fitting portion between the jacket tube and the hole cover to reduce the variation of the displacement load. The post is prone to vibration, which can result in a driver with a steering wheel feeling uncomfortable.

Therefore, the present invention improves the energy absorbing function in a steering column having a large vehicle mounting angle, in particular, the function of absorbing displacement in the forward and backward rotational directions.
Provided is a steering column hole cover that stabilizes the energy absorption function of the steering column.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a hole cover for a steering column according to the present invention has an upper portion of the steering column detachably supported by a vehicle body and a lower end portion having a lower portion via a hole cover. In a steering column supported by a vehicle body, the hole cover is formed continuously from a cylindrical connecting portion fitted and fixed to a lower end portion of a jacket tube rotatably supporting a steering shaft, and the connecting portion. A substantially conical cover portion, and a flange-shaped mounting portion fixed to a dash panel of the vehicle body formed at an outer end portion of the cover portion,
A folded portion having a substantially S-shaped cross section is provided at least on the front and rear sides of the body of the cover portion of the hole cover.

[0008] Therefore, the folded portion provided at least on the front and rear sides of the vehicle body of the cover portion of the hole cover facilitates the rotational displacement of the steering column toward the front side of the vehicle body. Can stabilize the energy absorption function. In addition, since the lower end of the steering column is fitted and fixed to the connecting portion of the hole cover, the rigidity of the steering column in the axial, radial and torsion directions can be increased, and the steering column is less likely to generate vibration. it can.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle mounting angle α
A large steering column 1 has an upper part detachably supported by the vehicle body and a lower end part formed by a hole cover 2.
The hole cover 2 is fixedly supported by a dash panel 3 of the vehicle body through a cylindrical connecting portion 21 fitted and fixed to a lower end portion of the jacket tube 4 by welding or the like.
It has a substantially conical cover portion 22 formed continuously from the connecting portion 21 and a flange-shaped attachment portion to the dash panel 3 at the outer end of the cover portion 22.

Further, the upper part of the steering column 1 is
The vehicle body is supported by a clamp 10 which is detached from the vehicle body at the time of the next collision, and has an energy absorbing structure between the clamp 10 and the vehicle body.
Is composed of two members, an upper tube 5 and a lower tube 6. The fitting portions of the upper tube 5 and the lower tube 6 can be slid against each other by applying an axial load of a predetermined load or more, and can be contracted in the axial direction. Therefore, the steering shaft 7 is also composed of two members, the upper shaft 8 and the lower shaft 9, and their fitting margins are serrated or spline-engaged with each other so as to be movable in the axial direction.

The universal joint 1 is provided on the upper shaft 8.
The tilt shaft 12 is connected to the upper end of the upper tube 5 by a tilt bracket 15 having a tilt center 14 at the center of rotation of the universal joint 11. It is pivoted on. A steering wheel (not shown) is fixed to the tip of the tilt shaft 12.

The tilt bracket 15 is provided with a tooth 17 which can be disengaged from an arc tooth 16 fixed to the lower surface of the upper tube 5.
Is formed so as to be rotatable about a shaft 19, and a part of the lock plate 18
The one end of the “0” is abutted, and a rotational bias is applied counterclockwise about the tilt center 14. Therefore, the tilt can be adjusted by engaging and disengaging the teeth 17 of the lock plate 18 and the arc teeth 16. The lock plate 18 is operated by an operation lever (not shown).

A lower end of the lower shaft 9 projects from the dash panel 3 toward the engine room, and is connected to an intermediate shaft 29 via a universal joint 28. The intermediate shaft 28 is connected to a steering gear (not shown). ing.

The hole cover 2 will now be described. As shown in FIGS.
Connecting part 2 for fitting and fixing the lower end of jacket tube 4
The dash panel 3 is provided between the substantially conical cover hem 22 provided with the mounting portion 1 and the mounting portion 23 fixed to the dash panel 3.
A folded portion 24 having an S-shaped cross section is formed on the circumference in substantially the same plane. A bolt insertion hole 26 is formed in the mounting portion 23 formed in a flange shape, and is fixed to a dash panel by a bolt. The folded portion 24 is a bellows formed in the same plane and having an S-shaped cross section.

Since the lower end of the jacket tube 4 is fixed to the connecting portion 21 of the hole cover 2 and the mounting portion 23 is fixed to the dash panel 3, the steering column 1 has an High rigidity in the direction and torsion direction, the steering column 1
Is less likely to occur.

Next, the operation of the hole cover 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the clamp 10 separates from the vehicle body due to a secondary collision (F input), and the entire steering column 1 connects the intermediate shaft 29 to the steering shaft. 7 rotates around the rotation center A of the universal joint 28 connected to the lower shaft 9 of the vehicle 7, and the jacket tube 4 contracts when a predetermined load or more is applied in the axial direction. When the steering column 1 is rotated forward of the vehicle body, the folded portion 24 of the hole cover 2 is positioned on the front side of the vehicle body as shown in FIG.
, And expands and deforms as shown in FIG. 5B on the rear side of the vehicle body.

As a result, the behavior of the steering column 1 at the time of the secondary collision is such that the occupant collides with the steering wheel, the steering column 1 rotates around the point A in FIG. It is performed so that it contracts in the axial direction. In addition, the displacement absorption in the rotational direction of the steering column 1 can be easily deformed by the folded portion 24 formed in a substantially S-shape, thereby reducing the deformation load and reducing the variation in the displacement load. be able to. for that reason,
The energy absorption structure provided on the steering column can operate stably, and the energy absorption characteristics can be improved.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the folded portion 24a is formed only on the front-rear direction side of the vehicle body, and a flat surface 27 is formed on the left-right direction side of the cover portion 22. Thereby, the support rigidity in the left-right direction can be further improved, and the steering column 1 can be prevented from vibrating in the left-right direction other than at the time of the secondary collision. Further, since the folded portion 24a can be easily deformed at the time of the secondary collision, the displacement load in the rotating direction can be suppressed low. In the second embodiment, the flat surface 27 may be a curved surface.

Thus, the folded portion 24a formed on the front and rear sides of the vehicle body of the hole cover 2 supporting the jacket tube 4 of the steering column 1 facilitates the rotational displacement of the steering column 1 toward the front of the vehicle body. And the energy absorbing function of the steering column 1 can be stabilized. In addition, the lower end of the jacket tube 4 is fixed to the hole cover 2, and a flat surface 27 is provided on the left and right sides of the hole cover 2.
Is formed, the support rigidity of the steering column 1 in the radial direction, the axial direction, and the torsion direction can be further improved, and the steering column 1 can be less likely to generate vibration.

[0020]

According to the present invention described above, the turning portion provided on the front and rear sides of the hole cover for supporting the lower end portion of the steering column facilitates the rotational displacement of the steering column toward the front side of the vehicle body. Variations in displacement load can be reduced, and the energy absorption function of the steering column can be operated stably. In addition, since the lower end of the steering column is fixed to the hole cover, the rigidity of the steering column in the axial, radial, and torsional directions can be increased, and the steering column can be made less prone to vibration.

This makes it possible to set a steering column which is directly mounted on the dash panel (on the vehicle body floor side) and has a large mounting angle which requires a function of absorbing displacement in the rotational direction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a steering column of a dash direct attachment type showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1 showing a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view of the hole cover according to the present invention, as viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the hole cover in the rear view of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the hole cover according to the present invention, respectively, in FIG. 1A and FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hole cover showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Steering column 2, 2a ... Hole cover 3 ... Dash panel 4 ... Jacket tube 21 ... Connection part 22 ... Cover part 23 ... Mounting part 24, 24a ... Folding part 26 ... Bolt insertion hole 27 ... Flat surface or curved surface

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A steering column in which an upper portion of a steering column is detachably supported by a vehicle body and a lower end is supported by the vehicle body via a hole cover, wherein the hole cover rotatably supports a steering shaft. A cylindrical connecting portion fitted and fixed to a lower end portion of the jacket tube, a substantially conical cover portion formed continuously from the connecting portion, and a dash of a vehicle body formed at an outer end of the cover portion; A steering column having a flange-shaped mounting portion fixed to the panel, and a folded portion having a substantially S-shaped cross section is provided at least on the front and rear sides of the body of the cover portion of the hole cover. Hole cover.