JP2002059848A - Steering device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce an operation force to be applied to an operation level while maintaining a designated telescopic clamping force. SOLUTION: A holder 11 is formed in a generally U-shaped by bending plate material and has an oblong hole 12 elongated in a circumference direction (opening) on a bent part 11a thereof to reduce bending stiffness of the bent part 11a of the holder 11. A force required for bending the holder 11 is accordingly reduced. Although the bending deformation force of the holder 11 is reduced, a clamping force applied to a clamping part 4a by the holder 11 can be maintained as it originally is. An operating force to be applied to an operation lever 16 can be reduced while maintaining a designated telescopic clamping force consequently.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a telescopic type in which the axial position of the steering wheel can be adjusted in accordance with the driving posture of the driver, or a tilt type in which the inclination angle of the steering wheel can be adjusted in accordance with the telescopic type. The present invention relates to a tilt / telescopic type vehicle steering device that is also provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a vehicle steering device, there is a telescopic steering device capable of adjusting an axial position of a steering wheel in accordance with a driving posture of a driver.

For example, in a telescopic steering apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-128564, an inner column is slidably fitted to an outer column. A plurality of slits are formed in a clamp portion of the outer column for clamping the inner column from the outside so as to be able to reduce the diameter of the clamp portion. A plurality of beads for pressing the surface by point contact are formed equally spaced in the circumferential direction.

A substantially U-shaped holder formed by bending a plate material is provided on the outside of the clamp. The clamp is pressed against the inner column by tightening the holder while reducing its diameter. While performing the telescopic tightening, the tightening of the holder is released, so that the telescopic sliding is performed.

[0005]

In recent years, there has been a demand for reducing the operating force of the operating lever while maintaining a predetermined telescopic tightening force in order to improve the commerciality of the telescopic system.

However, in the telescopic steering apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, a substantially U-shaped holder formed by bending a plate material has a high bending rigidity, and while maintaining a predetermined telescopic tightening force, the operation lever is maintained. It was difficult to reduce the operating force of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a vehicle steering apparatus in which the operation force of an operation lever is reduced while maintaining a predetermined telescopic tightening force. Aim.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle steering apparatus according to the present invention has an inner column slidably fitted to an outer column,
The outer column clamp portion for clamping the inner column has a slit formed to allow the clamp portion to be reduced in diameter, and a bead for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the inner column is formed. A holder is provided on the outside of the part, tightening while reducing the diameter of the holder, pressing the clamp part against the inner column and tightening the telescopic while releasing the tightening of the holder,
In a telescopic type vehicle steering device that slides telescopically, the holder is formed by bending a plate material into a substantially U-shape, and has an opening in a curved portion thereof.

As described above, according to the present invention, the holder is formed by bending a plate material into a substantially U-shape, and has an opening in the curved portion. The bending rigidity can be reduced, and the force for bending and deforming the holder can be reduced. At this time, even if the bending deformation force of the holder is reduced, the tightening force of the holder on the clamp portion can be maintained as it is. Therefore, the operation force of the operation lever can be reduced while maintaining the predetermined telescopic tightening force.

[0010] Paradoxically, when the operating force of the operating lever is left as it is, the tightening force of the holder to the clamp portion increases, and the telescopic tightening force can be improved.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A tilt telescopic type vehicle steering system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tilt telescopic type vehicle steering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steering device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 5A is a plan view of the outer column on the lower side, FIG. 5B is a partially cutaway side view of the outer column, and FIG. 5C is a sectional view of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line -C.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the steering shaft comprises an upper shaft 1 fixedly supporting a steering wheel (not shown) at a rear end of the vehicle and a lower shaft 2 spline-fitted to the upper shaft. The steering column has an upper inner column 3 that rotatably supports the upper shaft 1 via a ball bearing 31 at the upper end, and a lower shaft 2 via a ball bearing 33 at the lower end. And is slidably supported by a lower side outer column 4 fitted to the upper side inner column 3. The upper shaft 1 is provided with a C-ring 35 for preventing the upper shaft from getting into the inner column 3. The lower shaft 2 is also provided with a C-ring 35 for preventing the lower shaft 2 from getting into the outer column 4. A C-ring 37 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, a vehicle body side bracket 6 having a tilt adjusting groove 5 is provided around the outer column 4 on the lower side. Body side bracket 6
Has a flange portion 6a connected to the vehicle body on the rear side of the vehicle, has an inverted U-shape as a whole as a whole, and integrally forms opposed side plate portions 6b and 6c.

As shown in FIG. 4, a separate lower bracket 7 is provided on the lower side of the vehicle body side bracket 6 so as to surround the vehicle body side bracket 6. The lower bracket 7 has an upper plate portion 7a connected to the vehicle body and downward facing side plate portions 7b, 7c for holding the opposite side plate portions 6b, 6c of the vehicle body side bracket 6 in contact therewith. Body side bracket 6
A U-shaped bracket 8 (tilt hinge portion) is integrally provided on the front end of the outer column 4 by welding or the like so that both ends are in sliding contact with the inside of the opposed side plate portions 6b and 6c.
The opposite side plate portions 7b and 7c of the lower bracket 7, the opposite side plate portions 6b and 6c of the vehicle body side bracket 6, and the opposite side plate portions 8a and 8b of the U-shaped bracket 8 are provided with a spacer center bolt 9 through a tilt center bolt. 10a is inserted and fastened by a nut 10b. Thus, the lower outer column 4 can be tilted about the tilt center bolt 10a.
As shown in FIG. 1, the lower bracket 7 is provided with a detachment open slit 7d for detaching the tilt center bolt 10a during a secondary collision collapse.

As shown in FIG. 1, a clamp portion 4a for clamping the inner column 3 from outside is provided at the rear portion of the outer column 4 on the lower side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the clamp portion 4a has a plurality (4) for making the diameter of the clamp portion 4a smaller.
Slits 4b are formed in the circumferential direction at equal intervals along the axial direction, and a plurality of (four) beads 4c for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 3 by point contact are formed in the circumferential direction. And are formed along the axial direction.

A substantially U-shaped holder 11 formed by bending a plate material is provided outside the clamp portion. The holder 11 has a substantially semicircular shape for reducing the diameter of the clamp portion 4a and tightening the clamp portion 4a. A curved portion 11a, and a pair of opposed side plate portions 11b and 11c formed upward from the curved portion 11a. The clamping of the clamp portion 4a by the curved portion 11a of the holder 11 is not limited to a substantially semicircular (1/2 circle) shape as shown in FIG.
The shape may be a 2/3 circular shape, a 3/4 shape, or the like.

Opposite side plates 11b, 11c of holder 11
Is in sliding contact with the inside of the opposite side plate portions 6b and 6c of the vehicle body side bracket 6, and a tightening bolt 13 described later is inserted into the opposite side plate portions 11b and 11c. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, on the vehicle front side of the opposing side plates 11b and 11c,
A pair of flanges 11d and 11e are formed by bending, respectively, and a pair of flanges 11f and 11g are formed by bending on the vehicle rear side of the opposing side plates 11b and 11c, respectively. These two pairs of flanges 11d ~
11g, in cooperation with the bending portion 11a, as described later,
The clamping portion 4a functions to press and tighten while reducing the diameter.

In this embodiment, a substantially semicircular curved portion 11a of the holder 11 is formed with a circumferentially long hole 12 (opening) extending over a substantially semicircle. This makes it possible to reduce the operation force of the operation lever 16 while maintaining a predetermined telescopic tightening force, as will be described later in detail.

The opposite side plate portions 6b, 6 of the vehicle body side bracket 6
A tightening bolt 13 is inserted through the tilt adjusting groove 5 of c and the opposite side plate portions 11b and 11c of the holder 11,
A tightening nut 14 and a lock nut 15 are screwed into a screw portion of the tightening bolt 13.

An operation lever 16 is mounted on the head side of the tightening bolt 13, and a cam lock mechanism is provided. The cam lock mechanism includes a first cam member 17 that rotates integrally with the operation lever 16, and a shaft that engages with a peak or a valley of the first cam member 17 with the rotation of the first cam member 17. And a non-rotating second cam member 18 that moves in the direction to lock or unlock. Since the projection 17a of the first cam member 17 is fitted to the operation lever, the first cam member 17 is configured to be able to rotate integrally with the operation lever 16, and the second cam member 18 Projection 18a is tilt adjustment groove 5.
, The second cam member 18 is always configured to be non-rotating. The flanges 6a of the vehicle body-side bracket 6 are provided with detachable capsules 19a and 19b at the time of collapse of the secondary collision. That is, the vehicle body side bracket 6 is connected to the vehicle body via the detachment capsules 19a and 19b.

With the above-described structure, the outer column 4, the inner column 3,
The steering shaft assembly including the lower shaft 2 and the upper shaft 1 moves forward with respect to the lower bracket 7 together with the vehicle body-side bracket 6.

When the operation lever 16 is swung in one direction during the tilt and telescopic tightening, the first cam member 17 is rotated.
Simultaneously rotate to engage the valley portion from the valley portion of the second cam member 18, the second cam member 18 moves to the right in FIG. Part 6
b and 6c are brought close to each other and slidably fixed to the opposing side plates 11b and 11c of the holder 11.

As a result, the holder 11 has its opposed side plate portions 11b and 11c approaching each other, and the two pairs of flanges 11d to 11g cooperate with the curved portion 11a to press the clamp portion 4a to reduce the diameter. While tightening, the columns 3 and 4 are tightened and fixed. At this time, the clamp part 4a
Since the slits 4b are formed, the diameter can be sufficiently reduced, and the top of the bead 4c is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 3 by point contact, so that it can be clamped sufficiently firmly. .

At this time, in this embodiment, the holder 11
A circumferentially long hole 12 (opening) extending over a substantially semicircle is formed in the substantially semicircular curved portion 11a. Therefore, the bending rigidity of the curved portion 11a of the holder 11 can be reduced, the force for bending and deforming the holder 11 can be reduced, and the holder 11 can be easily bent and deformed. Operation lever 1
The operation force 6 is the sum of the frictional force of the cam lock mechanisms (17, 18), the frictional force of the vehicle body side brackets 6 (6b, 6c) and the nut 14, and the force for bending and deforming the holder 11. Therefore, if the force for bending and deforming the holder 11 is reduced, the operation force of the operation lever 16 can be reduced. Therefore, the operation force of the operation lever 16 can be reduced while maintaining the predetermined telescopic tightening force.

Also, paradoxically, when the operating force of the operating lever 16 is left as it is, the tightening force of the clamp 4a by the holder 11 is increased, and the telescopic tightening force is improved. Can be.

At the time of release of the tilt / telescopic operation, when the operation lever 16 is swung in the reverse direction, the first cam member 17 is released.
Rotate simultaneously to engage the ridges and valleys of the second cam member 18, the second cam member 18 moves to the left in FIG. 3 to release the sliding contact fixation of the vehicle body side bracket 6, and Then, the tightening of the clamp portion 4a of the outer column 4 by the holder 11 is released.

As a result, in the case of tilt adjustment, the tightening bolt 13 is moved along the tilt adjusting groove 5, the outer column 4 and the inner column 3 are tilted about the tilt center bolt 10, and the steering wheel (Not shown) can be adjusted as desired.

In the case of telescopic adjustment, the upper inner column 3 is slid in the axial direction with respect to the lower outer column 4, and the axial position of the steering wheel (not shown) is adjusted as desired. Can be. In addition, a stopper bolt 43 is provided at a protruding portion on the lower side of the outer periphery of the outer column 4 in a radially inward direction. A long groove 3 having a predetermined length is formed in the inner column 3 so as to face the stopper bolt 43.
b is formed, and the stopper bolt 43 is
Are engaged with each other to form a telescopic position adjusting stopper and a detent member.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The holder is formed by bending a plate material into a substantially U shape,
Since the curved portion has an opening, the bending rigidity of the curved portion of the holder can be reduced, and the force for bending and deforming the holder can be reduced. At this time, even if the bending deformation force of the holder is reduced, the tightening force of the holder on the clamp portion can be maintained as it is. Therefore, the operation force of the operation lever can be reduced while maintaining the predetermined telescopic tightening force.

Also, paradoxically, when the operating force of the operating lever is left as it is, the tightening force of the holder on the clamp portion increases, and the telescopic tightening force can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tilt telescopic type vehicle steering system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steering device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1;

5A is a plan view of an outer column on the lower side, FIG. 5B is a side view of the outer column,
(C) is a cross-sectional view along the line CC of (b).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper shaft 2 Lower shaft 3 Upper side inner column 4 Lower side outer column 4a Clamp part 4b Slit 4c Bead 5 Tilt adjustment groove 6 Body side bracket 7 Lower bracket 7d Release open slit 8 U-shaped bracket 9 Spacer cylinder 10a tilt center pin 11 holder 12 circumferential slot (opening) 13 tightening bolt 14 tightening nut 15 lock nut 16 operating lever 17 first cam member 18 second cam member 19a, 19b detaching capsule 31, 33 ball bearing 35 , 37 C-ring 43 Stopper bolt

Claims (1)

[Claims] An inner column is slidably fitted to an outer column, and a slit is formed in a clamp portion of the outer column for clamping the inner column so that the diameter of the clamp portion can be reduced. In addition, a bead for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the inner column is formed, and a holder is provided outside the clamp part, tightening while reducing the diameter of the holder, pressing the clamp part against the inner column. In the telescopic type vehicle steering device that telescopically slides while releasing the tightening of the holder, the holder is formed by bending a plate material into a substantially U-shape. A steering device for a vehicle, wherein the curved portion has an opening.