JP2003231470A - Tilt steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce cost of a tilt lock cam mechanism of a tilt steering device. <P>SOLUTION: The cam mechanism 22 of the tilt steering device 1 has a cam 23 and a cam follower 24 relatively turning while mutually abutting. The cam 23 turns with an operation lever 21 turning around an axis of a spindle 14. The cam follower 24 has an insertion protruding part 53 formed on a first face 51 and inserted in a longitudinal oblong hole 42 of a side plate 41 to stop turning, and an engagement protruding part 55 formed on a second face 52 and engaging with the cam 23. The cam 23 and the cam follower are press- molded, and they can be made more inexpensively than a sintered product. It is more preferable to integrally press-mold the cam 23 and the operation lever 21 by a single member. By arranging the engagement protruding part 55 and the insertion protruding part 53 of the cam follower 24 so that they are deviated in a circumferential direction of the spindle 14, it can be easily press-molded even though it has protruding parts in the front and back. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tilt steering device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A tilt steering device includes a fixed bracket fixed to a vehicle body for a tilt lock that supports a steering wheel in a positionally adjustable manner and holds the steering wheel in the adjusted position. Shaft that penetrates the side plate of the column bracket and the side plate of the column bracket provided in the steering column, an operation lever that is rotated around the axis of this support shaft, and the side plates of both brackets are pressed together as the operation lever rotates. And a cam mechanism for achieving a tilt lock.

This cam mechanism has a cam and a cam follower which are formed in a substantially disc shape and through which a support shaft penetrates and which are arranged to face each other. The cam rotates with the operating lever,
Accordingly, the cam follower is rotationally restricted by the groove of the side plate of the bracket so that the cam follower and the cam can relatively rotate while slidingly contacting each other. The cam follower is provided on one surface to engage the cam with the cam, and the other surface is provided to the insertion protrusion to fit in the groove of the side plate of the bracket to restrict rotation. , And was usually made of a sintered body, and was expensive. Further, the cam is also formed in the same manner as the cam follower and is expensive.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above technical problems and to provide an inexpensive tilt steering device.

[0005]

According to the invention described in claim 1, there is provided a support shaft which penetrates a side plate of a fixed bracket fixed to a vehicle body and a side plate of a column bracket provided in a steering column, and a support shaft. A tilt steering device comprising: an operation lever that is rotated about an axis of a shaft; and a cam mechanism that achieves tilt lock by pressing the side plates of both brackets in accordance with the rotation of the operation lever. The mechanism has a first member that rotates together with the operation lever, and a second member that is prevented from rotating by the corresponding side plate and that relatively rotates while being in contact with the first member. At least one of the two members is press-molded. According to the present invention, at least one of the first member and the second member can be formed at low cost, so that the cam mechanism and eventually the tilt steering device can be realized at low cost.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the first member and the operating lever are integrally press-molded by a single member. According to the present invention, since the number of parts can be reduced, the tilt steering device can be realized at a lower cost. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the second member is press-molded having first and second surfaces facing each other, and the second surface corresponds to the first surface. Forming an insertion protrusion for being inserted into the groove of the side plate for restricting the rotation of the second member, and forming an engagement protrusion for cam-engaging the first member on the second surface. The insertion convex portion and the engaging convex portion are arranged so as to be displaced in the circumferential direction of the support shaft.

According to the present invention, even if there are convex portions on both surfaces of the second member, such a second member can be press-molded without difficulty. Therefore, the tilt steering device can be reliably made inexpensive.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A tilt steering device (hereinafter, simply referred to as a steering device) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The steering device 1 has a steering shaft 3 that transmits the movement of the steering wheel 2 for steering wheels (not shown), and a steering column 4 that rotatably supports the steering shaft 3 through the inside. is doing. The steering wheel 2 is connected to one end 5 of the steering shaft 3.
When the steering wheel 2 is turned, an intermediate shaft (not shown) is connected to the steering shaft 3 and the other end 6 of the steering shaft 3 so as to rotate integrally therewith.
And the like, and is transmitted to a steering mechanism (not shown) including a pinion, a rack shaft, and the like, whereby the wheels can be steered.

In the present steering device 1, the steering wheel 2 is attached to a vehicle body 7 (a part of which is indicated by a chain line) so that the position of the steering wheel 2 can be adjusted in the vertical and longitudinal directions. For example, when the position of the steering wheel 2 is set to a standard position, the steering wheel 2 is set to the upper side, and the axial direction of the steering shaft 3 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the axial direction) is in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. It is slanted against. In the following, the directions will be described based on a state in which the axial direction of the steering shaft 3 at the standard position described above is horizontal and is aligned with the front-rear direction. Further, in each of the drawings, the front-back direction, the axial direction (see arrow S), the left-right direction (see arrow Y), and the up-down direction (see arrow Z) are illustrated as necessary.

The steering shaft 3 has an upper shaft 8 constituting a rear portion thereof and a lower shaft 9 constituting a front portion thereof. The upper shaft 8 and the lower shaft 9 are connected to each other by a joint structure such as a spline structure so that they can rotate relative to each other in a direction along the axial direction and integrally rotate, and the steering is performed by a plurality of bearings (not shown). Supported by column 4. The steering column 4 is axially positioned while accommodating the lower shaft 9 and the outer tube 10 as a first tubular member that rotatably supports the upper shaft 8 while accommodating the upper shaft 8. An inner tube 11 as a second tubular member that is rotatably supported by, an upper bracket 12 fixed to the outer circumference of the outer tube 10, and a lower bracket 13 fixed to the lower portion of the inner tube 11. There is. Both tubes 10, 11
Are fitted so as to be slidable relative to each other in the axial direction.

The outer tube 10 is attached to the vehicle body 7 via an upper bracket 12, a support shaft 14, an upper fixing bracket 15 and the like. The inner tube 11 is attached to the vehicle body 7 via the lower bracket 13, the tilt center shaft 16, the lower fixing bracket 17, and the like. The tilt center shaft 16 is inserted through the circular hole of the lower fixing bracket 17 and the circular hole of the lower bracket 13 so that the lower bracket 13 and the lower fixing bracket 17 can be relatively rotated around the axis of the tilt central shaft 16. Link. As a result, the steering column 4 is swingably supported.

The support shaft 14 has a horizontally elongated hole 32 formed in a pair of side plates 31 of the upper bracket 12 and extending in the axial direction.
The upper bracket 12 and the upper fixing bracket 15 are inserted through the vertically elongated holes 42 formed in the pair of fixed side plates 41 of the upper fixing bracket 15 and extending in the direction orthogonal to the axial direction.
And are connected. Thereby, the outer tube 10 of the steering column 4 can be positionally adjusted with respect to the upper fixing bracket 15 in the axial direction and the direction orthogonal thereto.

By these respective parts, the present steering device 1
Is a telescopic adjustment function that adjusts the position of the steering wheel 2 in the axial direction by sliding the two tubes 10 and 11 relative to each other in the axial direction, and the axial direction by tilting the steering column 4 around the tilt center shaft 16. It has a tilt adjusting function for adjusting the position of the steering wheel 2 along the vertical direction which is orthogonal to each other, and the position of the steering wheel 2 can be adjusted according to the physique, driving posture, etc. of the driver. It is also possible to omit the telescopic adjustment function. Also, in order to maintain such an adjusted position, the steering column 4
A lock mechanism 20 is provided that can be switched between a tilt lock state for holding the lock state and a release state of this lock state by an operation lever 21.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lock mechanism 20 serves as a pair of side plates 31 of the above-mentioned upper bracket 12 as a column bracket provided in the steering column 4 and a fixed bracket fixed to the vehicle body 7. A pair of fixed side plates 41 of the upper fixing bracket 15 described above.
And the above-described support shaft 14 penetrating these two pairs of side plates 31, 41, the operation lever 21 rotated about the axis C of the support shaft 14, and the operation lever 21 being rotated. It has a cam mechanism 22 for pressing the side plates 31, 41 of both brackets 12, 15 to each other to achieve a tilt lock.

The upper fixing bracket 15 has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section, and the above-mentioned pair of fixed side plates 4 facing each other.
1 and a connecting plate 43 connecting the upper end edges of the pair of fixed side plates 41 to each other, and a pair of mounting seats 44 extending from the upper portion of the fixed side plate 41 in the width direction of the vehicle body. The upper bracket 12 is sandwiched between the pair of fixed side plates 41. The upper bracket 12 has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section, and includes the above-mentioned pair of side plates 31 facing each other and a connecting plate 33 connecting the upper end edges of the pair of side plates 31. The lower end edges of the pair of side plates 31 are fixed to the outer circumference of the outer tube 10 by welding or the like.

The support shaft 14 is formed in a shape similar to that of a hexagonal bolt, and has a head portion 36 at one end thereof, a shaft portion 35 extending in the left-right direction from the head portion 36, and the other end of the shaft portion 35. It has a male screw 37 formed on the side. The nut 28 is screwed into the male screw 37. The cam mechanism 22 and the upper fixing bracket 1 are provided between the nut 28 and the head 36.
5, one fixed side plate 41, the pair of side plates 31 of the upper bracket 12, and the other fixed side plate 41 are arranged in order.

The cam mechanism 22 is prevented from rotating by a cam 23 as a first member which rotates together with the operating lever 21 and a fixed side plate 41 as a corresponding side plate so that the cam 23 is prevented from rotating.
And a cam follower 24 as a second member that makes relative rotation while being in contact with each other. The position of the cam 23 is restricted by the support shaft 14 in the direction in which the axis C of the support shaft 14 extends. On the other hand, the support shaft 14 is inserted through the insertion hole 50 of the cam follower 24 so as to be rotatable and axially slidable. The unevenness of the cam surface 47 of the cam 23 and the unevenness of the cam follower 24 facing the unevenness are engaged with each other. This allows the cam 2
When 3 and the cam follower 24 rotate relative to each other, they also move relative to each other in the axial direction.

In the present steering device 1, the lock mechanism 2
When the operation lever 21 of 0 is turned in one direction, the cam mechanism 2
2, the cam follower 24 and the head 36 of the support shaft 14
The side plates 31 and 41 of both brackets 12 and 15 are pressed against each other along the axial direction of the support shaft 14 to press them into a locked state. On the other hand, the operating lever 21 of the lock mechanism 20
When is rotated in the other direction, the cam follower 24 and the head portion 36 move away from each other along the axial direction of the support shaft 14, and the pressure between the side plates 31 and 41 of the brackets 12 and 15 is released.

Particularly, in the embodiment of the present invention, the cam 23 is press-formed from a sheet metal material, and the cam follower 24 is press-formed from a sheet metal material. Accordingly, the cam 23 and the cam follower 24 can be formed at a lower cost than the sintered body, so that the cam mechanism 22 and thus the tilt steering device 1 can be realized at a lower cost. In order to obtain the cost reduction effect, it is sufficient that at least one of the cam 23 and the cam follower 24 is press-molded, and the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where both the cam 23 and the cam follower 24 are made of a sintered body.

Particularly, it is preferable that both the cam 23 and the cam follower 24 are press-molded, because a large cost reduction effect can be obtained. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cam 23 and the operation lever 21 are
However, they are integrally press-molded with a single member to form an integrally formed product 25. In this case, since the cam 23 and the operating lever 21 can be molded at once, the processing cost can be reduced. In addition, the cam 23 and the operating lever 21
Since the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case of separately forming, the assembling cost can be reduced. Therefore, the tilt steering device 1 can be realized at a lower cost.

The integrally formed product 25 includes the cam surface 4 of the cam 23.
A seat 46 that contacts the nut 28 via a washer 29 is formed behind the portion that becomes 7. The seat 46 is formed in an annular flat shape. A resin knob 26 is provided at the tip of the operation lever 21 of the integrally formed product 25. The cam 23 has a cam surface 4 facing the cam follower 24.
7, a plurality of, for example, four convex portions 49 protruding toward the cam follower 24 along the axial direction of the support shaft 14, and a plurality of, for example, four concave portions 48 arranged between the adjacent convex portions 49. Have.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the cam follower 24 is formed in a substantially disc shape separately from the side plate 41, and has a first surface 51 and a second surface 52 which face each other. . On the first surface 51, an insertion convex portion 53 that is inserted into the vertically long hole 42 as a groove of the fixed side plate 41 to regulate the rotation of the cam follower 24, and a step portion 54 that surrounds the insertion convex portion 53 are formed. The step portion 54 has a flat contact portion 59 that comes into contact with the corresponding fixed side plate 41, and a recess portion 60 that is recessed one step deeper from the contact portion 59. With this,
A plurality of, for example, four engaging protrusions 55 are arranged on the second surface 52, which is the back surface of the first face 51, and a plurality of, for example, four engaging protrusions 55 arranged between the adjacent engaging protrusions 55. And a concave portion 56. Each recess 56 has a flat engagement recess 57 that is engaged with the projection 49 so as to face each other in the released state. The two recesses 56 have a recess 58 that is recessed deeper than the engaging recess 57. This recess 58 is the insertion protrusion 5.
It is formed on the back side corresponding to 3.

The engaging projection 55 is cam-engaged with the cam surface 47 of the cam 23 (see FIG. 8). For example, the engagement protrusion 55 is
The locking state is achieved as described above by projecting toward the cam 23, and the tip end of the convex portion 49 of the cam 23 and the engaging convex portion 55 face and abut against each other. When the cam follower 24 relatively rotates with respect to the cam 23 about the axis of the support shaft 14, the tip end of the convex portion 49 of the cam 23 comes into contact with the engaging concave portion 57, and the cam follower 24 is moved to the cam 23 as described above. With respect to the shaft 14, the shaft 14 is relatively displaced in the axial direction, and the lock is released.

A pair of insertion convex portions 53 are provided, and the support shaft 1
4 are arranged along the radial direction. The cam followers 24 are supported by the fixed side plate 41 of the upper fixing bracket 15 by the side portions of the pair of insertion convex portions 53 abutting against the peripheral edge portion of the vertically elongated hole 42 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 14 so as to abut. Relative rotation is restricted around the axis of the shaft 14. The pair of insertion protrusions 53 are arranged near the outer peripheral edges of the cam followers 24 facing each other, reduce the load received when the rotation is restricted, and can ensure the durability even if the cam followers 24 have low strength. Is being done.

By the way, when the cam follower 24 has convex portions on the front and the back, it may be difficult to apply the press molding method. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the cam follower 24 is configured as follows in order to facilitate press molding. In the cam follower 24, the insertion convex portion 53 and the engaging convex portion 55 are arranged so as to be displaced in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 14. As a result, both sides 51, 5
Even if the convex portions 53 and 55 are provided on the second portion 2, such a cam follower 24 can be press-molded without difficulty. Therefore, the tilt steering device 1 can be reliably made inexpensive.

Further, in the case of press molding, the insertion convex portion 53 and the engaging convex portion 55, which are the back surface, can be collectively formed, so that the processing cost can be reduced. Moreover, the insertion protrusion 53
The relative angular position accuracy between the engaging convex portion 55 and the engaging convex portion 55 can be increased. Further, the insertion convex portion 53 and the engaging convex portion 55 are arranged so as not to overlap with each other when viewed from the direction in which the axis of the support shaft 14 extends. Further, a substantially flat contact portion 59 and engagement concave portion 57 are interposed between the insertion convex portion 53 and the engagement convex portion 55. Thereby, the ease of press molding can be further enhanced.

Further, in this embodiment, the back surface of the step portion 54 is cam-engaged with the cam 23, but the back surface of the insertion convex portion 53 may be cam-engaged with the cam 23. In this case, the cam mechanism 22 can be downsized in the axial direction.
The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration for tilt adjustment and telescopic adjustment, and other known configurations for tilt adjustment and telescopic adjustment can be applied. For example, although the cam follower 24 is designed to come into contact with the fixed side plate 41 of the upper fixing bracket 15, it may be made to come into contact with the side plate 31 of the upper bracket 12. In short, the support shaft 14 that penetrates the side plates of the pair of brackets that can move relative to each other to adjust the position of the steering wheel 2, the operation lever 21 provided on the support shaft 14, and the side plates that are operated by the operation lever 21. It suffices that the cam mechanism 22 be configured to press and have a pair of members 23 and 24 that relatively move while making contact with each other. In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of the claims.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a schematic configuration of a steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a lock mechanism and a peripheral portion thereof taken along the line AA in FIG.

3 is an exploded perspective view of the lock mechanism of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an integrally formed product.

5 is a view from the direction of arrow D in FIG. 6 showing the first surface of the cam follower.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a side surface of the cam follower as viewed in the direction of arrow C in FIG.

7 is a view in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 6 showing the second surface of the cam follower.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the cam mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Tilt Steering Device 4 Steering Column 7 Vehicle Body 12 Upper Bracket (Column Bracket) 14 Spindle 15 Upper Fixed Bracket (Fixed Bracket) 21 Operation Lever 22 Cam Mechanism 23 Cam (First Member) 24 Cam Follower (Second Member) 25 One-piece product (single member) 31 Upper bracket side plate (column bracket side plate, corresponding side plate) 41 Fixed side plate (fixed bracket side plate) 42 Vertically elongated hole (corresponding side plate groove) 51 First surface 52 2nd surface 53 Insertion convex part 55 Engaging convex part C Shaft axis

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A support shaft which penetrates a side plate of a fixed bracket fixed to a vehicle body and a side plate of a column bracket provided on a steering column, an operation lever which is rotated around an axis of the support shaft, and an operation lever of the operation lever. In a tilt steering device including a cam mechanism for pressing the side plates of both brackets with each other to achieve tilt lock as the cam rotates, the cam mechanism corresponds to a first member that rotates together with the operation lever. It is characterized in that it has a first member and a second member that rotates relative to each other while being prevented from being rotated by the side plate, and at least one of the first and second members is press-molded. Tilt steering device. 2. The tilt steering device according to claim 1, wherein the first member and the operating lever are integrally press-molded by a single member. 3. The tilt steering device according to claim 1, wherein the second member is press-molded having first and second surfaces facing each other, and the second member is formed on the first surface. , An insertion convex portion that is inserted into a groove of the corresponding side plate to regulate the rotation of the second member, and an engaging convex portion that cam-engages with the first member on the second surface. The tilt steering device is characterized in that the insertion convex portion and the engaging convex portion are arranged so as to be displaced in the circumferential direction of the support shaft.