JP2004211774A - Bearing device for handle column - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and inexpensively assemble a roller bearing in a shaft inserting hole of a housing. <P>SOLUTION: The roller bearing 4 is press fitted between an inner peripheral face of a shaft insertion hole of a steering column 2 and an outer peripheral face of a steering shaft 3 inserted into the shaft insertion hole, the roller bearing is composed of a general-purpose roller bearing including an outer ring 7, a plurality of rollers 8, and a cage 9 for holding the rollers, and the radial elastic pressurization is applied to the roller bearing by mounting a cylindrical body 11 provided with an elastic body 10 at its inner peripheral face side as an inner ring of the roller bearing, between the roller and the steering shaft in a state of being elastically compressed in the radial direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a handle column bearing device for supporting a steering column by press-fitting a roller bearing between an inner peripheral surface of a shaft insertion hole of a steering column and an outer peripheral surface of a steering shaft inserted into the shaft insertion hole. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an automobile steering mechanism having a structure in which a steering shaft is connected between a steering wheel and a universal joint, as a bearing supplier, when a steering shaft is supported by a roller bearing in a shaft insertion hole of a steering column, any steering mechanism can be used. There is a demand to use a roller bearing of the same specification to support the bearing. However, the outer diameter of the steering shaft is almost unified by automobile manufacturers, while the inner diameter of the steering column differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. Therefore, the radial gap between the inner peripheral surface of the shaft insertion hole of the steering column and the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft is not constant. Therefore, in order to support such a steering shaft with a roller bearing in the shaft insertion hole of the steering column, a spacer ring for adjusting the radial gap is required.
[0003]
Therefore, in such a roller bearing, although it is press-fitted into the radial gap between the steering column and the steering shaft by utilizing the elasticity of the spacer ring, the inside diameter of the shaft insertion hole of the steering column is large. When the gap in the radial direction is large, the thickness of the spacer ring becomes large, and even if it is an elastic body such as rubber, it is a relatively kind of rigid body. However, there is a manufacturing variation in the inner diameter of the shaft insertion hole of the steering column.For example, if the inner diameter is too small, the spacer ring may be incorporated into the inner periphery of the inner ring by using the elastic deformation of the spacer ring. Is difficult due to its thick and rigid body. As a result, the efficiency of the assembling work is adversely affected, and the mass production cost is increased.
[0004]
Therefore, a spacer ring made of rubber or the like is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring of the roller bearing, and a roller bearing in which the radial thickness of the spacer ring can be easily deformed and increased is provided (for example, see Patent Document 1). )
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-50268 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of the roller bearing, since the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring is covered with a thick spacer ring, the mountability to the housing is poor and the pull-out force is insufficient. Further, since a general-purpose roller bearing cannot be used, the cost is high. Roller diameters cannot be increased to ensure insertion into the steering shaft, and a thicker spacer ring is required than necessary, resulting in an increase in the amount of rubber used and a costly roller bearing.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the present invention, a handle column bearing device for press-fitting a roller bearing between an inner peripheral surface of a shaft insertion hole of a steering column and an outer peripheral surface of a steering shaft inserted into the shaft insertion hole to support the steering shaft. Wherein the roller bearing is composed of at least an outer ring and a plurality of rollers, and a cylindrical body provided with an elastic body on an inner peripheral surface is used as a bearing inner ring as a radially elastically compressed state between the rollers and the steering shaft. And a radial elastic preload is applied to the roller bearing.
[0008]
According to the present invention, the elastic preload is applied to the roller bearing by the elastic body, so that the radial gap between the roller bearing and the steering shaft can be reduced to zero or less. Therefore, the conventional thick spacer on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring is used. There is no need to provide a ring. For this reason, general-purpose roller bearings are used for the outer ring and the plurality of rollers as they are, and a cylindrical body having an elastic body on the inner peripheral surface of the general-purpose roller bearing only needs to be provided as the bearing inner ring. Can be cheaper. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a thick spacer ring on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring, the mountability to the steering column is improved and the detachment force can be secured.
[0009]
In the present invention, preferably, a peripheral groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft, and the elastic body is accommodated in the peripheral groove in an elastically compressed state together with the cylindrical body. In such a case, the roller diameter can be increased in order to ensure the insertability into the steering shaft. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the elastic body in order to ensure the insertability into the steering shaft. It is possible to provide a low-cost roller bearing without increasing the amount of material, for example, rubber, which constitutes.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a steering mechanism of a vehicle to which a bearing device for a handle column according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the roller bearing in a state where the roller bearing is not mounted on the roller bearing.
[0011]
In the handle column bearing device shown in these figures, 1 is a handle, 2 is a steering column fixed to the body of an automobile, and 3 is inserted into a shaft insertion hole of the steering column 2 to steer the handle 1 to the wheels. The transmitting steering shaft 4 is a roller bearing press-fitted at two axial positions in a gap between the inner peripheral surface of the shaft insertion hole of the steering column 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 3. The retaining ring is provided in the groove on the peripheral surface and restricts the axial movement of the roller bearing 4. A circumferential groove 6 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 3.
[0012]
The roller bearing 4 is composed of a general-purpose needle roller bearing including an outer ring 7, a plurality of rollers 8, and a retainer 9 for the rollers 8. Here, as the general-purpose needle roller bearing, in the embodiment, a shell-type needle roller bearing is used, but instead of the shell-type needle roller bearing, a solid-type shell roller bearing or any other general-purpose needle roller bearing is used. be able to. In the embodiment, the cage 9 is used as a general-purpose needle roller bearing, but a general roller type general-purpose needle roller bearing without a cage may be used.
[0013]
The handle column bearing device further includes a steel plate cylindrical body 11 in which a cylindrical elastic body 10 made of rubber is integrally provided on the inner peripheral surface by vulcanization molding adhesion. The cylindrical body 11 is accommodated in the peripheral groove 6 in a state where the elastic body 10 provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof is elastically compressed in the peripheral groove 6. The elastic body 10 may be made of resin instead of rubber as long as it has elasticity. When the elastic body 10 is made of resin, the elastic body 10 may be appropriately bonded to the inner peripheral surface of the inner ring 11.
[0014]
The cylindrical body 11 is provided with a slit 12 which is oblique to the circumferential direction, whereby the cylindrical body 11 can be elastically compressed and deformed in the radial direction. The cylindrical body 11 is divided into one by the slit 12, but may be divided into two. The elastic body 10 may not be provided with the slit 12 like the cylindrical body 11, but may be provided with a slit as needed.
[0015]
The outer diameter of the cylindrical body 11 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the steering shaft 3 when the elastic body 10 is interposed in the circumferential groove 6 of the steering shaft 3 in an elastically compressed state. The elastic body 10 applies an elastic preload to the roller bearing 4 such that a radial gap between the elastic body 10 and the steering shaft 3 in the elastic compression state is zero or less. In FIG. 2, the state before the interposition of the cylindrical body 11 and the elastic body 10 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the state after the interposition is indicated by a solid line. FIG. 3 also shows a general-purpose roller bearing 4 including an outer ring 7, rollers 8 and a retainer 9, and a cylindrical body 11 having an elastic body 10 adhered to an inner peripheral surface. The cylinder 11 in FIG. 3 corresponds to the state shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
[0016]
In the case of the above embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a thick spacer ring on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 7 as in the related art, so that a general-purpose needle roller bearing is used for the outer ring 7 and the retainer 9 as they are. can do. On the other hand, since it is only necessary to provide the cylindrical body 11 as an inner ring for the general-purpose needle roller bearing, the overall cost can be reduced. Further, since there is no spacer ring having a large thickness on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 7, the mountability to the steering column 2 is improved and the detaching force can be secured.
[0017]
In particular, the cylindrical body 11 is configured to be elastically deformable in the radial direction by the slits 12, and the elastic body 10 is integrally provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 11, and the elastic body 10 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 3. Since it is interposed in the groove 6 together with the cylindrical body 11 in an elastically compressed state, the roller diameter may be increased to ensure the insertability into the steering shaft 3, and therefore, the elastic body 10 is required to ensure the insertability. Since the thickness of the elastic body 10 does not need to be increased, the usage amount of the elastic body 10 does not increase and the cost can be reduced.
[0018]
When rubber is selected as the material of the elastic body 10, for example, nitrile rubber (NBR) is used. In this case, the spring hardness can be, for example, in the range of 70 to 90 Hs. In the case of a rubber material having an Hs of less than 70, the material becomes too soft and inferior in rigidity. On the other hand, in the case of a rubber material having an Hs of more than 90, there is a concern that the rigidity becomes too high and it becomes difficult to incorporate the rubber material into the steering shaft 3. In addition, in the said range, Preferably it is Hs70-80, More preferably, it is the range of Hs70-75.
[0019]
Further, the present invention is not limited to a motor vehicle related to a steering column, and a housing mechanism including a housing having a shaft insertion hole and a shaft inserted into the shaft insertion hole of the housing is provided with a housing mechanism. The present invention may be applied to a roller bearing that is press-fitted between an inner peripheral surface of a shaft insertion hole and an outer peripheral surface of a shaft inserted into the shaft insertion hole to support the shaft.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since it is not necessary to provide a thick spacer ring on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring of the roller bearing, it is only necessary to provide the inner ring and the elastic body in a general-purpose roller bearing including the outer ring, and therefore, It is possible to exhibit effects such as a reduction in overall cost.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a steering mechanism of an automobile to which a bearing device for a handle column according to the present invention is applied; FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a main part in FIG. 1 FIG. Side sectional view [Description of reference numerals]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 handle 2 steering column 3 steering shaft 4 retaining ring 5 roller bearing 6 peripheral groove 7 outer ring 8 roller 9 retainer 10 elastic body 11 cylindrical body

Claims (2)

A handle column bearing device for press-fitting a roller bearing between an inner peripheral surface of a shaft insertion hole of a steering column and an outer peripheral surface of a steering shaft inserted into the shaft insertion hole to support the steering shaft, The roller bearing is composed of at least an outer ring and a plurality of rollers, and a cylindrical body provided with an elastic body on an inner peripheral surface is interposed in a radially elastically compressed state between the rollers and the steering shaft as a bearing inner ring. A bearing device for a handle column, wherein a radial elastic preload is applied to the roller bearing. 2. The handle column bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral groove is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft, and the elastic body is housed in the peripheral groove in an elastically compressed state together with the cylindrical body. Characteristic bearing device for handle column.

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