JP2004224101A - Mounting structure for steering shaft - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a novel mounting structure for a steering shaft different from the conventional one reducing manufacturing manhours of a steering support bracket and to provide a mounting structure for a steering shaft capable of reducing manufacturing manhours of a steering support bracket and increasing a passage area of an air conditioning duct. <P>SOLUTION: A surface at a steering shaft 3 side of an inner panel reinforcement 1 is made to a flat surface approximately parallel to an axis 3a of the steering shaft 3. Thereby, the steering support bracket 2 can be made to a simple shape. Accordingly, since it becomes possible that the steering support bracket 2 is manufactured by a working method appropriate for a mass production such as a press working or the like, the manufacturing manhours of the steering support bracket 2 can be reduced to reduce the manufacturing cost. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mounting structure for a steering shaft.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a beam-shaped instrument panel reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction has been a pipe-shaped member having a circular or rectangular cross-sectional shape (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-2289
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-9-150754
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, a steering shaft on which a steering means such as a steering wheel is assembled is generally supported by an instrument panel reinforcement via a steering support bracket. For example, when the cross-sectional shape of the instrument panel reinforcement is circular, the steering support Since the mounting surface of the bracket on the instrument panel side must be curved so as to conform to the outer shape of the instrument panel, it is difficult to reduce the number of manufacturing steps of the steering support bracket.
[0006]
The air-conditioning duct through which the air-conditioning air flows is usually arranged on the upper surface side of the instrument panel reinforce in the space inside the instrument panel (instrument panel), so it is difficult to secure a sufficient air passage cross-sectional area. In some cases, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient amount of air required for the operation.
[0007]
In view of the above, the present invention firstly provides a novel steering shaft mounting structure different from the conventional one, secondly reduces the number of manufacturing steps of the steering support bracket, and thirdly, air-conditioning duct It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting structure for a steering shaft capable of increasing a passage area of the steering shaft.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a beam-shaped beam member (1) extending in the vehicle width direction, and a steering shaft (3) fixed to the beam member (1). And a surface of the beam member (1) to which the bracket (2) is fixed is a plane substantially parallel to the axis of the steering shaft (3). I do.
[0009]
This may allow the bracket (2) to have a simple shape. Therefore, the bracket (2) can be manufactured by a processing method suitable for mass production such as press working, so that the number of manufacturing steps of the bracket (2) can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0010]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the air conditioning duct (5) through which the conditioned air flows is disposed on the upper surface side of the beam member (1), and further, at least the air conditioning duct on the upper surface side of the beam member (1). The portion facing (5) is substantially parallel to the outer wall surface of the air conditioning duct (5).
[0011]
Thereby, the position of the upper surface of the beam member (1) is lower than that of the conventional beam member having a circular cross-sectional shape (the dashed line in FIG. 3), so that the passage sectional area of the air conditioning duct (5) can be increased. obtain.
[0012]
Therefore, the air conditioning duct (5) that can secure a sufficient air volume required for air conditioning can be easily arranged in the instrument panel, and the degree of design freedom around the instrument panel can be increased.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the beam member (1) is substantially the same over substantially the entire area in the longitudinal direction, and is an open cross-sectional shape in which the front side of the vehicle is open.
[0014]
This makes it possible to easily manufacture the beam member (1) by subjecting the plate material to press working, so that the manufacturing cost of the beam member (1) can be reduced.
[0015]
Incidentally, reference numerals in parentheses of the above-mentioned units are examples showing the correspondence with specific units described in the embodiments described later.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
(1st Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a mounting structure of a steering shaft according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing characteristics of the mounting structure of the steering shaft according to the present embodiment.
[0017]
In FIG. 1, an instrument panel reinforcement 1 is a beam-shaped beam member extending in the vehicle width direction, and a steering support bracket 2 is a support member fixed to the panel panel reinforcement 1 and supporting a steering shaft 3. The center brace 1 a is a support member that supports the instrument panel reinforce 1 at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the instrument panel reinforce 1.
[0018]
In the present embodiment, both the instrument panel reinforce 1 and the steering support bracket 2 are made of metal, and the two are fixed by mechanical fastening means such as rivets and bolts or by joining such as welding. Incidentally, in the present embodiment, both the instrument panel reinforce 1 and the steering support bracket 2 are made of an aluminum alloy, but may be made of an iron-based alloy.
[0019]
The steering shaft 3 is usually a ferrous metal round bar (round pipe), one end of which is provided with steering means such as a steering wheel 3a, and the other end of which is a front wheel via a universal joint or the like. And the like.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2A, the steering panel 3 side surface of the instrument panel reinforce 1 has a plane substantially parallel to the axis 3a of the steering shaft 3, and has a semicircular cross section. The steering support bracket 2 has a closed shape, and the steering support bracket 2 is fixed to a flat portion on the steering shaft 3 side of the instrument panel reinforce 1.
[0021]
Incidentally, the instrument panel reinforce 1 according to the present embodiment is a pipe having substantially the same cross-sectional shape over substantially the entire area in the longitudinal direction, and is formed by drawing or extrusion.
[0022]
The air-conditioning casing 4 includes an air-conditioning unit that controls the temperature of air blown into the room, such as a heater core, an evaporator, and an air-mix door, and an air-conditioning unit that houses a blow-out mode switching unit that switches the mode of air blown into the room. As shown in FIG. 1, a resin air-conditioning duct 5 that guides air to an indoor air outlet 5a that opens toward the room is connected to the air outlet of the air-conditioning casing 4.
[0023]
Usually, the air conditioning duct 5 is arranged on the upper surface side of the instrument panel reinforcement 1 in the inner space of the instrument panel (instrument panel), and the upper surface side wall surface of the instrument panel is disposed on the upper surface side of the air conditioning duct 5. It is arranged in close proximity.
[0024]
Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment will be described.
[0025]
Conventionally, since the cross-sectional shape of the instrument panel reinforcement 1 was circular, the mounting surface of the steering support bracket 2 on the instrument panel side of the instrument panel was formed into a curved shape along the outer shape of the instrument panel reinforcement 1 by drawing. In this embodiment, since the surface on the steering shaft 3 side of the instrument panel reinforce 1 is a plane that is substantially parallel to the axis 3a of the steering shaft 3, the steering support bracket 2 can have a simple shape.
[0026]
Therefore, the steering support bracket 2 can be manufactured by a working method suitable for mass production such as press working, so that the number of manufacturing steps of the steering support bracket 2 can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0027]
(2nd Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the air conditioning duct 5 side of the instrument panel reinforce 1 has a curved surface protruding toward the air conditioning duct 5 side. However, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. A portion of the upper surface of the force 1 facing the air conditioning duct 5 is a plane substantially parallel to the outer wall surface of the air conditioning duct 5.
[0028]
The instrument panel reinforce 1 according to the present embodiment is a pipe having substantially the same triangular cross-sectional shape over substantially the entire area in the longitudinal direction, and is formed by drawing or extrusion.
[0029]
Thus, in the present embodiment, the upper surface position of the instrument panel reinforce 1 is lower than that of the instrument panel reinforce 1 having a circular cross-sectional shape (the dashed line in FIG. 3), so that the passage cross-sectional area of the air conditioning duct 5 can be increased. I can do it.
[0030]
Therefore, the air conditioning duct 5 that can secure a sufficient air volume required for air conditioning can be easily arranged in the instrument panel, and the degree of freedom in designing the instrument panel can be increased.
[0031]
(Third embodiment)
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the cross-sectional shape of the instrument panel reinforce 1 is substantially the same shape over substantially the entire area in the longitudinal direction, and is an open cross-sectional shape in which the front side of the vehicle is open.
[0032]
This makes it possible to easily manufacture the instrument panel reinforce 1 by performing press working on the plate material, so that the manufacturing cost of the instrument panel reinforce 1 can be reduced.
[0033]
(Other embodiments)
In the first and second embodiments, the cross-sectional shape is substantially the same over substantially the entire area in the longitudinal direction, but the present invention is not limited to this.
[0034]
Further, the cross-sectional shape of the instrument panel reinforce 1 is not limited to the shape shown in the above-described embodiment, and at least the surface of the instrument panel reinforce 1 to which the steering support bracket 2 is fixed is aligned with the axis of the steering shaft 3. What is necessary is just to make a plane substantially parallel to 3a.
[0035]
Further, in the second and third embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the instrument panel reinforce 1 is substantially triangular, but at least the surface of the instrument panel reinforce 1 to which the steering support bracket 2 is fixed with respect to the axis 3 a of the steering shaft 3. And at least a portion of the upper surface of the instrument panel reinforcement 1 facing the air conditioning duct 5 may be substantially parallel to the outer wall surface of the air conditioning duct 5.
[0036]
Further, when the instrument panel reinforce 1 has an open cross-sectional shape as in the third embodiment, the rigidity of the instrument panel reinforce 1 can be improved by providing a partition wall that partitions the space in the instrument panel reinforce 1 in the longitudinal direction. Can be increased.
[0037]
In addition, if a plate that closes the longitudinal end of the instrument panel reinforce 1 is provided, the rigidity of the instrument panel reinforce 1 can be increased.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a mounting structure of a steering shaft according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing characteristics of a steering shaft mounting structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing characteristics of a steering shaft mounting structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing features of a steering shaft mounting structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... instrument panel reinforce, 2 ... steering support bracket,
3 steering shaft, 4 air conditioning casing, 5 air conditioning duct.

Claims (3)

A beam-shaped beam member (1) extending in the vehicle width direction;
A bracket (2) fixed to the beam member (1) and supporting a steering shaft (3);
The mounting structure of a steering shaft, wherein a surface of the beam member (1) to which the bracket (2) is fixed is a plane substantially parallel to an axis of the steering shaft (3). An air-conditioning duct (5) through which air-conditioning air flows is disposed on the upper surface side of the beam member (1).
Furthermore, at least a portion of the upper surface side of the beam member (1) facing the air conditioning duct (5) is substantially parallel to an outer wall surface of the air conditioning duct (5). The mounting structure of the steering shaft according to the item. 3. The steering shaft according to claim 2, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the beam member (1) is substantially the same over substantially the entire region in the longitudinal direction, and is an open cross-sectional shape in which a vehicle front side is open. Mounting structure.

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