JP2008074126A - Electric telescopic adjustment type steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric telescopic adjustment type steering device which stabilizes contraction load in the contraction part of an electric actuator when an impact load acts on a steering wheel. <P>SOLUTION: The electric telescopic adjustment type steering device has an outer column 12a and an inner column 12b which are telescopically coupled with each other and is provided with a steering column 12 for turnably supporting a steering shaft 11 mounted with a steering wheel 13 and the electric actuator 50 which has one end attached to the outer column 12a and the other end attached to the inner column 12b and expands and contracts the outer column 12a and the inner column 12b. The contraction part 59 of the electric actuator 50 has a shaft part 58 and an outer cylindrical part 57e allowing the shaft part to internally fit therein and is provided with flat contact surfaces 58a, 58b which come into line contact with the outer cylindrical part 57e when an impact load is input between the shaft part 58 and the outer cylindrical part 57e. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention includes an outer column and an inner column that are relatively telescopically connected, a steering column that rotatably supports a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is attached, one end portion of the outer column, and the other end The present invention relates to an electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus provided with an electric column actuator attached to the inner column and extending and contracting the outer column and the inner column.

Conventionally, an electric telescopic steering device has been proposed in which a shaft provided on a different axis from the steering column is driven in the axial direction by a motor to expand and contract a column connected to the shaft. As this electric telescopic steering device, for example, the one shown in FIG. 17 has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). In this conventional example, a housing inner cylinder 2 is slidably accommodated in a housing cylinder 1, and a steering shaft 3 having a steering wheel 4 at the tip is rotatably held in the housing inner cylinder 2. An electric motor 5 is attached to the housing cylinder 1, an attachment plate 6 is attached to the housing inner cylinder 2, and a connecting rod 7 is disposed between the electric motor 5 and the attachment plate 6. The connecting rod 7 includes a shaft 7 a that moves in the axial direction in conjunction with the electric motor 5, and an outer cylinder in which the shaft 7 a is slidably inserted in the axial direction and the free end is inserted into the mounting plate 6 and tightened with a nut. 7b, and one or more pins 8 penetrating the shaft 7a and the outer cylinder 7b are press-fitted, and the pins 8 are broken and collapsed by an impact force generated at the time of a collision or the like.
JP 2003-276616 A (first page, FIGS. 1 and 2)

  However, in the conventional example described in Patent Document 1, the electric motor 5 is fixed to the housing cylinder 1, and the connecting rod 7 that is extended and contracted by the electric motor 5 is linked to the electric motor 5 in the axial direction. Since the moving shaft 7a and the outer cylinder 7b in which the shaft 7a is slidably inserted in the axial direction and the free end is inserted into the mounting plate 6 and tightened with a nut are configured, an impact load is applied to the steering wheel 4. When acted, the steering wheel 4 with the steering wheel 4 mounted thereon is attached with a predetermined angle so that the axial direction of the steering shaft 3, that is, the column axis direction is rearwardly raised with respect to the vehicle horizontal direction. When an impact load in the horizontal direction of the vehicle is applied to the vehicle, the impact load is decomposed into a column axial force and a column axial perpendicular force. Since the housing inner cylinder 2 is slidable with respect to the housing cylinder 1, the housing inner cylinder 2 is slid into the housing cylinder 1 by the column axial force, so that the mounting portion of the outer cylinder 7 b on the mounting plate 6 is attached. A bending moment is generated.

Further, the housing inner cylinder 2 is slightly bent upward by the force perpendicular to the column axis, and the mounting plate 6 rigidly connected to the housing inner cylinder 2 also moves while maintaining a right angle with the housing inner cylinder 2. As a result, a bending moment is generated at the attachment portion of the outer cylinder 7b on the attachment plate 6 due to the result.
Since these bending moments are transmitted to the outer cylinder 7b of the connecting rod 7, a twist occurs between the outer cylinder 7b and the shaft 7a, resulting in a relatively large sliding resistance, and the contraction between the shaft 7a and the outer cylinder 7b. There is an unsolved problem that the load is not stable and stable impact energy cannot be absorbed.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made paying attention to the unsolved problems of the above-described conventional example, and when the impact load is applied to the steering wheel, the electric load capable of stabilizing the contraction load in the contraction portion of the electric actuator. An object of the present invention is to provide a telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 1 has an outer column and an inner column which are relatively telescopically connected, and a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is attached is rotatable. A steering column to be supported; and an electric actuator having one end attached to the outer column and the other end attached to the inner column, and extending and contracting the outer column and the inner column. An electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus having a contraction part that contracts in the axial direction and absorbs impact energy when the signal is inputted, wherein the contraction part of the electric actuator is inserted through the shaft part and the shaft part. And makes a line contact when an impact load is input between the shaft and the insertion portion. Tan is characterized in that it comprises a contact surface.

An electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to a second aspect is characterized in that, in the invention according to the first aspect, the flat contact surface of the contraction portion is formed in a two-sided width shape.
Furthermore, the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to a third aspect is the invention according to the first or second aspect, wherein the electric actuator is arranged in parallel with a predetermined offset amount with respect to a central axis of the inner column. And a rod having a contracted portion.

Furthermore, the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to a fourth aspect is the invention according to the third aspect, wherein the rod is an inner rod serving as the shaft portion having a two-sided width, and the inner rod is subjected to a secondary collision load. And an outer rod serving as the insertion portion that is inserted so as to be capable of relative movement during the operation.
Still further, an electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to a fifth aspect is the invention according to the third aspect, wherein the rod has an inner rod serving as the shaft portion having a two-sided width and a predetermined gap between the inner rod and the inner rod. The outer rod serving as the insertion portion to be held and inserted, and the inner rod and the outer rod are inserted into a gap between the inner rod and the outer rod so that corrugated irregularities are formed on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces, and the inner rod and the It is characterized by comprising a leaf spring member that allows contraction of the outer rod.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention, wherein the rod is driven forward and backward in the axial direction by an electric motor, and any one of the free end of the rod and the inner column or outer column is driven. A contraction part is formed between the connection part fixed to one of them.
Furthermore, the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to a seventh aspect is the invention according to the sixth aspect, in which corrugated irregularities are formed on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connecting portion and the rod in the contraction portion, thereby causing a secondary collision. A leaf spring member that allows contraction of the inner rod and the outer rod when a load is applied is inserted.

  According to the present invention, the flat contact surface extending in the vehicle width direction is provided on the contracting portion that contracts in the axial direction and absorbs the impact energy when the impact load of the electric actuator that contracts the outer column and the inner column is input. As a result, when an impact load is applied to the steering wheel, the impact load acts as a load in a direction that causes the flat contact surface to bend at the contraction portion, thereby ensuring a line contact state at the contraction portion and reducing the contraction load. The effect that it can stabilize and can perform the stable impact energy absorption is acquired.

  In this case, it is possible to further stabilize the contraction load by forming a two-sided width in the contraction part, and further, the contraction part includes a two-sided width inner rod constituting the electric actuator and an outer rod inserted therethrough. And a leaf spring member that is formed with corrugated irregularities on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the inner rod and the outer rod and allows the inner rod and the outer rod to contract when a secondary collision load is applied. Thus, the shrinkage load can be further stabilized.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a vehicle assembled with an electric telescopic adjustment type steering device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an electric telescopic adjustment type steering device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG. 5, FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an inclined state of the connecting plate with respect to the connecting rod, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7 showing a conventional connecting structure. .

  In FIG. 1, a steering column device 10 includes a steering column 12 that supports a steering shaft 11 so as to be rotatable. A steering wheel 13 is mounted at the rear end of the steering shaft 11, and an intermediate shaft 15 is connected to the front end of the steering shaft 11 via a universal joint 14. A steering gear 17 composed of a rack and pinion mechanism or the like is connected to the intermediate shaft 15 via a universal joint 16 at its front end. The output shaft of the steering gear 17 is connected to the steered wheel 19 through a tie rod 18.

When the driver steers the steering wheel 13, the rotational force is transmitted to the steering gear 17 via the steering shaft 11, the universal joint 14, the intermediate shaft 15, and the universal joint 16, and the rack and pinion mechanism rotates the vehicle. The steered wheel 19 is steered through the tie rod 18 after being converted into a linear motion in the width direction.
In addition, peripheral components P such as a combination switch and a column cover for driving an electric tilt mechanism 30 and an electric telescopic mechanism 50, which will be described later, are disposed in the vehicle rear portion of the steering column 12.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the steering column device 10 is disposed so as to be inclined backward by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5, the steering column device 10 includes an outer shaft 11a to which a steering wheel 13 is attached as shown in FIG. 5, and an inner shaft 11b that is slidably engaged with the outer shaft 11a by spline coupling or serration coupling. It consists of and.

  2 and 5, the steering column 12 includes an outer column 12a and an inner column 12b that is slidably held by the outer column 12a. The steering column 12 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the rear end portion of the inner column 12b. The outer shaft 11a and the inner shaft 11b of the steering shaft 11 are rotatably supported by the disposed rolling bearing 12c and the rolling bearing (not shown) disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the front end portion of the outer column 12a.

  The outer column 12a has a rear end (left end in FIG. 2) on the side of the universal joint 14 supported by a lower bracket 22 attached to the vehicle body side member 21 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction by a pivot pin 23. A front end (right end in FIG. 2) is attached to the vehicle body side member 21 and is supported by the upper bracket 24 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper bracket 24 includes a mounting plate portion 24b having a bulging portion 24a in which a central portion that is mounted on the vehicle body side member 21 is bulged upward, and the mounting plate portion 24b. The guide plate portions 24c and 24d extending downward from the left and right positions of the bulging portion 24a and the bottom plate portion 24e connecting the lower end portions of the guide plate portions 24c and 24d are formed in a rectangular frame shape.

  The outer column 12a described above is inserted into the guide space 24f surrounded by the mounting plate portion 24b, the guide plate portions 24c and 24d, and the bottom plate portion 24e of the upper bracket 24. As is apparent from FIG. 3, the outer column 12a has a protruding portion that protrudes in the horizontal direction, and its end portions have guide plate portions 12e and 12f having vertical guide surfaces 12d that are close to and opposed to the guide plate portions 24c and 24d. Is formed.

  The guide plate portion 12f is held by the electric tilt mechanism 30 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the electric tilt mechanism 30 is a rolling bearing 33 fixedly arranged by a restraining member 32 in a substantially rectangular frame-shaped gear housing 31 formed integrally with the lower end portion of the guide plate portion 24 d of the upper bracket 24. And a screw shaft 35 that extends in the vertical direction along the guide plate portion 24d and is rotatably supported by the rolling bearing 34 disposed on the lower surface of the mounting plate portion 24b of the upper bracket 24 described above.

  A worm wheel 36 is mounted on the screw shaft 35 in the vicinity of the rolling bearing 33 in the gear housing 31, and a worm 37 is engaged with the worm wheel 36. As shown in FIG. 4, the worm 37 is rotatably held by rolling bearings 38 and 39 disposed in the gear housing 31, and one end of the worm 37 is attached to the guide plate portion 24 d of the upper bracket 24. The output shaft 40a of the electric motor 40 fixed to the plate portion 24g is connected via a coupling 40b.

  A cylindrical cover 41 that covers the screw shaft 35 is disposed in an insertion hole 31 a through which the screw shaft 35 of the gear housing 31 is inserted, and a large elasticity that slides on the outer peripheral surface of the screw shaft 35 at the tip of the cylindrical cover 41. A lip 42 made of a synthetic resin, such as polyurethane, is provided. Similarly, a lip 43 slidably contacting the outer peripheral surface of the screw shaft 35 is also provided on the lower end surface of the rolling bearing 34.

  A nut 45 held by a nut holder 44 having a square cross section is screwed between the lips 42 and 43 of the screw shaft 35. The nut holder 44 engages in a guide groove 46 formed in the guide plate portion 24d of the upper bracket 24 and extending in the vertical direction, so that the rotational movement around the axis of the screw shaft 35 of the nut holder 44 is restricted. The nut holder 44 is moved in the vertical direction by forward and reverse rotation of the screw shaft 35. An engaging pin 47 protruding from the nut holder 44 is engaged with a long hole 24h extending in the axial direction of the outer column 12a formed at the tip of the outer column 12a.

Therefore, when the worm 37 is driven forward / reversely by the electric motor 40, the screw shaft 35 is driven forward / reversely via the worm wheel 36, whereby the nut holder 44 is moved up and down, and the outer column 12a is centered on the pivot pin 23. As a result, the tilt function can be exerted.
An electric telescopic mechanism 50 as an electric actuator is provided between the outer column 12a and the inner column 12b of the steering column 12 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the electric telescopic mechanism 50 includes a gear housing 51 fixed to the steering wheel 13 side of the outer column 12 a of the steering column 12.
A worm wheel 54 is rotatably supported on the gear housing 51 by rolling bearings 52 and 53 that are arranged to face each other at a predetermined distance in the axial direction of the steering column 12. The worm wheel 54 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a large-diameter outer peripheral surface at the center and small-diameter outer peripheral surfaces fitted with rolling bearings 52 and 53 on both ends sandwiching the large-diameter outer peripheral surface. In addition, a helical gear 54a is formed, and a female screw 54b is formed on the inner peripheral surface.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a worm 56 connected to an output shaft of an electric motor 55 attached to the gear housing 51 is engaged with the helical gear 54 a of the worm wheel 54, and the worm wheel 54 and the worm 56 decelerate the worm wheel 54. The machine is configured. Further, a linear motion mechanism is constituted by a connecting rod 58 and a female threaded portion 54b of the worm wheel 54 described later.

On the other hand, a connecting plate 57 that extends in the same direction as the gear housing 51 and is disposed at a distance from the end surface of the outer column 12a is attached to a position near the steering wheel 13 of the inner column 12b of the steering column 12. A connecting rod 58 is disposed between the gear 57 and the gear housing 51.
Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the connecting plate 57 extends from the lower end of the mounting plate portion 57a to the front side of the vehicle in parallel with the center line of the inner column from the lower end of the mounting plate portion 57a. The parallel plate portion 57b and a connecting plate portion 57c as an insertion portion that extends downward from the vehicle front end of the parallel plate portion 57b and passes through the connecting rod 58 are formed in a crank shape. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 7, the connecting plate portion 57c has an elongated rectangular insertion hole 57d formed by extending the cross-sectional shape in which the connecting rod 58 is fitted in the vehicle width direction. A sleeve 57e is attached and fixed.

  On the other hand, the connecting rod 58 is a shaft in which flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b having a two-sided width are formed in the vertical direction and are fitted into a sleeve 57e attached to the connecting plate portion 57c of the connecting plate 57 on the steering wheel 13 side. A wide-width portion 58c as a portion and a male screw portion 58d that is smaller in diameter than the wide-width portion 58c formed on the opposite side of the wide-width portion 58c and that engages with the female screw portion 54b of the worm wheel 54 are formed on the outer peripheral surface. A small-diameter bar portion 58e.

  The wide portion 58 c is fitted into the sleeve 57 e of the connecting plate 57 to form a contraction portion 59. The contracting portion 59 restricts the relative movement between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod depending on the manpower of the driver or the like at normal times, but the impact load is applied to the connecting plate via the steering wheel 13 and the inner column 12b at the time of the secondary collision. When transmitted to 57, the fitting force of the sleeve 57e and the wide portion 58c is adjusted so as to allow relative movement between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58. This adjustment is set so that the collapse load that allows the relative movement between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 by the impact load at the time of the secondary collision is about 2 kN or more.

The connecting rod 58 is screwed into a female screw 54 b of a worm wheel 54 whose male screw 58 d is rotatably supported by the gear housing 51, and the connecting rod 58 is located below the steering column 12 and has a central axis of the steering column 12. Are spaced apart by a predetermined offset value L so as to be parallel to the central axis.
Therefore, by driving the electric motor 55 forward and backward and driving the worm wheel 54 forward and backward via the worm 56, the connecting rod 58 moves forward and backward in the axial direction of the steering column 12, and the inner side via the connecting plate 57. The column 12b can be expanded and contracted in the axial direction to exhibit a telescopic function.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.
Now, in order for the driver to adjust the tilt of the steering column 12 of the steering column device 10, the combination for the tilt mechanism provided in the peripheral part P provided in the vehicle rear portion of the steering column 12 shown in FIG. When the switch is operated in the tilt-up direction (or tilt-down direction), the electric motor 40 of the electric tilt mechanism 30 is driven forward (or reverse), for example.

  In response to this, by driving the screw shaft 35 in reverse (or forward) via the worm 37 via the worm 37, the nut 45 moves upward (or downward) as viewed in FIG. Since the engaging pin 47 formed on the nut holder 44 is engaged with the long hole 24h formed on the outer column 12a of the steering column 12, the outer column 12a rotates upward (downward) about the pivot pin 23. And tilt up (or tilt down) adjustment.

Further, in order for the driver to perform telescopic adjustment of the steering column of the steering column device 10, a combination switch for a telescopic mechanism provided on a peripheral part P disposed in the rear part of the steering column 12 shown in FIG. When operated in the extension direction (or the contraction direction), the electric motor 55 of the electric telescopic mechanism 50 is driven forward (or reverse), for example.
As a result, the worm wheel 54 is driven to rotate forward (or reversely) via the worm 56, whereby the connecting rod 58 moves to the steering wheel 13 side (or the side opposite to the steering wheel 13).

For this reason, the inner column 12b is pulled out from the outer column 12a through the sleeve 57e fitted with the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58 and further through the connecting plate 57 (or the inner column 12b is inserted into the outer column 12a). The telescopic adjustment can be performed by extending (or contracting) the steering column 12.
At this time, along with the movement of the inner column 12b, the outer shaft 11a of the steering shaft 11 moves relative to the inner shaft 11b.

  Thus, the telescopic adjustment can be performed by extending and retracting the steering column 12 by the electric telescopic mechanism 50. However, when the connecting rod 58 is moved by the electric motor 55, the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58 and The connecting state of the connecting plate 57 with the sleeve 57e is continued to reliably prevent expansion and contraction between them, and the connecting rod 58 and the connecting plate 57 move together in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the inner column 12b. Can be moved in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

  However, when an impact load F is applied to the steering wheel 13 in the horizontal direction of the vehicle due to the secondary collision, the impact load F is first applied to the column axis direction component force Fx and the column axis direction perpendicular to the column axis direction. It is divided into component force Fy. The inner column 12b and the outer shaft 11a are pushed to the left in the column axial direction as viewed in FIG. 5 by the column axial component force Fx, and the column axial component Fx is transmitted to the connecting plate 57 accordingly. When the column axial component force Fx transmitted to the connecting plate 57 reaches a set collapse load, the sleeve 57e slips between the sleeve 57e of the connecting plate 57 and the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58. Moves to the small-diameter bar portion 58e side while slidingly contacting the wide width portion 58c, and a predetermined collapse stroke can be secured.

  At this time, the inner column 12b is bent upward by the component force Fy in the column axis perpendicular direction of the impact load F, so that the connecting plate 57 rigidly connected to the inner column 12b also moves while maintaining a right angle with the inner column 12b. As a result, a bending moment M is generated at the fitting portion between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58. Due to this bending moment M, as shown exaggeratedly in FIG. 8, the connecting plate 57 is inclined with respect to the connecting rod 58, and accordingly, the sleeve 57 e is provided at the upper inner peripheral surface at the vehicle front end surface and at the lower portion at the vehicle rear end side. Although the inner peripheral surface is in sliding contact with the connecting rod 58, the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 57e is formed in a two-sided width shape in the vertical direction, and the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58 fitted thereto is also in the vertical direction. Since the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b having a two-sided width are formed on the upper surface of the sleeve 57e, the upper inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 57e and the lower inner peripheral surface of the vehicle rear end surface and the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b of the connecting rod 58 , The contact pressure of the connecting plate 57 is suppressed regardless of the magnitude of the component axial force Fx of the impact load F. The detachment load between the rib 57e and the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58 can be stabilized.

  Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 9, when the sleeve 57e is formed in a cylindrical shape and the portion of the connecting rod 58 to be fitted with the sleeve 57e is a rod portion 58f having a circular section, as shown in FIG. 8, when a bending moment M acts on the connecting plate 57 and the connecting plate 57 is inclined with respect to the connecting rod 58 as shown in FIG. Both the lower end inner peripheral surfaces of the end surfaces are in point contact with the rod portion 58f of the connecting rod 58, and the surface pressure at the point contact portion is increased. For this reason, when the column axial component force Fx of the impact load F is applied, if the column axial component force Fx is small, the connection plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 may have two circular surfaces even if the cross-sectional shape is circular. A stable collapse load can be generated even in the width shape. However, when the column axial component force Fx is large, if the cross-sectional shape of the connecting portion of the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 is circular, a point contact state occurs, and the separation load becomes unstable. There is a problem that energy absorption of the column axial component force Fx cannot be sufficiently performed.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, as described above, since the cross-sectional shape of the contraction portion 59 between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 is a two-sided width shape, even when the bending moment M acts on the connecting plate 57. Since the sleeve 57e and the wide portion 58c are in a line contact state, the surface pressure is reduced, the collapse load that separates the sleeve 57e and the wide portion 58c can be stabilized, and energy absorption of the column axial component force Fx can be achieved. Can be performed satisfactorily.

  In the first embodiment, the case where the sleeve 57e is fitted into the insertion hole 57d of the connecting plate 57 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the sleeve 57e is omitted and the insertion hole 57d is omitted. The wide portion 58c of the direct connection rod 58 may be fitted inside, and further, the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 57d may be coated with a synthetic resin material such as rubber or vinyl.

  In the first embodiment, the case where the electric telescopic mechanism 50 is disposed on the lower side of the steering column device 10 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and represents a cross-sectional view of the steering column device. As shown in FIG. 10, it is disposed on the side surface side of the steering column device 10, and the cross-sectional shape at the connection portion of the connection plate 57 and the connection rod 58 at this time is a two-sided width shape in the vertical direction as described above. The same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 11 showing a longitudinal sectional view of a steering column device and FIG. 12 showing a leaf spring member applied thereto.
In the second embodiment, the sleeve 57e of the contraction portion 59 in the first embodiment described above is omitted, and when the column axial load Fx becomes equal to or greater than the collapse load, the wide width of the connecting rod 58 is replaced. A plate spring member that provides a predetermined frictional resistance to the part 58c and secures a collapse stroke while absorbing impact energy is interposed.

That is, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the sleeve 57e in the first embodiment described above is omitted, and instead of this, the upper inner peripheral surface and the lower inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 57d of the connecting plate 57 are omitted. The flat contact surfaces 57g and 57h whose surfaces are parallel to each other are formed in a two-sided width shape in the vertical direction, and a leaf spring member 61 shown in FIG. 12 is interposed in the insertion hole 57d.
As shown in FIG. 12 (a), the leaf spring member 61 includes upper and lower surfaces 61a and 61b each having at least a flat surface on the vehicle front end side and a vehicle rear end side, and the upper and lower surfaces 61a and 61b on one side. The circular arc surface 61c connected on the side surface side and the circular arc surface 61e facing the circular arc surface 61c and having a slit 61d formed in the center in the vertical direction are formed in a substantially C shape as a whole.

  The upper and lower surfaces 61a and 61b have irregularities extending in the width direction as shown in the enlarged vertical sectional view of FIG. 12B in the central region excluding the vehicle front end side portion, the vehicle rear end side portion and the left and right end portions. Are formed in a continuous manner in the axial direction. The crest of the wavy portion 61f of the upper surface 61a is in contact with the insertion hole 57d, the trough is in contact with the wide portion 58c, and the crest of the wavy portion 61f of the lower surface 61b is wide. The flat contact surface 58b of the part 58c is contacted, and the trough is in contact with the insertion hole 57d. A collapse load that allows the relative movement of the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 is set to, for example, about 2 kN or more by the elasticity of the wave-like portion 61f.

As shown in FIG. 11, the leaf spring member 61 abuts the end surface on the vehicle rear side against a flange portion 57i formed on the end surface on the vehicle rear side of the insertion hole 57d, and the vehicle front side end surface on the vehicle front side of the insertion hole 57d. It is held in the insertion hole 57d by coming into contact with a locking nut 57j screwed to the side.
According to the second embodiment, the leaf spring member 61 is interposed between the insertion hole 57d of the connecting plate 57 and the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58, and formed on the upper and lower surfaces 61a and 61b of the leaf spring member 61. Since the corrugated portion 61f is elastically contacted with the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b having a two-surface width in the insertion hole 57d of the connecting plate 57 and the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58, the impact load F acts on the steering wheel 13. When the connecting rod 58 moves in the axial direction via the worm 56 and the worm wheel 54 driven by the rotation of the electric motor 55, the leaf spring member 61 causes the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 to move between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58. The inner column 12b advances and retreats in the axial direction with respect to the outer column 12a by being integrally connected without slipping.

  However, when the impact load F acts on the steering wheel 13 and the column axial component force Fx of the impact load F acts on the inner column 12b of the steering column device 10, the connecting plate is the same as in the first embodiment. When a bending moment acts on the connecting portion of the connecting rod 58 with the connecting rod 58, the insertion hole 57d of the connecting play is inclined with respect to the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58. However, the corrugated portion 61f of the leaf spring member 61 elastically contacts the flat contact surfaces 57g and 57h constituting the insertion hole 57d of the connecting plate 57 and the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b constituting the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58, respectively. Since the corrugated portion 61f extends in the vehicle width direction, even if a bending moment is applied to the connecting portion of the connecting plate 57 with the connecting rod 58, the flat portion of the corrugated portion 61f of the leaf spring member 61 and the connecting plate 57 is flat. Since the line contact state between the contact surfaces 57g and 57h and the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b of the connecting rod 58 is maintained, the separation load can be maintained at the set collapse load, and the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58a of the connecting rod 58 can be maintained. Since the wave-like portion 61f of the leaf spring member 61 is in elastic contact with 58b and slides toward the front side of the vehicle, it is possible to reliably absorb the impact energy. Kill.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 13 showing a longitudinal sectional view of a steering column device and FIG. 14 showing a sectional view taken along line FF in FIG.
In the third embodiment, instead of forming a contraction portion between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 as in the first and second embodiments described above, an intermediate portion of the connecting rod 58 is provided. The contraction part 73 is formed.

  That is, in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the connecting rod 58 can be contracted to the outer rod portion 71 and the cylindrical outer rod portion 71 having the vehicle rear side end portion fixed to the connecting plate 57. The inner rod portion 72 is formed with a male screw portion 58g that is fitted and inserted into the front end of the vehicle and is screwed into the worm wheel 54. A portion where the inner rod portion 72 is fitted into the outer rod portion 71 is a contraction portion 73. It is said that.

  And as shown in FIG. 14, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG. 13, the cross-sectional shape of the contracted portion 73 is formed by providing the inner rod portion 72 with flat contact surfaces 72a and 72b having a two-sided width shape in the vertical direction. The flat contact surfaces 71a and 71b that are formed and are opposed to the flat contact surfaces 72a and 72b of the inner rod portion 72 at a predetermined interval are formed on the outer rod portion 71. And the leaf | plate spring member 61 which has the structure similar to 2nd Embodiment mentioned above is interposed between these flat contact surfaces 71a and 71b and flat contact surfaces 72a and 72b.

  According to the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment and the second embodiment described above, the worm 56 is driven by the rotational drive of the electric motor 55 during normal times when the impact load F is not applied to the steering wheel 13. When the connecting rod 58 moves in the axial direction via the worm wheel 54, the outer rod portion 71 and the inner rod portion 72 are integrally connected by the leaf spring member 61 so that there is no slip therebetween, and moves in the axial direction. In response to this, the inner column 12b moves in the axial direction via the connecting plate 57, and a telescopic operation can be performed.

  However, when the impact load F acts on the steering wheel 13 and the column axial component force Fx of the impact load F acts on the inner column 12b of the steering column device 10, the connecting plate is the same as in the first embodiment. As a result of the bending moment M acting on the connecting portion of the connecting rod 58 with the connecting rod 58, the connecting portion of the outer rod portion 71 and the inner rod portion 72 of the connecting rod 58 bends relatively in a vertical plane. As described in the second embodiment, the insertion hole 57d of the connection plate 57 is inclined with respect to the wide portion 58c. However, since the corrugated portion 61f of the leaf spring member 61 is in elastic contact with the outer rod portion 71 and the inner rod portion 72, and the corrugated portion 61f extends in the vehicle width direction, the outer rod portion 71 and the inner rod portion 72 When the connecting portion is curved, the corrugated portion 61f and the flat contact surfaces 71a and 71b of the outer rod portion 71 and the flat contact surfaces 72a and 72b of the inner rod portion 72 are brought into a line contact state, and the separation load is changed to a predetermined collapse load. In addition to being able to maintain a set collapse load, the detachable load can be maintained, and the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b of the connecting rod 58 can be kept on the front side of the vehicle while the corrugated portion 61f of the leaf spring member 61 is in elastic contact. Since it slides, impact energy absorption can be performed reliably.

  In the third embodiment, the case where the connecting plate 57 and the outer rod portion 71 are integrally formed has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the outer rod portion 71 is connected via a pivot pin. In this case, when an impact load F is applied to the steering wheel 13, the connection plate 57 and the outer rod portion 71 of the connection rod 58 are pivotally connected. In addition, it is possible to suppress the bending moment M from acting on the connecting plate 57, to stabilize the detachment load by the leaf spring member 61 to a predetermined collapse load, and to connect the outer rod portion 71 and the inner rod portion of the connecting rod 58. The impact energy absorption during the contraction between 72 can be performed accurately.

  In the first to third embodiments, the case where the outer column 12a of the steering column 12 is fixed to the vehicle body side member 21 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the inner column 12b is connected to the lower bracket. The steering wheel 13 may be attached to the outer column 12a by being attached to the vehicle body side member 21 by 22 and the upper bracket 24.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 15 representing a longitudinal sectional view of a steering column device and FIG. 16 representing a sectional view along the line GG in FIG.
In the fourth embodiment, the outer column 12a and the inner column 12b of the steering column device are replaced, and the contracted portion 59 between the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 causes the column axial component force Fx to be greater than or equal to the collapse load. A resin pin that breaks at a certain time is press-fitted.

That is, in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the outer column 12a of the steering column 12 is disposed on the steering wheel 13 side, and the outer column 12a is slidably disposed with respect to the inner column 12b. Yes.
An electric telescopic mechanism 50 as an electric actuator is provided between the outer column 12a and the inner column 12b as shown in FIG.

  This electric telescopic mechanism 50 has a gear housing 51 fixed to the outer column 12a, as in the first embodiment described above, and is instructed to rotate freely by rolling bearings 52 and 53 in the gear housing 51. A worm wheel 54 and a worm 56 that meshes with the worm wheel 54 and is rotationally driven by an electric motor 55 are disposed.

  Then, a male screw 58d formed on one end of the connecting rod 58 is screwed to a female screw 54b formed on the inner peripheral surface of the worm wheel 54, and the vertical direction formed on the other end of the connecting rod 58 is increased. The wide-width portion 58c formed with the flat contact surfaces 58a and 58b having a two-sided width shape is two-sided in the vertical direction formed on the flat connecting plate 57 fixed so as not to move in the axial direction with respect to the inner column 12b. It is inserted through an insertion hole 57o having width-shaped flat contact surfaces 57m and 57n.

Then, a fitting hole 57p extending upward from the lower surface side through the insertion hole 57o is formed in the connecting plate 57, and the fitting hole 57p is formed in the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58 corresponding to the fitting hole 57p. A fitting hole 58m that communicates with the synthetic resin pin 80 is formed, and a synthetic resin pin 80 that is broken by a predetermined collapse load is fitted into the fitting holes 57p and 58m.
According to the fourth embodiment, since the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 are connected by the synthetic resin pin 80 in the normal state where the impact load F at the time of the secondary collision is not applied to the steering wheel 13, By driving the electric motor 55 of the telescopic mechanism 50 forward and backward, the connecting rod 58 is advanced and retracted, and the outer column 12a is advanced and retracted with respect to the inner column 12b, whereby the telescopic position of the steering wheel 13 can be adjusted.

  When the impact load F at the time of the secondary collision is applied to the steering wheel 13 from this normal state as shown in FIG. 15, the column axial component force Fx of the impact load F causes the outer column 12a and the electric telescopic mechanism 50 to move. Via the connecting rod 58. At this time, if the column axial component force Fx transmitted between the connecting rod 58 and the connecting plate 57 exceeds a predetermined collapse load set by the synthetic resin pin 80, the synthetic resin pin 80 is broken and the connecting rod is broken. 58 is allowed to move forward of the vehicle.

  In this state, a bending moment is generated in the connecting plate 57 as in the first embodiment described above. However, the insertion hole 57o of the connecting plate 57 and the wide portion 58c of the connecting rod 58 are in the two-plane width in the vertical direction. Since the flat contact surfaces 57m, 57n and 58a, 58b are in contact with each other, even if the connecting plate 57 is inclined by a bending moment, the flat contact surfaces 57m, 57n of the insertion hole 57o of the connecting plate 57 and the connecting rod 58 Since the flat contact surface of the wide portion 58c is in a line contact state, it is possible to suppress impact energy from being increased and to stably absorb impact energy.

  In the first to fourth embodiments, the case where the contracting portions 59 and 73 are provided only in the electric telescopic mechanism 50 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the nut holder of the electric tilt mechanism 30 is not limited thereto. A contraction portion that contracts when a component force Fy in the direction perpendicular to the column axis of the impact load F during a secondary collision greater than a predetermined collapse load is applied between the nut 44 and the nut 45 may be formed.

  Moreover, although the case where the electric tilt mechanism 30 was provided was demonstrated in the said 1st-4th embodiment, it is not limited to this, The electric telescopic mechanism 50 is abbreviate | omitted and omitted. May be provided.

1 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating a state in which a steering device according to the present invention is mounted on a vehicle. It is a side view except a steering wheel of a steering column device. It is sectional drawing on the AA line of FIG. It is sectional drawing on the BB line of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the principal part of a steering column apparatus. It is sectional drawing on the DD line of FIG. It is sectional drawing on the EE line of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the connection state of the connection plate and connection rod at the time of an impact load effect | action. It is sectional drawing similar to FIG. 7 of a prior art example. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the steering column apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the leaf | plate spring member in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the steering column apparatus which shows the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing on the FF line of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the steering column apparatus which shows the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing on the GG line of FIG. It is a side view which shows the conventional steering column apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Steering column apparatus, 11 ... Steering shaft, 11a ... Outer shaft, 11b ... Inner shaft, 12 ... Steering column, 12a ... Outer column, 12b ... Inter column, 13 ... Steering wheel, 14, 16 ... Universal joint, 15 ... Intermediate shaft, 17 ... steering gear, 18 ... tie rod, 19 ... steering wheel, 21 ... vehicle body side member, 22 ... lower bracket, 24 ... upper bracket, 30 ... tilt mechanism, 50 ... telescopic mechanism, 51 ... gear housing, 54 ... Worm wheel, 55 ... electric motor, 56 ... worm, 57 ... connecting plate, 57d ... insertion hole, 57e ... sleeve, 58 ... connecting rod, 58a, 58b ... flat contact surface, 58c ... wide part, 59 ... contraction part, outer rod 58b ... Inner rod, 6 ... plate spring member, 61f ... corrugations 71 ... outer rod portion, 72 ... inner rod portion, 73 ... constriction, 80 ... synthetic resin pin

Claims (7)

A steering column that has an outer column and an inner column that are relatively telescopically connected, and that rotatably supports a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is attached, one end of the steering column and the other end And an electric actuator attached to the inner column and extending and contracting the outer column and the inner column, and the electric actuator has a contracting portion that contracts in an axial direction and absorbs impact energy when an impact load is input. An electric telescopic adjustable steering device,
The contraction portion of the electric actuator includes a shaft portion and an insertion portion that passes through the shaft portion, and includes a flat contact surface that makes line contact when an impact load is input between the shaft portion and the insertion portion. An electric telescopic adjustment type steering device.   The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flat contact surface of the contraction portion is formed in a two-sided width shape.   The said electric actuator is provided with the rod driven with the electric motor arrange | positioned in parallel with the predetermined | prescribed offset amount maintained with respect to the center axis | shaft of the said inner column. Electric telescopic adjustable steering device.   The rod is composed of an inner rod that serves as the shaft portion having a two-sided width shape, and an outer rod that serves as the insertion portion into which the inner rod is inserted so as to be relatively movable when a secondary collision load is applied. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 3,   The rod is fitted into an inner rod that serves as the shaft portion having a two-sided width, an outer rod that serves as the insertion portion through which the inner rod is inserted while maintaining a predetermined gap, and a gap between the inner rod and the outer rod. 4. A leaf spring member inserted and formed with corrugated irregularities on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces and allowing contraction of the inner rod and the outer rod when a secondary collision load is applied. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus as described.   The rod is driven forward and backward in the axial direction by an electric motor, and a contraction portion is formed between a free end of the rod and a connecting portion fixed to one of the inner column and the outer column. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering device according to claim 3. A corrugated irregularity is formed on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connecting portion and the rod in the contraction portion, and a leaf spring member is inserted to allow the inner rod and the outer rod to contract when a secondary collision load is applied. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 6.

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