JP2008080991A - Column hole cover - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To securely prevent noise generation during steering over a long period by improving a mounting structure to the outer peripheral face of a steering shaft. <P>SOLUTION: A shaft mounting part 30 comprises a cylindrical fitting part 40 integrally provided in a main body part 10 and having an annular ring storage groove 41 on the inner peripheral face; a first resin ring 50 stored in and fixed to the first ring storage groove 41 and having an annular second ring storage groove 54 on the inner peripheral face; and a second resin ring 60 stored in the second ring storage groove 54. With the shaft mounting part 30 mounted on the steering shaft 5, the second resin ring 60 is fitted to the outer peripheral face of the steering shaft 5 with a predetermined interference and can be slid inside the second ring storage groove 54 of the first resin ring 50. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides an outer peripheral surface of a steering shaft so that one end is attached to the dash panel so as to cover a mounting hole penetrating the dash panel of the vehicle body and a part of the steering shaft inserted through the mounting hole is covered. More particularly, the present invention relates to a column hole cover having an improved mounting structure for a steering shaft.

  In a vehicle steering mechanism, the rotational force of a steering wheel is transmitted to a steering gear via a steering shaft, and the wheel is controlled by converting this rotational force into a lateral movement of a tie rod. Here, the steering wheel is in the vehicle interior, the steering gear is outside the vehicle body, and the steering shaft extends from the inside to the outside of the vehicle body. Therefore, normally, the steering shaft passes through a hole provided in a dash panel near the feet of the driver's seat. Then, during traveling, mud, water, etc. may enter the vehicle compartment through the hole. Therefore, a hole is usually covered with a column hole cover made of an elastic material such as rubber, and a steering shaft is inserted into the column hole cover so that mud, water, etc. do not enter the vehicle interior from the outside.

  As such a column hole cover, there is known one having a rubber seal lip portion at the opening tip which is sealed to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft with a predetermined allowance. In this column hole cover, when the steering shaft rotates, the metal steering shaft and the rubber seal lip slide, so that a stick-slip phenomenon peculiar to the rubber material occurs.

  Therefore, in this column hole cover, a lubricant such as grease is applied to the inside of the seal lip portion to prevent the generation of abnormal noise during steering by the stick-slip phenomenon.

  However, lubricants such as grease may disappear due to aging. For this reason, the conventional column hole cover cannot reliably prevent the generation of noise during steering due to the stick-slip phenomenon in the long term.

On the other hand, Patent Document 1 is a sealing device attached to the outer peripheral surface of a rotating shaft, in which a rubber seal lip and a synthetic resin seal ring are arranged in the axial direction, and the seal lip and the seal ring There has been disclosed a technique in which a sealing agent is improved while a sliding torque is kept low by applying a lubricant such as oil to the inner peripheral surface. However, even with this sealing device, if the lubricant disappears due to aging, a stick-slip phenomenon similarly occurs on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft, and the generation of abnormal noise during steering cannot be prevented.
JP 2005-240932 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is a technique to be solved to reliably prevent the generation of abnormal noise during steering by improving the mounting structure on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft in the long term. It is to be an issue.

  The column hole cover of the present invention that solves the above problems covers a cylindrical main body having openings at both ends, and a mounting hole that is provided at one end of the main body and extends through the dash panel of the vehicle body. A column hole cover having a panel attachment portion attached to the dash panel and a shaft attachment portion provided on the other end side of the main body portion and attached to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft, wherein the shaft attachment portion Is a cylindrical fitting portion that is provided integrally with the main body portion and has an annular first ring storage groove on the inner peripheral surface, and is stored and fixed in the first ring storage groove of the fitting portion. A first resin ring having a two-ring storage groove on the inner peripheral surface and a second resin ring stored in the second ring storage groove of the first resin ring, and the shaft mounting portion is attached to the steering shaft. With In the mounted state, the second resin ring is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft with a predetermined tightening allowance and is slidable in the second ring housing groove of the first resin ring. It is characterized by that.

  In this column hole cover, the second resin ring is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft with a predetermined tightening allowance. For this reason, when the steering shaft rotates, the second resin ring rotates together. The second resin ring is slidably received in the second ring storage groove of the first resin ring which is stored and fixed in the first ring storage groove of the fitting portion.

  For this reason, in the column hole cover of the present invention, even when the steering shaft rotates, the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft and the rubber material do not slide. In addition, the second resin ring that rotates together with the steering shaft slides with the first resin ring. However, since the resin material slides between each other, there is a stick-slip phenomenon between the first resin ring and the second resin ring. Does not occur.

  Therefore, according to the column hole cover of the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent the generation of noise during steering by the stick-slip phenomenon for a long period of time.

  In the column hole cover of the present invention, since the first resin ring and the second resin ring slide, there is a concern about a decrease in sealing performance between the two, but in the second ring housing groove of the first resin ring. Since the second resin ring is housed in the labyrinth structure which is complicated in shape, there is little possibility that water or the like enters from between the first resin ring and the second resin ring.

  In the column hole cover of the present invention, it is preferable that the first resin ring is made of a hard resin material, and the second resin ring is made of a soft resin material that is softer than the hard resin material.

  In this column hole cover, when the steering shaft is inserted and fitted into the second resin ring, the second resin ring made of a soft resin material is easily deformed. For this reason, the mounting workability of the steering shaft is improved. In the column hole cover, a first resin ring made of a hard resin material is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the fitting portion. For this reason, when a fitting part consists of rubber materials etc., the shape of a fitting part can be stably hold | maintained with a 1st resin ring. Therefore, it is possible to avoid inconvenience due to the deformation of the fitting portion into an irregular shape.

  Here, as the hard resin material, polypropylene (PP) in which a reinforcing material such as glass fiber is mixed as required, polyamide (PA) in which a reinforcing material is mixed in if necessary, and polyacetal (POM). Etc.) can be preferably used. Moreover, as said soft resin material, polyolefin-type elastomer (TPO), polyester-type elastomer (TPEE), etc. can be used conveniently. Moreover, as a preferable combination of a hard resin material and a soft resin material, a combination of PP and TPEE or a combination of PP and TPO can be given.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting state of the column hole cover 1 of the present embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the first resin ring and the second resin ring as the component parts of the column hole cover according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is assembled so as to take the second resin ring into the inner peripheral surface. It is a perspective view which shows a 1st resin ring.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the column hole cover 1 of the present embodiment is integrated with a main body 10, a panel mounting portion 20 provided integrally with one end of the main body 10, and the other end of the main body 10. And a shaft mounting portion 30 provided on the shaft.

  The column hole cover 1 is made of a rubber elastic body and is integrally formed by injection molding. In this column hole cover 1, the panel mounting portion 20 or the like may be partially molded with a synthetic resin or the like having higher rigidity than other portions, as necessary.

  The main body 10 is a thin-walled cylindrical member having openings at both ends and partially having a bellows shape.

  The panel attachment portion 20 is attached to the panel inner edge portion 4 around the attachment hole 3 so as to cover the attachment hole 3 of the dash panel 2 of the vehicle body (not shown). The panel attachment portion 20 has an annular fitting groove 21 into which the panel inner edge portion 4 is fitted. That is, the panel inner edge portion 4 is fitted into the fitting groove 21 of the panel mounting portion 20, so that the panel mounting portion 20 is attached to the dash panel 2 so as to cover the mounting hole 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the shaft attachment portion 30 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the fitting portion 40 and a fitting portion 40 made of a rubber elastic body integrally provided on the other end side of the main body portion 10. The first resin ring 50 and the second resin ring 60 disposed on the inner peripheral side of the first resin ring 50 are included.

  An annular first ring storage groove 41 for storing and fixing the first resin ring 50 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the fitting portion 40. An annular recess 42 is provided on the bottom surface of the first ring storage groove 41. Further, the annular recess 42 is provided with four engagement recesses 43 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

  The first resin ring 50 is fitted and fixed in the first ring storage groove 41 of the fitting portion 40. As shown in FIG. 4, the first resin ring 50 has a central large diameter portion 51 at the center in the axial direction and small diameter portions 52 and 52 at both ends in the axial direction. The radial thickness of the small diameter portion 52 of the first resin ring 50 is larger than the depth value of the first ring storage groove 41 of the fitting portion 40. For this reason, the inner peripheral surface of the first resin ring 50 that is fitted and fixed in the first ring storage groove 41 of the fitting portion 40 protrudes to the inner peripheral side from the inner peripheral surface of the fitting portion 40 ( (See FIG. 2).

  Four engaging protrusions 53 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the central large-diameter portion 51 of the first resin ring 50 at regular intervals in the circumferential direction so as to be fitted in the engaging recesses 43 respectively. It has been. Since the engagement protrusions 53 engage with the engagement recesses 43, the relative rotation of the first resin ring 50 with respect to the fitting portion 40 is reliably restricted. An annular second ring storage groove 54 for storing the second resin ring 60 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the first resin ring 50 (the inner peripheral surface of the central large diameter portion 51).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first resin ring 50 is composed of a two-part product of a first ring 50A and a second ring 50B. The first ring 50A and the second ring 50B have the same shape and size.

  The first ring 50A includes a small-diameter cylindrical portion 55A corresponding to the small-diameter portion 52, a large-diameter flange portion 56A integrally provided at one axial end of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 55A, and a shaft extending from the outer peripheral end of the large-diameter flange portion 56A. It has a pair of outer peripheral wall portions 57A and 57A that extend integrally in the direction and are opposed to each other in the radial direction at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each outer peripheral wall portion 57A has an inner peripheral side end surface 58A having a predetermined radial width remaining on one axial end surface (the upper surface of the large diameter flange portion 56A shown in FIG. 3) of the large diameter flange portion 56A. It is provided on the outer peripheral side of the one axial end surface. Outer peripheral wall portions 57A and 57A are arranged in two divided portions that are opposed to each other in the radial direction among four divided portions obtained by equally dividing the outer periphery of the one end surface in the axial direction of the large-diameter flange portion 56A into four in the circumferential direction. It is installed. The engaging projections 53 are provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the respective outer peripheral wall portions 57A.

  Similarly to the first ring 50A, the second ring 50B also has a small-diameter cylindrical portion 55B, a large-diameter flange portion 56B, and a pair of outer peripheral wall portions 57B and 57B. Engaging protrusions 53 are provided respectively.

  Then, for example, the outer peripheral wall portion 57A of the first ring 50A in a state where the second resin ring 60 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral wall portions 57A, 57A of the first ring 50A, that is, the inner peripheral side end surface 58A. The outer peripheral wall portions 57B and 57B of the second ring 50B are respectively fitted between 57A and 57A, and the first ring 50A and the second ring 50B are combined to form the first resin ring 50.

  In the first resin ring 50 combined in this way, the second ring storage groove 54 is formed on the inner peripheral side of the four outer peripheral wall portions 57A, 57A, 57B, 57B. The second resin ring 60 is accommodated so as to be slidable in the circumferential direction. The second resin ring 60 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 5 with a predetermined tightening allowance.

  The second resin ring 60 has a thickness t (see FIG. 3) larger than the value of the depth of the second ring housing groove 54 of the first resin ring 50 (that is, the radial width of the inner peripheral side end face 58A). Have. Further, the outer diameter of the second resin ring 60 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second ring housing groove 54 of the first resin ring 50. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface of the second resin ring 60 slidably stored in the second ring storage groove 54 of the first resin ring 50 is longer than the inner peripheral surface of the first resin ring 50 by a length s ( It protrudes to the inner peripheral side only (see FIG. 2). That is, a gap corresponding to the length s is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 5 fitted to the second resin ring 60 and the inner peripheral surface of the first resin ring 50. The axial length of the second resin ring 60 is slightly shorter than the axial length of the second ring storage groove 54 of the first resin ring 50.

  Further, both ends in the axial direction are chamfered on the inner peripheral surface of the second resin ring 60 in order to improve attachment / detachability to / from the steering shaft 5.

  Here, the first resin ring 50 is made of PP as a hard resin material. The second resin ring 60 is made of TPEE as a soft resin material.

  In the column hole cover of the present embodiment, the second resin ring 60 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 5 with a predetermined tightening allowance. For this reason, when the steering shaft 5 rotates, the second resin ring 60 rotates together. At this time, since the gap of the length s is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the first resin ring 50 and the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 5, the first resin ring 50 and the steering shaft 5 slide. Never do. Further, the second resin ring 60 slides within the first resin ring 50. The first resin ring 50 fitted and fixed in the first ring storage groove 41 of the fitting portion 40 does not rotate even when the steering shaft 5 rotates.

  For this reason, in the column hole cover 1 of this embodiment, even if the steering shaft 5 rotates, the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 5 and the rubber material do not slide. Further, the second resin ring 60 that rotates together with the steering shaft 5 slides with the first resin ring 50, but is a slide between the resin materials, and therefore, between the first resin ring 50 and the second resin ring 60. Then, the stick-slip phenomenon does not occur.

  In particular, in this embodiment, since the combination of the hard resin material constituting the first resin ring 50 and the soft resin material constituting the second resin ring 60 is PP and TPEE, the slidability between the two is good. It is.

  Therefore, according to the column hole cover of this embodiment, it is possible to reliably prevent the generation of noise during steering by the stick-slip phenomenon for a long period of time.

  In the column hole cover according to the present embodiment, the second resin ring 60 is housed in the second ring housing groove 54 of the first resin ring 50 and has a labyrinth structure that is complicated in shape. There is little possibility that water or the like enters from between the resin ring 50 and the second resin ring 60.

  Furthermore, in the column hole cover of the present embodiment, when the steering shaft 5 is inserted and fitted into the second resin ring 60, the second resin ring 60 made of a soft resin material is easily deformed. For this reason, the mounting workability of the steering shaft 5 is improved. In this column hole cover, since the first resin ring 50 made of a hard resin material is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the fitting portion 40 made of a rubber elastic body, the shape of the fitting portion 40 is changed to the first resin. The ring 50 can be stably held. Therefore, it is possible to avoid inconvenience due to the deforming of the fitting portion 40 into an irregular shape.

  The engagement recess 43 and the engagement protrusion 53 may be omitted if the relative rotation of the first resin ring 50 with respect to the fitting portion 40 can be secured by a fitting allowance, an adhesive, or the like. .

It is sectional drawing which shows the attachment state of the column hole cover of this embodiment. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the attachment state of the column hole cover of this embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the 1st resin ring and the 2nd resin ring which are the component parts of the column hole cover which concerns on this embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the 1st resin ring which concerns on this embodiment and was assembled so that a 2nd resin ring might be taken in to an internal peripheral surface.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Column hole cover 2 ... Dash panel 3 ... Mounting hole 5 ... Steering shaft 10 ... Main-body part 20 ... Panel attaching part 30 ... Shaft attaching part 40 ... Fitting part 41 ... 1st ring accommodation groove 50 ... 1st resin ring 54 ... second ring storage groove 60 ... second resin ring

Claims (2)

A cylindrical main body having openings at both ends, a panel mounting portion attached to the dash panel so as to cover a mounting hole provided in one end of the main body and penetrating the dash panel of the vehicle body, A column hole cover provided on the other end side of the main body portion and having a shaft attachment portion attached to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft,
The shaft attachment portion is provided integrally with the main body portion and has a cylindrical fitting portion having an annular first ring storage groove on the inner peripheral surface, and is stored and fixed in the first ring storage groove of the fitting portion. A first resin ring having an annular second ring storage groove on the inner peripheral surface, and a second resin ring stored in the second ring storage groove of the first resin ring,
In the attached state where the shaft attachment portion is attached to the steering shaft, the second resin ring is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft with a predetermined tightening margin, and the second resin ring is connected to the second resin ring. A column hole cover characterized by being slidable in the ring storage groove.   The column hole cover according to claim 1, wherein the first resin ring is made of a hard resin material, and the second resin ring is made of a soft resin material that is softer than the hard resin material.

Images