JP2008094200A - Electric telescopic adjustment type steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric telescopic adjustment type steering device capable of setting removal load and energy absorption load in different values by a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: The electric telescopic adjustment type steering device is provided with a steering column having an outer column 12a and an inner column 12b telescopically connected and rotatably supporting a steering shaft; and an electric actuator 50 having one end mounted to the outer column 12a and the other end mounted to the inner column 12b and contracting the outer column 12a and the inner column 12b. The electric actuator 50 is constituted of a contraction part 59 for absorbing impact energy by contracting it when the impact load is inputted; a rod 58b and a penetration part 58a penetrated to the same; a slide-contact retaining member 60 kept in slidable contact with the other arranged on an opposed surface of any one of the rod 58b and the penetration part 58a with predetermined elasticity; and step parts 58d, 58e for varying a contact pressure with the slide-contact retaining member 60 formed on the other in an axial direction. <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, as described in Patent Document 1, a housing inner cylinder is slidably accommodated in a housing cylinder, and a steering shaft having a steering wheel at the tip is provided in the housing inner cylinder. The electric motor is attached to the housing cylinder, the mounting plate is attached to the inner cylinder of the housing, and a connecting rod is disposed between the electric motor and the mounting plate. The connecting rod is connected to the electric motor. It consists of a shaft that moves in conjunction with the shaft, and an outer cylinder that is slidably inserted in the axial direction, inserted through the mounting plate, and tightened with a nut, and penetrates the shaft and the outer cylinder. One or more pins are press-fitted, and the pins 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)

  In the conventional example described in Patent Document 1, when a secondary collision load acts on the steering wheel, the secondary collision load acts on the outer cylinder of the connecting rod via the housing inner cylinder and the mounting plate. In this way, the pin that is press-fitted so as to penetrate the shaft and the inner cylinder can be broken and collapsed, but in order to absorb the energy at the time of the secondary collision, the pin is broken at the time of collapse. The relative movement between the shaft and the outer cylinder needs to be performed while applying a predetermined load, and the load during the relative movement needs to be stabilized in order to stably absorb energy.

However, when the pin is broken at the time of the secondary collision, the energy absorption between the collapse strokes after the pin breakage depends on the sliding resistance between the shaft and the outer cylinder, so that stable energy absorption is performed. I can't.
For this reason, instead of the pin, in order to stabilize the relative movement at the time of the secondary collision at the joint between the shaft and the outer tube, the shaft and the outer tube are connected to the inner and outer surfaces between the shaft and the outer tube. It is also considered to provide a shock absorbing member with a plurality of irregularities extending in the circumferential direction extending in the axial direction in sliding contact, but in this case, the separation load and the energy absorbing load at the time of the secondary collision should be made approximately equal. There is an unsolved problem that the separation load and the energy absorption load cannot be made different.

  Therefore, 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 separation load and the energy absorption load are set to different values with a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric telescopic adjustment type steering device that can be used.

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 contracting the outer column and the inner column. Is an electric telescopic adjustment type steering device having a contraction part that contracts while absorbing a shock energy while generating a predetermined load in the axial direction,
The contraction part is a sliding contact holding unit that is slidably contacted with a predetermined pressing force to the other of the rod and the insertion part, and the other part of the rod and the insertion part. It is comprised by the member and the step part which changes the contact pressure of the said sliding contact holding member formed in the axial direction on the other side.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the electric actuator is arranged in parallel with a predetermined offset amount with respect to a central axis of the inner column. A connecting rod driven forward and backward by an electric motor is provided, and the connecting rod includes the outer rod and the inner rod.
Furthermore, the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sliding contact holding member is inserted into a gap between the inner rod and the outer rod and is formed on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces. Waveform irregularities are formed on at least one side, and the inner rod and the outer rod are allowed to contract while applying a predetermined load when a secondary collision load is applied.

  Furthermore, the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 4 is the worm wheel of the worm reduction mechanism in which one end side is connected to the electric motor in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Screwed into a female screw formed on the inner peripheral surface, the contraction portion is formed on the other end side, and either the outer rod or the inner rod of the contraction portion is fixed to either the outer column or the inner column. It has the structure connected with the connected member.

Still further, an electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to a fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the step is formed in a plurality of stages with different diameters.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein a tapered inclined portion is formed between the steps.

  According to the present invention, when an impact load is input to the electric actuator that contracts the outer column and the inner column, any of the rod and the insertion portion that inserts the rod into the contraction portion that contracts in the axial direction and absorbs the impact energy. Since the sliding contact holding member is formed on one side and the stepped portion that is in sliding contact with the sliding contact holding member is formed on the other side, the separation load when the contraction portion contracts due to the impact load and the subsequent energy absorption load are stepped. It can be adjusted by the part, and the effect that the separation load and the energy absorption load can be set arbitrarily is obtained. Here, by forming a plurality of steps, the energy absorption load can be changed stepwise by the relative movement of the rod and the insertion portion. By making the gap between the steps, the energy absorption load changes continuously. Can be made.

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. 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. FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing a contraction portion, in which FIG. 7A is an overall longitudinal sectional view, FIG. 7B is an enlarged sectional view of a portion A of FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing the contracted state, and FIG. 9 is a characteristic diagram showing changes in the energy absorption load.

  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 parts P such as a control switch, a combination switch, a column cover, and the like for driving an electric tilt mechanism 30 and an electric telescopic mechanism 50 described later are disposed at a rear portion of the steering column 12 in the vehicle.

  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. An inner peripheral surface of the inner column 12b on the vehicle rear side. The outer shaft 11a of the steering shaft 11 is rotatably supported by a rolling bearing 12f disposed on the vehicle and a rolling bearing (not shown) disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the vehicle front side.

  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 FIG. 3, the upper bracket 24 includes a mounting plate portion 24b having a bulging portion 24a with a central portion bulging upward attached to the vehicle body side member 21, and a bulging portion of the mounting plate portion 24b. The guide plate portions 24c and 24d extending downward from the left and right positions of 24a and the bottom plate portion 24e connecting the lower ends 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 portion has guide plate portions 12d and 12e each having a vertical guide surface 12c that is closely opposed to the guide plate portions 24c and 24d. Is formed.

  The guide plate portion 12e 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 bearings 38 a and 38 b 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 42 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 42. A damper 43a made of a synthetic resin such as polyurethane having Similarly, a damper 43 b that is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the screw shaft 35 is disposed 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 dampers 43 a and 43 b 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, the worm 56 connected to the output shaft of the electric motor 55 attached to the gear housing 51 is engaged with the helical gear 54 a of the worm wheel 54. Here, the worm 56 is rotatably supported by rolling bearings 56a and 56b disposed in the gear housing 51, and is connected to the output shaft 55a of the electric motor 55 via a coupling 55b. The worm wheel 54 and the worm 56 constitute a speed reducer. 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 parallel to the center axis of the steering column 12 and a predetermined offset amount L is disposed between the gear housing 51 and the gear housing 51.

The connecting rod 58 is composed of an outer rod 58a as an insertion portion attached at one end to the lower end of the connecting plate 57, and an inner rod 58b slidably inserted into the other end of the outer rod 58a. The part is a contraction part 59.
The relative movement between the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b is regulated in a concave portion 58c formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer rod 58a at the joint portion between the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b depending on human power such as a normal driver. However, when an impact load exceeding the separation load at the time of a secondary collision is transmitted to the outer rod 58a via the steering wheel 13, the inner column 12b, and the connecting plate 57, the sliding contact holding that allows relative movement between the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b is allowed. A member 60 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 7, the sliding contact holding member 60 has a configuration in which a thin leaf spring material formed in a ring shape on the inner peripheral surface side is formed into a waveform in which the cross section repeats the concave portion 60a and the convex portion 60b in the circumferential direction. The separation load (collapse load) that allows the relative movement of the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b is set to about 2 kN or more, for example.
Then, as shown in FIG. 7, a large-diameter portion 58d having a diameter φ _{A that} is slidably in contact with the sliding contact holding member 60 at the normal time and an outer diameter surface 58d of the inner rod 58b that are in sliding contact with the sliding contact holding member 60. A small-diameter portion 58e having a diameter φ _B smaller than the diameter of the large-diameter portion 58d formed on the front side of the vehicle is formed. Here, the large-diameter portion 48d has a high contact pressure with the sliding contact holding member 60, and the diameter is set so as to maintain the above-described separation load (collapse load). The diameter is set so that the contact pressure is lower than that of the large-diameter portion 48d and a desired energy absorption load is smaller than the separation load.

The inner rod 58b is formed with a male screw 58f on the side opposite to the outer rod 58a. The male screw 58f is screwed into a female screw 54b of a worm wheel 54 rotatably supported by the gear housing 51, thereby connecting rod 58b. Is arranged so as to be parallel to the axial direction of the steering column 12.
Therefore, by driving the electric motor 55 forward / reversely, driving the worm wheel 54 forward / reversely via the worm 56, and moving the inner rod 58 b back and forth in the axial direction of the steering column 12, the outer rod 58 a and the connection The inner column 12b is driven to extend and contract in the axial direction via the plate 57, so that a telescopic function can be exhibited.

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 control for the tilt mechanism provided in the peripheral part P provided in the rear part 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.

  In addition, in order for the driver to perform telescopic adjustment of the steering column 12 of the steering column device 10, a control for a telescopic mechanism provided in a peripheral part P disposed in the vehicle rear portion of the steering column 12 shown in FIG. When the switch is operated in the expansion direction (or 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 inner rod 58b of the connecting rod 58 moves to the steering wheel 13 side (or the side opposite to the steering wheel 13) and slides. The outer rod 58a moves to the steering wheel 13 side (or the side opposite to the steering wheel 13) via the contact holding member 60.

For this reason, the inner column 12b is pulled out from the outer column 12a via the connecting plate 57 (or the inner column 12b is inserted into the outer column 12a), and the steering column 12 is expanded (or contracted) to perform telescopic adjustment. be able to.
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.

  As described above, the telescopic adjustment can be performed by expanding and contracting the steering column 12 by the electric telescopic mechanism 50. However, the sliding contact holding member 60 is normally moved by the inner rod 58b when the connecting rod 58 is moved by the electric motor 55. Since the sliding contact holding member 60 has a large crushing amount (compression deformation amount) and a high contact pressure to the large diameter portion 58d, the expansion and contraction between the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b is ensured. Therefore, the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b can be integrated to move the connecting plate 57 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the inner column 12b can be moved in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Here, the crushing margin of the sliding contact holding member 60 may be an elastic deformation region of the sliding contact holding member 60 or may be deformed to a plastic deformation region.

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. Then, 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 outer rod 58a of the connecting rod 58 is moved to the left via the connecting plate 57 accordingly. The axial force component Fx is transmitted to the sliding contact holding member 60 by being moved. Then, the column axial component force Fx is transmitted to the sliding holding member 60 is, as shown in FIG. 9, exceeds removing load (collapse load) F _L that are set, the outer rod 58a by sliding the holding member 60 The inner rod 58b is inserted into the outer rod 58a while allowing relative movement between the inner rod 58b and the inner rod 58b, thereby ensuring a predetermined collapse stroke as shown in FIG.

In this case, the energy absorption load F _EA Immediately after the column axial load Fx exceeds the removing load F _L transmitted continues substantially equal state removing load as shown in FIG. 9, the sliding contact holding member 60 and inner rod 58b is inserted into the outer rod 58a by the column axial load Fx transmitted exceeds removing load F _L, inner peripheral surface of the sliding holding member 60 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 58d By shifting from the present state to a state in which it contacts the outer peripheral surface side of the subsequent small diameter portion 58e, the contact pressure with the inner rod 58b of the sliding contact holding member 60 gradually decreases, and the energy absorption load is shown in FIG. gradually decreases as, the inner peripheral surface of the sliding holding member 60 is brought into contact with all the small diameter portion 58e, the energy absorption load F _EA is squeeze sliding contact holding member 60 at this time (the amount of compressive deformation) Contact pressure is reduced with respect to the inner rod 58b and is reduced in a state to maintain a substantially constant energy absorption load of removing load F _L smaller value based on the diameter phi _B of the small diameter portion 58e.

Thus, according to the above-described embodiment, the sliding contact holding member 60 is held on the inner peripheral surface of the outer rod 58a, and the large diameter portion 58d and the small diameter portion 58e are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the inner rod 58b that is in sliding contact with the sliding contact holding member 60. by forming, by arbitrarily selecting the diameter of the large diameter portion 58d and the small diameter portion 58e of the removing load F _L and small energy absorption load F _EA than this, squeeze the sliding holding member 60 (compressive deformation amount ) Can be freely changed, and desired energy absorption characteristics can be set.

Incidentally, in the case of the conventional example, the diameter of the inner rod 58b is constant, the energy absorption load F _EA is substantially equal to the one-dot chain line shown in FIG. 9 with respect to removing load F _L, removing load F _The difference between _L and the energy absorption load F _EA cannot be made.
In the present invention, as described above, by forming the step portion with a large diameter portion 58d and the small diameter portion 58e by both different diameters, the removing load F _L and energy absorption load F _EA together any load Can be set.

In the above embodiment, the case where a step is provided between the large diameter part 58d and the small diameter part 58e has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. By providing the tapered portion 70 whose diameter gradually decreases between the small diameter portion 58e, the energy absorption load can be changed more smoothly.
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the case where one step part with the large diameter part 58d and the small diameter part 58e was provided in the inner rod 58b was demonstrated, it is not limited to this, Two or more step parts are provided. The energy absorption load F _EA may be decreased stepwise, or the energy absorption load F _EA may be continuously decreased in a gently tapered state.

Further, in the above embodiment has been described as being configured to generate an energy absorption load F _EA small diameter portion 58e, is not limited to this, as shown in FIG. 11, the small diameter portion 58e The energy absorption load F _EA is selected by selecting a diameter smaller than the initial height of the sliding contact holding member 60, that is, the inner diameter φ _{C when the} inner rod 58b is not inserted. Can be set to substantially “0” as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case of holding the sliding contact holding member 60 on the outer rod 58a has been described. However, the sliding contact holding member 60 is held on the inner rod 58b, and a small diameter portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer rod 58a. You may make it provide the large diameter part which follows a vehicle rear side with respect to this small diameter part.
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the slidable contact holding member 60 is formed with unevenness on the inner peripheral surface side is described, but the unevenness may be formed on the outer peripheral surface side.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the outer rod 58a of the connecting rod 58 is directly fixed to the connecting plate 57 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the outer rod 58a of the connecting rod and the connecting plate 57 are pivoted. You may make it connect via a pin. In this case, when the column axial component force Fx is applied to the inner column 12b, it is possible to reliably prevent the bending moment that twists the connecting rod 58 generated in the connecting plate 57 from affecting the connecting rod 58. When the column axial component force Fx becomes equal to or greater than the collapse load, the relative movement between the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b of the connecting rod 58 can be further stabilized, and better impact energy absorption can be performed. it can.

In the above embodiment, 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 formed by the lower bracket 22 and the upper bracket 24. The steering wheel 13 may be attached to the vehicle body side member 21 and the outer column 12a side.
Furthermore, although the case where the contraction part comprised by the outer rod 58a and the inner rod 58b was formed in the connection rod 58 was demonstrated in the said embodiment, it is not limited to this, The figure showing sectional drawing of a steering device. As shown in FIG. 13, a mounting portion 57a that extends the connecting plate 57 downward from the inner column 12b, an intermediate portion 57b that extends from the lower end of the mounting portion 57a to the vehicle front side in parallel with the central axis of the steering column 12, The intermediate portion 57b is formed in a crank shape with a support portion 57c extending downward from the front end of the intermediate portion 57b, and an insertion hole 57d as an insertion portion through which the connecting rod 58 is inserted is formed in the support portion 57c. The sliding contact holding member 60 having the same configuration as that of the sliding contact holding member 60 is disposed and fixed by the retaining nut 63. On the other hand, the connecting rod 58, constituted by one rod, may be formed a large diameter portion 58d and a small diameter portion 58e in sliding contact portion between the sliding holding member 62.

  Furthermore, although the case where the electric tilt mechanism 30 is provided has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the electric tilt mechanism 30 is omitted and only the electric telescopic mechanism 50 is provided. May be.

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 CC sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a figure which shows a shrinkage | contraction part, Comprising: (a) is a whole longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is an enlarged view of the A section of (a), (c) is a DD sectional enlarged view of (a). It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 at the time of contraction. It is a characteristic diagram which shows the change of an energy absorption load. It is sectional drawing similar to FIG.7 (b) which shows the modification of a shrinkage | contraction part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other modification of a shrinkage | contraction part. It is a characteristic line figure which shows the change of the energy absorption load of the shrinkage | contraction part of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows other embodiment of this invention.

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 ... Inner 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, 58 ... connecting rod, 58a ... outer rod, 58b ... inner rod, 58d ... large diameter part, 58e ... small diameter part, 59 ... contraction part, 60 ... sliding Contact holding member, 70 ... taper portion

Claims (6)

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 An electric actuator attached to the inner column and contracting the outer column and the inner column, and the electric actuator contracts while generating a predetermined load in an axial direction when an impact load is input, and impact energy An electric telescopic adjustment type steering device having a contraction part that absorbs
The contraction part is a sliding contact holding unit that is slidably contacted with a predetermined pressing force to the other of the rod and the insertion part, and the other part of the rod and the insertion part. An electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus comprising: a member and a step portion that changes a contact pressure between the member and the sliding contact holding member formed in the axial direction on the other side.   The electric actuator includes a connecting rod that is driven forward and backward by an electric motor that is disposed in parallel with a predetermined offset amount with respect to the central axis of the inner column, and the connecting rod includes the outer rod and the inner rod. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 1.   The sliding contact holding member is inserted into a gap between the inner rod and the outer rod, and corrugated irregularities are formed on at least one of the inner and outer peripheral surfaces so as to apply a predetermined load when a secondary collision load is applied. 3. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus is configured to allow contraction of the rod and the outer rod.   The connecting rod is screwed into a female screw formed on the inner peripheral surface of a worm wheel of a worm speed reduction mechanism, one end of which is connected to an electric motor, and the contraction is formed on the other end, and an outer rod and an inner rod of the contraction The electric telescopic adjustment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein any one of the first and second columns is connected to a connecting member fixed to one of the outer column and the inner column. Steering device.   5. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the step is formed in a plurality of steps with different diameters.   6. The electric telescopic adjustment type steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a tapered inclined portion is formed between the steps.

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