JP2009035074A - Position adjustment type steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a position adjustment type steering device having a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: The steering device comprises a push rod 23 reciprocating to a direction Y1 orthogonal to an axial direction X1 of a pressurizing shaft 19. A push-button 29 of the push rod 23 is manually pushed against an energizing member 30 to move the push rod 23 from a projecting position in Figure 1 to a pressing-in position. An inclined driving surface 25 of the push rod 23 pushes an inclined driven surface 22 of the pressurizing shaft 19. The pressurizing shaft 19 pressurizes a periphery 5c of an inner tube 5 through an opening part 18 of an outer tube 6 to achieve telescopic locking. The push rod 23 is kept at the pressing-in position by using a heart cam mechanism 33. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a position-adjustable steering apparatus.

As this type of position-adjustable steering device, the first bracket fixed to the vehicle body, the second bracket fixed to the steering column, and the axis of the fastening shaft that passes through the support shaft insertion holes of both brackets are rotated. Steering system including an operation lever that is operated and a cam mechanism (or a screw mechanism) that achieves locking by applying a pressing force between corresponding side plates of the fixed bracket and the column bracket as the operation lever rotates. An apparatus has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-262238

However, there is a problem that a lock mechanism such as a cam mechanism is arranged around the tightening shaft, and the structure becomes complicated.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a position adjustment type steering apparatus having a simple structure.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has an inner tube (5) as an upper tube and an outer tube (6) as a lower tube, which are fitted so as to be relatively slidable in the axial direction for telescopic adjustment. One of the steering column (2) that rotatably supports the steering shaft (1), the fixed bracket (11) having a pair of side plates (13, 14) fixed to the vehicle body (12), and the fixed bracket A support tube (16) fixed to the outer surface of the side plate, and an outer periphery (5c) of the inner tube through an opening (18) formed in the outer tube, which is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the support tube. A pressure shaft (19) that can pressurize the pressure shaft, and an inclined drive surface (25) that can be engaged with the inclined driven surface (22) of the pressure shaft to drive the pressure shaft Therefore, a manually operable push rod (23) reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the pressure shaft, a biasing member (30) for biasing the push rod in the backward movement direction, and the support A frame (24) which is fixed to the cylinder and supports the push rod so as to be able to reciprocate between a protruding position and a pushing position, a heart-shaped cam groove (50) formed in the push rod, and a fixed end (35a) And an elastic pin (35) having a free end (35b), the fixed end (35a) being fixed to the frame, and the free end circulating in the circulation direction (Z1) in the cam groove as the push rod reciprocates. And the free end of the elastic pin is urged to the bottom of the cam groove by the elasticity of the elastic pin itself.

  In the present invention, by using a so-called heart cam mechanism, the push rod can be reciprocated between the pushing position and the protruding position by manual operation. That is, the pressure shaft driven by displacing the push rod to the push-in position pressurizes the outer periphery of the inner tube, so that telescopic locking can be achieved. Further, by moving the push rod back to the protruding position, it is possible to release the pressure of the inner tube by the pressure shaft and to release the telescopic lock.

Further, since a simple heart cam mechanism for reciprocating the push rod is used, the structure can be simplified as compared with the case where a lock mechanism such as a cam mechanism is disposed around the fastening shaft as in the prior art.
Furthermore, since the elastic pin itself functions to urge its free end toward the bottom of the cam groove, the number of parts and assembly man-hours can be reduced compared to the case where the rigid pin is urged by a leaf spring or the like. Cost can be reduced.

  When the push rod is pushed into the push-in position, the free end of the elastic pin is engaged with the lock portion (55) of the cam groove by the urging member, whereby the push rod is held in the push-in position. When the push rod at the push-in position is pushed further, the push rod moves from the push-in position to the protruding position by moving the free end of the elastic pin along the cam groove in the circulation direction. If it is made, it is preferable.

  In the above description, the alphanumeric characters in parentheses represent reference numerals of corresponding components in the embodiments described later, but the scope of the claims is not limited by these reference numerals.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a telescopic steering device as a position-adjustable steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a telescopic steering device A (hereinafter also simply referred to as a steering device A) includes a steering column 2 that rotatably supports a steering shaft 1.

The steering shaft 1 has a cylindrical upper shaft 3 and a lower shaft 4 which are fitted so as to be slidable relative to each other. A steering wheel (not shown) is connected to one end of the upper shaft 3 so as to be integrally rotatable.
The steering column 2 has an upper side inner tube 5 and a lower side outer tube 6 which are fitted so as to be slidable relative to each other in the axial direction (a direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1). It is rotatably supported.

The inner tube 5 includes a main body 5a made of a metal member and a cylindrical resin member 5b fixed to the outer periphery of the main body 5a, and the outer periphery 5c of the inner tube 5 is configured by the outer periphery of the resin member 5b. Yes. On the outer periphery of the resin member 5b, an elastic convex portion 5d that is always in contact with the inner periphery of the outer tube 6 is formed.
Referring to FIG. 1, the steering column 2 has a column bracket 7 fixed to the outer tube 6. The column bracket 7 has first and second side plates 8 and 9 fixed at one end to the outer tube 6 and a connecting plate 10 connecting the other ends of the first and second side plates 8 and 9. As a whole, it has a groove shape.

The fixing bracket 11 is fixed to the vehicle body 12 and connects the first and second side plates 13 and 14 facing each other and the upper ends of the first and second side plates 13 and 14 to each other. And has a groove shape that opens downward. The first and second side plates 13 and 14 are in contact with the outer surfaces of the first and second side plates 8 and 9 of the column bracket 7, respectively.
A support cylinder 16 having a central axis perpendicular to the outer surface 13a of the first side plate 13 is fixed to the outer surface 13a of the first side plate 13 of the fixing bracket 11 by welding, for example. The inside of the support cylinder 16 communicates with a pressure shaft insertion hole 17 formed in the first side plate 13 and an opening 18 formed in the outer tube 6.

A pressure shaft 19 that is guided by the support tube 16 and is movable in the axial direction of the support tube 16 is accommodated in the support tube 16. The pressure shaft 19 can press the outer periphery 5 c of the inner tube 5 through the pressure shaft insertion hole 17 of the first side plate 13 and the opening 18 of the outer tube 6.
The first end portion 19 a of the pressure shaft 19 is provided with a pressure portion 20 that forms a part of a cylindrical surface so as to be along the outer periphery 5 c of the inner tube 5. The second end portion 19b of the pressure shaft 19 includes a flat holding portion 21 that is orthogonal to the axial direction X1 of the pressure shaft 19 and an inclined driven surface that is inclined with respect to the axial direction X1 of the pressure shaft 19. 22 are provided.

A frame 24 that supports a push rod 23 for driving the pressure shaft 19 is integrally fixed to the support cylinder 16.
On one side of the push rod 23, an inclined driving surface 25 that can be engaged with the inclined driven surface 22 of the pressure shaft 19 and a flat holding that can be engaged with the holding portion 21 of the pressure shaft 19. Part 26 is provided. The push rod 23 is supported by the frame 24 so as to reciprocate in the direction Y1 perpendicular to the axial direction X1 of the pressure shaft 19 in order to drive the pressure shaft 19.

  Specifically, the push rod 23 has a first end 23a and a second end 23b. A shaft portion 27 provided at the first end portion 23 a is supported by a guide hole 28 formed in the frame 24 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. A large-diameter push button 29 that is slidably supported by the inner periphery 24a of the frame 24 is integrally provided at the second end 23b. The direction in which the push button 29 is pressed is the forward movement direction of the push rod 23 (upward in FIG. 1).

The shaft 27 holds a biasing member 30 that biases the push rod 23 in the backward movement direction (downward in FIG. 1). Specifically, the urging member 30 includes a compression coil spring through which the shaft portion 27 is inserted. The biasing member 30 is interposed between a seat portion 31 provided on the frame 24 and an annular seat portion 32 formed of a stepped portion formed on the push rod 23.
The push button 29 has a stopper 29 a formed of an annular flange for preventing the push button 29 from falling off the frame 24. The stopper 29a of the push button 29 has a function of positioning the push rod 23 urged by the urging member 30 at the protruding position.

The outer periphery of the shaft portion 27 of the first end portion 23 a has a flat surface that intersects the circumferential direction of the shaft portion 27, and this flat surface is engaged with the corresponding flat surface of the guide hole 28. Yes. As a result, the push rod 23 is regulated so as not to rotate around its axis. The cross-sectional shape of the shaft portion 27 may be D-shaped, rectangular, or other polygonal shape.
By manually pressing the push button 29 of the push rod 23, the push rod 23 is moved forward to the pushing position shown in FIG. 2, and is moved back to the protruding position shown in FIG. In order to make this possible, a heart cam mechanism 33 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the push rod 23 is in the protruding position, the push rod 23 does not pressurize the pressurizing shaft 19 against the outer periphery 5 c of the inner tube 5.
Further, in the process of pressing the push button 29 to displace the push rod 23 from the protruding position shown in FIG. 1 to the pushing position shown in FIG. 2, the inclined drive surface 25 of the push rod 23 is added. The inclined driven surface 22 of the pressure shaft 19 is pushed.

When the push rod 23 is displaced to the pushing position shown in FIG. 2, the holding portion 26 of the push rod 23 engages with the holding portion 21 of the pressure shaft 19, and thereby the pressure portion of the pressure shaft 19. The state where 20 pressurizes the outer periphery 5c of the inner tube 5 is maintained, and telescopic locking is achieved.
The heart cam mechanism 33 includes a heart-shaped cam groove 50 formed in the push rod 23, and an elastic pin 35 having a fixed end 35 a fixed to the frame 24 and a free end 35 b engaged with the cam groove 50. ing. The elastic pin 35 has a long main body portion 36 substantially parallel to the push rod 23 and extending portions 37 and 38 extending orthogonally from both ends of the main body portion 36. The extending end of one extending portion 37 is a fixed end 35a, and the extending end 38 of the other extending portion 38 is a free end 35b.

The free end 35b of the elastic pin 35 circulates in the circulation direction Z1 (see FIG. 3) in the heart-shaped cam groove 50 as the push rod 23 reciprocates. The free end 35 b of the elastic pin 35 is urged toward the bottom of the cam groove 50 by the elasticity of the elastic pin 35 itself, particularly when the main body portion 36 functions as a cantilevered elastic arm.
The cam groove 50 is formed on the side of the push rod 23 opposite to the inclined drive surface 25 and the holding portion 26.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the heart-shaped cam groove 50 has a plurality of cam surfaces 51 to 58 having different heights, and the free end 35 b of the elastic pin 35 as the push rod 23 reciprocates. However, these cam surfaces 51 to 58 are circulated in a circulation direction Z1 (counterclockwise in the figure) which is an arrow direction in FIG.
With reference to FIG. 4, the bottom portion of the V-shaped portion of the cam groove 50 having a heart shape is the lock portion of the cam groove 50. The cam surface 55 that is the lock portion is set higher than the cam surface 56 adjacent to the circulation direction Z1, but lower than the cam surface 54 adjacent to the counter-circulation direction.

  In a state where the push rod 23 is in the pushing position, the free end 35b of the elastic pin 35 is engaged with the cam surface 55, and the push rod 23 is stably held at the pushing position. On the other hand, when the push rod 23 is pushed to the most pushed position in order to release the holding of the push rod 23 at the pushed position, the free end 35b of the elastic pin 35 is automatically urged to the cam surface 56 having a low height, Since the lock is released, the push rod 23 can be extended in the backward movement direction. As a result, the biasing member 30 moves the free end 35b through the cam surface 57 and the cam surface 58 to the cam surface 51, and the push rod 23 can be moved to the protruding position.

  According to the present embodiment, by using the heart cam mechanism 33, the push rod 23 can be reciprocated between the pushing position and the protruding position by a manual operation. That is, since the pressurizing shaft 19 driven by displacing the push rod 23 to the push-in position in FIG. 2 pressurizes the outer periphery 5c of the inner tube 5, telescopic locking can be achieved. Further, by moving the push rod 23 back to the protruding position in FIG. 1, the pressure applied to the inner tube 5 by the pressure shaft 19 can be released, whereby the telescopic lock can be released.

Since a simple heart cam mechanism 33 using the push rod 23 and the elastic pin 35 is used, the structure can be simplified as compared with the conventional case where a lock mechanism such as a cam mechanism is arranged around the fastening shaft. Can do.
Further, since the elastic pin 35 itself functions to urge the free end 35b toward the bottom of the cam groove 50, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced as compared with the case where the rigid pin is urged by a leaf spring or the like. As a result, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  In addition, various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of the telescopic steering device of one embodiment of this invention, and has shown the state by which the telescopic lock was cancelled | released. It is a schematic sectional drawing of a telescopic steering device, and has shown the state telescopically locked. It is a side view of a push rod and shows a heart-shaped cam groove. It is a development view showing the cam surface of the cam groove.

Explanation of symbols

  A ... Telescopic steering device (position-adjustable steering device), 1 ... steering shaft, 2 ... steering column, 5 ... inner tube (upper tube), 5c ... outer periphery, 6 ... outer tube (lower tube), 11 ... fixed bracket, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Car body, 13, 14 ... Side plate, 16 ... Supporting cylinder, 17 ... Pressurizing shaft insertion hole, 18 opening part, 19 ... Pressurizing shaft, 20 ... Pressurizing part, 21 ... Holding part, 22 ... Inclined driven 23, push rod, 24, frame, 24a, inner circumference, 25, inclined drive surface, 26, holding portion, 27, shaft portion, 28, guide hole, 29, push button, 30, biasing member, 33, etc. Heart cam mechanism, 35 ... elastic pin, 35a ... fixed end, 35b ... free end, 50 ... heart-shaped cam groove, 55 ... cam surface (lock part), X1 ... axial direction of pressure shaft, Y1 ... pressure shaft A direction perpendicular to the axial direction, Z1 ... circulation direction

Claims (2)

A steering column having an inner tube as an upper tube and an outer tube as a lower tube, which are fitted so as to be relatively slidable in the axial direction for telescopic adjustment; and a steering column which rotatably supports a steering shaft;
A fixed bracket fixed to the vehicle body and having a pair of side plates;
A support tube fixed to the outer surface of one of the side plates of the fixing bracket;
A pressurizing shaft that is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the support tube in the support tube and can pressurize the outer periphery of the inner tube through an opening formed in the outer tube;
It has an inclined drive surface that can be engaged with an inclined driven surface of the pressure shaft, and can be manually operated to reciprocate in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the pressure shaft to drive the pressure shaft. With a push rod,
An urging member for urging the push rod in the backward movement direction;
A frame fixed to the support cylinder and supporting the push rod so as to be capable of reciprocating between a protruding position and a pushing position;
A heart-shaped cam groove formed on the push rod;
An elastic pin that has a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end is fixed to the frame, and the free end circulates in the circulation direction in the cam groove as the push rod reciprocates;
A position-adjustable steering apparatus, wherein the elastic pin has its free end biased toward the bottom of the cam groove by the elasticity of the elastic pin itself. In the position-adjustable steering apparatus according to claim 1,
When the push rod is pushed into the push-in position, the push rod is held in the push-in position by engaging the free end of the elastic pin with the lock portion of the cam groove by the biasing member,
When the push rod at the pushing position is further pushed, the push rod is moved from the pushing position to the protruding position by moving the free end of the elastic pin along the cam groove in the circulation direction. A position-adjustable steering device.

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