JP2010105412A - Steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce rattling sound caused by a clearance of connecting parts of a steering device positioned above and below a yoke shaft in travelling on a rough road, etc. <P>SOLUTION: A bolt engaging groove 61a is provided to a pinion shaft 61, and an insertion hole 40a free to insert the pinion shaft 61 in the axial direction and a bolt inserting hole 40b to cross part of this inserting hole 40a are provided to the lower end of the yoke shaft 40. A load giving means 50 interposed between the pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft 40 gives a load in the axial direction to the pinion shaft 61 and gives the load in the axial direction to the yoke shaft 40 before a fixing bolt 41 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 40b and fastened (firmly fastened). Thereby, the state where the load in the axial direction is given to the pinion shaft 61 and the load in the axial direction is given to the yoke shaft 40 is maintained in the state where the fixing bolt 41 is inserted into the bolt inserting hole 40b and fastened. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering device, and in particular, a yoke shaft connected to a steering wheel so that torque can be transmitted at an upper end, torque can be transmitted at a lower end and an upper end of the yoke shaft, and an axial position can be adjusted. Further, the present invention relates to a steering device including a pinion shaft connected to the shaft, and a fixing bolt that connects the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft integrally (torque can be transmitted and cannot move in the axial, radial, and circumferential directions).

This type of steering device is described, for example, in Patent Document 1 below, and a pinion shaft is provided with a bolt engaging groove at a position that is a predetermined amount away from the upper end in the axial direction, and a yoke shaft (extension in Patent Document 1). The lower end of the shaft (described as a shaft) is provided with an insertion hole through which the pinion shaft can be inserted in the axial direction of the shaft, and a bolt insertion hole is provided across the insertion hole. The pinion shaft is inserted into the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft and fastened with the bolt engagement groove of the pinion shaft and the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft substantially coincided with each other. And the yoke shaft are integrally connected.
JP 2006-290112 A

  In the steering apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the yoke shaft includes an upper side shaft (upper side extension shaft) and a lower side shaft (lower side extension shaft), and a lower end of the upper side shaft and a lower side shaft. The upper ends of the two are connected by an elastic shaft coupling. For this reason, it is possible to absorb the vibration transmitted from the wheel to the lower shaft via the pinion shaft in the steering gear unit by the elastic body in the elastic shaft joint during rough road traveling.

  However, in the steering device described in Patent Document 1, the gap generated in the coupling portion of the steering device located above the yoke shaft and the coupling portion of the steering device located below the yoke shaft when traveling on a rough road. There is a possibility that a rattling sound may be generated due to (rattle). Further, in the steering device described in Patent Document 1, since the lower end of the upper side shaft and the upper end of the lower side shaft are connected by an elastic shaft joint, the existing configuration can be used effectively and inexpensively. It is not possible to reduce the rattling noise.

  The present invention has been made to cope with the above-described problems, and is provided with a yoke shaft coupled to the steering wheel so that torque can be transmitted at the upper end portion, torque transmission at the lower end portion and the upper end portion of the yoke shaft, and A pinion shaft that is connected so as to be adjustable in the axial direction, and a fixing bolt that integrally connects the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft are provided, and the pinion shaft is a portion that is separated from the upper end by a predetermined amount in the axial direction. A bolt engaging groove is provided in the lower end portion of the yoke shaft, and an insertion hole through which the pinion shaft can be inserted in the axial direction is provided, and a bolt insertion hole that crosses a part of the insertion hole is provided. The pinion shaft is inserted into the insertion hole of the yoke shaft, and the bolt engagement groove of the pinion shaft and the The pinion shaft and the yoke shaft are integrally connected by inserting and fastening the fixing bolt into the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft in a state where the bolt insertion holes of the shaft shaft are substantially coincident with each other. In the steering apparatus, a load applying means for applying an axial load to the pinion shaft and an axial load to the yoke shaft is interposed between the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft. is there. In this case, the load applying means may be configured to apply an axial load downward to the pinion shaft and to apply an axial load upward to the yoke shaft. It is.

  In the steering apparatus according to the present invention, the fixing bolt is interposed between the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft before being fastened to the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft (before the yoke shaft and the pinion shaft are integrally connected). The load applying means applies an axial load to the pinion shaft and applies an axial load to the yoke shaft. For this reason, when the fixing bolt is fastened to the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft (when the connection between the yoke shaft and the pinion shaft is completed and the yoke shaft and the pinion shaft are integrally connected), the pinion shaft is axially moved. And a state in which an axial load is applied to the yoke shaft is maintained, and a gap (backlash) generated at a coupling portion of the steering device located above the yoke shaft and below the yoke shaft is maintained. It is possible to reduce or eliminate a gap (backlash) generated at the connected portion of the steering device. Therefore, when traveling on a rough road, it is possible to reduce the rattling noise caused by the gaps between the connecting portions of the steering device located above and below the yoke shaft.

  Further, in the steering device according to the present invention, since the load applying means is interposed between the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft, the existing configuration (pinion shaft configuration, yoke shaft configuration, etc.) can be used effectively and inexpensively. It is possible to reduce the rattling noise described above.

  In carrying out the present invention, the load applying means includes an adjustment nut that is screwed to the pinion shaft and can be moved in the axial direction, and a compression nut interposed between the adjustment nut and the lower end of the yoke shaft. It is also possible to provide a coil spring. In this case, before the fixing bolt is fastened to the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft (before the yoke shaft and the pinion shaft are integrally connected), the adjusting nut It is possible to easily adjust the amount of elastic deformation of the compression coil spring by adjusting the movement of the pinion shaft in the axial direction. For this reason, it is possible to easily adjust the axial load applied to the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft.

  Below, one Embodiment of this invention is described based on FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a vehicle steering device ST according to the present invention and a known suspension member SM assembled to a vehicle body (not shown). The steering device ST is coupled to a steering wheel 10, a steering main shaft 20 that supports the steering wheel 10 so as to be integrally rotatable, and the steering main shaft 20 via an intermediate shaft 30 so as to be integrally rotatable. A yoke shaft (extension shaft) 40 is provided, a load applying means 50 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), and a steering gear unit 60 are provided.

  The steering wheel 10 can be turned by a driver and can transmit a steering torque to the steering main shaft 20. The steering main shaft 20 is rotatably supported in a column tube 21 that is assembled to a vehicle body (not shown) via a bracket Br. The intermediate shaft 30 is connected to the steering main shaft 20 via the upper universal joint UU at the upper end and is connected to the yoke shaft 40 via the lower universal joint LU at the lower end, and is made of rubber at the middle. The grommet 31 is attached. The grommet 31 is assembled in an opening provided in a dashboard (not shown) that partitions the vehicle compartment (not shown) and the engine room (not shown), so that noise and dust in the engine room enter the vehicle compartment. Is preventing.

  By the way, in the steering apparatus ST according to the present invention, the yoke shaft 40 and the pinion shaft 61 of the steering gear unit 60 are integrally connected using the fixing bolt 41 and the load applying means 50 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pinion shaft 61 has an annular bolt engaging groove 61a at a site that is a predetermined amount away from the tip (right end in FIG. 3) in the axial direction, and this bolt engaging groove 61a. The outer spline 61b is provided at a portion sandwiching the shaft in the axial direction, and the male screw 61c is provided at the intermediate portion.

  The yoke shaft 40 has an insertion hole 40a through which the upper end portion of the pinion shaft 61 can be inserted in the axial direction at the lower end portion (lower portion in FIG. 2), and is inserted (fitted) into the upper end portion of the pinion shaft 61. The position can be adjusted in the axial direction. Further, the yoke shaft 40 has a bolt insertion hole 40b that crosses a part of the insertion hole 40a, and a slit 40c that extends in the radial direction at a part of the lower end portion in the circumferential direction (upper portion in FIG. 3). .

  The insertion hole 40a has a step portion 40a1 between the large-diameter hole portion and the small-diameter hole portion, and has an inner spline 40a2 that fits in the small-diameter hole portion so as to be able to transmit torque to the outer spline 61b of the pinion shaft 61. ing. The bolt insertion hole 40b is for inserting and fastening the fixing bolt 41, and has a female screw portion (not shown) that can be screwed with a male screw portion (not shown) of the fixing bolt 41 at the end. ing. The slit 40c is for enabling the diameter of the insertion hole 40a of the yoke shaft 40 to be reduced by fastening the fixing bolt 41, and is formed longer by a predetermined amount in the axial direction.

  The fixing bolt 41 has the above-described male screw portion at the end, and can be tightened (tightened) and loosened (loosened) with respect to the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40. For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bolt engaging groove 61a of the pinion shaft 61 and the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40 are substantially coincident with each other, and the fixing bolt 41 is the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40. 4 and 5, the pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft 40 are not integrally connected. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bolt engagement groove 61a of the pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft are not connected. The pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft 40 are integrally connected in a state where the bolt insertion holes 40b of the 40 are substantially coincident and the fixing bolt 41 is fastened to the bolt insertion holes 40b of the yoke shaft 40.

  2 and 3, the load applying means 50 includes an adjustment nut 51 assembled to the pinion shaft 61, and a compression coil spring interposed between the adjustment nut 51 and the lower end of the yoke shaft 40. 52. The adjustment nut 51 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and can be fitted to the large-diameter hole portion of the insertion hole 40a in the yoke shaft 40 on the distal end side (the right side in FIG. 3), and the proximal end side (the left side in FIG. 3). ) On the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the outer periphery. The adjustment nut 51 has a female screw 51b that can be screwed to the male screw 61c of the pinion shaft 61 on the inner periphery on the base end side, and the tip of the adjusting nut 51 contacts the step 40a1 of the insertion hole 40a in the yoke shaft 40. The position can be adjusted in the axial direction upward (to the right in FIG. 3) with respect to the pinion shaft 61 until it comes into contact.

  In the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the compression coil spring 52 is in a free state (a state where it is not compressed and expanded). The compression coil spring 52 is compressed and elastically deformed from the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by adjusting the position of the adjustment nut 51 upward (upward in FIG. 4) in the axial direction, and the pinion shaft 61 is compressed. An axial load can be applied downward and an axial load can be applied to the yoke shaft 40 upward.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the steering gear unit 60 includes the above-described pinion shaft 61, a gear housing 62 that rotatably accommodates the lower side of the pinion shaft 61, and extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle. A rack bar 63 supported by 62 and moving left and right according to the rotation of the yoke shaft 40 is provided, and a known electric actuator (not shown) housed in the gear housing 62 and assisting the left and right movement of the rack bar 63 is provided. ing.

  The gear housing 62 rotatably supports the lower side of the pinion shaft 61 and supports the rack bar 63 so as to be movable in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The gear housing 62 has bolts (not shown), nuts (not shown), collars (not shown), and washers with respect to the support parts a and b of the suspension member SM at a pair of left and right mounting parts A and B. It is configured to be connected and supported using a bush (not shown), a bush (not shown), or the like.

  The rack bar 63 has a rack (not shown) that meshes with a pinion (not shown) of the pinion shaft 61, and can be connected to the knuckle arm 80 via tie rods 70 at both the left and right ends. A steered wheel (not shown) is configured to be steerable. The electric actuator includes a motor (not shown) whose operation is controlled by an electric control device (not shown), and a ball that decelerates the rotation of the rotating shaft of the electric motor and converts it into an axial displacement of the rack bar 63 for transmission. A screw mechanism (not shown) is provided.

  In the steering apparatus ST of this embodiment configured as described above, before integrally connecting the yoke shaft 40 and the pinion shaft 61, as shown in FIG. 1, the yoke shaft 40, the lower universal joint LU, the intermediate The head shaft 30, the upper universal joint UU, the steering main shaft 20, the column tube 21, the bracket Br and the like are sub-assembled and assembled to the vehicle body (not shown), and the steering gear unit 60 and the pair of tie rods 70 are sub-assembled. And assembled to the suspension member SM. At this time, the grommet 31 attached to the intermediate shaft 30 is assembled to an opening provided in a dashboard (not shown) that partitions the vehicle compartment (not shown) and the engine room (not shown). In addition, each tie rod 70 is connected to each knuckle arm 80.

  2 and 3, after inserting the female screw 51b of the adjustment nut 51 with the compression coil spring 52 attached to the male screw 61c of the pinion shaft 61, the insertion hole of the yoke shaft 40 is inserted. 40a is inserted (fitted) to the upper end portion of the yoke shaft 61 to adjust the position, and a compression coil spring 52 is interposed between the lower end of the yoke shaft 40 and the extending portion 51a of the adjusting nut 51. Then, with the bolt engaging groove 61a of the pinion shaft 61 and the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40 substantially aligned, the fixing bolt 41 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40, and the fixing bolt 41 is The shaft 40 is in a relaxed state with respect to the bolt insertion hole 40b.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the adjustment nut 51 is moved in the axial direction upward until the tip of the adjustment nut 51 contacts the step 40a1 of the insertion hole 40a of the yoke shaft 40, and the compression coil The spring 52 is compressed and elastically deformed. Thus, the compression coil spring 52 applies an axial load downward to the pinion shaft 61 and an axial load upward to the yoke shaft 40. Then, by fastening (fastening) the fixing bolt 41 to the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40, the yoke shaft 40 and the pinion shaft 61 are integrally connected.

  Thereby, the fixing bolt 41 is fastened to the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40 (the connection between the yoke shaft 40 and the pinion shaft 61 is completed, and the yoke shaft 40 and the pinion shaft 61 are integrally connected). Then, the state where the axial load is applied to the pinion shaft 61 and the axial load is applied to the yoke shaft 40 is maintained.

  For this reason, for example, a clearance (backlash) generated in the lower universal joint LU that is a connection portion between the yoke shaft 40 and the intermediate shaft 30, and a clearance generated in the upper universal joint UU that is a connection portion between the intermediate shaft 30 and the steering main shaft 20. , A gap generated in an assembly part (connecting part) of an opening of the grommet 31 mounted on the intermediate shaft 30 and the dashboard (not shown), a part where the pinion shaft 61 is rotatably supported by the gear housing 62 ( The clearance generated in the connection portion) and the clearance generated in the portion (connection portion) where the pinion (not shown) provided on the pinion shaft 61 and the rack (not shown) provided on the rack bar 63 mesh with each other are small or zero. To do It is possible.

  Therefore, even when traveling on a rough road, vibration generated in the steered wheels (not shown) is transmitted to the pinion shaft 61 via the knuckle arm 80, the tie rod 70, and the gear housing 62, or an electric actuator (not shown). Even if the vibration generated in step S3 is transmitted to the pinion shaft 61 via the gear housing 62, it is possible to reduce the rattling noise caused by the gaps at the connecting portions of the steering device ST described above. As shown in FIG. 5, in a state where the pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft 40 are integrally connected, the lower right curved surface of the fixing bolt 41 in FIG. 5 and the bolt engaging groove 61 a of the pinion shaft 61. The gap is almost zero.

  In this embodiment, since the load applying means 50 is interposed between the pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft 40, the existing configuration (configuration of the pinion shaft 61, configuration of the yoke shaft 40, etc.) is effectively utilized. Thus, it is possible to reduce the rattling noise described above at low cost.

  In this embodiment, before the fixing bolt 41 is fastened to the bolt insertion hole 40b of the yoke shaft 40 (before the yoke shaft 40 and the pinion shaft 61 are integrally coupled), the adjustment nut 51 is connected to the pinion shaft. By adjusting the movement in the axial direction with respect to 61, it is possible to easily adjust the amount of elastic deformation of the compression coil spring 52. For this reason, it is possible to easily adjust the load applied to the pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft 40 in the axial direction.

  In the embodiment described above, the elastic deformation amount of the compression coil spring 52 is configured to be adjustable by the adjustment nut 51. However, instead of the adjustment nut 51, for example, the compression coil spring 52 is fixed to the pinion shaft 61 so as to be detachable. It is also possible to employ a C-shaped fixing ring (which can elastically deform the compression coil spring 52 by a predetermined amount at a position fixed to the pinion shaft 61). In the above-described embodiment, the load applying means 50 is configured to include the adjustment nut 51 and the compression coil spring 52. However, the load applying means 50 may be implemented using a rubber elastic body instead of the compression coil spring 52. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the compression coil spring 52 applies an axial load to the pinion shaft 61 downward and an axial load to the yoke shaft 40 upward. However, in place of the compression coil spring 52, a tension coil spring that is respectively engaged with the lower end of the adjustment nut 51 and the yoke shaft 40 is employed, and the pinion shaft 61 is axially directed upward. It is also possible to configure and implement such that a load is applied and an axial load is applied to the yoke shaft 40 downward.

  In the above-described embodiment, in order to exaggerate the portion where the pinion shaft 61 and the yoke shaft 40 are connected, in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 4, the amount of protrusion of the pinion shaft 61 from the gear housing 62 is set. Although shown exaggeratedly, in actual implementation, the amount by which the pinion shaft projects from the gear housing can be reduced.

1 is an overall configuration diagram schematically showing a state before a yoke shaft and a pinion shaft are coupled together with a suspension member and the like in a steering apparatus embodying the present invention. With the load applying means interposed between the yoke shaft and pinion shaft shown in FIG. 1, the insertion hole in the yoke shaft is inserted into the upper end of the pinion shaft, and the fixing bolt is used as the bolt insertion hole in the yoke shaft. It is the elements on larger scale which showed the state relaxed with respect to it. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a main part showing a relationship among a yoke shaft, a pinion shaft and a load applying means shown in FIG. 2. The load applying means applies an axial load toward the upper side of the yoke shaft and an axial load toward the lower side of the pinion shaft, and the fixing bolt is applied to the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing a state of being tightened (fastened). It is the principal part vertical side view which showed the relationship between the yoke shaft shown in FIG. 4, the pinion shaft, and a load provision means.

Explanation of symbols

ST ... Steering device, SM ... Suspension member, 10 ... Steering wheel, 20 ... Steering main shaft, 21 ... Column tube, Br ... Bracket, UU ... Upper universal joint, 30 ... Intermediate shaft, 31 ... Grommet, LU ... Lower universal Joint, 40 ... Yoke shaft, 40a ... Through hole, 40a1 ... Step, 40a2 ... Inner spline, 40b ... Bolt insertion hole, 40c ... Slit, 41 ... Fixing bolt, 50 ... Load applying means, 51 ... Adjustment nut, 51a ... Extension part, 51b ... female screw, 60 ... steering gear unit, 61 ... pinion shaft, 61a ... bolt engagement groove, 61b ... outer spline, 61c ... male screw, 62 ... gear housing, 63 ... rack bar, 70 ... tie rod 80 ... Kkuruamu

Claims (3)

A yoke shaft that is coupled to the steering wheel so that torque can be transmitted at the upper end portion, a pinion shaft that is coupled so that torque can be transmitted at the lower end portion and the upper end portion of the yoke shaft, and the position can be adjusted in the axial direction, and the pinion A fixing bolt for integrally connecting the shaft and the yoke shaft;
The pinion shaft is provided with a bolt engaging groove at a position separated from the upper end in the axial direction by a predetermined amount, and the lower end portion of the yoke shaft is provided with an insertion hole through which the pinion shaft can be inserted in the axial direction. There is a bolt insertion hole that crosses a part of the insertion hole,
When the pinion shaft is inserted into the insertion hole of the yoke shaft, and the bolt engagement groove of the pinion shaft and the bolt insertion hole of the yoke shaft are substantially aligned, the fixing bolt is connected to the yoke shaft. In the steering device in which the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft are integrally connected by being inserted into the bolt insertion hole and fastened,
A steering device, wherein a load applying means for applying an axial load to the pinion shaft and an axial load to the yoke shaft is interposed between the pinion shaft and the yoke shaft.   2. The steering device according to claim 1, wherein the load applying unit is configured to apply an axial load downward to the pinion shaft and to apply an axial load upward to the yoke shaft. The steering apparatus characterized by being made.   3. The steering device according to claim 2, wherein the load applying means is interposed between an adjustment nut screwed to the pinion shaft and adjustable in axial movement, and the adjustment nut and a lower end of the yoke shaft. A steering device comprising a compression coil spring.

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