JP2010274708A - Steering column device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize impact absorption and to secure a stroke by supporting a single jacket in two places. <P>SOLUTION: A lower shaft 1 and an upper shaft 2 are spline-fitted. A single jacket 3 for supporting the upper shaft 2 is provided. A bracket 4 is connected to the vehicle body to be separable forward. A pair of clamp parts 6a for holding the jacket 3 are provided on the bracket 4, and tilt long holes 6b, 6c are formed in the front and rear of each of the clamp parts 6a. A rear distance 3a is fixed on the substantial center of the jacket 3, and a telescopic long hole 3b is formed on the rear distance 3a. A front distance 7 for holding the jacket 3 is attached to the vehicle body front side of the jacket 3, and a through hole 7e is formed on the front distance 7. A front bolt 8 and a rear bolt 9 inserted into the tilt long holes 6b, 6c are inserted into the through hole 7e and the telescopic long hole 3b. A fastening means 10 for fastening the front bolt 8 and the rear bolt 9 is provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering column device, which is improved in holding force when a moment input centering on a tilt bolt axis is applied during a secondary collision.

  The steering column device is provided with a lower shaft connected to the steering wheel and an upper shaft provided with a steering wheel by spline fitting so as to be extendable and retractable, and an upper jacket for rotatably supporting the upper shaft and a lower shaft are rotatable. The lower jacket supported by the vehicle is connected so as to be relatively movable, and when the vehicle collides with the steering wheel when the vehicle collides, the shaft and the jacket are contracted, and the collision energy is absorbed when the vehicle contracts. Yes.

  On the other hand, since the steering column device is supported in an inclined state on the vehicle body, a moment around the tilt bolt axis acts on the steering column device during this secondary collision. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the holding force of the jacket, and there is a configuration described in Patent Document 1 as a configuration in such a case. This is one in which a movable bracket 2 is provided so as to be movable relative to a fixed bracket 1 fixed to a vehicle body. Two vertical holes 4 are formed in the left and right support side plates 1 a of the fixed bracket 1. Two horizontally long holes 3 are formed in the left and right movable support side plate members 2b, and a fastening shaft 5 is inserted into each of the vertically long holes 4 and the horizontally long holes 3, and the two fastening shafts 5 are fastened. The steering shaft can be tilt-adjusted by moving the two tightening shafts 5 along the longitudinally long holes 4, and the steering shaft can be moved by moving the portion of the laterally long holes 3 relative to the two tightening shafts 5 in the axial direction. Telesco can be adjusted.

  Since the jacket tube that supports the steering shaft is coupled to the fixed bracket 1 at two locations in the axial direction via the two fastening shafts 5, two locations that are separated from each other in the axial direction of the jacket tube are coupled to the vehicle body. There is an advantage that the holding force against the moment about the tilt bolt axis of the jacket tube is large.

JP 2000-16305 A

  However, in the steering column device described in Patent Document 1, when the occupant has a secondary collision with the steering wheel at the time of a vehicle collision, the jacket tube moves in the axial direction by the length of the laterally long hole 3, and then the fixed bracket 1 Moves away from the vehicle body and moves forward. However, since the two horizontally elongated holes 3 are formed in the axial direction and the movable bracket 2 becomes longer in the axial direction, the movable bracket 2 is moved after the fixed bracket 1 is detached from the vehicle body. There is a problem that the distance until the collision with another member is short, and a sufficient shock absorption stroke cannot be secured. In particular, when the electric power steering device is attached to the front end of the jacket tube, the shock absorbing stroke is further reduced, so that it is more difficult to ensure the shock absorbing stroke.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering column device that solves the above-described problems.

  In the invention according to claim 1, the lower shaft connected to the steering wheel and the upper shaft on which the steering wheel is provided are spline-fitted, and a single jacket for rotatably supporting the upper shaft is provided. A bracket is detachably coupled to the front, and the bracket is provided with a pair of clamp portions that clamp the jacket from the left and right, and the steering wheel is tilt-adjusted at the front and rear positions of the pair of clamp portions, respectively. Tilt slots are formed along the vertical direction of the vehicle body, while a rear distance is fixed substantially at the center of the jacket, and a telescopic slot is formed in the rear distance parallel to the axis of the upper shaft. A front distance for holding the jacket from the left and right is mounted on the front side of the vehicle body. Tightening means for forming a through hole in the stance and inserting the rear bolt and the front bolt through the tilt long hole respectively into the telescopic long hole and the through hole and tightening the rear bolt and the front bolt Is provided.

  According to the present invention, when the telescopic adjustment is performed by loosening the tightening means, the jacket moves back and forth by the length of the telescopic elongated hole with respect to the rear bolt supported by the clamp. It moves relative to the distance. When the occupant has a secondary collision with the steering wheel, a moment input is applied to rotate the jacket around the axis of the rear bolt, but the front end of the jacket is supported via the front distance and the front bolt. Therefore, the twisting input generated in the spline fitting portion between the upper shaft and the lower shaft can be reduced, and the jacket is moved until the spline fitting portion slides smoothly and the rear bolt moves to the rear end portion of the telescopic elongated hole. While moving forward, the outer peripheral surface of the jacket slides with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the front distance. After the rear bolt arrives at the rear end of the telescopic elongated hole, the bracket is detached from the vehicle body, and the collision energy can be absorbed until the front end of the jacket collides with another member.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the steering column device according to the first aspect, the electric power steering device is swingably supported on the vehicle body via a tilt hinge shaft, and the input shaft of the electric power steering device is used as the lower shaft. The upper shaft is spline-fitted.

  According to this invention, at the time of tilt adjustment, the electric power steering device swings in the vertical direction together with the jacket. Since only the lower shaft is connected to the electric power steering device at the time of the secondary collision, the jacket is originally twisted between the upper shaft and the lower shaft in an attempt to rotate around the axis of the rear bolt. In the present invention, since the jacket is supported at the front and rear two locations, the twisting input can be reduced, so that the spline fitting portion slides smoothly, the bracket is detached from the vehicle body, and the jacket is electrically operated. Move forward until it hits the power steering device. Even in such a case, since the distance can be reduced as compared with the conventional case, more shock absorbing strokes can be secured.

  According to the steering column device of the first aspect, the front distance that supports the jacket at two locations in the lengthwise direction and supports the front portion of the jacket uses the front distance that sandwiches the jacket from the left and right, and the front distance includes Since the through hole is formed without forming the telescopic elongated hole, the distance between the front distance and the rear distance is reduced, and the distance between the front end of the jacket protruding forward from the front distance and the other members ahead of the jacket is increased. The shock absorbing stroke can be set larger than the conventional one. In addition, since the front distance holds the jacket from the left and right, the front portion of the jacket is firmly supported by the vehicle body, and the holding rigidity and vibration characteristics of the jacket are improved.

  According to the steering column device of the second aspect, when the input shaft (lower shaft) of the electric power steering device that is swingably supported by the vehicle body is spline-fitted to the upper shaft, at the time of the secondary collision Even when the upper shaft and the jacket are subjected to a moment about the axis of the rear bolt, the upper shaft and the lower shaft are smoothly contracted, and the shock absorption is stably performed. Therefore, a configuration in which a single jacket is supported via a front distance having no telescopic slot and a rear distance having a telescopic slot is an effective means for stabilizing shock absorption and securing a stroke.

A perspective view of a steering column device (embodiment). The exploded perspective view of a steering column device (embodiment). The front view of a steering column apparatus (embodiment).

Embodiments of a steering column apparatus according to the present invention will be described below.
(Constitution)
The lower shaft 1 and the upper shaft 2 shown in FIG. 3 are spline-fitted, and the upper shaft 2 is movable in the axial direction with respect to the lower shaft 1. The lower shaft 1 is connected to a steering wheel (not shown), and the upper shaft 2 is connected to a steering wheel (not shown). The upper shaft 2 is provided with a single jacket 3 for rotatably supporting the upper shaft 2 via a bearing (not shown).

  A bracket 4 is coupled to the vehicle body so as to be removable toward the front of the vehicle body. As shown in FIG. 2, the bracket 4 includes an upper mounting plate 5 that is attached to the vehicle body, and a substantially inverted U-shaped lower clamp plate 6 that holds the jacket 3.

  The mounting plate 5 is formed by bending a rectangular metal plate to form a concave portion on the lower surface, and the upper portion of the clamp plate 6 is inserted into the concave portion and welded. The mounting plate 5 is formed with a notch 5a from the rear to the front, and a mounting seat 19 is attached to the notch 5a. That is, a groove 19a is formed on the outer periphery of the mounting seat 19, the inner peripheral edge of the notch 5a is inserted into the groove 19a, and the mounting seat 19 is fixed to the mounting plate 5 by a resin pin (not shown). . The bracket 4 is coupled to the vehicle body by inserting a bolt (not shown) into the insertion hole 19b formed in the mounting seat 19 and screwing the bolt into the vehicle body. The bracket 4 can be detached from the vehicle body by the presence of the notch 5a. An impact absorbing means (not shown) that tears a member and absorbs impact energy by increasing the distance between the vehicle body and the bracket 4 may be provided between the vehicle body and the bracket 4.

  The clamp plate 6 is bent and formed in a substantially inverted U shape as described above, and the left and right portions are a pair of clamp portions 6 a that sandwich the jacket 3. The pair of clamp portions 6a are extended toward the front of the vehicle body, and tilt long holes 6b and 6c for adjusting the tilt of a steering wheel (not shown) in the vertical direction of the vehicle body are provided at front and rear positions of the respective clamp portions 6a. Each is formed. These tilt elongated holes 6b and 6c are formed along an arc having a bolt 14 described later as a tilt center.

  A rear distance 3 a is fixed to the approximate center of the jacket 3. That is, a rear distance 3 a having a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape is inserted from below so as to sandwich the jacket 3, and an inner end portion of the upper portion is welded to the jacket 3. Telescopic elongated holes 3b are formed long along the axial direction of the upper shaft 2 at the left and right positions below the rear distance 3a.

  A front distance 7 for holding the jacket 3 from the left and right is attached to the front portion of the jacket 3. That is, the left and right sandwiching portions 7a arranged substantially parallel to each other are connected via the upper connecting portion 7b, and the front distance 7 is configured. The front and rear end portions of the left and right sandwiching portions 7a are bent substantially at right angles toward each other, and a contact portion 7d having an arc recess 7c that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the jacket 3 is formed on the left and right. Is formed. And the through-hole 7e is formed in the lower part of the right-and-left clamping part 7a.

  With the front end portion of the jacket 3 inserted between the contact portions 7d of the front distance 7, the front distance 7 and the rear distance 3a are inserted between the pair of clamp portions 6a, and the front bolt 8 is While the tilt long hole 6b and the through hole 7e are inserted, a rear bolt 9 is inserted into the tilt long hole 6c and the telescopic long hole 3b, and fastening means 10 for tightening the front bolt 8 and the rear bolt 9 at the same time is provided. It has been.

  The configuration of the fastening means 10 will be described. A nut 15 a is screwed into the front bolt 8, while a nut 13 a is screwed into the rear bolt 9 via a stopper 11. Here, the front bolt 8, the rear bolt 9, the nut 15, and the nut 13a are left-handed screws. A hole 11a for inserting the rear bolt 9 is formed in the stopper 11, and a guide projection 11b fitted into the tilt long hole 6c is formed in the vertical position of the hole 11a. The nut 13a is coupled to the lever 13 by welding or caulking, and the nut 15a is coupled to the arm 15 by welding or caulking. And the upper end part of the lever 13 and the upper end part of the arm 15 are connected via the connection member 16, and pins 16a and 16b are used for these connection parts.

  In order to restrict the rotation angle of the lever 13 within a certain range, a notch 13b is formed on the outer periphery of the lever 13 along an arc centered on the nut 13a, while a stopper that fits inside the notch 13b. The portion 11c is formed by bending a part of the stopper 11 at a right angle. In addition, the front bolt 8 and the rear bolt 9 are formed with heads 8a, 9a on the opposite side of the threaded parts into which the nuts 13a, 15a are screwed, and the heads 8a, 9a are the edges of the tilt holes 6b, 6c. The heads 8a and 9a are provided with non-rotating members (not shown) that prevent the front bolt 8 and the rear bolt 9 from rotating.

In this embodiment, an electric power steering device 12 is connected to the lower shaft 1. The electric power steering device 12 is configured by providing a worm wheel (not shown) on the lower shaft 1 and engaging a worm (not shown) provided on the output shaft of the motor 12a with the worm wheel. The rotation direction of the shaft when the occupant rotates the steering wheel is detected by a sensor (not shown), and the motor 12a is rotationally controlled so as to be driven to rotate in the same direction as the detected rotation direction. The electric power steering device 12 is coupled to the vehicle body via a bolt 14, and the portion of the bolt 14 serves as the tilt center as a tilt hinge shaft.
(Function)
Next, the operation of the steering column device will be described.

  When adjusting the tilt or telescopic adjustment of the steering wheel, the lever 13 is rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. The lever 13 can be rotated within a range in which the portion of the notch 13b can move with reference to the stopper 11c. At this time, the rotation of the lever 13 is transmitted to the arm 15 via the link 16, and the lever 13 and the arm 15 rotate by the same angle. As a result, the front bolt 8 and the rear bolt 9 are loosened, and a steering wheel (not shown) is moved up and down to adjust the tilt. Then, the front bolt 8 and the rear bolt 9 move along the tilt elongated holes 6b and 6c around the bolt 14 that is the tilt hinge shaft. On the other hand, when performing telescopic adjustment, the jacket 3 moves back and forth by the length of the telescopic elongated hole 3b with respect to the rear bolt 9 supported by the clamp portion 6a. At this time, the jacket 3 slides relative to the front distance 7 and moves relatively. When the tilt adjustment and the telescopic adjustment are finished, the lever 13 is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing, and the front bolt 8 and the rear bolt 9 are tightened.

  When the occupant has a secondary collision with a steering wheel (not shown), a moment input is applied to rotate the jacket 3 around the axis of the rear bolt 9, but the front end side of the jacket 3 is the front distance 7 and the front bolt 8. Therefore, the twisting input generated in the spline fitting portion between the upper shaft 2 and the lower shaft 1 can be reduced, the spline fitting portion slides smoothly, and the rear bolt 9 is telescopic length. The jacket 3 moves forward until it moves to the rear end portion of the hole 3b, and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket 3 slides with respect to the circular arc recess 7c of the front distance 7. After the rear bolt 9 arrives at the rear end portion of the telescopic elongated hole 3b, the bracket 4 is detached from the mounting seat 19 due to the breakage of a resin pin or the like (not shown), and the jacket 3, the bracket 4, and the front distance 7 are united forward. The impact absorbing means (not shown) absorbs the collision energy until the front end of the jacket 3 collides with the electric power steering device 12 which is another member, and the impact is mitigated.

  According to the present invention, the electric power steering device 12 swings up and down together with the jacket 3 during the tilt adjustment. Since only the lower shaft 1 is connected to the electric power steering device 12 at the time of the secondary collision, the jacket 3 is normally rotated between the upper shaft 2 and the lower shaft 1 so as to be rotated around the axis of the rear bolt 9. In the present invention, since the jacket 3 is supported at the two front and rear positions in the present invention, the twisting input can be reduced, so that the spline fitting portion smoothly slides and the bracket 4 is It moves away from the vehicle body and moves forward until the jacket 3 collides with the electric power steering device 12. Even in such a case, since the distance can be reduced as compared with the conventional case, more shock absorbing strokes can be secured.

  According to this steering column device, the front distance 7 that supports the jacket 3 at two locations in the lengthwise direction and supports the front portion of the jacket 3 uses the front distance 7 that sandwiches the jacket 3 from the left and right. Since the through hole 7e is formed without forming the telescopic elongated hole, the distance between the front distance 7 and the rear distance 3a is reduced, and the front end of the jacket 3 projecting forward from the front distance 7 and the front of the jacket 3 are electrically driven. The distance from the power steering device 12 can be set large, and the shock absorption stroke can be set larger than the conventional one. Further, since the front distance 7 holds the jacket 3 from the left and right, the front portion of the jacket 3 is firmly supported by the vehicle body, and the holding rigidity and vibration characteristics of the jacket 3 are improved.

  According to this steering column device, when the lower shaft 1 as the input shaft of the electric power steering device 12 supported so as to be able to swing on the vehicle body is spline-fitted to the upper shaft 2, the upper shaft at the time of a secondary collision. Even when the shaft 2 and the jacket 3 are subjected to a moment about the axis of the rear bolt 9, the upper shaft 2 and the lower shaft 1 are smoothly contracted and the shock absorption is stably performed. Therefore, the configuration in which the single jacket 3 is supported via the front distance 7 having no telescopic elongated holes and the rear distance 3a having the telescopic elongated holes 3b is an effective means for stabilizing the shock absorption and securing the stroke. .

  Although the case where the electric power steering device is connected to the lower shaft has been described in the present embodiment, a configuration in which the electric power steering device is not connected may be used. Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the lower shaft 1 is supported on the vehicle body so as to be swingable via the bolt 14 is shown. However, as in Patent Document 1, the lower shaft 1 is not supported on the vehicle body. Can also be applied.

1 ... Lower shaft (input shaft)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Upper shaft 3 ... Jacket 3a ... Rear distance 3b ... Telesco long hole 4 ... Bracket 6a ... Clamp part 6b, 6c ... Tilt long hole 7 ... Front distance 7e ... Through-hole 8 ... Front bolt 9 ... Rear bolt 10 ... Tightening means 12 ... Power steering device 14 ... Bolt (tilt hinge shaft)

Claims (2)

A lower shaft connected to the steering wheel and an upper shaft on which a steering wheel is provided are spline-fitted, and a single jacket that rotatably supports the upper shaft is provided,
A bracket is coupled to the vehicle body so as to be detachable forward, and the bracket is provided with a pair of clamp portions that clamp the jacket from the left and right, and the steering wheel is tilted at the front and rear positions of the pair of clamp portions. While tilt elongated holes for adjustment are formed along the vertical direction of the vehicle body,
A rear distance is fixed substantially at the center of the jacket, and a telescopic elongated hole is formed in the rear distance in parallel with the axis of the upper shaft, and a front distance for holding the jacket from the left and right is mounted on the front side of the vehicle body. And a through hole is formed in the front distance,
A rear bolt and a front bolt respectively inserted through the tilt long hole are individually inserted into the telescopic long hole and the through hole, and fastening means for tightening the rear bolt and the front bolt is provided. Steering column device. In the steering column device according to claim 1,
A steering column device characterized in that an electric power steering device is swingably supported on a vehicle body via a tilt hinge shaft, and an input shaft of the electric power steering device is spline-fitted to the upper shaft as the lower shaft.

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