JP2016047718A - Steering wheel position adjusting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a structure that can increase force for holding a steering wheel at an adjusted position, and can easily achieve reduction in size and weight and improvement in flexibility of design.SOLUTION: First and second oscillation/friction plates 26 and 28 are held between an inner surface of one supporting plate part 20a and a one side surface of a displacement bracket 12a. A first oscillation supporting shaft 25 acting as an oscillation center of the first oscillation/friction plate 26 is provided on a straight line α, which passes through a center position of a long hole 19a in a longitudinal direction and is orthogonal to a length direction of the long hole 19a in a longitudinal direction, of the one side surface of the displacement bracket 12a. A second oscillation supporting shaft 27 acting as an oscillation center of the second oscillation/friction plate 28 is provided in an intermediate part in a length direction of an outer surface of the first oscillation/friction plate 26. An adjustment rod 22a is engaged with a first and a second guide long holes 31 and 32 provided at tip parts of the first and second oscillation/friction plates 26 and 28 respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a position adjustment device for a steering wheel for adjusting the front-rear position of the steering wheel in accordance with a driver's physique and driving posture.

  The vehicle steering system is configured as shown in FIG. 10, and transmits the rotation of the steering wheel 1 to the input shaft 3 of the steering gear unit 2, and a pair of left and right tie rods 4 in accordance with the rotation of the input shaft 3. 4 is pushed and pulled to give a steering angle to the front wheels. The steering wheel 1 is supported and fixed to the rear end portion of the steering shaft 5, and the steering shaft 5 is rotatably supported by the steering column 6 with a cylindrical steering column 6 inserted in the axial direction. doing. Further, the front end portion of the steering shaft 5 is connected to the rear end portion of the intermediate shaft 8 via a universal joint 7, and the front end portion of the intermediate shaft 8 is connected to the input shaft 3 via another universal joint 9. Connected to. In the present specification and claims as a whole, the front-rear direction, left-right direction (width direction), and up-down direction refer to the front-rear direction, left-right direction (width direction), and up-down direction of the vehicle unless otherwise specified. .

  In the steering apparatus as described above, a tilt mechanism for adjusting the vertical position of the steering wheel 1 and a telescopic mechanism for adjusting the front and rear position according to the physique and driving posture of the driver are widely known. ing. In order to constitute the tilt mechanism, the front end portion of the steering column 6 is supported with respect to the vehicle body 10 so as to be capable of swinging and swinging around the pivot 11 installed in the left-right direction. Further, a displacement bracket 12 fixed to a portion near the rear end of the steering column 6 is supported with respect to a support bracket 13 supported on the vehicle body 10 so as to be able to be displaced in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction. Among these, in order to configure a telescopic mechanism that enables displacement in the front-rear direction, the steering column 6 has a structure in which an outer column 14 and an inner column 15 are telescopically combined to expand and contract, and the steering shaft 5 The outer shaft 16 and the inner shaft 17 are combined with each other so as to be able to transmit torque and extend and contract by spline engagement or the like. Note that the illustrated example also incorporates an electric power steering apparatus that reduces the force required to operate the steering wheel 1 using the electric motor 18 as an auxiliary power source.

  When the tilt mechanism or telescopic mechanism is a manual structure excluding an electric type, the position of the steering wheel 1 can be adjusted or fixed at the adjusted position based on the operation of the adjustment lever. I am trying to do it. As for the structure of such a manual tilt mechanism and telescopic mechanism, various structures have been widely known and practiced. For example, in the case of the structure shown in FIG. 10, the longitudinal bracket 19 extending in the axial direction of the outer column 14 that is the longitudinal position adjusting direction is formed in the displacement bracket 12 fixed to the outer column 14. doing. The support bracket 13 includes a pair of support plate parts 20 that sandwich the displacement bracket 12 from both the left and right sides. A vertical hole 21 is formed. Both the vertically long slots 21 are generally in a partial arc shape with the pivot 11 as the center. An adjustment rod 22 is inserted through both the vertical slot 21 and the longitudinal slot 19. The adjusting rod 22 is provided with a pair of pressing portions in a state where the both support plate portions 20 are sandwiched from both sides in the left-right direction. The expansion / contraction device that operates based on the operation of the adjusting lever allows The interval can be enlarged or reduced.

  When adjusting the vertical position or the front / rear position of the steering wheel 1, the distance between the pressing parts is increased by swinging the adjustment lever in a predetermined direction (generally downward). As a result, the frictional force acting between the inner side surfaces of the two support plate portions 20 and the outer side surfaces of the displacement bracket 12 in the width direction is reduced. In this state, the position of the steering wheel 1 is adjusted within a range in which the adjustment rod 22 can be displaced within the vertical holes 21 and the longitudinal slot 19. After the adjustment, the distance between the pressing parts is reduced by swinging the adjusting lever in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction (generally upward). Accordingly, the frictional force is increased and the steering wheel 1 is held at the adjusted position.

  Further, the steering device described above is provided with the steering wheel 1 in order to relieve the impact load applied to the driver when a secondary collision occurs in which a driver's body hits the steering wheel 1 in the event of a collision. Has a function to allow the to move forward. For this purpose, specifically, a structure is employed in which the support bracket 13 is supported to the vehicle body 10 so as to be able to be detached forward by an impact during a secondary collision. In the case of the steering device having such a structure, if the force for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position, that is, the holding force of the outer column 14 against the support bracket 13 is weak, a secondary collision occurs. The outer column 14 may move carelessly with respect to the support bracket 13. When the support bracket 13 is moved, the impact applied to the support bracket 13 changes, so that it may be difficult to design an impact absorbing mechanism based on the support bracket 13 being detached from the vehicle body 10.

  On the other hand, in order to increase the holding force of the outer column 14 with respect to the support bracket 13 without increasing the operation amount and operating force of the adjusting lever, the number of friction engagement portions for securing this holding force is required. It is preferable to increase. In view of such circumstances, Patent Document 1 discloses that the number of the friction engagement portions is increased by overlapping the friction plates supported by the steering column and the friction plates supported by the support bracket in the left-right direction. The structure is described. However, in the case of the structure described in Patent Document 1, a configuration is employed in which each friction plate is supported with respect to the steering column or the support bracket so as to be capable of only displacement in the left-right direction. For this reason, the number of friction plates required to increase the number of the friction engagement portions increases. Therefore, the increase in the lateral dimension, the number of parts, and the weight caused by increasing the number of the friction engagement portions increases.

JP 10-35511 A

  In view of the circumstances as described above, the present invention can increase the force for holding the steering wheel in the adjusted position with a small number of friction plates, and can easily reduce the size and weight and improve the degree of design freedom. It was invented to realize the structure of the adjusting device.

The steering wheel position adjusting device of the present invention includes a steering column, a displacement bracket, a longitudinally long hole, a support bracket, a vehicle body side through hole, an adjusting rod, a pair of pressing portions, and an expansion / contraction device. Prepare.
Of these, the steering column has a cylindrical shape, which rotatably supports a steering shaft having a steering wheel supported and fixed at the rear end thereof.
The displacement bracket is fixed to a part of the steering column (provided integrally with the steering column or via a separate member).
The longitudinal hole is provided in the displacement bracket so as to penetrate the displacement bracket in the width direction, and extends in the longitudinal direction (axial direction of the steering column).
The support bracket includes a pair of support plate portions that sandwich the displacement bracket from both sides in the width direction, and is supported by the vehicle body.
Further, the vehicle body side through hole is provided in a portion where the both support plate portions are aligned with each other.
The adjusting rod is provided in a state of being inserted through the longitudinal longitudinal hole and the vehicle body side through hole in the width direction.
Further, the both pressing portions are provided at portions projecting from the outer surfaces of the both support plate portions at both ends of the adjusting rod.
Furthermore, the expansion / contraction device is for expanding / contracting the space between the pressing parts. For example, an adjustment lever is provided at one end of the adjustment rod and rotates around the adjustment rod (rotates with the adjustment rod). In some cases, the interval between the pressing parts is expanded or reduced.

In particular, in the case of the steering wheel position adjusting device of the present invention, the first portion is provided between at least one of the inner surfaces of the support plate portions and the outer surfaces of the displacement brackets in the width direction. The rocking friction plate (for telescopic) and the second (telescopic) rocking friction plate are held in a state of being overlapped with each other.
Of these, the first oscillating friction plate has a base end portion or an intermediate portion (any portion except for a tip portion where a first guide slot is formed later) of the displacement bracket or the steering column. The adjustment rod is pivotally supported by a first swing support shaft that is provided on the outer surface in the direction parallel to the adjustment rod, and the adjustment guide is inserted into a first guide slot provided at the tip thereof. When the front / rear position of the steering wheel is adjusted in a state where only the displacement along the hole is possible, it swings around the first swing support shaft.
The second rocking friction plate is provided with a base end portion provided in a portion of the first rocking friction plate that is separated from the first rocking support shaft and the first guide long hole. The control rod is pivotally supported by a second swing support shaft parallel to the rod, and the adjustment rod is engaged with the second guide slot provided at the tip of the shaft so that only the displacement along the second guide slot is possible. In the combined state, when the front / rear position of the steering wheel is adjusted, the steering wheel swings around the second swing support shaft.

When the steering wheel position adjusting device of the present invention is implemented, preferably, as in the invention described in claim 2, the central axis of the adjusting rod and the first axis are independent of the front-rear position of the steering wheel. The central axis of the swing support shaft and the central axis of the second swing support shaft are positioned on substantially the same straight line.
In this case, specifically, as in the invention described in claim 3, the second swing support shaft is connected to the center shaft of the adjustment rod and the first swing support member of the first swing friction plate. It is provided on a portion located between the adjusting rod and the first swing support shaft on or near a straight line connecting the central axis of the dynamic support shaft.
Alternatively, as in the invention described in claim 4, the second swing support shaft includes a center axis of the adjustment rod and a center axis of the first swing support shaft of the first swing friction plate. Is provided on a portion located on the opposite side of the adjustment rod, with the first swing support shaft interposed therebetween, on or near a straight line connecting the two.
That is, in the case of the invention described in claims 2 to 4 described above, a part of the second oscillating friction plate is moved back and forth from the front-rear direction edge of the support plate portion regardless of the front-rear position of the steering wheel. The position of the second oscillating support shaft is set to the shape of the second oscillating friction plate and the first Designed according to the swing range of the swing friction plate.

  When carrying out the present invention, preferably, as in the invention described in claim 5, when the adjustment direction of the front-rear position of the steering wheel is the same, a part of the adjustable range of the front-rear position The swinging direction of the second rocking friction plate in the range (for example, one half of the adjustable range) and the second swing in the other range (for example, the other half of the adjustable range). The swing directions of the dynamic friction plates are opposite to each other.

In carrying out the present invention, preferably, as in the invention described in claim 6, the first swing support shaft is configured so that the longitudinal length of the displacement bracket or the outer side surface of the steering column is the longitudinal length. It passes through the central position in the length direction of the hole and is provided on a portion located on or near a straight line perpendicular to the length direction of the longitudinal hole. The first guide elongated hole is formed at a tip end portion of the first swing friction plate so as to extend in a linear direction connecting the adjustment rod and the first swing support shaft.
That is, in the case of the invention described in claim 6, regardless of the front-rear position of the steering wheel, the angle formed by the length direction of the first guide long hole and the length direction of the front-rear direction long hole is 60- The first swing support shaft is provided at a position within a range of 90 degrees.

  In carrying out the present invention, preferably, as in the invention described in claim 7, the second swing support shaft is connected to the first guide long hole in the intermediate portion of the first swing friction plate. Provided in the part located on the extension of the center line. In addition, the second guide slot is moved from the one end to the other end in the swing direction around the second swing support shaft at the tip of the second swing friction plate. It forms in the direction where the distance between the support shafts becomes longer.

  In carrying out the present invention, for example, as in the invention described in claim 8, the first and second oscillating friction plates are connected to each other via a washer externally supported by the adjustment rod. You can also superimpose.

In carrying out the present invention, preferably, as in the invention described in claim 9, the first and second oscillating friction plates are made of a steel plate, a stainless steel plate, or an aluminum alloy plate. .
Preferably, as in the invention described in claim 10, the side surfaces of the first and second oscillating friction plates are subjected to surface treatment for increasing the coefficient of friction between the opposing surfaces.

According to the steering wheel position adjusting device of the present invention configured as described above, even with a small number of friction plates, the force that holds the steering wheel in the adjusted position (front-rear direction position) can be increased, and it is compact and lightweight. And improvement in the degree of freedom of design can be facilitated.
That is, in the case of the present invention, in a state in which the distance between the pair of pressing portions is reduced so as to hold the steering wheel at the adjusted position, the first and second swinging friction plates overlapped with each other are the support plates. It will be in the state clamped between the inner side surface of a part, and the width direction outer side surface of a displacement bracket. If an attempt is made to move the front / rear position of the steering wheel from this state, both side surfaces of the first and second oscillating friction plates will rub against each other. In short, when trying to move the front-rear position of the steering wheel from the state where the steering wheel is held at a desired position, both side surfaces of the first and second swing friction plates (of the invention described in claim 8). In this case, a friction surface that is a side surface opposite to each other and at least one side surface facing each other among both side surfaces of the first and second both oscillating friction plates is These first and second swing friction plates need to be swung while being slid. For this reason, the force which hold | maintains the said steering wheel in the position after adjustment can be strengthened.
Further, in the case of the present invention, the structure capable of strengthening the force for holding the steering wheel in the adjusted position with a smaller friction plate (swinging friction plate) than the structure described in Patent Document 1 described above. realizable. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the size and weight of the steering wheel position adjusting device while suppressing an increase in the lateral dimension, the number of parts, and the weight of the steering wheel position adjusting device.
Further, in the case of the present invention, the second swing support shaft that is the swing center of the second swing friction plate is used as the first swing support shaft and the first guide of the first swing friction plate. By providing it in a portion that is out of the long hole, the second swing support shaft is displaced relative to the displacement bracket as the first swing friction plate swings. For this reason, compared with the case where the second swing support shaft is provided in a portion where the second swing support shaft is not displaced with respect to the displacement bracket, the movement range accompanying the swing of the second swing friction plate can be kept in a narrow range. Become. Therefore, the degree of design freedom can be easily improved accordingly.

  In the case of the invention described in claim 5, the swinging direction of the second swinging friction plate in a part of the adjustable range of the front and rear position of the steering wheel and the second swinging in the other range are possible. The oscillating directions of the dynamic friction plates are opposite to each other. For this reason, compared with the case where the swinging direction of the second swinging friction plate is the same in the entire adjustable range, the moving range accompanying the swinging of the second swinging friction plate can be kept in a narrower range. Is possible. Accordingly, the degree of freedom in design can be further improved accordingly.

The side view which shows the 1st example of embodiment of this invention. The expanded aa sectional view of Drawing 1. The support bracket and adjustment in the state (A) where the steering wheel is moved to the front end position of the adjustable range, the state (B) where it is moved to the intermediate position, and the state (C) where it is moved to the rear end position, respectively. The side view equivalent to the center part of FIG. 1 which abbreviate | omits and shows a lever. The exploded perspective view of a 1st, 2nd both rocking | fluctuation friction board. The figure similar to FIG. 2 which shows the 2nd example of embodiment of this invention. The disassembled perspective view of both the 1st, 2nd rocking | fluctuation friction board and a washer which show the 3rd example. The figure similar to FIG. 3 which shows the 4th example. The same figure as FIG. The figure similar to FIG. 6 which shows the 5th example of embodiment of this invention. The partial cutting schematic side view which shows an example of the position adjustment apparatus of the steering wheel conventionally known.

[First example of embodiment]
1-4 show a first example of an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to claims 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 9, and 10. FIG. The steering wheel position adjusting device of the present example includes a steering column 6a, a displacement bracket 12a, a longitudinally long hole 19a, a steering shaft 5a, and a support bracket 13a. A pair of left and right vertical holes 21a and 21a, an adjustment rod 22a, a pair of pressing portions 23a and 23b, an adjustment lever 24, a first swing support shaft 25, and a first swing friction. A plate 26, a second swing support shaft 27, and a second swing friction plate 28 are provided.

  Among these, the steering column 6a is a telescopic formed by fitting the rear end portion of the inner column 15a disposed on the front side and the front end portion of the outer column 14a disposed on the rear side so as to be capable of axial displacement. This is a steering column, and the whole is cylindrical.

  The displacement bracket 12a is integrally formed with the outer column 14a on the upper side of the front end portion of the outer column 14a by die-casting a light alloy such as an aluminum alloy. In the case of this example, as shown in FIG. 2, the displacement bracket 12a is provided in a state of protruding (bulging) from the outer peripheral surface of the outer column 14a so that the shape seen from the axial direction is substantially rectangular. It has been. The displacement bracket 12a is capable of elastically expanding and contracting the entire width by a slit 29 formed at the center in the width direction of the upper end. The front / rear direction long hole 19a is a part of the displacement bracket 12a, and is provided at a position that is aligned with the slit 29 so as to penetrate the displacement bracket 12a in the width direction.

  Further, the steering shaft 5a can transmit torque by spline engagement between the front end portion of the outer shaft 16a disposed on the rear side and the rear end portion of the inner shaft 17a disposed on the front side, and can expand and contract. Combining possible combinations. Such a steering shaft 5a has an intermediate portion rear end portion of the outer shaft 16a at the rear end portion of the outer column 14a, and an intermediate portion front end portion of the inner shaft 17a at the front end portion of the inner column 15a. Like single-row deep groove ball bearings, each is rotatably supported by a rolling bearing capable of hindering radial load and thrust load. Therefore, the steering shaft 5a expands and contracts with the expansion and contraction of the steering column 6a. Note that the steering wheel 1 (see FIG. 10) is supported and fixed to a portion of the rear end portion of the outer shaft 16a that protrudes rearward from the rear end opening of the outer column 14a.

  The support bracket 13a is formed by bending a metal plate, such as a steel plate, that can ensure the required strength and rigidity. The mounting plate portion 30 for supporting the vehicle body and the lower surface of the mounting plate portion 30 are provided. And a pair of support plate portions 20a and 20b that are parallel to each other. The distance between the inner side surfaces of the two support plate portions 20a and 20b substantially corresponds to the sum of the width dimension of the displacement bracket 12a and the plate thickness of the first and second oscillating friction plates 26 and 28. The vertical holes 21a and 21a are formed on the support plate portions 20a and 20b so as to be aligned with each other, and support the front end of the steering column 6a so as to be able to swing and displace with respect to the vehicle body. This is a partial arc shape with the pivot 11a as the center. However, both the vertical holes 21a and 21a may be linearly inclined in the upward direction toward the rear. In any case, the support bracket 13a having such a configuration allows the vehicle body to drop forward due to an impact load applied to the vehicle body during a secondary collision. However, the steering column 6a has sufficient rigidity during normal operation. Support in a state where it can be secured.

  The adjustment rod 22a is provided in a state of being inserted through the longitudinal direction long hole 19a and the vertical direction long holes 21a, 21a in the width direction. Then, both pressing portions 23a and 23b are provided at both end portions of the adjusting rod 22a such that they protrude from the outer surfaces of the supporting plate portions 20a and 20b. The interval between 23a and 23b can be enlarged or reduced. The structure for enlarging / reducing the distance between the pressing portions 23a, 23b by the adjusting lever 24 is not particularly limited. For example, it is possible to employ a cam device in which the axial dimension can be expanded or contracted by engagement between the cam surfaces of a pair of cam members, or a structure in which a nut is screwed into a male thread portion provided at the tip of the adjustment rod 22a. . Regardless of which structure is adopted, the adjusting lever 24 is provided at one end of the adjusting rod 22a, and rotates around the adjusting rod 22a, thereby expanding or reducing the distance between the pressing portions 23a and 23b.

  Further, the first swing support shaft 25 is one outer surface in the width direction of the displacement bracket 12a, which is a portion that is relatively displaced with respect to the adjustment rod 22a when the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1 is adjusted. Is provided in parallel with the adjusting rod 22a on one side surface (the left side surface in FIG. 2). The installation position of the first swing support shaft 25 passes through a central position in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot 19a on one side surface of the displacement bracket 12a, and extends in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot 19a. On the orthogonal straight line α {see FIGS. 1 and 3 (A)}, it is below the longitudinal slot 19a. Regarding the structure of this example, for example, when the positions where the longitudinal long holes 19a and the slits 29 are formed are changed from the upper end to the lower end of the displacement bracket 12a (the outer column 14a), the first The installation position of one swing support shaft 25 can be above the longitudinal slot 19a on the virtual straight line α. Further, when there is no displacement bracket at the position where the first swing support shaft 25 is provided, the first swing support shaft 25 can be provided in a state of protruding from the outer side surface in the width direction of the outer column 14a. .

In any case, with this structure, the distance L between the central axes of the adjustment rod 22a and the first swing support shaft 25 (see FIG. 1) is determined so that the adjustment rod 22a When it is located in the center of the movable range within 19a {in the case shown in FIG. 3B}, the minimum value L _MIN is set. At the same time, the distance L (= L _F ) in the case where it is also located at the rear end {in the state shown in FIG. In the case of the state}, the distance L (= L _B ) is equal to each other (L _F = L _B > L _MIN ). That is, in the case of this example, the adjustment rod 22a and the first swing support shaft are moved in the process in which the adjustment rod 22a moves along the longitudinal hole 19a along with the adjustment of the front / rear position of the steering wheel 1. The direction in which the distance L to 25 changes (the direction of extension or the direction of reduction) is opposite to each other with the central portion of the range in which the adjustment rod 22a is movable in the longitudinal slot 19a. Direction.

  Further, in the case of this example, between the one side surface of the displacement bracket 12a and the inner side surface of the support plate portion 20a of one of the support plate portions 20a and 20b (left side in FIG. 2). The first oscillating friction plate 26 and the second oscillating friction plate 28 are sandwiched in an overlapped manner in order from the displacement bracket 12a side.

  Of these, the first oscillating friction plate 26 can ensure the required strength and rigidity, such as a steel plate, a stainless steel plate or an aluminum alloy plate, and is a mating side surface of the displacement bracket 12a, and It is an oval flat plate member formed of a metal plate that can increase the friction coefficient of the contact portion with the inner surface of the second rocking friction plate. Such a first swing friction plate 26 has a first circular hole 34 provided at a base end portion (a lower end portion in FIGS. 1 and 3) of the first swing support plate 25 without rattling. The outer periphery of the first swing friction plate 26 is pivotally supported by the first swing support shaft 25. At the same time, the adjustment rod 22a is displaced along the first guide slot 31 in the first guide slot 31 provided at the tip of the first swing friction plate 26 (the upper end in FIGS. 1 and 3). Only possible to engage. The first guide slot 31 is formed so as to extend in a linear direction connecting the adjustment rod 22a and the first swing support shaft 25. Further, when the adjusting rod 22a is positioned at the center of the movable range within the longitudinal long hole 19a, the adjusting rod 22a and the base end portion of the first guide long hole 31 (FIG. 1). 3) is located at the end (front end and rear end) in the longitudinal slot 19a, and the adjustment rod 22a and the tip end of the first guide slot 31 ( The size of each part is regulated so that the upper end part in FIGS. Further, the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the outer surface of the first swing friction plate 26 {the portion located between the first circular hole 34 (first swing support shaft 25) and the first guide long hole 31} Among these, a portion (on the adjustment rod 22a and the first swing support shaft 25) located on β {see (A) of FIG. 3} which is an extension of the center line of the first guide long hole 31 is connected. The second oscillating support shaft 27 is provided in parallel with the adjusting rod 22a at a portion located on a straight line.

  The second swing friction plate 28 is a substantially fan-shaped flat plate member formed of a metal plate similar to the first swing friction plate 26. Such a second rocking friction plate 28 has a second circular hole 35 provided in a base end portion thereof (a portion corresponding to the essential part of the fan), and the second rocking support shaft 27 does not rattle, The outer periphery of the second swing friction plate 28 is pivotally supported by the second swing support shaft 27. At the same time, the adjusting rod 22a is inserted into the second guide slot 32 provided at the tip of the second oscillating friction plate 28 (the part corresponding to the fan surface), and only the displacement along the second guide slot 32 is changed. It is possible to engage. The second guide slot 32 extends from one end portion in the swing direction around the second swing support shaft 27 (the end portion on the rear side in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3, the front end portion in the front-rear direction) to the other end portion ( The distance from the second swing support shaft 27 becomes longer as it goes toward the front end in the clockwise direction in FIG. It is formed in a circular arc shape in which the 27 side is concave. Further, when the adjusting rod 22a is located at the center of the movable range in the front / rear direction long hole 19a, one end of the adjusting rod 22a and the second guide long hole 32 in the swing direction ( And the other end of the adjusting rod 22a and the second guide slot 32 in the swinging direction when the front end is positioned at the ends (the front end and the rear end) in the longitudinal slot 19a. The dimensions of each part are regulated so that the (rear end part) engages with each other. Note that the length of the second swing support shaft 27 is such that the tip (left end in FIG. 2) does not protrude from the outer surface (left side in FIG. 2) of the second swing friction plate 28. It is regulated.

  Further, both side surfaces of the first and second oscillating friction plates 26 and 28 are subjected to a surface treatment for increasing the coefficient of friction with the opposing mating surfaces. As such surface treatment, for example, rough surface processing (shot blasting, knurling, etc.) can be performed to increase the surface roughness of the both side surfaces, or a friction agent can be coated on both side surfaces. . The friction agent is not particularly limited as long as it increases the friction coefficient on both side surfaces. As such a friction agent, for example, polymer materials such as epoxy resin, silicone rubber, nitrile rubber, and fluorine rubber, an adhesive, ceramic coating, and the like are desirable.

  In the case of this example, when adjusting the front-rear position or the vertical position of the steering wheel 1, the adjustment lever 24 is swung in a predetermined direction to widen the distance between the pressing parts 23a, 23b. As a result, the inner diameter of the front end portion of the outer column 14a is elastically expanded based on the presence of the slit 29 of the displacement bracket 12a, and the outer periphery of the front end portion of the outer column 14a and the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the inner column 15a. The surface pressure of the fitting portion with the surface is reduced or lost. At the same time, the side surfaces of the first and second oscillating friction plates 26 and 28, the inner side surface of the one support plate portion 20a, and the one side surface of the displacement bracket 12a are opposed to each other. The surface pressure of the contact portion, the inner side surface of the other support plate portion 20b of the two support plate portions 20a and 20b, and the other side surface which is the other side surface in the width direction of the displacement bracket 12a (see FIG. 2). The surface pressure of the abutting portion with the right side surface) and the surface pressure of the abutting portion between the outer surface of the both support plate portions 20a and 20b and the inner surface of the pressing portions 23a and 23b are reduced or reduced, respectively. Is lost. In this state, the position of the steering wheel 1 is adjusted within a range in which the adjustment rod 22a can be displaced in the longitudinal direction long hole 19a and the vertical direction long holes 21a and 21a.

In the structure of this example as described above, the movement of the first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28 when the front and rear position of the steering wheel 1 is adjusted will be described next.
FIG. 3A shows a state in which the steering wheel 1 (outer column 14a) is moved to an adjustable front end position. In this state, the adjusting rod 22a includes the rear end portion of the front / rear direction long hole 19a, the front end portion of the first guide long hole 31, and the other end portion in the swing direction of the second guide long hole 32 (rear). To the end). When the steering wheel 1 (outer column 14a) is moved backward to an adjustable central position from this state as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3B, the adjustment rod 22a is moved accordingly. And the distance between the central axes of the first swing support shaft 25 and the distance L between the center axes of the adjustment rod 22a and the second swing support shaft 27 are shortened. Therefore, at this time, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3B, the first swinging friction plate 26 is centered on the first swinging support shaft 25 in the counterclockwise direction of FIG. In addition to swinging, the second swing friction plate 28 swings about the second swing support shaft 27 in the clockwise direction of FIG. The adjustment rod 22a includes a central portion of the longitudinal longitudinal hole 19a, a proximal end portion of the first guide elongated hole 31, and a swinging end portion (front end portion) of the second guide elongated hole 32. Is engaged. If the steering wheel 1 (outer column 14a) is further moved rearward from this state to the adjustable rear end position as shown in FIGS. 3B to 3C, the adjustment is performed accordingly. The distance between the central axes of the rod 22a and the first swing support shaft 25 and the distance L between the center axes of the adjustment rod 22a and the second swing support shaft 27 are longer. Become. For this reason, at this time, as shown in FIGS. 3B to 3C, the first swing friction plate 26 is centered on the first swing support shaft 25 in the counterclockwise direction of FIG. In addition to swinging, the second swing friction plate 28 swings about the second swing support shaft 27 counterclockwise in FIG. The adjustment rod 22a includes a front end portion of the front / rear direction long hole 19a, a front end portion of the first guide long hole 31, and a swing direction other end portion (rear end portion) of the second guide long hole 32. It will be in the state engaged with.
On the other hand, when the steering wheel 1 (outer column 14a) is moved forward from the rear end position to the front end position, contrary to the case where the steering wheel 1 (outer column 14a) is moved rearward, (C) in FIG. The first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28 swing in the order of B) → (A).

  According to the steering wheel position adjusting apparatus of the present example configured as described above, the force for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position (front-rear direction position) can be increased even with a small number of friction plates. -Easy to reduce weight and improve design flexibility. That is, in the case of this example, in a state where the distance between the pair of pressing portions 23a and 23b is shortened so as to hold the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position, the first and second swing friction plates 26, 28 is in a state of being strongly clamped between the inner side surface of the one support plate portion 20a and one side surface of the displacement bracket 12a. If an attempt is made to move the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1 from this state, both side surfaces of the first and second oscillating friction plates 26 and 28 and the opposing mating surfaces will rub against each other. In short, when the steering wheel 1 is moved in the front-rear direction from the state where the steering wheel 1 is held at a desired position, the friction surfaces which are both side surfaces of the first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28 are used. The first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28 need to be swung while sliding. For this reason, the force (holding force of the outer column 14a with respect to the support bracket 13a) for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position can be increased. As a result, it is possible to prevent the steering wheel 1 from moving vigorously to the front end position of the adjustable range based on a forward impact load applied to the steering wheel 1 at the time of a secondary collision, and the support bracket 13a can be attached to the vehicle body. This makes it easy to adjust the separation load required to disengage the vehicle from the vehicle and enhance the protection of the driver's body.

  In the case of this example, the second guide elongated hole 32 is moved from the one end portion (front end portion) in the swing direction of the second swing friction plate 28 toward the other end portion (rear end portion). It is formed in a direction in which the distance L to the dynamic support shaft 27 becomes longer. For this reason, the adjustment rod 22a is displaced along the second guide long hole 32 in accordance with the adjustment of the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1, and the adjustment rod 22a By changing the distance L, the force required to oscillate and displace the second oscillating friction plate 28 is changed between the second guide long hole 32, the adjusting rod 22 a and the second oscillating support shaft 27. Compared to the case of forming in the direction of the connecting line, it can be made larger. Also from this aspect, the force for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position can be increased.

  Further, in the case of this example, a structure capable of increasing the force for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position is less in comparison with the structure described in Patent Document 1 described above. This can be realized by the two-bore swing friction plates 26, 28). That is, in the case of this example, by providing these two friction plates (both first and second oscillating friction plates 26 and 28), the steering wheel 1 is held at the adjusted position (front-rear direction position). It is possible to increase the number of frictional engagement portions that exert the force to be increased by two. On the other hand, in the case of the structure described in Patent Document 1 described above, in order to increase the number of friction engagement portions for exerting a force to hold the steering wheel in the front-rear direction position after adjustment, It is necessary to provide a larger number of friction plates. Therefore, in the case of this example, the lateral dimension, the number of parts, and the weight of the position adjustment device of the steering wheel 1 can be suppressed to be smaller than the structure described in Patent Document 1, and the position adjustment device of the steering wheel can be reduced. Smaller and lighter.

  Further, in the case of this example, a second swing support shaft 27 that is the swing center of the second swing friction plate 28 is provided at an intermediate portion of the outer surface of the first swing friction plate 26, thereby As the first swing friction plate 26 swings, the second swing support shaft 27 is displaced with respect to the displacement bracket 12a. For this reason, compared with the case where the second swing support shaft 27 is provided at a portion where the second swing support shaft 27 is not displaced with respect to the displacement bracket 12a, the moving range accompanying the swing of the second swing friction plate 26 is kept within a narrow range. Can do. Therefore, it is possible to easily improve the degree of freedom of design with respect to the layout of parts. Further, in the case of this example, the swinging direction of the second swinging friction plate 28 (clockwise in FIG. 3) when the steering wheel 1 is moved from the front end position to the center position, and also from the center position to the rear end. The swinging direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3) of the second swinging friction plate 26 when moving to the position is opposite to each other. For this reason, compared to the case where the swinging direction of the second swinging friction plate 26 is the same in the entire adjustable range in the front-rear direction, the moving range accompanying the swinging of the second swinging friction plate 26 is narrower. It is possible to fit within the range. Accordingly, the degree of freedom in design can be further improved with respect to the layout of parts.

In the case of this example, when adjusting the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1, the adjustment rod 22a makes the inner edge of the first guide long hole 31 a large crossing angle {in particular, as shown in FIG. In the state shown, press at an angle of 90 degrees. Therefore, the first swing friction plate 26 can be smoothly swung.
In the case of this example, the second swing support shaft 27, which is the swing center of the second swing friction plate 28, is located on the first guide on the outer surface of the first swing friction plate 26. It exists on the extension line of the long hole 31. For this reason, when the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1 is adjusted, the second swing friction plate 28 can be smoothly swung.
That is, unlike the present example, the second rocking support shaft 27 does not exist on the extended line of the first guide long hole 31 in the outer surface of the first rocking friction plate 26, and more than this extended line. In the case of a structure existing forward or backward (a structure of a comparative example), the length direction of the first guide long hole 31 (tangent to the first guide long hole 31) in the engaging portion with the adjustment rod 22a. Direction) and the length direction of the second guide elongated hole 32 (the tangential direction of the second guide elongated hole 32), regardless of the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1 (the structure of this example). Smaller). For this reason, at the time of adjusting the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1, the engaging portion (the outer peripheral surface of the adjusting rod 22 a and the inner peripheral edge of the first guide long hole 31 and the inner peripheral edge of the second guide long hole 32 ( A wedge effect occurs in the sliding contact portion), and the frictional force acting on each of the engaging portions increases.
On the other hand, as in this example, in the case where the second swing support shaft 27 has a structure on the extended line of the first guide slot 31 on the outer surface of the first swing friction plate 26. Are the length direction of the first guide long hole 31 in the engaging portion with the adjusting rod 22a and the length direction of the second guide long hole 32 (the tangential direction of the second guide long hole 32). ) Can be increased (compared to the structure of the comparative example described above). For this reason, at the time of adjusting the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1, the engaging portion between the outer peripheral surface of the adjusting rod 22 a and the inner peripheral edge of the first guide long hole 31 and the inner peripheral edge of the second guide long hole 32 is used. The occurrence of the wedge effect can be suppressed, and the frictional force acting on each of the engaging portions can be reduced. Therefore, when adjusting the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1, the second swing friction plate 28 can be smoothly swung.
As a result, in the case of this example, the adjustment operation of the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1 can be smoothly performed with a light force.

In the case of this example, the first swing support shaft 25, which is the swing center of the first swing friction plate 26, is formed on one side surface of the displacement bracket 12a with the longitudinal slot 19a. It exists on a straight line α that passes through the central position in the longitudinal direction and is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot 19a. For this reason, the length of the first guide long hole 31 provided in the first swing friction plate 26 can be shortened, and consequently, the entire length of the first swing friction plate 26 can be shortened. Therefore, also from this point, the steering wheel position adjusting device can be reduced in size and weight.
However, when practicing the present invention, the first rocking support shaft, which is the rocking center of the first rocking friction plate, passes through the central position in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot and the length of the longitudinal slot is It can also be provided at a position slightly shifted in the front-rear direction from a straight line orthogonal to the vertical direction. In this case, regardless of the front-rear position of the steering wheel, the length direction of the first guide slot formed in a linear direction connecting the first swing support shaft and the adjustment rod, and the length in the front-rear direction The dimensions of each part are regulated so that the angle formed with the length direction of the hole falls within the range of 60 to 90 degrees.

  Note that the steering wheel position adjusting device of this example can also be implemented by a simple telescopic device in which the tilt mechanism is omitted. In this case, the vehicle body side through hole is simply a circular hole (in place of the vertically elongated holes 21a and 21a).

[Second Example of Embodiment]
FIG. 5 also shows a second example of an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to claims 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 9, and 10. In the case of this example, the first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28 are sandwiched between the inner side surfaces of the pair of left and right support plate portions 20a and 20b and both side surfaces of the displacement bracket 12a. ing.
Since the configuration and operation of other parts are the same as in the case of the first example of the embodiment described above, overlapping illustrations and descriptions are omitted.

[Third example of embodiment]
FIG. 6 shows a third example of an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to claims 1 to 3 and 5 to 10. In the case of this example, an annular washer 33 that is externally supported by the adjustment rod 22a (see FIGS. 1 to 3) is sandwiched between the first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28. . That is, in the case of this example, the first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28 are overlapped with each other via the washer 33. Accordingly, in the case of this example, the length of the second swing support shaft 27 a is increased by the thickness of the washer 33. The washer 33 is made of a metal plate similar to the first and second swing friction plates 26 and 28, for example.
In the case of the steering wheel position adjusting device of this example having such a configuration, at least one of the both side surfaces of the washer 33 faces the opposite surface when adjusting the front-rear position of the steering wheel. This is a friction surface that slides against the outer surface of the first oscillating friction plate 26 or the inner surface of the second oscillating friction plate 28.
Since other configurations and operations are the same as those in the first and second examples of the above-described embodiment, overlapping illustrations and descriptions are omitted.

[Fourth Example of Embodiment]
FIGS. 7-8 has shown the 4th example of embodiment of this invention corresponding to Claim 1, 2, 4-7, 9,10. Also in the case of the steering wheel position adjusting device of this example, as in the first example of the above-described embodiment, one side surface of the displacement bracket 12a and the pair of support plate portions 20a and 20b constituting the support bracket 13a. Between the inner surface of one of the support plate portions 20a (see FIG. 2), the first swing friction plate 26a and the second swing friction plate 28a are connected to each other in order from the side of the displacement side bracket 12a. It is clamped in a stacked state. Of these, the first swing friction plate 26a is in the shape of an oval flat plate, and a first circular support shaft provided in one side surface of the displacement side bracket 12a is provided with a first circular hole 34a provided in an intermediate portion thereof. 25, and is externally fitted so as to be swingable and displaceable (the intermediate portion of the first swing friction plate 26a is pivotally supported by the first swing support shaft 25). At the same time, a first guide formed in a state of extending in a linear direction connecting the adjustment rod 22a and the first swing support shaft 25 at the tip end portion (the upper end portion in FIG. 7) of the first swing friction plate 26a. The adjustment rod 22a is engaged with the long hole 31a so that only the displacement along the first guide long hole 31a is possible. Further, of the first swing friction plate 26a, the first swing support shaft 25 is defined by a straight line γ {see FIG. 7A) connecting the adjustment rod 22a and the first swing support shaft 25. A second oscillating support shaft 27a is provided in parallel to the adjustment rod 22a at a base end portion (a lower end portion in FIG. 7), which is a portion located on the opposite side of the adjustment rod 22a.

  The second swing friction plate 28a has a substantially fan-shaped flat plate shape, and a second circular hole 35a provided at a base end portion thereof (a portion corresponding to the main part of the fan) is provided in the second swing support shaft 27a. And is fitted so that it can swing and displace (the base end of the second swing friction plate 28a is pivotally supported by the second swing support shaft 27a). At the same time, the adjusting rod 22a is inserted into the second guide slot 32a provided at the tip of the second oscillating friction plate 28a (the part corresponding to the fan surface), and only the displacement along the second guide slot 32a is applied. It is possible to engage. Further, the intermediate portion of the second swing friction plate 28a (between the second circular hole 35a and the second guide long hole 32a) has a partial arc shape centered on the second swing support shaft 27a. A through hole 36 having a width dimension larger than the outer diameter of the first swing support shaft 25 is formed, and the tip end portion (the outer end portion in the width direction) of the first swing support shaft 25 is inserted into the through hole 36. doing.

In the case of this example as well, as in the first example of the embodiment described above, the first and second swinging friction plates 26a, 28a are accompanied by adjusting the front / rear position of the steering wheel 1 (see FIG. 10). Swings. That is, in the state where the steering wheel 1 is moved to the adjustable front end position, as shown in FIG. 7A, the adjustment rod 22a includes the rear end of the longitudinal slot 19a and the first end. The leading end (upper end) of the guide long hole 31a and the other end (rear end) in the swing direction of the second guide long hole 32a are engaged. When the steering wheel 1 is moved rearward from this state to an adjustable central position, the first swing friction plate 26a is supported by the first swing support as shown in FIGS. The second swing friction plate 28a swings around the shaft 25 in the counterclockwise direction of FIG. 7, and the second swing friction plate 28a swings around the second swing support shaft 27a in the clockwise direction of FIG. In the state where the steering wheel 1 is moved to the adjustable central position, as shown in FIG. 7B, the adjusting rod 22a is connected to the central portion of the longitudinal slot 19a and the first It will be in the state engaged with the base end part (lower end part) of the guide long hole 31a, and the rocking | swiveling direction one end part (front end part) of the said 2nd guide long hole 32a. From this state, when the steering wheel 1 is moved rearward to an adjustable rear end position, the first swing friction plate 26a is moved to the first swing as shown in FIGS. The second swing friction plate 28a swings about the support shaft 25 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 7, and the second swing friction plate 28a swings about the second swing support shaft 27a in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. In the state where the steering wheel 1 is moved to the adjustable rear end position, as shown in FIG. 7C, the adjustment rod 22a is connected to the front end of the front / rear direction long hole 19a and the first end. It will be in the state engaged with the front-end | tip part of the one guide long hole 31a, and the rocking | swiveling direction other end part of the said 2nd guide long hole 32a.
On the other hand, when the steering wheel 1 is moved forward from the adjustable rear end position to the front end position, in contrast to the case where the steering wheel 1 is moved rearward, (C) → (B) in FIG. → The first and second swing friction plates 26a and 28a swing in the order of (A).

  In the case of this example, the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1 is obtained by inserting the tip end portion of the first swing support shaft 25 into the through hole 36 formed in the intermediate portion of the second swing friction plate 28a. Regardless of the relative position of the first swing friction plate 26a and the second swing friction plate 28a, the tip end portion of the first swing support shaft 25 interferes with the second swing friction plate 28a. Is preventing. However, the shape of the through hole 36 is not limited to a partial arc shape, and may be a rectangular shape, an oval shape, or the like, as long as it can prevent the tip end portion of the first swing support shaft 25 from interfering with the second swing friction plate 28a. Various shapes can be adopted. Further, when the amount of protrusion of the front end portion of the first swing support shaft 25 from the outer surface of the first swing friction plate 26a is small (smaller than the thickness of the second swing friction plate 28a), the thickness is increased. Instead of the through hole 36 formed so as to penetrate in the vertical direction, a relief recess that is recessed outward in the width direction may be formed on the inner surface of the second rocking friction plate 28a. Further, when the tip end portion of the first swing support shaft 25 does not protrude from the outer surface of the first swing friction plate 26a, the through hole 36 can be omitted.

  In the case of the steering wheel position adjusting apparatus of the present example as described above, the movement range accompanying the swing of the second swing friction plate 26a can be suppressed to a narrow range as in the first example of the embodiment described above. Therefore, it is possible to easily improve the degree of design freedom regarding the layout of parts. Further, in the case of this example, the force for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position can be increased. That is, in this example, the second swing support shaft 27a that pivotally supports the base end portion of the second swing friction plate 28a is provided at the base end portion of the first swing friction plate 26a. The distance between the second swing support shaft 27a and the adjustment rod 22a is increased. Therefore, the area (friction) of the portion sandwiched between the outer side surface of the first swing friction plate 26a and the inner side surface of the one support plate portion 20a among the both side surfaces of the second swing friction plate 28a. (Area) can be increased. Accordingly, the second swing friction plate 28a is swung with respect to the inner surfaces of the first swing friction plate 26a and the one support plate portion 20a while the steering wheel 1 is held at the adjusted position. You can increase the frictional force against things. As a result, the force for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position is the same as that in the first example of the above-described embodiment (the second swing support shaft 27 is connected to the first swing friction plate 26 in the longitudinal direction intermediate portion). It can be made larger compared with

  The second swing support shaft 27a is provided at the base end of the first swing friction plate 26a. For this reason, it is orthogonal to the straight line connecting the second swing support shaft 27a and the adjusting rod 22a (straight line γ connecting the first swing support shaft 25 and the adjusting rod 22a), and the center of the adjusting rod 22a. (The swinging direction of the second swing friction plate 28a) and the length direction of the second guide slot 32a at the engaging portion with the adjusting rod 22a (the second guide slot 32a). The angle θ formed with the tangential direction can be made smaller than in the first example of the embodiment described above. Specifically, the angle θ can be regulated within a range of 20 to 40 degrees regardless of the front and rear position of the adjusting rod 22a in the front and rear direction long hole 19a. Therefore, when the adjustment rod 22a moves in the front-rear direction long hole 19a in the front-rear direction, the second swing friction plate 28a applied to the inner edge of the second guide long hole 32a from the adjustment rod 22a is swung. The force to be moved (component force in the swing direction of the second swing friction plate 28a) can be reduced. Also from this aspect, the force for holding the steering wheel 1 in the adjusted position can be improved.

The angle φ formed by the length direction of the first guide long hole 31a and the length direction of the front / rear direction long hole 19a is related to the front / rear position of the adjustment rod 22a in the front / rear direction long hole 19a. It is as large as 70 to 90 degrees. Therefore, when the adjusting rod 22a moves in the front-rear direction long hole 19a in the front-rear direction, the first rocking friction plate 26a applied to the inner edge of the first guide long hole 31a from the adjusting rod 22a is removed. The force to swing (the component force in the swing direction of the first swing friction plate 26a) is applied to the inner edge of the second guide slot 32a to swing the second swing friction plate 28a. It is larger than the power of
Even in the case of implementing this example, the first swing support shaft 25 passes through the central position in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot 19a and is a straight line orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot 19a. It can also be provided at a position slightly deviated from the shape in the front-rear direction. Specifically, regardless of the front-rear position of the steering wheel 1, the angle formed by the length direction of the first guide long hole 31a and the length direction of the front-rear direction long hole 19a is in the range of 60 to 90 degrees. The first oscillating support shaft 25 can be provided at a position that fits within the range.
Other configurations and operations are the same as in the case of the first example of the above-described embodiment, and thus overlapping illustrations and descriptions are omitted.

[Fifth Example of Embodiment]
FIG. 9 shows a fifth example of an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to claims 1, 2, 4 to 10. In the steering wheel position adjusting device of this example, the first and second swing friction plates 26a, 28a are overlapped with each other via an annular washer 33 (the two swing friction plates 26a, 28a This washer 33 is sandwiched between them).
Other configurations and operations are the same as those in the third to fourth examples of the above-described embodiment, and thus overlapping illustrations and descriptions are omitted.

  When the steering wheel position adjusting device of the present invention is implemented and both the telescopic mechanism and the tilt mechanism are provided, the outer or inner surface of the support plate portion and the inner portion of the pressing portion are arranged. A tilt swing friction plate is sandwiched between the side surface or the widthwise outer side surface of the displacement bracket, and the base end portion of the tilt swing friction plate is provided on the outer surface or the inner side surface of the support plate portion. It can also be pivotally supported on the swing support shaft. In this case, the tilting swing friction plate is a first and second tilt swing friction plate that are superimposed on each other, and the base end of the first tilt swing friction plate is the outer surface of the support plate portion or The second tilt swing support plate is pivotally supported on the first tilt swing support shaft provided on the inner surface, and the second tilt swing friction plate is provided at the intermediate portion of the side surface of the first tilt swing friction plate. You may comprise so that it may be pivotally supported by the rocking | fluctuation support shaft for tilts.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering wheel 2 Steering gear unit 3 Input shaft 4 Tie rod 5, 5a Steering shaft 6, 6a Steering column 7 Universal joint 8 Intermediate shaft 9 Universal joint 10 Car body 11, 11a Axis 12, 12a Displacement bracket 13, 13a Support bracket 14, 14a Outer column 15, 15a Inner column 16, 16a Outer shaft 17, 17a Inner shaft 18 Electric motor 19, 19a Longitudinal holes 20, 20a, 20b Support plate parts 21, 21a Vertical holes 22, 22a Adjustment rods 23a, 23b Pressing portion 24 Adjusting lever 25 First swing support shaft 26, 26a First swing friction plate 27, 27a Second swing support shaft 28, 28a Second swing friction plate 29 Slit 30 Mounting plate portion 31, 31a First guide length Hole 2,32a second guide slot 33 washer

Claims (10)

A cylindrical steering column that rotatably supports a steering shaft having a steering wheel supported and fixed at the rear end portion;
A displacement bracket fixed to a part of the steering column;
A longitudinal slot provided in the displacement bracket in a state of penetrating the displacement bracket in the width direction and extending in the front-rear direction;
A pair of support plate portions sandwiching the displacement bracket from both sides in the width direction, and a support bracket supported by the vehicle body;
A vehicle body side through-hole provided in a portion of the two support plate portions aligned with each other;
An adjustment rod provided in a state of passing through the longitudinal longitudinal hole and the vehicle body side through hole in the width direction;
A pair of pressing portions provided at portions projecting from the outer surfaces of the support plate portions at both ends of the adjustment rod;
A steering wheel position adjusting device comprising: an expansion / contraction device for expanding / contracting an interval between the two pressing portions;
A state in which the first swing friction plate and the second swing friction plate are overlapped with each other in at least one of the portions between the inner side surfaces of the support plate portions and the width direction outer side surfaces of the displacement bracket. Is sandwiched between
Of these, the first swing friction plate has a base end portion or an intermediate portion pivoted on a first swing support shaft provided on the outer side surface of the displacement bracket or the steering column in the width direction and parallel to the adjustment rod. A front and rear position of the steering wheel in a state where the adjustment rod is engaged with a first guide long hole provided at a tip portion of the adjustment rod so that only displacement along the first guide long hole is possible. Is adjusted around the first swing support shaft,
The second rocking friction plate includes a base end portion of the first rocking friction plate provided on a portion of the first rocking friction plate that is separated from the first rocking support shaft and the first guide long hole. The control rod is pivotally supported by a parallel second swing support shaft, and the adjustment rod is engaged with a second guide slot provided at the tip of the shaft so that only the displacement along the second guide slot is possible. In this state, when adjusting the front-rear position of the steering wheel, the steering wheel position adjusting device swings about the second swing support shaft.   Regardless of the front-rear position of the steering wheel, the center axis of the adjustment rod, the center axis of the first swing support shaft, and the center axis of the second swing support shaft are located on substantially the same straight line. The steering wheel position adjusting device according to claim 1.   The second swing support shaft is located on or near a straight line connecting the center axis of the adjustment rod and the center axis of the first swing support shaft in the first swing friction plate, The steering wheel position adjusting device according to claim 2, wherein the steering wheel position adjusting device is provided in a portion located between the first swing support shaft and the first swing support shaft.   The second swing support shaft is located on or near a straight line connecting the center axis of the adjustment rod and the center axis of the first swing support shaft in the first swing friction plate. The steering wheel position adjusting device according to claim 2, wherein the steering wheel position adjusting device is provided on a portion located on the opposite side of the adjustment rod with the dynamic support shaft interposed therebetween. When the adjustment direction of the front / rear position of the steering wheel is the same, the swing direction of the second swing friction plate in a part of the adjustable range of the front / rear position and the other range The swinging direction of the second swinging friction plate is opposite to each other.
The steering wheel position adjusting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The first swing support shaft passes through a central position of the displacement bracket or the steering column in the width direction of the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot and is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot. It is provided on the part located on or near the straight line
The first guide elongated hole is formed at a distal end portion of the first swing friction plate so as to extend in a linear direction connecting the adjustment rod and the first swing support shaft.
The steering wheel position adjusting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The second guide elongated hole is formed at the tip end portion of the second swing friction plate as the second swing support shaft extends from one end to the other end in the swing direction around the second swing support shaft. Is formed in the direction that the distance between and becomes longer,
The position adjusting device for a steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 6.   The steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first and second oscillating friction plates are overlapped with each other via a washer externally supported by the adjustment rod. Position adjustment device.   The steering wheel position adjusting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first and second oscillating friction plates are made of a steel plate, a stainless steel plate, or an aluminum alloy plate.   The surface treatment for increasing the coefficient of friction between the opposing surfaces is applied to the side surface of at least one of the first and second swing friction plates. The steering wheel position adjusting device according to any one of the above.

Images