JP2017087775A - Cover member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for holding the posture of a bellows section in a cover member for covering a steering column.SOLUTION: In a cover member 10 for covering a steering column connected to a gear box, a first tubular section 28 and a second tubular section 30 are formed on both end sides of a bellows section 22 between a first opening edge section 24 and a second opening edge section 26 and are formed to have higher rigidity than the bellows section 22. A posture holding section 32 holds the posture of the bellows section 22. A wall section of the posture holding section 32 is extended in a length direction of the bellows section 22 along an outer peripheral surface of the bellows section 22. A first connection section 36 connects one first side section and the other second side section in a circumferential direction of the wall section and is wound around the first tubular section 28. A second connection section 38 connects the first side section and the second side section and is wound around the second tubular section 30. As for the interval between the first connection section and the second connection section, the first side section side is shorter than the second side section side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a cover member that covers a steering column of a vehicle.

  A steering column provided in a vehicle steering device is coupled to a gear box disposed in an engine room. The steering column is disposed so as to extend from the passenger compartment toward the gear box, and is inserted into a dash panel that blocks the passenger compartment and the engine compartment. The steering column on the engine room side is covered with a cylindrical cover member.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a cover that covers a steering column and has one end fixed to a dash panel and the other end fixed to a gear box. The cover of the steering column disclosed in Patent Document 1 is formed to be deflectable by a bellows portion formed in the middle.

JP 2014-24424 A

  By the way, the cover member of the steering column is fixed to the dash panel by being moved upward from a position below the dash panel together with the gear box while being attached to the gear box. The cover of Patent Document 1 may be caught on the dash panel during installation depending on the bending direction of the bellows part.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and provides a technique for maintaining the posture of the bellows portion in a cover member that covers a steering column.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a cover member according to an aspect of the present invention is a cover member that covers a steering column coupled to a gear box, and includes a first opening edge portion that is fixed to a mounting hole of a dash panel, The second opening edge fixed to the gear box, the bellows provided between the first opening edge and the second opening edge, and the bellows between the first opening edge and the bellows. A first tubular portion, a second tubular portion connected to the bellows portion between the second opening edge portion and the bellows portion, and a posture holding portion that holds the posture of the bellows portion. The posture holding portion connects the wall portion extending in the length direction of the bellows portion along the outer peripheral surface of the bellows portion, one first side portion in the circumferential direction of the wall portion, and the other second side portion, A first connecting portion wound around the first tubular portion; and a second connecting portion connecting the first side portion and the second side portion and being wound around the second tubular portion. The interval between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is such that the first side portion side is shorter than the second side portion side, and the bellows portion is sandwiched between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion on the first side portion side. The posture is maintained in a compressed state.

  According to this aspect, the posture of the bellows portion can be maintained by maintaining the compressed state by sandwiching the bellows portion between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion on the first side portion side. Thereby, when attaching a cover member with a gear box, it can suppress that a cover member bends to a dash panel side by a bellows part, and can perform attachment work.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the technique which hold | maintains the attitude | position of a bellows part in the cover member which covers a steering column can be provided.

It is a perspective view of the cover member of an Example. It is a figure for demonstrating the attachment process of a cover member. It is a perspective view of a posture holding part. It is a figure for demonstrating the attitude | position holding | maintenance part of a modification.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cover member 10 of the embodiment. The cover member 10 is composed of a cover portion 18 and a posture holding portion 32, both of which are made of a rubber material. The cover member 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape and covers the steering column. One end of the cover member 10 is fixed to the mounting hole of the dash panel, and the other end is fixed to the gear box.

  The cover part 18 includes a head part 20, a bellows part 22, a first opening edge part 24, a second opening edge part 26, a first tubular part 28 and a second tubular part 30. The bellows portion 22 is formed to absorb a positional deviation from the dash panel when the first opening edge 24 is fixed to the mounting hole of the dash panel. Here, the attachment state of the cover member 10 will be described with reference to a new drawing.

  FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an attaching process of the cover member 10. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the cover member 10 and members around it as viewed from the left side of the vehicle. The cover member 10 is erected and fixed to the gear box 12. Since the steering column is arranged so as to rise in the up-down direction and the horizontal direction, that is, obliquely upward from the gear box 12, the cover member 10 is also arranged to rise obliquely upward toward the rear of the vehicle.

  The gear box 12 is fixed to the upper surface of the suspension member 14 in a state where it is placed on the suspension member 14 and extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The suspension member 14, the gear box 12, and the cover member 10 are assembled together. The mounting surface 16a in which the mounting hole of the dash panel 16 is formed extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and is inclined so that the upper part protrudes from the lower part to the front side of the vehicle. The dash panel 16 extends downward from the mounting surface 16a located on the front side of the driver's seat.

  When the assembly including the suspension member 14, the gear box 12, and the cover member 10 including the dash panel 16 is assembled to the vehicle body, the assembly is lifted upward from a position below the dash panel 16, or the dash panel 16 is moved downward from the upper position. It can be lowered and assembled. Since the cover member 10 is inclined toward the rear side of the vehicle, the head 20 is likely to hang down toward the dash panel 16 due to the bending of the bellows portion 22, and the head 20 of the cover member 10 may be caught on the dash panel 16 during installation. .

  Therefore, by attaching the posture holding portion 32 around the bellows portion 22 of the cover portion 18 and holding the posture of the bellows portion 22 so as to keep the head portion 20 away from the dash panel 16, the head portion 20 is attached to the dash panel at the time of attachment. It is possible to suppress hitting 16. After the suspension member 14 is fixed to the vehicle body, the first opening edge 24 can be easily fixed to the mounting hole of the dash panel 16 by bending the bellows portion 22. The steering column is connected to the gear box through the cover member 10 from the passenger compartment side after the suspension member 14 is fixed to the vehicle body.

  Returning to FIG. The first opening edge 24 of the cover portion 18 is engaged with and fixed to the mounting hole of the dash panel 16. The head 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a first opening edge 24 is formed at one end. The first opening edge 24 is formed in a direction that intersects the cylindrical head 20 in the radial direction, that is, as if it is cut obliquely, and is formed in an elliptical shape. The 1st opening edge part 24 forms the opening surface opened toward a vehicle rear side in an attachment state.

  The first tubular portion 28 is connected to the lower end of the head 20. The second tubular portion 30 is formed to have the same diameter as the first tubular portion 28, and the bellows portion 22 is formed between the first tubular portion 28 and the second tubular portion 30. A second opening edge portion 26 is formed at the lower end of the second tubular portion 30. The first tubular portion 28 and the second tubular portion 30 are formed on both end sides of the bellows portion 22 between the first opening edge portion 24 and the second opening edge portion 26, and are connected to both ends of the bellows portion 22. The second opening edge 26 is fixed by engaging with the mounting hole of the gear box 12.

  The bellows part 22 is provided between the first tubular part 28 and the second tubular part 30 between the first opening edge part 24 and the second opening edge part 26. The first tubular portion 28 and the second tubular portion 30 are formed to have higher rigidity than the bellows portion 22. That is, the bellows portion 22 is formed so as to be thinner than the first tubular portion 28 and the second tubular portion 30 and is easily bent. Since the bellows portion 22 can be bent, the position of the first opening edge portion 24 can be changed when the second opening edge portion 26 is fixed to the gear box 12, and the fixing to the dash panel 16 can be facilitated.

  The posture holding part 32 is attached around the bellows part 22. The posture holding part 32 includes a wall part 34, a first connection part 36, and a second connection part 38. Here, the shape of the attitude | position holding | maintenance part 32 is demonstrated, referring FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the posture holding unit 32. The wall portion 34 is formed by bending a rectangular plate portion. As shown in FIG. 1, the wall portion 34 extends in the length direction of the bellows portion 22 along the outer peripheral surface of the bellows portion 22. The wall portion 34 is disposed toward the engine side because it has a function of receiving heat radiation from the engine in addition to a function of providing rigidity for maintaining the posture.

  The first connecting portion 36 is formed in a band shape, and connects the first side portion 40 and the second side portion 42 in the circumferential direction of the wall portion 34. The second connecting portion 38 is formed in a band shape, connects the first side portion 40 and the second side portion 42 in the circumferential direction of the wall portion 34, and is positioned away from the first connecting portion 36. As shown in FIG. 1, the posture holding part 32 is fixed around the bellows part 22 by winding the first connecting part 36 around the first tubular part 28 and winding the second connecting part 38 around the second tubular part 30. Is done.

  The interval between the first connecting portion 36 and the second connecting portion 38 is configured such that the first side portion 40 side is shorter than the second side portion 42 side. The distance L1 between the first connection point 44 of the first connection part 36 and the first side part 40 and the second connection point 46 of the second connection part 38 and the first side part 40 is determined by the first connection part 36 and the second connection point 46. The distance L2 between the third connection point 48 of the side portion 42 and the second connection portion 38 and the fourth connection point 50 of the second side portion 42 is shorter.

  The interval L1 between the first connection point 44 and the second connection point 46 is set to be shorter than the free length of the bellows part 22. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 1, the attitude | position holding | maintenance part 32 can compress and hold the bellows part 22 in the 1st side part 40 side. The interval L1 between the first connection point 44 and the second connection point 46 may be set so as to compress the bellows part 22 to the maximum extent that the bellows part 22 is not loosened. The distance L2 between the third connection point 48 and the fourth connection point 50 is set longer than the free length of the bellows part 22. Thereby, the attitude | position holding | maintenance part 32 can hold | maintain, without compressing the bellows part 22 by the 2nd side part 42 side. Thereby, the part which compresses the bellows part 22 and the part which does not compress can be set, and the inclination of the head 20 can be hold | maintained in a desired state.

  The first side portion 40 of the posture holding portion 32 is located on the opposite side of the opening surface of the first opening edge portion 24, that is, on the vehicle front side. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 1, the front portion of the bellows portion 22 is compressed and held, the bellows portion 22 is warped, and the head portion 20 and the first opening edge portion 24 are on the vehicle rear side. It can suppress falling down.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a first protrusion 52 that protrudes radially outward is formed on the first tubular portion 28, and a second protrusion 54 that protrudes radially outward is formed on the second tubular portion 30. The The first protrusion 52 and the second protrusion 54 are located on the vehicle front side. The first protrusion 52 is in contact with the lower end of the first connecting part 36, the second protrusion 54 is in contact with the upper end of the second connecting part 38, and the first connecting part 36 and the second connecting part 38 are first. The release from the tubular portion 28 and the second tubular portion 30 is suppressed.

  In this way, by holding the posture of the bellows portion 22 by the posture holding portion 32, the head 20 of the cover member 10 is prevented from drooping to the vehicle rear side, and is caught by the dash panel 16 located on the vehicle rear side at the time of attachment. That can be suppressed. Further, the wall portion 34 of the posture holding portion 32 can suppress deformation due to heat radiation from the engine to the bellows portion 22.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a modified posture holding unit 132. The posture holding portion 132 is formed by cutting out a flat rubber material. The posture holding part 132 includes a wall part 134, a first connection part 136, and a second connection part 138.

  The flat posture holding portion 132 before assembly is formed with a first cutout portion 60 that divides the wall portion 134 and the first connection portion 136, and a second cutout portion 62 that divides the wall portion 134 and the second connection portion 138. Has been. The first notch 60 is formed along the upper end, and the second notch 62 is formed along the lower end. The posture holding part 132 inserts the cover part 18 into the first notch part 60 and the second notch part 62, the first connecting part 136 is the first tubular part 28, and the second connecting part 138 is the second tubular part 30. It is wound and attached to the cover part 18.

  Also in the posture holding part 132 of the modified example, the interval between the first connecting part 136 and the second connecting part 138 is configured such that the first side part 40 side is shorter than the second side part 42 side. Further, the distance L1 between the first connection point 44 and the second connection point 46 is shorter than the free length of the bellows part 22, and the distance L2 between the third connection point 48 and the fourth connection point 50 is less than the free length of the bellows part 22. Set long. Thereby, the part which compresses the bellows part 22 and the part which does not compress can be set, and the attitude | position of the bellows part 22 can be hold | maintained so that it may curve.

  In the above, this invention was demonstrated based on each embodiment. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are exemplifications, and various modifications can be made to each component and process combination, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. Such modifications will be described below.

  In the embodiment, the mode in which the posture holding unit 32 is formed of a rubber material has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. For example, the posture holding unit 32 may be formed of a metal material such as aluminum.

  Moreover, in the Example, although the aspect attached so that the attitude | position holding | maintenance part 32 might be wound around the cover part 18 was shown, it is not restricted to this aspect. For example, the posture holding part may be configured only by the wall part 34, and the wall part 34 may be bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the cover part 18. Also in this modified example, the posture holding unit compresses and holds the portion of the bellows portion 22 on the vehicle front side so as to prevent the head 20 from drooping to the vehicle rear side.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Cover member, 12 Gear box, 14 Suspension member, 16 Dash panel, 18 Cover part, 20 Head part, 22 Bellows part, 24 1st opening edge part, 26 2nd opening edge part, 28 1st tubular part, 30 1st 2 tubular portions, 32 posture holding portions, 34 wall portions, 36 first connecting portions, 38 second connecting portions, 40 first side portions, 42 second side portions, 52 first protruding portions, and 54 second protruding portions.

Claims (1)

A cover member covering a steering column coupled to a gear box,
A first opening edge fixed to the mounting hole of the dash panel;
A second opening edge fixed to the gear box;
A bellows portion provided between the first opening edge and the second opening edge;
A first tubular portion connected to the bellows portion between the first opening edge and the bellows portion;
A second tubular portion connected to the bellows portion between the second opening edge and the bellows portion;
A posture holding portion that holds the posture of the bellows portion,
The posture holding unit is
A wall portion extending in a length direction of the bellows portion along an outer peripheral surface of the bellows portion;
A first connecting portion that connects one first side portion and the other second side portion in the circumferential direction of the wall portion, and is wound around the first tubular portion;
Connecting the first side part and the second side part, and having a second connection part wound around the second tubular part,
The interval between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is such that the first side portion side is shorter than the second side portion side,
The said bellows part is a cover member characterized by the attitude | position being hold | maintained in the compressed state by being pinched | interposed between the said 1st connection part by the said 1st side part side, and the said 2nd connection part.

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