JP2021046001A - Vehicle steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

To obtain a compact vehicle steering device which enables storage and drawing operation while having rigid feeling.SOLUTION: A vehicle steering device S includes: a steering shaft A supporting a steering; a column C with which the steering shaft A is connected; a cover Ca which covers the column C; a guide frame GF fixed to a vehicle and having a guide member G which supports the column C in a manner that the column C can be stored or drawn; and a driving mechanism M which drives the column C. When viewed along a moving direction of the column C, the guide member GF is provided at the outer side of the cover Ca.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a steering device in which the position of a column supporting a steering shaft can be changed by using a plurality of drive units.

Conventionally, as a steering device for such a vehicle, for example, there is one described in the following Patent Document 1 (see paragraphs [0050] to [0051] and FIG. 10A, etc.).

This vehicle is equipped with a steer-by-wire type steering device, and the mode of driving can be switched between automatic driving and manual driving. Especially during automatic driving, the steering device can be stored in front of the passenger compartment. Further, during manual driving, the front-rear position of the steering wheel can be adjusted according to the physique of the driver.

The steering shaft is provided on the arm portion, and the arm portion is provided with a drive motor for telescopic operation of the steering shaft. With this drive motor, it is possible to adjust the front-rear position of the steering wheel during manual operation.

Further, the arm portion is supported by the vehicle via two slide rails provided offset to the side of the vehicle with respect to the steering shaft. A long screw member is arranged in parallel with the slide rail, and another drive motor rotationally drives the screw member or the nut member screwed into the screw member. Although the detailed structure is unknown, these screw members and nad members are separately provided on the vehicle body side and the arm portion side. As a result, the screw member and the nut member rotate relative to each other, and the arm portion moves along the slide rail, so that the arm portion and the steering are retracted and pulled out.

US2018-0370559 Gazette

In the conventional steering device, the slide rail for retracting and pulling out the arm portion is offset to the side of the vehicle with respect to the arm portion. Therefore, when the driver applies a strong operating force to the steering shaft, the arm portion may rotate around the position of the slide rail. In that case, the driver feels that the steering rigidity is insufficient.

Further, when the steering wheel is stored in the back of the instrument panel during automatic driving, the arm portion that moves forward exists from the position in front of the front of the driver to the side of the vehicle. Becomes a wide range. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a large space in the vehicle interior in order to prevent the arm portion from interfering with other objects. Therefore, it becomes difficult to effectively use the limited vehicle interior space.

As described above, there are various points to be improved in the conventional steering device, and there has been a demand for a compact vehicle steering device capable of retracting and pulling out while maintaining a sense of rigidity of the steering.

(Characteristic composition)
The characteristic configuration of the vehicle steering device according to the present invention is
The steering shaft that supports the steering and
The column to which the steering shaft is connected and
The cover that covers the column and
A guide frame that is fixed to the vehicle and has a guide member that supports the column so that it can be retracted and pulled out.
A drive mechanism for driving the column is provided.
The guide member is provided on the outside of the cover in a directional view along the moving direction of the column.

(effect)
By providing the guide member on the outside of the cover as in this configuration, the column and the guide member do not interfere with each other in the moving direction of the column and the like when the column and the cover are retracted and pulled out. Therefore, for example, the length of the guide member can be set to be equal to the length required for storing and pulling out the column, and the depth size of the steering device can be kept short.

Further, as the depth size is shortened, the distance between the fixed point of the guide frame and the steering wheel in the pulled out state with respect to the vehicle is shortened, so that the rigidity of the steering wheel can be expected to be improved.

(Characteristic composition)
In the vehicle steering device according to the present invention, the guide member is provided with a plurality of guide rails, and the positions of at least one pair of guide rails among the plurality of guide rails are determined in the direction view of the column. It can be set so that the virtual line connecting the centers of at least the pair of guide rails intersects the contour of the column.

(effect)
In this configuration, a plurality of guide rails are provided, of which at least a pair of guide rails are arranged on both sides of the column. Various positions can be selected as the mounting position of the guide rail. For example, when viewed along the moving direction of the column, two guide rails may be arranged side by side above the column and the column may be fixed in a suspended state. However, in this case, if the lateral component of the steering force is large, the moment corresponding to the distance between the guide rail and the steering shaft also becomes large, and the steering and the column are likely to be displaced in the lateral direction. That is, a steering feeling occurs when the steering rigidity is small.

In this respect, in this configuration, since at least a pair of guide rails are arranged on both sides of the column, the above moment is unlikely to occur, and a steering device with a high sense of rigidity can be obtained.

In addition, since the displacement of the steering shaft is reduced even in the event of a vehicle collision, it can be expected that the interference mechanism at the time of a collision, which is usually provided on the steering shaft, will function reliably, and a steering device with excellent safety can be used. Obtainable.

(Characteristic composition)
In the steering device for a vehicle according to the present invention, it is convenient that the positions of the at least a pair of guide rails with respect to the column are set so that the virtual line and the steering axis intersect.

(effect)
With this configuration, the steering shaft is hardly displaced in its own radial direction due to the steering force input to the steering shaft. Therefore, the rigidity of the steering shaft becomes extremely high.

Further, since the steering shaft is less likely to be displaced, the bending moment acting on the guide rail or the like is also reduced. Therefore, the guide rail can be made slimmer and lighter by reducing the wall thickness of the guide rail, and a more compact steering device can be obtained.

Perspective view showing the structure of the steering device of the vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the steering device of the vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the steering device of the vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment Perspective view showing the configuration of the guide member Explanatory drawing showing the structure of the guide member Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the guide rail which concerns on other embodiment

[First Embodiment]
(Overview)
1 to 5 show a vehicle steering device S according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the steering device S of the present embodiment, the steering handle H (hereinafter referred to as steering H) and the steering shaft A to which the steering handle H is attached are pulled out from the instrument panel of the vehicle (FIG. 2) and stored (FIG. 2). It can be changed to 3). When the vehicle is in the manual driving state, the steering H is in the pulled-out state, and when the vehicle is in the automatic driving state, the steering H is stored inside the instrument panel. In the manual driving state, the front-rear position of the steering wheel H can be finely adjusted according to the physique of the driver.

In the present embodiment, the pulling out / retracting movement of the steering wheel H and the fine adjustment movement of the front / rear position of the steering wheel H are performed by using one guide member G. Specifically, the column C that supports the steering shaft A slides along the guide member G fixed to the vehicle, and at that time, the column C is configured to be able to move at, for example, two types of speeds. As a result, the two types of operations of column C are rationally performed.

The movement of the column C is performed by two drive units M. In the present embodiment, the first drive unit M1 provided on the guide member G or the vehicle and mainly performing the pull-out operation and the retracting operation of the column C, and the front-rear position of the steering H provided on the column C and mainly during operation are set. It is provided with a second drive unit M2 for adjustment. Further, as another drive unit M, a third drive unit M3 for adjusting the tilt angle of the steering shaft A with respect to the column C is also provided.

[Guide member]
1 to 5 show the guide member G of the present embodiment. The guide member G preferably includes a plurality of guide rails G1. In the present embodiment, the guide member G has a structure in which two guide rails G1 provided on the left and right sides are held by the central guide frame GF. The guide frame GF is formed of, for example, a cast product. The guide rail G1 is composed of, for example, a long channel member having a substantially U-shaped cross section. The bearing 40 or the guide wheel mounted in a state of protruding from the cover Ca of the column C reciprocates inside this.

As shown in FIG. 5, the guide frame GF has a gantry shape when viewed along the moving direction of the column C. Specifically, it has a cross-linked portion GFa located above the column C and a hanging GFb extending from the cross-linked portion GFa to the side of the column C. Column C moves in the internal space of the guide frame GF.

If most of the parts of the column C pass through the inside of the guide member G except for the bearing 40 that abuts on the guide rail G1 in this way, the first drive unit M1 and the second drive unit M2 and the like of the column C It will be arranged along the moving direction. The first drive unit M1 and the like are originally configured so that the drive members move relative to each other along the moving direction of the column C, and the strength of the members and the rattling between the component parts along this direction are based on a certain standard from the beginning. Meet. Therefore, by arranging the first drive unit M1 and the second drive unit M2 in the same direction, further inconvenience does not occur in the entire device.

On the other hand, unlike that, when the first drive unit M1 and the second drive unit M2 are provided with a large offset along the moving direction of the column C, the first drive unit M1 or the second drive unit M2 is driven. At that time, the bending moment is easily input to any of the members constituting the other drive unit. As a result, not only the smooth driving state of the driving unit cannot be maintained, but also the constituent members may be damaged.

As described above, if the column C is configured to reciprocate inside the guide member G, a more rational steering device S can be obtained.

To further increase the rigidity of the steering H, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, at least a pair of guide rails G1 among the plurality of guide rails G1 are positioned, and the respective guide rails G1 are viewed in the moving direction of the column C. It is preferable to set the virtual plane F connecting the centers so as to intersect the contour of the column C. That is, paying attention to the positional relationship between the pair of guide rails G1 and the steering shaft A, the virtual plane F including the pair of guide rails G1 comes closer to the axis X of the steering shaft A.

As the reverse configuration, for example, when viewed along the moving direction of the column C, a pair of guide rails G1 may be arranged side by side above the column C and the column C may be fixed in a suspended state. .. However, in this case, if an excessive operating force of the steering steering force is input in the direction intersecting the steering axis A, the column C is displaced according to the amount of offset between the guide rail G1 and the steering axis A. It becomes easier and a steering feeling occurs when the steering rigidity is small.

In that respect, if the virtual plane F connecting the centers of the pair of guide rails G1 intersects the contour of the column C, the above moment is unlikely to occur, and a steering device S with a high degree of rigidity can be obtained. In this configuration, it becomes difficult for the steering shaft A to be displaced in the direction intersecting the direction of the axis X in the event of a vehicle collision or the like. Therefore, normally, the interference mechanism at the time of collision provided on the steering shaft A surely functions, and the steering device S having excellent safety can be obtained.

In order to further enhance the rigidity of the steering wheel H, the virtual plane F including the pair of guide rails G1 becomes more remarkable as it approaches the axis X of the steering shaft A. In reality, it is not necessary to completely match the axis X with the virtual plane F, but as shown in FIG. 5, sufficient steering rigidity can be obtained if the virtual plane F intersects the steering axis A. ..

With this configuration, the steering shaft A is hardly displaced in its own radial direction due to the steering force input to the steering shaft A. Therefore, the rigidity of the steering shaft A is extremely high. In addition, since the steering shaft A is less likely to be displaced, the bending moment acting on the guide rail G1 and the like is also reduced. As a result, the guide rail G1 can be made slimmer and lighter, such as by reducing the wall thickness of the guide rail G1, and a more compact steering device S can be obtained.

[First drive unit]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a first drive unit M1 is provided at the rear end of the guide frame GF. A long feed screw T1 having a male screw portion is provided between the guide frame GF and the column C as a drive transmission member T for changing the distance between the first drive unit M1 and the second drive unit M2 described later. There is. The end of the lead screw T1 is rotatably supported by a bearing 10 provided on the guide frame GF as a part of the first drive unit M1 while the position is fixed. In the first drive unit M1, for example, the first gear 11 which is a worm gear provided on the shaft portion of the first motor m1 rotates the second gear 12 provided at the end of the lead screw T1.

A nut member 20 of the second drive unit M2, which will be described later, is aligned with the other end side of the lead screw T1. The nut member 20 is screwed into the feed screw T1 by the female screw portion 20a provided on the inner peripheral surface, and is screwed into the third gear 21 which is a worm gear, for example, of the second motor m2 by the male screw portion 20b provided on the outer peripheral surface. ing. The nut member 20 can rotate relative to the column C, but cannot move relative to the column C along the moving direction of the column C.

By driving the first motor m1, the lead screw T1 rotates and the column C moves via the nut member 20. The first drive unit M1 pulls out the column C from the instrument panel when the vehicle is manually driven, and stores the column C inside the instrument panel during the automatic driving. These withdrawal / retracting operations are performed at a higher speed than the movement of adjusting the front-rear position of the column C by the second drive unit M2, which will be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first drive unit M1 and the bearing 10 are provided on the base portion 13 that can swing with respect to the guide frame GF. This is in consideration of the case where the guide rail G1 and the lead screw T1 are not parallel to each other when there is an error in the mounting state of the guide rail G1 with respect to the guide frame GF. That is, the posture of the lead screw T1 is determined by the position of the bearing 10 and the position of the nut member 20, but if there is an assembly error of the parts constituting the column C or a mounting error of the guide rail G1 with respect to the guide frame GF, The extension direction of the feed screw T1 as seen from the first drive unit M1 changes according to the movement of the column C. At that time, when the column C is moved by the drive of the feed screw T1, the feed screw T1 swings with respect to the guide frame GF, so that the sliding resistance between the feed screw T1 and the nut member 20 does not increase. The column C can be moved smoothly.

[Second drive unit]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the column C is provided with a second drive unit M2. The second drive unit M2 finely adjusts the front-rear position of the steering wheel H when the vehicle is manually driven. The second drive unit M2 drives the driving force of the second motor m2 to the male screw portion 20b provided on the outer peripheral portion of the nut member 20 via, for example, the third gear 21 which is a worm gear on the motor shaft. The nut member 20 is attached so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the column C and not to be relatively movable along the moving direction of the column C. Therefore, as the nut member 20 rotates, the column C moves relative to the lead screw T1.

Since the main function of the second drive unit M2 is to adjust the front-rear position of the steering wheel H, by giving the function to the second drive unit M2 close to the steering wheel H, the second drive unit M2 intervenes from the second drive unit M2 to the steering wheel H. The number of parts to be used is reduced, and the rattling caused by the movement of the steering wheel H is reduced. In addition, the load acting on the second drive unit M2 is also reduced.

In the present embodiment, the moving speed of the column C by the second driving unit M2 is set to be slower than the moving speed of the column C by the first driving unit M1, so that the steering position can be set more easily. Further, since it is easy to set the rotation speed of the lead screw T1 by the first drive unit M1 and the rotation speed of the nut member 20 by the second drive unit M2, the storage speed of the column C and the steering H and the position adjustment speed of the steering H Can be set as appropriate.

Further, by using the feed screw T1 common to the drive of both drive units M as in the present embodiment, the length of the feed screw T1 can be easily set, and the movable area of the column C and the steering H can be freely set. Become.

It is preferable that the column C can recognize the relative position with respect to the guide frame GF by a position sensor or the like (not shown). At least, the position where the storage of the column C is completed and the position where the column C is pulled out and the front-rear position of the steering H can be adjusted are stored in the control unit E. As a result, the front-rear position adjustment of the steering H and the retracting / pulling-out operation of the column C can be performed quickly. When pulling out the column C from the retracted position, it may be pulled out to the center position of the front-rear position adjustment range of the steering wheel H for the time being, and if the position of the steering wheel H is memorized for each driver, that is the case. You may pull it out to the position.

By configuring the second drive unit M2 and the first drive unit M1 as described above, the retracting / retracting operation of the column C can be performed most efficiently. That is, both drive units M cause relative rotation between the feed screw T1 and the nut member 20, and both drive units M can be driven until the column C reaches the moving end portion. The drive unit M of the above does not stop first. Therefore, by driving both drive units M at the same time, the moving speed of the column C is maximized, and the column C can be quickly retracted and pulled out.

[Guide mechanism]
On both sides of the column C, a plurality of bearings 40 are held by the retainers 41 so as to be arranged in two rows along the moving direction of the column C as a guide mechanism for guiding the movement of the column C. On the other hand, the guide rail G1 which is another configuration of the guide mechanism and guides these bearings 40 is composed of, for example, a channel member having a cross-sectional shape obtained by cutting out a part of the track shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. There is. The distance between the arcuate portions provided at both ends of the channel member is slightly smaller than the distance between the bearings 40. As a result, the guide rail G1 and the bearing 40 are mounted without rattling.

[Biasing mechanism]
As shown in FIG. 2 or 5, an urging mechanism P for generating an urging force is provided between the guide frame GF and the column C. As the urging mechanism P, first, an urging portion 50 provided in the column C and urged in a direction away from the column C is provided. On the other hand, the guide frame GF is provided with a receiving portion 51 provided at the center position in the width direction of the column C and extending along the moving direction of the column C. The receiving portion 51 is provided with a receiving rail having a U-shaped cross section. The length of the receiving portion 51 is set to a range in which the urging portion 50 can come into contact with the receiving portion 51 at least while the column C moves in the operating region.

The urging portion 50 has a base portion 50a provided on the column C and a retractable portion 50b held by the base portion 50a via a spring member 52. Further, the exit / exit portion 50b is provided with a contact ring 53 that rotatably contacts the receiving rail.

With this configuration, the strength of the urging force can be easily set by changing the strength of the spring member 52. However, since the contact ring 53 comes into contact with the receiving portion 51, the frictional force between the contact ring 53 and the receiving portion 51 becomes small when the column C moves. Therefore, for example, while downsizing the first motor m1 of the first drive unit M1, the retracting / pulling operation of the column C exerts a quick and strong urging force, and the steering device S of the vehicle with less rattling of the steering H during operation. Can be obtained.

The receiving portion 51 may be provided, for example, extending to the storage area of the column C as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6A. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6A, it is convenient that the distance between the column C and the receiving portion 51 when the column C is in the operating area is set shorter than the same distance when the column C is in the storage area. Is.

By providing such a difference in distance, the urging force when the column C is in the operating area becomes larger than the urging force when the column C is in the storage area. Therefore, when the column C is in the driving area and the driver is operating the steering H, it is possible to prevent the column C and the steering shaft A from rattling and to obtain a good steering feeling for the driver. it can.

On the other hand, when the column C is in the storage area, the urging force of the column C with respect to the receiving portion 51 becomes small, so that the column C storage / withdrawal operation becomes quicker.

When providing such a difference in distance, as shown in FIG. 6A, if an inclined portion 51a is provided between a portion of the receiving portion 51 corresponding to the operating region and a portion corresponding to the storage region. It is convenient. Such an inclined portion 51a is easy to install, and the urging force can be freely adjusted by changing the angle of the inclined portion 51a.

Note that, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, the urging portion 50 may be configured so as not to come into contact with the receiving portion 51 when the column C is in a region other than the operating region. In this case, when the column C moves out of the operating region to the side of the storage region, no resistance such as frictional force is generated between the urging portion 50 and the receiving portion 51. Therefore, the drive load when retracting / retracting the column C becomes zero, the operation becomes the fastest, and the power saving effect is maximized. However, if the urging portion 50 and the receiving portion 51 are separated from each other, the rigidity of the steering H with respect to the guide frame GF may decrease. However, since the driver does not touch the steering wheel H in principle when the column C is outside the driving area, such a decrease in rigidity does not cause any particular inconvenience.

In this configuration, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, the receiving portion 51 is provided only in the operating area, or as shown in FIG. 6A, the receiving portion 51 is also provided in the storage area. When the urging unit 50 moves to the storage area, it may be configured so as not to reach the receiving unit 51, or various configurations may be selected. For that purpose, as shown in FIG. 6B, it is preferable to provide a locking mechanism 50c between the entrance / exit portion 50b and the base portion 50a so that the exit / exit portion 50b does not protrude from the base portion 50a beyond a predetermined length.

[Third drive unit]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the column C is provided with a third drive unit M3 provided with the third motor m3, and the tilt angle of the steering shaft A can be adjusted by driving the third motor m3. it can. The steering device S of the present embodiment is, for example, by steer-by-wire, and since another shaft member that transmits the operating force of the steering H is not connected to the tip of the steering shaft A, the feed screw T1 is coaxial with the steering shaft A. It can be provided on the core. Therefore, the central portion of the column C and the central portion of the steering shaft A have a hollow structure so that the feed screw T1 can enter. These columns C and the steering shaft A are connected by a universal joint 60 having a hollow structure.

In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, when the column C is pulled out, the position of the universal joint 60 is set to a position further pulled out from the end of the feed screw T1 so that the tilt angle can be changed. Can be done. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, in the state where the column C is retracted, the end of the lead screw T1 penetrates the hole Cb of the column C and enters the inside of the steering shaft A, so that the moving region of the column C The outer shape of the steering device S can be compactly accommodated while ensuring a long time, and it can be easily mounted even on a vehicle having a limited installation area.

When the steering shaft A has a predetermined tilt angle and the steering shaft A is bent with respect to the feed screw T1, the third drive unit M3 is moved so as to eliminate the tilt angle prior to the movement of the column C. Good to drive.

[Second Embodiment]
The end of the lead screw T1 may be fixed on the side of the second drive unit M2, and the lead screw T1 may move together with the column C to the back side of the instrument panel when the column C is retracted.

In this case, a space for accommodating the feed screw T1 is required in the back of the instrument panel, but it is not necessary to make the column C a hollow structure, and it is not necessary to use a hollow universal joint 60. Therefore, the configuration of the steering device S can be further simplified.

[Other Embodiments]
As shown in FIG. 6B or FIG. 6C, the exit / exit portion 50b of the urging portion 50 may be a block 54 formed of, for example, a resin material having a certain degree of slidability. Further, when the material of the block 54 itself has elasticity, the spring member 52 can be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6C, the receiving portion 51 of the urging mechanism P that comes into contact with the urging portion 50 may be configured to have different frictional forces in the operating region and the storage region. For example, the receiving portion 51 is a straight rail extending parallel to the reciprocating direction of the column C, and the block 54 is in contact with the rail. Then, the surface roughness of the rail is set coarsely in the operating area and finely set in the storage area.

As a result, the frictional force with the urging portion 50 in the storage region becomes smaller than the frictional force with the urging portion 50 in the operating region, and the driving load of the column C in the storage region is particularly reduced. As a result, the operation of retracting and pulling out the column C becomes quick, and in particular, the size of the first motor m1 provided in the first drive unit M1 can be reduced.

The vehicle steering device according to the present invention can be widely applied to a steering device in which a steering shaft and a column can be stored in the back of an instrument panel.

A Steering shaft C Column Ca Cover G Guide member G1 Guide rail GF Guide frame H Steering M Drive unit

Claims (3)

The steering shaft that supports the steering and
The column to which the steering shaft is connected and
The cover that covers the column and
A guide frame that is fixed to the vehicle and has a guide member that supports the column so that it can be retracted and pulled out.
A drive mechanism for driving the column is provided.
A vehicle steering device in which the guide member is provided on the outside of the cover in a directional view along the moving direction of the column. The guide member includes a plurality of guide rails.
With respect to the positions of at least a pair of guide rails among the plurality of guide rails, a virtual line connecting the centers of the at least a pair of guide rails intersects the contour of the column in the direction view of the column. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, which is set as such. The vehicle steering device according to claim 2, wherein the positions of the at least a pair of guide rails with respect to the column are set so that the virtual line and the steering axis intersect.

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