JP2512927Y2 - Tilt steering column - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a tilt steering column of an automobile.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a steering apparatus for a vehicle employs a tilt steering column capable of adjusting a tilt of a steering column in a vertical direction at a desired angle in order to secure an optimal driving posture of an occupant. In this tilt steering column, the upper jacket fixed to the vehicle body holds the column jacket in a vertically movable manner, and in order to fix the vertical movement adjustment position, the upper clamp is tightened to the column jacket side, and the friction between them is fixed. Has a tightening mechanism that holds it with resistance (Actual No. 50-155726 and No. 51-8592).
No. 5). This tightening mechanism pivotally supports the tilt lever in a plane parallel to the axis of the column jacket and has an arc-shaped cam at its rotation base, and rotates the tilt lever in a direction perpendicular to the column jacket. Then, the cam presses the side wall of the upper clamp and presses against the distance bracket fixed to the column jacket.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, according to the above-described conventional tilt steering column, since the arc portion of the cam is formed by pressing a plate material, the fracture surface and the shear surface during pressing are not smooth. The cam sliding part catches on the upper clamp,
It is not smooth and the operation feeling is bad. Therefore, it suffices if the cam sliding portion is finished to be smooth, but it takes time and cost to process it, resulting in a high cost. Moreover, by repeating the tilt lever rotation operation, the sliding surface is easily worn, the tilt stopping force is reduced, and the steering column may slide up and down during driving.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to improve the operation feeling of the tilt lever and to prevent wear of the sliding surface.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention allows a tilt bolt that penetrates a distance bracket to which an upper jacket is fixed and an upper clamp that holds the upper bracket to rotate about its head as a fulcrum. One end of the tilt lever is engaged with the one end of the tilt lever, and the one end of the tilt lever has a tightening portion, and the side wall of the upper clamp is slidable with the tightening portion and is slidable via a washer. A tilt steering column having a threaded portion and a nut screwed into the threaded portion, and a needle bearing interposed between the washer and the sliding contact plate, or the sliding contact plate. Either one of the above and the washer constitutes a tilt steering column in which a low friction member is coated on the surface.

[Operation] According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, when the tilt lever is rotated in the direction orthogonal to the side wall portion of the upper clamp, the tilt lever rotates about the head of the tilt bolt as a fulcrum, so that the sliding contact is achieved. The plate slides along the washer that is in sliding contact with the side wall of the upper clamp, and is separated from the side wall of the upper clamp to release the tightening of the distance bracket. Further, when the tilt lever is returned to the original state, the sliding contact plate slides in the opposite direction, is pressed against the upper clamp together with the washer, the distance bracket is tightened, and the tilt position is locked by the frictional force. In addition, since a needle bearing is interposed between the washer and the sliding contact plate, or a low friction member is coated on either one of the sliding contact plate and the washer, the friction resistance between the sliding contact plate and the washer is Significantly reduced. Therefore, the operation force of the tilt lever becomes extremely light.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment according to the present invention, in which 1 is an upper jacket, 2 is an upper shaft, which is rotatably supported coaxially with the upper jacket 1, a steering wheel is mounted on the upper end, and a lower end is provided. Lower shaft 3
Are fitted coaxially so as to be able to transmit rotational force and to be contractable in the axial direction, and a universal joint 4 is connected to the lower end of the lower shaft 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a lower jacket which is coaxial with the upper jacket 1 and is slidably fitted in the axial direction. Reference numeral 6 denotes an upper clamp which fixes the upper jacket 1 to the vehicle body. Reference numeral 7 denotes a tilt lever which is rotatably supported via a tilt bolt 8 inserted into the upper clamp 6. Reference numeral 9 denotes a lower clamp, which penetrates the lower jacket 5 and is connected by welding, and is fixed to the vehicle body.

As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the head is attached to the tilt lever 7.
The tilt bolt 8 is inserted to prevent the 8a from coming off, and the rectangular cross-section portion 8b of the tilt bolt 8 is, as in the first embodiment, a washer 50 and a square hole of the sliding contact plate 11 between the side wall portion 10 of the upper clamp 6. 28, 52 are loosely fitted, respectively, through the rectangular long hole 12 formed in the side wall portion 10, and through the square hole 14 and the circular hole 17 in the side wall portion of the distance bracket 13 to which the upper jacket 1 is fixed, and the rotation is prevented. The nuts 19 and 19 are screwed through the rectangular long holes 16 of the opposite side wall portions 15 and the screw portion 8c with the washer 18 interposed. It should be noted that the surface of one of the sliding contact plate 11 and the washer 50 may be coated with a resin (fluorine-based) of a low friction member.

Further, as a second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2B, the rectangular cross section 8b of the tilt bolt 8 is provided between the washer 50, the needle bearing 51 and the sliding contact plate between the side wall 10 of the upper clamp 6. The square holes 28 and 52 of 11 are loosely fitted, respectively, and penetrate the rectangular long hole 12 formed in the side wall part 10, and penetrate the square hole 14 and the circular hole 17 of the side wall part of the distance bracket 13 to which the upper jacket 1 is fixed. Then, the nuts 19 and 19 are screwed into the threaded portion 8c of the opposite side wall 15 through the rectangular elongated hole 16 with the washer 18 interposed. As shown in FIG. 3, the needle bearing 51 is formed by aligning a plurality of elongated rectangular holes on the upper and lower sides of the rectangular hole 53 in a retainer made of a resin plate, and the needle 54 is inserted into the elongated hole. The sliding contact plate 11 is rotatably held in the moving direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tilt lever 7 has a U-shaped cross section, a knob 20 is mounted at one end, and a tightening portion 22 having an opening 21 into which the tilt bolt 8 is inserted at the other end. The fastening portion 22 has a projection 24 substantially at the center. The opening 21 is formed with arc-shaped notches 26, 26, and the projections 27, 27 engaging with the notches 26, 26 are formed diametrically opposite to the head 8a of the tilt bolt 8. Have been. The sliding contact plate 11 has a recessed portion 11b with which the projection 24 is engaged and a square hole 2
8 is a rectangular plate-like body formed in the substantially central part of the upper and lower sides. The washer 50 has a square hole 52 in the center thereof in which the square cross-section 8b of the tilt bolt 8 is loosely fitted.

The upper clamp 6 has holes formed in both wings.
The front surface of the distance bracket 13 is fixed to the vehicle body via the protrusions 33, 33 so as not to be detached via the protrusions 34, 34, and the protrusions 34, 34 are formed so as to face the inner surfaces thereof. The distance bracket 13 is formed by penetrating the upper jacket 1 through the standing wall portion 35 and is connected by welding, and the standing wall portion
An arc-shaped curling portion 36, 36 following 35 is formed continuously with the side wall portions 37, 37, and the curling portions 36, 36 and the side wall portion 37, 37 are formed.
Notch-shaped ripping parts 38, 38 are formed between them and 37. Further, the curling portion 36, 36 has a roller 39,
39 is inserted, and one end of a resinous cover 40 is locked to the rollers 39, 39, and the other end of the cover 40 is a holder 41 fixed to the upper surface of the upper jacket 2.
It is locked to.

The ripping parts 38, 38 and the curling parts 36, 36
When an occupant collides with the steering wheel in a vehicle collision accident, the impact energy input from the upper jacket 1 to the distance bracket 13 via the upright wall 35 first tears the ripping sections 38, 38, and then the rollers 39, The curling portions 36, 36 with the 39 interposed therebetween are deformed and rolled in, so that the curling portions 36, 36 are absorbed.

Describing the tilt operation in the above embodiment,
In the first embodiment, when the tilt lever 7 is rotated around the fastening portion 22 in the direction away from the upper clamp 6, the fastening portion 22 is moved as shown in FIG. 4 (A). Is a protrusion 27 of the tilt bolt 8 that engages with the notch 26 of the opening 21.
The protrusion 24 moves the sliding contact plate 11 to the right in the drawing, and the sliding contact plate 11 slides to the right in the drawing along the side wall portion 10 via the washer 50 to make the sliding contact. A gap is formed between the plate 11 and the side wall portion 10 of the upper clamp 6, and the side wall portion 10 of the upper clamp 6 is released from tightening the distance bracket 13. Therefore, move the distance bracket 13 in the desired direction up and down by the required distance, and then
When the knob 20 of the tilt lever 7 is brought close to the upper clamp 6, the protrusion 24 moves the sliding contact plate 11 to the left in the figure, and the tilt lever 7 pulls the tilt bolt 8, so that the side wall portion 10 of the upper clamp 1 is pulled. , 15 fix the distance bracket 13 by fastening. At this time, the tilt bolt 8 is
The rectangular cross-section 8b is engaged with 11 and the long hole 12 and the hole 14 to prevent rotation, thus preventing the tilt lever 7 from rotating in the vertical direction. If a low-friction member is coated on either one of the slide contact plate 11 and the washer 50, the friction resistance of the slide contact plate 11 is reduced, so that the operating force of the tilt lever 7 can be further reduced.

In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), since the needle bearing 51 is interposed between the washer 50 and the sliding contact plate 11, the sliding contact plate 11 and the washer 50 are separated from each other. The frictional resistance is remarkably reduced, so that the operation force of the tilt lever 7 is light.

[Advantages of the Invention] According to the invention described above, since the sliding contact plate that engages with the tilt lever moves in sliding contact with the washer, abrasion of the side wall portion of the upper clamp is prevented, and the sliding contact plate is also prevented. By coating a low-friction member on either one of the washer and washer, all wear of the side wall, washer and sliding contact plate is reduced to increase durability, or the needle is placed between the sliding contact plate and washer. By interposing a bearing,
The frictional resistance can be remarkably reduced, the sliding contact plate and the washer can be prevented from being worn, and the operation force of the tilt lever can be remarkably reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a half sectional side view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B) are sectional plan views of relevant parts, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of relevant parts, and FIG. 4 (A). , (B) are operation explanatory views. 1 ... upper jacket, 6 ... upper clamp,
7 ... Tilt lever, 8 ... Tilt bolt, 8a ... Head, 8b ... Square cross section, 8c ... Screw, 11 ... Sliding plate, 1
2,16 …… Long hole, 13 …… Distance bracket, 18 ……
Washer, 19 ... Nut, 21, 31 ... Opening, 22 ...
Tightening part, 24 …… projection part, 26 …… notch part, 27 …… projection part,
50 …… washer, 51 …… needle bearing

Claims (3)

(57) [Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A tilt bolt that penetrates a distance bracket to which an upper jacket is fixed and an upper clamp that holds the upper bracket is engaged with one end of a tilt lever so that the tilt lever can rotate about its head as a fulcrum. One end has a tightening portion, and a sliding contact plate slidably contacting the tightening portion and slidable on the side wall portion of the upper clamp through a washer is loosely fitted, and a nut is screwed into the screw portion. Tilt steering column characterized by the following. 2. A tilt bolt that penetrates a distance bracket to which an upper jacket is fixed and an upper clamp that holds the distance bracket is engaged with one end of a tilt lever rotatably with its head as a fulcrum. One end has a fastening portion, and a sliding contact plate slidably contacting the fastening portion and slidable on the side wall portion of the upper clamp via a washer is provided, and the washer and the sliding contact plate are joined together. A tilt steering column characterized in that a needle bearing is interposed therebetween and a nut is screwed into a screw portion. 3. The tilt steering column according to claim 1, wherein one of the sliding contact plate and the washer has a surface coated with a low friction member.