JP2600337Y2 - Steering column rattling prevention structure - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for preventing rattling of a steering column in an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A steering device of a motor vehicle, that is, a steering column, tilts a steering wheel in a vertical direction and / or retreats in an axial direction of a steering column so that a driver can secure an optimum driving posture. Telescopic is abbreviated to telescopic in the following).

In this type of tilt and telescopic steering column, since the number of components of a fixed portion fixed to a vehicle body and a movable portion supported by the fixed portion increases, play (misalignment) is generated in the structure of the movable portion. This is likely to occur and often adversely affects the operational feeling of the driver occupying the steering wheel.

[0004] The applicant has provided an electrically adjustable steering column having a tilt and telescopic adjustment mechanism (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-145768). As a play preventing structure, as shown in FIG.
9 is fitted with a frame 124 that is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of
And a wedge 126 for pressing the frame 124 against the telescopper jacket 109 and a spring 128 for urging the wedge 126 are mounted on a bracket 129 with bolts 127.
It was configured to support.

The top 124 is slidably engaged via a tapered surface formed on the bracket 129. In addition,
In the long hole 122a of the telescopper jacket 109,
The projection 124a formed on the top 124 is fitted, so that the top 124 can move in the axial direction on the telescopic roller jacket 120 and does not rotate around the axis. 130 is a telescopic shaft that engages with a telescopic sleeve 132 with a spline or serration 131, 1
33, 134 and 135 are key lock engagement portions.

[0006]

However, in the structure of the above-mentioned conventional example, the bolt 1 with the spring 128 interposed is used.
The play is suppressed by the tightening force of 27
Subtle differences tend to occur depending on the adjustment of the screwing amount of
In addition, since the number of pieces 124 is one, it is insufficient for effective play prevention.

[0007] Therefore, effective measures to prevent backlash include:
It is conceivable to provide at least two or more frames at appropriate intervals. However, even if a pair of tops are arranged at appropriate intervals, the tightening force of both ends must be adjusted manually. A difference occurs in the tightening force of the upper jacket, and the balance between the two is lost, so that it is not possible to sufficiently prevent the backlash effectively.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a steering column rattling preventing structure in which, when a plurality of frames for tightening the upper jacket are arranged, uniformity of the tightening force of both is secured.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a steering column backlash preventing structure, comprising: a steering column having a telescopic sleeve which is movably fitted to an upper jacket in an axial direction;
Rutotomoni provided long rectangular window hole in the axial direction, in the window hole
A rectangular plug that fits and abuts the upper jacket
And a plate that slides on the plate and moves away from each other in the axial direction.
Place a pair of wedges urged by the ammunition
One, by fixing the telescopic sleeve bearing the cover having a tapered surface in sliding contact with the tapered portions of the pair of wedges to the pair of wedge, the plate is always Upper Jacquet
It is characterized in that it comes into sliding contact with the socket .

[0010]

Since the pair of wedges are urged and moved in the directions away from each other with the intermediary of an elastic machine, the tapered surface and the tapered portion are in sliding contact with each other and press the wedges directly or indirectly via a plate to the upper jacket.

[0011]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, energy absorbing members 2 and 2 are provided at both left and right ends of a clamp 1 fixed to a vehicle body.
An upper jacket 3 is sandwiched and fixed via the base 2. The upper jacket 3 has a telescopic sleeve 4 fitted on the upper end thereof so as to be movable in the axial direction. The telescopic sleeve 4 is rotatably connected to a tilt bracket 6 via a hinge shaft 5. A tube 7 is fixed to the tilt bracket 6, and a steering shaft 8 is coaxially and rotatably fitted to the tube 7. The telescoping sleeve 4 can move forward and backward in the axial direction of the upper jacket 3 by the driving means 9, and the tilt bracket 6 can reciprocate in the vertical direction of the upper jacket 3 by the driving means 10.

Therefore, as a countermeasure for preventing backlash (misalignment) of the telescopic sleeve 4, a rectangular window hole 11 is formed on the upper surface of the telescopic sleeve 4 as shown in FIGS. The rectangular plate 12 to be joined is pressed against the upper jacket 3. The upper surface of the plate 12 is substantially flat and the lower surface thereof is formed in a substantially arc shape, and the projection 13 is formed substantially at the center of the lower surface. The protrusion 13 is engaged with a long hole 14 formed in the upper jacket 3 in the axial direction. Then, a pair of wedges 15, 15
Are placed facing each other and separated from each other, and are spring-loaded between the wedges 15 and 15 with a spring 16 interposed therebetween to urge the wedges 15 and 15 on the plate 12 in directions away from each other.

Further, the window hole 11 in which the plate 12 is fitted is provided.
The pedestals 17 and 17 are formed integrally with the telescopic sleeve 4 at the edges of the
At 8, the cover 19 is fixed. Cover 19 is wedge 15,1
5 are housed in the vicinity of both ends, and tapered portions 19a slidingly contacting the tapered surfaces 15a of the wedges 15 facing outward at both ends.
Are formed. Therefore, the wedges 15, 15 are urged in the directions away from each other via the spring 16, and slide on the tapered portions 19 a, 19 a to constantly press the plate 12 against the upper jacket 3.

Thus, since the cover 19 is fixed to the telescopic sleeve 4, the wedge 15 moves in the direction away from each other by the force of the spring 16 so that the tapered surface 15a slides on the tapered portion 19a. Is pressed toward the upper jacket 3, and the plate 12 is pressed against the upper jacket 3. Therefore, play of the telescopic sleeve 4 against the upper jacket 3 is prevented. Moreover, the force with which the plate 12 is pressed against the upper jacket 3 can be changed in any manner by merely adjusting the spring force of the spring 16.

The drive means 9 fixes the bracket 3a to the upper jacket 3 as shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 9, and allows the housing 21 to be rotatable via the hinge shaft 20 to the bracket 3a. , A screw shaft 23 having a worm wheel 22 fixed thereto is rotatably inserted into the housing 21, a nut block 24 is engaged with the screw shaft 23, and the nut block 24 is formed integrally with the telescopic sleeve 4. It is configured to be non-rotatably supported by the bracket 4a. The worm gear 26 formed integrally with the electric motor 27 meshes with the worm wheel 22.

Accordingly, when the electric motor 27 is driven to rotate forward, the screw shaft 23 rotates forward, the nut block 24 moves in the axial direction, and the bracket 4a is pushed, so that the telescopic sleeve 4 moves along the upper jacket 3. To move in the right axial direction. Conversely, when the electric motor 27 is driven in reverse, the telescopic sleeve 4 moves in the left axial direction in the figure.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, the driving means 10 has a bracket 4b integrally formed on the telescopic sleeve 4, and a hinge shaft 30 provided on the bracket 4b.
The housing 31 is rotatably connected to the housing 31. A screw shaft 33 having a worm wheel 32 fixed thereto is rotatably inserted into the housing 31, and a nut block 34 is engaged with the screw shaft 33. 34 is fixed to a bracket 6a integrally formed with the tilt bracket 6 with bolts 35.
The worm gear 37 integrally formed with the electric motor 38 meshes with the worm wheel 32. In addition,
Reference numeral 36 denotes a spring that biases the brackets 4b and 6a away from each other.

Therefore, when the electric motor 38 is driven to rotate forward, the screw shaft 33 rotates forward, the nut block 34 moves in the axial direction, and the bracket 6a is pushed, so that the tilt bracket 6 is centered on the hinge shaft 5. As a result, the upper jacket 3 rotates upward in relation to the axis of the upper jacket 3 and tilts upward. Conversely, electric motor 3
When the drive 9 is driven in the reverse direction, the tilt bracket 6 rotates in the downward direction.

A steering wheel (not shown) is connected to the upper end of the steering shaft 8, as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, a middle shaft 41 is connected to the lower end via a universal joint 40. The middle shaft 41 penetrates through the axis of the upper jacket 3 and, as shown in FIG. 1, has its lower end fitted to the upper end of the lower shaft 43 via the serration 42 so as to be movable in the axial direction. The lower end of the lower shaft 43 is connected to an intermediate shaft (not shown) via a universal joint 44. The intermediate shaft is connected to a steering gear box (not shown). The lower shaft 43 is housed in the axial center of the lower jacket 45, and the lower jacket 45 is fitted to the lower end of the upper jacket 3, and is pressed against a predetermined load by a pressure contact portion 46 partially immersed. doing.

Further, the clamp 1 and the energy absorbing members 2 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a U-shaped bracket 50 is fixed to the upper jacket 3 and the bracket 50 is provided. Energy absorbing members 2 are directly attached to the left and right
It is connected by 1. As shown in FIG. 10, the energy absorbing member 2 has a flat plate portion 54 provided with a long hole 53 that matches the vehicle body mounting long hole 1 a (see FIG. 2) formed at both right and left ends of the clamp 1. A flat portion 57 having a curling portion 55 bent in an arc shape continuous with the portion 54 is provided. A ripping portion 56 is formed by cutting the flat portion 57 near the curling portion 55. A bolt insertion hole 52 through which the bolt 51 is inserted is formed.
8 are integrally formed.

Therefore, when an occupant collides with the steering wheel to apply an axial load to the steering shaft 8, the middle shaft 41 contracts toward the lower shaft 43, and the tilt bracket 6, the telescopic sleeve 4, and the driving means 9 When the upper jacket 3 moves the lower jacket 43 forward in the axial direction, and the bracket 50 pulls the holes 52 of the energy absorbing members 2 and 2 through the bolts 51, the curling portion 55 is plastically deformed. While moving, the ripping portions 56 of the energy absorbing members 2 and 2 are torn, and the impact energy is absorbed by the curling and ripping.

At this time, when the cover 19 moves to the clamp 1 at the fixed position, the cover 19 can pass through the high center because the substantially central portion of the clamp 1 is formed high. The operation of the upper jacket 3 contracting toward the lower jacket 45 is not adversely affected.

[0023]

According to the invention described above, the telescopic sleeve in the telescopic steering column is
A pair of wedges urged in the direction away from each other with an armature interposed between the wedges constantly updates the plate.
Acts on the plate because it is pressed against the par jacket
Tightening force is balanced to ensure uniformity and prevent backlash
It is very effective for

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a half sectional side view of a steering column embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a steering column embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part.

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of a main part.

FIG. 5 is a sectional front view of a main part.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line BC in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an energy absorbing member.

FIG. 11 is a sectional front view of a main part of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Clamp 2 ... Energy absorption member 3 ... Upper jacket 4 ... Telescopic sleeve 5 ... Hinge shaft 6 ... Tilt bracket 7 ... Sleeve 8 ... Steering shaft 9, 10 ... Driving means 11 ... Notch 12 ... Plate 13 ... Projection 14 ... Length Hole 15 ... Wedge 15a ... Tapered surface 16 ... Spring 17 ... Pedestal 18 ... Screw 19 ... Cover 19a ... Tapered part

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A steering column having a telescopic sleeve fitted movably in an axial direction to an upper jacket, wherein the telescoping sleeve is long and long in the axial direction.
Rutotomoni provided in the form of window holes, the up fitted into the window hole
Provide a rectangular plate that contacts the par jacket,
Attaching to the plate to slide against the plate and move away from each other in the axial direction
Placing the more biased pair of wedges, and, before the cover having a tapered surface in sliding contact with the tapered portions of the pair of wedge
The pair of wedges should be crowned and fixed to the telescopic sleeve
The plate always comes into sliding contact with the upper jacket
A structure for preventing rattling of the steering column, characterized in that: