JP3158124B2 - Steering feeling adjustment method of steering column and steering column - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for adjusting a steering feeling of a steering column of an automobile and a steering column thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a steering column in an automobile has a steering wheel 3 as shown in FIG.
A steering shaft 31 with a shaft 0 attached thereto, a column jacket 32 coaxially covering the steering shaft 31,
Clamp 33 for fixing column jacket 32 to vehicle body
And an intermediate shaft 35 connected to the steering shaft 31 via a universal joint (joint) 34. The intermediate shaft 35 is connected to a steering gear box 37 via a joint 36. Therefore,
The torque input to the steering wheel 30 is transmitted as an output to the shaft 38 of the gear box 37. The intermediate shaft 35 is three-dimensionally provided at a predetermined angle with respect to the steering shaft 31 and the gear box 37. It is well known that the presence of the two joints 34, 36 inevitably causes a torque fluctuation between the input on the steering wheel 30 side and the output on the gearbox 37 side. It is.

Therefore, minimizing the torque fluctuation is an important factor in improving the steering performance or the steering feeling.
It is based on adjusting the phase angle of the two joints 34,36. That is, in a state where the steering wheel 30 and the control wheels (not shown) are fixed in the straight traveling direction, the positions of the fork portions 39 of the two joints 34 and 36 are set to be horizontal or cross each other. You do it.

The intermediate shaft 35 is connected to a damper 42 to which a yoke 41 constituting the joint 34 is connected in order to prevent transmission of a road surface condition (a so-called shimmy or the like) during traveling of the vehicle and to improve operation feeling. 4
3 is fitted in the axial direction. This damper 42
It is known that, even if the input torque is constant, the torsional force and the component force in the falling direction change depending on the rotation angle of the shaft and the like, and as a result, the torsional rigidity of the entire shaft changes.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the damper 42 has a so-called oval-shaped housing 44 having a flat portion 46 fitted with a shaft 43 having a similar cross-section having a flat portion 47. In addition, the basic structure is such that an elastic body 45 is interposed between the two.
Is connected directly to a yoke 41 constituting the joint 34. Accordingly, there is no connection method other than the connection of the yoke 41 except that the fork portions 39, 39 on the joint side are connected in a state perpendicular to the flat portions 46, 46 of the housing 44.

[0006]

However, in the case of a damper having no directional fall stiffness, or a conventional damper which is determined only at one point of rotation with the yoke as described above, even if there is a directionality, the shaft torsion is reduced. There is no flexibility in adjusting the stiffness variation, and it is not possible to set the torsional stiffness characteristics of the steering column according to the turning characteristics and steering feeling of the vehicle.

Here, the steering feeling refers to the steering performance preferred by the driver of the automobile, for example, the ability to change the traveling direction of the vehicle at a small steering angle during straight running at a high speed, and vice versa. It refers to the inability to change the direction of travel of the vehicle at a large steering angle, which is a matter of preference for the driver.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for enabling fine setting or fine adjustment of the steering feeling and a steering column having the function.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for adjusting a steering feeling of a steering column according to the present invention. The phase angle of the vehicle to determine the steering characteristics and steering
Adjustment of steering column torsional rigidity variation according to the ring
For this purpose, the yoke is fixed in a state of being inclined at a required angle with respect to the direction of the falling rigidity of the damper.

[0010] A steering column according to the present invention is a damper having a portion having a difference in strength of fall.
Steering column with an intermediate shaft with
The phase angle between the damper and the yoke to determine the steering characteristics of the vehicle.
Steering column to match the steering feel
Direction of falling rigidity of damper to adjust rigidity fluctuation
With the yoke inclined at the required angle with respect to
An intermediate shaft with varying torsional rigidity of the steering column
Then , an inner cylinder having a similar cross section is fitted into the housing of the damper having an oval cross section, and a hollow shaft having one end having a similar cross section is loosely fitted into the inner cylinder, and the hollow shaft and the inner shaft are fitted. An elastic body is interposed between the cylindrical body, and a shaft of a predetermined length connected to the gear box is inserted into the other end of the hollow shaft at a serrated engagement where the shaft is prevented from being removed. The cylinder body is axially connected to face each other, and an intermediate shaft is provided at an end of the cylinder body, the yoke being attached to the flat surface of the housing at a predetermined angle.

[0011]

[Function] Since the yoke is twisted and connected at a required angle with respect to the direction of the falling rigidity of the damper, the fluctuation of the steering column torsional rigidity can be emphasized or suppressed freely, and therefore, Various steering columns with subtle differences in operation feeling can be set.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a steering column embodying the present invention, FIG. 2 is a half cross-sectional side view of an intermediate shaft, and FIG. As shown in the drawing, an upper shaft 2 accommodated coaxially in a column jacket 1 fixed to a vehicle body, and an intermediate shaft 5 via a joint 4 at an end of a lower shaft 3 fitted in the upper shaft 2 in the axial direction. Are connected.

The intermediate shaft 5 is, as shown in FIG.
A cylindrical body 8 having one end connected to a yoke 6 forming a part of the joint 4 and the other end connected to a damper 7, a hollow shaft 9 having one end inserted into the damper 7, and a hollow shaft 9. And a shaft 12 having one end inserted therein and engaged with the serrations 10 and 11.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the damper 7 has a predetermined length in the axial direction, has a so-called oval cross section, and has a flat portion 13 and an arc surface portion 14 facing each other. An inner cylinder 16 having a similar cross-section is inserted into a housing 15 having a housing, and an elastic body 17 fixed inside the inner cylinder 16 has an enlarged diameter portion of a hollow shaft 9 having a similar cross-section. 18 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface.

Here, the yoke 6, the cylinder 8 and the damper 7
Is formed with a circular convex portion 6a at the bottom of the yoke 6 and one end of the cylindrical body 8 is fitted to the convex portion 6a and fixed by welding or the like, while being connected to the end of the housing 15 of the damper 7. A structure in which a lid member 26 having a similar shape to the housing 15 and having a circular convex portion 26a is fitted and fixed, and the other end of the cylindrical body 8 is fitted to the convex portion 26a of the lid member 26 and fixed by welding or the like. It has become.

It is known from an experiment that the falling rigidity of the damper 7 is weaker in the two arc surface portions 14 and 14 than in the two flat portions 13 and 13. Even if the rotational position is fixed, there is a difference in the torsional rigidity of the steering column depending on the rotational position of the damper.

A step 19 is formed in the enlarged diameter portion 18 of the hollow shaft 9, and an oval ring 20 engaged with the step 19 is fixed. A claw 21 serving as a stopper when the ring 20 abuts is formed by bending a part of the periphery of the opening of the housing 15 inward.

On the other hand, the shaft 12 has serrations 11 formed at both ends in a circumferential direction at a predetermined length, and a groove 22 is formed in one end engaging with the hollow shaft 9 in the circumferential direction. A ball 23 is inserted into 22.

The ball 23 is attached to the hollow shaft 9 by the shaft 1.
2 is inserted into the hole 2 formed at the other end of the hollow shaft 9.
The hollow shaft 9 is inserted into the hollow shaft 9 and rolled while being crushed, and stopped near the entrance of the enlarged diameter portion 18 of the hollow shaft 9.

Therefore, if there is an axial input from the gear box due to a primary collision, the shaft 12 slides into the enlarged diameter portion 18 and the ball 23 moves into the serration portion 10,
11 away from the shaft 12, the serrations 10, 1
1 can be contracted into the hollow shaft 9 while holding the engagement, so that a predetermined stroke can be absorbed.

Here, as described above, since the yoke 6 and the damper 7 are connected via the cylindrical body 8, the yoke 6 and the damper 7 are fixed by adjusting the phase angle. That is, as shown in FIG.
Since the fork portion 25 of the yoke 6 is set so as to be parallel to the flat portion 13 of FIG. 5, as shown in FIG.
Within the range of 90 degrees up to setting to be orthogonal,
Set it up freely.

Therefore, the characteristics of the steering column with respect to the torsional rigidity can be variously changed. this is,
This can be easily achieved by connecting the yoke 6 to the cylindrical body 8, but it was difficult in the prior art because the yoke 41 was directly connected to the damper 42.

According to the present invention, the rigidity variation with respect to the rotation angle of the shaft can be freely set by the characteristics of the damper 7, so that a steering column excellent in the small steering angle response during high-speed running can be set. Thus, it is possible to set the output to the gear box with a subtle torque with respect to the input of the steering wheel.

As described above, the intermediate shaft 5 using the damper 7 having a part having a difference in strength between the fall and the rigidity has a delicate steering feeling by freely setting the phase angle between the yoke 6 and the damper 7. It is possible to freely set a steering column having a difference.

[0025]

According to the present invention described above, in a steering column having an intermediate shaft provided with a damper having a portion having a difference in strength of fall, the phase angle between the damper and the yoke is determined by the fall rigidity of the damper. By fixing the yoke at a required angle to the strong and weak direction, the steering column with a slight difference in steering feeling can be set freely, and the steering characteristics according to the turning characteristics of the car Can be easily set or adjusted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial half cross-sectional side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of FIG. 2 showing a relationship between a yoke and a damper.

FIG. 5 is a front view of FIG. 2 showing a relationship between a yoke and a damper.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a steering column.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional damper.

[Description of Signs] 4 ... Joint, 5 ... Intermediate shaft, 6 ... Yoke, 7 ...
Damper, 8: cylindrical body, 9: hollow shaft, 15: housing,
16 ... inner cylinder, 17 ... elastic body, 18 ... enlarged diameter part

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-143763 (JP, A) JP-A-3-168415 (JP, A) JP-A-60-64325 (JP, U) JP-A-2-135717 (JP) , U) Japanese Utility Model Application No. 49-73123 (JP, U) Japanese Patent Application No. 1-43957 (Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 2-135717) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62D 1/16-1/20

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A phase angle between a damper and a yoke in a steering column having an intermediate shaft provided with a damper having a portion having a difference in strength between falling and rigidity is determined by a vehicle.
The steering command matches the steering characteristics and steering feeling of the
A method for adjusting a steering feeling of a steering column, characterized in that a yoke is fixed in a state of being inclined at a required angle with respect to the direction of the falling rigidity of a damper in order to adjust ram torsional rigidity variation . 2. A part having a difference in strength of falling.
Having an intermediate shaft with a damper
Determine the phase angle between the damper and the yoke in the column
Steering according to the turning characteristics and steering feeling of
To adjust the fluctuation of column torsional rigidity,
The yoke is inclined at the required angle with respect to the rigidity direction.
An intermediate shaft fixed in a state, a cross section is fitted with an inner cylinder having a similar cross section in an oval-shaped housing, and a hollow shaft having one end having a similar cross section is loosely fitted to the inner cylinder, An elastic body is interposed between the hollow shaft and the inner cylindrical body, and a shaft of a predetermined length connected to the gear box is inserted into the other end of the hollow shaft in a serrated engagement that prevents the shaft from slipping off, and ,
An axial shaft is connected to the housing so as to face the shaft, and an intermediate shaft is attached to an end of the cylindrical body by attaching a yoke at a required angle to a plane portion of the housing. Characteristic steering column.