JP3388158B2 - Steering support 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 steering holding structure for expanding a space between a steering wheel and a driver at the time of a collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional steering holding structure is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, a pedal bracket 12 having an elongated hole 12a in the front-rear direction is provided with a column bracket 2 having an elongated hole 3 in the vertical direction and holding a column shaft 1.
As shown in FIG. 8, the lock bolt 4 is movably attached to the holes 2a and 3 through the lock bolt 4, and the lock bolt 4 is movably moved in the front-back direction. Having a first contact with the pedal bracket 2
As shown in FIG. 9, the adjusting plate 5 and the second adjusting plate 6 which has the hole 6a penetrating the lock bolt 4 and the unevenness 6b and which slidably contacts the first adjusting plate 5 in the front-rear direction. A stopper 7 fitted with the lock bolt 4, and the lock bolt 4
Adjust nut 9 screwed to spring via 8
And a lever 10 which is fitted to the adjusting nut 9 and fastened by a nut 11.

In the above-mentioned conventional steering holding structure, the lock nut 4 is tightened and loosened by the adjusting nut 9 by operating the lever 10, and the column bracket 2 is vertically moved by the elongated hole 3 while the lock bolt 4 is loosened. Possible and elongated hole 5a of the first adjustment plate 5
The movement of the column shaft 1 held by the column bracket 2 can be adjusted in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction.

When the lock bolt 4 is tightened, the second
The adjustment plate 6 is fastened to the first adjustment plate 5, and the projections and depressions 5b and 6b form the first adjustment plate 5.
The slide of the second adjust plate 6 with respect to the column bracket 2 is restricted, and the pedal bracket 12 is pressed against the column bracket 2 to restrict the movement of the column bracket 2, and the column shaft 1 is locked at the position adjusted in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction.

[0005]

In safety, it is necessary to expand the space between the steering wheel and the driver in the event of a vehicle collision, but in the conventional general steering holding structure described above, it is possible to achieve that object. Is difficult
A technique for expanding the space between the steering wheel and the driver when a vehicle collides is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-1106.
No. 72 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-142876, a new additional structure is required for that purpose, resulting in an increase in cost due to an increase in the number of parts. In addition, steering support rigidity may decrease, and steering vibration or the like may occur.

An object of the present invention is to expand the space between the steering wheel and the driver at the time of a collision without modifying the conventional steering holding structure.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, the structure of the present invention is to mount a column bracket through a lock bolt through a pedal bracket so as to be movable in the front-back and up-down directions, and to hold a column shaft. A first adjusting plate penetrating the lock bolt so as to be movable in the front-rear direction and facing the pedal bracket; and a first adjusting plate penetrating the lock bolt and slidably contacting the first adjusting plate in the front-rear direction. 2 an adjustment plate, an adjustment nut that is screwed into the lock bolt and fastens and locks the column bracket to the pedal bracket, and a lever that is fitted to the adjustment nut,
In a steering holding structure in which the column shaft can be adjusted in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction via the column bracket, breakage occurs when a constant forward impact load is applied to the column shaft in a lock bolt through hole of the second adjusting plate. Abut on the curved surface of the lock bolt
It is characterized in that a bridge-shaped shear portion is provided.

Further, in the above-mentioned structure, the second adjusting plate is characterized in that a space portion is extended in front of the shear portion and a frame is provided at an extending end of the space portion. .

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3, a pedal bracket 12 having an elongated hole 12a in the front-rear direction has a column bracket 2 having an elongated hole 3 in the vertical direction and holding a column shaft 1, and a lock bolt 4 is passed through the elongated holes 12a, 3 And is mounted movably in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and has an elongated hole 5a and an unevenness 5b penetrating the lock bolt 4 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction.
Fitting of the adjusting plate 5, the second adjusting plate 6 having the hole 6a penetrating the lock bolt 4 and the unevenness 6b and slidably contacting the first adjusting plate 5 in the front-rear direction, and the lock bolt 4 A stopper 7 mounted on the lock bolt 4, an adjusting nut 9 screwed to the lock bolt 4 via a spring 8, and a lever 10 fitted to the adjusting nut 9 and fastened by a nut 11.
It consists of and. The structure up to this point is a conventional general steering holding structure.

In view of the above, according to the present invention, in the conventional steering holding structure described above, the lock is broken when a constant forward impact load is applied to the column shaft 1 in the lock bolt through hole 6a of the second adjusting plate 6.
A bridge-shaped shearing portion 13 that is in contact with the curved surface of the bolt 4 is provided.

The breaking force of the shear portion 13 is appropriately set by the cross-sectional area of the shear portion 13. In addition, the first adjustment plate 5
The second adjusting plate 6 is a material having low ductility, and for example, a sintered alloy or cast iron is suitable. Therefore, the shear portion 13 is broken by brittle fracture instead of ductile fracture.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention is the second
A space portion 14 extends in front of the shear portion 13 in the adjustment plate 6, and the frame 1 is provided at the extending end of the space portion 14.
5 is provided.

Since the present invention has the above-described structure, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the column shaft 1 is positioned at the rear side, and the column shaft 1 is fixed at a certain position forward by a collision or the like. When an impact load is applied, an operating load acts on the shear portion 13 of the second adjusting plate 6 and the shear portion 13 breaks.

This operating load is the sum of the breaking force of the shear portion 13 and the frictional force of the lock bolt 4, the stopper 7 and the column bracket 2. Therefore, the operating load can be easily tuned by changing the cross-sectional area of the shear portion 13.

Due to the breakage of the sear portion 13, the lock bolt 4 moves forward L1 together with the column bracket 2,
As a result, the column shaft 1 moves forward, thereby expanding the space between the steering wheel and the driver.

When the space portion 14 extends in front of the sear portion 13 and the frame 15 is provided at the extending end of the space portion 14, when the sear portion 13 breaks and the lock bolt 4 moves forward. Since the sheared portion 13 that has been broken into contact with the frame 15 and the column bracket 2 remains fixed after the operation, the handle can be operated.

4 and 5 show a state in which the column shaft 1 is positioned at the center in the front-rear direction, and even in this case, when a constant forward impact load is applied to the column shaft 1 due to a collision or the like, Although the same effect as described above can be obtained, the space between the steering wheel and the driver is greatly expanded by the amount that the column shaft 1 is positioned at the center in the front-rear direction.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a constant forward shock load is applied to the column shaft due to a collision or the like without modifying the basic structure of the conventional steering holding structure, the steering wheel is used as a steering wheel. Since the space for the driver is expanded, the same supporting rigidity of the steering column as before is maintained, steering vibration does not occur, and the operating load can be easily tuned. It has the advantage that it can be operated without problems.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of an essential part of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of an essential part of the present invention.

5 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional steering holding structure for general members.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view of a conventional main part.

8 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

FIG. 9 is an inner side view of a conventional second adjust plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 column shaft 2 column bracket 3 long holes 4 lock bolt 5 1st adjustment plate 5a long hole 5b unevenness 6 Second Adjust Plate 6a hole 6b unevenness 7 stopper 8 springs 9 Adjust nut 10 levers 11 nuts 12 pedal bracket 12a oblong hole 13 Shear 14 space 15 frames

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A column bracket holding a column shaft mounted through a pedal bracket so as to be movable in the front-back and up-down directions through a lock bolt, and a column bracket which is movably penetrated in the front-back direction and faces the pedal bracket. The first adjust plate in contact with the second adjust plate, which penetrates the lock bolt and abuts the first adjust plate so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and is screwed to the lock bolt to screw the column bracket to the pedal. Adjust nut for fastening and locking to the bracket,
In a steering holding structure including a lever fitted to the adjustment nut, the column shaft can be adjusted in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction via the column bracket,
The bridging member that abuts the curved surface of the lock bolt that breaks when a constant forward impact load is applied to the column shaft through the lock bolt through hole of the second adjusting plate.
A steering holding structure characterized by being provided with a J-shaped shear portion. 2. The steering holder according to claim 1, wherein a space portion is provided in front of the shear portion in the second adjust plate, and a frame is provided at an extending end of the space portion. Construction.