JP4670467B2 - Steering device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering device that includes a tilt mechanism and a telescopic mechanism, and is capable of adjusting the position of a steered wheel relative to a driver seat.

  A steering apparatus for an automobile includes a tilt mechanism that can adjust the vertical position of the steering wheel with respect to the driver seat, and a telescopic mechanism that can adjust the front and rear position of the steering wheel with respect to the driver seat (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .) The steering device of Patent Document 1 has a cylindrical housing that accommodates and supports a steering shaft, a lever base that is fixed in the middle of the housing and has a pair of telescopic slots, and a pair of tilt slots. A bracket to which the housing is to be attached to the vehicle body via the lever base, a first engagement portion to be inserted into the long slot for tilt, and a second engagement portion to be inserted into the long slot for telescopic A pair of nuts, and a pair of bolts that are screwed to the respective nuts and fasten the housing to the bracket, and tilt adjustment or telescopic adjustment is performed by loosening the bolts, The bolt is configured to fix the housing to the bracket by attaching the housing. The fixing of the housing is maintained by a contact frictional force between the housing and the bracket.

Further, the first engaging portion of the engaging body is a rectangular parallelepiped having a length shorter than the width of the tilting elongated hole and the telescopic elongated hole, and the second engaging portion is along the telescopic elongated hole. The length of the direction is longer than the width of the long slot for tilting, or the second engaging portion is a rectangular parallelepiped having a length shorter than the width of the long slot for tilting and the long hole for telescopic, The length of the engaging portion 1 in the direction along the long slot for tilting is longer than the width of the long hole for telescopic.
JP 2004-136870 A

  By the way, in a steering device having a tilt mechanism and a telescopic mechanism, the lower end opposite to the steering wheel is pivotally supported by the vehicle body, and the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism are provided in the middle in the longitudinal direction. When the secondary impact energy is applied, the impact energy absorbing member provided between the housing and the vehicle body is broken, and a bending moment is applied to the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism. A reaction force is applied to the engagement body with respect to this bending moment, and the tilt and telescopic adjustment states are maintained by the reaction force and the contact friction force that the housing and the bracket contact.

  However, in the steering device of Patent Document 1, one of the first and second engaging portions that engage with the long slot for tilt and the long telescopic hole has a length shorter than the width of the long slot for tilt and the long telescopic hole. The above-mentioned bending moment is not taken into consideration, and an improvement measure has been demanded.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a steering device that can increase the rigidity against a bending moment applied to the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism.

A steering apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a housing that is attached to a bracket attached to a vehicle body by a tilt mechanism and a telescopic mechanism, and that accommodates and supports a steering shaft. The tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism have a tilt length. A hole and a telescopic elongated hole; an engaging body having first and second engaging portions that engage with the tilting elongated hole and the telescopic elongated hole; and penetrating the engaging body; In the steering device having a fastening shaft that is attached to a bracket, the first engaging portion has a length in a direction along the tilting long hole longer than a width of the telescopic long hole, and the second engaging portion. engaging portion is formed long in the direction along the telescopic elongated hole is rather longer than the width of the tilt long hole, the first and second directions of the engaging portions respectively the length of the End characterized in that it is a piece.

The steering device according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the first engaging portion has an uneven strip that faces the housing or the bracket and intersects with the longitudinal direction of the long slot for tilting. The joining portion is characterized in that it has an uneven strip that faces the housing or the bracket and intersects the longitudinal direction of the telescopic slot.

In the steering apparatus according to a third aspect of the invention, the attachment shaft includes a shaft body having a first cam, a second cam that is fitted to the shaft body so as to be capable of relative rotation, and engages with the first cam; A pressing body having a pressing portion that presses the housing or the bracket, each of the pressing portion and the first or second engaging portion has a ridge, and the engaging body includes the pressing body and the pressing body. It is a single unit.

In the first invention, the length of the first engaging portion in the direction along the long slot for tilting is longer than the width of the long hole for telescopic, and the second engaging portion is along the long hole for telescopic. Since the length in the direction is longer than the width of the tilt slot, the reaction force applied to the first engagement portion and the reaction force applied to the second engagement portion can be increased. The rigidity can be increased. In addition, the length from the axis of the attachment shaft to the other ends of the first and second engaging portions can be made relatively long with respect to the size of the engaging body, and the engaging body can be downsized and thus tilted. The mechanism and the telescopic mechanism can be reduced in size, and the rigidity of the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism can be further increased.

In the second invention, the uneven strip of the first engaging portion can be brought into contact with the housing or the bracket, the uneven strip of the second engaging portion can be brought into contact with the bracket or the housing, and the engaging body Since the contact friction force between the housing and the bracket can be increased, the rigidity of the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism can be further increased.

In the third invention, the concave and convex strips of the first or second engaging portion can be brought into contact with the housing or the bracket, the concave and convex strips of the pressing portion can be brought into contact with the bracket or the housing, Since the contact frictional force with the housing and the bracket can be increased, the rigidity of the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism can be further increased.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof.
Embodiment 1
1 is a side view in which a part of the configuration of the steering device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is omitted, FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the main part, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the structure of the engaging body, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the engaging body portion.

  The steering apparatus includes a steering shaft 1 connected to a steering wheel for steering, first and second housings 2 and 3 that house the steering shaft 1 and rotatably support the steering shaft 1, and a middle of the first housing 2. Attached to the lower end of the first housing 4, the tilt mechanism 5 and the telescopic mechanism 6 provided between the first housing 2 and the first bracket 4, and the lower end of the second housing 3. The second bracket 7 is provided so that the second bracket 7 is pivotally supported on the vehicle body by the pivot 8.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the steering shaft 1 has a cylindrical first shaft body 1a whose upper end is connected to the steering wheel, and the first shaft body 1a cannot be rotated relative to the first shaft body 1a. And a second shaft body 1b fitted so as to be movable. Further, the middle of the first shaft body 1a is supported by a ball bearing 10 at the upper end of the first housing 2 so as not to be relatively movable in the axial length direction.

  The first and second housings 2 and 3 have a cylindrical shape, and the lower side of the first housing 2 is externally fitted on the upper side of the second housing 3 so as to freely move in the axial direction. A lever base 11 having a substantially inverted U shape is fixed by welding in the middle of the first housing 2, and the longitudinal direction of the opposite side piece of the lever base 11 is the axial length direction of the first housing 2. Telescopic elongated holes 6a, 6a are provided.

  The first bracket 4 is attached to the first housing 2 via a lever base 11, and a pair of mounting pieces 4a, 4a facing the pair of side pieces of the lever base 11 and the mounting pieces 4a, 4a. Fixed pieces 4b and 4b which are bent at a right angle from the upper end of the frame and fixed to the vehicle body, and a bridging piece 4c having a substantially semicircular shape which bridges between the fixed pieces 4b and 4b.

  Each attachment piece 4a, 4a is provided with long holes 5a, 5a for tilt whose longitudinal direction is the radial direction of the first housing 2, and the fixing pieces 4b, 4b are provided with the first housing 2 in the radial direction. Holding grooves 4d and 4d opened in the axial direction are provided, spacers 4f and 4f having through holes 4e are held in the holding grooves 4d and 4d, and inserted into the through holes 4e of the spacers 4f and 4f. The first bracket 4 is attached to the vehicle body by the bolts 12, 12. An impact energy absorbing member that is broken by secondary impact energy is provided between the fixed pieces 4b and 4b and the spacers 4f and 4f.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tilt mechanism 5 and the telescopic mechanism 6 are related to the tilt slot 5a, the telescopic slot 6a communicating with the tilt slot 5a, and the tilt slot 5a. Engaging bodies 13 and 13 having a first engaging portion 13a and a second engaging portion 13b engaged with the telescopic elongated hole 6a, and the first housing 2 passing through the engaging bodies 13 and 13 Are attached to the first bracket 4 and an operation lever 15 is attached to the attachment shaft 14.

  The width W1 of the tilting long hole 5a and the width W2 of the telescopic long hole 6a are wider than the diameter of the attachment shaft 14, and the width W1 and the width W2 are formed to be substantially the same width.

  The engaging bodies 13 and 13 are formed by integrally forming first and second engaging portions 13a and 13b of a synthetic resin material, a metal material, or the like. The first engaging portion 13a has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped length H1 in the direction along the tilting elongated hole 5a and is longer than the width W2 of the telescopic elongated hole 6a, and the second engaging portion 13b is a telescopic elongated hole. The length H2 in the direction along 6a forms a substantially rectangular parallelepiped longer than the width W1 of the tilt slot 5a, and the length directions of the first and second engaging portions 13a and 13b are biased in the thickness direction. One end is united and is substantially L-shaped. The first and second engaging portions 13a and 13b have a through hole 13c that penetrates a portion where one end in the length direction is integrated, and the fastening shaft 14 is inserted into the through hole 13c. ing.

  The anchoring shaft 14 has a first cam 14b having a ratchet tooth shape at one end, a shaft body 14a having a head portion 14c at the other end, and one end of the shaft body 14a is fitted to be capable of relative rotation. A second cam 14e that engages with the cam 14b, and a pressing body 14d having a pressing portion 14f that presses the mounting piece 4a. An operating lever 15 is attached to one end of the shaft body 14a. , The positions of the first cam 14b and the second cam 14e change, the pressing portion 14f and the head 14c press the mounting pieces 4a and 4a against the lever base 11, and the first housing 2 The movement in the tilt adjustment direction and the telescopic adjustment direction with respect to the bracket 4 is restricted.

  In the steering device configured as described above, the lower end of the second housing 3 pivotally supported by the second bracket 7 by the pivot 8 is attached to the vehicle body, and the lever base 11, the tilt mechanism 5, the telescopic mechanism 6, The first bracket 4 on which the first housing 2 is supported is attached to the vehicle body by bolts 12 and 12.

  In this state, when the operation lever 15 is attached, the pressing portion 14f and the head 14c of the attachment shaft 14 press the mounting pieces 4a and 4a against the lever base 11, and the lever base 11 is moved to the first bracket. 4, and the movement of the first housing 2 in the tilt adjustment direction and the telescopic adjustment direction can be restricted. Accordingly, the tilt and telescopic adjustment states are maintained by the contact frictional force in which the pressing portion 14f and the head 14c are in contact with the mounting pieces 4a and 4a and the contact frictional force in which the mounting pieces 4a and 4a are in contact with the lever base 11. .

  By loosening the operation lever 15, the attachment of the lever base 11 is released, and the first housing 2 can be moved together with the lever base 11. Accordingly, the first shaft body 1a, the ball bearing 10, the first housing 2, the lever base 11, and the saddle shaft are adjusted by moving the steering wheel attached to the upper end of the steering shaft 1 back and forth with respect to the driver's seat. 14, the engaging bodies 13 and 13 move along the telescopic elongated hole 6a, the first housing 2 with respect to the second housing 3, and the first shaft body 1a with the second shaft body 1b. Respectively, and telescopic adjustment can be performed.

  When the steering wheel is moved up and down with respect to the driver's seat, the engaging bodies 13 and 13 are tilted via the first shaft body 1a, the ball bearing 10, the first housing 2, the lever base 11 and the bearing shaft 14. The first and second housings 2 and 3 can be rotated with the pivot shaft 8 as a fulcrum, and the tilt adjustment can be performed.

Further, the secondary impact energy when the driver hits the steered wheel due to the frontal collision of the automobile is the first shaft body 1a, the ball bearing 10, the first housing 2, the lever base 11, the saddle shaft 14, the engagement. The impact energy absorbing member is joined through the combined bodies 13 and 13 and the first bracket 4 and is absorbed by breaking the impact energy absorbing member. Further, the secondary impact energy is applied in the W direction in FIG. 1 depending on the driving posture, physique, etc. of the driver, and a bending moment F is applied to the tilt mechanism 5 and the telescopic mechanism 6 by the secondary impact energy. The bending moment F is
F = (W × L1) / L2
It is. The reaction forces F1 and F2 are applied to the engagement bodies 13 and 13 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4 with respect to the bending moment F, and the tilt adjustment state and the telescopic adjustment state are caused by the reaction forces F1 and F2 and the contact friction force. Maintained. In this case, the first engaging portion 13a has a length in the direction along the tilting long hole 5a longer than the width of the telescopic long hole 6a, and the second engaging portion 13b has a telescopic long hole. Since the length in the direction along 6a is longer than the width of the tilt slot 5a, the reaction force F1 applied to the first engagement portion 13a and the reaction force F2 applied to the second engagement portion 13b can be increased. it can.

  Further, since the first and second engaging portions 13a and 13b are formed to have lengths H1 and H2 longer than the widths W1 and W2 of the tilt long hole 5a and the telescopic long hole 6a, respectively. The tilt angle in the tilting long hole 5a of the joint portion 13a and the tilt angle α in the telescopic long hole 6a of the second engaging portion 13b can be made relatively small, and the first and second The amount of backlash in the tilting long hole 5a and telescopic long hole 6a of the engaging portions 13a and 13b can be reduced, and the first and second engaging portions 13a and 13b are provided in the tilting long hole 5a and telescopic. The surface pressure at the position in contact with the long hole 6a can be reduced, and the rigidity of the engaging bodies 13, 13 can be increased.

Embodiment 2
6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the engaging body according to the second embodiment of the steering device, FIG. 7 is a side view showing the configuration of the main part, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing the configuration of the main part. In this steering device, the first engaging portion 13a of the engaging bodies 13 and 13 is provided with a first concave and convex portion 13d that faces the mounting pieces 4a and 4a and intersects the longitudinal direction of the long slot 5a for tilting. The second engaging portion 13b is provided with a second ridge 13e that faces the lever base 11 and intersects the longitudinal direction of the telescopic long hole 6a.

  The first engagement portion 13a is thicker than the thickness t1 of the mounting pieces 4a, 4a, and the second engagement portion 13b is thicker than the thickness t2 of the lever base 11, and the first engagement portion A first uneven strip 13d is provided on one surface in the thickness direction of 13a, and a second uneven strip 13e is provided on one surface in the thickness direction of the second engaging portion 13b.

According to the second embodiment, when the lever base 11 is attached by the attachment shaft 14, the first uneven strip 13d is brought into contact with the mounting pieces 4a and 4a, and the second uneven strip 14e is brought into contact with the lever base 11. In addition, since a contact friction force can be applied, the rigidity of the tilt mechanism 5 and the telescopic mechanism 6 can be further increased.
Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof and description of operations and effects are omitted.

Embodiment 3
FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a main part of the steering device according to the third embodiment. In this steering device, a spacer 16 interposed between the lever base 11 and the mounting pieces 4a, 4a is provided integrally with the first and second engaging portions 13a, 13b, and is opposed to the mounting pieces 4a, 4a of the spacer 16. 13 d of 1st uneven | corrugated strips are provided in the one surface to perform, and the 2nd uneven strip 13e is provided in the other surface facing the lever stand 11 of the spacer 16.
Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first and second embodiments, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description and description of the operations and effects are omitted.

Embodiment 4
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the engaging body according to the fourth embodiment of the steering device, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the main part. In this steering device, instead of providing the first and second engaging portions 13a and 13b with the concave and convex portions, the second engaging portion 13b has the concave and convex portions, and the first engaging portion 13a is provided with the lever base 11. Is provided with a third ridge 13f that intersects the longitudinal direction of the telescopic long hole 6a, the pressing portion 14f of the pressing body 14d faces the mounting piece 4a, and the longitudinal direction of the long slot 5a for tilting. 14g of the 4th uneven | corrugated strip which cross | intersects is provided.

  The first engaging portion 13a is thicker than the thickness t1 of the attachment pieces 4a, 4a, and a third uneven strip 13f is provided on one surface in the thickness direction of the first engaging portion 13a. In addition, one end in the longitudinal direction of the second engagement portion 13b is integrated with the middle of the first engagement portion 13a in the longitudinal direction to form a substantially T-shape.

According to the fourth embodiment, when the lever base 11 is attached by the attachment shaft 14, the third uneven strip 13f is brought into contact with the lever base 11, and the fourth uneven strip 14g is brought into contact with the mounting piece 4a. Since the contact friction force can be applied to each, the rigidity of the tilt mechanism 5 and the telescopic mechanism 6 can be further increased.
Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof and description of operations and effects are omitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view in which a part of the configuration of a steering device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is omitted. It is an expanded sectional view showing the composition of the important section of the steering device concerning the present invention. It is the top view which crossed a part of steering device concerning the present invention. It is an expansion perspective view of the engaging body of the steering device concerning the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of the engaging-body part of the steering device which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the engaging body of Embodiment 2 of the steering device which concerns on this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the principal part of the steering apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is an expanded sectional view showing the composition of the important section of the steering device concerning the present invention. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the structure of the principal part of Embodiment 3 of the steering device which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the engaging body of Embodiment 4 of the steering device which concerns on this invention. It is an expanded sectional view showing the composition of the important section of the steering device concerning the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Steering shaft 2 First housing (housing)
4 First bracket (bracket)
5 tilt mechanism 5a tilt long hole 6 telescopic mechanism 6a telescopic long hole 13 engagement body 13a first engagement portion 13b second engagement portion 13c, 13d uneven surface 13e third uneven surface 13f fourth uneven surface 14 Adhering shaft 14b First cam 14c Head 14d Pressing body 14e Second cam 14f Pressing portion

Claims (3)

A bracket attached to the vehicle body is attached to the bracket by a tilt mechanism and a telescopic mechanism, and includes a housing that accommodates and supports the steering shaft. The tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism include a tilt slot and a telescopic slot, An engaging body having first and second engaging portions engaging with each of the long slot for tilting and the long hole for telescopic, and a fastening shaft penetrating the engaging body and fixing the housing to the bracket; The length of the first engaging portion in the direction along the long slot for tilting is longer than the width of the long hole for telescopic, and the second engaging portion is formed in the long hole for telescopic. length in the direction along which are wider than the length rather formation of the tilt long hole, scan one end of said first and second directions of the engaging portions respectively the length of is equal to or is integral Bearings devices. The first engaging portion has an uneven strip that faces the housing or the bracket and intersects the longitudinal direction of the elongated slot for tilting, and the second engaging portion is formed on the housing or the bracket. opposite, and claim 1 Symbol placement of steering device having an uneven condition of crossing the longitudinal direction of the telescopic long hole. The fastening shaft includes a shaft body having a first cam, a second cam that is engaged with the shaft body so as to be capable of relative rotation, and a pressing portion that presses the housing or the bracket. the has a pressing member having, each have a concavo-convex conditions of the pressing portion and the first or second engagement portion, the engagement body is No placement claim 1 Symbol is integral with the pressing member Steering device.

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