JP5034490B2 - Shock absorbing steering column device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an impact absorption type steering column device that relieves an impact force applied to a driver during a secondary collision.

  In the case of a collision accident, a secondary collision in which the driver's body collides with the steering wheel occurs following a primary collision in which the automobile collides with another automobile or the like. As shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the impact force applied to the driver's body during the secondary collision is alleviated to prevent serious damage to the driver's body. Absorption-type steering column devices are known.

  In Patent Document 1, a column bracket fixed to a steering column that rotatably supports a steering shaft, a long hole formed in the vehicle front-rear direction of the column bracket, and an upper surface of the column bracket are pressed to move backward in the vehicle. The collar is configured to engage with the peripheral surface of the long hole, and the collar is arranged so as to cover a part of the long hole from the top and bottom surfaces, and passes through the collar and a part of the long hole, while holding the collar And a fastening bolt that supports the column bracket by being screwed to the member. When the driver collides with the steering wheel attached to the end of the steering shaft at the time of the secondary collision, and the steering column moves forward by the collision force at that time, it moves relative to the column bracket in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The collar to be absorbed absorbs the impact force by generating a frictional force that contacts the upper and lower surfaces of the column bracket and a deformation force that deforms the peripheral surface of the long hole.

Patent Document 2 discloses a long groove that is formed in a column bracket of a steering column and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and is open at the most rear end side, and a slide that is disposed while covering a part of the long groove from the upper and lower surfaces. A plate (referred to as a sliding plate in Patent Document 2), a fastening plate that passes through a part of the slide plate and the long groove, and supports the column bracket by being screwed to the vehicle body side member while sandwiching the slide plate With bolts. When the steering column is moved forward by the collision force at the time of the secondary collision, a frictional force is generated between the contact surfaces of the slide plate and the column bracket so as to absorb the impact force.
JP-A-11-217078 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-8185

  By the way, at the time of secondary collision, the impact force may not be input in the direction along the column axis of the steering column, but may be input from the direction shifted to the left and right with respect to the column axis (direction eccentric in the vehicle width direction). When the impact force is input from the left and right directions as described above, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the fastening bolt is hooked on the inner surface of the long hole or the long groove, and the collar or the slide plate is locked, so that the vehicle longitudinal direction There is a possibility that the absorption of the impact force becomes unstable because it does not move relatively.

In Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, since the force that absorbs the impact force of the collar or slide plate changes depending on the tightening force of the fastening bolt, the tightening torque of the fastening bolt must be strictly controlled in the assembly process. Therefore, a stable impact force cannot always be absorbed, and a worker who is skilled in assembly work is required.
Moreover, since the collar of Patent Document 1 has a complicated shape that presses the upper surface of the column bracket and engages the peripheral surface of the long hole when moving to the rear of the vehicle, there is a problem in terms of manufacturing cost. .

  Therefore, the present invention has been made paying attention to the unsolved problems of the above-described conventional example, and even if the impact force is input from the direction shifted to the left and right with respect to the column axis of the steering column, the impact force is stably provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide an impact absorption type steering column device that can absorb the above-mentioned and can be manufactured at low cost.

In order to achieve the above object, an impact absorption type steering column apparatus according to claim 1 includes a steering column that rotatably supports a steering shaft, a support bracket that supports the steering column, and a vehicle front side of the support bracket. And a pair of first mounting brackets which are integrally formed apart from each other in the vehicle width direction and are attached to the vehicle body side member by bolt fastening means, and a closure formed by extending in the vehicle front-rear direction to these first mounting brackets A vehicle body side member together with a first slide plate through which a bolt of the bolt fastening means passes and is tightened together with the closed long hole, and a second mounting bracket integrally formed on the vehicle rear side of the support bracket And the support bracket that moves forward of the vehicle in the event of a secondary collision. In the shock absorbing type steering column apparatus and a shock energy absorbing member provided with impact absorption load generating unit to absorb the impact force by engagement, the shock absorbing load generating portion of the impact energy absorbing member, and said support bracket comprising a being squeezed by the engagement with the ironing portion of plastic deformation, the squeezing unit, the vehicle front and to the axis of the bolt of the bolt fastening means for fastening the pair of first mounting only bracket to the vehicle body side member A distance from one shaft of the two bolts of the bolt fastening means, which is located in the middle of the pair of first mounting brackets in the vehicle width direction, and which is attached to the pair of first mounting brackets, to the handling portion; The distance from the other shaft of the two bolts to the handling portion is made equal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the shock absorbing steering column device according to the first aspect, wherein the closed elongated hole has a shape in which the hole width or the groove width increases toward the rear of the vehicle, It said hole width or groove width, you are larger than the maximum outer diameter of the pressing member of the bolt fastening means located below the closed long hole.

  According to the shock absorbing type steering column apparatus of the present invention, even if the impact force at the time of the secondary collision is input from the direction deviated in the vehicle width direction with respect to the column axis of the steering column, the support bracket is at the time of the secondary collision. As the vehicle moves forward, the pair of first slide plates that absorb the impact force and the pair of first slide plates that are separated from each other in the vehicle width direction and the impact force absorption load generation unit are stably separated along the center of the steering column. It is difficult for the support bracket to be laterally distorted. For this reason, the slide plate engaged with the bolt fastening means moves smoothly to the rear of the vehicle to generate frictional force, and the impact force absorbing load generating unit also smoothly moves to the front of the vehicle while absorbing the impact force absorbing load. Since it is generated, the impact force at the time of the secondary collision can be reliably absorbed.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a vehicle assembled with a steering device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a steering device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a side view showing the embodiment, and FIG. The side view which shows the principal part of 1 embodiment in a cross section, FIG. 5 is a top view which shows the 1st attachment bracket formed in the support bracket, FIG. 6 is the AA arrow directional view of FIG. 5, FIG. It is a BB line arrow directional view.

  In FIG. 1, a steering device 10 is disposed to be inclined at a predetermined angle so as to rise rearward of the vehicle with respect to the horizontal direction of the vehicle, and includes a steering column 12 that rotatably supports a steering shaft 11. A steering wheel 13 is mounted on the steering shaft 11 at the rear end of the vehicle, and an intermediate shaft 15 is connected to the front end of the steering shaft 11 via a universal joint 14. A steering gear 17 composed of a rack and pinion mechanism or the like is connected to the intermediate shaft 15 through a universal joint 16 at the front end thereof. The output shaft of the steering gear 17 is connected to the steered wheel 19 through a tie rod 18.

When the driver steers the steering wheel 13, the rotational force is transmitted to the steering gear 17 via the steering shaft 11, the universal joint 14, the intermediate shaft 15, and the universal joint 16, and the rack and pinion mechanism rotates the vehicle. The steered wheels 19 are steered through the tie rods 18 after being converted into a linear motion in the width direction.
As shown in FIG. 3, the steering device 10 includes a support bracket 21 that is bolted to the vehicle body side member 20. The steering column 12 is supported by the support bracket 21, and a tilt mechanism 22 provided on the support bracket 21. Thus, the tilt adjustment of the steering column 12 is performed.

A rolling bearing (not shown) is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the vehicle rear side end portion of the steering column 12, and a rolling bearing (not shown) is also provided on the inner peripheral surface of the steering column 12 on the vehicle front side. The steering shaft 11 is rotatably supported by these rolling bearings.
As shown in FIG. 4, the support bracket 21 includes an upper plate 21 a and a pair of side plates 21 b that face each other down from both ends of the upper plate 21 a in the vehicle width direction (front and back direction in the drawing). .

A pair of support plates 12a that are separated from each other in the vehicle width direction are formed at the vehicle front end portion of the steering column 12, and a tilt pivot shaft 23 that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from these support plates 12a is provided as a support bracket. 21 is rotatably connected to the side plate 21b.
The tilt mechanism 22 is fixed to the outer periphery of the steering column 12, and is formed on a surface facing the lifting plate (not shown) disposed between the pair of side plates 21b of the support bracket 21 and the side plate 21b of the lifting bracket. A long hole (not shown) extending in the vertical direction, a tilt bolt 22a that allows the support bracket 21 and the lifting bracket to be fastened by being inserted into the long hole and a hole formed in the support bracket 21, and a screw to the tilt bolt 22a. A tilt nut 22b is provided, and an operation lever 22c integrally coupled with the tilt nut 22b capable of tightening the tilt nut 22b to the tilt bolt 22a or loosening the tilt nut 22b by a rotating operation.

When the tilt nut 22b is loosened by the rotation of the operation lever 22c, the steering column 12 can be tilted about the tilt pivot shaft 23.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of first mounting brackets 24 that are bolted to the vehicle body side member 20 are formed at positions separated in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle front side of the support bracket 21. A pair of second mounting brackets 25 that are bolted to the vehicle body side member 20 are formed at positions spaced apart in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle rear side of the support bracket 21.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first mounting bracket 24 has an elongated hole 26 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The elongated hole 26 has a small hole width D1 at the vehicle front end portion 26a, gradually widens the hole width from the vehicle front end portion 26a toward the vehicle rear side, and increases a hole width D2 at the vehicle rear side 26b. It is formed (D2> D1).
A first slide plate 27 having a substantially U-shaped cross section that contacts the upper and lower surfaces of the first bracket 24 is attached to the first mounting bracket 24 from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

  Bolt insertion holes 27a are formed in a pair of opposing engagement surfaces of the first slide plate 27. As shown in FIG. 6, the stud bolts 28 suspended from the vehicle body side member 20 are connected to the bolt insertion holes 27a. The first mounting bracket 24 is bolted to the vehicle body side member 20 by being inserted into the elongated hole 26 of the first mounting bracket 24 and screwed into the lower end of the stud bolt 28 and tightened. Here, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the maximum outer diameter D3 of the nut 29 is larger than the hole width D1 of the vehicle front end portion 26a of the elongated hole 26 formed in the first mounting bracket 24, and It is set smaller than the hole width D2 on the vehicle rear side 26b (D3> D1, D3 <D2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the second mounting bracket 25 is formed with a long groove 30 that gradually increases in width toward the rear of the vehicle and opens at the rear end of the vehicle.
The second mounting bracket 25 is provided with a second slide plate 31 having a substantially U-shaped cross section that contacts the upper and lower surfaces of the second bracket 25 from the rear of the vehicle. Bolt insertion holes are formed in a pair of engaging surfaces of the second slide plate 31 facing each other.

  Then, the rear end side 35a of the impact energy absorbing member 35 described later is brought into contact with the upper surface of the second slide plate 31, and the stud bolt 32 suspended from the vehicle body side member 20 is attached to the rear side of the impact energy absorbing member 35. By inserting the bolt insertion hole formed in the end portion 35a, the bolt insertion hole of the second slide plate 31 and the long groove 30 of the second mounting bracket 25, and screwing and tightening the nut 33 to the lower end of the stud bolt 32, the first 2 The mounting bracket 25 is bolted to the vehicle body side member 20. Here, the maximum outer diameter of the nut 33 is set larger than the groove width on the vehicle rear side of the long groove 30.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the impact energy absorbing member 35 described above is a plate-shaped metal member having a substantially T shape in plan view, and a base portion 35 b extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the base portion 35 b. A pair of the aforementioned vehicle rear side end portions 35a formed at positions separated from each other in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle rear side of the vehicle, and the vehicle rear side end portions 35a are bent so as to be U-shaped in appearance. An engagement portion 35c that covers and engages the outer periphery of the second slide plate 31 on the vehicle rear side, and is folded back on the vehicle front side of the base portion 35b and extends along the lower surface of the upper plate 21a of the support bracket 21, A handling portion 35d located approximately in the middle of the vehicle width direction between the pair of first mounting brackets 24 is provided.

  The impact energy absorbing member 35 disposed along the support bracket 21 by bolting the vehicle rear side end portion 35a between the second mounting bracket 25 and the vehicle body side member 20 is shown in FIGS. As shown, the handling portion 35d is positioned in front of the vehicle with respect to the axis P2 of the stud bolt 28 hanging from the vehicle body side member 20 that fastens the first mounting bracket 24 with the bolt.

The stud bolt 28 and the nut 29 that fix the pair of first mounting brackets 24 to the vehicle body side member 20 correspond to the bolt fastening means of the present invention.
Next, the operation of the steering device 10 of this embodiment will be described.
When the driver collides with the steering wheel 13 due to the collision of the vehicle, the steering column 12 is moved forward of the vehicle because a large impact force is applied from the steering shaft 11.

The steering column 12 moves forward of the vehicle, and the support bracket 21 connected to the steering column 12 via the tilt pivot shaft 23 also moves forward of the vehicle.
As the support bracket 21 moves forward of the vehicle, the pair of first mounting brackets 24 and the pair of second mounting brackets 25 formed integrally with the support bracket 21 also move forward of the vehicle.

  At this time, when the pair of first mounting brackets 24 move to the front of the vehicle leaving the stud bolts 28 and the first slide plate 27, they slide while generating frictional force on the contact surfaces of the mounting bracket 24 and the first slide plate 27. To go. When the pair of second mounting brackets 25 moves to the front of the vehicle leaving the stud bolt 32 and the second slide plate 31, the second slide plate 31 is detached from the mounting bracket 25.

  Here, as the first mounting bracket 24 continues to move forward in the vehicle, the stud bolt 28 and the nut 29 move relative to the vehicle rear side 26b of the elongated hole 26. Since the width D2 is set larger than the maximum outer diameter D3 of the nut 29, as shown in FIG. 7, there is a sufficient gap between the stud bolt 28 and the inner surface of the long hole 26 on the vehicle rear side 26b. Since the stud bolt 28 is caught on the inner surface of the vehicle rear side 26b, there is no possibility that the first slide plate 27 is locked, and the impact force when the first mounting bracket 24 moves forward of the vehicle is absorbed.

  As the second mounting bracket 25 continues to move forward in the vehicle, the stud bolt 32 and the nut 33 move relative to the vehicle rear side of the long groove 30, but the groove width of the long groove 30 gradually increases toward the vehicle rear. Since there is a sufficient gap between the stud bolt 32 and the inner surface of the long groove 30 on the vehicle rear side, the second slide plate 31 is engaged when the stud bolt 32 is caught on the inner surface of the long groove 30. There is no fear of stopping, so that the second mounting bracket 25 moves stably toward the front of the vehicle.

  On the other hand, since the rear end portion 35a of the vehicle is bolted between the second mounting bracket 25 and the vehicle body side member 20, the impact energy absorbing member 35 remains in position even if the support bracket 21 moves forward of the vehicle. Remain in. Then, the handling portion 35d of the impact energy absorbing member 35 is pulled toward the vehicle front end of the upper plate 21a of the upper plate 21a of the support bracket 21 that moves forward in the vehicle, and is handled and plastically deformed. Absorb power.

As described above, the handling portion 35d is positioned in front of the vehicle with respect to the axis P2 of the stud bolt 28 that fastens the first mounting bracket 24 to the vehicle body side member 20, as shown in FIG. Thus, as the support bracket 21 moves forward of the vehicle, the distances L1 and L2 between the axis P2 of the stud bolt 28 and the handling portion 35d increase.
At this time, a rotational moment is generated on the axis P2 of both stud bolts 28. However, both rotational moments are balanced, the distances L1 and L2 increase, and the component force of both stud bolts 28 in the vehicle width direction. Is reduced, the first slide plate 27 engaged with both stud bolts 28 moves smoothly rearward of the vehicle, and the handling portion 35d also moves smoothly forward of the vehicle along the column axis P1. It is pulled and handled.

  Therefore, in the steering device 10 of the present embodiment, during the secondary collision, the impact force is not input in the direction along the column axis P1 of the steering column 12, and the directions H1, H2 are eccentric in the vehicle width direction with respect to the column axis P1. The first slide plate 27 that absorbs the impact force and the handling portion 35d are separated from each other as the support bracket 21 moves forward of the vehicle. Since the rotational moment of the bracket 21 is balanced and the component force in the vehicle width direction is reduced, the first slide plate 27 engaged with both stud bolts 28 moves smoothly rearward of the vehicle and generates a frictional force. In addition, the handling portion 35d is also smoothly pulled and handled along the column axis P1 to the front of the vehicle, so that the impact force at the time of the secondary collision can be ensured. It is possible to yield.

  Further, as the first mounting bracket 24 continues to move forward in the vehicle, the stud bolt 28 and the nut 29 move relative to the vehicle rear side 26b of the elongated hole 26, but the hole width of the elongated hole 26 on the vehicle rear side 26b. By setting D2 larger than the maximum outer diameter D3 of the nut 29, there is a sufficient gap between the stud bolt 28 and the inner surface of the long hole 26 on the vehicle rear side 26b. The first slide plate 27 is not locked by being caught on the inner surface of the side 26b, and the impact force when the first mounting bracket 24 moves forward of the vehicle can be reliably absorbed.

  As the second mounting bracket 25 continues to move forward in the vehicle, the stud bolt 32 and the nut 33 move relative to the vehicle rear side of the long groove 30, but the groove width of the long groove 30 gradually increases toward the vehicle rear. Since there is a sufficient gap between the stud bolt 32 and the inner surface of the long groove 30 on the vehicle rear side, the second slide plate 31 is engaged when the stud bolt 32 is caught on the inner surface of the long groove 30. There is no fear of stopping, and when the second mounting bracket 25 moves forward of the vehicle, it can be stably detached.

Furthermore, since the first and second slide plates 27 and 31 have a simple structure with a U-shaped cross section, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
In this embodiment, the elongated hole 26 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction is formed in the first mounting bracket 24. However, the gist of the present invention is not limited to this, and the first mounting bracket 24 on the rear side of the vehicle. It may have a long groove shape that opens at the end.

  In the present embodiment, the stud bolts 28 and 32 are suspended from the vehicle body side member 20 and the nuts 29 and 33 are screwed together. However, the gist of the present invention is not limited to this, and the bolt head In this case, the bolt head has a maximum width with respect to the hole width D2 of the vehicle rear side 26b of the long hole 26 formed in the first mounting bracket 24. It is preferable that the outer diameter is reduced and the maximum outer diameter of the bolt head is made smaller than the groove width on the vehicle rear side of the long groove 30 formed in the second mounting bracket 25. Moreover, you may tighten using a washer as a press member.

  Furthermore, although this embodiment demonstrated the steering apparatus 10 provided with the manual tilt mechanism 22, even if it is an apparatus provided with the telescopic position adjustment mechanism, or an electric tilt telescopic apparatus, it is the same. An effect can be obtained.

1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a vehicle assembled with a steering device according to the present invention. It is a top view showing one embodiment of a steering device concerning the present invention. It is a side view showing one embodiment of a steering device concerning the present invention. It is a side view which shows the principal part of the steering device which concerns on this invention in a cross section. It is a top view which shows the 1st attachment bracket formed in the support bracket which concerns on this invention. It is an AA arrow directional view of FIG. It is a BB line arrow directional view of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Steering device, 11 ... Steering shaft, 12 ... Steering column, 12a ... Support plate, 13 ... Steering wheel, 14 ... Universal joint, 15 ... Intermediate shaft, 16 ... Universal joint, 17 ... Steering gear, 18 ... Tie rod, 19 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS: Steering wheel, 20 ... Car body side member, 21 ... Support bracket, 21a ... Upper plate, 21b ... Side plate, 22 ... Tilt mechanism, 22a ... Tilt bolt, 22b ... Tilt nut, 22c ... Operation lever, 23 ... Tilt pivot shaft, 24 ... first mounting bracket, 25 ... second mounting bracket, 26 ... long hole, 26a ... vehicle front end of the long hole, 26b ... vehicle rear side of the long hole, 27 ... first slide plate, 27a ... bolt insertion hole 28 ... Stud bolt (bolt), 29 ... Nut (pressing member), 30 Long groove, 31 ... second slide plate, 32 ... stud bolt, 33 ... nut, 35 ... impact energy absorbing member, 35a ... vehicle rear side end, 35b ... base, 35c ... engaging portion, 35d ... handling portion (impact force) Absorbing load generating portion), D1... Width of the long groove, D2... Width of the long groove on the vehicle rear side, D3... Maximum outer diameter of the nut, H1, H2. , L2: straight line connecting the axis of the stud bolt and the handle, P1: column axis, P2: axis of the bolt

Claims (2)

A steering column that rotatably supports the steering shaft, a support bracket that supports the steering column, and a vehicle front side of the support bracket that are integrally formed apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. A pair of first mounting brackets attached to the member, closed elongated holes formed in the first mounting brackets extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the bolts of the bolt fastening means passing through the closed elongated holes The support bracket which is clamped by a vehicle body side member together with a first slide plate to be tightened and a second mounting bracket integrally formed on the vehicle rear side of the support bracket, and moves forward of the vehicle at the time of a secondary collision on the vehicle front side. An impact energy absorbing member provided with an impact absorbing load generating portion for absorbing impact force by engagement with In the shock absorbing type steering column apparatus provided with,
The shock absorbing load generating portion of the impact energy absorbing member, wherein are squeezed by the engagement of the support bracket comprises a squeezing portion which plastically deforms, the squeezing portion includes a vehicle body-side member to the pair of first mounting only bracket located in the middle in front of the vehicle and a vehicle width direction of the pair of first mounting bracket with respect to the axis of the bolt of the bolt fastening means for fastening to,
The distance from one shaft of the two bolts of the bolt fastening means attached to the pair of first mounting brackets to the handling portion is made equal to the distance from the other shaft of the two bolts to the handling portion. A shock-absorbing steering column device characterized by that. The closed elongated hole is shaped so that the hole width or groove width increases toward the rear of the vehicle, and the bolt width or groove width on the vehicle rear side is positioned below the closed elongated hole. claim 1 collapsible steering column equipment according to, characterized in that larger than the maximum outer diameter of the pressing member means.

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