JPH0129179Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a tilt handle adjustment device, and in particular, to a tilt handle adjustment device that allows the tightening tool for tightening and fixing the tilt handle to be tightened with a constant tightening torque. The present invention relates to a handle adjustment device.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Figures 1 and 2 show the tilt handle adjustment device, with the bracket 1 fixed to the body side.
, a column 3 rotatably supporting the upper end of the handle shaft 2 is pivoted via a pivot 4 so as to be tiltable in the front and back direction, and the column 3 is attached to the free end of the bracket 1. A screw fastener 5 is attached for fixing it in the desired position.
Specifically, this screw type fastener 5 includes a long hole 6 formed opposite to the bracket 1 having a U-shaped cross section;
6, and a nut 8 screwed onto the bolt 7 to tighten the bracket 1 from opposing outsides inward. Further, the column 3 is integrally provided with an arm portion 9 projecting through which the bolt 7 is inserted and supported and is held between the brackets 1. By screwing the nut 8 onto the bolt 7, the arm portion 9 is inserted between the brackets 1. The column 3 is fixed by tightening the column 3.
A portion of the head of the bolt 7 is slidably engaged with the elongated hole 6 to restrict rotation of the bolt 7.

By the way, in the conventional adjustment device, the lever member 10 is integrally attached to the nut 8,
The nut 8 is tightened by turning the lever member 10.

However, in the case of an adjusting device having such a configuration, it is necessary to tighten the nut 8 and the operator does not know the sufficient tightening torque. If it is damaged or tightened too loosely, it can cause backlash or loosening, making handle operation unstable.

Incidentally, as a related technique, a ``tilt type steering column'' (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 116476/1983) has been proposed.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention was made to eliminate the drawbacks of the above-mentioned conventional technology, and its purpose is to make it possible to always tighten the screw-type fastener for tightening and fixing the tilt handle with a constant appropriate tightening torque, and to improve durability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a tilt handle adjustment device that can improve safety.

[Structure and action of the idea]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a fastener for fixing a steering column to a bracket attached to a vehicle body, an engagement receiving surface cut out in a tangential direction on the outer periphery of the fastener, A lever member is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the fastener, and an engaging member is provided on the lever member and is press-fitted to the engagement receiving surface by a spring, and the engaging member has a predetermined position. The torque limiting mechanism is configured to separate from the engagement receiving surface when the rotational torque exceeds the rotational torque.

When the lever member is rotated to tighten and fix the steering column, the rotational force is transmitted to the fastener through the engagement member and the engagement receiving surface, and the fastener rotates together with the lever member to tighten the steering column. Tighten. As this tightening progresses, the load (tightening torque) increases, and when it exceeds the predetermined rotational torque set by the spring, the engaging member separates from the engaging receiving surface against the elastic force of the spring. do. This allows the lever member to rotate idly relative to the fastener, making it possible to always tighten the fastener with a constant appropriate tightening torque.

[Example of idea]

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 5 denotes a screw type fastener consisting of the bolt 7 and nut 8 as described above, and a lever member 11 is rotatably mounted on the nut 8. An engaging member 12 that engages with each other and transmits tightening torque from the lever member 11 to the nut 8 is interposed between them. In FIG. 3, the same parts as those in FIG. 2 described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

A ring 13 is fixed to the outer periphery of the nut 8 by a tapered fit or the like, and a boss hole 14 formed at the base end of the lever member 11 is rotatably fitted onto the ring 13 as shown in FIG. has been done. In particular, the ring 13 is formed with an engagement receiving surface 15 cut out in the tangential direction.

On the other hand, a communication hole 16 is formed in the lever member 11 and communicates with the boss hole 14 outward in the radial direction. In addition to being slidably fitted, a spring 17 is built in to urge the engaging member 12 from the lever member 11 side to the nut 8 side (specifically, the ring 13) to control the tightening torque. . Therefore, the engaging member 12 and the spring 17 constitute a torque limiting mechanism 30 that is provided between the lever member 11 and the fastener 5 and allows relative rotation between the two when the rotational torque exceeds a predetermined torque. .

That is, when tightening, the engagement member 12 is pressed into engagement with the engagement receiving surface 15 by the elastic force of the spring 17, and the tightening torque from the lever member 11 is transmitted to the nut 8 via the ring 13. 5 and 6, when the tightening torque applied to the lever member 11 exceeds the set tightening torque set by the spring 17, the engagement member 12 engages the engagement receiving surface 15 as shown in FIGS. The lever member 11 is configured to be removed from the top and rotate idly.

A pressure adjusting bolt 18 for adjusting the elastic force of the spring 17 is screwed into the outer end of the communicating hole 16, and by adjusting the bolt 18, the set tightening torque can be arbitrarily set.

When loosening the nut 8 (when rotating the lever member in the opposite direction), in order to prevent the engaging member 12 from coming off the engaging receiving surface 15, the end of the loosening rotation direction of the engaging receiving surface 15 is There is an engaging member 12 in the part.
A locking step portion 19 for locking is formed.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described.

When the lever member 11 is rotated in the tightening direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 4) to tighten the nut 8 of the fastener 5 to fix the column 3 in a desired position, the tightening torque at that time is applied to the lever member 11. The force is transmitted to the nut 8 via the engagement member 12 and the engagement receiving surface 15 of the ring 13 engaged with the engagement member 12, thereby rotating the nut 8 in the tightening direction. As the nut 8 is tightened, the tightening torque gradually increases. However, the setting is made in advance so that a predetermined appropriate tightening torque can be transmitted by pressing the engaging member 12 into engagement with the engaging receiving surface 15 formed on the nut 8 with a constant pressure by the spring 17. Therefore, the lever member 11
When the tightening torque applied to exceeds the set tightening torque set by the spring 17, the engagement member 12 resists the elastic force of the spring 17 and separates from the engagement receiving surface 15.

Therefore, from now on, the lever member 11 will idle in the tightening direction, and no tightening torque will be transmitted to the nut 8. Therefore, if the nut 8 is tightened until the lever member 11 rotates idly, the nut 8
A uniform tightening torque is always applied to the
Over-tightening or insufficient tightening can be reliably and easily prevented, and the durability of the device and the safety during operation can be improved as much as possible.

Conversely, when tightening the nut 8, use the lever member 1.
1 in the clockwise direction, and the engagement member 12, which has been disengaged until now, engages with the engagement receiving surface 15 and further engages with the locking stepped portion 19, thereby reducing the torque from the lever member 11. can be reliably transmitted to the nut 8 without any control, and the nut 8 can be easily loosened.

Incidentally, FIG. 7 shows a modification in which a second engagement receiving surface 20 is formed on the ring 13, which is shallower than the engagement receiving surface 15 and does not have the locking step portion 19. According to this, the engagement member 12 that has come off the engagement receiving surface 15 can be moved to the second
By engaging with the engagement receiving surface 20 of the lever member 11, the lever member 11 can be fixed in a fixed position, and swinging of the lever member 11 caused by vibration or the like can be prevented. Further, the lever member 11 may be configured to tighten the bolt 7 instead of the nut 8.

Furthermore, a ratchet may be interposed between the ring 13 and the nut 8.

[Effect of idea]

In summary, the present invention exhibits the following excellent effects.

(1) A torque limiting mechanism interposed between the fastener and the lever member to engage them with each other,
Since relative rotation between the two is allowed when a predetermined tightening torque is exceeded, the tightening tool for tightening and fixing the tilt handle can always be tightened with a constant appropriate tightening torque.

(2) Therefore, it is possible to prevent the deformation of the bracket due to over-tightening, and the occurrence of backlash and loosening due to insufficient tightening, thereby improving the durability of the device and safety during operation as much as possible. be able to.

(3) Since the structure is simple, it is easy to manufacture and can be manufactured at low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view of a tilt handle adjustment device shown as a conventional example, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross section of a tilt handle adjustment device showing an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is Figure 3 B-B
An enlarged line sectional view, FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views showing the same effect, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a modification of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a bracket, 3 is a column, 5 is a fastener, 11 is a lever member, and 30 is a torque limiting mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A fastener that is tightened to fix the steering column to a bracket attached to the vehicle body, an engagement receiving surface cut out in a tangential direction on the outer periphery of the fastener, and a fastener that is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the fastener. a lever member, and an engagement member provided on the lever member and press-fitted to the engagement receiving surface by a spring,
1. A tilt handle adjustment device comprising: a torque limiting mechanism that causes the engagement member to separate from the engagement receiving surface when the rotational torque exceeds a predetermined rotational torque.