JPH0232889Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a bearing unit that supports the radial load and thrust load of an automobile steering column.

<Prior Art> Radial ball bearings and angular ball bearings have conventionally been used as steering column bearings that support automobile steering shafts.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, in conventional radial ball bearings, both the housing and the steering shaft require high-precision finishing.

Further, in an example using an angular contact ball bearing, as shown in FIG. The backlash is removed by pressing in the direction of the central axis and in the direction perpendicular to the axis.

Since this method does not require high-precision finishing of the housing and steering shaft, the processing cost is lower than that using the radial ball bearing described above, but the inner race 140, balls 130, outer race 120, ring-shaped wedge 142 and spring 160 are separate from each other, requiring very complicated processes on the vehicle assembly line.

In order to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above, the present invention
To provide a bearing unit for a steering column that uses a support method using an angular ball bearing that does not require high-precision finishing of a housing and a steering shaft, and that does not require complicated assembly processes on a vehicle assembly line.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The steering column bearing unit of the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and adopts the following means (configuration).

A cylindrical casing having a plurality of engagement grooves at one end and an annular shoulder protruding toward the south side at the other end, the inner surface of the shoulder being formed into an annular concave spherical surface; , a holder comprising a truncated conical portion having a plurality of axial slits on one end surface and an annular concave spherical surface portion on the outer peripheral edge of the other end; A plurality of balls are arranged to face the concave spherical part and form an angular ball bearing between both the concave spherical parts, and are fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the truncated conical part at one end of the holder to hold the holder. a coil spring that presses in the axial direction; a cylindrical body formed with a flange that abuts the other end of the coil spring; and a toric body configured to prevent movement of the cylindrical body in the direction of the engagement groove, each of which is combined to form an integral body.

<Function> The steering column bearing unit of the present invention has a stepped portion formed on the steering shaft, or a ring groove formed on the shaft, and a C.
The cylindrical body is biased in the axial direction of the shaft by the stepped portion formed by engaging the letter-shaped ring.

An appropriate clearance is formed between the cylindrical body and the toric body by being biased by the stepped portion of the shaft or the C-shaped ring.

The cylindrical body biases the coil spring and presses the truncated conical portion of the holder into which one end of the coil spring and the inner diameter are fitted in the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axis.

The pressed holder clamps the steering shaft inserted through its insertion hole, and eliminates play in the angular ball bearing formed between the holder and the inner surface of the shoulder portion of the casing.

<Example> Hereinafter, a preferred example of this invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a bearing unit 1 for a steering column according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the steering column bearing unit 1 of the present invention.

In the figure, 20 has a large opening 21 at one end.
It is a cylindrical casing which is provided with a cylindrical accommodating part 22 that is continuous with the large opening 21 inside and has an annular shoulder part 23 projecting inwardly at the other end, and an inner surface of the annular shoulder part 23. An annular concave spherical surface portion 24 is formed on the surface. 25 is an outer race fitted and fixed to the annular concave spherical surface portion 24.

26 is the large opening 21 of the cylindrical casing 20
This is an engagement groove formed on the side, and the engagement groove 26 is continuous with a notch groove 26a extending in the axial direction from the end surface on the large opening 21 side and the terminal end of the notch groove 26a in the circumferential direction. The so-called L consists of an extended circumferential groove 26b.
It is a letter-shaped groove.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a holder, and the holder 40 includes a cylindrical portion 42 having an insertion hole 41 on its inner surface, and a tapered surface 43a formed on one end surface of the cylindrical portion 42, the outer surface of which is tapered in the axial direction. It includes a conical head portion 43, a plurality of slits 44 formed in the axial direction of the truncated conical portion 43, and an annular concave spherical surface portion 45 formed on the outer periphery of the other end surface of the cylindrical portion 42.

46 is an inner race that is fitted and fixed to the annular concave spherical surface portion 45.

The holder 40 has an inner race 46 fixed to the annular concave spherical surface 45 facing the outer race 25 fixed to the annular concave spherical surface 24 on the inner surface of the annular shoulder 23 of the cylindrical casing 20. A plurality of balls 30 are disposed within the cylindrical housing portion 22 of the cylindrical casing 20 and are arranged between the inner race 46 and the outer race 25 to form an angular ball bearing 50. .

70 is integrally provided with a flange 71 at one end, and has an insertion hole 7 having the same diameter or larger diameter as the insertion hole 41 on the inner surface.
2, and the cylindrical body 70 is disposed within the cylindrical housing portion 22 of the cylindrical casing 20 with the collar portion 71 facing the truncated conical portion 43 side of the holder 40.

80 is a toric body integrally provided with a plurality of protrusions 81 on the outer surface, and the toric body 80 connects the protrusions 81 with engagement grooves formed on the large opening 21 side of the cylindrical casing 20. 26, and is held on the large opening 21 side of the cylindrical casing 20 by rotating it along the circumferential groove 26b.

60 has one end connected to the truncated conical portion 43 of the holding body 40.
It is a coil spring disposed so as to fit and abut the outer tapered surface 43a, and the other end abuts the end surface of the flange 71 of the cylindrical body 70.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the assembled state of the steering column bearing unit 1, housing H, and shaft S constructed as described above.

A stepped portion s formed on the steering shaft S
The coil spring 60 presses the cylindrical body 70 in the axial direction, and one end of the coil spring 60 contacts the flange 71 of the cylindrical body 70.
is pressed in the axial direction, and the cylindrical body 70 and the toroidal body 80
A suitable clearance is formed between the two.

The pressing force of the coil spring 60 is
The truncated conical portion 4 of the holder 40 is fitted with the other end of the holder 40.
3 and presses the truncated conical portion 43 in the axial direction and in the direction perpendicular to the axis. The pressing force of the truncated conical portion 43 in the direction perpendicular to the axis tightly restrains the steering shaft S by a wedge effect, and the pressing force in the axial direction eliminates play in the angular ball bearing portion 50.

<Effects of the invention> As explained above, the steering column bearing unit of the invention can eliminate complicated assembly processes on the vehicle assembly line, and there is no need to finish the housing and steering shaft with high precision. It is inexpensive and has good operability with no backlash.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the steering column bearing unit of the invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the steering column bearing unit of the invention, and Fig. 3 is an assembled state of the steering column bearing unit of the invention. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an assembled state of a conventional steering column bearing. 1... Bearing unit for steering column, 2
0... Cylindrical casing, 23... Annular shoulder, 2
4... Annular concave spherical surface portion, 26... Engagement groove, 30...
Ball, 40... holding body, 43... truncated conical part,
43a...outer circumferential tapered surface, 44...slit,
45... Annular concave spherical surface part, 50... Angular ball bearing part, 60... Coil spring, 70... Cylindrical body, 7
1...Brim portion, 80...Trust, 81...Protrusion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Inside the cylindrical casing 20, which has a plurality of engagement grooves 26 at one end and an annular shoulder section 23 projecting toward the inner surface at the other end, an annular concave spherical surface section 24 is formed on the inner surface of the shoulder section 23. , a holder 40 having a truncated conical portion 43 having a plurality of axial slits 44 on one end surface and an annular concave spherical surface portion 45 on the outer peripheral edge of the other end holds the annular concave spherical surface portion 45 on the shoulder portion 23 . It is disposed opposite to the annular concave spherical surface portion 24 formed on the inner surface, and a plurality of balls 30 are arranged between the biconcave spherical surface portions 45 and 24 to form an angular ball bearing portion 50 therein. One end of the holding body 40 is fitted into the outer peripheral tapered surface 43a of the truncated conical part 43 of the holding body 40, and the other end is fitted into the flange part 71 of the cylindrical body 70.
The cylindrical body 70 is pushed in the axial direction by a coil spring 60 disposed in contact with the cylindrical body 70 , and the cylindrical body 70 engages the protrusion 81 in the engagement groove 26 of the cylindrical casing 20 and moves inside the cylindrical casing 20 . A bearing unit for a steering column, characterized in that the bearing unit is held within the cylindrical casing 20 by a toric body 80 held by the cylindrical casing 20.