JPH0546651U - Steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The main purpose of the present invention is to allow one type of spring to serve as both a tilt support spring and a telescopic support spring. [Structure] An upper column 30 is swingably supported by a lower column 11 fixed to a vehicle body around a horizontal support shaft 25. A handle shaft 57 is rotatably supported by the upper column 30. The handle shaft 57 is connected to the intermediate shaft via a universal joint. The intermediate shaft is fitted to the steering shaft 76 by a spline connection so as to be movable in the axial direction. The upper column 30 and the lower column 11 can be fixed and released from each other by a clamp mechanism 40. A support spring 82 is provided between the lower column 11 and the upper column 30.
Is provided with tension. The support spring 82 is set so as to urge the upper column 30 toward the predetermined telescopic position and the predetermined tilt position with respect to the lower column 11.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a vehicle steering system, and more particularly to a steering system having a tilt function and a telescopic function.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 For steering used in steering systems of automobiles, a handle angle (angle formed by the rim surface of the steering wheel with respect to the vertical line) and an axial position can be variably set according to the physique of the driver. Are known. The steering wheel angle is adjusted by the tilt mechanism, and the axial position is adjusted by the so-called telescopic mechanism.

An example of the tilt mechanism is a lower column fixed to the vehicle body side, an upper column swingably supported by a lower column by a horizontally oriented support shaft, and both columns fixed to each other and if necessary. It consists of a clamp mechanism that can be released by fixing. In the manual tilt mechanism, the clamp mechanism is equipped with an operation lever, and when the operation lever is moved to the release position, the clamp mechanism becomes free and the tilt can be adjusted. Further, when the operation lever is returned to the clamp position, the clamp mechanism is locked and the upper column and the lower column are restrained from each other.

In the above-described manual tilt mechanism, in order to prevent the upper column from rotating and descending due to the weight of the member on the handle side when the clamp mechanism is set in a free state for performing tilt adjustment, The upper support column urges the upper column in a direction to rotate it upward.

On the other hand, the telescopic mechanism adjusts the axial position of the handle shaft with respect to the steering shaft by providing an intermediate shaft between the steering shaft and the handle shaft and spline-connecting the intermediate shaft and the steering shaft to each other. I am trying to do it. In this case also, when performing the telescopic adjustment, move the operating lever to the release position and set the clamp mechanism in the free state. If the operating lever is returned to the clamp position after the adjustment is completed, the clamp mechanism returns to the locked state, and the upper column is fixed to the lower column.

Also in such a telescopic mechanism, in order to prevent the handle shaft from moving toward the contraction side due to the weight of the member on the handle side when the clamp mechanism is in the free state, a support spring for the telescopic is provided, An axial reaction force is applied to the handle shaft.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 The steering device having the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism described above requires a support spring dedicated to the tilt and a support spring dedicated to the telescopic. For this reason, not only the number of springs increases, but it may be difficult to secure a space for mounting the springs, and there is a problem in that the work for mounting the springs is troublesome.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by using one type of support spring common for tilting and telescopic use.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The steering device of the present invention developed to achieve the above object includes a lower column fixed on the vehicle body side, an upper column swingably mounted on the lower column around a horizontal spindle, and A handle shaft, which is rotatably supported by a bearing on the upper column, and the boss of the steering handle is fixed to the tip, is connected to the handle shaft via a universal joint and is movable in the axial direction with respect to the steering shaft. A clamp mechanism having an intermediate shaft fitted to the upper column, an operation lever for fixing and releasing the upper column and the lower column, a spring support portion provided on the lower column and a spring support provided on the upper column. Tilt between the upper part and the upper part of the upper column, including the handle shaft, with a predetermined tilt. It has and a support spring which urges the location and the predetermined axial position.

[0010]

[Action]

 When the operating lever is moved to the release position and the clamp mechanism is freed, the upper column becomes rotatable with respect to the lower column around the support shaft, and the handle shaft, together with the upper column and the intermediate shaft, moves in the axial direction. You can move in the telescopic direction. In such a free state, desired tilt adjustment or telescopic adjustment is performed.

When the clamp mechanism is in the free state, the elastic force of the support spring exerts a force that returns the upper collum to a predetermined tilt position and a predetermined axial direction position, so that the weight on the handle side is offset and tilt adjustment and tilt adjustment are performed. Telescopic adjustment can be performed easily. After adjustment, return the operating lever to the clamp position to return the clamp mechanism to the locked state, and the upper coll will be fixed at the adjusted tilt angle and telescopic position.

[0012]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. The lower column 11 of the steering device 10 of the present embodiment is fixed to the vehicle body side via the fixing parts 12 and the like, as in the conventional high tilt column. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower column 11 includes a pair of left and right side plate portions 13 and 14. Each of the side plate portions 13 and 14 is provided with a first elongated hole 16 along the longitudinal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) and a second elongated hole 17 at a position apart from the elongated hole 16. .. An outer tube 21 is fixed to a bridge portion 20 connecting the side plate portions 13 and 14. The inner tube 22 is inserted inside the outer tube 21.

An upper column 30 is swingably supported on the lower column 11 by horizontal support shafts 25 and 26. The support shafts 25 and 26 are provided with resin collars 27 and 28 having a low friction coefficient. The upper column 30 also includes a pair of left and right side plate portions 31, 32. The support shafts 25 and 26 are fixed to the side plate portions 31 and 32, respectively. Each of the support shafts 25, 26 is inserted into the first elongated hole 16 of the lower column 11 via the collars 27, 28, and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 16.

The upper column 30 uses the support shafts 25 and 26 as tilt centers to move up and down from a tilt neutral upper limit position shown by a two-dot chain line to a tilt lower lower limit position with a tilt neutral position N shown by a solid line in FIG. 1 as a boundary. It can swing in any direction. An arc-shaped elongated hole 35 centering on the support shafts 25 and 26 is provided near the lower end of the upper column 30. The long hole 35 is provided at a position intersecting with the second long hole 17 of the lower column 11.

A clamp mechanism 40 is provided at a position where the long holes 17 and 35 intersect. As shown in FIG. 3, the clamp mechanism 40 of this embodiment has a bolt shaft 41. The bolt shaft 41 is inserted through the second elongated hole 17 and the arcuate elongated hole 35. An operation lever 42 is fixed to one end of the bolt shaft 41. The operation lever 42 can be rotated together with the bolt shaft 41 from a clamp position shown by a solid line in FIG. 1 to a release position shown by a chain double-dashed line.

The bolt shaft 41 is inserted into a hollow tubular member 45. The tubular member 45 also functions as a spacer that regulates the distance between the side plate portions 31 and 32 of the upper column 30. Threaded portions 47 and 48 that are opposite to each other are provided at both ends of the bolt shaft 41. Nut members 50 and 51 are screwed into the screw portions 47 and 48.

The one nut member 50 is held so as not to be rotatable with respect to the one side plate portion 13 and movable in the longitudinal direction of the second elongated hole 17. The other nut member 51 is held non-rotatably with respect to the other side plate portion 14 and movable in the longitudinal direction of the second elongated hole 17.

Therefore, when the operation lever 42 is rotated in the release position direction, the bolt shaft 41 rotates in the first direction, and the nut members 50 and 51 are screwed in the directions away from each other. The side plate portions 31 and 32 of the upper column 30 can move relative to the side plate portions 13 and 14, that is, the free state.

Contrary to the above, when the operation lever 42 rotates in the clamp position direction, the bolt shaft 41 rotates in the second direction and the nut members 50, 51 are screwed in a direction in which they approach each other. The side plate portions 31 and 32 of the upper column 30 are restrained with respect to the side plate portions 13 and 14 of 11, and are in a locked state.

As shown in FIG. 2, a bearing 56 is built in a cylindrical housing 55 provided in the upper column 30, and the handle shaft 57 is rotatably supported by the bearing 56. A boss portion 59 (a part of which is shown in FIG. 2) of a known steering handle is fixed to a tip portion 58 of the handle shaft 57 by a nut 60.

An intermediate shaft 71 is connected to the other end of the handle shaft 57 via a universal joint 70. The rotation center C of the universal joint 70 is located on the center lines of the support shafts 25 and 26. Therefore, the upper column 30 and the handle shaft 57 can be bent in the same direction about the rotation center C of the support shafts 25 and 26 and the universal joint 70. The intermediate shaft 71 passes through the inner side of the inner tube 22.

A spline hole 75 is provided on the other end side of the intermediate shaft 71, and the spline shaft portion 77 of the steering shaft 76 is inserted into the spline hole 75. Therefore, the intermediate shaft 71 can move in the axial direction with respect to the steering shaft 76, and the handle shaft 57 can move in the same direction as the intermediate shaft 71. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the handle shaft 57 moves from the neutral point A in the axial direction toward the contracted side by the stroke S. The other end of the steering shaft 76 is connected to a member (not shown) on the steering gear box side via a well-known steering joint.

The lower column 11 and the upper column 30 are provided with spring support portions 80 and 81 that project in the shape of arms. A support spring 82 is provided between the spring support portions 80 and 81 in a tensioned state. The support spring 82 applies initial tension so as to exert an elastic force that urges the upper column 30 toward the tilt neutral position N and the axial neutral point A shown in FIG. It is set between the spring support portions 80 and 81.

Next, the operation of the steering device 10 having the above configuration will be described. When the tilt adjustment or the telescopic adjustment is performed in the device 10, the operation lever 42 is moved to the release position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. By doing so, the clamp mechanism 40 becomes free, and the constraint between the lower column 11 and the upper column 30 is released. Therefore, the tilt adjustment and the telescopic adjustment of the upper column 30 including the handle shaft 57 can be performed.

In this free state, since the upper column 30 is biased toward the tilt neutral position N by the support spring 82, the handle is inadvertently tilted in the tilt-up direction or tilted when the clamp mechanism 40 is set in the free state. The tilt adjustment can be easily performed without moving in the down direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the upper column 30 is rotated in the tilt-down direction, the support spring 82 is pulled more strongly than in the initial state of FIG. In this way, the support spring 82 stores energy for returning the upper column 30 to the tilt neutral position N. As shown in FIG. 5, when the upper column 30 is rotated in the tilt-up direction, the weight of a member (a handle or the like) on the handle shaft 57 side acts as a force for rotating and lowering the upper column 30.

When performing telescopic adjustment, the handle shaft 57 may be moved to a desired position by pushing or pulling in the axial direction in the free state. Also in this case, since the handle shaft 57 is urged toward the neutral point A in the axial direction by the elastic force of the support spring 82, when the clamp mechanism 40 is in the free state, the handle shaft 57 is inadvertently contracted or This prevents the problem of moving to the extension side and facilitates telescopic adjustment.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the handle shaft 57 is displaced from the neutral point A to the contracted side, the support spring 82 is pulled more strongly than in the initial state of FIG. 1, so that the handle shaft 57 is set to the neutral point A. Energy in the returning direction is stored. On the contrary, when the handle shaft 57 is advanced to the extension side, the support spring 82 is further pulled than in the initial state, so that a force in the direction of returning the handle shaft 57 to the neutral point A is generated.

It is also possible to combine the tilt adjustment and the telescopic adjustment described above. That is, the handlebar angle can be changed when the handlebar shaft 57 is displaced to the contracting side or the extending side with respect to the axial neutral point A. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, adjustment in the tilt-down direction or adjustment in the tilt-up direction is possible with the handle shaft 57 displaced to the contracted side.

After performing the above-described tilt adjustment or telescopic adjustment, when the operation lever 42 is returned to the clamp position to bring the clamp mechanism 40 into the locked state, the upper column 30 is constrained by the lower column 11 and the handlebar is held. Axis 57 is fixed in the desired axial and tilt positions.

Although the support spring 82 in the above-described embodiment biases the upper column 30 toward the tilt neutral position N and the axial neutral point A, it is necessary in implementing the present invention. Accordingly, the mounting position of the support spring 82 may be changed to set the handle shaft 57 so as to urge the handle shaft 57 toward the extension side and the tilt-up direction. Also, a plurality of support springs 82 may be used.

[0032]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the present invention, in a steering device having a tilt function and a telescopic function, one type of support spring is used to urge a predetermined tilt position and a predetermined telescopic direction. Therefore, the structure is simpler compared to the case where the tilt support spring and the telescopic support spring are used as before, the number of parts is reduced, and it is easy to secure the spring mounting space. The installation work is also simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a steering device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a cross section of a part of the steering device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state where the steering device shown in FIG. 1 is tilted down.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the steering device shown in FIG. 1 in a tilted-up state.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the steering device shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the handle shaft is displaced toward the contracted side.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the steering device shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the handle shaft is displaced toward the contracted side and tilted down.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Steering device, 11 ... Lower column, 25, 2
6 ... Spindle, 30 ... Upper column, 40 ... Clamp mechanism,
42 ... Operation lever, 57 ... Handle shaft, 70 ... Universal joint, 71 ... Intermediate shaft, 76 ... Steering shaft, 8
0, 81 ... Spring support part, 82 ... Support spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A lower column fixed to a vehicle body, an upper column swingably provided on the lower column around a horizontal spindle, and a tip end portion rotatably supported by a bearing on the upper column. A steering wheel shaft to which a boss portion of the steering wheel is fixed, an intermediate shaft connected to the steering wheel shaft through a universal joint and fitted to the steering shaft so as to be movable in the axial direction, the upper column and the lower column. A handle that is provided with tension between a clamp mechanism having an operating lever for fixing and releasing the fixation with the spring support portion provided on the lower column and a spring support portion provided on the upper column. A support for urging the member on the upper column side including the shaft toward a predetermined tilt position and a predetermined axial position. Steering apparatus characterized by comprising the Neto.