JPH0547425B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an improvement in a steering wheel position adjustment device for an automobile.

(Prior art) In order to make it easier to operate the steering wheel of an automobile according to the driver's physique, etc., a steering wheel position adjustment device that can adjust the vertical position (tilt) and longitudinal position (telescopic) of the steering wheel is provided. It has been put into practical use.

By the way, as a conventional device of this type, the seventh
As shown in the figure, a fixed steering shaft 4 is supported by a fixed steering column 3 hinged to the vehicle body 1 via a bracket 2, and an adjustable steering shaft 6 is supported by an adjustable steering column 5. The tilting cylinder 7 interposed between the vehicle body 1 and the fixed-side steering column 3 is spline-coupled to adjust the tilt position of the steering handle 8, and also to adjust the tilt position of the steering wheel 8 between the fixed-side steering column 3 and the adjustable-side steering column 5. There is a system in which the telescopic position of the steering handle 8 is adjusted using a telescopic cylinder 9 interposed between the steering wheels (see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 15385/1985).

However, the tilt of the steering wheel 8
Adjustment of the telescopic position is performed separately with dedicated cylinders 7 and 9, so the two cylinders 7 and 9
Moreover, each cylinder 7, 9 needs to be large in size because it supports and operates the heavy steering columns 3, 5, etc. It was also necessary to provide separate locking means for locking each cylinder 7, 9 in the adjusted position.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional art. The purpose is to make the system more compact.

(Structure of the Invention) Therefore, the present invention includes a tilt adjustment mechanism for adjusting the tilt position of a steering wheel;
a telescopic adjustment mechanism for adjusting the telescopic position of the steering handle; a tilt lock means for locking the steering shaft supporting the steering handle at the adjusted position by the tilt adjusting mechanism; and a tilt lock means for locking the steering shaft at the adjusted position by the telescopic adjusting mechanism. a telelock lock means for locking the steering shaft, a lock release means capable of selectively releasing the locked state of each of the lock means of the steering shaft; a switching means for switching the operating state of the lock release means; a switching motor to drive;
The steering wheel is configured to include a drive motor for tilting and telescoping the steering shaft, and power transmission means for transmitting the power of the drive motor to each of the adjustment mechanisms according to the operating state of the lock release means. .

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, the operating state of the lock releasing means is switched by the switching means operated by a small switching motor, and the locked state of each locking means is selectively released. The driving force of the large drive motor is transmitted to each adjustment mechanism via the power transmission means according to the operating state of the lock release means, and the steering shaft is switched between tilting operation and telescopic operation. , it becomes possible to adjust the tilt/telescope position with one large drive motor.

Therefore, it becomes possible to make the device compact and reduce costs, and it becomes possible to easily incorporate it into a narrow space around the steering column.

(Example) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the steering device for an automobile includes a fixed steering shaft 14 that is connected to a fixed steering column 13 whose upper portion is fixed to a vehicle body 12 through a U-shaped fixed bracket 11. The adjustment side steering shaft 1 is rotatably supported, and the adjustment side steering column 17 has a substantially U-shaped telescopic bracket 15 fixed to its lower part.
8 is rotatably supported.

The long holes 1 on both sides 15b, 15b of the telescopic bracket 15 of the adjustment side steering column 17
5a is fitted into a lock bolt 19 welded to a support portion 11a protruding from the fixed bracket 11 in the direction of the telescopic bracket 15, so that the adjustment side steering column 17 is supported so as to be able to swing up and down and slide back and forth. Adjustment side steering shaft 18
The lower part of the fixed steering shaft 14 and the upper part of the fixed steering shaft 14 are connected by a universal joint 20 so as to be able to swing vertically. Therefore, the adjustment side steering column 1
7 and the steering shaft 18 perform a tilting operation using the universal joint 20 as a fulcrum.

Further, the lower part of the adjustment side steering shaft 18 is composed of a joint portion 18a and a spline portion 18b.

Therefore, the adjustment side steering column 17 and the steering shaft 18 are telescopically operated by the spline portion 18b.

In addition, 21 is a steering handle attached to the upper part of the adjustment side steering shaft 18.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a drive motor 25 and a switching motor 26 are fixed to the outer periphery of the lower part of the fixed steering column 13 in parallel in the outer periphery direction by a motor bracket 24, and each motor 25, 2
The worm gears 27a, 27b provided on the output shafts 25a, 26a of the fixed side steering column 13 mesh with sector gears 29a, 29b, respectively, which are pivotally connected by pins 28a, 28b fixed on both sides of the stationary steering column 13. 25 and 26 create a fan-shaped gear 29
a and 29b are each driven.

As shown in FIG. 3, a bush 31 is fitted on the innermost side of the lock bolt 19 of the support part 11a of the fixed bracket 11, and a tilt plate 32 is fitted on the outer side of the bush 31 so as to be able to swing vertically. Furthermore, the elongated hole 15a of the telescopic bracket 15 is fitted to the outside thereof so as to be able to swing up and down and slide back and forth, and the plate 33 of the lock lever 33 is fitted to the outermost side.
A nut 34 welded to a is screwed together.

When the lock lever 33 is rotated to position A in FIG. and both sides 15b of the telescopic bracket 15 are tightened to lock the adjusted tilt/telescopic position of the adjustment side steering column 17 and steering shaft 18.

Both sides 15b of the telescopic bracket 15
There are ratchet teeth 1 for the telescopic lock on the upper and lower edges of the
5c and 15c are formed.

The tilting plate 32 is fitted with the rising portions 32a, 32a of the extensions 15d of the both sides 15b of the telescopic bracket 15, and when the telescopic bracket 15 is vertically swung, the tilting plate 32 is swung up and down in conjunction with the vertical movement of the telescopic bracket 15. When the bracket 15 slides back and forth, the extension portion 15d is connected to the rising portions 32a, 32.
It comes to slide a.

Fan-shaped click grooves 32b, . A click case 38 that fits into one of the grooves 32b and supports a click ball 37 that applies a click friction to the tilt plate 32 is fixed via a bracket 39.

At the upper and lower positions of the upper part of the tilt plate 32, the telescopic bracket 15 is engaged with the ratchet teeth 15c of the telescopic bracket 15.
Lock claws 40, 40 for locking the front and back sliding of the coil springs 42, 42 are pivotally connected with pins 41, 41.
It is biased in the direction of engagement.

The lock lever 33 has lock claws 40, 4.
The lock lever 33 rotates from the A position to the B position in FIG. 1 to tighten the tilt plate 32 and the telescopic bracket 15. When the lock lever 33 is loosened, it does not contact the lock claws 40, 40, but when the lock lever 33 further rotates to the C position, it contacts the lock claws 40, 40 and swings the lock claws 40, 40 to the disengaged position. Then, the engagement with the ratchet tooth 15c for the telescopic lock is released.

The lower part of the lock lever 33 is connected to the lower part of the sector gear 29b of the switching motor 26 by a rod 43b, and the falling part 15e bent downward from both sides 15b of the telescopic bracket 15 is connected to the lower part of the sector gear 29b of the switching motor 26. It is connected to the lower part of No. 25 sector-shaped gear 29a by a rod 43a.

With the above configuration, at the reference position shown in FIG.
Since the lock lever 33 is rotated to the A position via the rod 43b and the tilt plate 32 and the telescopic bracket 15 are tightened by the nut 34, the adjustment side steering column 17 and the steering shaft 18 are locked in the reference position. The steering wheel 21 is at the reference position I.

Therefore, in order to tilt the steering handle 21, the switching motor 26 is first driven, and the fifth
As shown in the figure, rotate the lock lever 33 to position B.

When the lock lever 33 rotates to the B position, the tightening of the tilt plate 32 and the telescopic bracket 15 by the nut 34 is loosened.

Next, when the drive motor 25 is driven, a driving force in the longitudinal sliding direction is applied to the telescopic bracket 15 via the sector gear 29a and the rod 43a, but the tilt plate 32 is applied to the ratchet teeth 15c.
Since the locking pawl 40 is engaged, the device tilts (swings up and down) about the locking bolt 19 together with the tilting plate 32.

Then, the adjustment side steering column 17 and the steering shaft 18 are connected by the telescopic bracket 15.
When the steering handle 21 is adjusted to the desired tilt position by vertical swinging, the drive motor 25 is stopped, and the switching motor 26 is then driven to rotate the lock lever 33 to the A position. Since the telescopic bracket 15 and the telescopic bracket 15 are tightened, the adjustment side steering column 17 and the steering shaft 18 are locked in the tilt position.

Next, in order to telescope the steering wheel 21, first drive the switching motor 26,
As shown in FIG. 6, rotate the lock lever 33 to position C.

When the lock lever 33 rotates to the C position, the tilting plate 3 is rotated by the nut 34 at the B position.
2 and the telescopic bracket 15 are loosened, and the cam portion 33 of the lock lever 33 is loosened.
The lock pawls 40, 40 are moved to the disengaged position at b, 33b, and the ratchet tooth 15 for the telescopic lock is moved.
The engagement with c is released.

Next, when the drive motor 25 is driven, a driving force is applied to the telescopic bracket 15 in the longitudinal direction. At this time, the click ball 37 fits into the click groove 32b of the tilt plate 32, giving a click friction to the tilt plate 32, and conversely, the telescopic bracket 15
is a ratchet tooth 15 formed by locking pawls 40, 40.
c is disengaged and can be easily slid back and forth, so the elongated hole 15 fitted into the lock bolt 19
It will telescope (slide back and forth) while being guided by a.

Then, the adjustment side steering column 17 and the steering shaft 18 are connected by the telescopic bracket 15.
When the steering handle 21 is adjusted to the desired telescopic position by sliding back and forth, the drive motor 25 is locked, and when the switching motor 26 is driven and the lock lever 33 is rotated to the A position, the nut 34 is used to adjust the tilt position. Since the plate 32 and the telescopic bracket 15 are tightened, the adjustment side steering column 17 and the steering shaft 18 are locked in the telescopic position.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a side view of the reference position of the handle position adjustment device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken from FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken from FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken from FIG. 5 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in a tilting operation state, FIG. 6 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in a telescopic operation state, and FIG. 7 is a side view of the conventional handle position adjustment device. FIG. 13... Fixed side steering column, 14...
Fixed side steering shaft, 15... Telescopic bracket, 15a... Long hole, 17... Adjustable side steering column, 18... Adjustable side steering shaft,
20... Universal joint, 21... Steering handle, 25... Drive motor, 26...
...Switching motor, 32...Tilt bracket, 3
2b...Click groove, 33...Lock lever, 3
3b...Cam part, 37...Click ball, 43
a, 43b... Rod.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tilt adjustment mechanism for adjusting the tilt position of the steering handle, a telescopic adjustment mechanism for adjusting the telescopic position of the steering handle, and a steering shaft that supports the steering handle to be locked in the adjusted position by the tilt adjustment mechanism. a tilt lock means for
Telescopic locking means for locking the steering shaft at the adjusted position by the telescopic adjustment mechanism, lock release means capable of selectively releasing the locked state of the steering shaft by each of the lock means, and operation of the lock release means. a switching means for switching the state; a switching motor for driving the switching means; a drive motor for tilting and telescopic operation of the steering shaft; A steering wheel position adjustment device for an automobile, comprising a power transmission means for transmitting power to an adjustment mechanism.