JPH0717411A - Steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a steering device capable of effectively absorbing the primary and secondary impulsive energy even if its stroke to absorb the impulsive energy is not secured sufficiently enough. CONSTITUTION:In such a steering device 20 that a steering column 21 is supported on a car body at least by a lower bracket 22, capsules 26 formed in nearly triangular shapes at their rear ends are fixed to the car body side and engaged with the lower bracket 22 and also slide grooves 25 are formed. And regulating parts 28 for restricting the slide of capsules 26 are provided on the lower bracket 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various steering devices have been proposed. 4 to 8 show conventional steering devices 1, 2, and 3.

The steering apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 4 is of a so-called jacket absorption type (ball-in-tube type), in which a small ball 6 is arranged at the overlapping portion of the steering column outer cylinder 4 and the column inner cylinder 5, and the The sphere plastically deforms the surface of the column outer cylinder 4 to absorb energy.

In the figure, 7 is a retainer for holding the small balls 6, 8 is a lower bracket, and 9 is an upper bracket.

The steering device 2 shown in FIG. 5 is of a so-called shaft absorption type, in which a pipe 11 is fitted to a steering shaft 10 inside a column, and a ball 12 is arranged at the fitting portion. The energy is absorbed by the contraction of.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the joint portion of the steering shaft 10 of the steering device 2 shown in FIG.

The steering device 3 shown in FIG. 7 is of a so-called bracket absorption type, and is used for the steering column 1.
The mounting bracket 14 of No. 3 is provided with a member 15 such as a U-shaped plate or rod for absorbing energy, which is easily deformed, and the energy is absorbed by the deformation of the member.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional shape of the member 15 of the steering device 3 shown in FIG. In FIGS. 7 and 8, 16 is a capsule.

[0009]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional steering devices 1, 2 and 3, the steering columns 4, 5 and 13 and the steering shaft are affected by the primary impact (impact toward the rear of the vehicle received from the front of the vehicle). There is a problem that the stroke for energy absorption of 10 is used up and the stroke for energy absorption at the time of the secondary impact (the impact from the rear of the vehicle toward the front of the vehicle due to the primary impact) is lost. It was

For this reason, it is necessary to take a large stroke, but it is difficult to realize because the space around the steering devices 1, 2, and 3 is not wide enough, and the layout is restricted due to the relation with other equipment. There was a drawback that increased.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the steering can effectively absorb the energy of the primary and secondary impacts without securing a sufficiently large stroke for absorbing the energy of the impact. The purpose is to provide a device.

In the present invention, in order to achieve the above object,
In a steering device in which a steering column is supported on a vehicle body by at least a lower bracket, a capsule having a rear end portion formed in a substantially triangular shape is fixed to a vehicle body side, and a groove in which the capsule is engaged with and slides on the lower bracket. And the lower bracket is provided with a restriction portion for restricting the sliding of the capsule.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a steering device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1
FIG. 3 shows a steering device 20 of this embodiment.

In the steering system 20 of this embodiment, a steering column 21 is supported by a vehicle body 24 by a lower bracket 22 and an upper bracket 23.

A pair of grooves 25, 25 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction are formed on the lower bracket 22 of the steering column 21, and a pair of capsules 26, 26 sliding along the grooves are attached.

A pair of grooves 25, 25 in the lower bracket 22
Are formed in the extending portions 27, 27 of the lower bracket so as to open toward the vehicle rear side, and cut and raised at both ends of the extending portions 27, 27 to form two pairs of restricting portions 28, 28. ing.

Each restricting portion 28 has a plurality of claw pieces 28a, 28a, 28a, 28 bent in a U-shaped cross section.
a, each of the claw pieces is extended toward the groove 24, and each tip has such a size as to restrict sliding of the capsule 26 along the grooves 25, 25 of the lower bracket 22. Has been formed.

The capsule 26 has a rear end portion 26a.
Is formed in a substantially triangular shape, and is fixed to the vehicle body 24 side to which the conventional lower bracket is attached.

1 and 2, 29 is an outer tube, 30 is an inner tube whose rear end is fitted in the front end of the outer tube 29, 31 is an intermediate shaft, 32 is a steering wheel, and 33 is an upper bracket. 23 is a capsule, 34 is a capsule 2
6 and 26 are resin pins that connect the lower bracket 22 to each other.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. That is, when the vehicle body 24 receives a primary impact, the vehicle body 24 is first deformed and the steering column 21 receives a load through the intermediate shaft 31.

At this time, since the capsules 26, 26 on the lower bracket 22 are located deep in the grooves 25, 25, there is no relative movement of the capsules 26, 26 on the lower bracket 22. Therefore, the load due to the primary impact is absorbed by the fitting portion of the outer tube 29 and the inner tube 30 contracting.

At this time, if the length shown by the arrow A in FIG. 1 cannot be sufficiently taken due to the layout restrictions, the portion A is used up, and the load caused by the primary impact is sufficient. Although it cannot be absorbed, this is not the case in this embodiment.

Next, when the steering device 20 receives a secondary impact through the steering wheel 32, the resin pins 34, 34 connecting the capsules 26, 26 to the lower bracket 22 are broken, and the steering column 21 is broken.
Is moved forward of the vehicle.

At this time, the capsules 26, 26 move toward the rear side of the vehicle relative to the lower floor bracket 22, and at the rear end portions 26a, 26a of the triangular shapes thereof, two pairs of restricting portions 28, 28 are provided. Push open.

As a result, each of the capsules 26, 26 has two pairs of restricting portions 28, 28
The movement is regulated by 28, and the energy of the primary and secondary impacts is absorbed.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the energy absorption of the primary and secondary impacts can be effectively performed without securing a large stroke for absorbing the energy of the impact.

In the above embodiment, the regulating portion 28 is formed by the plurality of claw pieces 28a, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be formed by one piece in series.

Further, in the above embodiment, the regulating portion 28 is formed in the groove 2.
However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be formed only on one side of the groove 25.

[0029]

As described above, according to the steering device of the present invention, in the steering device in which the steering column is supported on the vehicle body by at least the lower bracket, the capsule having the rear end portion formed in a substantially triangular shape is formed. Since the lower bracket is provided with a restricting portion for restricting the sliding of the capsule, the lower bracket is fixed to the side bracket, and the lower bracket is formed with a groove in which the capsule is engaged and slides. It is possible to effectively absorb the energy of the primary and secondary impacts without securing a sufficiently large stroke for energy absorption.

Further, in the present invention, the impact energy absorbing performance can be arbitrarily adjusted and changed by appropriately determining the shape, plate thickness, number, size and the like of the regulating portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of a steering device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of the steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention for explaining the operation thereof.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional steering device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional steering device.

6 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional steering device.

8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 Steering Device 21 Steering Column 22 Lower Bracket 23 Upper Bracket 24 Car Body 25 Groove 26 Capsule 26a Rear End 27 Extension Part 28 Restriction Part 28a Claw 34 Resin Pin

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A steering device in which a steering column is supported on a vehicle body by at least a lower bracket, wherein a capsule having a rear end portion formed in a substantially triangular shape is fixed to a vehicle body side, and the capsule is engaged with the lower bracket. In addition, the steering device is characterized in that the sliding groove is formed and the lower bracket is provided with a restricting portion that restricts sliding of the capsule. 2. The restriction portion of the lower bracket is formed by cutting and raising a part of the lower bracket so as to have a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the free end portion of the restriction portion is expanded as the capsule slides. The steering device according to claim 1, wherein: