JPH0752753A - Telescopic steering lock device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To engage a groove with a locking member regulating any rotation of a steering wheel and to prevent the groove from being exposed out of an upper bracket. CONSTITUTION:A turning bracket 53 rotatably supporting a steering shaft 51 is inserted into an upper bracket 55. A lock member 57 is installed in this upper bracket 55, and grooves 65 to 71 are installed in this steering shaft 51. This lock member 57 is engaged with these grooves 65 to 71, thereby regulating any rotation of a steering wheel. Length of these grooves 65 to 71 is set to be shorter than the length ranging from an engaging position of the lock member 57 to a side end 79 of the steering wheel of the upper bracket 55 in terms of design. In addition, when the lock member 57 is engaged with a gearbox side end 75 of the grooves 65 to 71, a steering wheel side end 77 of the grooves 65 to 71 is designed so as not to be exposed out of the upper bracket 55.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering lock device for restricting rotation of a steering wheel of a steering device of an automobile or the like, and more particularly to a telescopic device for restricting rotation of a steering wheel of a steering device having a telescopic function. Steering lock device for vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Prior Art Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-7274 discloses the following telescopic steering lock device.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main portion of a telescopic steering lock device of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-7274. The upper bracket 32 is slidably fitted in the rotating bracket 30, and the rotating bracket 30 supports the steering shaft 15 in a rotatable manner. A steering wheel (not shown) communicates with the steering shaft 15 on the arrow S side in FIG. 4, and a cylinder 17 is fixed to the outer periphery of the steering shaft 15. Cylinder 17
A groove 25 is provided on the outer periphery of the steering shaft 15 substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft 15, and the rotation bracket 30 has a long hole 2 substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft 15.
1 is provided. The upper bracket 32 has a lock member hole 27, and the lock member 23 is movably inserted into the lock member hole 27. The lock member 23 is
Normally, it is separated from the steering shaft 15. However, when the ignition switch is turned off, it is pushed out to the position shown in FIG.
By engaging with, the rotation of the steering shaft 15 is restricted. If the rotation of the steering shaft 15 is restricted, the steering shaft 15
The rotation of the steering wheel connected to is restricted.

Further, when the steering shaft 15 is telescopically moved in the axial direction for adjustment, the lock member 23 can be engaged with the groove 25 of the cylindrical body 17.
The long hole 21 and the groove 25 are configured to extend in the axial direction of the steering shaft 15. Further, since the groove 25 is normally engaged with the lock member 23, grease is applied to the groove 25 and the lock member 23.

[0005]

In the conventional telescopic steering lock device, the groove 25 of the tubular body 17 is provided substantially parallel to the axis of the steering shaft 15, and when the slot 21 and the groove 25 overlap, The locking member engages the groove. Therefore, when the steering shaft 15 is telescopically moved to the steering wheel side and the lock member is engaged with the groove, the groove 25 is exposed through the elongated hole 21. Groove 2
5 may be exposed, dust may enter the groove 25, and the grease in the groove 25 may deteriorate.

According to the present invention, when the end of the groove on the gearbox side is in the engagement position with the lock member, the end of the groove on the steering wheel side is closer to the gearbox than the end surface of the upper bracket on the steering wheel side. It is an object to prevent the groove of the shaft with which the lock member is engaged from being exposed.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is connected, a rotating bracket for rotatably supporting the steering shaft, and a sliding bracket for sliding the rotating bracket. An upper bracket that can be fitted therein, a lock member hole that is provided in the upper bracket, a lock member that is movably inserted into the lock member hole, and the rotation member that is substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft. And a slot provided in the moving bracket, through which the lock member is inserted, and a groove provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft, substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft, with which the lock member is engaged. In the telescopic steering lock device, the length of the groove is measured from the engagement position with the lock member. Serial and being shorter than a length of up to the steering wheel-side end face of the upper bracket.

[0008]

According to the above construction, when the lock member moves in the lock member hole, is inserted through the elongated hole of the rotating bracket and engages with the groove of the steering shaft, the rotation of the steering shaft is restricted, and by extension, the rotation of the steering shaft is restricted. The rotation of the steering wheel is restricted. Further, since the length of the groove is shorter than the length from the engagement position with the lock member to the steering wheel side end surface of the upper bracket, the end portion of the groove on the gearbox side is at the engagement position with the lock member. At one time, the end of the groove on the steering wheel side is closer to the gear box than the end surface of the upper bracket on the steering wheel side. Therefore, the groove engaged with the lock member is always on the gearbox side of the upper bracket.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a telescopic steering lock device according to this embodiment. 2 is a side view of the tubular body 63 of the telescopic steering lock device 2 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a III-II of the tubular body 63 of FIG.
A cross-sectional view is shown.

This embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

One end (the left end in FIG. 1) of the steering shaft 51 is connected to the gear box through the universal joint 14 and an intermediate shaft (not shown), universal joint, and gear shaft. Steering shaft 51
A steering wheel (not shown) is connected to the other end of the. The vehicle can be steered by an occupant turning a steering wheel.

The steering shaft 51 is formed of two shafts fitted and fixed to a cylindrical body 63, which will be described in detail later. The steering shaft 51 includes a pair of bearings 2 at the left and right open end portions of the tubular rotation bracket 53 in FIG.
It is rotatably supported by 5a and 25b. These bearings 25a and 25b are fixed to the outer periphery of the steering shaft 51, and are prevented from being pulled out by the edge portions of the opening portions at both ends of the rotating bracket 53. As a result, the steering shaft 51 is restrained from moving in the axial direction in the turning bracket 53, and is supported so as to be only turnable. The rotating bracket 53 has a convex portion 2 extending on the outer periphery thereof in the direction perpendicular to the axis.
4 are formed. The convex portion 24 is engaged with a concave portion 30 axially provided on the inner circumference of the cylindrical portion of the upper bracket 55. The rotating bracket 53 is biased to the right side in FIG. 1 by the compression coil spring 29, and is fitted into the cylindrical portion 56 of the upper bracket 55. As a result, the rotation bracket 53 is supported by the fitting of the projection 24 into the recess 30 so that the rotation of the rotation bracket 53 is restricted and is slidable only in the axial direction. Further, a stopper 100 is provided to prevent the steering shaft 51 from moving excessively forward of the vehicle. When the steering shaft 51 tries to move excessively forward of the vehicle, the steering wheel (not shown) is locked by the stopper 100, so that the lock member 57 does not cross the cylinder 63.

In the cylindrical portion 56 of the upper bracket 55,
A telescopic lock mechanism 34 is provided. The telescopic lock mechanism 34 is configured by a screw hole 58 that is provided in the cylindrical portion 56 in the radial direction and reaches the recess 30 of the upper bracket 55, and a locking bolt 60 that is screwed into the screw hole 58 so as to be capable of advancing and retracting. . Therefore, the locking bolt 60
When the lock bolt 60 is rotated to move the lock bolt 60 forward, the lock bolt 60 pushes the rotary bracket 53 to restrict axial sliding of the rotary bracket 53 in the upper bracket 55, and the rotary bracket 53 is rotated. The axial movement of the steering shaft 51, whose internal sliding is restricted, is restricted. Further, when the locking bolt 60 is reversely rotated and the locking bolt 60 is retracted, the locking bolt 60 is separated from the rotation bracket 53 and slides in the rotation bracket 53 and the upper bracket 55 in the axial direction. This allows the steering 51, which is restricted from sliding in the rotating bracket 53 in the axial direction, to move in the axial direction with respect to the upper bracket 55. Further, the protrusion 24 comes into contact with the locking bolt 60, thereby restricting the steering shaft 51 from moving more than necessary toward the steering side.

A lock member hole 59 is provided in the upper bracket 55, and a lock member 57 is movably inserted into the lock member hole 59. The lock member 57 is pushed out toward the steering shaft 51 when an ignition switch (not shown) is turned off, and separated from the steering shaft 51 when the ignition switch is turned on.

The rotating bracket 53 has a long hole 61 through which the lock member 57 is inserted. The long hole 61 is provided substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft 51. Here, the tubular body 63 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 are provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 63 substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft 51. The grooves 65 and 67 on the gearbox side are arranged in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body 63 so that
The grooves 69 and 71 on the steering wheel side are provided 0 degrees apart from each other, and the grooves 65 and 6 on the gear box side, respectively.
It is provided so as to be deviated from 7 by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body 63. Further, the grooves 65 and 67 on the gear box side are formed in the cylindrical body 63.
From the end 75 on the gear shaft side to the steering wheel side, and the grooves 69, 71 on the steering wheel side.
Extends from the steering wheel side end 77 of the tubular body 63 to the gear shaft side. Further, the gearbox side grooves 65 and 67 and the steering wheel side grooves 69 and 71 are arranged so as to form a lap margin C overlapping in the axial direction of the tubular body 63. The lap margin C is larger than the axial width B of the steering shaft 51 of the lock member 57. The length of the groove 65 in the axial direction of the steering shaft 51 is shorter than the length A from the engagement position with the lock member 57 to the steering wheel side end surface 79 of the upper bracket 55. Further, the groove 67 on the gear box side and the grooves 69, 71 on the steering wheel side
The axial length of the steering shaft 51 is also adjusted in the same manner.

The operation and effect of the embodiment will be described. When the ignition switch is turned off, the lock member 57 moves in the lock member hole 59 and is pushed out toward the steering shaft 51. At this time, when the positions of the lock member 57 and the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 overlap, the lock member 57 enters the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 and engages with the respective grooves 65, 67, 69, 71. To meet. The rotation of the steering shaft 51 is restricted by the engagement of the lock member 57 and the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71, and thus the rotation of the steering wheel is restricted. Also,
When the positions of the lock member 57 and the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 do not overlap with each other, the lock member 57 contacts the outer periphery of the tubular body 63 of the steering shaft 51. In this state, when the steering shaft 51 is rotated, the tip of the lock member 57 slides on the cylinder 63, and the lock member 57, the groove 65,
When it overlaps with the positions of 67, 69, 71, the lock member 5
7 enters one of the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 and engages with it. In this embodiment, the gearbox-side grooves 65 and 67 and the steering wheel-side grooves 69 and 71 are arranged so as to have a lap margin C overlapping in the axial direction of the tubular body 63. Further, the width of the lap margin C is larger than the width B of the lock member 57 in the axial direction of the steering shaft 51. Therefore, even if the position of the steering shaft 51 is moved telescopically, if the cylinder 63 is rotated halfway, the lock member 57 will be locked in any of the grooves 65, 67, 69 ,.
71 can be always engaged. By the telescopic, the rotation of the steering wheel can be restricted over the entire range in which the steering shaft 51 can move.

The length of the groove 65 is shorter than the length A from the engagement position with the lock member 57 to the steering wheel side end surface 79 of the upper bracket 55. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the steering shaft 51 is moved to the steering wheel side (the right side in FIG. 1) by telescopic movement, and the lock member 57 causes the gearbox side end portion 75 of the groove 65 on the gearbox side to be the lock member. The steering wheel side end 77 of the gearbox side groove 65 is located on the gearbox side of the steering wheel side end surface 79 of the upper bracket 55 when the engagement position with the gearbox 57 is set. . Another groove 67,
The same applies to the steering shaft 5 for 69 and 71.
The axial length of 1 is determined. Therefore, when any of the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 is engaged by the lock member 57, the groove 6 is always removed from the upper bracket 55.
5,67,69,71 are not exposed through the long hole 61. As a result, dust does not enter the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 from the outside, and the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71
The grease in 69 and 71 is not deteriorated by dust.

Further, since the grooves 65, 67, 69, 71 are not visible from the upper bracket, the appearance is improved.

In this embodiment, the number of grooves was four, but
The number of grooves is not limited.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be carried out in various modified and improved modes based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

According to the present invention, since the groove of the steering shaft engaged with the lock member is not exposed,
Dust will not enter the groove. Therefore, the grease in the groove is not deteriorated by the dust.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of a telescopic steering lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a side view of a tubular body 63 of the telescopic steering lock device 2 shown in FIG.

3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of the cylindrical body 63 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a telescopic steering lock device of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-7274.

[Explanation of symbols]

 51 ・ ・ ・ Steering shaft 53 ・ ・ ・ Rotating bracket 55 ・ ・ ・ Upper bracket 57 ・ ・ ・ Lock member 59 ・ ・ ・ Lock member hole 61 ・ ・ ・ Long hole 65, 67, 69, 71 ・ ・ ・ Groove

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A steering shaft to which a steering wheel is connected, a rotating bracket for rotatably supporting the steering shaft, an upper bracket for slidably fitting the rotating bracket, and an upper bracket for the upper bracket. The lock member hole provided, the lock member movably inserted into the lock member hole, and the rotation bracket provided in the rotating bracket substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft, and the lock member is inserted therethrough. Long hole,
In a telescopic steering lock device having a groove provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft, and having a groove with which the lock member is engaged, the length of the groove is the lock member. A telescopic steering lock device characterized in that the length is shorter than the length from the engagement position with the end face of the upper bracket on the steering wheel side.