JPH0790782B2 - Car steering support structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure of an automobile, and more particularly to a structure for supporting a steering column on the vehicle body.

-Prior Art-In general, a steering column of an automobile is generally supported by a post bracket for fixing a base portion to a cowl box at an upper portion thereof and a lower mount bracket for fixing a base portion to a dash lower panel at a lower portion thereof. In such a steering column support structure, when the cowl box or the dash lower panel is deformed toward the vehicle interior due to a frontal collision of the vehicle, the steering column also moves toward the driver, which is not preferable.

For this reason, conventionally, a steering support structure as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-177873. That is, in this steering support structure, a reinforcement 2 having high rigidity for firmly fixing the base portion 2a to the driver side dash side panel 1 is extended substantially parallel to the cowl box 3 and the steering column 4 is attached to the reinforcement 2. A steering member 6 that supports the upper and lower parts of the vehicle with upper mount brackets 5A and lower mount brackets 5B and fixes the tip 2b of the reinforcement 2 to the dash side panel 1 on the opposite side.
Fit on the corresponding end of. Then, for reinforcement of the reinforcement 2, the base portion 7b of the reinforcement bracket 7 in which the intermediate portion 7a is folded into a lightning bolt in the horizontal plane is fixed to the cowl box 3,
A tip portion 7c of the reinforcing bracket 7 is joined to an intermediate portion of the reinforcement 2. Therefore, according to such a steering support structure, the reinforcing bracket 7 is not deformed when the cowl box 3 is deformed due to a frontal collision accident of an automobile.
Reinforcement 2 with the middle part 7a bent into a "Z" shape
Also, the movement of the steering column 4 is prevented.

Therefore, in this steering support structure, the thick reinforcing bracket 7 having high rigidity cannot be used due to the bending deformation of the reinforcing bracket 7, so that the reinforcement 2 is supported to stabilize the supporting state of the steering column 4.
It is necessary to increase the outer shape of the reinforcement 2 to enhance the support rigidity of the reinforcement 2. However, the thick and long reinforcement 2 causes a problem of narrowing the internal space of the instrument panel even though it contributes to strengthening the support rigidity of the steering column 4. Further, in the support structure, since the relationship with the pedal bracket 10 such as the brake pedal 9 fixed to the dash lower panel 8 is not taken into consideration, the pedal bracket 10 is shown by a phantom line in FIG. When the vehicle is moved to, there is a risk that the pedal bracket 10 and the reinforcement 2 interfere with each other and the steering column 4 moves toward the driver.

-Object of the Invention-In view of the problems of the conventional steering support structure as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering column having a high support rigidity without occupying a large space, and a cowl box or a cowl box due to an external force. This is to obtain a steering support structure in which the steering column does not move due to interference with the pedal bracket even if the dash lower panel is deformed.

-Structure of the invention-In order to achieve this object, the present invention is a vehicle body structure having a cowl box extending in the vehicle width direction between the upper front portions of the left and right dash side panels, and is parallel to the cowl box in a state of being separated from the cowl box. A steering member extending between the two dash side panels, and fixing the upper steering bracket supporting the upper part of the steering column to the middle part of the steering member and fixing the upper end base to the cowl box. A lower steering bracket that supports the lower part of the steering column is fixed to the lower end, and a pedal bracket smaller than the distance between both legs of the gate mount bracket is fixed to the dash lower panel portion facing the mount bracket in the vehicle front-rear direction. Together with the mount bracket It is proposed to connect the pedal and the pedal bracket with a joint member that allows relative movement in the vehicle front-rear direction but prohibits relative movement in the vehicle width direction.

-Examples-Details of the examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figs.

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are given to the same structural parts as those in FIG. 5 described above. That is, the vehicle body structure to which the present invention is applied, that is, the cowl box 3 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided between the upper front parts of the left and right dash side panels 1, which is exactly the same as the conventional one. A single steering member 12 is hung between the left and right dash side panels 1 using a mounting bracket 11. The longitudinal intermediate portion of the steering member 12, which is kept substantially parallel to the cowl box 3 in a separated state, has its lower portion fixed to the tunnel portion 13a of the floor panel 13 in order to enhance mounting rigidity with respect to the vehicle body. Since it is connected to the upper portions of 14A and 14B, it does not require so much rigidity itself, so a relatively thin hollow pipe may be used. An upper steering bracket 15 is welded to a portion of the steering member 12 corresponding to the steering column 4, and the upper portion of the steering column 4 is supported by the steering member 12 while being sandwiched between the upper steering bracket 15 and the holding bracket 16. I am doing it.

In addition, the cowl box 3 in front of the steering column 4
At the rear, the upper base 17a of the portal mount bracket 17
Is fixed. The base 17a of this mount bracket 17
Is welded to the cowl box 3 in a state of covering the rear surface and the lower surface of the cowl box 3 in order to enhance the mounting rigidity with respect to the cowl box 3. The mount bracket 17 has a pair of leg pieces 17b, 17c opposed to each other in the vehicle width direction. The bracket 18 is fixed using a holding bracket 18A. Opening holes 19 are formed on the surfaces of the leg pieces 17b and 17c in order to reduce the weight of the mount bracket 17, but as shown in FIG. Leg piece 17 when the dash lower panel 8 is deformed
In order to deform b and 17c, notches 20A and 20B are formed, and easily bendable portions are formed on a part of the leg pieces 17b and 17c.

A pedal bracket 23 that supports the brake pedal 22 is fixed to the surface of the dash lower panel 8 on the vehicle interior side by using a mounting bolt 21 or the like. The pedal bracket 23 is mounted at the two positions of the mount bracket 17 described above. The pieces 17b and 17c are formed so as to correspond to the middle of the vehicle width direction and the width thereof is smaller than the distance between the leg pieces 17b and 17c.

Also, the mount bracket 17 and the pedal bracket 23
Are connected by a joint member that allows relative movement of the both in the vehicle front-rear direction but prohibits relative movement of the both in the vehicle width direction plane. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, this joint member is, as shown in FIG. 3, a thin plate 24 fixed to the rear end portion of the pedal bracket 23 and an "L" -shaped connection for connecting the thin plate 24 to the mount bracket 17. It is composed of a member 25. That is, the thin plate 24 having the upper end 24a fixed to the rear end of the pedal bracket 23 can be easily deformed by the force in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and is not deformed by the external force in the vehicle width direction. It is placed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the side edge portion 25a of the connecting member 25 is fixed to the lower end portion 24b by an adjusting screw 26. For this attachment, a long hole 27 in the vehicle width direction, into which the adjusting screw 26 can be inserted, is formed in the side portion 25a of the connecting member 25. In addition, a rigid connecting member 25
The other side portion 25b of the mount bracket 17 is fixed to the portion from the lower end of the leg piece portion 17b of the mount bracket 17 by the fixing screw 28.Therefore, when connecting the mount bracket 17 and the pedal bracket 23, the fixing screw 28 is used. After fixing the member 25 to the leg piece 17b, the long hole 27 is used to adjust the relative position of the thin plate 24, that is, the pedal bracket 23 and the connecting member 25, and the adjusting screw.
Tighten 26.

Since the illustrated embodiment has the above-described structure, the steering column 4 is supported at its upper portion by the thin steering member 12 firmly fixed to the dash side panel 1 and the instrument stays 14A and 14B. The space occupied by the instrument panel becomes smaller, and the space inside the instrument panel can be fully utilized.

Further, since the support state of the steering column 4 is very stable, it is possible to obtain a support state having a so-called "scratch" feeling. That is, the upper part of the steering column 4 is
Since it is supported by the steering member 12 whose both ends are firmly fixed to the dash side panel 1, it is needless to point out again that the supporting state is very stable. The lower portion of the steering column 4 is supported by a mount bracket 17 that is firmly fixed to the cowl box 3, but the leg pieces 17b and 17c of the leg portions 17b and 17c against external force parallel to the plane in which they are included. Indicates a very stable flexural rigidity. However, although the leg pieces 17b and 17c have only a small bending rigidity with respect to the external force in the vehicle width direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1, the thin plate 24 connected to the leg pieces 17b has the same vehicle width. Since a very large bending rigidity is exerted against an external force in any direction, as a result, the lower portion of the steering column 4 can be stably supported by an external force in any direction.
Therefore, the movement of the lower portion of the steering column 4 in the diametrical plane, that is, the steering vibration is sufficiently suppressed.

In addition, when the cowl box 3 and the dash lower panel 8 are deformed toward the interior of the vehicle due to a frontal collision accident of an automobile or the like, the upper portion of the steering column 4 is located at a portion not directly related to these panels. Since it is supported by the fixed steering member 12, there is no possibility that the upper part of the steering column 12 moves toward the driver due to the deformation of these panels. Also, at the time of this frontal collision, the pedal bracket 23 fixed to the dash lower panel 8 moves to the rear of the vehicle body as shown by the phantom line in FIG. , 17c, it is prevented from interfering with the mount bracket 17 and the pedal bracket 23 does not collide with the separated steering member 12, so that the steering column 12 is prevented from moving backward due to the movement of the pedal bracket 23. To be done. When the pedal bracket 23 is moved, the thin plate 24 is freely deformed by a small force as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 1, so that the mount bracket 17 does not move as the pedal bracket 23 moves, The movement of the mount bracket 17 is prevented.

As shown by the phantom line in FIG. 1, the steering column 4 may be coupled to the rack and pinion type steering device 29. However, in such a rack and pinion type steering device 29, Pinion shaft
Since the coupling position of 29a is displaced in the vehicle width direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1) with respect to the longitudinal direction of the steering column 4, the steering device 29 is moved by the engine 30 due to a frontal collision of the vehicle body. When the steering column 4 is moved rearward, the lower portion of the steering column 4 is moved in the vehicle width direction, and the steering column 4 tends to incline with the upper portion as a fulcrum. However, since the bending rigidity of the thin plate 24 having the illustrated structure in the vehicle width direction is very large, it is possible to prevent the steering column 4 from tilting due to the same tilting force from the steering device.

Incidentally, the thin plate 24 in the above embodiment may be a rigid member to be a member for mounting a stop lamp switch (not shown), and only the connecting member 25 may be a joint member.

-Effects of the Invention-As is clear from the above description, in the present invention, the steering member for fixing both ends to the vehicle body is provided with the gate mount bracket for fixing the upper portion of the steering column to the cowl box. Since the support bracket is supported and the mount bracket and the pedal bracket are connected by the joint member, it is possible to obtain a structure having a small occupying space and high support rigidity. With the steering support structure, it is possible to obtain a structure capable of preventing the rearward movement of the steering column in the event of a frontal collision of a vehicle.
That is, by arranging the pedal bracket in the present invention between both leg pieces of the mount bracket, it is possible to prevent the steering column from moving in the vehicle interior direction due to the movement of the pedal bracket. Since a joint member that allows relative movement in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body but prohibits relative movement in the vehicle width direction is connected, the support rigidity of the lower portion of the steering column can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a sectional view taken along the line I--I of FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the steering support structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention as seen from the vehicle interior, and FIG. 3 is the steering support structure. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional steering support structure, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 1 ... Dash side panel, 3 ... Cowl box, 4 ... Steering column, 8 ... Dash lower panel, 12 ... Steering member, 15 ... Upper steering bracket, 17 ... Mounting bracket, 18 ... Lower steering bracket , 23 …… Pedal bracket, 24 …… Thin plate (joint member), 25 …… Connecting member (joint member).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a vehicle body structure having a cowl box extending in a vehicle width direction between front upper portions of left and right dash side panels, a steering member extending in parallel to the cowl box and extending parallel to each other is provided between the dash side panels. An upper steering bracket that supports the upper part of the steering column is fixed to the middle part of the steering member, and the cowl box supports the lower part of the steering column to the lower end part of the gate mount bracket that fixes the upper end base part. The steering bracket is fixed, and a pedal bracket for mounting a brake pedal or the like having a distance smaller than both legs of the gate mount bracket is fixed to a portion of the dash lower panel facing the mount bracket in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. And Bae Steering support structure of a motor vehicle, characterized in that during the relative movement to both the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is allowed linked with catch member to prohibit relative movement in the vehicle width direction between Le bracket.