JPH0811725A - Steering column for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent unlocking in an emergency in a tilt steering column locked by a tilt bolt. CONSTITUTION:A nut 12 fixed to a tilt lever 13 is screwed with a tilt bolt 10 piercing an upper clamp 1 and a distance bracket 3 clamped by the upper clamp 1, and the tilt lever 13 is rotated to fasten the upper clamp 1 to the distance bracket 3 so as to lock a tilt set position. In such a steering column for a vehicle, a lock plate 24 with a tooth part 24a is fixed to the outer side part of the upper clamp 1, along a tilting oblong hole 8 into which the tilt bolt 10 is fitted with play. A tilt lock plate 21 provided with a tooth part 21a to be meshed with the tooth part 24a of the lock plate 24 is fitted with play to the tilt bolt 10, and an elastic member such as a wavy washer 23 is interposed between the tilt lock plate 21 and the tilt lever 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle steering column of a type in which tilt adjustment of a steering wheel is locked by a tilt bolt with which a nut fixed to a tilt lever is screwed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a vehicle steering column, there is provided a tilt steering column in which a steering wheel is vertically movable in front of a driving occupant for the purpose of ensuring an optimum driving posture of the driving occupant.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, a jacket tube 4 is vertically movably clamped by an upper clamp 1 fixed to a vehicle body 2 by a distance bracket 3 which is clamped and vertically movable. A lower clamp 5 having flexibility is provided near the lower end of the vehicle body 2
Fixed to this jacket 4 and steering shaft 6
Rotatably penetrates, the steering wheel 7 is pivotally attached to the steering shaft 6, and the distance bracket 3 is provided with a hole 9 that matches the tilt long hole 8 of the upper clamp 1. The hole 9 and the tilt long hole 8 are provided in the hole 9 and the tilt long hole 8. Tilt bolt 1
0, and the detent member 1 is attached to the head of the tilt bolt 10.
1, a tilt lever 13 having a nut 12 fixed to a screw portion is screwed.

When the tilt lever 13 is rotated to release the upper clamp 1 from tightening the distance bracket 3, the jacket tube 4 can be moved and adjusted in the vertical direction through the distance bracket 3, and the steering wheel 7 can be adjusted by the operator. Move it up and down in the foreground to set it to the desired position, then rotate the tilt lever 13 in the opposite direction to move the distance bracket 3 with the upper clamp 1.
When is tightened, it will be locked at the set position. Therefore, the tilt lock is performed by the frictional force generated between the upper clamp 1 and the distance bracket 3 by the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10.

[0005]

However, in order to fix the position of the distance bracket 3 in the upper clamp 1 by the frictional force generated between the upper clamp 1 and the distance bracket 3 by the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10, When a force that overcomes the frictional force is applied, it is clear that the distance bracket 3 easily slides up the upper clamp 1 to cause an unlocking in which the initially set position of the steering wheel 7 changes.

For example, in a secondary collision accident in which a driving occupant collides with the steering wheel 7 during a vehicle frontal collision,
Since the steering shaft 6 is arranged at an angle that intersects the driving occupant at an angle, the steering wheel 7
When the driving occupant collides with the vehicle, the load causes an input of the steering shaft 6 in the axial direction and a component force in the horizontal direction, so that the distance bracket 3 is moved forward and upward through the jacket tube 4. Therefore, the distance bracket 3 easily moves to the front side and the upper side of the vehicle body against the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10.

In order to deal with this unlocking, the axial force of the tilt bolt 10 may be increased. However, if this is done, the operating force required for tilt adjustment will be excessively large, and the adjustment operation will be performed for a weak driving occupant. Can not be.

Further, recently, it is becoming more and more common to store an airbag device in a steering wheel and to provide a protection means for alleviating the impact of a driving occupant due to the airbag being inflated in a collision accident. However, airbags are not effective unless the driving occupant collides head-on. That is, when the airbag moves due to the collision of the driving occupant, the intended purpose of the airbag cannot be completely achieved even if the driving occupant collides.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to prevent an emergency unlocking of a tilt steering column locked by a tilt bolt.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a vehicle steering column, a nut fixed to a tilt lever is screwed to a tilt bolt that penetrates an upper clamp and a distance bracket held by the clamp. In the vehicle steering column in which the tilt setting position is locked by rotating the tilt lever and tightening the upper clamp to the distance bracket, a tilt long hole in which the lock plate having teeth is loosely fitted in the tilt bolt. Fixed to the outer portion of the upper clamp along with a lock plate having teeth engaging with the teeth of the lock plate is loosely fitted to the tilt bolt, and between the tilt lock plate and the tilt lever. It is characterized by interposing a bullet.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the nut fixed to the tilt lever is screwed into the tilt bolt penetrating the upper clamp and the distance bracket held by the upper clamp, and the tilt lever is rotated to move the upper clamp. In a vehicle steering column that locks the tilt setting position by tightening it on a distance bracket, a tooth portion is formed on the inner side of the tilt elongated hole of the upper clamp through which the tilt bolt penetrates, and a tooth portion that meshes with this tooth portion is formed. The stopper lever is loosely fitted into the tilt long hole, and the cam plate that holds this stopper lever and rotates with the tilt lever is interposed between the stopper lever and the tilt lever, and the cam hole is formed in the cam plate. Install it and screw the cam part that engages and disengages with this cam hole to the tilt bolt. Characterized in that formed on the bets.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the tilt lever is pivotally operated to release the tightening of the tilt bolt to the distance bracket by the tilt bolt, the ammunition machine slidably contacting the tilt lever rotates together with the tilt lock plate. Are rotated together, whereby the engagement between the tilt lock plate and the tooth portion of the lock plate is released, and the tilt bolt can move up and down in the tilt elongated hole.

On the contrary, when the tilt lever is rotated to tighten the upper clamp to the distance bracket with the tilt bolt, the ammunition machine slidably contacting the tilt lever rotates together to rotate the tilt lock plate together.
As a result, the tilt, the lock plate, and the teeth of the lock plate mesh with each other, and the tilt bolt cannot move up and down in the tilt long hole.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the tilt lever is pivotally operated to release the tightening of the tilt bolt by the tilt bolt to the distance bracket, the cam portion of the nut that is screwed into the tilt bolt is the cam of the cam plate. By engaging the hole and rotating the stopper lever, the tooth portion of the stopper lever is disengaged from the tooth portion of the upper clamp, and the tilt bolt can be moved up and down in the tilt elongated hole.

On the contrary, when the tilt lever is rotated to tighten the upper clamp to the distance bracket with the tilt bolt, the stopper lever is rotated by the cam hole engaging with the cam portion, and the stopper is rotated. The tooth portion of the lever meshes with the tooth portion of the upper clamp, so that the tilt bolt cannot move up and down in the tilt long hole.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the figure, the same parts as those in the conventional example will be described using the same reference numerals.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a stopper lever 20 is fitted in the elongated hole 8 for tilting of the upper clamp 1 so as to be vertically movable, and abuts on the stopper lever 20. The tilt lock plate 21,
The washer 2 that contacts the tilt lock plate 21.
2 and a wave washer 23 that comes into contact with the tilt lock plate 21 are respectively loosely fitted to the tilt bolt 10, and the threaded portion 10a of the tilt bolt 10 is attached to the tilt lever 13.
The lock plate 24 is screwed into the nut 12 and is fixed in the longitudinal direction in the vicinity of the tilt long hole 8.

The stopper lever 20 is a member having an L-shaped cross section formed with a width W ₁ slightly narrower than the width W of the tilting hole 8, and the stopper portion 20a projecting orthogonally to the upper clamp 1 has a tilt lever. The rotation stop of the tilt lever 13 is formed by sliding contact with the circular arc portion 13a of the tilt lever 13. The tilt lock plate 21 and the lock plate 24 are formed with teeth 21a and 24a that mesh with each other. The wave washer 23 generates a force for separating the tilt lever 13, that is, the nut 12 and the stopper lever 20.

Therefore, by rotating the tilt lever 13 to move the nut 12 to the upper clamp 1 side, the upper clamp 1 is moved to the distance bracket 3 side.
When it is fastened to the tilt lever 13, the tilt lock plate 21 contacts with the stopper lever 20 while rotating in the same direction as the tilt lever 13 through the wave washer 23 that slidably contacts the tilt lever 13 and the tilt lock plate 21, and faces the lock plate 24. The tooth portions 21a and 24a mesh with each other.

Therefore, even if the driving occupant collides with the steering wheel 7 and an input larger than the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10 is generated between the upper clamp 1 and the distance bracket 3, the tilt bolt 10 tries to move upward. Since the tooth portions 24a and 21a are meshed with each other, the tilt bolt 10 is prevented from moving, and thus the distance bracket 3 is prevented from moving, so that the jacket tube 4 is prevented.
Cannot move upward, so the position of the steering wheel 7 does not change.

That is, the upper clamp 1 and the stopper lever 20 are integrated by the tooth portions 24a and 21a,
Further, the tilt bolt 10 penetrates and is integrated with the stopper lever 20, and the tilt bolt 10 penetrates and is integrated with the distance bracket 3, and the jacket tube 4 is integrated with the distance bracket 3 by welding or the like. Because it is.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the wave washer 23 is replaced with a compressible coil spring 25, and the other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment. is there. The operation is also substantially the same as that of the first embodiment.

Furthermore, the third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 9, a torsion spring 26 is used instead of the wave washer 23 in the first embodiment.
One end 26a of the torsion spring 26 is used as the stopper 20a of the stopper lever 20, and the other end 26b is used.
Are engaged with the tilt lock plate 21 respectively, and the protrusions 21b are formed on the tilt lock plate 21 and are engaged with and disengaged from the protrusions 21b.
Is formed on the tilt lever 13. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

The torsion spring 26 rotates the tilt lock plate 21 to the lock plate 24 side, and always biases the tooth portions 21a and 24a so that they can mesh with each other. Therefore, the driving occupant collides with the steering wheel 7 and an input larger than the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10 is applied to the upper clamp 1.
Between the tilt bracket 1 and the distance bracket 3
Even if 0 moves upward, the movement of the tilt bolt 10 is blocked because the tooth portions 24a and 21a are meshed with each other, and thus the movement of the distance bracket 3 is blocked, and the jacket tube 4 moves upward. Therefore, the position of the steering wheel 7 does not change.

When the nut 12 is moved in a direction away from the upper clamp 1, the tilt lever 13 is rotated, that is, when the tilt lever 13 is pushed down, the protrusion 13b comes into contact with the protrusion 21b and the tilt lock plate. 21 is pressed and rotated, so that the teeth 21a,
The engagement of 24a is forcibly released.

Therefore, in the case of the first and second embodiments,
The tilt lock plate 21 does not rotate simply by rotating the tilt lever 13, so that the teeth 21a,
It is possible to prevent the engagement of 24a from not being released. In addition, the torsion spring 26 has teeth 21a,
Even if the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10 is insufficient, the teeth portion 21a, 24a,
The engagement of 24a is promoted to ensure locking.

In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the tilt lever 13 and the tilt lock plate 2 are provided.
1, pins 13c and 21c are provided so as to be orthogonal to each other, and a wave washer 27 having a protrusion 27a that abuts on these pins 13c and 21c is interposed between the tilt lever 13 and the tilt lock plate 21. The other structure is basically the same as that of the above embodiment. The pins 13c and 21c are in contact with the protrusions 27a at positions facing each other in the diametrical direction of the tilt bolt 10, respectively.

Therefore, when the tilt lever 13 is pushed up to tighten the tilt bolt 10, the pin 13c of the tilt lever 13 abuts on the protrusion 27a to rotate the wave washer 27, whereby the other protrusions 27 are rotated.
The pin 21 of the tilt lock plate 21 that is in contact with a
c is rotated counterclockwise, so that the tilt lock plate 21 is forcibly rotated counterclockwise and the teeth 21a, 2
4a meshes.

Therefore, even if the driving occupant collides with the steering wheel 7 and an input larger than the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10 is generated between the upper clamp 1 and the distance bracket 3, the tilt bolt 10 tries to move upward. Since the tooth portions 24a and 21a are meshed with each other, the tilt bolt 10 is prevented from moving, and thus the distance bracket 3 is prevented from moving, so that the jacket tube 4 is prevented.
Cannot move upward, so the position of the steering wheel 7 does not change.

When the tilt lever 13 is pushed down to release the tightening of the tilt bolt 10, the pin 13c of the tilt lever 13 comes into contact with the protrusion 27a to rotate the wave washer 27, whereby the other protrusions 27a.
21c of the tilt lock plate 21 that is in contact with the
Rotate clockwise, so tilt lock plate 2
1 is forcibly rotated clockwise, and the meshing of the teeth 21a and 24a is released.

Furthermore, the fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 14, a stopper lever 20 is vertically movably fitted into the tilting elongated hole 8 of the upper clamp 1.
A stack tilt lock plate 21 is arranged on the stopper lever 20 and is loosely fitted to the tilt bolt 10.
The stopper lever 20 is integrally formed with a spring hooking projection 20b which rises from the tilting long hole 8 and stands up. One end of the bullet 28 is locked to this spring hooking projection 20b, and the other end is tilt lock lever 21. Lock on.

The tilt lock lever 21 has a tooth portion 21a, and this tooth portion 21a meshes with the tooth portion 24a of the tilt lock plate 24 fixed near the tilting elongated hole 8. Further, the tilt lock lever 21 is formed with a hook portion 21d that protrudes in the radial direction below the tooth portion 21a, and the tilt lever 13 provided with a pin 13d that abuts on the hook portion 21d is superposed on the tilt lock lever 21. The nut portion 12 arranged and fixed to the tilt lever 13 has a tilt bolt 1
It is screwed to 0.

Therefore, since the tilt lock lever 21 is constantly urged to rotate counterclockwise about the tilt bolt by the urging force of the ammunition machine 26, the tooth portion 21a of the tilt lock plate 21 has a tooth portion of the tilt lock plate 24. Part 2
Mesh with 4a. Therefore, even if the driving occupant collides with the steering wheel 7 and an input larger than the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10 is generated between the upper clamp 1 and the distance bracket 3 and the tilt bolt 10 tries to move upward, the tooth portion 24a , 21a are engaged with each other, the movement of the tilt bolt 10 is prevented, and therefore the movement of the distance bracket 3 is prevented, and the jacket tube 4 cannot be moved upward. Therefore, the position of the steering wheel 7 is displaced. There is no such thing.

When the tilt lever 13 is pushed down to release the tightening of the tilt bolt 10, the pin 13
d contacts the hook portion 21d so that the tilt lock lever 21
Is rotated clockwise against the force of the bullet 28. Therefore, the meshing of the tooth portions 21a and 24a is released, and
The nut 12 moves the tilt bolt 10 to release the tightening of the upper clamp 1, and the tilt bolt 10 can move in the tilt long hole 8 together with the stopper lever 20.

When the tilt adjustment is performed and the tilt bolt 10 is positioned at a desired height within the tilt elongated hole 8, the pin 13d is separated from the hook portion 21d by rotating the tilt lever 13 to the original state. , Tilt lock lever 13
Is rotated counterclockwise by the force of the bullet 28 to rotate the teeth 21a, 2
4a is engaged, and the nut 12 is tilt bolt 1
Move 0 in the opposite direction and tighten the upper clamp 1,
The set tilt adjustment is fixed.

Finally, the sixth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 16 to 16, a tooth portion 8a is formed on the upper inner side of the elongated slot 8 for tilt of the upper clamp 1, and a protrusion 20c loosely fitted in the elongated hole 8 for tilt and a tooth portion of the elongated slot 8 for tilt. 8a
The stopper lever 20 provided with a claw-shaped tooth portion 20d that meshes with the tilt lever 10 and the cam plate 31 that abuts on the stopper lever 20 are loosely fitted to the tilt bolt 10.
A tilt lever 13 having a nut 12 fixed thereto is screwed into 0.

The cam plate 31 is the stopper lever 20.
Is formed of a spring steel plate having a U-shaped cross section for holding the side surface of the cam hole 29, and a cam hole 29 having a substantially fan-shaped tongue piece portion 31e projecting toward the center at equal intervals is formed inside the circular hole 31d. The tilt bolt 10 penetrates. The tongue piece portion 31e projects toward the tilt lever 13 side. The nut 12 of the tilt lever 13 is provided with a cam portion 30 including a substantially fan-shaped convex portion 12a and a concave portion 12b corresponding to the tongue portion 31e. The convex portion 12a has a tapered surface that is inclined in the tightening and rotating direction of the tilt lever 13.

Therefore, when the tilt lever 13 is rotated and the upper clamp 1 is tightened with the tilt bolt 10, the cam portion 30 of the nut 12 engages with the cam hole 29 of the cam plate 31 as shown in FIG. Together, the stopper lever 20 is rotated counterclockwise so that its tooth portion 20d engages with the tooth portion 8a. In addition, when locked, the convex portion 12a of the tilt lever 13 is located on the tongue piece portion 31e of the cam plate 31, and when unlocked, the convex portion 12a has a circular hole 31d.
Is fitted.

Therefore, even if the driving occupant collides with the steering wheel 7 and an input larger than the tightening force of the tilt bolt 10 occurs between the upper clamp 1 and the distance bracket 3, the teeth 8a, 20d are meshed. Therefore, the distance bracket 3 is prevented from moving, and the jacket tube 4 cannot move upward. Therefore, the position of the steering wheel 7 is not displaced.

Then, in order to adjust the tilt, the tilt lever 13 is rotated in the opposite direction to release the tightening of the upper clamp 1 by the tilt bolt 10, and the cam portion 30 is released.
The cam plate 31 rotates clockwise through the cam hole 29 with which the stopper lever 20 rotates, and the stopper lever 20 rotates clockwise to separate the tooth portion 20d from the tooth portion 8a. The tilting long hole 8 can be moved up and down, and tilt adjustment can be performed.

The hole 20e of the stopper lever 20 into which the tilt bolt 10 is loosely fitted is a vertically elongated hole, and its size is set to be about one tooth of the tooth portion 8a. Even if the tooth portion 8a and the tooth portion 20d are deviated when the upper clamp 1 is tightened and fixed with the bolt 10, the stopper lever 20 moves by the long hole 20e, and the tooth portion 8a and the tooth portion 20e mesh with each other.

According to the present invention described above, when the tilt bolt is tightened via the tilt lever, the teeth of the tilt lock plate or the stopper lever are automatically and automatically replaced with the teeth of the lock plate or the teeth of the upper clamp. The meshing allows the driver's load to be input to the steering wheel in the event of a vehicle collision, so that the steering column locks securely without unlocking, so the position of the steering column does not change. The effectiveness as a steering column is enhanced.

When the tightening of the tilt bolt is released via the tilt lever, the teeth of the tilt lock plate or the stopper lever loosely fitted in the tilt bolt are separated from the teeth of the lock plate or the teeth of the upper clamp, and the tilt bolt is removed. Since it is possible to move up and down in the tilt long hole, it does not adversely affect the tilt adjusting operation.

[0044]

According to the present invention described above, when the tilt bolt is tightened via the tilt lever, the tooth portions of the tilt lock plate or the stopper lever are automatically and automatically set to the tooth portions of the lock plate or the teeth of the upper clamp. Since it meshes with the parts, even if the load of the operator is input to the steering wheel in the event of a vehicle collision, the steering column is locked securely without being easily unlocked, so the position of the steering column does not change, and the The effectiveness as a steering column for a bag-compatible vehicle is enhanced.

Then, when the tightening of the tilt bolt is released via the tilt lever, the teeth of the tilt lock plate or the stopper lever loosely fitted in the tilt bolt separate from the teeth of the lock plate or the teeth of the upper clamp, and the tilt bolt is released. Since it can move up and down in the tilting long hole, it does not adversely affect the tilt adjusting operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a front view of a main part of FIG.

6 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the main part of FIG.

9 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of FIG.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a front view of a main part of FIG. 10;

12 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of FIG.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the essential portions showing the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

14 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of FIG.

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

16 is a partial rear perspective view of FIG.

17 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of FIG.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of FIG.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

20 is a sectional view of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Upper clamp 3 ... Distance bracket 10 ... Tilt bolt 11 ... Rotation stopper 12 ... Nut 13 ... Tilt lever 20 ... Stopper lever 20a ... Rotation stopper 21 ... Tilt lock lever 21a ... Tooth 22 ... Washer 23, 27 ... Wave Washer 24 ... Lock plate 24a ... Tooth portion 25 ... Coil spring 26 ... Torsion spring 28 ... Spring 29 ... Cam hole 30 ... Cam portion

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Niklas Schelstrom Box 534, S631 07 Fuji Autotech arbor, Sweden (72) Inventor Gunnar Ericsson Box 534, S631 07 Eskilstuna Sweden

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tilt bolt which penetrates an upper clamp and a distance bracket held by the upper clamp and a nut fixed to a tilt lever are screwed together, and the tilt lever is rotated to tighten the upper clamp to the distance bracket. In a vehicle steering column that locks a set position, a lock plate having teeth is fixed to an outer portion of the upper clamp along a tilt long hole into which the tilt bolt is loosely fitted, and meshes with teeth of the lock plate. A steering column for a vehicle, wherein a tilt lock plate having a tooth portion for loosely fitting is loosely fitted to the tilt bolt, and an ammunition is interposed between the tilt lock plate and the tilt lever. 2. A tilt bolt, which penetrates the upper clamp and the distance bracket held by the upper clamp, is screwed with a nut fixed to the tilt lever, and the tilt lever is rotated to tighten the upper clamp to the distance bracket. In a vehicle steering column that locks a set position, a tooth portion is formed on the inner side of a tilting long hole of an upper clamp through which the tilt bolt penetrates, and a stopper lever having a tooth portion that meshes with this tooth portion is used for the tilting length. A cam plate that fits loosely in the hole and holds this stopper lever and rotates together with the tilt lever is interposed between the stopper lever and the tilt lever, and a cam hole is formed in the cam plate. The cam part that engages and disengages is formed on the nut that is screwed into the tilt bolt. The steering column for the vehicle.