JPH08150944A - Installing structure of steering column - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve absorptivity of impact force at collision time, and reduce shaft directional displacement by arranging a frictional surface with a capsule in a groove hole running along a column shaft, fixing the capsule to the car body side after being positioned on the steering wheel side of the groove hole, and fixing the column shaft. CONSTITUTION: Impact force is transmitted from a car body front part, and when dash panel is displaced backward, the impact force is also transmitted to a steering column 3. A groove hole 9a in which a column shaft 6 is installed runs along the column shaft 6, and the impact force applied to the steering column 3 enters a projecting part 9b of the groove hole 9a of an upper hanger bracket 7 into an annular groove 10a of a capsule 10. At this time, the capsule 10 absorbs the impact force by slidingly moving with the projecting part 9b. Next, when a backward moved steering wheel 4 is pushed by a driver, the steering column 3 moves forward according to the direction of the groove hole 9a of the upper hanger bracket 7, and the capsule 10 and the projecting part 9b slidingly move, and the impact force is relieved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering column mounting structure for rotatably mounting a steering wheel of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a steering wheel of an automobile is rotatably provided by a wheel shaft inserted in a steering column. As shown in FIG. 7, the steering column 3 having two points fixed to the dash panel 1 and the upper hanger 2 of the vehicle body is installed with the steering wheel 4 side raised. In the steering column 3, the column absorption part 5 and the column shaft 6 are connected, the upper side mounting part is on the column shaft side, the column shaft 6 is fixed to the upper hanger bracket 7, and the upper hanger bracket 7 is screwed to the upper hanger 2. are doing.

In fact, when the vehicle collides with an obstacle in front, the impact force is fixed to the steering column 3 2.
It also depends on the points. Therefore, there is one that attaches a cushion member to the mounting portion on the upper side to absorb the impact force (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 64-52869). Further, there is also a vehicle in which the steering column 3 is disengaged when the driver leans forward and collides with the steering wheel 4.

[0004]

When the front part of the vehicle body is first impacted (primary collision), the dash panel 1 is pushed rearward of the vehicle body when the impact force is strong. As shown in FIG. 8, when the dash panel 1 is pushed backward and is displaced to the dotted line portion, if the upper side mounting portion of the steering column 3 is firm, the steering column 3 rotates about the upper side mounting portion. The steering wheel 4 is displaced upward. When the impact force is strong, the driver further collides with the steering wheel 4 (secondary collision). At this time, even if the above-mentioned fixing of the steering column 3 is released, when the steering column 3 is displaced by the rotation, the steering column 3 cannot be easily removed only by the pushing operation.

On the other hand, in an automobile in which an airbag is mounted on the steering wheel 4, the airbag blows out toward the driver at the time of impact, but when the steering column 3 is displaced by rotation, the position of the steering wheel 4 is changed. Is displaced with respect to the column shaft 6, which causes a problem that the blowing direction of the airbag is displaced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering column mounting structure that improves the absorption of impact force during a vehicle collision and reduces axial displacement.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention forms a groove hole along the column shaft on the mounting surface to be mounted on the vehicle body side of the upper hanger bracket fixed to the column shaft, and the groove hole is formed in the groove hole. The capsule is slidably assembled, a friction surface with the capsule is provided in the slot, and the column shaft is fixed by fixing the capsule to the steering wheel side of the slot and fixing the capsule to the vehicle body. And

Further, the friction surface with the capsule is formed as an uneven surface or a plurality of steps.

[0009]

The present invention is constructed as described above, and the column shaft is displaced toward the driver's seat side by sliding the friction surface formed around the slot and the capsule by the primary collision from the front of the automobile. . Also, due to the secondary collision between the driver and the steering wheel, the column shaft is displaced forward along the groove formed in the upper hanger bracket, and the friction surface slides on the capsule. At this time, the impact force is reduced. Further, if the shape of the friction surface is an uneven surface or a plurality of steps, the capsule intermittently generates a frictional force during sliding.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the column shaft 6 located at the upper portion of the steering column 3 is fixed by applying an upper hanger bracket 7 from below, and the upper hanger bracket 7 is fixed to the upper hanger by a screw 8. It is fixed. The upper hanger bracket 7 has an arc portion 7a that abuts the column shaft 6 at the center of the flat plate.
And the mounting surfaces 9 are screwed to the upper hanger on both sides. A groove hole 9a is formed from the steering side of the mounting surface 9 toward the front. A cylindrical capsule 10 having an annular groove 10a on the outer periphery and a screw hole 10b at the center is formed in the groove hole 9a.
It is inserted and supported on both edges.

The peripheral edge of the slot 9a formed in the mounting surface 9 is formed with a protruding portion (friction surface) 9b which is turned up except for the upper end portion, and a step 9c is formed at the boundary portion.
The capsule 10 is attached to the upper end portion (see FIG. 4), the screw hole 10b of the capsule 10 is aligned with the mounting hole of the upper hanger, and the screw 8 is inserted through this state, and the column shaft 6 is fixed in this state. As will be described later, when the steering column 3 is moved rearward by an impact force and the raised portion of the groove hole 9a enters the annular groove 10a of the capsule 10 (see FIG. 5), the frictional resistance is large and the impact force is reduced. Let

Next, the operation of this structure will be described with reference to FIG. First, for simplicity of explanation, it is assumed that the position of the capsule 10 is not displaced by an impact force. The column shaft 6 shown in FIG. 3 (a) is positioned and fixed by the upper hanger bracket 7. The column shaft 6 is aligned by aligning the capsule 10 located at the upper end of the slot 9a with the mounting hole of the upper hanger. Is installed.

When the vehicle collides with an obstacle in front and the impact force is transmitted from the front part of the vehicle body and the dash panel is displaced rearward, the impact force is also transmitted to the steering column 3 (primary collision). The groove hole 9a in which the column shaft 6 is attached is along the column shaft 6, and the impact force applied to the steering column 3 causes the protruding portion 9b of the groove hole 9a of the upper hanger bracket 7 to enter the annular groove 10a of the capsule 10 ( See FIG. 3B). At this time, the capsule 10 slides on the protrusion 9b to absorb the impact force.

Next, when the steering wheel 4 moved backward is pushed by the driver (via the airbag),
The steering column 3 moves forward according to the direction of the slot 9a of the upper hanger bracket 7, and the capsule 10 and the protrusion 9b slide on each other to reduce the impact force (see FIG. 3 (c)). When the impact force is strong, the upper hanger bracket 7 will come off the capsule 10.

Thus, in the primary collision, the column shaft 6
Depending on the mounting method, the rotating element of the steering column 3 is eliminated, the steering column 3 is displaced in the axial direction, and the impact force is reduced in the sliding section of the groove hole 9a of the upper hanger bracket 7. Also, when the steering wheel 4 collides with the driver, the steering column 3 is displaced in the direction opposite to the collision and the impact force is reduced. Further, since the steering wheel 4 is not rotationally displaced, the restraining force when the airbag is mounted can be increased.

Next, the slot 9a of the upper hanger bracket 7 will be described with reference to FIG. A plurality of holes 11 are formed around the groove hole 9a, and the peripheral edge of the hole 11 has a shape protruding upward (protruding portion 9b). This increases the friction when the capsule 10 slides. This structure also absorbs the impact force. In addition to this, a stepped surface having a difference in height may be formed on the periphery of the groove whose width is changed. The shape of these friction surfaces may be an uneven surface or a plurality of steps which are easy to manufacture.

[0017]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the mounting position of the steering column slides in the direction of the slot due to the impact force, and the upward rotational displacement around the mounting position is caused. It also eliminates kinks in the column axis.
In addition, even when a secondary collision occurs, the column shaft slides in the direction of the slot to disperse the impact force, and the impact on the driver can be mitigated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a development view of a steering column according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the column shaft shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the action of the column shaft shown in FIG. 1 by a, b, and c.

4 is a front view of the column shaft bracket shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view showing another portion of the bracket shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a development view of a column shaft according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a conventional automobile driver's seat.

8 is a side view near the steering column shown in FIG. 7. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Steering column 4 Steering wheel 6 Column shaft 7 Upper hanger bracket 9 Mounting surface 9a Groove hole 9b Friction surface 10 Capsule

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A groove hole extending along a column shaft is formed on a mounting surface of the upper hanger bracket fixed to the column shaft on the vehicle body side, and a capsule is slidably assembled in the groove hole and the capsule is inserted into the groove hole. The steering column mounting structure is characterized in that the friction shaft is provided, and the column shaft is fixed by fixing the capsule to the steering wheel side of the slot and fixing it to the vehicle body side. 2. An uneven surface or a plurality of steps is formed on a mounting surface of the upper hanger bracket fixed to the column shaft on the vehicle body side, and a groove hole is formed along the column shaft on the uneven surface or the plurality of steps. A steering column mounting structure characterized in that a column shaft is fixed by slidably assembling a capsule in the slot and fixing the capsule to the vehicle body side by positioning the capsule on the steering wheel side of the slot.