JPH08156805A - Steering column supporting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To stabilize the attitude of a steering handle by providing an opening part, into which the tip part of a pedal support moved by impact force applied to a vehicle body is inserted, on a column support. CONSTITUTION: An opening part 21, into which the tip part of a pedal support 3 moved by impact force applied to a vehicle body is inserted, is provided on a column support 6. When a toeboard 5 receives a backward shock from the front of a vehicle body, only the pedal support is displaced backward in accordance with the behavior of the toeboard 5. The tip part of the pedal support 3 is inserted into an opening part 21 provided on the column support 6 to reduce the displacement of the pedal support 3. Consequently, even if deformation ranges over the toeboard 5, the change of the supporting angle of a steering shaft 15 is restrained. As a result, the attitude of a steering handle can be stabilized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering column supporting structure for supporting a steering column of a steering device by utilizing a pedal support for suspending a pedal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a passenger vehicle (vehicle) having a running engine mounted on the front side, a front deck extending in the vehicle width direction that divides an engine room accommodating the engine and a cabin adjacent to the engine room, and a lower portion from the front deck. The steering column of the steering device and the pedal assembly (the clutch pedal and the brake pedal are suspended from the pedal support and assembled) are installed using the toe board that extends along the floor panel of the.

In general, a column support made of steel plate extending downward is projected from the lower part of the front deck, which is the skeleton of the vehicle body, and the steering column is supported at the tip of this support, and also in the toeboard cabin that serves as a partition wall. The pedal support made of steel plate is installed on the facing side.

By the way, the pedal support needs to have a supporting rigidity to withstand the force applied from each pedal, and the column support needs to have a supporting rigidity to withstand the force applied from the column.

However, since the supports for supporting the pedals and the steering column are concentratedly arranged in front of the driver's seat, it is difficult to separately provide a reinforcing member for increasing the supporting rigidity due to space limitations. .

Therefore, there is a structure in which a pedal support and a column support located nearby are utilized to enhance the support rigidity of both. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, as a pedal support 3 for suspending the clutch pedal 1 and the brake pedal 2, a coil support having wall portions on both sides (left and right) in the vehicle width direction and three directions on the upper side. A box-shaped member (substantially box-shaped) of a letter shape is adopted, and this is fixed to the upper part of the toe board 5 with bolts or the like so that the tip end faces the cabin 4 side.

As the column support 6, a box-shaped box member (substantially box-shaped) having walls in both sides in the vehicle width direction (left and right) and in the rear side of the vehicle body is used. Use a bolt or the like at the corner portion to fix the pedal support 3 in an obliquely rearward direction so as to surround the tip end portion of the pedal support 3 at a middle portion.

Then, the tip end portion of the pedal bracket 3 and the column support portion surrounding the pedal bracket 3 are bolted to each other. Specifically, a support plate 8 that overlaps the upper wall 3a of the pedal support 3 is fixed to the inner surface of the column support 6 so as to close the inner cavity of the column support portion, and the support plate 8 and the upper wall 3a are fixed. The tip portion of the pedal bracket 3 and the column support portion in the middle are fastened by using a bolt 9 penetrating therethrough. In addition, 10 is a nut screwed to the bolt end.

A steering column 12 is supported at the tip (lower end) of the column support 6 via a bracket 11. The pedal support 3 and the column support 6 assembled in a truss form between the front deck 7 and the toe board 5 ensure the necessary support rigidity of the pedal support 3 without the need for a separate reinforcing material (the front end of the support is supported). In addition, the necessary support rigidity of the column support 6 (because the support middle is supported) is secured.

[0010]

Although such a structure is excellent in reasonably ensuring the supporting rigidity, the posture of the steering handle 14 is stabilized depending on the deformation (front part) of the vehicle body 12 when absorbing collision energy. The sex may be impaired.

That is, this structure has a steering handle that is displaced upward with the base end of the steering shaft 15 as a fulcrum, which occurs when an impact force that deforms the front part of the vehicle body 12 is applied. 14
Regulate the behavior of.

However, as shown in FIG. 9, the engine 17 in the engine room 16 is retracted and the toe board 5 is moved.
When the deformation of the vehicle body 12 progresses until the vehicle retreats, the column support 6 moves backward (behind the point supported by the front deck 7 as a fulcrum) in response to the backward movement of the pedal support 3.
Will be displaced to.

That is, depending on the degree of impact applied, the behavior of the column support 6 is affected, and the behavior with the base end portion of the steering shaft 15 as the fulcrum cannot be fully supported.
The support angle of the steering shaft 15 may be displaced upward in the vehicle body.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a steering column support structure in which the posture of a steering handle is stabilized.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with an opening portion for inserting a tip end portion of a pedal support which is moved by an impact force applied to a vehicle body into a column support. It is provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a connecting means is provided between the pedal support and the column support for connecting the pedal support and the column support while permitting relative movement therebetween. The invention according to claim 3 is that a restraint portion is provided for fixing the pedal support to the steering column support when the pedal support is moved more than a predetermined amount.

[0017]

[Operation] It is assumed that the front of the vehicle body receives an impact such that the vehicle body deforms until the toe board retracts (deforms). Then, only the pedal support is displaced rearward according to the behavior of the toe board.

Thus, the tip of the pedal support is
It is inserted into the opening provided in the column support. This insertion allows the displacement of the pedal support to escape.

Therefore, even when the deformation extends to the toe board, the displacement of the steering shaft support angle is suppressed. According to the invention described in claim 2, both of the tip end portion of the pedal support and the column support into which the tip end portion is inserted are connected by the connecting means.
They are connected while allowing relative movement.

Then, the middle portion of the column support is supported by the pedal support, which again provides the column support with a high support rigidity. This rigidity acts to regulate the behavior of upwardly displacing the steering handle applied to the steering shaft.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the tip end portion of the pedal support is inserted into the opening of the column support for a predetermined amount or more, the pedal support is constrained by the restraining portion in the opening.

Then, as described above, the middle portion of the column support is supported by the pedal support, and the column support is again provided with high support rigidity, and the behavior of displacing the steering handle upward is obtained. Work to regulate.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. However, in the present embodiment, the same parts as those of the conventional example described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this section, different parts (parts that are the essential parts of the invention) will be described.

That is, in the present embodiment, the behavior of the pedal support 3 which adversely affects the column support 6 in the event of a collision is released, and the pedal support 3 is fixed to the column support 6 to fix the steering column 1.
The difference is that the 3 is firmly held.

Specifically, first, the tip end portion of the pedal support 3 and the column support portion surrounding the tip end portion are connected by a connecting structure capable of relative displacement in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
Specifically, for example, a bolt insertion hole (not shown) is provided in the central portion of the support plate 8 as in the conventional case, and the nut 10 is provided on the upper surface of the plate 8 corresponding to the bolt insertion hole. Is stuck.

Further, a long hole 20 extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction is formed at the tip end side of the upper wall 3a of the pedal support 3 corresponding to the bolt insertion hole. Then, the bolt 9 is screwed into the nut 10 from the rear end portion of the long hole 20 to connect the front end portion of the pedal support 3 to the column support 6 so as to be slidable (displaceable) in the rearward direction of the vehicle body. is there.

With this connection structure, when the vehicle body 12 receives an impact such that the pedal support 3 retracts, the bolt 9 is displaced (slipped) forward from the rear end of the elongated hole 20 which is the initially fixed position. . The long hole 20 is set to a length that allows the backward displacement of most of the pedal support 3 that is retracted by an impact, for example.

A rectangular opening 21 is cut out in the wall portion 6a of the column support 6 facing the tip of the pedal support 3. The opening 21 has a size such that the tip end side of the pedal support 3 can be inserted, and when the pedal support 3 is retracted, the tip end side of the pedal support 3 is passed through the column support 6. I am doing it.

With such a connecting structure and an opening structure, it is possible to connect both the pedal support 3 and the column support 6 while allowing the backward displacement (behavior) of the pedal support 3 which adversely affects the column support 6 in the event of a collision. is there.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, for example, the entire circumference of the opening edge of the opening 21 is raised in the shape of a cone and the obliquely inclined peripheral wall 2 is formed.
Claw 23 formed by bending the tip of 2 parallel to the wall 6a, for example
(Corresponding to the restraint portion) is formed.

With this claw 23, the outer shape of the pedal support 3 is utilized as it is, and the tip end side of the pedal support 3 inserted into the opening 21 can be fixed at a predetermined position.

That is, the outer shape of the pedal support 3 is formed in a wedge shape whose height dimension increases from the tip to the root, and when the tip side of the pedal support 3 is inserted to a predetermined position, it is clawed by the wedge effect. It is configured such that the tip side of the pedal support 3 can be restrained and fixed while the behavior of the bite 23 biting the outer surfaces of the upper wall 3a and the left and right walls 3b of the pedal support 3 is shown.

With this structure, in addition to the above-described connecting structure, the column support 6 can be provided with a high support rigidity against the force that tends to displace the support angle of the steering shaft 15 by supporting the intermediate portion of the column support 6 with the pedal support 3. Is done.

Of course, the structure is such that the impact energy can be absorbed by utilizing the friction and the displacement of the claws until the claws 23 bite. Further, the shape of the claw 23 is utilized as a kind of rib to compensate for the rigidity of the column support 3 which is lowered due to the formation of the opening.

It should be noted that the left and right walls 3b of the column support 3 are provided for releasing the pedal support shaft 24 (the shaft for rotatably supporting the clutch pedal 1 and the brake pedal 2) protruding from the left and right walls 3b of the pedal support 3. A triangular recess 25 is formed.

However, in such a structure, it is assumed that an impact is applied from the state of FIG. 1 from the front portion of the vehicle body 12, for example. Here, the pedal support 3 and the column support 6 are always connected to each other by the bolts 6 and the nuts 10 so that they cannot move relative to each other, a truss is formed in cooperation with the front deck 7 and the toe board 5, and the pedals and steering are firmly fixed. We support 12.

Then, the front side of the vehicle body 12 is deformed to absorb the impact energy. At this time, if the impact force is large, as shown in FIG.
The engine 17 that was housed in
The toe board 5 located immediately after 7 is pressed and deformed, and absorbs impact energy.

At this time, since the tip end portion of the pedal support 3 is connected by the elongated hole 20 and the bolt 6 so as to be displaceable in the rearward direction of the vehicle body, the column support 6 is left as it is due to the impact applied to the vehicle body 12. Only the pedal support 3 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the state of FIG. 5B, the state of FIG. 5A is displaced rearward according to the behavior of the toe board 5.

In accordance with this rearward displacement, the tip end portion of the pedal support 3 is guided to the point where the opening portion 21 of the column support 6 is present, while using the inner surface of the inclined peripheral wall 22 of the pawl 23 as a guide. It is inserted into and penetrates.

As this insertion progresses, the outer surfaces of the upper wall 3a and the left and right walls 3b of the pedal support 3 gradually and strongly contact the tip of the claw 23 (the outer shape becomes smaller as the pedal support 3 approaches the tip. It has become). Of course, even with friction and claw displacement at this time,
Impact energy is absorbed.

When the pedal support 3 penetrates the column support 6, the displacement of the pedal support 3 due to the deformation of the toe board 5 is released. Pedal support 3
When the toe board 5 is inserted to a position where the deformation is completed, the tips of the claws 23 bite on the outer surfaces of the upper wall 3a and the left and right walls 3b of the pedal support 3, and the tip side of the pedal support 3 passes through the opening 21 to support the column support. It will be fixed at 6.

At this time, the shaft portion of the bolt 6 also reaches the end portion of the elongated hole 20, and together with this, the pedal support 3 and the column support 6 are also provided.
Fix and. Then, the middle portion of the column support 6 whose fixation has been released is again supported by the pedal support 6.

As a result, due to the reassembled truss structure (because the pedal support 3 and the column support 6 are assembled in a truss shape between the front deck 7 and the toe board 5), the column support 6 is again provided with high support rigidity. (Restored support rigidity).

The escape of the pedal support 3 and the restoration of the support rigidity of the column support 6 effectively suppress the behavior of displacing the steering handle 14 upward.

Therefore, even if an impact such that the deformation affects the toe board 5 is applied to the vehicle body 12, the support angle of the steering shaft 15 is prevented from being displaced. As a result, the behavior of disturbing the posture of the steering handle 14 is suppressed, and the posture of the steering handle 14 can be stabilized.

Moreover, in the structure in which the pawl 23 having an L-shaped cross section is formed on the entire circumference of the opening edge of the opening 21, not only the pedal support 3 is fixed, but also the shape of the pawl 23 forms a kind of rib. Since it also has a function of compensating for the rigidity of the column support 6 that decreases due to formation, and also a function of guiding the pedal support end to the opening 21, it is possible to obtain high reliability as a whole.

In one embodiment, the long hole is used to connect the front end of the pedal support and the middle part of the column support so as to be movable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other means, Both members may be movably connected using, for example, a bolt that shears upon impact.

Further, in one embodiment, the pedal support is restrained by using the wedge-shaped pedal support and the claw formed on the opening edge, but this is not limited to this structure, either.
Other means may be used.

[0049]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the behavior of the pedal support, which adversely affects the column support, is released, so that an impact such that the deformation affects the toe board may be applied to the vehicle body. Even if there is, unnecessary displacement of the steering shaft support angle can be prevented.

As a result, the behavior of the steering wheel in which the attitude is disturbed is suppressed, and the attitude of the steering wheel can be stabilized. According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, after the behavior of the pedal support is released, the pedal support is connected to the intermediate portion of the column support, and the support rigidity of the column support is enhanced again. In addition to the above, by using the support rigidity, it is possible to further prevent an unnecessary displacement of the support angle of the steering shaft.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a steering column support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing the periphery of a pedal support and a column support of the support structure.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the behavior of the steering column support structure when the vehicle body receives an impact such that the toe board is deformed in the support structure.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a connecting portion between a pedal support and a column support before an impact is applied. (B)
, The pedal support is displaced in the front-back direction due to the impact,
Sectional drawing which shows until the front-end | tip part is fixed by the opening part of a column support.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a steering column support structure in which a pedal support and a column support adopted in a conventional passenger car are assembled in a truss shape.

FIG. 7 is a partially sectional perspective view showing a pedal support and a column support of the same support structure.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the same.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining the behavior of the steering column support structure when the vehicle body receives an impact such that the toe board is deformed in the support structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Clutch pedal 2 ... Brake pedal
3 ... Pedal support 5 ... Toe board 6 ... Column support
7 ... Front deck 8 ... Support plate 9 ... Bolt 1
0 ... Nut 13 ... Steering column 14 ... Steering handle 15 ... Steering shaft 17 ... Engine
20 ... long hole 21 ... opening 23 ... claw (restriction portion).

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pedal support fixed to a toe board for partitioning an engine room and a cabin, and a pedal being suspended from the toe board, and a column fixed to the toe board and hanging from a front deck extending in the vehicle width direction to support a steering column. A steering column support structure comprising: a support; and an opening provided in the column support formed so that a tip end of the pedal support moved by an impact force applied to a vehicle body can be inserted. 2. The steering column support structure according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting means between the pedal support and the column support, which connects the pedal support and the column support while permitting relative movement therebetween. 3. The steering column according to claim 1, wherein the opening portion has a restraining portion that fixes the pedal support to the steering column support when the pedal support moves for a predetermined amount or more. Support structure