JPH088940Y2 - Electric tilt steering device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a tilt steering device for moving and adjusting a steering wheel to a desired vertical position (height) in a vehicle, and particularly to a part of a vehicle body. An upper bracket that rotatably supports a shaft equipped with a steering wheel at the upper end is attached to a support that is attached to the support so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction, and an electric motor and a drive member that is driven by the electric motor are attached to the support. While being assembled, a driven member that is engaged with the driving member and is driven by the driving member is assembled to the upper bracket, and the upper bracket is vertically moved with respect to the support by driving and stopping the electric motor. Tilting
The present invention relates to an electric tilt steering device that is stopped.

[Prior art]

In the electric tilt steering device of the above type,
A device using a worm as the driving member and a worm wheel as the driven member has been proposed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-132159. Thus, in the device disclosed in the publication, although the electric motor, the worm, and other drive parts are assembled as a main unit in one gear box, this main unit is integrally assembled with the support. ing.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

Therefore, in the above-described conventional device, due to an error in assembling the main body unit to the support and an error in assembling the worm wheel to the upper bracket, the worm that is assembled to the support side and the worm wheel that is assembled to the upper bracket side are separated from each other. In some cases, the steering wheel position cannot be accurately adjusted due to an unnecessary gap (play) in the engaging portion of the. The above-mentioned gap can be set to an optimum value by adjusting the assembly position of the main body unit or the worm wheel during assembly of the device, but the gap that can be adjusted by this method is It is only for the engaging portion of the worm wheel, and the above-mentioned gap cannot be adjusted over the entire usage area. Therefore, even if the above clearance is adjusted to the optimum value when assembling the device, the manufacturing error of the worm and the worm wheel may not be generated when the device is used.
The above-mentioned gap changes due to an assembly error, which causes backlash and malfunction.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electric tilt steering device capable of maintaining the above-mentioned clearance at an optimum value over the entire use area.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises an upper bracket, which rotatably supports a shaft having a steering wheel at its upper end, rotatably mounted on a support assembled to a part of a vehicle body so as to be vertically tiltable. In addition, an electric motor and a driving member driven by the electric motor are attached to the support, and a driven member which is engaged with the driving member and is driven by the driving member is attached to the upper bracket. In an electric tilt steering device in which the upper bracket is tilted / stopped in the vertical direction with respect to the support by driving / stopping a motor, the electric motor and driving members such as driving members are assembled into a housing, This housing is attached to the support so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction together with the drive component. Said drive member between said support and interposed Tamabachi means constantly biased toward the driven member.

[Function and effect of device]

In the electric tilt steering device according to the present invention, when the electric motor is actuated and the driving member is driven, the driven member engaged with the driving member is driven and the upper bracket tilts in the vertical direction with respect to the support, Also, when the electric motor stops, the upper bracket stops with respect to the support. As a result, the position of the steering wheel is adjusted in the vertical direction.

Therefore, in the electric tilt steering device according to the present invention, the housing for supporting the driving member and the like is assembled to the support so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction, and the resilient means is interposed between the housing and the support. Since the member is always biased toward the driven member, even if there is a manufacturing error or assembly error in the driving member and the driven member, the error is the vertical direction with respect to the support of the housing under the action of the repulsion means. Is automatically absorbed by the tilting of the driving member, and the driving member always elastically engages the driven member without backlash. Therefore, the problem due to the looseness between the driving member and the driven member does not occur at all, and the position of the steering wheel can be accurately adjusted.

Further, in the electric tilt steering device according to the present invention, the drive unit such as the electric motor and the drive member is assembled together in the housing that is mounted on the support so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction. It is not necessary to provide a clearance (play) to allow tilting,
The same gap does not cause any problems. Further, since the elastic member disposed between the housing and the support always biases the driving member toward the driven member, the elastic member repels the driving member when the steering wheel position adjustment is completed. There is no need to drive any member, and there is no risk that the position adjustment of the steering wheel will be disturbed by the elastic means.

〔Example〕

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.

FIG. 1 shows an electric tilt steering device according to the present invention. In the device, a cylindrical upper bracket 11 is mounted on a support 10 mounted on a part of a vehicle body (not shown) via a pair of left and right pins 12. The housing 20 is mounted so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction, and the housing 20 is mounted so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction via a pair of left and right pins 13.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the support 10 has an insertion hole 10a through which the steering main shaft 31 is inserted.
With the mounting holes 10b and 10c through which the pin 12 is inserted and the mounting holes 10d and 10e through which the pin 13 is inserted, the pair of left and right arms 10f and 10g are provided. Has through holes 10h and 10i through which the bolt 21 (fixed to the housing 20) shown in FIG. 1 is inserted.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the upper bracket 11 rotatably supports a shaft 32 having a steering wheel 30 at its upper end, and has a pin 12
Has a mounting hole 11a, 11b through which a flange is inserted, and a flange 11c extending downward.
A worm wheel 40, which is an arcuate driven member centered on the shaft center of 12, is fixed via a pair of pins 41 and 42 and is located in the lower center of the upper bracket 11. The shaft 32 is connected to the steering main shaft 31 via a universal joint (not shown) whose connecting center coincides with the axis of the pin 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 20 is assembled to the support 10 by a pair of left and right pins 13 and bolts 21 and elastic means S1 provided coaxially with the bolts 21. As shown in FIG. 8, the electric motor 51, the worm 52,
A worm wheel 53, a small bevel gear 54, a large bevel gear 55, and a worm 56 as a driving member are assembled.

The repelling means S1 includes a compression coil spring 22, a retainer 23,
It is composed of a pair of nuts 24 and 25 and a stopper 26, and always urges the housing 20 counterclockwise (upward) in FIG. 1. The urging force (spring force) is the amount of advancement and retraction of the nuts 24 and 25. Is adjusted so that the housing 20 does not tilt downward depending on the operating force of the driver transmitted from the steering wheel 30. Further, in the elastic repelling means S1, the downward tilting of the housing 20 is restricted by the contact between the retainer 23 and the stopper 26. It should be noted that gaps are formed between the bolts 21 and the stoppers 26 and between the bolts 21 and the insertion holes 10h (10i) to allow tilting of the bolts 21 integrally with the housing 20.

The electric motor 51 is fixed to one side of the housing 20, and its rotation shaft 51a has a ball 61 and a holder 62 at its tip.
It is rotatably supported on the housing 20 via (is screwed to the housing 20 and fixed by the lock nut 63), and the worm 52 is integrally rotatably provided on the rotary shaft 51a.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the worm wheel 53 is integrally rotatably provided on the shaft 57 that is rotatably assembled to the housing 20, and is engaged with the worm 52. The small bevel gear 54 is integrally rotatably mounted on the shaft 57 via a screw 58, and meshes with the large bevel gear 55. The large bevel gear 55 is formed integrally with the worm 56, and is rotatably mounted on the shaft 59 mounted on the housing 20. The worm 56 is engaged with the worm wheel 40 fixed to the upper bracket 11, and is rotated / stopped by driving / stopping the electric motor 51 to rotate / stop the worm wheel 40.

In the present embodiment configured as described above, when the electric motor 51 operates to rotate the worm 52 via the worm 52, the worm wheel 53, the small bevel gear 54, and the large bevel gear 55,
When the worm wheel 40 engaged with this rotates, the upper bracket 11 tilts vertically with respect to the support 10, and when the electric motor 51 stops, the upper bracket 11 stops.
11 stops against support 10. As a result, the position of the steering wheel 30 is adjusted in the vertical direction.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the housing 20 supporting the worm 56 and the like is assembled to the support 10 so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction, and the resilient means S1 is interposed between the housing 20 and the support 10. Worm 56 is a worm wheel
Since it is always urged toward 40, even if there are manufacturing errors and assembly errors in the worm 56, worm wheel 40, etc.,
The error is automatically absorbed by the vertical tilting of the housing 20 with respect to the support 10 under the action of the elastic means S1, and the worm 56 always elastically engages the worm wheel 40 without play. Therefore, the problem caused by the looseness between the worm 56 and the worm wheel 40 does not occur at all, and the position of the steering wheel 30 can be adjusted accurately.

Further, in this embodiment, the electric motor 51, the worm 56, and other drive components are assembled together in the housing 20 that is vertically tiltably assembled to the support 10. Since it is not necessary to provide a clearance (play) for allowing tilting, there is no problem due to the clearance. Further, since the elastic means S1 interposed between the housing 20 and the support 10 always biases the worm 56 toward the worm wheel 40, the steering wheel
When the position adjustment of 30 is completed, the worm 56 does not drive the worm wheel 40 by the elastic repelling means S1, and the position adjustment of the steering wheel 30 is not confused by the elastic repelling means S1.

Further, in this embodiment, since the retainer 23 and the stopper 26 are brought into contact with each other in the elastic repelling means S1 to restrict the tilting of the housing 20 with respect to the support 10, a large force (for example, impact) is applied to the steering wheel 30. Even if the load) acts in the vertical direction, the worm 56 is pushed by the worm wheel 40 and the housing 20 is slightly tilted downward, and the steering wheel 30 is not unnecessarily tilted. Further, since the spring force can be adjusted by the nuts 24 and 25 in the elastic repelling means S1, the holding force of the upper bracket 11 with respect to the support 10 and the engaging force between the worm 56 and the worm wheel 40 (friction force acting as drive resistance of the electric motor 51). Can be adjusted optimally.

Further, in this embodiment, since the worm wheel 40 and the worm 56 are engaged right below the shafts 31 and 32, they are advantageous in terms of rigidity as compared with those provided offset. It is possible to reduce size and weight.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 10 shows an electric tilt steering device according to the present invention. In the device, a tubular upper bracket 111 is mounted on a support 110 assembled to a part of a vehicle body (not shown) via a pair of left and right pins 112. It is assembled so that it can be tilted in the vertical direction, and the housing 120 has a pair of left and right pins 1.
It is mounted so that it can be tilted vertically via 13. Since the structure of the support 110 is substantially the same as the structure of the support 10 of the first embodiment described above, the corresponding parts will be denoted by similar reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The upper bracket 111 includes a steering wheel (not shown) as shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12.
Is rotatably supported on a shaft 132 having an upper end, and has a mounting hole 111a into which the pin 112 is inserted and an inverted U-shaped arm 111b extending downward,
The arm 111a is formed with a notch 111c that opens downward.

As shown in FIG. 10, the housing 120 is assembled to the support 110 by a pair of left and right pins 113, a bolt 121, and an elastic means S2 provided coaxially with the bolt 121. As shown in Fig. 14, the electric motor 15
1, a small bevel gear 154, a large bevel gear 155, a worm 156, and a slider 171 as a drive member are assembled. The bolt 121 is tiltably connected to the housing 120 at its lower end.

The elastic repelling means S2 includes a compression coil spring 122 and a retainer 12.
It is composed of three pairs of nuts 124 and 125, and always urges the housing 120 in the counterclockwise direction (upward) in FIG. 10, and the urging force (spring force) is adjusted by adjusting the amount of advance / retreat of the nuts 124 and 125. The value is adjustable and is set to a value such that the housing 120 does not tilt downward depending on the driver's operating force transmitted from the steering wheel. In addition, in this elastic repelling means S2, the downward tilting of the housing 120 causes the stopper 123a and the support 1 which are integrally formed with the retainer 123.
It is regulated by the contact of the ten arms 110f. In addition, between the bolt 121 and the insertion hole 110h, the bolt 121
A gap is formed to allow the tilting of the housing 120.

The electric motor 151 is fixed to one side of the housing 120, and although not shown in the drawings, its rotation shaft is rotatably supported by the housing 120 at its tip end via a ball and a holder, as in the first embodiment. A worm (not shown) similar to the worm wheel 53 of the above-described first embodiment is integrally rotatable with this rotating shaft. The rotation of the worm is configured to be transmitted to the small bevel gear 154 via the worm wheel (53) and the shaft (57) as in the first embodiment described above.

The small bevel gear 154 is integrally rotatably mounted via a screw 158 on a shaft (not shown) similar to the shaft 57 of the first embodiment described above, and meshes with the large bevel gear 155. As shown in FIG. 14, the large bevel gear 155 is integrally formed with the worm 156, and is mounted on the shaft 159 mounted on the housing 120. The slider 171 is mounted on the worm 156. It is provided via a taper nut 172.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the slider 171 has a tapered female screw portion 171a and a pair of pin portions 171b, and the upper portion via a bearing 173 at the pin portion 171b. It is engaged with the arm 111b of the bracket 111 (10th
(See the drawing), the electric motor 151 is driven and stopped to move and stop in the axial direction to tilt and stop the upper bracket 111.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the taper nut 172 is made of resin and has a C shape.
6, an inner peripheral threaded portion 172a that is screwed with 6, a tapered outer peripheral threaded portion 172b that is screwed with the tapered female threaded portion 171a of the slider 171, a notch 172c provided at the large diameter end, and a serration provided on the outer periphery of the small diameter portion. It has 172d. This taper nut 172 has a notch 1
72c is configured to be rotated by a dedicated tool (not shown) to adjust the screwing amount with the slider 171,
This allows the slider 171 to smoothly move in the axial direction with respect to the worm 156, and after such adjustment, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the slider 171 is fitted with the serration 172d by serration fitting. The plate 175 is fixed to the 171 by screws 174 and is prevented from rotating.

In the present embodiment configured as described above, when the electric motor 151 is operated and the worm 156 is rotated via the small bevel gear 154, the large bevel gear 155, etc., the taper nut 172 and the slider 171 move in the axial direction. When the upper bracket 111 engaged with the arm 111b via the pin portion 171b of the slider 171 and the bearing 173 tilts in the vertical direction with respect to the support 110, and the electric motor 151 stops, the upper bracket 111 moves. Stop against support 110. As a result, the position of the steering wheel is adjusted in the vertical direction.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the housing 120 supporting the slider 171 and the like is assembled to the support 110 so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction, and the repulsion means S2 is interposed between the housing 120 and the support 110. Since the slider 171 and the like are constantly urged toward the arm 111b of the upper bracket 111, the arm of the slider 171 and the upper bracket 111 is
Even if there is a manufacturing error or an assembly error in 111b etc., the error is automatically absorbed by the tilting of the housing 120 under the action of the repulsion means S2 with respect to the support 110 in the vertical direction, and the slider 171 moves to the upper bracket 111. The arm 111b is always elastically engaged without play. Therefore, there is no problem due to looseness between the slider 171 and the arm 111b of the upper bracket 111, and the position of the steering wheel can be adjusted accurately.

Further, in this embodiment, the stopper 123a of the retainer 123 contacts the arm 110f of the support 110 in the elastic repelling means S2 so as to restrict the tilting of the housing 120 with respect to the support 110, so that the steering wheel is large. Even if a force (for example, an impact load) acts in the vertical direction, the slider 111 is pushed by the arm 111b of the upper bracket 111 and the housing 120 tilts slightly downward, and the steering wheel tilts unnecessarily. There is no. Further, since the spring force can be adjusted by the nuts 124 and 125 in the elastic repelling means S2, the holding force of the upper bracket 111 with respect to the support 110 and the engaging force between the slider 171 and the arm 111b of the upper bracket 111 (the force that becomes the driving resistance of the electric motor 151). ) Can be adjusted optimally.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a first embodiment of an electric tilt steering device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the support shown in FIG. 1, a body 3 is the same front view, and FIG. 4 is a first view. FIG. 5 is a side view of the upper bracket shown in the figure, FIG. 5 is a front view of the same, FIG. 6 is a side view of the housing shown in FIG. 1 and components assembled to the housing, and FIG. 7 is a front view of the same. FIG. 9 is a partially broken plan view of the same, and FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a connection relationship of parts assembled in the housing shown in FIG. 10 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the electric tilt steering device according to the present invention, FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional side view of the upper bracket shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 12 is a front view of the same, and FIG. Is a plan view of the housing shown in FIG. 10 and the parts assembled to it.
14 is a sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13, and FIG. 15 is a sectional view.
FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional side view of the slider shown in FIG. 14, FIG. 16 is a partially broken front view of the same, FIG. 17 is a partially broken side view of the taper nut shown in FIGS. It is a front view. Explanation of symbols 10 …… Support, 11 …… Upper bracket, 12,13 ……
Pin, 20 …… Housing, 21 …… Bolt, 22 …… Compression coil spring, 23 …… Retainer, 24, 25 …… Nut, 2
6 …… Stopper, S1 …… Repelling means, 30 …… Steering wheel, 31 …… Steering main shaft, 32 ……
Shaft, 40 ... Worm wheel (driven member), 51 ...
… Electric motor, 56 …… Worm (driving member), 110 ……
Support, 111 …… upper bracket, 111b …… arm (driven member), 112,113 …… pin, 120 …… housing,
121 …… Bolt, 122 …… Compression coil spring, 123…
… Retainer, 123a …… Stopper, 124,125 …… Nut, S
2 ... Repulsion means, 151 ... Electric motor, 171 ... Slider (driving member).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An upper bracket, which rotatably supports a shaft having a steering wheel at its upper end, is rotatably mounted on a support assembled to a part of a vehicle body, and an electric motor is mounted on the support. And a driving member driven thereby, and a driven member which is engaged with the driving member and driven by the driving member is mounted on the upper bracket, and the support is provided by driving and stopping the electric motor. In the electric tilt steering device in which the upper bracket is tilted and stopped in the vertical direction, the drive parts such as the electric motor and the drive member are assembled in the housing, and the housing is vertically driven by the support. Assembled in a tiltable manner together with the parts, and the drive unit is provided between the housing and the support. Electric tilt steering system, wherein a is interposed a Tamabachi means constantly biased toward the driven member.