JPH11115768A - Dislocation preventing structure of column cover - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dislocation preventing structure of a column cover which prevents the dislocation of an after-attached column cover, secures attaching strength and improves an outward appearance. SOLUTION: In a column cover attaching device for attaching a column cover boss part 3 to a combination switch bracket 4 attached to a steering column shaft with a tapping screw 5, an attaching part between the column cover boss part 3 and the combination switch bracket 4 is provided with a positioning projection 8 and a positioning recessed part 9 which can engage mutually just enough, and they are mutually engaged and clamped with the tapping screw 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a column cover for vertically sandwiching a steering column of a vehicle such as an automobile, wherein a column cover boss is attached to a bracket attached to a steering column shaft by a tapping screw or the like. The present invention relates to a column cover mounting structure for mounting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a steering column cover for a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a combination switch 16 attached to a steering column shaft 17 using a tapping screw 15 or the like. It was fixed by fastening the attached bracket 14 and the boss 13 on the column cover 11 side. Code 12
Indicates an undercover.

[0003]

However, in the conventional column cover mounting structure constructed as described above, the bracket 14 on which the combination switch 16 is mounted is mounted on the column cover 11 using the tapping screw 15 or the like. When the column cover 1 is mounted on the column cover 1 with the fastening rotation operation of one of the pair of tapping screws 15, 15 and the like.
In some cases, the boss 13 of the first column may be twisted, and the boss 13 of the column cover 11 may be finally completed with the boss 13 twisted with respect to the bracket 14 on which the combination switch 16 is mounted. Was. For this reason, the entire column cover is also rotated and displaced from its original position, so that the appearance of the column cover is degraded, and the mounting position of the other tapping screw is displaced, which may cause a reduction in strength.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems in the conventional column cover mounting apparatus structure, prevents a position shift after the column cover is mounted, and secures the mounting strength and improves the appearance of the column cover. It is intended to provide a prevention structure.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a column cover mounting apparatus for mounting a column cover boss to a bracket mounted on a steering column shaft by a tapping screw or the like. In the mounting portion, a positioning projection and a positioning recess are provided which are engaged with each other without excess or shortage, and the tapping screw or the like is fastened after engaging the positioning projection and the positioning recess. Is what you do. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the positioning projection and the positioning recess have a non-circular cross section, and these are used as means for solving the problem.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a column cover displacement prevention structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is an overall side view of the column cover displacement prevention structure, and FIG. FIG. 1C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a mounting portion between the column cover boss portion and the combination switch bracket. As shown in FIG. 1A, the column cover includes an upper column cover 1 and a lower column cover 2, and is attached to a column cover boss 3 of the upper column cover 1 to a steering column shaft (not shown). Screw 5 in which the combination switch bracket 4 is screwed into the column cover boss 3
And so on. The lower column cover 2 is attached to the upper column cover 1 by engaging with engagement pieces provided on the periphery of the upper column cover 1 and fastening bolts to a combination switch or the like.

As is clear from the enlarged perspective view from below shown in FIG. 1B, the characteristic feature of the present invention is that the column cover boss 3 and the combination switch bracket 4 are attached to each other. In addition, a positioning projection 8 and a positioning recess 9 that are engaged with each other without any excess or shortage are provided, and the tapping screw 5 and the like are fastened after the positioning projection 8 and the positioning recess 9 are engaged. FIG.
(B) shows an example in which the positioning protrusion 8 is provided on the column cover boss 3 side and the positioning recess 9 is provided on the combination switch bracket 4 side, but the positioning protrusion 8 is provided on the combination switch bracket 4 side. It goes without saying that the positioning recess 9 may be provided on the column cover boss 3 side. Further, in the illustrated example, the cross-sectional shape of the positioning projection 8 and the positioning recess 9 is formed in a rectangular shape, and fastening portions 10A and 10B for the tapping screw 5 and the like are formed in the center.
Therefore, although it has a keyhole shape, the cross-sectional shape of the positioning projection 8 and the positioning recess 9 is limited to a rectangle as long as the relative rotation between the column cover boss portion 3 and the combination switch bracket 4 can be prevented. However, any shape may be used as long as it has a non-circular cross section such as a polygon or an ellipse.

With this configuration, when the combination switch bracket 4 is attached to the column cover boss portion 3 of the upper column cover 1, the positioning projections 8 at the lower end portions of the pair of column cover boss portions 3 are attached. After being inserted into and engaged with the positioning recesses 9 of the pair of combination switch brackets 4, the fastening portion 1 for the one aligned center tapping screw 5 or the like.
As shown in FIG. 1C, one of the tapping screws 5 and the like are screwed into 0A and 10B to complete their fastening. The relative rotation between the column cover boss portion 3 and the combination switch bracket 4 that occurs when one of the tapping screws 5 is screwed into the positioning protrusion 8 and the positioning recess 9 engaged with the positioning protrusion 8 without any excess or shortage. Between the column cover boss portion 3 and the combination switch bracket 4 in the rotational direction. Will not occur. Therefore, there is no fear that the mounting position of the tapping screw is shifted and the strength is reduced. In addition,
When there are at least one pair of left and right mounting portions of the combination switch bracket 4 to the column cover boss portion 3 (there may be two or more locations), these positioning projections 8 and positioning recesses 9 may be provided on all the mounting portions. Although recommended, the positioning protrusion 8 and the positioning recess 9 may be provided only in the mounting portion having the first mounting order.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, within the scope of the present invention, the shape, number, and material of the column cover boss and the bracket, the connection form of the upper and lower column covers, and the positioning protrusions And the shape of the positioning recess, the type of fastener such as a tapping screw, and the fastening position (may be deviated from the center of the positioning projection and the positioning recess, or the fastening position by the tapping screw or the like may be away from the positioning projection and the positioning recess. May be adopted) as appropriate.

[0010]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a positioning projection and a positioning recess are provided on a mounting portion of a column cover boss portion and a bracket so as to engage with each other without excess or shortage. Since the tapping screw and the like are fastened after the projection and the positioning recess are engaged, the column is formed by the positioning projection and the positioning recess to be fully engaged with the positioning protrusion before the fastening by the tapping screw or the like. The cover boss and the bracket can be temporarily and easily temporarily fixed to their proper positions. In addition, the relative rotation between the column cover boss and the bracket, which occurs when the tapping screw or the like is screwed when the column cover boss and the bracket are fastened, is engaged with the positioning projection and the same without excess or shortage. Between the column cover boss and the bracket, so that there is no displacement in the rotational direction between the column cover boss and the bracket. It doesn't have to look good. Therefore, there is no fear that the mounting position of the tapping screw is shifted and the strength is reduced. As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a column cover misalignment prevention structure that can prevent misalignment after the column cover is attached, secure the mounting strength and improve the appearance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A and 1B show an embodiment of a column cover displacement prevention structure according to the present invention. FIG. 1A is an overall side view of the column cover displacement prevention structure, and FIG. 1B is a column cover boss portion. FIG. 1C is an enlarged perspective view of a mounting portion between the control switch and the combination switch bracket, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view and an exploded perspective view showing a conventional column cover mounting structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper column cover 2 Lower column cover 3 Column cover boss part 4 Combination switch bracket 5 Tapping screw 6 Combination switch 8 Positioning projection 9 Positioning recess 10A Fastening part 10B Fastening part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A column cover mounting device for mounting a column cover boss portion to a bracket mounted on a steering column shaft by a tapping screw or the like, wherein the column cover boss portion and the bracket mounting portion are not excessively and sufficiently short of each other. A position preventing structure for a column cover, wherein a positioning projection and a positioning recess to be engaged are provided, and the positioning projection and the positioning recess are engaged to fasten a tapping screw or the like. 2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the positioning projection and the positioning recess have a non-circular cross section.