JPH11171042A - Steering support structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the deformation of a cabin front part inner side wall fitted with a steering column support member without the large increase of body weight. SOLUTION: A cowl outer reinforcement 30 is disposed at a vertical wall part 12A of a cowl inner panel 12, in a position opposed to a connected part of a connection part 24 to an instrument panel reinforcement 16. A pair of connecting wall parts 30D, 30E for connecting the vertical wall part 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 and a vertical wall part 14A of a cowl outer panel 14 to each other are formed at the cowl outer reinforcement 30. These connecting wall parts 30D, 30E are widened in open angle shape from the vertical wall part 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 to the vertical wall part 14A of the cowl outer panel 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering support structure, and more particularly, to a steering support structure for a vehicle body on a front inner wall of a vehicle compartment below a windshield.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an example of a structure for supporting a steering wheel on a front inner wall of a passenger compartment below a windshield of an automobile is disclosed in JP-A-8-192770.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this steering support structure, a steering column support member 100 is mounted on a front inner side wall (cowl) 102 of a passenger compartment via a bracket 104. The bracket 104 includes a pair of first support portions 104A fixed to the cowl 102,
And a first upright portion 104B in which a first screw hole 106 is formed. Also, the brace member 10 is provided on the steering column support member 100.
8 are provided. The brace member 108 includes a pair of second fixing members fixed to the steering column support member 100.
And a second screw hole 110 having a hole diameter different from that of the first screw hole 106, and a second screw hole 110 facing the first upright portion 104B. And an upright portion 108B. The bracket 104 and the brace member 108 are connected to the first screw hole 106
And the second screw hole 110 are connected by a fastening bolt 112.

[0004]

However, in such a steering support structure, the steering wheel 1
The pressing load (arrow W in FIG. 3) acting on the steering column 116, the steering column support member 10
0 is input to the front inner side wall 102 via the brace member 108 and the bracket 104. As a result, when the airbag bag is provided on the steering wheel 114 in a vehicle body having a high driving position and having no effect even if the engine retreats at the time of a frontal collision, the occupant holdability of the airbag bag during a collision is reduced. In order to ensure this, it is necessary to increase the plate thickness of the front inner wall 102 and suppress deformation of the front inner wall 102, which significantly increases the weight of the vehicle body.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a steering support structure capable of suppressing deformation of an inner wall of a front portion of a vehicle compartment to which a steering column support member is attached without a significant increase in vehicle weight.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a steering column support member provided between both side walls in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle compartment below a windshield is provided inside a front portion of the vehicle compartment below the windshield. A steering support structure mounted on a wall, wherein the connecting portion is provided on the steering column support member and is connected to the front inner side wall; and a vehicle front side of the front inner side wall along the front inner side wall. The front inner wall and the front portion are disposed at a position between the front outer wall and the front inner wall and the front outer wall facing the connecting portion of the connecting portion. A reinforcing member for connecting the outer wall, and the reinforcing member has a pair of connecting walls connecting the front inner wall and the front outer wall, and the pair of connecting walls is Spreads in a C-shape from the front inner wall to the front outer wall It is characterized by a door.

Therefore, at the time of a collision, the input load from the steering wheel is input to the front inner wall of the vehicle body from the steering column support member via the connecting portion, but is input from the steering column support member to the front inner wall of the vehicle body. A part of the input load is effectively transmitted to the front outer wall via the connecting wall of the reinforcing member which spreads in a C shape from the front inner wall to the front outer wall. As a result, the input load from the steering wheel can be effectively distributed to the front inner side wall and the front outer side wall. The deformation of the inner wall of the front part of the passenger compartment to which is attached can be suppressed. Further, since the support rigidity of the steering mounting portion is increased, steering vibration can be reduced.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a steering support structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the drawings, arrow FR indicates the forward direction of the vehicle, arrow UP indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, and arrow IN indicates the inward direction of the vehicle width.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, a cowl inner panel 12 is disposed along the vehicle width direction at a front portion of a vehicle compartment 10 below a windshield. A cowl outer panel 14 is arranged on the front side of the vehicle along the vehicle width direction. Further, an instrument panel reinforcement 16 as a steering support member is disposed along the vehicle width direction on the rear side of the cowl inner panel 12 in the vehicle.
This instrument panel reinforcement 16
, Both ends, not shown, are provided between both side walls in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle compartment.

The instrument panel reinforcement 16 includes a hollow small cylindrical portion 18 and the hollow small cylindrical portion 18.
The hollow large cylindrical body portion 20 having a larger cross-sectional area over the entirety is firmly connected to each other at a substantially central portion. Further, the steering column 1 is attached to the hollow large cylindrical body portion 20 via the steering support 17.
9 is attached to the steering column 19,
The steering shaft 21 is rotatably held.

A cowl bracket 22 is welded to a vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 as an inner side wall at the front of the vehicle compartment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cowl bracket 2
2 has a hat shape with the opening directed forward of the vehicle, and a flange 22A formed at the opening end is welded to the vertical wall 12A of the cowl inner panel 12. The top portion 22B of the cowl bracket 22 is in contact with a flat plate 26 fixed to the tip of a connecting portion 24 protruding from the outer peripheral portion of the hollow large cylindrical body portion 20, and the flat plate 26 and the top portion 22B of the cowl bracket 22 are in contact with each other. , Bolts and nuts.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front wall 12A of the vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 has a reinforcing portion at a position opposite to a portion where the connecting portion 24 is connected via the cowl bracket 22. A cowl outer reinforcement 30 as a member is provided. The cowl outer reinforcement 30 connects the vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 and the vertical wall portion 14A of the cowl outer panel 14 as a vehicle compartment front outer wall.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cowl outer reinforcement 30 has a hat-shaped cross section with an opening directed forward of the vehicle, and left and right flanges 30A, 30B formed at the opening end. Cowl outer panel 1
4 is welded to the vertical wall portion 14A. The top portion 30C of the cowl outer reinforcement 30 is a front surface 12B of the vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 on the vehicle front side.
Is welded to.

Further, between the flanges 30A and 30B of the cowl outer reinforcement 30 and the top 30C, a vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 and a vertical wall portion 14A of the cowl outer panel 14 as a front outer wall are provided. And a pair of connecting wall portions 30D and 30E for connecting the cowl inner panel 12 to the vertical wall portion 14A of the cowl outer panel 14 from the vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12. It has spread.

As shown in FIG. 1, at the upper end of the cowl outer reinforcement 30, a flange 30F is formed toward the rear of the vehicle, and this flange 30F is welded to the lower surface of the upper flange 14B of the cowl outer panel 14. ing. The lower end of the cowl outer reinforcement 30 has a flange 30G facing forward of the vehicle.
The flange 30G is welded to the lower surface of the lower flange 14C of the cowl outer panel 14.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the steering support structure of the present embodiment, at the time of a collision, the input load from the steering wheel is transmitted to the instrument panel reinforcement 16 via the steering shaft 21, the steering column 19, and the steering support 17, and the arrow F in FIG. As shown in the figure, the instrument panel reinforcement 16
Is input to the vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 via the connecting portion 24 formed in the hollow large cylindrical body portion 20 and the cowl bracket 22.

At this time, in the steering support structure of the present embodiment, a part of the load input from the instrument panel reinforcement 16 to the vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 is, as shown by an arrow F1 in FIG. ,
The cowl outer panel 1 is effectively provided via the connecting wall portions 30D and 30E of the cowl outer reinforcement 30 extending in a C shape from the vertical wall portion 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 to the vertical wall portion 14A of the cowl outer panel 14.
4 is transmitted to the vertical wall portion 14A.

As a result, the input load F from the steering wheel can be effectively distributed to the vertical wall 12A of the cowl inner panel 12 and the vertical wall 14A of the cowl outer panel 14. For this reason, the effect of suppressing deformation of the inner wall at the front of the vehicle compartment where the instrument panel reinforcement 16 is mounted is improved, and in a vehicle in which the airbag bag is provided on the steering wheel, the support rigidity of the airbag bag is provided. Occupant hold performance of the airbag bag body can be secured.

Further, in the steering support structure of the present embodiment, since the support rigidity of the steering mounting portion is increased, steering vibration can be reduced.

In the above, the present invention has been described in detail with respect to a specific embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various other embodiments are included in the scope of the present invention. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that is possible.

[0023]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering system in which a steering column supporting member provided between both side walls in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle compartment below a windshield is attached to a front inner side wall of the vehicle compartment below the windshield. A connection structure provided on the steering column support member and connected to the front inner wall, and a vehicle front outside disposed along the front inner wall on the vehicle front side of the front inner wall. A reinforcing member provided at a portion between the front inner side wall and the front outer side wall facing the connecting portion of the connecting portion and connecting the front inner side wall and the front outer side wall, The member has a pair of connecting walls connecting the front inner wall and the front outer wall, and the pair of connecting walls extends in a C shape from the front inner wall to the front outer wall. As a result, the cabin in which the steering column support An excellent effect of suppressing the deformation of the portion sidewall. Also, there is an excellent effect that steering vibration can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a steering support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view showing a main part of a steering support structure according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a steering support structure according to a conventional embodiment, viewed from diagonally rearward of the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 Cowl inner panel 12A Vertical wall portion of cowl inner panel (inner front wall of vehicle compartment) 14 Cowl outer panel 14A Vertical wall portion of cowl inner panel (front outer wall of vehicle compartment) 16 Instrument panel reinforcement (steering support member) 24 Connecting part 30 Cowling outer reinforcement (reinforcing member) 30D Cowling outer reinforcement connecting wall 30E Cowling outer reinforcement connecting wall

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A steering support structure wherein a steering column support member provided between both side walls in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle compartment below a windshield is attached to a front inner side wall of the vehicle compartment below the windshield. A connecting portion provided on a column supporting member and connected to the front inner wall; a vehicle front outer wall disposed along the front inner wall on a vehicle front side of the front inner wall; A reinforcing member disposed at a portion between the front inner side wall and the front outer side wall facing a connecting portion of the connecting portion, and connecting the front inner side wall and the front outer side wall, The reinforcing member has a pair of connecting walls connecting the front inner side wall and the front outer side wall, and the pair of connecting wall portions is directed from the front inner side wall to the front outer side wall. Steering support structure characterized by spreading in a C-shape