JPS5855093Y2 - Current-carrying bearing for vehicle steering shaft - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a steering shaft bearing that rotatably supports the steering shaft of a vehicle or the like on a steering column.

Conventionally, this type of bearing is often a sliding bearing with a synthetic resin film on the bearing surface, but since the bearing itself is not conductive,
The column and shaft were electrically connected by a current-carrying device.

In addition, it is difficult to obtain sliding bearings with high dimensional accuracy on the bearing surface, and this, combined with machining errors in the diameter dimensions of the steering column inner circumferential surface and the steering shaft, can result in excessive or insufficient bearing clearance, which can cause fluctuations due to vehicle vibration. generation of sound,
It also had the disadvantage of suffering from excessive steering torque.

An object of the present invention is to provide a current-carrying bearing for a steering shaft that is electrically conductive and has excellent bearing performance that eliminates noise generation and torque increase.

Next, the structure of the present invention will be explained with reference to the illustrated embodiment. In FIG. 1, a steering shaft 2 having a handle 5 on its upper part is rotatably supported by a bearing 1 press-fitted into the inner surface of the upper end of a steering column 3. The lower part is a universal joint 6
It is connected to a steering gear (not shown) via.

The upper part of the steering column 3 is attached to a vehicle body part (not shown) by a column bracket 4.

The bearing 1 includes a large number of needle rollers 7, a cage 8 that holds the needle rollers 7, a bearing ring 10 that circumscribes the needle rollers 7, and an elastic ring 9 made of rubber or the like that is fitted around the bearing ring 10. , bearing ring 10
It consists of a current-carrying piece 11 which is circumscribed by the elastic ring 9, a part of which passes through the elastic ring 9, and is exposed on the outer circumferential surface of the elastic ring.

As shown in FIG. 3, the raceway ring 10 has a thin-walled cylindrical shape with diagonal-linear cracks 12 over the entire axial length, and the elastic ring 9 made of a thin steel plate is a cylindrical ring that is fitted around the raceway ring 10. part 13, two collar parts 14 and 15 protruding radially inward from both ends of the cylindrical part 13, and the cylindrical part 13 has a through hole 16 provided in the central part thereof and communicating from the inner surface to the outer surface,
The inner diameter of the flange portions 14.15 is slightly larger than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the rollers (outer diameter of the steering shaft), and the two flange portions 14.15 form an assembly of the needle rollers 7 and the cage 8. It is possible to prevent the bearing from moving out of the bearing in the axial direction, and also to form a sealing gap with the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 2, which prevents grease from leaking inside the bearing and foreign matter from entering the bearing. .

The flange portion 15 on the anti-bundle side has a triangular cross section with a thinner wall on the inner diameter side in order to facilitate accommodation of the needle rollers 7, retainer 8, and bearing ring 10 in the elastic ring 9.

Further, a flange 17 extending radially outward is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the end on the bundle side, and when press-fitted into the steering column 3, contacts the upper end surface of the steering column 3 to position the bearing 1. .

The current-carrying piece 11 is a thin plate made of copper alloy with a small width, and as shown in FIG. and outer piece 19
and a connecting piece 20 that is bent so as to connect the elastic ring 9 and is located inside the through hole 16 of the elastic ring, and the tip 21 of the outer piece is bent inward of the elastic ring 9.

The assembly of the needle rollers 7 and the cage 8 and the bearing ring 10 are assembled into the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 13 by deforming the one collar portion 15 of the elastic link outward, and inserting the inner piece 18 of the current-carrying piece into the elastic ring 9. The elastic ring is inserted from the outside through the through hole 16 between the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 13 and the outer surface of the bearing ring 10, and is mounted on the bearing ring 10 to form a bearing assembly.

At this time, the connecting piece 20 is in the through hole 16, the outer piece 19 is on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic ring 9, and its tip 21 is inserted into the base of the flange 17.

This bearing is press-fitted into the steering column 3, and then the steering shaft 2 is fitted into the bearing.The elastic ring 9 is press-fitted into the steering column 3 and elastically deforms in the radial direction, so that the bearing ring fitted inside 10 is compressed radially.

Since the bearing ring 10 has a crack 12, the diameter is reduced within the gap between the cracks 12.

Therefore, the needle rollers 7 installed in the bearing ring 10 contact the rolling surface of the steering shaft 2 with a small inscribed circle diameter.

On the other hand, the outer piece 1 of the current-carrying piece exposed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic ring 9
9 is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the steering column 3, and an energizing path for the steering shaft 2, needle rollers 7, bearing ring 10, energizing piece 11, and steering column 3 is secured.

In addition, since the contact between the needle rollers 7 and the rolling surface of the steering shaft 2 is elastic due to the bearing ring 10 and the elastic ring 9, there is of course no excessive clearance that would cause rattling noise. The clearance does not become too small as the torque increases from 1 to 1.

In addition, in the embodiment in which the cracks 12 of the bearing ring are provided diagonally and in a straight line, the contact positions between the cracks and the needle rollers are sequentially shifted from one end to the other for each needle roller 7. Therefore, the transfer of the needle rollers 7 is better than that for cracks formed in other shapes, but in terms of current conductivity, regardless of the shape of the cracks, if the bearing ring is an end ring, good.

The bearing of the present invention configured as described above is a needle roller bearing having a raceway ring having an elastic ring and a crack fitted inside the elastic ring. A current-carrying piece is added to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column to elastically support the steering shaft to the steering column, and prevents the generation of rattling noise and increase in steering torque caused by vehicle vibration due to excessive or insufficient clearance. This has the effect of preventing the steering column from occurring and electrically communicating the steering shaft with the steering column.

In addition, the current-carrying piece has a simple shape and is not damaged by press-fitting.
When the tip of the outer piece is bent inward, when the bearing is press-fitted into the steering column, the tip is wedged into the outer circumferential surface of the elastic non-piece, and the current-carrying piece is easily press-fitted together with the bearing without separating it from the bearing, resulting in good workability. There is an effect.

In addition, in the case where the diameter of the raceway ring can be reduced by making the cracks diagonal or straight, the points of contact between the crack and the needle rollers are sequentially shifted at one point, so the transfer of the needle rollers becomes uneven due to the cracks. In addition, the inner diameter of the collar of the elastic ring is slightly larger than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the needle roller, which has a sealing effect.

It goes without saying that the bearing of the present invention can also be used on the inner surface of the lower end of the steering column.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of the steering device, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the bearing, Fig. 3 is a front view of the bearing ring, and Fig. The figure is a perspective view of the current-carrying piece, and FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2. Explanation of symbols 1: bearing, 2 steering shaft, 3 steering column, 7: needle roller, 8: retainer, 9: elastic ring, 10: bearing ring, 11: current carrying piece, 12: crack,
13: Cylindrical part, 14.15: Flange part, 16: Through hole,
17: flange, 18: inner piece, 19: outer piece, 20: connecting piece, 21: tip.

Claims (1)

[Scope of claim for utility model registration] ■ A large number of needle rollers and a cage that holds the needle rollers;
A bearing ring that circumscribes the needle roller, an elastic ring made of rubber or the like that is fitted onto the bearing ring, and a current-carrying piece that circumscribes the bearing ring and partially penetrates the elastic ring and emerges on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic ring. The bearing ring has a thin-walled cylindrical shape with a crack extending over the entire axial length, and the elastic ring includes a cylindrical part fitted onto the bearing ring, a collar part protruding radially inward from both ends of the cylindrical part, and a cylindrical part. The current-carrying piece has a through hole provided in the elastic ring, and the current-carrying piece is located in the through hole of the elastic ring by connecting an inner piece circumscribing the bearing ring, an outer piece exposed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic ring, and an inner and outer piece. A current-carrying bearing for a steering shaft of a vehicle, which is a metal plate having a connecting piece, and has an elastic ring press-fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the steering column of the vehicle, and the steering shaft is fitted as a roller rolling surface. 2. The current-carrying bearing for a steering shaft of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer tip of the current-carrying piece is bent inward of the elastic ring. 3. The cracks in the bearing ring extend diagonally and in a straight line, and the inner diameter of the collar of the elastic ring is slightly larger than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the needle roller to form a seal gap between the inner peripheral surface of the collar and the steering shaft. A current-carrying bearing for a steering shaft of a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 of the registered utility model.