JPS59183945A - Production of lock collar of handwheel shaft for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To produce easily and inexpensively a lock collar having no abnormal deformation by forming preliminarily and partially an arc part to a flat plate blank material, and blanking a lock groove by pressing in the arc part then bending the material to a cylindrical shape. CONSTITUTION:A flat plate blank material cut to a prescribed size is bent to form a U-shaped blank material having an arc part 11 having approximately the same curvature as the curvature of the finished lock collar and a lock groove 15 engaging with a lock up pin is formed by press blanking in the arc part 11 and thereafter the straight parts 12, 12 of the U-shaped blank material are bent to a cylindrical shape, by which the lock collar 14 of a handwheel shaft for an automobile having no abnormal deformation in the groove 15 and the bore is obtd.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for molding a lock collar of a steering wheel shaft for an automobile.

Figures 1 and 2 show the structure of an automobile steering wheel shaft. In the drawings, a steering wheel shaft (1) is rotatably supported by a steering column (2), and a handle (
3) are coupled and fixed, and a steering gear box (not shown @) is connected to the lower part.

A lock collar (4) having a lock groove (5) is fitted and fixed to the handle 5 (1), and a key lock device (6) provided on the steering column (2) can be moved forward and backward. The lock pin (7) and the lock groove (5) engage to place the handle shaft (1) in the T-locked state. Conventionally, this lock collar has been manufactured by cutting a cylindrical material to a predetermined size and forming a lock by cutting grooves using an end mill or the like. In this case, groove machining using an end mill, etc. has low productivity, and the life of the blade is short, resulting in high manufacturing costs.In order to reduce costs, attempts have been made to create the block collar by plastic processing such as press forming. ing.

However, the inner diameter of the lock collar is relatively small and the wall thickness is as thick as 4tfnn1~l, mm due to the strong deformation, so the locking groove is formed in the flat plate material and then the bending process is performed. If this is done, the lock groove will become outwardly tapered due to deformation during bending, making it impossible to fit into the desired groove shape, and the lock groove may not be pressed after bending the flat plate material into a cylindrical shape. If provided by molding, there is a risk that the cylindrical lock collar will be deformed by the pressure during press molding and will not be able to fit onto the handle shaft.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and it is an object of the present invention to inexpensively manufacture a lock collar for an automobile handle shaft by plastic working such as press working without abnormal deformation of the lock groove or inner diameter. The purpose of this is to partially form an arc-shaped part with approximately the same curvature as the completed lock collar in advance on a flat plate material, form a lock groove in this arc-shaped part by press punching, and then bend it. This is achieved by processing to form a cylindrical lock collar. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings.

3 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention. First, a flat plate material cut to a predetermined size as shown in FIG. 3 is bent and formed into a shape as shown in FIG. 9. An arcuate portion with approximately the same curvature as when the lock collar is completed (U with Iυ
The mold material is molded, and a lock groove (151) is formed by press punching on this arc-shaped portion (IIJ).After this, as shown in Figure 5, the straight portion (+21) of the U-shaped material is bent and formed into a cylindrical shape. Obtain the lock collar (141).

As mentioned above, the entire arcuate portion (01) having approximately the same curvature as the completed lock collar is formed in advance on a flat plate material, and the lock groove (151) is formed by punching this arcuate portion (+ ]) with an l/C press. is formed and then subjected to bending processing to form a cylindrical lock collar 04)', so the lock groove 115) is hardly affected by deformation during bending, and the lock groove (15) will not undergo abnormal deformation,
Further, since no pressure is applied after forming into a cylindrical shape, the inner diameter will not be deformed. Since the entire process is plastic working, it is possible to produce images at high productivity and at low cost, and to obtain uniform products with little variation.

6 and 7 show the λth embodiment of the present invention,
A flat plate material cut to the same predetermined dimensions as in the previous example is subjected to bending processing, and as shown in FIG. 6, a waveform having two arcuate portions (2I) having approximately the same curvature as when the lock collar is completed is obtained. The material is molded, a lock groove (25) is formed by press punching in the arcuate portion Cυ at the λ position, and then the corrugated material is bent and formed as shown in FIG. By applying pressure, a cylindrical lock collar (2) is formed.

In this embodiment as well, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

As described above, the present invention involves partially forming an arcuate portion of approximately the same curvature as that at the time of completion of the lock collar on a flat plate material in advance, forming a white ivy groove in this arcuate portion by press punching,
After this, bending is performed to form a cylindrical lock collar, so the lock groove is hardly affected by deformation during bending, and the lock groove does not undergo abnormal deformation. Since no pressure is applied after forming into a cylindrical shape, the inner diameter will not be deformed. Since all processes are plastic processing, it can be manufactured at a high productivity and at a low cost.
It also has the effect of being able to obtain uniform products with little variation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of an automobile steering wheel shaft, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 1, and Figs. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the flat plate material, Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view after the first bending process is completed, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view when the lock collar is completed.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 6 is a new view after the first bending process is completed, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view when the lock collar is completed. Explanation of symbols/Handle shaft Co-Steering column
/11. ．． 21I...Rock Kara~5, /S,
,,25...Lock groove B/Key locking device 7...
Lock Bin //, 2/...Circular part/2...Straight line part Force...Central part No. 21!1 Fig. 7

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a method for manufacturing a lock collar for an automobile steering wheel shaft having a lock groove that engages with a retractable lock pin of a key lock device provided on a steering wheel column, a circle having approximately the same curvature as when the lock collar is completed is pre-inserted on a flat plate material. An automatic day handle shaft characterized in that an arc-shaped part is partially formed, a white ivy groove is formed in the arc-shaped part by press punching, and then a cylindrical lock collar is formed by bending. How to create a rock color. ζ