JPS5943167Y2 - tilt handle device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a tilt steering wheel device that allows the position of the steering wheel to be adjusted up and down according to the physique of the driver, and more particularly to an improvement in the angle adjustment mechanism of the movable upper shaft to which the steering wheel is attached.

As is well known, the tilt steering wheel device is divided into a fixed lower shaft that connects the steering shaft to a steering gear connected via a universal joint, and a movable upper shaft to which the steering wheel is attached.
An angle adjustment mechanism is provided in the joint portion, and the angle of inclination of the upper shaft is adjusted appropriately by this angle adjustment mechanism.

The steering wheel is fixed and the vertical position of the steering wheel can be adjusted variably.

By the way, the conventional angle adjustment mechanism fixes the adjustment angle by pressing a bracket fixed to the column on the upper shaft side and a bracket fixed to the vehicle body, specifically the instrument panel, in the width direction. Therefore, the operating lever is often arranged below the side of the adjustment mechanism so that it can be rotated in the front-rear direction.

However, in the case where the operating handle is rotated in the front and back direction below the side of the adjustment mechanism, the operating handle deposits liquid on the driver's knees, so this operation must be performed when getting on and off the vehicle. It is easy to hit your knee on the steering wheel, and
There were cases of injuries caused by the knee hitting the operating handle during the collision.

In view of the conventional situation, the present invention is designed to adjust the angle of the upper shaft by tightening and loosening the bracket fixed to the column on the upper shaft side and the bracket fixed to the vehicle body side from the front and back directions. Bracket tightening,
The operating handle is rotated in the radial direction as the relaxation direction is set, so that the operating handle does not protrude significantly toward the bottom and narrow the living space below the instrument panel. It is.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a steering shaft, and the steering shaft 1 is divided into a fixed lower shaft 2 and a movable upper shaft 3, which are connected via a universal joint 4, and the lower shaft 2 end is connected to the steering gear. A steering wheel 6 is attached to the end of the upper shaft 3 while being connected to the gear in the box 5.

An angle adjustment mechanism 7 is disposed at the universal joint 4, and the angle adjustment mechanism 7 adjusts the inclination angle of the movable upper shaft 3 as appropriate, thereby adjusting the vertical position of the steering wheel 6 according to the physique of the driver. It is possible to adjust it.

2 to 4 show the structure around the mounting part of the angle adjustment mechanism 7. The angle adjustment mechanism 7 has a first bracket 8 having a U-shaped cross section and fixed by welding to the lower side of the upper shaft side column 3a. a second bracket 9 fixed to the instrument/instrument handle and arranged below the universal joint 4 portion and having a U-shaped cross section and slidably receiving the first bracket 8; 1. Second bracket 8
, 9 from the front and back directions.
．． 11, and a wrench mechanism 12 for tightening or loosening these clamp bars 10 and 11.

The clamp bar 10.11 has a U-shaped cross section, and has a hole 10a in the center thereof through which the operating rod 17 of the wrench mechanism 12 is inserted in the same direction as the steering shaft 1.
11a is formed.

On the other hand, in both side walls 8a of the first bracket 8, a pair of clamp bar holding holes 13 and 14 are formed for the front and rear hooks, each having a shape substantially equal to the side contour shape of the clamp bars 10 and 11.

Further, slide slits 15.16 are formed in both side walls 9a of the second bracket 9 at positions corresponding to the clamp bar holding holes 13 and 14, and are elongated in the vertical direction. These first. Insert into the slide slits 15.16 and the guide bar holding holes 13.14 on both side walls of the second brackets 8, 9.

The angle of inclination of the upper shaft 3 can be adjusted within the range in which the slide slits 15 and 16 are formed.

Spread. Clamp bar 1o with slide slit 15.16
The engagement edges 15a, 16a with the upper and lower shafts 2,
It is formed in an arc shape centered on the joint point O of 3.
In addition, the corresponding clamp bar 13.14
The engaging surface is also formed in an arc shape.

This button, this slide slit 15.16 and the clamp bar holding hole 13.14 are in reverse correspondence, with the slide slit 15.16 being placed in the first bracket 8, and the clamp bar holding holes 13 and 14 being placed in the second bracket 9. It may be formed as follows.

The wrench mechanism 12 includes an operating rod 17 having a threaded portion 17a at its tip and inserted into holes 10a and lla of clamp bars io and i1, an operating lever 18 fixed with a bolt 19 to the rear end of the operating rod 17, and a crank 7. ``Bar 1o, 11
retainers 20 and 21 that fit into each recess to insert and hold the actuating rod 1T, one of the retainers 20 being fitted and fixed between the U-shaped cross sections of the clamp bar 10;
A screw hole 20a is formed in the direction of the solid axis.
The threaded portion 17a at the tip of the rod 1T is screwed into the hole a.

Therefore, by tightening and loosening rotation of the operating rod 17, the clamp bar 1
0 moves in the axial direction.

In addition, in some cases, the rod 1 of the clamp bars 10, 11
It is also possible to eliminate the use of the retainers 20 and 21 by molding the 7 insertion portions thickly to a thickness corresponding to the retainers 20 and 21, and providing screw holes in the iron insertion portions on the clamp bar 10 side.

Note that 2a in the figure indicates a column on the lower shaft side.

With the above configuration, when adjusting the vertical position of the steering wheel 6, by rotating the operating lever 18 counterclockwise in FIG. 3 in the direction of loosening the rod 17, the clamp bar 10. Since the second brackets 8 and 9 are released from being compressed in the front and back direction, the upper shaft 3 can be adjusted as appropriate in a stepless manner within the range in which the slide slits 15 and 16 of the second bracket 9 are formed.

The inclination angle of the upper shaft 3 and the position of the flip-flop steering handle 6 are fixed by rotating the operating lever 18 in the clockwise direction in FIG. .11 moves in the direction of approach, and the first. The second brackets 8 and 9 are clamped and restrained from the front and back directions, and the shaft angle is fixed.

Here, if V-shaped grooves iob and iib are formed in the portions of the clamp bars 1o and 11 that engage with the side walls 8a and 9a of the first and second brackets 8 and 9 as shown in the fourth figure, the wrench mechanism 12 At the time of clamping, component forces are generated in the opposing side walls 8a and 9a in the direction of clamping them together, and the clamp bar 10.
11 in the front-back direction and the mutual clamping action of the side walls 8a and 9a.

There is an advantage that the angle adjustment mechanism 12 can be fixed more reliably.

In some cases, the fixed lower shaft 2 and the movable upper shaft 3 may be connected to the corresponding second bracket 9 and first bracket.
It may also be rotatably supported directly on the bracket 8.

As described above, according to the present invention, the first bracket on the upper shaft column side and the second bracket on the vehicle body side are compressed and loosened from the front and rear directions, and the operating lever of the angle adjustment mechanism
- can be rotated in the radial direction, and the amount of downward protrusion of the operating lever is minimized, so the living space below the instrument panel is not narrowed.
This has a great practical effect of preventing the driver's knees from interfering with the operating handle.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view of the tilt handle device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts, Fig. 3 is a view from the ■■ arrow in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 2. FIG. 1... Steering shaft, 2...
Fixed side lower shaft, 3... Movable side upper shaft, 4... Universal joint, 6...
... Steering wheel, 7 ... Angle adjustment mechanism, 8 ... First bracket, 9 ...
Second bracket, io, ii...clamp bar 10b, 11b...groove, 12...
Wrench mechanism, 17... Operating rod, 18...
...Operation lever -8

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. A tilt system in which a steering shaft is divided into a fixed side lower shaft and a movable side upper shaft connected through a joint, and the moving side upper shaft is arranged so that its inclination can be adjusted from the joint part. The handle device includes: a first bracket having a U-shaped cross section that rotatably supports the movable shaft; and a first bracket that slidably receives the first bracket, rotatably supports the stationary shaft, and is fixed to the vehicle body. a second bracket, a pair of front and rear clamp bars penetrating both side walls of the first and second brackets and disposed so as to be tiltable or slidable in the vertical direction with respect to one of the brackets; An actuating iron is disposed penetratingly across these clamp bars in the same direction and is screwed onto at least one of the clamp bars, and the actuating iron is disposed at the end of the actuating iron and is rotatable in a radial direction to rotate the clamp bar in the axial direction of the actuating iron. and a wrench mechanism comprising an operating lever that moves to tighten or loosen the eleventh second bracket. 2 Clamp bar 1st. The portion that engages with the second bracket side wall is formed with a groove portion that generates a component force in the clamping direction between the second and second bracket side walls when clamping by the wrench mechanism. The tilt handle device according to item 1.