JPS61150868A - Steering support structure for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve supporting rigidity in the vertical, left and right directions by fixing first and second support members of steering respectively to a cowl side panel and floor. CONSTITUTION:First and second support members 32, 33 constituting a steering support structure are respectively formed of a single L-shaped bent steel pipe. And an end of a first part 32a of the first support member 32 is fixedly attached to a cowl side panel 5 to extend parallel to a cowl inner panel 6. Also, a second part 32b is bent down to be mounted on a floor 7. Further, an end of a first part 33a of the second support member 33 is attached fixedly to the cowl side panel 5 to extend parallel to the cowl inner panel 6. Also a second part 33b is bent down to be attached fixedly to the floor 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a steering support structure for a vehicle, and more particularly, to left and right cowl side panels extending forward from the front ends of left and right door opening flanges, and to the left and right cowl side panels. The present invention relates to a steering support structure for a vehicle, including a cowl inner panel arranged to extend in the vehicle width direction between side panels.

(Prior Art) In the above-mentioned vehicle, the steering column that holds the steering shaft has conventionally been supported only by a bracket fixed to the cowl inner panel. However, in this conventional structure, since the steering wheel is supported only by a bracket fixed to the cowl inner panel, there is a problem in that the steering wheel vibrates when driving at high speeds or when driving on rough roads.

Therefore, the steering support structure disclosed in JP-A No. 57-4467 is composed of an elongated member with a rectangular closed cross section.
One end is fixed to the cowl side panel, and the horizontal part extends horizontally from there along the cowl inner panel to a position beyond the steering wheel, and the other end of this horizontal part is bent downward at a substantially right angle and the lower end An L-shaped support member consisting of a vertical section fixed to the floor, supporting the steering wheel.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) According to the steering support structure described in the above-mentioned patent publication, it is possible to reduce vibrations of the steering wheel when the vehicle is running at high speed. Since it is composed of a member having a cross-sectional shape, there are problems such as a complicated manufacturing process. In order to solve this problem, a member having a circular cross section, that is, a tube material may be used as the material of the support member.

However, if such a tube material were to have sufficient strength, it would have a correspondingly large diameter, and if it were used to construct the above-mentioned cross-shaped support member, the large diameter of the tube material would cause problems in bending workability. A problem arises in that the space inside the vehicle, especially the layout of the instrument panel, is restricted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering support structure for a vehicle that can reduce the transmission of vibrations in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body to the steering wheel without significantly restricting the space for the vehicle.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides left and right cowl side panels that extend forward from the front ends of left and right door opening flanges, and a cowl side panel that extends in the vehicle width direction between the left and right cowl side panels. A steering support structure for a vehicle including a cowl inner panel, comprising a first support member and a second support member,
The first and second support members each have a first portion fixed at one end to a cowl side panel and extending substantially horizontally therefrom along the cowl inner panel to a position beyond the steering wheel; and a 28th section extending downward from the end and having a lower end fixed to the floor, and characterized in that the steering wheel is fixed to both the first portions of the first and second support members. That is. Note that it is desirable that the first and second support members be formed of steel pipes.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the vehicle steering support structure of the present invention having the above structure, the steering vibration load is received at two points, the floor and the cowl side, by the first and second support members. The steering structure of the present invention has improved support rigidity against vibrations in the width direction, and therefore it is particularly desirable to use the steering structure of the present invention in vehicles that travel on rough roads. Furthermore, since the steering wheel is supported by two supporting members, when these supporting members are made of tubular material, they can be made of tubular material with a relatively small diameter. The space inside can be used effectively. Furthermore,
Since the support structure as a whole has the structure described above,
This support structure can be used without interfering with the layout of the instrument panel. .

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, a steering structure for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 indicates the front part of the vehicle body, and the front part 1 of the vehicle body is provided with a driver's cab 2. As shown in FIG. The vehicle body front portion 1 is arranged to extend in the vehicle width direction between left and right cowl side panels 4.5 extending forward from the front portions 3a of the left and right door opening flanges 3, and the left and right cowl side panels 4.5. A cowl inner panel 6 and a floor 7 are provided. A tunnel portion 8 is formed in the floor 7. An engine room 9 is provided in front of the driver's cab 2, and the driver's cab 2 and the engine room 9 are connected to a dash panel 1 arranged vertically.
Separated by 0. Above cowl inner panel 6
is formed from a lower wall 11 extending substantially parallel to the floor 7, and a side wall 12 extending substantially vertically upward from the rear end edge of the lower wall 11. The front end of the lower wall 11 of the cowl inner panel 60 is fixed to the upper part of the dash panel 10. In addition, in the figure, the reference numeral 13 indicates a windshield.

A steering wheel 20 is supported within the driver's cab 2 by a steering support device 30 .

The steering wheel 20 includes a steering wheel 21, a steering shaft 22 connected to the steering wheel 21, and a steering column 23 surrounding and supporting the steering shaft 22.

The steering support device 30 mainly includes a mask cylinder bracket 31, a first support member 32, and a second support member 33. The mask cylinder bracket 31 has its main body 3 as shown in FIG.
1a is attached to the lower wall 1.1 of the cowl inner panel 6 and a vehicle body side bracket 34 fixed to the side wall 12 of the cowl inner panel 6 by welding with bolts and nuts 35. This mask cylinder bracket ′
A support portion 31b extends rearward from the rear end of the main body 31a of 131 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. A mounting body 36 is provided on the lower surface of the support portion 31a, and the steering column 23 of the steering wheel 20 is surrounded and supported by the mounting body 36. Note that it is desirable that the lower portion of the steering column 23 is also coupled to the main body 31a of the mask cylinder racket 31 by a support piece 37 or the like.

The first support member 32 and the second support member 33 are each formed by bending one steel pipe into an L shape, and are composed of a first B portion 32a133a and second portions 32b and 33b. . The first support member 3
The first part 32a of 2 has a flange 32 attached to one end thereof.
c is formed, and as shown in FIG. 4, in this installation, the flange 32C is fixed to the cowl side panel 5 by bolts and nuts 38. The first part 32
In a, this attachment extends inward substantially horizontally from the flange 32c substantially parallel to the cowl inner panel 6 to a position beyond the steering wheel 20. The second portion 32b extends downward from the other end, that is, the inner end, of the first portion 32a. A mounting 7 flange 32d is also provided at the lower end of this second portion 32b, and as shown in FIG. It is attached by bolts and nuts 39.

The first portion 33a of the second member 33 is also
Similar to the first part 32a of No. 2, a mounting flange 33c is formed at one end of the mounting flange 33G.
Cowl side panel 5 by bolt nut 40
is fixed to.

The first portion 33a extends inward substantially horizontally from the flange 33C adjacent to the first portion 32a of the first member 32, that is, substantially parallel to the cowl inner panel 6 to a position beyond the steering wheel 20. There is. This first portion 33a is longer than the first portion 32a of the first support member 32. The second portion 33b extends downward from the other end, that is, the inner end, of the first portion 33a. A mounting flange 32d is also provided at the lower end of this second portion 33b, and this mounting flange 33d is fixed to a bracket 14 provided in the tunnel portion 8 of the floor 7 with bolts and nuts 41.

The first portions 32a and 33a of the first and second support members 32 and 33 are supported by a bracket 44 composed of two plates 42 and 43, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. A part of it is tilted to the east. This bracket 44 is the support part 3 of the mask cylinder bracket 31.
The opposite side of the mounting body 36 across 1b, that is, the mounting body 36
The bracket 44, the support part 31
b and the mounting body 36 are integrally fixed by bolts and nuts 45. In the figure, two first parts 3
Although 2a and 33a are shown in parallel horizontally,
Of course, they may be arranged vertically.

With the above configuration, the steering wheel 20 is supported by the cylinder bracket 31, and the steering wheel 20 is supported by the first and second cylinder brackets.
It is also supported by the support members 32 and 33, thus improving the support rigidity particularly in the vertical and horizontal directions, and reducing the occurrence of vibrations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle front structure incorporating a vehicle steering support device according to an embodiment of the present invention (excluding the steering wheel), and FIG. 2 is a line A--
3 is a front view showing the front structure of the vehicle body, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the attachment structure of the cowl side panel of the first portion of the first support member, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line A. is a perspective view showing the mounting structure of the second portion of the first support member to the floor; FIG. 6 is a side view showing the steering support structure by the first and second members; FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the support structure shown in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view from below of the bracket shown in FIGS. 6 and 7; 1...Front part of the car body, 2...Driver's cabin, 3...
Door opening flange, 4, 5... Cowl side panel, 6... Cowl inner panel, 7... Floor, 20... Steering, 30... Steering support device, 31... Mask cylinder bracket, 32・
...First support member, 32a...First portion, 32b...
- 2nd B portion, 33... second support member, 33a... first part, 33b... second part. Taste Figure 4

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A steering wheel for a vehicle that includes left and right cowl side panels extending forward from the front ends of the left and right door opening flanges, and a cowl inner panel arranged to extend in the vehicle width direction between the left and right cowl side panels. The support structure includes a first support member and a second support member, one end of the first support member and the second support member being fixed to a cowl side panel, from which steering is provided along the cowl inner panel. Consisting of a first portion that extends substantially horizontally to a beyond position, and a second portion that extends downward from the other end of the first portion and has a lower end fixed to the floor,
A steering support structure for a vehicle, wherein the steering wheel is fixed to the first portions of the first and second support members. (2) The vehicle steering support structure according to claim 1, wherein the first and second support members are formed of steel pipes.