KR20090123213A - Impact absorbing device for steering column - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A shock absorbing apparatus of a steering column is provided to minimize injury of a vehicle driver by giving an equal reverse impact to the driver. CONSTITUTION: A shock absorbing apparatus of a steering column includes a plurality of friction projections which are formed on the outer surface of an inner shaft(4) adjacent to the leading end of an outer tube(2) to protrude in the radial direction. The friction projections make friction with the inner surface of the outer tube when the inner shaft contracts into the outer tube. A groove is formed between the friction projections with the same diameter as the outer diameter of the inner shaft.

Description

Impact absorbing device for steering column

The present invention relates to an impact absorbing device of a steering column of a vehicle, and more particularly, an impact of a steering column which is formed along the circumferential direction on an inner shaft to effectively absorb and reduce the impact through a plurality of friction protrusions protruding in a radial direction. It relates to an absorber.

Conventionally, the steering apparatus of a vehicle includes a steering handle which is directly gripped and operated by a driver, a steering shaft which is integrally rotated to the steering handle so as to transmit the rotational movement of the steering handle to the gearbox, and the outer circumference of the steering shaft, The steering column etc. which are fixed are provided.

In addition, the conventional steering device has various types of shock absorbers that absorb and mitigate the shock applied to the steering wheel when the driver's body hits the steering wheel in the event of a crash of the vehicle, thereby reducing the repulsive shock received by the driver's body. It is provided.

For example, the inner shaft of the universal joint which transmits the rotational movement of the steering shaft to the gearbox is inserted into the outer shaft so that the inner shaft is slidably inserted. When the inner shaft is impacted, the inner shaft is slid into the outer shaft to absorb the shock. It is.

In addition, when the steering shaft connected to the steering handle is integrally rotated, the length of the steering shaft is reduced to absorb the shock while cushioning the steering shaft. If possible, the inner tube is inserted into the outer tube while being shocked to slide therein to absorb the impact.

In addition, a capsule is installed in the mounting bracket for fixing the outer tube to the vehicle body, and when the shock is received, the capsule is absorbed from the mounting bracket while absorbing the shock, or when the curling plate installed in the steering column is shocked, causing bending deformation. It is designed to absorb shocks.

However, in order for the various types of shock absorbers to function properly, the steering column must be retracted according to the design intention. Actually, due to the bending of the vehicle body due to the deformation of the vehicle and the action of additional external forces, The steering column did not shrink as designed and lacks optimal protection for the driver.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and in the event of a crash of the vehicle, the inner shaft is contracted according to the design intention by reducing the influence of external noise in the process of pressing the inner shaft in the contracting direction to shrink the inner shaft. This ensures optimal protection for the driver as designed as possible, and by adjusting the frictional resistance between the inner shaft and the outer tube in consideration of the deceleration deceleration of the body during the contraction of the inner shaft, It is an object of the present invention to provide a shock absorbing device of a steering column so as to effectively reduce a driver's injury by receiving a repulsive shock.

The present invention for achieving the above object, the outer tube when the inner shaft is inserted into the outer tube on the outer circumferential surface of the inner shaft adjacent to the leading end of the outer tube to support the inner shaft connected to the steering handle when the outer tube The friction protrusion causing friction with the inner circumferential surface of the axial direction is formed of a plurality of structures formed at predetermined intervals.

According to the shock absorbing device of the steering column according to the present invention, as the inner shaft is popped up to be released in the axial direction when the collision of the vehicle occurs, as the elastic restoring force of the compression spring pushes the inner shaft in the axial direction. By reducing the influence of external noise on the contraction movement process of the inner shaft, the inner shaft is contracted as designed, so that the driver can be optimally protected as designed, and a plurality of friction protrusions formed on the inner shaft during the contracted inner shaft are By properly adjusting the friction force generated between the inner shaft and the outer tube in consideration of the deceleration deceleration of the vehicle body, the driver receives almost equal rebound shock, which can effectively reduce the injury of the driver. In addition to increased rigidity, the weight and cost of the vehicle It is possible to achieve a sense, there is an effect, such as to protect the best possible operator.

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

1 is a perspective view illustrating a shock absorbing device of a steering column according to the present invention, that is, a mounting bracket 1 includes a rectangular flat plate body 1a fixed to a vehicle body, and the bracket body 1a. One pair of first legs 1b spaced apart along the width direction of the bracket body while extending downward from one end, and extending downward from the other end of the bracket body 1a along the width direction of the bracket body. A pair of spaced apart second legs 1c are provided, respectively.

The outer tube 2 of the steering column is sandwiched between the two pairs of legs 1b and 1c so that one side thereof has a hinge pin 3 on the pair of first legs 1b as shown in FIG. 2. It is rotatably fitted and supported by the medium.

A projection 2a is formed at the other side of the outer tube 2, and a guide groove 1d is formed in the pair of second legs 1c, and the projection 2a is inserted into the guide groove and guided. Will be moved.

Accordingly, when the outer tube 2 receives an external force, the outer tube 2 can rotate counterclockwise around the hinge pin.

An inner shaft 4 connected to the steering handle is fitted inside the outer tube 2, and an outer diameter of the inner shaft 4 is smaller than an inner diameter of the outer tube so that the inner shaft is in the outer tube. It is installed to be movable in the axial direction.

Before the collision occurs in the vehicle and an external force of a predetermined magnitude or more is applied to the inner shaft, the inner shaft must be rotatably fitted in relation to the outer tube. For this purpose, the inner shaft 4 is radially disposed. As the receiving groove is formed, the stopper 5 is accommodated in the receiving groove and is elastically supported by the spring 6. The tip end of the stopper 5 is supported by the spring to protrude further outward than the inner shaft.

The outer tube (2) is formed with a fixing groove penetrating through the portion facing the receiving groove, the front end portion of the stopper (5) is inserted into the fixing groove from the inner side to the outer side, the bracket of the mounting bracket The stopper 1e facing inward is formed in the body 1a, and the stop protrusion extends to insert the tip of the stopper into the fixing groove and press the stopper.

The stopper, the stop protrusion, the spring and the fixing groove constitute support means for supporting the inner shaft so as not to move in the axial direction to the outer tube.

Accordingly, before the collision accident occurs in the vehicle, the inner shaft is supported by the stopper 5 and the stop protrusion 1e so as not to move in the axial direction while being fitted to the outer tube.

The outer periphery of the inner shaft 5 is formed so that the spring sheet 4a integrally protrudes radially outward, one end of the compression spring 7 is supported by being seated on the spring seat 4a, and the compression spring ( As the other end of 7) is seated and supported at the front end of the outer tube 2, the elastic restoring force of the compression spring 7 always acts on the inner shaft 4 to push the inner shaft in the axial direction. do.

In addition, as shown in detail in FIG. 4, the outer circumferential surface of the inner shaft 4 adjacent to the front end of the outer tube 2 is formed so that a plurality of annular friction protrusions 4b protrude radially outward. 4b is formed to be spaced apart at predetermined intervals in the axial direction so that the valleys 4c are formed between the annular friction protrusions, and the diameters of the valleys 4c are preferably the same as the outer diameter of the inner shaft. .

When the vehicle collides and the vehicle body is deformed, the deformation deceleration of the vehicle body typically forms a waveform having two peaks. In the region where the two peaks occur, the valley 4c contacts the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube. In the region except for the two peaks, the friction protrusions 4b are formed to be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the inner tube, so that the frictional resistance between the friction protrusion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube is reduced. It is preferable that the deformation force be generated to absorb and reduce the impact as appropriate.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a process in which the inner shaft is contracted in the axial direction when a collision accident occurs in the vehicle, that is, a collision accident occurs in the vehicle and the driver's body collides with the steering wheel. When delivered to the shaft, the inner shaft pops up as shown by the arrows in FIG. 3, whereby the stopper 5 is pressed against the stop protrusion 1e and fully inserted into the inner shaft, thereby causing the inner shaft to shaft. Contraction movement in the direction.

Subsequently, the inner shaft is moved axially by the transmitted shock. In this process, the compression spring pushes the inner shaft in the axial direction so that the inner shaft is less affected by noise in the event of a collision and the contraction motion is designed as intended. When the inner shaft is inserted into the outer tube, the friction protrusions formed on the inner shaft sequentially generate sliding friction with the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube to effectively absorb and reduce the impact.

As the friction protrusion and the valley are alternately formed on the inner shaft to generate shrinkage resistance in response to the waveform of the deceleration deceleration of the vehicle body, the rebound shock received by the driver is almost uniform, thereby reducing the driver's impact injury optimally. Will be.

In addition, the present invention is simple in structure it is possible to reduce the weight and cost of the vehicle.

1 is a perspective view of an impact absorbing device of a steering column according to the present invention;

2 is a sectional view of a supporting means according to the present invention;

3 is a cross-sectional view showing an operating state when the support means according to the present invention a collision accident,

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the friction protrusion formed on the inner shaft in accordance with the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

1-Mounting Bracket 2-Outer Tube

3-hinge pin 4- inner shaft

5-stopper 6-spring

7-spring

Claims (8)

In the axial direction, frictional projections causing friction with the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube during the contracting motion of inserting the inner shaft into the outer tube on the outer circumferential surface of the inner shaft adjacent to the distal end of the outer tube sandwiching the inner shaft connected with the steering handle. Shock absorbing device of the steering column formed of a plurality at a predetermined interval. The steering column of claim 1, wherein the friction protrusions are integrally formed to protrude in an annular radially outward direction on an outer circumferential surface of the inner shaft, and a valley equal to the outer diameter of the inner shaft is formed between the friction protrusions. Shock absorbers. The shock absorbing device of claim 1, wherein a compression spring for axially pushing the inner shaft is installed between the spring sheet protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the inner shaft and the distal end of the outer tube. The shock absorbing device according to claim 1, further comprising supporting means for supporting the inner shaft so as not to move in the axial direction while being inserted into the outer tube unless an external force of a predetermined size or more is applied thereto. 5. The stopper of claim 4, wherein the support means includes a concave receiving groove formed radially in the inner shaft, a fixed groove formed to penetrate the outer tube, and a spring supported to be inserted into the receiving groove. And a stop protrusion inserted into the fixing groove to press the stopper, respectively. The method of claim 5, wherein a mounting bracket is fixedly attached to the vehicle body, and two pairs of legs are formed on the mounting bracket so as to protrude toward the outer tube at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction, and the outer tube is the two pair of legs. The shock absorbing device of the steering column characterized in that the one end is rotatably supported by the hinge pin while the other end is inserted and supported so as to be movable relative to the leg. The steering column of claim 6, wherein a protrusion is formed at the other end of the outer tube, and a guide groove is formed at the pair of legs so that the other end of the outer tube is movably supported along the guide groove. Shock absorbers. The shock absorbing device of claim 7, wherein the stop protrusion is integrally protruded from the mounting bracket toward the outer tube and inserted into the fixing groove.

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