WO2022264295A1

WO2022264295A1 - Steering device

Info

Publication number: WO2022264295A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/022782
Authority: WO
Inventors: 康行野沢; 邦洋岡; 良輔山口
Original assignee: 株式会社ジェイテクト
Priority date: 2021-06-16
Filing date: 2021-06-16
Publication date: 2022-12-22

Abstract

This steering device (100) comprises: a column part (120) having a shaft member (121); a base member (130) to which the column part (120) is fixed; and a guide member (200) that guides the movement of the base member (130) in the front-rear direction of a vehicle. An operation member (110) is connected to an end of the shaft member (121), and the shaft member is rotatably supported in the column part (120). The guide member (200) has a first guide member (210) fixed to the vehicle, and a second guide member (220) linked at a linkage part (218) provided to the rear end of the first guide member (210). The second guide member (220) is pivotally supported at the linkage part (218) so as to be capable of switching from one to the other among a deployed orientation in which the guiding direction by the second guide member (220) is along the front-rear direction, and a storage orientation in which the guiding direction is not along the front-rear direction.

Description

steering device

The present invention relates to a steering device that can expand the space in front of the driver by moving an operating member such as a steering wheel.

At Autonomous Driving Level 4 or higher, where the system is responsible for autonomous driving of the vehicle, the driver does not need to be responsible for operating the vehicle, so there is no need to hold the steering wheel. Therefore, if the steering wheel moves during automatic driving and a wide space is secured in front of the driver, the comfort and safety of the driver can be enhanced. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a movable body that rotatably supports an operating member that is a steering wheel, an intermediate guide that guides the front-rear movement of the movable body, and a base guide that guides the front-rear movement of the intermediate guide. A steering device comprising: Patent Literature 2 discloses a steering device having three tubular jackets and having a telescopic structure in which the inner jacket is axially slidably held with respect to the outer jacket. .

WO2019/193956 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0210632

In the steering device, for example, in order to stably support the steering wheel (operation member), the structure that supports the operation member is required to have relatively high rigidity or strength. On the other hand, in the above-mentioned two conventional steering devices, as a structure for retracting the operation member, one of the two adjacent members is slid relative to the other to expand and contract the entire length (multi-stage slide) structure (including a telescopic structure, the same shall apply hereinafter)) is employed. In such a multi-stage slide structure, the thickness of each member is increased and the shape of each member is complicated in order to secure a predetermined rigidity or strength while securing the necessary amount of expansion and contraction for the operation member. Alternatively, measures such as further arranging a reinforcing member are adopted. These things become factors such as complication of the structure of the steering device and an increase in cost or weight.

The present invention was made by the inventors of the present invention by focusing on the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a steering device that can expand the space in front of the driver with a simple configuration.

To achieve the above object, a steering device according to one aspect of the present invention is a steering device for steering a vehicle, which includes a column having a shaft member connected to an operation member and rotatably supported. a base member to which the column portion is fixed; and a guide member for guiding movement of the base member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein the guide member is a first column fixed to the vehicle. A guide member and a second guide member connected at a connecting portion provided at the rear end of the first guide member, wherein the second guide member is connected to the second guide member at the connecting portion It is pivotally supported so as to be switchable from one of a deployed posture in which the guide direction is along the front-rear direction and a retracted posture in which the guide direction is not along the front-rear direction.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a steering device that can expand the space in front of the driver with a simple configuration.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the configuration of a steering system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a first perspective view showing the appearance of the steering device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a second perspective view showing the appearance of the steering device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a steering device corresponding to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a steering device corresponding to FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of the steering device according to the embodiment when viewed from the side on which the driving device is arranged. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a first state of the rotation mechanism according to the embodiment; FIG. 8 is a side view showing a second state of the rotation mechanism according to the embodiment; FIG. 9 is a side view showing a third state of the rotation mechanism according to the embodiment; FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view showing part of the steering device according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the structural relationship between the base member and the first guide member according to the embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the structural relationship between the base member and the second guide member according to the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a side view showing an example of end shapes of the first rail and the second rail according to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments (including modifications) of a steering device according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. Numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection forms of components, steps and order of steps, etc. shown in the following embodiments are examples and are not intended to limit the present invention.

The drawings may be schematic drawings with appropriate emphasis, omission, or proportion adjustment to illustrate the present invention, that is, they may differ from the actual shape, positional relationship, and proportion. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, expressions indicating relative directions or orientations such as parallel and orthogonal may be used, but these expressions strictly include cases where the directions or orientations are not the same. . For example, two directions are parallel means not only that the two directions are completely parallel, but also substantially parallel, i.e., including a difference of about several percent also means

(Embodiment)
[1. Configuration overview of the steering system]
First, with reference to FIG. 1, an overview of the configuration of a steering system 10 including a steering device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the configuration of a steering system 10 according to an embodiment.

A steering system 10 according to the present embodiment is a device mounted on a vehicle such as a passenger car, bus, truck, construction machine, or agricultural machine that can switch between a manual operation mode and an automatic operation mode, for example.

The steering system 10 includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a steering device 100 having an operation member 110 operated by the driver, and a steering mechanism section 102 for steering wheels 710 . The steering system 10 reads the rotation angle of the operation member 110 with a sensor or the like in, for example, a manual operation mode, and steers the steerable wheels 710 by reciprocating the shaft body 730 left and right based on signals from the sensor or the like. is. Such a system is called, for example, an SBW (Steer By Wire) system.

In the steering system 10 , in the steering device 100 located upstream in the operation and processing related to steering of the vehicle, a shaft member 121 is connected to the operating member 110 , and the shaft member 121 is rotationally driven by a reaction force generating device 125 . force acts. Due to the rotational driving force of the reaction force generator 125 , a reaction force is applied to the operation member 110 when the driver operates the operation member 110 . The rotational driving force from the reaction force generator 125 is also used to synchronize the rotational position of the operating member 110 with the steering angle of the steerable wheels 710 .

In the steering mechanism portion 102 located downstream of the steering device 100, the steerable wheels 710 connected to the shaft 730 via the tie rods 711 are moved by the movement of the shaft 730 in the width direction of the vehicle (horizontal direction in FIG. 1). steer. Specifically, in the manual operation mode, the steering actuator 750 operates based on a signal indicating the rotation angle and the like of the operation member 110 transmitted from the steering device 100 . As a result, the shaft 730 moves in the width direction of the vehicle, and the steerable wheels 710 are steered. That is, the steerable wheels 710 are steered according to the operation of the operating member 110 . In the automatic driving mode, the steering actuator 750 operates based on a signal or the like transmitted from a computer (not shown) for automatic driving provided in the vehicle. The helm 710 steers. FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration in which the driving force of the steering actuator 750 is transmitted to the shaft 730 using a belt. no. For example, the driving force of the steering actuator 750 may be transmitted to the shaft body 730 via a pinion gear fixed to the rotating shaft of the steering actuator 750 .

[2. Basic configuration of steering device]
Next, the basic configuration of the steering device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a first perspective view showing the appearance of the steering device 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a second perspective view showing the appearance of the steering device 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 shows the steering device 100 with the column portion 120 at the retracted position, and FIG. 3 shows the steering device 100 with the column portion 120 at the normal position. The column portion 120 provided in the steering device 100 has other members such as a switch for operating the direction indicator and a winker lever operated by the driver, but illustration and description of these other members are omitted. 4 is a schematic diagram of the steering device 100 corresponding to FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the steering device 100 corresponding to FIG. FIGS. 4 and 5 are simplified side views of the steering device 100 mounted on a vehicle. Furthermore, in FIGS. 4 and 5, a driver 500, which is an example of a "driver" appearing in the following description, is schematically represented by a shaded area. In FIGS. 2 to 5, in order to show the basic configuration of the steering device 100 in an easy-to-understand manner, the illustration of the rotation mechanism 150 that rotates a part of the guide member 200 is omitted. The rotating mechanism section 150 will be described later with reference to FIG. 6 and the like. Further, in the drawings after FIG. 2 (except FIG. 13), the tapered portions provided at the ends of the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 are omitted for simplicity of illustration. The tapered portion will be described later with reference to FIG. 13 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, steering device 100 according to the present embodiment includes column portion 120, base member 130 to which column portion 120 is fixed, and movement of base member 130 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. and a guide member 200 that guides the

The column part 120 has a shaft member 121 rotatably supported, and the operating member 110 is connected to the end of the shaft member 121 . 2 and 3, the outline of the operating member 110 is roughly represented by broken lines, and the illustration thereof is omitted in the figures after FIG. 6 described later.

More specifically, the column section 120 includes a reaction force generator 125 that rotatably supports the shaft member 121 and applies a reaction force to the shaft member 121 . The reaction force generating device 125 is a device that reproduces, as a reaction force, the force generated in the operation member during driving in a conventional vehicle in which the tire and the operation member are mechanically connected. The reaction force generator 125 has an actuator or the like that generates a rotational driving force to be applied to the shaft member 121 , and applies a reaction force to the operation member 110 via the shaft member 121 . The reaction force generator 125 can also control the rotational position of the operating member 110 around the steering shaft S. FIG. The steering axis S is a virtual axis (see FIG. 3, parallel to the X-axis in the present embodiment) passing through the center of rotation of the shaft member 121 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The "vehicle front-rear direction" generally refers to a direction parallel to the straight-ahead direction of the vehicle, a direction in which the backrest of the driver's seat and the steering device 100 are aligned, or a direction connecting the front and rear parts of the vehicle. . For example, the position of the operating member 110 with respect to the driver's upper body is "forward". Further, the steering shaft S, which is the center of rotation of the shaft member 121 and the operating member 110, does not need to be strictly aligned with the "front-rear direction of the vehicle." For example, the steering shaft S may be tilted with respect to the horizontal direction so that the operation member 110 faces slightly upward when the vehicle is stopped on a horizontal road surface. Also, for example, when "the operation member 110 moves in the front-rear direction of the vehicle", the locus of the movement does not need to strictly match "the front-rear direction of the vehicle". For example, even when the operation member 110 moves between a predetermined position in front of the driver and a position further forward and obliquely below the driver, "the operation member 110 is the vehicle It is expressed as "moving in the forward and backward direction of the This applies regardless of whether the locus of movement of the operating member 110 is straight or curved. In addition, the "front-back direction of the vehicle" is hereinafter simply referred to as the "front-back direction".

The operating member 110 is a member that is manually operated by the driver, and is detachably attached to the axial end of the shaft member 121 (the end on the driver's side). The operating member 110 rotates about the steering shaft S, and accordingly the shaft member 121 connected to the operating member 110 also rotates about the steering shaft S. As shown in FIG. In the manual operation mode, one or more steerable wheels 710 of the vehicle are steered based on the amount of rotation, etc., as described above. The column portion 120 has a winker lever (not shown) or the like between the operating member 110 and the reaction force generating device 125 . When operating the operating member 110, the driver can also operate the turn signal lever or the like of the column portion 120. As shown in FIG. The shape and size of the operation member 110 are not limited to those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. For example, the operating member 110 may be a steering wheel having an annular rim, a hub attached to the axle member, and one or more spokes connecting the rim and the hub.

In this embodiment, the column section 120 to which the operating member 110 is attached is supported from below by the base member 130 . Specifically, the base member 130 has a base body 131 to which the reaction force generator 125 is fixed, and a first contact member 135 fixed to the base body 131 . In this embodiment, the first contact member 135 is a member that moves in the front-rear direction while contacting the guide member 200 . At least the portion of the first contact member 135 that contacts the rail of the guide member 200 is made of, for example, a resin material that slides on the rail with low friction. Thereby, the first contact member 135 can slide smoothly on the rail, and as a result, the movement of the base member 130 in the front-rear direction is stably guided.

The column part 120 moves along with the movement of the base member 130 in the front-rear direction. As a result, the column portion 120 can be positioned between the normal position (see FIGS. 3 and 5), which is the position for the driver to operate the operation member 110, and the retracted position (see FIGS. 2 and 4) forward of the normal position. can move between The reference of the position of the column portion 120 is not particularly limited. The storage position of the column part 120 is set, for example, in an internal space 410 of the dashboard 400 located in front of the driver 500 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 .

The steering device 100 according to the present embodiment includes a driving device 140 for driving the movement of the column portion 120 in the front-rear direction. The driving device 140 has a moving actuator 141, a feed screw 145, and a transmission mechanism portion 142, as shown in FIGS. The moving actuator 141 is a motor that generates driving force for moving the column portion 120 (directly, the base member 130). The feed screw 145 is a rod-shaped member that is screwed into a portion of the base member 130 and rotates to apply an external force in the front-rear direction to the base member 130 . The transmission mechanism section 142 is a mechanism section having gears and the like for transmitting the driving force of the movement actuator 141 to the feed screw 145 . By operating the driving device 140 configured in this manner, the base member 130 linearly moves in the front-rear direction together with the column portion 120 . That is, the base member 130 moves in the front-rear direction while being guided by the guide member 200 and receiving the driving force in the front-rear direction from the driving device 140 . Various operations of the driving device 140 are controlled by a control device (not shown).

In the steering device 100 configured as described above, the feed screw 145 of the driving device 140 functions as a member that applies driving force to the base member 130 and also functions as a support member 250 that supports the base member 130 . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the base member 130 is structurally supported by a pair of support members 250 arranged on the opposite side (lower side in the present embodiment) to the column section 120. , and configured to move under guidance. At least part of one of the pair of support members 250 is also served by the feed screw 145 . That is, the first rail 212 and the feed screw 145 function as a pair of support members 250 that support the weight of the base member 130 and the like. As a result, the structure of the steering device 100, which moves the column portion 120 in the front-rear direction so that the column portion 120 moves forward and backward relative to the driver, can be simplified (including downsizing or weight reduction). 3, the driving device 140 is connected to the guide member 200 by a connecting member 149. The connecting member 149 rotates the driving device 140 by a shaft arranged parallel to the Z-axis direction. It is movably pivoted. In other words, the feed screw 145 is supported by the guide member 200 with a degree of freedom around the Z axis. As a result, the feed screw 145 supports and moves the base member 130 and guides its movement while absorbing tolerances or minute deformations of the feed screw 145, the guide member 200, the base member 130, and the like. can be executed properly.

Further, in the present embodiment, the guide member 200 that guides the movement of the base member 130 in the front-rear direction (progress and retraction of the column portion 120) can be bent in the middle of the guide direction, as shown in FIGS. structure. Specifically, as shown in these figures, the guide member 200 includes a first guide member 210 fixed to the vehicle and a connecting portion 218 (see FIG. 2) provided at the rear end of the first guide member 210. ) and a second guide member 220 connected at .

The first guide member 210 has a first rail 212 extending in the longitudinal direction when fixed to the vehicle, and a first base 211 to which the first rail 212 is fixed. The first base body 211 is fixed to the vehicle body by bolts and nuts (not shown). Thus, the steering device 100 is attached to the vehicle. A connecting portion 218 is provided at the rear end portion of the first base body 211, that is, the end portion on the driver side, and the connecting portion 218 has a pivot member 218a that pivotally supports the second guide member 220. .

The second guide member 220 is rotatable on a pivot member 218a arranged in the connecting portion 218 so as to be able to switch between the retracted posture shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 and the deployed posture shown in FIGS. pivoted on. The second guide member 220 has a second rail 222 and a second base 221 to which the second rail 222 is fixed. The second rail 222 guides the movement of the base member 130 by guiding the movement of the first contact member 135 of the base member 130 . When the second guide member 220 is in the unfolded posture, the guiding direction of the second guide member 220, that is, the extending direction of the second rail 222, is in the longitudinal direction. More specifically, when the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture, the second rail 222 is positioned on an extension line of the first rail 212, and at least a portion of the base member 130 is aligned with the second rail 222. It can move beyond the boundary with the first rail 212 .

[3. Details of the configuration and operation of the steering device]
In the present embodiment, the driving force for moving the base member 130 by the driving device 140 is used for the rotational movement of the guide member 200, which is partially rotatable. That is, the second guide member 220 rotates using the driving force of the drive device 140, and as a result, the guide member 200 expands and contracts in the front-rear direction. Details of the operation and configuration of the steering device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 13 in addition to FIGS. 2 to 5 described above.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the steering device 100 according to the embodiment when viewed from the side where the driving device 140 is arranged (Y-axis plus direction). 7 to 9 are side views showing first to third states of the rotation mechanism section 150 according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view showing part of the steering device 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 illustrates the connecting portion 218 of the first guide member 210 in the steering device 100 and its surroundings in order to show a stop structure for stopping the rotation of the second guide member 220 at a predetermined rotation position. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the structural relationship between the base member 130 and the first guide member 210 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 11, the first guide member 210 is cut along a plane parallel to the YZ plane to show the structural relationship in an easy-to-understand manner. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the structural relationship between the base member 130 and the second guide member 220 according to the embodiment. 11 and 12, illustration of the column part 120 is omitted. FIG. 13 is a side view showing an example of end shapes of the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 13 , the outline of the first contact member 135 of the base member 130 and the groove 135a penetrating the first contact member 135 in the front-rear direction are schematically represented by dashed lines.

As shown in FIG. 6, the base member 130 included in the steering device 100 according to the present embodiment has a nut 134 through which the feed screw 145 is passed and screwed with the feed screw 145 . The nut 134 is fixed to the base body 131 of the base member 130 so as to be rotatable about the Y-axis, and receives driving force in the front-rear direction from the feed screw 145 as the feed screw 145 rotates. When the nut 134 receives a driving force in the longitudinal direction, the base body 131 to which the nut 134 is fixed moves in the longitudinal direction, and accordingly the column portion 120 fixed to the base body 131 also moves in the longitudinal direction. . During this movement, the first contact member 135 of the base member 130 is kept in contact with at least one of the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 . As a result, the base member 130 is appropriately moved in the longitudinal direction, and as a result, the position of the column portion 120 is switched from one of the retracted position (see FIG. 4) and the normal position (see FIG. 5) to the other.

When the column part 120 moves from one of the retracted position and the normal position to the other (when moving forward and backward), the guide member 200 partially rotates to shorten or extend the entire length. Specifically, when the column portion 120 is in the retracted position, the second guide member 220 forming the rear portion of the guide member 200 is positioned along the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. This is a standing posture (an example of a retracted posture). As a result, the space in front of the driver 500 becomes a space in which the operating member 110 and the steering device 100 do not exist. After that, for example, when the column portion 120 advances to the normal position in response to a predetermined instruction from the driver, the second guide member 220 rotates to assume a deployment posture in which the guide direction is along the front-rear direction. Thereby, the column part 120 can advance to the normal position while being guided by the guide member 200 .

Such rotation of the second guide member 220 is driven by the rotation mechanism section 150 . The rotation mechanism section 150 is realized by, for example, a link mechanism as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9. FIG. Specifically, the rotation mechanism portion 150 according to the present embodiment includes a roller 152 fixed to the base member 130, an engaging member 151 having a U-shape that engages with the roller 152, and an engaging member 151 and a connecting member 155 that connects the second guide member 220 . The engaging member 151 is rotatably supported by a pin 153 fixed to the first guide member 210 . A pin 154 fixed to the engaging member 151 is arranged to pass through the end of the connecting member 155 connected to the engaging member 151 . As a result, one of the connecting member 155 and the engaging member 151 can rotate about the pin 154 with respect to the other. A pin 156 fixed to the second guide member 220 is arranged to pass through the end of the connecting member 155 that is connected to the second guide member 220 . As a result, one of the connecting member 155 and the second guide member 220 can rotate about the pin 156 with respect to the other. An operation example of the rotation mechanism 150 configured in this manner will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the column portion 120 is in the retracted position, the engagement member 151 engaged with the roller 152 maintains the second guide member 220 in an upright posture behind the column portion 120. . Specifically, the engaging member 151 engages with the roller 152 in both the front-rear direction, so that the engaging member 151 is restricted from rotating about the pin 153 by the roller 152 . Further, since the feed screw 145 with relatively small reverse efficiency is used to drive the movement of the base member 130, the movement of the base member 130 in the front-rear direction is controlled by the feed screw threaded into the nut 134 (see FIG. 6). It is restricted by screw 145 . As a result, movement of the roller 152 fixed to the base member 130 and rotation of the engaging member 151 are restricted. As a result, the second guide member 220, which is connected to the engaging member 151 via the connecting member 155, is restricted from rotating around the pivot member 218a, and is maintained in the retracted posture.

When the base member 130 at the position shown in FIG. 7 is moved rearward (in the positive direction of the X axis) by the driving force of the driving device 140, the roller 152 fixed to the base member 130 is engaged as shown in FIG. A portion of the joining member 151 above the pin 153 is pushed backward. As a result, the engaging member 151 rotates clockwise in FIG. 8 around the pin 153 so as to push the connecting member 155 rearward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the second guide member 220 rotates about the pivot member 218a so as to tilt backward.

Furthermore, when the base member 130 is moved rearward from the position shown in FIG. 8 by the driving force of the driving device 140, the roller 152 fixed to the base member 130 further rotates the engaging member 151 clockwise. As a result, the engaging member 151 rotates 90 degrees clockwise from the initial posture shown in FIG. As a result, the second guide member 220 connected to the engaging member 151 via the connecting member 155 assumes a posture (deployed posture) in which the second rail 222 extends in the front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. The timing at which the engagement member 151 assumes the posture rotated clockwise by 90° from the initial posture is during the movement of the base member 130 while being guided by the first guide member 210 . Therefore, the base member 130 moving rearward by the driving force of the driving device 140 reaches the second guide member 220 after the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture.

Further rotation of the second guide member 220 is mechanically restricted while the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture. Specifically, when the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture, as can be seen from FIG. abuts on the front end surface 225 of the . That is, the rear end surface 215 of the first guide member 210 functions as a rotation stopper that stops the rotation of the second guide member 220 . Therefore, further rotation of the second guide member 220 due to the weight of the base member 130 and the column portion 120 and the downward external force applied to the column portion 120 by the driver's operation is restricted. In other words, the rigidity and strength of the guide member 200 for stably supporting the column portion 120 during normal use of the steering device 100 are ensured.

The base member 130 stops at a predetermined rear end position on the second guide member 220 after reaching the second guide member 220 . In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, when the rear end of the base member 130 (the front end in the traveling direction) reaches the rear end of the second rail 222 of the second guide member 220, the base member 130 Stop. Specifically, a movement stopper 146 (see FIG. 6) is arranged at the rear end of the feed screw 145, and the base member 130 stops when the nut 134 of the base member 130 comes into contact with the movement stopper 146. . A control device (not shown) that controls the driving device 140 stops the movement of the movement actuator 141 by detecting an increase in the load torque of the movement actuator 141 due to the stop of the base member 130 . The method for stopping the base member 130 is not limited to this. For example, the control device controls the driving device 140 based on the detection result of the sensor that detects the position of the base member 130 to stop the base member 130. may

Through the series of operations described above, the column section 120 advances to the normal position for the driver to operate the operating member 110 . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, when the storage position of the column section 120 is P1 and the normal position of the column section 120 is P2 in the X-axis direction, the column section 120 has the difference between P2 and P1. is moved by a distance M, which is . Note that the normal position P2 shown in FIG. 9 is the tip position of the shaft member 121 when the base member 130 is positioned at the rear end of the movable range in the front-rear direction, and this normal position P2 need not be constant. . For example, the normal position of column section 120 may be changed by moving base member 130 within an adjustment range, which is a part of the movable range, in accordance with a predetermined operation by the driver. That is, the moving distance M of the column part 120 may be variable. As a result, the position of the operation member 110 in the front-rear direction when the driver operates the operation member 110 can be adjusted according to the driver's preference. During this adjustment, the movement of the base member 130 in the longitudinal direction within the adjustment range can be driven by the driving device 140 in the same manner as the movement of the column section 120 between the retracted position and the normal position. The steering device 100 may further include a tilt mechanism section that changes the inclination of the steering device 100 in the vertical direction. The tilt mechanism section changes the vertical inclination of the guide member 200, for example. Thereby, the vertical position of the operating member 110 can be adjusted according to the intention of the driver.

In this embodiment, the base member 130 to which the column section 120 is fixed is supported by the first rail 212 and the feed screw 145 as a pair of support members 250 in the first guide member 210 . However, since the second guide member 220 rotates with respect to the first guide member 210 , the feed screw 145 cannot be arranged on the second guide member 220 . Therefore, in order to stably guide and support the base member 130 in the second guide member 220, in the present embodiment, the second guide member 220 is provided with a rear rail 223 in addition to the second rail 222. ing. That is, the guide member 200 has a rear rail 223 arranged behind the feed screw 145 . The base member 130 has a second contact member 136 that moves while contacting the rear rail 223 . The second contact member 136 is arranged behind the nut 134 as shown in FIG.

In the present embodiment, the rear rail 223 is arranged in line with the feed screw 145 (on the extension line of the feed screw 145) when the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture. That is, when the base member 130 is at a position guided by the first guide member 210 , the second contact member 136 is arranged at a position where it can interfere with the feed screw 145 .

However, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the second contact member 136 has a groove portion 136a through which the feed screw 145 penetrates without contact. More specifically, the groove portion 136a is formed in a size and shape that do not contact the feed screw 145 over the entire circumferential direction of the feed screw 145 . Therefore, even if the base member 130 overlaps the feed screw 145 in a top view (viewed from the Z-axis plus direction), the feed screw 145 does not contact the second contact member 136. Instead, it contacts (screws) with a nut 134 (see FIG. 6).

That is, for example, when the base member 130 is positioned as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 or 11, the feed screw 145 is engaged with the nut 134 to support the weight received from the base member 130. and a driving force for movement can be applied to the base member 130 . In this state, the second contact member 136 of the base member 130 does not come into contact with the feed screw 145 and thus does not support the base member 130 or guide its movement. However, after the base member 130 moves rearward (toward the driver) and reaches the second guide member 220 in the deployed posture, as shown in FIG. It is inserted into the groove 136 a of the member 136 and the groove 136 a slides against the rear rail 223 . That is, the second contact member 136 can move while being guided by the rear rail 223 . Specifically, when viewed from the direction in which the rear rail 223 and the feed screw 145 are aligned (the X-axis direction in FIG. 12), the size of the portion of the rear rail 223 that penetrates the groove 136 a larger than diameter. Therefore, when the rear rail 223 is inserted into the groove 136a, the outer surface of the rear rail 223 can abut against the groove 136a.

In the second contact member 136, at least the sliding portion 136b (see FIG. 12) forming the groove portion 136a is made of a resin material that slides on the rear rail 223 with low friction. This allows the second contact member 136 to slide smoothly with respect to the rear rail 223, and as a result, the movement of the base member 130 in the front-rear direction by the second guide member 220 is stably guided. be.

Furthermore, while the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture, an external force acts on the second guide member 220 so as to raise the second guide member 220 (rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 9). Assume the case. In this case, in order to rotate the second guide member 220, the engaging member 151 connected to the second guide member 220 by the connecting member 155 must also be rotated counterclockwise. However, when the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture, for example, the pin 153 that is the rotation center of the engagement member 151, the pin 154 that rotatably connects the engagement member 151 and the connection member 155, and the connection The pin 156 that rotatably connects the member 155 and the second guide member 220 is arranged on a straight line parallel to the X-axis direction (see FIG. 9). Therefore, while the base member 130 is moving and until it rides on the second guide member 220, the roller 152 moves while pressing the connecting member 155 from above, thereby causing the counterclockwise movement of the connecting member 155. can be suppressed. Thereby, the counterclockwise rotation of the second guide member 220 is suppressed. Once the base member 130 is mounted on the second guide member 220, the counterclockwise rotation of the second guide member 220 is prevented by the weight of the column portion 120 and the base member 130 and the weight of the second guide member 220 itself. Suppressed.

In the steering device 100 according to the present embodiment, when the column portion 120 is moved from the normal position to the retracted position, the states, positions, or postures of the turning mechanism portion 150, the base member 130, and the guide member 200 are as shown in FIG. , FIG. 8, and FIG.

In other words, when the base member 130 returns from the position shown in FIG. 9 to the position shown in FIG. It remains in the deployed position. After the roller 152 fixed to the base member 130 is engaged with the engaging member 151 , the driving force of the driving device 140 moves the base member 130 further forward (in the negative direction of the X-axis), thereby moving the engaging member 151 . rotates (counterclockwise in FIG. 8) so as to return to the initial posture. As a result, the connecting member 155 is lifted forward and upward, and accordingly the second guide member 220 rotates counterclockwise. Thereafter, the base member 130 moves and stops until the column portion 120 reaches the retracted position shown in FIG. In this state, the engaging member 151 has returned to its initial posture, and as a result, the second guide member 220 connected to the engaging member 151 by the connecting member 155 stops in the retracted posture as shown in FIG. .

In this way, the driving force of the driving device 140 for extending and retracting the column portion 120 is used for the expansion and contraction of the guide member 200 by rotating the second guide member 220 . Therefore, the structure for extending and retracting the guide member 200 and extending and retracting the column portion 120 can be simplified. Furthermore, the driving force of the driving device 140 is mechanically transmitted to the second guide member 220 via the base member 130 and the rotating mechanism portion 150 . Therefore, for example, synchronization control by software between the expansion and contraction of the guide member 200 and the extension and retraction of the column section 120 is unnecessary.

As described above, the steering device 100 according to the present embodiment includes the column portion 120 having the shaft member 121, the base member 130 to which the column portion 120 is fixed, and the base member 130 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. and a guide member 200 that guides movement. The shaft member 121 is connected to the operating member 110 and is rotatably supported by the column portion 120 . The guide member 200 has a first guide member 210 fixed to the vehicle and a second guide member 220 connected at a connecting portion 218 provided at the rear end of the first guide member 210 . The second guide member 220 is pivotally supported at the connecting portion 218 so as to be switchable between one of an extended posture in which the guiding direction of the second guide member 220 is along the front-rear direction and a retracted posture in which the guiding direction is not along the front-rear direction. It is

According to this configuration, the full length of the guide member 200 can be expanded and contracted by rotating the second guide member 220 . That is, for example, when the column portion 120 is stored at a predetermined position, the entire length of the guide member 200 can be shortened by setting the second guide member 220 to the retracted posture. As a result, the space ahead of the driver can be expanded. Furthermore, by setting the second guide member 220 in the retracted posture to the deployed posture, the entire length of the guide member 200 can be extended, thereby allowing the column portion 120 to advance to the normal position where the driver operates the operating member 110. can be made Therefore, for example, compared to the case where the column part 120 is advanced and retracted by a multi-stage slide structure, it is easy to reduce the weight or simplify the structure, and the column part 120 can be moved by a distance necessary for the driver to move in and out. can be moved. Thus, according to the steering device 100 according to this aspect, it is possible to expand the space in front of the driver with a simple configuration.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, the second guide member 220 rotates toward the side of the first guide member 210 on which the base member 130 is arranged. You can switch from the deployed posture to the retracted posture.

According to this configuration, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the second guide member 220 is in the retracted posture, the second guide member 220 is positioned so as to partition the space between the column portion 120 and the driver. . Therefore, the second guide member 220 can be used as a cover for the column section 120 . As a result, for example, the second guide member 220 can hide the retracted column portion 120 or prevent the column portion 120 from popping out to the driver's side in a collision, for example. A display panel for displaying information to the driver may be provided on the driver side surface of the second guide member 220 . As described above, according to the steering device 100 according to the present embodiment, the second guide member 220 rotates to widen the space in front of the driver, and the second guide member 220 can be It can function as a member that improves the safety or comfort of the person.

In this embodiment, the first guide member 210 has a first rail 212 extending in the front-rear direction, and the second guide member 220 extends in the front-rear direction when in the deployed posture. It has two rails 222 (see FIGS. 3, 5 and 9). The second rail 222 is arranged at a position separated from the first rail 212 in the front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. The base member 130 has a first contact member 135 that moves in the front-rear direction together with the column portion 120 while contacting the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 . The first contact member 135 has a length that contacts both the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 when the base member 130 is positioned at the rear end of the range of movement in the front-rear direction.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 are aligned on the same straight line so as to guide the first contact member 135 of the base member 130 together. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the second guide member 220 having the second rail 222 rotates toward the side where the second rail 222 is arranged (upward in FIGS. 7 and 8). . Therefore, if the second rail 222 and the first rail 212 are arranged continuously while the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture, the second rail 222 and the first rail 212 interfere with each other. Therefore, the second guide member 220 cannot rotate. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, between the first rail 212 and the second rail 222, there is a spacing portion 201, which is a space portion where the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 are spaced apart. Due to the presence of the separation portion 201 between the first rail 212 and the second rail 222, the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 are separated from each other when the second guide member 220 is switched from the deployed posture to the retracted posture. The ends of the wires do not interfere with each other. On the other hand, when moving the column portion 120 between the retracted position and the normal position, at least a portion of the first contact member 135 of the base member 130 needs to go over the separation portion 201 . Therefore, interference between the ends of the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 facing the spaced portion 201 and the first contact member 135 becomes a problem. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the first contact member 135 is formed to be relatively long so that the base member 130 is positioned at the rear end (for example, the normal position) in the range of movement in the front-rear direction. Even when it moves up to the first rail 212, the state of contact with the first rail 212 is maintained. That is, even when the column portion 120 moves to the position closest to the driver, the first contact member 135 of the base member 130 is continuous in the front-rear direction across the separation portion 201 as shown in FIG. exists as Therefore, for example, when the column portion 120 is in the normal position, the rear end portion of the first rail 212 does not come out of the groove portion 135a (see FIG. 13) of the first contact member 135 and is positioned inside the groove portion 135a. ing. Therefore, even when the base member 130 is moved forward in order to return the column portion 120 from the normal position to the retracted position, the rear end portion of the first rail 212 and the groove portion 135a of the first contact member 135 do not move. Interference with the periphery of the front end opening 135c does not occur. That is, the occurrence of abnormal noise or vibration due to the interference is suppressed. As a result, smooth movement of the column section 120 is realized. Furthermore, since the first contact member 135 is in contact with the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 across the separation portion 201, the rotation of the second guide member 220 in the direction of returning to the retracted posture is prevented. Regulated. That is, in the state where the second guide member 220 is in the deployed posture, when an external force acts on the second guide member 220 so as to rotate it counterclockwise in FIG. Counterclockwise rotation of the guide member 220 can be restricted.

More specifically, in the steering device 100 according to the present embodiment, the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 more reliably suppress the generation of abnormal noise or vibration due to interference with the first contact member 135. A tapered portion is provided for Specifically, the first guide member 210 has a first rail 212 extending in the front-rear direction, and the second guide member 220 has a second rail 212 extending in the front-rear direction when it is in the deployed posture. It has rails 222 . The second rail 222 is arranged at a position separated from the first rail 212 in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 13, the second rail 222 has a second rail 222 at the end facing the first rail 212, the width of which in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the second rail 222 decreases as it approaches the first rail 212. It has a tapered portion 222a.

In the present embodiment, the second tapered portion 222a is formed such that the outer diameter thereof decreases at a constant rate (inclination) as it approaches the first rail 212. formed. According to this configuration, when the first contact member 135 fixed to the base member 130 is advanced to a position where it contacts the second rail 222, the front end portion of the second rail 222 is aligned with the second tapered portion 222a. By being guided, the first contact member 135 is smoothly inserted into the rear end opening 135b of the groove 135a. As a result, noise or vibration due to interference between the front end portion of the second rail 222 and the first contact member 135 is more reliably suppressed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first rail 212 is also provided with a tapered portion. Specifically, the first rail 212 has a first tapered portion at the end facing the second rail 222, the width of which in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the first rail 212 decreases as the second rail 222 is approached. 212a. The length La of the first tapered portion 212a in the extending direction of the first rail 212 is the length Lb of the second tapered portion 222a, which is the tapered portion of the second rail 222, in the extending direction of the second rail 222. shorter than As with the second tapered portion 222a, the first tapered portion 212a according to the present embodiment is formed such that the outer diameter decreases at a constant rate (inclination) as it approaches the second rail 222. , is formed in a trapezoidal shape in a side view.

According to this configuration, for example, when the elongated first contact member 135 is formed of a plurality of members arranged in the longitudinal direction, the seam (step) between two adjacent members and the first rail 212 interference is suppressed. In other words, if the groove portion 135a of the first contact member 135 has a concave or convex portion due to a seam (step) or the like, the concave or convex portion interferes with the corner of the rear end portion of the first rail 212, resulting in abnormal noise. Or vibration may occur. However, in the present embodiment, since the rear end of the first rail 212 is provided with the first tapered portion 212a, the rear end of the first rail 212 can smoothly ride over the concave or convex. can. Further, even if the first contact member 135 is composed of two contact members that are spaced apart in the front and rear, the rear end of the first rail 212 may be the rear contact member. When it is inserted into the groove, it is smoothly inserted into the groove by being guided by the first tapered portion 212a.

Furthermore, the length La of the first tapered portion 212a is shorter than the length Lb of the second tapered portion 222a. As a result, while suppressing a decrease in rigidity of the steering device 100 due to the first tapered portion 212 a not coming into contact with the first contact member 135 , the difference caused by the interference between the first contact member 135 and the first rail 212 can be prevented. Sound or vibration is suppressed.

The shape of the first tapered portion 212a and the second tapered portion 222a is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. good. In other words, one of the first tapered portion 212a and the second tapered portion 222a may have various shapes as long as the outer diameter of the tapered portion 212a decreases toward the other.

[4. Modification]
The steering device according to the present invention has been described above based on the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. As long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention, various modifications that can be made by those skilled in the art are applied to the above embodiment, or a form constructed by combining a plurality of the above-described constituent elements is also within the scope of the present invention. included.

For example, the rotation direction and rotation angle of the second guide member 220 in the guide member 200 are not limited to the rotation direction and rotation angle shown in FIGS. The angle formed by the second guide member 220 and the first guide member 210 in the retracted posture need not be 90° as shown in FIGS. may be smaller. For example, the angle with respect to the first guide member 210 or the vehicle in the retracted posture may be determined according to the mounting posture of the steering device 100 with respect to the dashboard 400 . When the column portion 120 is in the retracted position (see FIG. 4), the second guide member 220 moves from the unfolded posture (see FIG. 3) in the opposite direction (downward in this embodiment) to the arrangement side of the column portion 120. It may be switched to the retracted posture by rotating toward it. Even in this case, the full length of the steering device 100 can be expanded and contracted by rotating the second guide member 220 .

The guide member 200 may support the column section 120 from above or from the side (the width direction of the vehicle) instead of supporting the column section 120 from below. That is, the steering device 100 may be attached to the vehicle in a posture that is upside down from the posture shown in FIGS. may be attached to the vehicle with In either case, the full length of the steering device 100 can be expanded or contracted by rotating the second guide member 220 .

The driving device 140 may drive the movement of the base member 130 by a method different from the feed screw method. The drive 140 may drive the longitudinal movement of the base member 130 by folding and unfolding, for example, a linear rod or an arm having one or more joints. The driving device 140 may be a motor or the like built in the base member 130 . That is, the base member 130 may be a self-propelled mobile platform that travels along the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 .

The feed screw 145 of the driving device 140 does not have to support the weight of the base member 130 to which the column section 120 is fixed. That is, it is not essential that the feed screw 145 functions as the support member 250 . For example, by providing a nut on the upper surface of the base body 131 or on the column portion 120 fixed to the base member 130 and screwing the feed screw 145 into the nut, the feed screw 145 can be attached to the base member 130 via the column portion 120 in the front-rear direction. may provide the driving force for the movement of In this case, the weight of the base member 130 can be supported by one or more rails arranged below the base member 130 . As such, lead screw 145 need not substantially support the weight. Furthermore, for example, it is possible to arrange the same configuration as the configuration of the first rail 212 and its periphery at the position of the feed screw 145 in the embodiment. That is, the configuration for guiding and supporting the base member 130 in the first guide member 210 can be shared on the left and right sides (Y-axis positive direction side and Y-axis negative direction side).

The steering device 100 does not have to include the driving device 140. The steering device 100 may have a structure in which the column portion 120 is manually extended and retracted. Even in this case, for example, the column portion 120 is manually pulled out to the normal position and pushed back to the retracted position by the driver, so that the second guide member 220 is placed in one of the deployed posture and the retracted posture. It is possible to switch from one to the other.

The base member 130 need not be separate from the column section 120. For example, if the reaction force generator 125 included in the column section 120 has a pedestal, the pedestal may function as the base member 130 that moves in the front-rear direction while being guided by the guide member 200 .

The first contact member 135 of the base member 130 does not have to slide on the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 . The first contact member 135 may have rollers (wheels) that roll while contacting the first rail 212 and the second rail 222, for example. Even in this case, the first contact member 135 can move with low friction while contacting the first rail 212 and the second rail 222 . The same applies to the second contact member 136 of the base member 130 , and may have a roller (wheel) that rolls while contacting the rear rail 223 .

The rotation mechanism section 150 may rotate the second guide member 220 with a structure different from that shown in FIGS. For example, the rotation mechanism 150 may have a drive source (such as a motor) independent of the drive device 140, and use the drive source to switch the second guide member 220 between the deployed posture and the retracted posture. . In other words, it is not essential to use the driving force for extending and retracting the column portion 120 to rotate the second guide member 220 .

The rear rail 223 of the second guide member 220 does not have to be arranged on the extension line of the feed screw 145 . By not arranging the rear rail 223 on the extension line of the feed screw 145, for example, the second contact member 136 is provided with a relatively large inner diameter groove such as the groove 136a for avoiding interference with the feed screw 145. (through holes) need not be provided. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the second contact member 136 orthogonal to the X-axis direction can be made common to the cross-sectional shape of the first contact member 135 orthogonal to the X-axis direction. Thereby, for example, the rear rail 223 that guides the movement of the second contact member 136 and the second rail 222 that guides the movement of the first contact member 135 can be realized with the same type of parts.

In addition to the first guide member 210 and the second guide member 220, the guide member 200 is connected to the rear end portion of the second guide member 220 and is rotatable with respect to the second guide member 220. may have That is, the guide member 200 may be provided with two or more bendable (or foldable) locations in the guide direction. As a result, the amount of change in the total length of the guide member 200 (extendable length) can be further increased.

The present invention is useful as a steering device that can expand the space in front of the driver. Therefore, it can be used for vehicles equipped with wheels or endless tracks, such as passenger cars, buses, trucks, agricultural machines, construction machines, etc., which can be operated manually and automatically.

10: Steering system, 100: Steering device, 102: Steering mechanism, 110: Operation member, 120: Column, 121: Shaft member, 125: Reaction force generator, 130: Base member, 131: Base body, 134 : nut 135:

first contact member

135a, 136a: groove portion 135b: rear end opening 135c: front end opening 136: second contact member 136b: sliding portion 140: driving device 141: movement actuator, 142: transmission mechanism, 145: feed screw, 146: movement stopper, 149: connection member, 150: rotation mechanism, 151: engagement member, 152: roller, 153, 154, 156: pin, 155 : connecting member 200: guide member 201: spacing portion 210: first guide member 211: first base 212: first rail 212a: first tapered portion 215: rear end face 218: connecting portion 218a: pivot member, 220: second guide member, 221: second base, 222: second rail, 222a: second tapered portion, 223: rear rail, 225: front end surface, 250: support member, 400: dash Board, 410: Interior space, 500: Driver, 710: Steering wheel, 711: Tie rod, 730: Shaft, 750: Steering actuator

Claims

A steering device for steering a vehicle,
a column portion having a shaft member to which the operation member is connected and rotatably supported;
a base member to which the column portion is fixed;
a guide member that guides movement of the base member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
The guide member has a first guide member fixed to the vehicle and a second guide member connected at a connecting portion provided at a rear end portion of the first guide member,
The second guide member is switchable at the connecting portion between one of a deployed posture in which the guide direction of the second guide member is along the front-rear direction and a retracted posture in which the guide direction is not along the front-rear direction. pivoted on
steering device.
The second guide member is switched from the deployed posture to the retracted posture by rotating the first guide member toward the side on which the base member is arranged.
The steering device according to claim 1.
The first guide member has a first rail extending in the front-rear direction,
The second guide member has a second rail that extends in the front-rear direction and is arranged at a position spaced apart from the first rail in the front-rear direction when the second guide member is in the deployed posture,
The base member has a contact member that moves in the front-rear direction together with the column portion while contacting the first rail and the second rail,
The contact member has a length that contacts both the first rail and the second rail when the base member is positioned at the rear end of the range of movement in the front-rear direction.
A steering device according to claim 1 or 2.
The first guide member has a first rail extending in the front-rear direction,
The second guide member has a second rail that extends in the front-rear direction and is arranged at a position spaced apart from the first rail in the front-rear direction when the second guide member is in the deployed posture,
The second rail has a tapered portion at the end facing the first rail, the width of which in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the second rail decreases as the distance to the first rail increases.
A steering device according to claim 1 or 2.
the first rail has a first tapered portion at an end facing the second rail, the width of which in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first rail decreases as the second rail is approached;
The length of the first tapered portion in the extending direction of the first rail is shorter than the length of the second tapered portion, which is the tapered portion of the second rail, in the extending direction of the second rail. ,
The steering device according to claim 4.