JPH0439093Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a support structure for supporting a steering column on a vehicle body side.

(Prior art) Conventional steering column support structures include those described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 60-87862, etc., and those described in Sankaido Publishing Automotive Engineering Complete Book Volume 11.
Something like the one listed on page 139 is known.

In the former conventional structure, the steering column was supported in a cantilevered manner by the steering member via a bracket.

In the latter conventional structure, the steering column is supported on both sides, with the steering gear side directly supported by the dash panel and the steering wheel side supported by a mount bracket attached to the dash panel.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the former conventional structure, the steering column was supported in a cantilevered manner, and therefore lacked supporting rigidity. Therefore, there is a problem in that the steering wheel is easily affected by vibrations of the vehicle body, such as large vibrations of the steering wheel.

In addition, in the latter conventional structure, the steering column was supported on both sides to ensure support rigidity, but since it was fixed to the darts panel, the steering column could be damaged in the event of a frontal collision. Since the impact is directly transmitted from the engine to the steering column, there was a problem in that the steering column moved significantly backwards at the same time as the needle panel deformed.

(Means for solving the problem) The present invention was made with the purpose of solving the above-mentioned problems. The member is fixed, and a mount stay has an upper end fixed to the steering member and a lower end fixed to the dash panel, and is arranged substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering column, and the steering column is attached to the steering member. The steering wheel side is supported by an upper support part provided on the mount stay, the steering gear side is supported by a lower support part provided in the mount stay, and the steering column is arranged between the upper support part and the lower support part. The mount stay is formed to be shortened by a predetermined axial load or more, and the mount stay has a first buckling part that can be buckled by a predetermined axial load from the darts panel side, between the lower end and the lower support part. is formed between the lower support part and the upper support part, and is capable of buckling under a predetermined axial load greater than the first buckling part in response to the axial load from the darts panel side. This means that a second buckling portion is formed.

(Function) In a vehicle body to which the steering column support structure of the present invention is applied, when an impact is applied to the darts panel from the front due to a frontal collision, etc., the load applied from the dash panel to the mount stay due to the deformation of the dash panel will be reduced to a predetermined load. When you cross it,
The first buckling portion, which has low rigidity, undergoes buckling deformation and absorbs the input load to the mount stay, thereby preventing load transmission from the mount stay to the steering column. If the amount of deformation of the darts panel is large, the second buckling part of the mount stay will further deform and the steering column will shorten between the upper and lower support parts, preventing load transmission from the mount stay to the steering column. At the same time, the aim is to prevent the steering column from moving backwards.

In other words, most of the input load from the darts panel to the mount stay is absorbed by the buckling deformation of both the first and second buckling parts of the mount stay.
It is not transmitted to the steering column and prevents the steering column from moving backwards.

Therefore, in the steering support structure of the present invention,
The support rigidity of the steering column can be ensured by the bending rigidity of the steering column supported on both sides by the steering member and the mount stay, and the support rigidity of the instrument panel is increased, allowing the meter mounted on the instrument panel to and equipment.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, the structure of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be explained.

The steering column support structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a steering column 10, a dash panel 20, a steering member 30, a mount stay 40, and a support rod 50 as main components.

The steering column 10 has a steering wheel (not shown) side facing the steering member 3.
The steering gear (not shown) side is supported by a lower bracket 105 (lower support part) fixed to the mount stay 40 and support rod 50. .

Incidentally, the steering column 10 is composed of an inner tube 11 and an outer tube 12,
The inner tube 11 is fitted into the outer tube 12 so as to be able to expand and contract in response to input of an axial load.

The steering shaft 101 is connected to the steering gear by a transmission shaft 15 via a universal joint 16, and the transmission shaft 15 is connected to a rubber boot 21.
covered with. Further, the steering shaft 101 allows the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 12 to expand and contract, and also transmits the rotation of the steering wheel to the steering gear.

The darts panel 20 is located in the engine room 103.
This is a partition plate between the vehicle compartment 104 and the passenger compartment 104.

The steering member 30 has a square cross-sectional shape, and has a structure that has low bending rigidity against loads in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and high bending rigidity against loads in the vertical direction. The instrument panel 60 is supported.

The mount stay 40 is arranged substantially parallel to the axial direction of the steering column 10, has a lower end 45 fixed to the dash panel 20 with a bolt 46, an upper end 43 fixed to the steering member 30 with a bolt 44, and is fixed at an intermediate position. A lower bracket 105 is fixed to the lower bracket 105 with bolts 47.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mount stay 40 is made by bending a metal plate into a square cross section, and is provided between the lower bracket 105 and the dash panel 20 and between the lower bracket 105 and the steering member 30. A first buckling part 41 and a second buckling part 42 which are slightly convex upward are formed in advance at the two locations, and the load is higher than the load input when supporting the normal steering column 10. The structure is such that the first buckling portion 41 and the second buckling portion 42 buckle when a large axial load is applied.

Furthermore, the section between the lower bracket 105 and the steering member 30 has a cross-sectional shape that has a larger load resistance against buckling, that is, higher rigidity against buckling, than the space between the lower bracket 105 and the dash panel 20.

The support rod 50 is connected to the mount stay 4.
The supporting rigidity of the steering column 10 is increased by supplementing the bending rigidity against the vertical load of 0, and the steering column 10 is arranged substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction with respect to the axial direction of the steering column 10, and the upper end 51 is attached to the dash panel 20 with bolts 52 It is fixed with
The lower end is fixed integrally with the mount stay 40 to the lower bracket 105 with bolts 47.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be explained.

(During normal operation) The steering column 10 is supported on both sides by an upper bracket 102 (upper support part) fixed to the steering member 30 and a lower bracket 105 (lower support part) fixed at an intermediate position between the mount stay 40. The support rod 50 ensures bending rigidity, and the bending rigidity against vertical loads is further reinforced by the support rod 50, so the support rigidity is higher than when supporting in a cantilevered state as in conventional structures. is extremely high. Therefore, the deflection of the tip end of the steering column 10 due to vibration of the vehicle body can be reduced, and steering performance is improved.

Furthermore, the vibration of the instrument panel 60 supported by the steering member 30 is reduced to protect the meters and other equipment.

(During a frontal vehicle collision) If the engine or the like moves rearward due to a frontal collision of the vehicle body, the dash panel 20 may move rearward as shown in FIG. 3.

At this time, an axial load is input to the mount stay 40 due to the backward movement of the dash panel 20, but the input load to the mount stay 40 is absorbed by buckling deformation at the first buckling portion 41, and the lower bracket 105 The load transferred from the steering column 10 to the steering column 10 is reduced. Then, the input load from the darts panel 20 to the mount stay 40 is the first
If the absorption amount greatly exceeds the absorption amount of the buckling portion 41,
The inner tube 11 of the steering column 10 slides toward the outer tube 12, and the second buckling portion 42 of the mount stay 40 buckles to prevent the outer tube 12 from moving toward the steering wheel.

In addition, the steering shaft 101 has a boot 2.
By providing the universal joint 16 in the steering gear 1, the impact (load) input from the steering gear side is transmitted to the steering column 10 side because the transmission shaft 15 on the steering gear side is swung rearward rather than the universal joint 16. It is no longer being transmitted.

Next, a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 will be described.

This embodiment is an example in which the support rigidity of the steering column 10 is ensured only by the bending rigidity of the mount stay 60 without using a support rod.

Note that the mount stay 60 has a square cross-sectional shape.

Incidentally, in the embodiment, the buckling portions are formed at two locations on the mount stay, but the number is not limited to that in the embodiment, and the positions may be changed.

In addition, in the embodiment, the buckling part was bent slightly in advance to make it easier to bend, but it was also possible to make the buckling part thinner in some areas or use a soft material to make it easier to bend from that part. Good too.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, the steering column support structure of the invention has the following features: (a) By supporting the steering column on both sides, the steering column can be supported without impairing the steering function. Support rigidity can be ensured. Furthermore, the support rigidity of the instrument panel supported by the steering member is increased. Therefore, the adverse effects of vehicle body vibration on the steering column can be reduced compared to when the steering column is supported in a cantilevered state. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the meters and equipment installed on the instrument panel from malfunctioning and from generating abnormal noises.

(b) Load (impact) applied from the dash panel to the axial direction of the mount stay due to a frontal collision of the vehicle body, etc.
This can be absorbed by the bending deformation of both the first and second buckling parts of the mount stay, and the steering column is also shortened and deformed, suppressing backward movement of the steering column in the event of a frontal collision and increasing safety for occupants. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the support structure of the steering column according to the embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the embodiment when it is deformed by impact, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of the second embodiment. 10... Steering column, 16... Universal joint, 20... Dash panel, 30... Steering member, 40... Mount stay, 41...
First buckling part, 42... Second buckling part, 43... Upper end, 45... Lower end, 102... Upper bracket (upper support part), 105... Lower bracket (lower support part).

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A steering member is fixed in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body, and a mount stay has an upper end fixed to the steering member, and a lower end fixed to the dash panel, and is arranged in the axial direction of the steering column. The steering column is arranged substantially parallel to each other, and the steering column has a steering wheel side supported by an upper support part provided on the steering member, and a steering gear side supported by a lower support part provided on the mount stay, The steering column is formed between an upper support part and a lower support part so that it can be shortened by an axial load of a predetermined value or more, and the mount stay is arranged between the lower end and the lower support part so that the steering column can be shortened by an axial load of more than a predetermined value. A first buckling portion capable of buckling under a predetermined axial load is formed between the lower support portion and the upper support portion. A support structure for a steering column, characterized in that a second buckling part is formed that can buckle under a predetermined axial load larger than that of the buckling part.