JPH044903Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a cluster switch cover for automobiles, and more specifically, with the switch cluster section located closer to the driver than the meter cluster section, there is a gap between the two sections. This invention relates to a cluster switch cover covered with a cover member. This is used in the field of steering devices in which the position of the steering wheel can be changed.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Some automobiles have a mechanism that allows the vertical position of a steering wheel to be changed according to the driver's body shape or sitting posture. For example, Utsukai 52-
Publication No. 156032 describes an example of a steering device for such a vehicle with certain improvements.

With such a device, when the steering wheel is tilted according to the driver's preference, the relative position of the steering wheel and the meters and switches attached to the instrument panel changes. As a result, some of the gauges in the vehicle may be obscured by the steering wheel, making them difficult to see or making it difficult to operate the switches.

[The problem that the idea aims to solve]

Therefore, attempts have been made in some sports cars to combine meters and switches into a single meter unit, and to have that unit tilt in conjunction with the tilt of the steering wheel. In this way, even if the position of the steering wheel is changed according to the body shape of the vehicle being driven, the meter unit also tilts, and the above-mentioned difficulties can be overcome to some extent.

However, the front of the meter and the switch are on the same plane, and both are located at approximately the same distance from the driver's car, making it difficult to operate the switch. In order to improve its operability, when the meter unit is moved towards the driver, the meters come closer together.
A problem arises in which visibility is impaired, and a solution to this problem is desired.

Depending on the arrangement of the meters and switches, covering the meter unit with a cover can make it look more attractive, and having the meters integrated with the steering wheel and its cover absorb the impact force in the event of a collision. It may be necessary to keep it undisturbed.

This invention was devised in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to improve the visibility of the meters in the meter cluster section and the operability of switches in the switch cluster section.The purpose of this invention is to organize the meter unit with a cover member for an attractive appearance. Another object of the present invention is to provide a cluster switch cover in a tilt-operable steering device that can absorb part of the impact force at the time of a collision.

[Means to solve the problem]

The features of the automobile cluster switch cover of the present invention are as shown in FIG. A meter unit 4 having a switch cluster section 4A and a switch cluster section 4B is provided so as to be tilted in conjunction with the tilt operation of the steering wheel 2.

The switch cluster portion 4B is arranged closer to the steering wheel 2 than the meter cluster portion 4A on the line of the steering shaft 1, and the space between the two cluster portions 4A and 4B is a cover member 5A that covers the meter cluster portion 4A. is covered with a separate cover member 5B. The separate cover member 5B is provided so as to come into contact with the steering support bracket 9 in the event of a collision.

[Effect of idea]

According to the present invention, the position of the steering wheel can be changed in the vertical direction according to the driver's body shape and posture, and the visibility of the meters is not obstructed in any tilted position of the steering wheel. Moreover, the operability of switches is improved.

Since the space between the two cluster parts is covered with a cover member that is separate from the cover member that covers the meter cluster part, the meter unit can be organized in an attractive manner. Furthermore, since the cover member that covers the space between the two cluster parts is provided so as to come into contact with the steering support bracket in the event of a collision, a portion of the impact force in the event of a collision can be absorbed by the deformation of the cover member. Damage to the meter cluster can be suppressed.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples thereof.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a steering device including a cluster switch cover for an automobile according to the present invention. Then, the steering wheel 2 attached to the steering shaft 1 is positioned at the tilt fulcrum 3.
It is designed to be able to tilt up and down around the center.

Such a tiltable steering device is provided with a meter unit 4 that tilts in conjunction with the tilt operation of the steering wheel 2. This meter unit 4 has a meter cluster section 4A that stores only meters, and a switch cluster section 4B that collects switches, and these are covered with a plastic cover 5, as shown in Fig. 2. Overall, it looks well put together.

The meter cluster portion 4A is arranged to tilt within a recess 7 formed in an instrument panel 6 provided at the front of the vehicle interior, and the switch cluster portion 4B is located on the line of the steering shaft 1. It is placed a certain distance closer to the steering wheel, that is, closer to the driver. The space between the two cluster parts 4A and 4B is covered with a cover member 5B that is separate from the cover member 5A that covers the meter cluster part 4A.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a steering support bracket 9 is attached to the body inner panel 8 of the vehicle body.
is fixed and extends in two directions of the steering wheel. This steering support bracket 9 supports the weight of the tilt mechanism and the meter unit 4 in the steering device, and as shown in FIG.
is attached to the outer cylinder 1a of the steering shaft 1 so as to receive it from below.

Steering tilt bracket 10 of outer cylinder 1a
There is a slider 11 that slides up and down inside the steering tilt bracket 10.
is attached, and a tilt lever 12 for fixing the slider to the steering tilt bracket 10 is attached to pass through the slider 11 from side to side. Note that when the steering wheel 2 is tilted, the slider 11 moves up and down within the steering tilt bracket 10, so there is an elongated hole 13 in the side surface of the steering tilt bracket 10 through which the axis of the tilt lever 12 can move together with the slider 11. is provided.

The steering support bracket 9 that supports the tilt mechanism in this manner has an insertion hole 15 for the meter strut 14 fixed to the top of the slider 11, and the meter cluster section 4A of the meter unit 4 is attached thereon. ing. On the other hand, the switch cluster portion 4B is attached to a flange 16 fixed to the outer cylinder 1a of the steering shaft 1 near the steering wheel 2 with bolts or the like.

The two cluster parts 4A and 4B attached in this way are respectively covered by cover members 5A and 5.
It is designed to look good, with only the parts necessary for the driver to check and operate visible. Therefore, when the steering wheel 2 is tilted, it goes without saying that the cover 5 also tilts, and the area around the meter cluster section 4A tilts within the recess 7 formed in the instrument panel 6. It turns out.

By the way, the above-mentioned cover member 5B is made of a plastic material that is softer or thinner than the other cover members 5A, and is designed to be easily deformed when force is applied in the axial direction of the steering shaft 1. That is, since the cover member 5B is not integrated with the cover member 5A, its rigidity is lower than if they were integrated, and the selection of the material was also determined without considering the requirements of the cover member 5A. Ru. Note that in this example, the cover member 5B
not only covers the space between the meter cluster section 4A and the switch cluster section 4B, but also covers the top and bottom and left and right side surfaces of the switch cluster section 4B. The cover member 5B is arranged so as to come into contact with the steering support bracket 9 in the event of a collision, and is designed to deform to absorb a portion of the impact.

According to the embodiment with such a configuration, first, when the driver tilts the steering wheel 2,
The slider 11 is fixed within the steering tilt bracket 10 by turning the tilt lever 12.
Unlock. In that state, tilt the steering wheel 2 around the tilt fulcrum 3,
Steering wheel 2 in desired upward or downward direction
move. The movement of the steering wheel 2 causes the slider 11 shown in FIG. 3, which is fixed to the steering shaft 1, to slide within the steering tilt bracket 10.

As the slider 11 moves, the meter cluster section 4A moves up and down within the recess 7 of the instrument panel 6 via the meter strut 14, as shown in FIG. Once tilted to the desired position, turn the tilt lever 12 to lock the slider 11 to the steering tilt bracket 10. By such an operation, the switch cluster portion 4B attached to the outer cylinder 1a of the steering shaft 1 via the flange 16 is also tilted.

The driver can not only change the position of the steering wheel 2 to a position suitable for his/her own operation, but also the position of the meter unit 4. Even if the meter unit 4 is tilted, the meter cluster section 4A is still located on the same plane as the instrument panel 6, while the switch cluster section 4B is located near the steering wheel 2, so the visibility of the meter is improved. This does not affect the operation of the switch, and the operability of the switch is also improved.

Note that the meter cluster portion 4A, the switch cluster portion 4B, and the space between them are covered by the cover member 5A that protects the meter cluster portion 4A and the cover member 5B that has a continuous smooth curved surface, so that the meter unit 4 is integrated. It is considered to be the appearance.

By the way, in order to reduce the impact force exerted by the steering wheel on the driver in the event of a collision or a rear-end collision, the steering device has been provided with a deformation function for the steering wheel 2 itself, and a mechanism for reducing the steering shaft 1 has been conventionally adopted. There is. However, if a meter unit 4 that tilts in conjunction with the tilt of the steering wheel 2 is attached, not only the switch cluster section 4B but also the meter cluster section 4A tend to move as the steering shaft 1 contracts.

However, since the meter cluster section 4A tilts in the recess 7 of the instrument panel 6, there is almost no room for it to move forward. Therefore, for example, the outer cylinder 1a of the steering shaft 1 is configured to be displaced relative to the slider 11 in its axial direction, and the cover member 5B is fixed to the steering support bracket 9 firmly attached to the vehicle body in the event of a collision. 4, the steering wheel 2 and the cluster section 4B move as shown in FIG. 4 due to the deformation of the cover member 5B while maintaining the meter cluster section 4A in a fixed position. Therefore, a part of the impact force applied to the driver is absorbed by the deformation of the steering wheel 2 and the deformation of the cover member 4B when the steering shaft 1 is contracted.

As can be seen from the above explanation, the meter unit is provided to tilt in conjunction with the tilt operation of the steering wheel, and its switch cluster is located closer to the steering wheel than the meter cluster on the steering shaft line. Therefore, the position of the steering wheel can be changed in the vertical direction according to the driver's body shape and posture, and the visibility of the meters is not obstructed in any tilted position of the steering wheel. The operability of switches is improved.

Furthermore, since the space between the two cluster parts is covered with a cover member that is separate from the cover member that covers the meter cluster part, it not only makes the meter unit look attractive, but also covers some of the impact force in the event of a collision. This can be absorbed by deformation of the member, and damage to the meter cluster can be suppressed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a steering device including a cluster switch cover for an automobile according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the interior of the vehicle in front of the driver's seat, Fig. 3 is a view taken along the - line in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating deformation of the cover member. 1... Steering shaft, 2... Steering wheel, 4... Meter unit, 4A...
...Meter cluster part, 4B...Switch cluster part, 5A...Cover member, 5B...Separate cover member, 9...Steering support bracket.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A steering wheel is tiltably attached to a steering shaft supported by a steering support bracket, and a meter unit having a meter cluster portion and a switch cluster portion is linked to the tilt operation of the steering wheel. The switch cluster portion is disposed closer to the steering wheel than the meter cluster portion on the steering shaft line, and a cover member that covers the meter cluster portion is located between the two cluster portions. A cluster switch cover for an automobile, characterized in that the cluster switch cover is covered with a separate cover member, and the separate cover member is provided so as to come into contact with the steering support bracket in the event of a collision.