JPH061108U - Tilt steering mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] The tooth portion 23b of the locking member 22 is formed in the ratchet tooth 11 at the substantially central portion of the drive member 33 in the direction of the rotation support shaft 13.
A spring member SP2 that constantly biases the drive member 33 in the direction that meshes with the gear 9 is provided. [Effect] The biasing force applied to the drive member 33 by the spring member SP2 also acts uniformly on the rotation support shaft 13.
Therefore, it is possible to stabilize the rotation of the drive member 33 around the rotation support shaft 13 when the clamp is released, and to stabilize the engagement between the engagement portion 119 and the locking member 22 during the clamp. .

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a tilt steering mechanism, and more particularly to a tilt steering mechanism capable of adjusting a mounting angle of a steering wheel according to a physique and a driving posture of a driver.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Generally, this type of tilt steering mechanism includes a first bracket fixed to the vehicle body side, a second bracket fixed to an upper column tube supporting a steering shaft of a steering wheel, and a second bracket with respect to the first bracket. It is equipped with a tilt fulcrum that rotatably supports and a relative rotation of both brackets that can regulate the relative tilt of both brackets at the desired tilt angle when clamped and that is allowable when the clamp is released. .

A ratchet mechanism is generally used as the clamp mechanism. For example, in the configuration disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-144569, arc-shaped ratchet teeth are formed on one of the first and second brackets, and a locking member is provided on the other bracket. . The locking member includes a tooth portion corresponding to the ratchet tooth, and is pivotally supported by the support shaft so that the tooth portion meshes with the ratchet tooth during clamping and is disengaged when releasing the clamp. .

In order to drive the locking member, the above-mentioned prior art is directed to a roller member that makes rolling contact with the back surface of the locking member, a driving member that drives the roller member in a state of being axially supported, and a driving member. And a rotation support shaft for rotatably supporting the. Therefore, when the drive member is rotated in one direction specified in advance during clamping, the roller member rolls in one direction on the back surface of the locking member and the roller member moves away from the ratchet teeth. Since it is guided in the direction, a pinching force acts between the roller member and the rotation support shaft of the drive member, and the pinching force can press the locking member to the ratchet tooth side. On the other hand, when the clamp is released, by rotating the drive member in the other direction, the roller member rolls in the opposite direction on the back surface of the locking member and is guided in the direction approaching the ratchet teeth. The pinching state acting between the roller member and the rotation support shaft of the drive member is released, and the tooth portion of the locking member can be disengaged from the ratchet teeth.

The rotation support shaft of the drive member is disposed such that its rotation center is orthogonal to the steering tube, and one end side of the drive member in the rotation support shaft direction is fixed by a spring member. Is biased in the direction of. In the above-mentioned prior art, the urging force of the spring member is transmitted from the drive member to the roller member, and the roller member is fixed on the back surface by the urging force of the spring member. The meshed state of is secured.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 As described above, in the above prior art example, the spring member for ensuring the meshing state between the ratchet teeth and the tooth portion of the locking member biases the one end side of the drive member in the rotation supporting axis direction. As a result, an unbalanced load is applied to the rotation support shaft, resulting in unstable rotation of the rotation support shaft.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to prevent an unbalanced load from acting on a rotation support shaft that pivotally supports a drive member of a clamp mechanism, and to stabilize a drive state. It is intended to provide a steering mechanism.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above problems, a tilt steering mechanism of the present invention includes a first bracket fixed to a vehicle body side, a second bracket fixed to an upper column tube supporting a steering shaft of a steering wheel, and a second bracket. Is a tilt fulcrum that rotatably supports the first bracket, and the relative rotation of both brackets can be regulated at a desired tilt angle selected during clamping and can be allowed during unclamping. In the tilt steering mechanism including, the clamp mechanism engages with the engaging portion formed on one of the first and second brackets, and engages with the engaging portion during clamping, and releases the clamp. The locking member that is pivotally supported by the other bracket so that it can be separated from time to time, and the operating lever. A drive member axially supported by a rotation support shaft having a rotation center in a direction orthogonal to the steering column for driving in the clamp direction and the unclamping direction, and a substantially intermediate portion of the drive member in the rotation support shaft direction. And a spring member that constantly urges the driving member in the clamping direction of the locking member by locking the locking member with the spring member.

[0009]

[Action]

 According to the tilt steering mechanism configured as described above, the substantially intermediate portion of the drive member in the direction of the rotation support axis is biased by the spring member, so that the biasing force acting on the drive member by the spring member is , Also acts equally on the pivot.

[0010]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 4 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a tilt steering mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 adopts the tilt steering mechanism. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the tilt steering device, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the tilt steering mechanism in the above-described embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a side view of a partially broken main part of the tilt steering mechanism in the above-described embodiment. is there.

(Tilt Steering Device) First, referring to FIG. 2, a tilt steering device adopting a tilt steering mechanism M of the present embodiment includes a steering wheel 1 having a steering shaft 3 whose one end is fixed to a hub 2. It is pivotally supported by the steering column 4. The other end of the steering shaft 3 is connected to a steering gear 6 via a universal joint 5.

(Steering Column) The steering column 4 is divided into a lower column tube 4a and an upper column tube 4b, and each column tube 4a, 4b is supported by an instrument panel 7 on the vehicle body side. The tilt steering mechanism M is tiltably connected within a predetermined tilt angle.

(Tilt Steering Mechanism) Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in the tilt steering mechanism M, the first bracket 11 to which the lower column tube 4a is fixed and the upper column tube 4b are fixed. The second bracket 12 and the second bracket 12 are connected to each other by a pair of bolts 13 (only one is shown in each of FIGS. 3 and 4) forming a tilt fulcrum so as to be rotatable relative to each other. The bolt 13 has a center of rotation in a direction orthogonal to the steering column 4. In FIG. 3, 13 a is a nut that is screwed into the bolt 13. In this embodiment, a pair of protrusions 14 arranged parallel to the bolts 13 and projecting outward are provided on the side portions of the second bracket 12, and the protrusions are provided on the side portions of the first bracket 11. There is provided a pair of recesses 15 that can be engaged with 14, and the projections 14 and the recesses 15 define the amount of relative rotation between the brackets 11 and 12, that is, the tilt angle. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a compression coil spring SP1 is contracted between the brackets 11 1 and 12 to urge the second bracket 12 1 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG.

(First Bracket) Referring to FIG. 3, the first bracket 11 is a sheet metal molded product bent in a substantially box shape, and has a front plate portion 11 a to which an end portion of the lower column tube 4 a is welded. And a pair of side plate parts 11b extending on both sides of the front plate part 11a and an upper plate part 11c extending on the upper end part of the side plate part 11b.

Each side plate portion 11 b is provided with a through hole 18 a (shown only in FIG. 3) for allowing the bolt 13 to pass therethrough and the recess 15. Further, at the lower part of each side plate portion 11b, a concave portion 20 that opens downward for engaging one member of a clamp mechanism m described later is formed. A pair of rattling prevention members 11d each having an L-shaped cross section are fixed to the inner surface of each side plate portion 11b by welding, thereby restricting a lateral movement of a locking member 22 described later and a vertical direction. It prevents rattling as a guide when moving to.

The upper plate portion 11c is fixed to the instrument panel 7 on the vehicle body side (see FIG. 2). Instead of providing the rattling prevention member 11d, as shown in FIG. 5, a part of each side plate portion 11b is cut out and bent inward by a predetermined amount to provide a pair of rattling prevention portions 11e. May be. (Second Bracket) The second bracket 12 is a sheet metal member bent in a substantially U shape in a plan view, and includes a back plate portion 12a to which an end portion of the upper column tube 4b is welded and a back plate portion 12a. It is integrally provided with a pair of side plate portions 12b extending on both sides.

The side plate portion 12b is formed with a through hole 18b (shown only in FIG. 3) for allowing the bolt 13 to penetrate therethrough, and the protrusion 14 described above. Further, substantially arcuate ratchet teeth 119 protruding downward are integrally formed on each side plate portion 12b by broaching or the like. (Clamp Mechanism) The clamp mechanism m is for restricting the relative rotation of both brackets 11 and 12 at a desired tilt angle selected at the time of clamping and permitting it at the time of releasing the clamp. In addition to 119, a locking member 22, a driving member 33, and a spring member SP2 are provided.

(Locking Member) Referring to FIG. 3, the locking member 22 is an integrally molded product formed by bending both ends of a sheet metal member extending in the left-right direction upward. A tooth portion 23b capable of meshing with the ratchet tooth 119 of the second bracket 12 is formed. Further, support shafts 21 projecting to the left and right are integrally formed from the outer side portions of both end portions.

The support shaft 21 is axially supported by a drive member 33, which will be described below, in a state where the support shaft 21 is vertically slidably engaged with the recess 20 of the first bracket 11. (Drive Member) In order to drive the locking member 22, the bolt 13 constituting the tilt fulcrum portion pivotally supports the drive member 33 and also serves as a rotation support shaft of the drive member 33.

The driving member 33 is integrally configured by connecting a pair of sheet metal members 33a pressed into a substantially L shape with a connecting shaft 33b, and one of the sheet metal members 33a is An operation lever 34 extending downward is integrally provided. A through hole 35 for penetrating the bolt 13 and a pair of long holes 37 for supporting both ends of the support shaft 21 of the locking member 22 are formed in each sheet metal member 33a constituting the driving member 33. Has been done.

In FIG. 4, the elongated hole 37 has a synergistic action with the recess 20 of the first bracket 11 when the drive member 33 is rotated clockwise around the bolt 13 as a rotation support shaft. Thus, when the locking member 22 is biased toward the ratchet teeth 119 side and is rotated counterclockwise, the locking member 22 extends long in the direction in which it can be disengaged from the ratchet teeth 119. As a result, the locking member 22 has the tooth portion 23b meshing with the ratchet teeth 119 when the driving member 33 is clamped, and is disengaged when the clamp is released (see FIG. 4).

(Spring Member) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, one end of the driving member 33 is engaged with the front plate portion 11 a of the first bracket 11 at a substantially central portion of the connecting shaft 33 b. The other end of the tension coil spring SP2 is locked. The coil spring SP2 is engaged with the drive member 33 at a substantially intermediate portion in the direction of the rotation support shaft 13 so that the tooth portion 23b of the engaging member 22 meshes with the ratchet tooth 119. A spring member that constantly biases the drive member 33 is configured.

(Effects and Effects) According to the above configuration, when the operation lever 34 is gripped from the clamped state shown in FIG. 4 and the drive member 33 is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing, the support shaft of the locking member 22 is rotated. 21 moves in a direction away from the ratchet teeth 119 by being guided by the long hole 37 of the driving member 33, so that the tooth portion 23b of the locking member 22 separates from the ratchet teeth 119. As a result, the first bracket 11 and the second bracket 12 are in the unclamped state in which they can move relative to each other within the tilt angle range defined by the protrusion 14 and the recess 15. However, in this state, since the second bracket 12 is biased in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4 by the compression coil spring S P1, the steering wheel 1 moves upward in the free state.

Then, by depressing the steering wheel 1 from that state, the mounting angle of the steering wheel 1 is adjusted according to the physique and driving posture of the driver, and the operation lever 34 is released at the selected desired tilt angle. Then, the driving member 33 automatically moves in the clockwise direction by the biasing force of the tension coil spring SP2 as the spring member. As a result, the support shaft 21 of the locking member 22 is guided by the elongated hole 37 in the direction in which it engages with the ratchet teeth 119, and the tooth portion 23b is fixed at a position where it is strongly pressed against the ratchet teeth 119. As a result, the first bracket 11 and the second bracket 12 return to the clamped state in which the relative rotation is restricted at the selected predetermined tilt angle.

Here, according to the tilt steering mechanism M of the present embodiment, the substantially central portion of the drive member 33 in the direction of the rotation support shaft 13 is biased by the tension coil spring SP2. The biasing force applied to the drive member 33 by the coil spring SP2 also acts on the pair of bolts 13 equally. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, an unbalanced load on the bolt 13 is prevented, the rotation of the drive member 33 centering on the bolt 13 (rotational support shaft) at the time of releasing the clamp is stabilized, and at the time of clamping. There is a remarkable effect that the engagement between the tooth portion 23b of the locking member 22 and the ratchet tooth 119 can be stabilized.

Moreover, in this embodiment, since the ratchet teeth 119 are formed on the second bracket 12 side, the operation position of the operation lever 34 can be kept constant regardless of the tilt angle of the steering wheel 1. There is an advantage that you can. It should be noted that, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the ratchet teeth are used as the engaging portion has been described, but the method of engaging with the frictional force generated by tightening the engaging portion and the locking member with the screw is used. Also, the present invention can be applied.

It is needless to say that the above-described embodiments are merely examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and various design changes can be made without changing the gist of the present invention. Absent.

[0028]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the tilt steering mechanism of the present invention, the urging force acting on the driving member by the spring member evenly acts on the rotation supporting shaft, and as a result, the rotation when the clamp is released. It is possible to stabilize the rotation of the drive member around the support shaft and also to stabilize the engagement between the engaging portion and the locking member during clamping.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a tilt steering mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a tilt steering device that employs the tilt steering mechanism.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a tilt steering mechanism in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a partially broken essential portion of the tilt steering mechanism in the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a first bracket in another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Steering Wheel 3 Steering Shaft 4 Steering Column 11 First Bracket 12 Second Bracket 13 Bolt (Tilt Support Point / Rotation Support Shaft) 119 Ratchet Tooth (Engagement Part) 22 Locking Member 23b Tooth M M Tilt Steering Mechanism m Clamp Mechanism SP2 tension coil spring (spring member)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A first bracket fixed to a vehicle body side, a second bracket fixed to an upper column tube supporting a steering shaft of a steering wheel, and a second bracket rotatable with respect to the first bracket. A tilt steering mechanism comprising: a tilt fulcrum that pivotally supports and a relative rotation of both brackets at a desired tilt angle selected at the time of clamping, and at the time of releasing the clamp, a tilting mechanism, wherein Is pivotally supported by the other bracket so as to engage with the engaging portion formed on one of the first and second brackets, engage with the engaging portion during clamping, and disengage when releasing the clamp. Including a locking member and an operating lever, a step is performed to drive the locking member in the clamp direction and the clamp release direction. A drive member pivotally supported by a rotation support shaft having a rotation center in a direction orthogonal to the aligning column, and a locking member of the locking member by being locked at a substantially intermediate portion of the drive member in the rotation support shaft direction. A tilt steering mechanism comprising: a spring member that constantly urges the drive member in the clamp direction.