JPH06206552A - Supporting structure for steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To better actuate extending/contracting of a steering shaft made telescopically movable to play a role of absorbing a shock against the shock from a front wheel side at the time of collision of a vehicle. CONSTITUTION:A steering shaft A, having an overlapped connecting part A1 made slidable in an axial direction only at collision time by comprising upper and lower shafts 1, 2, is internally mounted on a steering column B. A peripheral side surface to a side of a steering wheel W of the steering column B is fixed by the first bracket C. A lower side bearing 10 is provided between a part of the overlapped connecting part A1 and the steering column B. A peripheral side surface corresponding to the part of the overlapped connecting part A1 of the steering column B is fixed by the second bracket D.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a support structure for a steering device in which a retractable steering shaft can favorably operate in order to absorb the impact from the engine side when the vehicle collides. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various conventional supporting structures for a vehicle body of a steering device having an impact absorbing function, and as an example thereof, as shown in FIG. Steering shaft a
The bracket supporting points of the steering column b, which accommodates the vehicle, are configured to be displaced in the axial direction.

Specifically, the steering column b is composed of a bracket c1 on the side of the steering wheel w having a shock absorbing structure and a bracket c2 on the side of the front wheels.
A supporting portion is supported and a connecting portion of the steering shaft a (upper shaft and lower shaft) is provided between the brackets c1 and c2.

The hollow shaft and the lower shaft are connected to each other, and the upper shaft and the lower shaft are borne at both ends of the steering column b, and the lot-shaped lower shaft having an irregular cross section is slidable on the upper shaft. Is fixed by a synthetic resin shearing pin between the steering column b and the lot-shaped lower shaft, and the upper shaft and the lower shaft are normally held so as not to separate in the axial direction. .

[0005]

[Problems of the prior art] If a structure is provided in which a connecting portion for a steering shaft and a steering column is provided between a steering wheel side bracket and a front wheel side bracket, the connecting rigidity of the connecting portion does not increase and the tire is Road surface vibrations are easily transmitted to the steering shaft (lower shaft) through the gear box and the connecting shaft member.

In the case where the connecting portion between the upper shaft and the lower shaft is fixed by the shearing pin made of synthetic resin, the looseness of the connecting portion can be removed, but it is generally divided in the axial direction and slides only at the time of impact. An upper shaft and a lower shaft, which can be overlapped and connected as much as possible, are provided in the column, and each shaft is bearing-supported at both ends of the column.In this case, each shaft is cantilevered in the column from the connecting part. When a load is applied in the lateral direction of the shaft, when the shearing pin is sheared at the connecting part, the shaft connecting part is pressed strongly, and as shown in FIG. Absorption cannot be operated smoothly, and in addition, the shaft bearing may serve as a fulcrum and a load may act in the bending direction of the shaft. Shafts bets coupling portion becomes a strong pressure contact state, it may not be shear shear pins.

[0007]

Therefore, as a result of earnest studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventor has made the present invention composed of an upper shaft and a lower shaft, and is slidable in the axial direction only at the time of impact. The steering shaft having the overlapping coupling portion is internally mounted in the steering column, and the outer peripheral side surface of the steering column near the steering wheel is fixed by the first bracket, and the lower side bearing is provided between the overlapping coupling portion and the steering column. By providing a steering device supporting structure in which the outer peripheral side surface corresponding to the overlapping connection portion of the steering column is fixed by the second bracket, when an impact is transmitted to the steering device during a vehicle collision, The shock absorbing operation of the steering can be ensured, and the structure is relatively simple. Cities, is obtained by solving the above problems.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is as shown in FIGS.
The steering shaft A is composed of an upper shaft 1 and a lower shaft 2. A steering wheel W is attached to one axial end of the upper shaft 1, and an axial end of the lower shaft 2 is connected to a steering joint to steer the front wheels. It is connected to the centering shaft on the steering device side.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 are configured to be slidable in the axial direction. Specifically, the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 are slidable in the axial direction. A sliding portion 1a formed in a hollow shape is formed, and a sliding outer peripheral portion 2a of a lower shaft 2 is slidably inserted into the sliding portion 1a, and the lower shaft 2 is superposed on the upper shaft 1 in the axial direction. The polymerized portion is hereinafter referred to as a polymerized connecting portion A1 (see FIG. 4).

Further, the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 are connected so that they are always fixed in the axial direction and the circumferential direction at the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2. As shown in FIG. 4B and FIG. 4, a shearing pin 3 is provided.

The shearing pin 3 is made of a synthetic resin, and fixing through holes 1b and 2b are formed at the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 as shown in FIG. , The upper shaft 1
And the lower shaft 2, the shearing pin 3 penetrates through the fixing through holes 1b, 2b at the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the lower shaft 2, and when the steering shaft A receives an impact, the upper shaft 1 or the lower shaft 2 receives the shearing pin. 3 is applied with a shearing force to cut the shearing pin 3,
The upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 can slide in the axial direction with respect to each other.

The steering column B is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), a first bracket C is attached to the steering shaft A toward the side where the steering wheel W is attached, and corresponds to the overlapping connection portion A1 between the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 of the steering column B. A second bracket D is provided at the location.

In the first bracket C, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), a lifting bracket 4 for supporting the steering column B and for moving up and down for tilting operation.
And a fixing bracket 5 for fixing the steering column B at a desired position.
Can move up and down with respect to the fixed bracket 5 to fix the steering shaft A at a desired position.

The fixed bracket 5 of the first bracket C is
Support side portions 5a, 5a are formed on opposing surfaces in the width direction (direction orthogonal to the axis of the steering column B).
The steering column B is located between and fixed to 5a.

Crushing through holes 5b, 5b are formed on the fixing bracket 5 on the side of the vehicle body mounting portion.
Energy absorbers 6 and 6 having crushed portions 6a and 6a are inserted in 5b, and one ends of the energy absorbers 6 and 6 are fixed to the vehicle body side.

When the driver hits the steering wheel W due to the impact when the vehicle collides with an obstacle, the steering column B moves forward through the steering wheel W and the first bracket C together. The fixed bracket 5 also moves, but since the energy absorbers 6 are fixed to the vehicle body side, the crushing through holes 5b, 5b of the fixed bracket 5 move.
The crushed portions 6a, 6a of the energy absorbers 6, 6 are crushed while absorbing the impact energy.

The elevating bracket 4 of the first bracket C is set to an appropriate position for the driver by appropriately operating the operation lever rod 7 with respect to the fixed bracket 5.

Next, the second bracket D is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the steering column B is provided at a position corresponding to a position where the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 overlap and connect with each other.

Furthermore, the second bracket D does not necessarily cover the entire overlapping connection portion A1 between the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2, and as shown by the imaginary line of the second bracket D in FIG. The second bracket D may be housed within at least the sliding range of the overlapping connecting portion A1 between the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2.

As an example of the second bracket D,
The column holding portion 8 of the steering column B is fixed to the vehicle-side front mounted portion, and the second bracket D may serve as the vertical movement center of the tilt operation of the steering device. There are also embodiments in which the center of rotation 9 is provided at the top.

A tubular lower bearing 1 is provided between the inner peripheral side of the steering column B and the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 of the steering shaft A.
0 is provided, and the rotation of the steering shaft A between the steering shaft B and the steering column B on the tire front side is smoothed at the ten bearings on the lower side.

The lower bearing 10 and the second bracket D
As for the positional relationship with the steering shaft A, the steering shaft A is connected to the lower shaft bearing 10 at the overlapping connection portion A1 between the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2.
And a second bracket D is provided on the outer peripheral side surface of the steering column B corresponding to the mounting location of the lower bearing 10, that is, the second bracket D.
It is preferable that the lower side bearing 10 and the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the steering shaft A are substantially aligned in the axial direction (see FIG. 3).

When the lower side bearing 10 exists within the range of the overlapping connection portion A1 of the steering shaft A, the lower side bearing 10 and the second bracket D are axially aligned with each other. There is also an example that does not (see FIG. 5).

There is a lower side bearing 10 in which an elastic body is provided in a portion to be mounted in the steering column B. When such a bearing is used, it is possible to prevent the vibration from the steering device on the front wheel side from being largely transmitted to the column, the bracket and the like.

Further, the shearing pin 3 described above is
As shown in FIG. 3, although the shearing pin 3 is present at the overlapping connection portion A1 of the steering shaft A, the shearing pin 3 does not axially coincide with the lower bearing 10 in the axial direction. Is the lower bearing 1
It is preferable to be closer to the steering wheel W side than 0 in the axial direction.

However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and the lower bearing 10 and the shearing pin 3 may be aligned (see FIG. 5).

An upper bearing 11 is mounted on the steering wheel B side of the steering column B and the steering shaft A.

Next, the operation of the present invention when a shock occurs will be described. First, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a cross connected to the front wheel side end of the lower shaft 2 of the steering shaft A. An impact is transmitted to the joint 12 from the front wheel side through the steering device, and the impact load F is applied to the connecting portion 13 between the cross joint 12 and the lower shaft 2 side of the steering shaft A.

Here, the impact load F is the cross joint 1
2 is transmitted along the axial direction of the transmission shaft portion 12a, and the impact load F thereof has a horizontal component force which is equal to the axial direction of the steering shaft A at the connecting portion 13 as shown in FIGS. Fx and a vertical component Fy along the direction orthogonal to the axis of the steering shaft A are decomposed into a reaction force R against the vertical component Fy via the second bracket D. It is possible to prevent B from being largely displaced in the vertical direction by the vertical component force Fy of the impact load F.

Further, the shearing of the shearing pin 3 of the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the steering shaft A and the sliding of the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 of the overlapping connecting portion A1 are performed by the horizontal component force Fx.

[0031]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the steering column B is internally provided with the steering shaft A having the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 and having the overlapping connecting portion A1 which is slidable in the axial direction only upon impact. , The outer peripheral side surface of the steering column B near the steering wheel W is fixed by a first bracket C,
Lower side bearing 1 between one location and steering column B
0, and the overlapping connection A1 of the steering column B
By using the steering device support structure in which the outer peripheral side surface corresponding to the portion is fixed by the second bracket D,
The shock absorption of the steering shaft A can be improved when a shock occurs, and second, the structure can be extremely simplified.

To explain the above effect in detail, the steering column B is fixed to the steering wheel W side by the first bracket C, and the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 are slidable in the axial direction only upon impact. Since the outer peripheral side surface of the steering column B corresponding to the overlapped connecting portion A1 is supported by the second bracket D, the overlapped connecting portion A1 between the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 of the steering shaft A absorbs impact. It is possible to satisfactorily perform the sliding motions of (1) to each other by concentrating them in the axial direction.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the steering shaft A has a reaction force against the vertical component force Fy of the impact load F transmitted from the cross joint 12 from the front wheel side by the second bracket D against this load. A force R can be generated and the steering shaft A can be supported by the second bracket D via the steering column B so that the overlapping connection portion A1 is not displaced significantly in the direction orthogonal to the axis, that is, the overlapping connection. As shown in FIG. 7 (b), the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 do not rub strongly against each other in the direction orthogonal to the axis at the portion A1, and the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 are bent at the overlapping connecting portion A1. Alternatively, the inconvenience of buckling can be prevented.

Therefore, at the overlapping connection portion A1 of the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2, it is possible to concentrate the sliding motion for absorbing the impact only in the axial direction, and obtain a very good impact absorbing effect. You can

Next, in the present invention, the first bracket C and the second bracket D are provided with the steering column B provided at appropriate intervals in the axial direction, and the second bracket D is installed inside the steering column B. The steering shaft A is provided at a position corresponding to the overlapping connection portion A1 of the steering shaft A, and a stable structure can be obtained without any structural difficulty.

Next, in claim 2, a steering shaft A having an upper shaft 1 and a lower shaft 2 and having a superposed connecting portion A1 slidable in the axial direction only upon impact is installed in a steering column B. , The steering wheel W side of the steering column B is fixed by the first bracket C, and the lower side bearing 10 is provided between the overlapping connection portion A1 and the steering column B.
The steering shaft A has a structure for supporting the steering device in which the lower bearing 10 corresponding portion of the steering column B is fixed by the second bracket D.
It is possible to reliably prevent the displacement of the overlapping connection portion A1 of the above and further improve the shock absorbing effect.

The lower shaft bearing 10 is provided at the overlapping connecting portion A1 between the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2, and the portion corresponding to the lower shaft bearing 10 is fixed by the second bracket D. The overlapping coupling portion A1 of A is supported by the lower side bearing 10, and the lower side bearing 10 is further provided with the lower side bearing 10 through which the lower side bearing 10 is mounted. It is supported by a bracket D.

That is, the second bracket D, the lower bearing 1
0 and the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the steering shaft A are substantially aligned in position in the axial direction of the steering column B, so that the second portion supporting the steering column B
The bracket D also supports the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the steering shaft A in the steering column B through the lower bearing 10 so that a slight displacement of the overlapping connecting portion A1 of the steering shaft A can be prevented. Therefore, the impact absorption effect can be further improved.

Next, in claim 3, a steering shaft A having an upper shaft 1 and a lower shaft 2 and having a superposed connecting portion A1 slidable in the axial direction only upon impact is installed in a steering column B. , The steering wheel W side of the steering column B is fixed by the first bracket C, and the lower side bearing 10 is provided between the overlapping connection portion A1 and the steering column B.
Further, the portion corresponding to the lower bearing 10 of the steering column B is fixed by the second bracket D, and the shearing pin 3 for always fixing the overlapping connecting portion A1 is located closer to the steering wheel W than the lower bearing 10. By adopting the supporting structure of the steering device, the shearing pin 3 is properly sheared at the overlapping connection portion A1 of the steering shaft A at the time of impact.

The above effect will be described in detail. In the overlapping connection portion A1 between the upper shaft 1 and the lower shaft 2 of the steering shaft A, the shearing pin 3 for always fixing this is provided more than the lower side bearing 10. Since it is located on the steering wheel W side, the shearing pin 3 and the lower side bearing 10 are axially displaced from each other, and the shearing pin 3 is located closer to the steering wheel W side of the overlapping coupling portion A1. Therefore, when an impact occurs, the impact load F first received from the cross joint 12 is strongly applied to the second bracket D and further to the lower bearing 10, but the shearing pin 3 thereof is used for the lower bearing 1.
The vertical component force Fy of the impact load F is small at the three positions of the shearing pin W because the displacement is closer to the steering wheel W than 0, and only the horizontal component force Fx is transmitted. The shearing work is performed well.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a second bracket portion of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an action state of an impact load on the overlapping joint portion.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an overlapping connection portion of a steering shaft.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a second bracket mounting range of the steering column.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is an overall schematic view of a conventional type, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the conventional type.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A ... Steering shaft 1 ... Upper shaft 2 ... Lower shaft 3 ... Shearing pin A1 ... Overlapping joint B ... Steering column C ... First bracket D ... Second bracket W ... Steering wheel 10 ... Lower bearing

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazumasa Takasagi 1-2757 Hirosawa-cho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A steering shaft having an upper shaft and a lower shaft, and a steering shaft having an overlapping coupling portion that is slidable in the axial direction only when an impact occurs is incorporated in a steering column, and an outer peripheral side surface of the steering column near a steering wheel is provided. It is fixed with a first bracket, a lower side bearing is provided between the overlapping connecting portion and the steering column, and an outer peripheral side surface corresponding to the overlapping connecting portion of the steering column is fixed with a second bracket. A support structure for a steering device. 2. A steering shaft comprising an upper shaft and a lower shaft, the steering shaft having an overlapping coupling portion that is slidable in the axial direction only upon impact, is installed in the steering column, and a portion of the steering column near the steering wheel is first. The steering device is characterized in that it is fixed with a bracket, a lower side bearing is provided between the overlapping connection part and the steering column, and the lower side bearing corresponding part of the steering column is fixed with the second bracket. Support structure. 3. A steering shaft comprising an upper shaft and a lower shaft, the steering shaft having an overlapping connecting portion that is slidable in the axial direction only when an impact is applied, is installed in the steering column. A shear ring that is fixed with a bracket, a lower bearing is provided between the overlapping coupling part and the steering column, and the lower column bearing corresponding part of the steering column is fixed with a second bracket so that the overlapping coupling is always fixed. A support structure for a steering device characterized in that the pin is arranged closer to the steering wheel than the lower bearing.