JPH0710996Y2 - Steering column device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a steering column device, and more particularly to a column body mounting structure.

[Prior Art] Generally, in a steering column in a vehicle, an upper clamp and a lower clamp that support a column jacket are attached to a vehicle body, and in particular, the upper clamp is attached to the vehicle body via a slide block with a bolt. In the case of a so-called secondary collision in which an occupant collides with the steering column, the column jacket and the steering shaft are contracted in the axial direction by separating from the vehicle body, while the lower clamp is fixed to the vehicle body by bolts and does not separate, and the column jacket It is designed to support the lower end of the and to take a reaction force. The upper clamp is attached to the lower part of the instrument panel, and the lower clamp is attached to the dash panel near the floor.

On the other hand, the steering column may adopt a so-called tilt type configuration so as to ensure an optimal driving posture of the occupant. In this case, the entire steering column is configured to be vertically rotatable around the lower clamp. There is a so-called foot tilt type steering column. In the case of a foot tilt steering column, since the lower clamp must have a hinge function, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the column jacket 1 has U-shaped brackets 2 that are diametrically opposed to each other. , 2 are fixed by welding or the like, and a concave fixing bracket 3 fixed to the vehicle body is crimped to the brackets 2, 2 by means of pins 4, 4. That is, the brackets 2, 2 and the fixed bracket 3 are configured to form a lower clamp, and the bolts are inserted through the bolt insertion holes 3a, 3a to be fixedly attached to the vehicle body.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, according to the conventional foot tilt type steering column, the angle at which the lower end of the column jacket rotates is only 1 to 2 degrees at the maximum when the tilt is set. Therefore, forming the lower clamp as described above brings about a high cost, and moreover,
Since the pin and the bracket and the fixed bracket are rotatably connected to each other with a clearance formed therebetween, they may resonate when the vehicle is running or idling, which may cause abnormal noise. It may give a pleasant feeling or impair the operability. Further, the repair is not preferable because the entire steering column must be removed from the vehicle body.

Therefore, the present invention has been made for the purpose of improving the vehicle body mounting structure in the foot tilt type steering column.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured such that a column jacket having a steering shaft penetrating through it is vertically rotatable about a lower clamp fixed to a vehicle body. In the steering device according to claim 1, the lower clamp includes a vehicle body mounting surface, a triangle-shaped jacket mounting surface that is substantially orthogonal to the vehicle body mounting surface and has a wide vehicle body mounting surface side, and a lower end portion of a column jacket that is drilled in the jacket mounting surface. It consists of an opening that penetrates the vicinity and a pair of left and right equal beam parts that sandwich the column jacket on both sides of the opening, and the column jacket is generally formed with the upper part of the opening open to the lower inner peripheral edge of the opening. A steering column device is also constructed in which the column jackets are connected at orthogonal positions to allow the rotation of the column jacket by utilizing the bending of the equal beam portion. Of.

[Operation] According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, the lower end of the column jacket is connected to the lower inner peripheral edge of the opening and is connected to the lower clamp, but when the tilt is set, it is interlocked with the movement of the column jacket. Therefore, since the equal beam portion can be bent, the lower clamp sufficiently copes with the tilting of the column jacket. Moreover, since the column jacket and the lower clamp are integrally connected, the vertical rigidity is high, and the column jacket and the lower clamp do not resonate when the vehicle is running or idling, so that discomfort or operability is not impaired. In addition, by selecting the thickness, material and dimensions of the jacket mounting surface that should sufficiently withstand the number of tilt settings within the vehicle's service life, a safe steering device will not be produced without causing metal fatigue or damage to the equal beam portion. Can be easily configured.

[Embodiment] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First
The figure is a side view showing the entire steering column, FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B) are perspective views of the lower clamp, and FIGS. 3 (A), (B), and (C) are front views and a plan view of the lower clamp. Drawing and a side view, Drawing 4 (A), (B), (C) is a front view, a top view, and a side view showing other examples of a lower clamp,
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a column jacket, 5 is a steering shaft, 5a is a steering wheel, 6 is an upper clamp, 7 is a lower clamp, and 8 is an intermediate shaft, which is connected to a steering gear box (not shown). The column jacket 1 and the steering shaft 5 are configured to be contractible in the axial direction. Vertical holes 9 are formed in both side walls of the upper clamp 6, and a tightening bolt 10 is inserted along the long hole 9 so as to be vertically movable. A tilt lever 11 is axially attached to the tightening bolt 10. Further, a distance bracket 12 is provided through which the tightening bolt 10 penetrates and can move up and down in the upper clamp 6, and the column jacket 1 is fixed to the distance bracket 12.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the lower clamp 7
Is a thin plate (2 mm or less) made of high-strength material (high-tensile material, high-carbon material), for example, pressed, and the cross section is L
It is formed in a letter shape and has bolt insertion holes 13a, 13a
A vehicle body mounting surface 13 fixed to the vehicle body via bolts 25 (see FIG. 5), and a triangular jacket mounting surface orthogonal to the vehicle body mounting surface 13 and having a wide vehicle body mounting surface side and a narrow jacket side.
Consisting of 14 and. The jacket mounting surface 14 has a substantially triangular opening 15 penetrating the column jacket 1. A lower inner peripheral edge portion 16 of the opening portion 15 has a substantially semicircular shape, and is matched with the outer diameter of the column jacket 1. Therefore,
On both sides of the opening 15, equal beam parts 17, 17 of the same shape and a substantially triangular shape are formed.
Is formed, and an arcuate band portion 18 integrally formed between the equal beam portions 17, 17 is formed below the opening portion 15. A flange portion 19 protruding in a direction parallel to the column jacket 1 is bent and formed on the arcuate band portion 18 for reinforcement. Note that the flange portion does not necessarily have to be formed if the strength of the arcuate band portion 18 is sufficient. In the lower inner peripheral edge portion 16 of the opening portion 15,
The column jackets 1 are connected at orthogonal positions by welding or the like. It should be noted that the vehicle body mounting surface 13 is provided with a standing bending protrusion 20 protruding toward the column jacket 1 side, which can be inserted into an elongated hole 1a (see FIG. 5) formed in the column jacket 1 in the axial direction. The standing bending projection 20 is formed by forming a U-shaped notch 21 at a substantially central portion of the vehicle body mounting surface 13 and bending an inner portion thereof by 90 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 4, the opening 15 and the through hole 22 for penetrating and fixing the column jacket 1 may be formed separately, and in this case, the column jacket is provided at the inner peripheral edge of the through hole 22. A tubular portion 23 protruding in the axial direction of 1 is formed, and a flange portion 24 is formed on the tubular portion 23. The column jacket 1 passes through the through hole 22, and the entire circumference is fixed to the inner peripheral surface by welding. The tubular portion 23 is formed on the vehicle body mounting surface 13 side,
You may form in the same direction as the example of FIG. Further, the vehicle body mounting surface 13 is formed by bending as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or by forming a stepped portion as shown in FIG. 4, but it may be formed flat. Match the shape of the mounting part.

The operation of the above-described embodiment will be described. At the time of tilt setting, the tilt lever 11 is rotated to release the tightening bolt 10 from tightening the upper clamp 6 to the distance bracket 12 from both sides to free the distance bracket 12 and the column. When the jacket 1 is tilted up or down at a desired angle, the column jacket 1 rotates about the lower clamp 7. The rotation angle of the column jacket 1 at this time is at most 1 to 2 degrees, and the column jacket 1 is integrated with the arcuate band portion 18 reinforced by the flange portion 19 to bend the flat beam portion 17 of the lower clamp 7. This allows the rotation. The column jacket 1 has a lower clamp 7 in the upper half of the opening 15.
Since it is not connected with, it can move within the opening 15.

In a vehicle collision accident, if there is a secondary collision in which an occupant collides with the steering wheel 5a, the upper clamp 6
When the steering shaft 5 and the column jacket 1 contract as a unit, the reaction force of the column jacket 1 is formed by the elongated hole 1a at the lower end of the column jacket 1 and the standing bending protrusion 20 engaging with it. .

[Advantage of Device] According to the device described above, since the column jacket is directly fixed and supported on the triangular jacket mounting surface of the lower clamp at a substantially orthogonal position, an inexpensive lower clamp can be obtained with a simple structure. In addition, it is highly rigid against vertical input from the column jacket because it is supported by the jacket mounting surface of the lower clamp, and is also highly rigid due to the triangular shape against horizontal input, resulting in resonance. The points are improved, there is no rattling, and there is no resonance when the vehicle is running or idling, so no abnormal noise is generated.

Moreover, since stress is not concentrated in one place and durability is improved, a thin plate can be used, which is lightweight and can be configured easily and inexpensively. Can be near the axial center of.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a side view showing the entire steering column, FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B) are perspective views of a lower clamp, and FIGS. 3 (A) and 3 (B). , (C)
Is a front view, a plan view and a side view of the lower clamp, and FIGS. 4 (A), (B) and (C) are front views, a plan view and a side view showing another example of the lower clamp, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional lower clamp. 1 ... Column jacket, 5 ... Steering shaft, 6 ... Upper clamp, 7 ... Lower clamp,
11 …… Tilt lever, 13 …… Vehicle mounting surface, 14 …… Jacket mounting surface, 15 …… Opening part, 16 …… Lower inner peripheral edge part, 17…
… Equal beam part, 18 …… Arc band part, 19 …… Flange part, 20
…… Standing projection, 23 …… Cylinder part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A steering device in which a column jacket penetrating a steering shaft is vertically rotatable about a lower clamp fixed to a vehicle body, wherein the lower clamp has a vehicle body mounting surface,
A triangle-shaped jacket mounting surface that is substantially orthogonal to the vehicle body mounting surface and has a wide vehicle body mounting surface side, and an opening that is formed in the jacket mounting surface and penetrates near the lower end of the column jacket,
The pair of left and right equal beam portions sandwiching the column jacket on both sides of the opening portion, and the column jackets are connected in a substantially orthogonal position with the upper portion of the opening portion open to the lower inner peripheral edge portion of the opening portion. A steering column device characterized by allowing the column jacket to rotate by utilizing the bending of the beam portion.