JP2002053049A - Steering device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sufficient telescopic holding force even after extremely long elapsed time from an initial state. SOLUTION: The top of a bead 4c of a clamp part 4a of an outer column 4 is formed in a shape in which the top contacts through a surface (surface abutting) with an outer peripheral surface of an inner column 3 with a circumferential predetermined width spaced, so that the top of the bead 4c abuts on the inner column 3 through a surface to reduce bearing pressure to the inner column 3. As a result, the inner column 3 hardly plastically deforms, and the sufficient holding force can be provided even when an operation angle of an operating lever is similar to an initial angle. In addition, the bearing pressure of the top of the bead 4c to the inner column 3 can be reduced, so that the top of the bead 4c hardly wears to provide the sufficient holding force even after telescopic sliding of both columns 3 and 4 are repeated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telescopic system in which the axial position of a steering wheel can be adjusted according to the driving posture of a driver, or a tilt system in which the inclination angle of a steering wheel can be adjusted. The present invention relates to a tilt / telescopic type vehicle steering device that is also provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a vehicle steering device, there is a telescopic steering device capable of adjusting an axial position of a steering wheel in accordance with a driving posture of a driver.

For example, in a telescopic steering apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-128564, an inner column is slidably fitted to an outer column. A plurality of slits are formed in a clamp portion of the outer column for clamping the inner column from the outside so as to be able to reduce the diameter of the clamp portion. A plurality of beads for pressing the surface by point contact (per line) are formed equally spaced in the circumferential direction.

A substantially U-shaped holder formed by bending a plate material is provided on the outside of the clamp. The clamp is pressed against the inner column by tightening the holder while reducing its diameter. While performing the telescopic tightening, the tightening of the holder is released, so that the telescopic sliding is performed.

[0005]

However, in the telescopic steering apparatus disclosed in the above publication, the top of the bead formed on the clamp portion of the outer column is formed by point contact (per line contact) with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column. It is designed to be pressed.

As a result, the outer peripheral surface of the inner column pressed by this point contact (line contact) gradually undergoes plastic deformation, and a sufficient telescopic holding force is obtained at the same operating angle of the operating lever as in the initial state. You may not be able to get it.

When telescopic sliding of both columns is repeated, the apex of the bead in point contact (line contact) is severely worn, and even if there is a sufficient holding force in the initial state, the telescopic sliding is repeated. After that, there is a case where a sufficient telescopic holding force cannot be obtained due to wear of the top of the bead.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a vehicle steering apparatus capable of obtaining a sufficient telescopic holding force even after an extremely long time has elapsed from an initial state. The purpose is to provide.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle steering apparatus according to the present invention has an inner column slidably fitted to an outer column,
The outer column clamp portion for clamping the inner column has a slit formed to allow the clamp portion to be reduced in diameter, and a bead for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the inner column is formed. A holder is provided on the outside of the part, tightening while reducing the diameter of the holder, pressing the clamp part against the inner column and tightening the telescopic while releasing the tightening of the holder,
In the telescopic sliding vehicle steering device, the top of the bead of the clamp portion of the outer column is formed to have a predetermined width in the circumferential direction and to be in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column. Features.

As described above, according to the present invention, the top portion of the bead of the clamp portion of the outer column is formed to have a predetermined width in the circumferential direction and to come into surface contact (contact) with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column. is there. Therefore, the contact of the top of the bead with the inner column becomes a surface contact, and the surface pressure on the inner column can be reduced. As a result, unlike the conventional case, the inner column is rarely gradually plastically deformed. Even with the same operation angle of the operation lever as in the initial state, a sufficient telescopic holding force can be obtained. That is, the telescopic holding force hardly deteriorates with time.

Further, since the top of the bead comes into contact with the inner column, and the surface pressure against the inner column can be reduced, even after repeated telescopic sliding of both columns, as in the prior art, The top of the bead is hardly worn, and a sufficient telescopic holding force can be obtained.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A tilt telescopic type vehicle steering system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tilt telescopic type vehicle steering system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steering device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. FIG. 5A is a plan view of the lower outer column, and FIG. 5B is a partially cutaway side view of the outer column. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 5B.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the steering shaft comprises an upper shaft 1 fixedly supporting a steering wheel (not shown) at a rear end of the vehicle and a lower shaft 2 spline-fitted to the upper shaft. The steering column is configured to be extendable and contractable. The steering column includes an upper inner column 3 that rotatably supports the upper shaft 1 via a ball bearing 31 at an upper end, and a lower shaft 2 via a ball bearing 33 at a lower end. And is slidably supported by a lower side outer column 4 fitted to the upper side inner column 3. The upper shaft 1 is provided with a C-ring 35 for preventing the upper shaft from getting into the inner column 3. The lower shaft 2 is also provided with a C-ring 35 for preventing the lower shaft 2 from getting into the outer column 4. A C-ring 37 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, a vehicle body side bracket 6 having a tilt adjusting groove 5 is provided around the outer column 4 on the lower side. Body side bracket 6
Has a flange portion 6a connected to the vehicle body on the rear side of the vehicle, has an inverted U-shape as a whole as a whole, and integrally forms opposed side plate portions 6b and 6c.

As shown in FIG. 4, a separate lower bracket 7 is provided on the lower side of the vehicle body side bracket 6 so as to surround the vehicle body side bracket 6. The lower bracket 7 has an upper plate portion 7a connected to the vehicle body and downward facing side plate portions 7b, 7c for holding the opposite side plate portions 6b, 6c of the vehicle body side bracket 6 in contact therewith. Body side bracket 6
A U-shaped bracket 8 (tilt hinge portion) is integrally provided on the front end of the outer column 4 by welding or the like so that both ends are in sliding contact with the inside of the opposed side plate portions 6b and 6c.
The opposite side plate portions 7b and 7c of the lower bracket 7, the opposite side plate portions 6b and 6c of the vehicle body side bracket 6, and the opposite side plate portions 8a and 8b of the U-shaped bracket 8 are provided with spacers 9 via a tilt center bolt. 10a is inserted and fastened by a nut 10b. Thus, the lower outer column 4 can be tilted about the tilt center bolt 10a.
As shown in FIG. 1, the lower bracket 7 is provided with a detachment open slit 7d for detaching the tilt center bolt 10a during a secondary collision collapse.

As shown in FIG. 1, a clamp portion 4a for clamping the inner column 3 from outside is provided at the rear portion of the outer column 4 on the lower side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the clamp portion 4a has a plurality (4) for making the diameter of the clamp portion 4a smaller.
Slits 4b are formed in the circumferential direction at equal intervals along the axial direction, and a plurality of (four) beads 4c for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 3 by point contact are formed in the circumferential direction. And are formed along the axial direction.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the beads 4c of the clamp portion 4a of the outer column 4 are provided.
Are formed in a shape having a predetermined width in the circumferential direction so as to make surface contact (contact) with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 3. Therefore, as described later in detail, the top of the bead 4c comes into contact with the inner column 3, and the surface pressure on the inner column 3 can be reduced, and a sufficient holding force can be obtained at the time of telescopic tightening. Further, even after the telescopic sliding of the columns 3 and 4 is repeated, the top of the bead hardly wears, and a sufficient holding force can be obtained.

A substantially U-shaped holder 11 formed by bending a plate material is provided outside the clamp portion. The holder 11 has a substantially semicircular shape for reducing the diameter of the clamp portion 4a and fastening the clamp portion 4a. A curved portion 11a, and a pair of opposed side plate portions 11b and 11c formed upward from the curved portion 11a. The clamping of the clamp portion 4a by the curved portion 11a of the holder 11 is not limited to a substantially semicircular (1/2 circle) shape as shown in FIG.
The shape may be a 2/3 circular shape, a 3/4 shape, or the like.

Opposite side plates 11b, 11c of holder 11
Is in sliding contact with the inside of the opposite side plate portions 6b and 6c of the vehicle body side bracket 6, and a tightening bolt 13 described later is inserted into the opposite side plate portions 11b and 11c. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, on the vehicle front side of the opposing side plates 11b and 11c,
A pair of flanges 11d and 11e are formed by bending, respectively, and a pair of flanges 11f and 11g are formed by bending on the vehicle rear side of the opposing side plates 11b and 11c, respectively. These two pairs of flanges 11d ~
11g, in cooperation with the bending portion 11a, as described later,
The clamping portion 4a functions to press and tighten while reducing the diameter.

The opposite side plate portions 6b, 6 of the vehicle body side bracket 6
A tightening bolt 13 is inserted through the tilt adjusting groove 5 of c and the opposite side plate portions 11b and 11c of the holder 11,
A tightening nut 14 and a lock nut 15 are screwed into a screw portion of the tightening bolt 13.

An operation lever 16 is mounted on the head side of the tightening bolt 13, and a cam lock mechanism is provided. The cam lock mechanism includes a first cam member 17 that rotates integrally with the operation lever 16, and a shaft that engages with a peak or a valley of the first cam member 17 with the rotation of the first cam member 17. And a non-rotating second cam member 18 that moves in the direction to lock or unlock. Since the projection 17a of the first cam member 17 is fitted to the operation lever, the first cam member 17 is configured to be able to rotate integrally with the operation lever 16, and the second cam member 18 Projection 18a is tilt adjustment groove 5.
, The second cam member 18 is always configured to be non-rotating. The flanges 6a of the vehicle body-side bracket 6 are provided with detachable capsules 19a and 19b at the time of collapse of the secondary collision. That is, the vehicle body side bracket 6 is connected to the vehicle body via the detachment capsules 19a and 19b.

With the above-described structure, the outer column 4, the inner column 3,
The steering shaft assembly including the lower shaft 2 and the upper shaft 1 moves forward with respect to the lower bracket 7 together with the vehicle body-side bracket 6.

When the operation lever 16 is swung in one direction during the tilt and telescopic tightening, the first cam member 17 is rotated.
Simultaneously rotate to engage the valley portion from the valley portion of the second cam member 18, the second cam member 18 moves to the right in FIG. Part 6
b and 6c are brought close to each other and slidably fixed to the opposing side plates 11b and 11c of the holder 11.

As a result, the holder 11 has its opposed side plate portions 11b and 11c approaching each other, and the two pairs of flanges 11d to 11g cooperate with the curved portion 11a to press the clamp portion 4a to reduce the diameter. While tightening, the columns 3 and 4 are tightened and fixed. At this time, the clamp part 4a
Since the slits 4b are formed, the diameter can be sufficiently reduced, and the bead 4c is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 3, so that it can be clamped sufficiently firmly.

Also, at the time of this tilt / telescopic tightening, a shape in which the top of the bead 4c of the clamp portion 4a of the outer column 4 has a predetermined width in the circumferential direction and comes into surface contact (surface contact) with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 3. Because it is formed in
The contact of the top of the bead 4c with the inner column 3 becomes a surface contact, and the surface pressure on the inner column 3 can be reduced. As a result, as in the conventional case, the inner column 3
Hardly undergoes plastic deformation, and a sufficient holding force can be obtained even at the same operation angle of the operation lever as in the initial state, and tilt-telescopic tightening can be sufficiently performed. That is, the telescopic holding force hardly deteriorates with time.

Further, since the contact of the top of the bead 4c with the inner column 3 becomes a surface contact and the surface pressure on the inner column 3 can be reduced, even after the telescopic sliding of the columns 3 and 4 is repeated. Unlike the conventional case, the top of the bead 4c is hardly worn, and a sufficient holding force can be obtained.

At the time of release of the tilt / telescopic operation, when the operation lever 16 is swung in the reverse direction, the first cam member 17 is released.
Rotate simultaneously to engage the ridges and valleys of the second cam member 18, the second cam member 18 moves to the left in FIG. Then, the tightening of the clamp portion 4a of the outer column 4 by the holder 11 is released.

As a result, in the case of tilt adjustment, the tightening bolt 13 is moved along the tilt adjusting groove 5, the outer column 4 and the inner column 3 are tilted about the tilt center bolt 10, and the steering wheel (Not shown) can be adjusted as desired.

In the case of telescopic adjustment, the upper inner column 3 is slid in the axial direction with respect to the lower outer column 4, and the axial position of the steering wheel (not shown) is adjusted as desired. Can be. In addition, a stopper bolt 43 is provided at a protruding portion on the lower side of the outer periphery of the outer column 4 so as to face inward in the radial direction. A long groove 3 having a predetermined length is formed in the inner column 3 so as to face the stopper bolt 43.
b is formed, and the stopper bolt 43 is
Are engaged with each other to form a telescopic position adjusting stopper and a detent member. (Second Embodiment) FIG. 7A is a plan view of a lower outer column, FIG. 7B is a partially cutaway side view of the outer column, and FIG. FIG. 7 (b)
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line cc of FIG.

The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a holder 50 for pressing the clamp portion 4a while reducing the diameter thereof is formed by casting or shaving.

That is, in the second embodiment, the holder 5
Reference numeral 0 includes a substantially semicircular curved portion 50a for reducing the diameter of the clamp portion 4a and tightening the clamp portion 4a, and a pair of opposed side wall portions 50b and 50c formed upward from the curved portion 50a. The upper portions of the pair of opposing side wall portions 50b, 50c
It is formed to be thick with a slit space interposed therebetween. As in the first embodiment, when the telescopic members are brought close to each other at the time of telescopic tightening, the clamp portions 4a cooperate with the curved portions 50a.
It acts to tighten while pressing to reduce the diameter.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The top of the bead of the clamp portion of the outer column has a predetermined width in the circumferential direction and is formed into a shape that comes into surface contact (per surface contact) with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column. Therefore, the contact of the top of the bead with the inner column becomes a surface contact, and the surface pressure on the inner column can be reduced. As a result, unlike the conventional case, the inner column is rarely gradually plastically deformed. Even with the same operation angle of the operation lever as in the initial state, a sufficient telescopic holding force can be obtained. That is, the telescopic holding force is hardly deteriorated with time.

In addition, the contact of the top of the bead with the inner column becomes a surface contact, and the surface pressure on the inner column can be reduced. Therefore, even after the telescopic sliding of both columns is repeated, as in the related art, The top of the bead is hardly worn, and a sufficient telescopic holding force can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tilt telescopic vehicle steering device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steering device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5A is a plan view of an outer column on a lower side, and FIG. 5B is a side view of the outer column.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 5 (b).

7A is a plan view of an outer column on the lower side, FIG. 7B is a side view of the outer column, and FIG. b) c-
It is a cross-sectional view along the c line.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper shaft 2 Lower shaft 3 Upper side inner column 4 Lower side outer column 4a Clamp part 4b Slit 4c Bead 5 Tilt adjustment groove 6 Body side bracket 7 Lower bracket 7d Release open slit 8 U-shaped bracket 9 Spacer cylinder 10a Tilt center pin 11 Holder 13 Tightening bolt 14 Tightening nut 15 Lock nut 16 Operating lever 17 First cam member 18 Second cam member 19a, 19b Capsule for disengagement 31, 33 Ball bearing 35, 37 C-ring 43 Stopper bolt 50 holder

Claims (1)

[Claims] An inner column is slidably fitted to an outer column, and a slit is formed in a clamp portion of the outer column for clamping the inner column so that the clamp portion can be reduced in diameter. In addition, a bead for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the inner column is formed, and a holder is provided outside the clamp part, tightening while reducing the diameter of the holder, pressing the clamp part against the inner column. In the telescopic type vehicle steering device that telescopically slides while releasing the tightening of the holder, the top of the bead of the clamp portion of the outer column has a predetermined width in the circumferential direction. A steering apparatus for a vehicle, wherein the steering apparatus is formed in a shape that makes surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column.