JP3154289B2 - Steering column - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering column of a vehicle, and more particularly, to a steering column having improved rigidity and appearance of a lower cover of the steering column.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional steering column 11 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the upper cover 12 and the lower cover 13 are integrated and attached to a steering post 18, and the steering post 18 is attached to the instrument panel 1.
0 is inserted through a notch K formed in the lower edge 10a, and is fixed to a pedal bracket B on the vehicle body side with a bolt 20 and a nut 21.

As shown in FIG. 6, an impact wrench R is provided at the lower edge of the lower cover 13 with a steering post 18.
In general, an inverted U-shaped notch 14 is formed to facilitate insertion into the mounting work hole 19.

[0004] Instead of the notch 14, a lower cover 13 is provided.
In some cases, the lower edge 13a is cut short upward as a whole to secure an insertion space for a tool tip and a working space.

Further, when a steering tilt mechanism is provided as an optional specification, an inverted U-shaped notch 16 is formed separately from the above-described notch 14 in order to avoid interference with the tilt lever 15 which moves up and down. I was

[0006]

However, the lower cover 1
As shown in FIG. 6, the lower edge 13a of the third panel 3 is located slightly above the lower edge 10a of the instrument panel 10, and the cutout portion 14 is formed so as to have an inverted U-shape. For this reason, the internal organs of the lower cover 13 become fully visible even in the normal line-of-sight direction, which impairs aesthetics. In order to correct this, a lower finish cover (not shown) may be attached to the instrument panel 10 as a separate assembly so as to close the notches 14, 16 or the attachment working holes 19, but the number of parts and the attachment Time is increased.

Further, since the thickness of the lower cover 13 is made thinner in order to reduce the weight, the formation of the notch portion 14 reduces the surface rigidity, which may cause a poor mounting on the pedal bracket B side. Get higher.

Further, if the lower finish cover is omitted to reduce the cost, the lower panel edge 10a of the instrument panel 10 and the lower edge 13a of the lower cover 13 do not coincide with each other as described above. Lacks continuity with

On the other hand, if the lower edge 13a of the lower cover 13 is formed to be longer than the lower edge 10a of the instrument panel 10 in order to obtain continuity with the instrument panel 10 without using the lower finish cover, the impact wrench R The problem that it is difficult to secure the insertion space and the working space of the device. If a large round hole is formed in the center of the lower cover 13 to secure these spaces,
The internal visceral portion of the lower cover 13 greatly impairs the appearance of the eyes, and becomes intricate.

In addition, in a so-called tilt type vehicle in which the steering is tilted, a notch portion 14 for projecting the tilt lever 15 must be separately formed in the lower cover 13, and the surface rigidity of the lower cover 13 is further reduced. Become.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above circumstances, and achieves an integrated appearance with an instrument panel of a vehicle, can secure a tool insertion space and a work space, and is compatible with a tilt specification vehicle. It aims to provide a steering column that can be applied to both vehicles.

[0012]

According to the steering column of the present invention, a steering post is inserted into a notch formed in a lower edge of an instrument panel to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object. The post is fixed to a pedal bracket protruding from the vehicle body with bolts, and in the steering column in which the outer periphery of the steering post is covered with an upper cover and a lower cover,

The lower end of the lower cover is extended to close the opening side of the notch of the instrument panel, and the center of the lower cover is provided with a work hole through which the steering post fixing bolt can be seen. It is characterized in that a wall portion extending inside the lower cover is formed on the inner edge of the working hole.

Further, the steering column according to the present invention comprises:
The tilt lever is protruded from the working hole described above.

[0015]

When the steering column is mounted on the steering post, it is arranged on the vehicle such that the lower edge of the lower cover coincides with the lower edge of the instrument panel.
An installation tool is inserted through a work hole formed in the lower cover, and the steering post is bolted to the vehicle. During this mounting, the mounting tool can be relatively freely moved in the working hole, so that the mounting operation is facilitated.

After the mounting, the lower cover is prevented from bending from the working hole by the wall surface. Further, in the case of a tilt specification vehicle, the position of the steering can be changed by vertically moving the tilt lever protruding from the work hole along the wall surface.

[0017]

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this steering column 1, an upper cover 2 and a lower cover 3 are integrated and attached to a steering post 18, and the steering post 18 is inserted into a notch K formed in a lower edge 10a of the instrument panel 10, and is attached to a pedal bracket B. The whole is constituted by fixing with bolts 20 and nuts 21. The same steering post 18 and instrument panel 10 as in the conventional example are used, but the lower edge of the lower cover 3 is further extended so as to be continuous with the lower edge 10a of the instrument panel 10. Also, on the lower surface of the lower cover 3,
The substantially L-shaped flat portion 4 is formed so as to be recessed slightly inward (upward after being attached to the vehicle) from the lower surface of the lower cover 3 at least toward the steering side.

A rectangular work hole 5 is formed in a part of the flat portion 4 so that a bolt 20 for fixing the steering post 18 can be seen, and an inner edge of the work hole 5 is formed as shown in FIG. The wall portion 6 is formed to extend to the inside of the lower cover 3 to form the whole.

The steering column 1 has an upper cover 2 and a lower cover 3 integrated with each other,
After assembling, the instrument panel is attached to the pedal bracket B so as to close the opening side of the cutout K of the instrument panel. That is, the impact wrench R is inserted from the working hole 5 of the lower cover 3 toward the mounting hole 19 formed in the steering post 18, and the steering post 18 is fixed to the pedal bracket B with the bolt 20 and the nut 21.

At this time, the working hole 5 is attached to the steering post 1
8, the impact wrench R is easy to be inserted so that it can be seen through the fixing bolt 21. The impact wrench R can be easily moved horizontally in the direction perpendicular to the steering column, and the bolt 20 and the nut 21 can be quickly and quickly attached to the pedal bracket B. It can be easily fixed (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

The thus constructed steering column 1 is excellent in continuity and integration with the instrument panel 10 because the lower edge 3a of the lower cover 3 matches the lower edge 10a of the instrument panel 10.

Further, the working hole 5 is formed in a flat portion 4 which is recessed above (inside) the lower surface of the lower cover 3 and is horizontally long. Further, a wall portion 6 is formed on the inner edge of the flat portion 4, so that the internal portion of the steering column is formed. The appearance can be improved without being noticeable, and the lower cover 3 is hardly twisted or distorted, so that the surface rigidity can be improved.

As described above, since the surface rigidity is enhanced without making the working hole 5 stand out, there is obtained an effect that it is not necessary to attach the lower finish cover as a separate assembly to the instrument panel as in the conventional example.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, with the steering column 1 of the first embodiment mounted on the vehicle side, the tilt lever 15 of the steering is projected from the mounting work hole 5 formed in the lower cover 3, and the tip of the tilt lever 15 is It is configured to be accommodated in the flat part 4 described above. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

In the present embodiment, the continuity and integration with the instrument panel 10 can be achieved similarly to the first embodiment, and a lower finish cover is not required. It is not necessary to separately form notches or the like.

Furthermore, the tip of the tilt lever 15 does not protrude below the lower surface of the lower cover 3, thereby improving the appearance and reducing the risk of accidentally touching the tilt lever 15, thereby further improving safety. It also has an effect.

[0027]

As described above, according to the steering column of the present invention, the workability of mounting can be improved by forming the working hole in the lower cover, and the surface rigidity is enhanced by the wall portion formed in the working hole. The lower internal organs of the lower cover can be made less visible.

Therefore, after the steering post and the cover of the steering column are attached to the pedal placket on the vehicle body side by bolts, there is almost no occurrence of a defective mounting on the vehicle body side. In addition, the lower edge of the instrument panel and the lower edge of the lower cover coincide with each other, so that the design continuity between the instrument panel and the steering column cover can be achieved. To play.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a first embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a conventional example is mounted on a vehicle.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional side view in a state where the conventional example is attached to a vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering column 2 Upper cover 3 Lower cover 3a Lower edge of lower cover 4 Flat part 5 Work hole 6 Wall part 10 Instrument panel 10a Lower edge of instrument panel 15 Tilt lever 18 Steering post B Pedal bracket K Notch

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62D 1/04-1/28

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A steering post is inserted into a notch formed in a lower edge of an instrument panel, and the steering post is fixed to a pedal bracket projecting from a vehicle body by bolts, and an outer periphery of the steering post. In a steering column covered with an upper cover and a lower cover, a lower end edge of the lower cover is extended to close an opening side of a cutout of the instrument panel, and the steering post is fixed to a central portion of the lower cover. A steering column, wherein a working hole through which the bolt is viewed is formed, and a wall portion extending inside the lower cover is formed at an inner edge of the working hole. 2. The steering column according to claim 1, wherein a tilt lever projects from the working hole.