JP3564154B2 - Energy absorbing steering device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to an energy-absorbing steering device, and more particularly, to a structure in which the entire steering device can be moved in a horizontal direction in order to effectively absorb the impact of an occupant in a secondary collision.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to prevent the driver's occupant from a secondary collision due to a frontal collision of the car, when the occupant collides with the steering wheel, the steering column contracts and absorbs the impact energy. The airbag is inflated, and the occupant collides with the airbag and absorbs impact energy.
[0003]
By the way, at the time of a vehicle collision, it is usual that the driver occupant sitting on the seat moves substantially horizontally to the front side of the vehicle body. However, since the steering column is generally disposed obliquely upward with respect to the front panel that separates the front part of the vehicle body from the cabin, it crosses obliquely with respect to the chest of the driver. Since the driver has an angle, when the driver moves horizontally toward the front of the vehicle body, the load is not only input in the axial direction of the steering column but also generates a component force in the horizontal direction. Therefore, it has been proposed that when the steering column is contracted, a prying phenomenon occurs in the contracted portion, which may affect the intended energy absorption effect.
[0004]
Therefore, an invention in which a bellows body or a flexible energy absorber is interposed between the steering column and the front panel or dashboard in order to reduce the horizontal component of the steering column at the time of the secondary collision. (See Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Nos. 60-81069 and 62-155067).
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, there is a disadvantage that the bellows body has a small shock absorbing effect of the horizontal component of the shock load, and a flexible energy absorber has a high initial shock to the occupant.
[0006]
Therefore, the present invention provides an energy absorbing steering device that effectively absorbs a horizontal impact load.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An energy-absorbing steering device according to the present invention includes a mounting bracket fixed to a vehicle body, a horizontal slide elongated hole provided in the mounting bracket, and an upper bracket mounted in a horizontal direction via a member engaged with the slide elongated hole. An energy absorbing member connected to the mounting bracket and the upper bracket is provided between the mounting bracket and the upper bracket, and a column jacket is clamped on the upper bracket in a state of being inclined obliquely upward, and coaxially with the column jacket. One end of a contraction body is connected to the stored steering shaft, a second shaft is connected to the other end of the contraction body , and the second shaft is rotatably connected to a lower bracket fixed to a vehicle body via a bearing. It is characterized by being supported .
[0008]
[Action]
In the event of a secondary collision, when an occupant's impact load is input to the steering wheel, the impact load moves the column jacket horizontally through the bearing from the steering shaft that is attached to the steering wheel, and the upper The bracket moves horizontally with respect to the mounting bracket. At this time, the energy absorbing member connected to the moving upper bracket and the mounting bracket fixed to the vehicle body cuts and plastically deforms to absorb impact energy. Then, the contracted body connected to the end of the moved steering shaft is deformed to absorb the displacement stroke of the steering shaft.
[0009]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a mounting bracket 2 is fixed to a vehicle body 1 such as a dashboard in a horizontal position, and an upper bracket 4 is movably engaged with the mounting bracket via an energy absorbing member 3 in a horizontal direction. The upper bracket 4 supports the steering column 5 in such a manner that the steering column 5 can be tilted and telescopically connected. A contraction body 6 that can be contracted in the axial direction is connected to the steering column 5, and a lower member for receiving a reaction force of the contraction body 6 is provided. The bracket 7 is fixed to the vehicle body 1 such as the lower surface of the dashboard, and the contractor 6 is connected to the steering gear box 9 via the intermediate shaft 8.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting bracket 2 has a rectangular U-shaped cross section having a predetermined length, and a pair of front and rear slide long holes 2b are formed in the left and right side walls 2a, 2a having a predetermined width. . A rear end portion (vehicle compartment side) of the slide elongated hole 2b is formed thin, and a C-shaped plate 11 is fixed to the end portion by welding or the like. A pair of through holes 2c, 2c for fixing a part of the energy absorbing member 3 are formed in the upper surface of the mounting bracket 2. 2d and 2e are through holes for fixing the mounting bracket 2 to the vehicle body.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 2, the energy absorbing member 3 is formed by forming a single metal plate in parallel with a pair of spaced cuts 3a, 3a in the longitudinal direction, bending its ends downward in an arc shape, and penetrating therethrough. A hole 3b is formed, and a through hole 3c is formed in a rear corner. The energy absorbing member 3 is connected to the mounting bracket 2 by a rivet 12 by matching the through hole 3c with the through hole 2c, and a similar rivet (not shown) by matching the through hole 3b with the through hole 4d of the upper bracket 4. Thus, the energy absorbing member 3 is connected to the upper bracket 4.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 2, the upper bracket 4 has a U-shaped cross section having left and right side walls 4a, 4a having a low front portion and a high rear portion. The nut 13 corresponds to the slide elongated hole 2b of the mounting bracket 2 and is applied to a slide plate 14 mounted so as to sandwich the plate 11, and the nut 13 is slid toward the mounting bracket 2 with screws 15 in the front direction of the vehicle body. It is movably supported.
[0013]
A long slot 4b for tilting is formed on the rear side of the side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4, a through hole 4c is formed on the front side, and an upper surface parallel to the upper surface of the mounting bracket 2. Is provided with a through hole 4d. An engagement hole 4e for inserting the end of the spring 39 is formed in the side wall 4a. A lock plate 16 is fixed to the front side of the side wall 4a in the vicinity of the tilt slot 4b. The lock plate 16 has teeth 16a formed on the side of the long slot 4b for tilting. As shown in FIG. 3, projections 16b formed near both ends by embossing are formed through holes 4f formed in the side wall 4a. , 4f to be locked.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, the steering column 5 is a steering shaft that rotates the steering wheel 17 and transmits the rotational torque to the gear box 9. The spline tube 19 connected, the spline shaft 20 inserted in the spline tube 19 movably in the axial direction, the elastic joint 50 integrally connected to the spline shaft 20, the contractor 6 connected to the elastic joint 50, and the contractor 6 And a column jacket 22 into which the shaft 18 , the spline tube 19, and the spline shaft 20 are coaxially inserted. Bearings 22a and 22b are mounted on the upper and lower ends of the column jacket 22, respectively. An intermediate shaft 8 having a bellows 8 a is connected to the universal joint 51, and the intermediate shaft 8 is connected to a steering gear box 9.
[0015]
Next, as a structure for enabling telescopic adjustment, as shown in FIG. 2, a hinge bracket 23 having an inverted U-shaped cross section is fixed to the upper surface of the outer peripheral portion of the column jacket 22, and the hinge bracket 23 is attached to the upper part. It is interposed between the side walls 4a of the bracket 4. The hinge bracket 23 has a telescopic slot 23a formed in a pair of left and right side walls 23b parallel to the column jacket 22, and a hinge bolt 24 is inserted into the telescopic slot 23a.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 2, the hinge bolt 24 movably penetrates a through hole 4c formed in the side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4 in the longitudinal direction thereof, and is provided outside the side wall 4a having the other through hole 4c. It is fastened by nut 24a via a washer or the like. A pair of stoppers 25 and a ring 26 are inserted through the hinge bolts 24, and rectangular projections 25a formed on the stoppers 25 are fitted into the telescopic slots 23a, 23a, respectively. Therefore, the front portion of the steering column 5 is supported movably in the front-rear direction with respect to the upper bracket 4.
[0017]
On the other hand, in order to support the rear part of the steering column 5 in the front-rear direction with respect to the upper bracket 4 and to support the movable part in the vertical direction, the upper surface of the distance bracket 27 is welded to the lower surface of the outer periphery of the column jacket 22. is fixed at, the distance bracket 27 is Oite between the side wall portion 4a of the upper bracket 4, as shown in FIG. 1, is held in a state in which the column jacket 22 is inclined obliquely upwardly. As shown in FIG. 2, the distance bracket 27 has a U-shaped cross section of a predetermined length, and long left and right side wall portions 27a, 27a are formed with long holes 27b, 27b for telescopic parallel to the axis of the column jacket 22, respectively. ing.
[0018]
A reinforcing plate 28 as a lock plate is connected between the left and right side walls 27a, 27a in parallel with the axis of the column jacket 22 by welding or the like. On the upper surface of the reinforcing plate 28, a tooth portion 28a is formed in parallel with the side wall portion 27a and close to one of the side wall portions 27a. The teeth 28a may be formed by embossing one sheet metal. The distance bracket 27 is supported by the upper bracket 4 via a fastening bolt 29.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 2, the tightening bolt 29 is formed of a bolt having a predetermined length in which a screw portion 29a is formed at one end and a detent ring 29b is integrally formed near the other end, and is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the detent ring 29b. The serration 29c is engraved, and a detent member 30 having a through hole 30b engraved on the inner peripheral surface of a serration 30d engaged with the serration 29c is fitted to the detent ring 29b.
[0020]
The detent member 30 is a resin member which is vertically movably engaged with the long slot 4b for tilt of the upper bracket 4, and as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a rectangular member which slides on the long slot 4b for tilt. It has a through hole 30b penetrating the protrusion 30a and the tightening bolt 29, a serration 30d is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 30b, and a pair of spring portions which resiliently contact the long tilt hole 4b in the protrusion 30a. 30c.
[0021]
Then, one end of the tightening bolt 29 having the screw portion 29a is inserted from the long slot for tilt 4b provided in the one side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4, and the long slot for telescopic 27b of the distance bracket 27 is inserted. , 27b, and the long slot 4b for tilt provided in the other side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4. A detent member 30 is serrated fitted to the detent ring 29 at the other end of the tightening bolt 29, and a projection 30a of the detent member 30 is fitted to the long slot 4b for tilting, as shown in FIG. The push nut 35 is pushed into the tightening bolt 29 and pressed against the detent member 30.
[0022]
Here, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 to 8, a positioning member 31 and a lock plate 32 are fitted in the distance bracket 27 near the other end of the tightening bolt 29. The positioning member 31 is a thick resin plate interposed between the narrow portions 28b of the teeth 28a of the reinforcing plate 28. The positioning member 31 has a through hole 31a through which the tightening bolt 29 passes, a pair of left and right protrusions 31b, and a length. And a spring portion 31d formed by the hole 31c. The lock plate 32 has a through hole 32a through which the tightening bolt 29 passes, a through hole 32b into which the projection 31b of the positioning member 31 is fitted, and a tooth portion which can face and mesh with the tooth portion 28a of the reinforcing plate 28. 32c. The spring portion 31d slides on the narrow portion 28b of the reinforcing plate 28, and normally separates the teeth 32c of the lock plate 32 so as not to mesh with the teeth 28a of the reinforcing plate 28.
[0023]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a positioning member 33 and a lock plate 34 are fitted into one end of the tightening bolt 29 on the other side wall 4 a side of the upper bracket 4. The positioning member 33 is a resin member. The positioning member 33 has a through hole 33a through which the fastening bolt 29 passes, a pair of spring portions 33b formed by cutting out a part of the through hole 33a, and embossing at the end of the plate surface. And a pair of protruding portions 33c protruding therefrom.
[0024]
The lock plate 34 is a metal plate, and faces a through hole 34 a through which the fastening bolt 29 passes, a through hole 34 b into which the projection 33 c of the positioning member 33 is fitted, and a tooth 16 a of the lock plate 16. And a tooth portion 34c which can be meshed.
[0025]
Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, the positioning member 33 is fitted into the long slot for tilt 4b so that the spring portion 33b comes into contact with the inner wall of the long hole for tilt 4b, and is locked to the positioning member 33. The plate 34 is integrally connected via the protrusion 33c and the through hole 34b, and is slidably contacted with the side wall 4a around the long slot 4b for tilting and is arranged so as to be movable upward. The spring portion 33b normally separates the teeth 34c of the lock plate 34 so that the teeth 34c do not mesh with the teeth 16a of the lock plate 16.
[0026]
Then, a washer 36 is inserted into the screw portion 29a of the tightening bolt 29, and a nut 37 is screwed into the screw portion 29a. A polygonal hole 38a of the operation lever 38 is fitted to the nut 37 and fixed by welding. One end 39a of the spring 39 is abutted against the tightening bolt 29 in the distance bracket 27, and the other end 39b of the spring 39 is provided on the side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4. It is inserted into the holes 4e, 4e. Therefore, the tightening bolt 29 is biased by the force of the spring 39 to always move above the tilt slot 4b.
[0027]
Although the positioning members 31 and 33 are positioned by the spring portions 31d and 33b, they may be as shown in FIG. That is, a pair of spaced legs 33d is protruded from the side surface of the positioning member 33, and the base 33e is sheared by the positioning member 33 to form a space 33f into which the legs 33d enter. The base portion 33e is sheared when an excessive load is applied in the direction of the arrow, so that the leg 33d is formed so as to be buried in the space portion 33f. The positioning member 31 is provided with a through hole 33g for inserting the fastening bolt 29.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 10A, the contracted body 6 is formed by bending a sheet metal having a predetermined width and thickness into a substantially Z-shape, and has a pair of through-holes 6 a connected to the elastic joint 50. It has an end 6b and a connection end 6d in which a modified hole 6c is formed for fitting the modified cross-section end of the shaft. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower bracket 7 includes an annular body 7a for holding the bearing 21b of the shaft 21 and a stay 7b connected to the annular body 7a. Note that the contracting body 6 may be a bellows shaft as shown in FIG. Shafts 41 and 42 are connected to both ends of a bellows 40 formed of a hollow body having a bellows-like configuration that can expand and contract in the axial direction.
[0029]
Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. In tilt adjustment, when the operation lever 38 is rotated downward to rotate the nut 37 away from the upper bracket 4, the side walls 4a, 4a of the upper bracket 4 become distance brackets. Since the force for tightening the side wall portion 27a of the 27 is released, the occupant sets the optimum angle for himself by moving the steering wheel 17 upward or downward, and again turns the operation lever 38 in the opposite direction. When the nut 37 is rotated in the reverse direction, the nut 37 causes the side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4 to tighten the side wall 27a of the distance bracket 27 via the washer 36 and the lock plate 34, thereby generating a frictional force and fixing the set angle. I do.
[0030]
Then, when adjusting the telescopic operation, the operating lever 38 is rotated downward similarly to the above to release the tightening of the side wall 4a, and when the steering wheel 17 is moved back and forth, the spline tube 19 through which the spline shaft 20 is inserted and the spline tube 19 and the The connected shaft 18 can move forward and backward together with the column jacket 22 integrally with the steering wheel 17. At this time, the hinge bracket 23 moves along the hinge bolt 24 penetrating the telescopic long hole 23a, and the distance bracket 27 moves along the tightening bolt 29 engaging with the telescopic long hole 27b. Therefore, by rotating the operation lever 38 in the desired direction in the opposite direction and tightening the side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4 to the side wall 27a of the distance bracket 27, a position of the steering wheel 17 set by generating a frictional force is set. Fix it.
[0031]
During the tilt and telescopic adjustment, the spring portion 31d of the positioning member 31 separates the tooth portion 32c of the lock plate 32 so as not to mesh with the tooth portion 28a of the reinforcing plate 28, and the spring portion 33b of the positioning member 33 locks. Since the teeth 34c of the plate 34 are separated from the teeth 16a of the lock plate 16 so as not to mesh with each other, there is no hindrance to the axial movement and the vertical movement of the column jacket 22.
[0032]
In an emergency (secondary collision) when the occupant collides with the steering wheel 17 due to a vehicle collision accident, the occupant moves forward from the seat and collides with the steering wheel 17. Since the steering wheel 17 is inclined with respect to the occupant, the impact load is applied to the column jacket 22 via the shaft 18 and the bearing 22a, by a force that pushes the column jacket 22 downward and an upward direction centering on the hinge bolt 24. Cause rotation. Therefore, the distance bracket 27 is pressed toward the tightening bolt 29.
[0033]
Then, the frictional force due to the tightening force of the tightening bolt 29 loses this impact load, and the tightening bolt 29 moves from one side to the other side in the long slot 4b for tilt, and the long slot for telescopic of the distance bracket 27. Move 27b. Therefore, the spring portion 33b of the positioning member 33 in the long slot for tilt 4b bends, the teeth 34c of the lock plate 34 mesh with the teeth 16a of the lock plate 16, and the spring portions 31d of the positioning member 31 bend and lock. The teeth 32 c of the plate 32 mesh with the teeth 28 a of the reinforcing plate 28. Thus, the column jacket 22 and the upper bracket 4 maintain a fixed relationship.
[0034]
Further, due to the impact load applied, the upper bracket 4 is horizontally moved to the front side of the vehicle body. Therefore, the upper bracket 4 is moved in parallel with the mounting bracket 2 and protrudes from the side wall 4a of the upper bracket 4. The screw screwed to the nut 13 moves away from the plate 11 together with the slide plate 14 and moves through the slide elongated hole 2b. During this movement, the upper bracket 4 tears the energy absorbing member 3 along the cut 3a, so that the upper bracket 4 absorbs impact energy by cutting and plastic deformation. In addition, the contraction body 6 is bent and deformed by the forward movement of the upper bracket 4, and absorbs the displacement stroke of the movement of the steering column due to its plastic deformation.
[0035]
In addition, when the steering gear box 9 retreats due to retreat of the vehicle body front structure, the bellows 8a of the intermediate shaft bends to absorb the displacement stroke. In the above-described embodiment, the positioning member 31, the lock plate 32 and the lock plate 28 facing the same, and the positioning member 33, the lock plate 34 and the lock plate 16 facing the same are respectively the distance bracket 27 and the upper bracket 4. Are arranged only on one side, but they may be arranged on both sides.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
According to the invention described above, in the event of a secondary collision in which the occupant moves forward from the seat in the horizontal direction, the upper bracket suspended from the mounting bracket fixed to the vehicle body moves in the horizontal direction and the energy absorbing member Since the impact energy is absorbed by causing curling and ripping, effective impact absorption can be achieved, and occupant safety can be ensured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view (A) and a sectional front view (B) of a tilt structure portion.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a tilt and telescopic fastening structure.
5A is a side view of one side of the tilt and telescopic fastening structure, and FIG. 5B is a side view of the other side.
FIG. 6 is a sectional front view of the tilt and telescopic structure.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a part of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a side view of a part of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view (A) and a side view (B) showing another example of a positioning member.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a contracted body (A) and a cross-sectional view of a bellows shaft (B).
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Body 2a ... Sliding slot 2 ... Mounting bracket 3 ... Energy absorption member 4 ... Upper bracket 5 ... Steering column 6 ... Contractor 7 ... Lower bracket 8 ... Intermediate shaft 9 ... Steering gear box 11 ... Plate 12 ... Rivet 13 ... Nut 14 ... Slide plate 15 ... Screw 17 ... Steering wheel 18 ... Shaft 19 ... Spline tube 20 ... Spline shaft

Claims (3)

A mounting bracket is fixed to the vehicle body, a horizontal slide elongated hole is provided in the mounting bracket, and the upper bracket is suspended and movably moved in the horizontal direction via a member engaged with the slide elongated hole. provided an energy absorbing member connected respectively between queuing bracket and the upper bracket, one end of the nipped in an inclined column jacket obliquely upward to the upper bracket, shrink body to a steering shaft housed coaxially to the column jacket And a second shaft connected to the other end of the contracted body , and the second shaft rotatably supported via a bearing on a lower bracket fixed to the vehicle body. Absorption steering device. 2. The energy absorbing steering device according to claim 1, wherein the contracting body is formed by bending a sheet metal having a predetermined width and thickness into a substantially Z-shape. 2. The energy absorbing steering device according to claim 1, wherein the contracting body comprises a bellows shaft.

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