JP4492809B2 - Steering wheel protrusion prevention device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering wheel protrusion prevention device for preventing a steering wheel from protruding rearward in the event of a vehicle collision.

Conventionally, in order to prevent the steering wheel from projecting rearward and impacting the driver in the event of a vehicle collision, the impact when the airbag provided on the steering wheel is deployed and contacts the driver's head is alleviated. For this reason, a contraction structure is formed on the intermediate shaft that connects the steering shaft and the steering gear to absorb collision energy.
However, in order to sufficiently absorb the collision energy by the contraction structure, it is necessary to increase the length of the intermediate shaft so as to increase the contraction amount of the contraction structure, which restricts the layout of the steering device. It was.

For example, in order to employ an electric variable gear system in which an actuator is disposed on an intermediate shaft, the length of the intermediate shaft is further increased by the amount of the actuator, so the engine is arranged so as to block the front of the steering device. However, it is difficult to adopt both the contraction structure and the actuator.
Therefore, the intermediate shaft is configured by engaging a plurality of members, and when an axial force acts on the intermediate shaft during a vehicle collision, the engagement of the plurality of members is released and the plurality of members are separated. And the structure which interrupts | blocks the energy of a collision is developed (refer patent document 1). With such a configuration, it is not particularly necessary to increase the length of the intermediate shaft, space can be saved, and the layout of the steering device becomes easy.
Patent No. 2946544

However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that even if an axial force is applied to the intermediate shaft and the engagement is released, the intermediate shaft is not necessarily separated only by the axial force.
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and the object of the present invention is to easily separate the intermediate shaft in the event of a vehicle collision while saving space and to move the steering wheel toward the driver's seat. An object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel protrusion preventing device that can reliably prevent protrusion.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the steering wheel protrusion prevention device according to claim 1 is a steering wheel protrusion prevention device that prevents the steering wheel connected to the steering shaft from protruding rearward of the vehicle upon input from the front of the vehicle. A plurality of members are engaged, and when a force greater than a predetermined value is applied in the axial direction, the plurality of members are disengaged from each other, and the steering shaft and the steering gear box are An intermediate shaft to be connected, and a dashboard having protrusions approaching the intermediate shaft at a predetermined interval so as to come into contact with the intermediate shaft when input from the front of the vehicle are provided.

That is, when a force greater than a predetermined value is applied in the axial direction of the intermediate shaft of the steering due to an input from the front of the vehicle at the time of a vehicle collision or the like, the intermediate shaft separation structure is in a disengaged state. The projection of the dashboard comes into contact with the intermediate shaft.
According to a steering wheel protrusion prevention device of a second aspect, in the first aspect, the dashboard projecting portion has a force greater than the predetermined value acting in the axial direction of the intermediate shaft when input from the front of the vehicle. After the disengaged state, the intermediate shaft is brought into contact.

That is, the protrusion comes into contact with the intermediate shaft in the separable state after the separation structure of the intermediate shaft is disengaged at the time of input from the front of the vehicle.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the projection of the dashboard is in contact with the intermediate shaft from the substantially axial direction of the intermediate shaft when input from the front of the vehicle. It is said.

According to the steering wheel protrusion prevention device of the present invention using the above means, the intermediate shaft can be easily separated by bringing the protrusion of the dashboard into contact with the intermediate shaft at the time of a vehicle collision.
As described above, since the intermediate shaft of the steering can be easily separated at the time of the vehicle collision, the impact at the time of the vehicle collision can be cut off without increasing the length of the intermediate shaft as in the conventional contraction structure.

As a result, the steering wheel can be prevented from protruding toward the rear of the vehicle, that is, toward the driver's seat, and since the intermediate shaft is not supported, the driver's head or the like comes into contact with the airbag after the airbag is deployed. The shock can be reduced.
Therefore, the steering wheel protrusion prevention device according to the first aspect can easily separate the intermediate shaft in the event of a vehicle collision and reliably prevent the steering wheel from protruding toward the driver's seat while saving space.

According to the steering wheel protrusion preventing device of the second aspect, after the intermediate shaft is in the disengaged state, the intermediate shaft can be reliably separated by contacting the intermediate shaft.
According to the steering wheel protrusion preventing device of the third aspect, the intermediate shaft can be more reliably separated by contacting the intermediate shaft from the substantially axial direction of the intermediate shaft.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, the first embodiment will be described.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a configuration diagram of a steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, a sectional view of a connecting portion 50 of an intermediate shaft 40 is shown. .

As shown in FIG. 1, the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is largely composed of a steering wheel 10, a steering shaft 20, a steering column 22, an intermediate shaft 40, a steering gear box 70, a dashboard 80, and the like. It is configured.
The steering wheel 10 is disposed from an instrument panel 12 formed to extend in the width direction in front of the vehicle compartment via a column cover 14. The steering wheel 10 houses a folded airbag 16 and an inflator 18 that inflates the airbag 16 inside the central portion 10a.

The steering wheel 10 is connected to the upper end of the steering shaft 20.
The steering shaft 20 extends from the column cover 14 to the instrument panel 12. The steering shaft 20 is rotatably supported in a cylindrical steering column 22.

The steering column 22 is provided with a tilt device 24 that changes the angle of the steering wheel 10 at the center.
The steering column 22 is fastened by a steering bracket 26 and bolts 28 and 30, and the steering bracket 26 is integrated with a deck cross member 32 installed in the instrument panel 12 in the width direction of the vehicle body. . That is, the steering column 22 is fixed to the deck cross member 32 of the vehicle body via the steering bracket 26.

On the other hand, the lower end of the steering shaft 20 is connected to the upper end of the intermediate shaft 40 via a universal joint 42.
The intermediate shaft 40 includes an upper shaft 46 and a lower shaft 48, and the upper shaft 46 and the lower shaft 48 are connected to each other at a connecting portion 50. A detailed configuration of the connecting portion 50 will be described later.

The lower end of the intermediate shaft 40 is connected to the steering gear box 70 via the universal joint 44.
The steering gear box 70 is supported by a cross member 72 of the vehicle body.
A transverse engine 74 is provided on the vehicle front side of the cross member 72.

The engine 74, the cross member 72, and the steering gear box 70 are disposed on the front side of the vehicle, that is, on the engine room side from the plate-like dashboard 80 extending in the vehicle width direction. Note that the distance between the dashboard 80 and the engine 74 is larger than the distance between the cross member 72 and the engine 74.
The dashboard 80 is formed with a protruding portion 82 that is close to the lower shaft 48 of the intermediate shaft 40 at a predetermined interval.

Here, the configuration of the coupling portion 50 of the intermediate shaft 40 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting portion 50 is a cylindrical upper case portion 52 formed integrally with the lower end portion of the upper shaft 46 and opened downward, and a cylindrical shape that is externally fitted to the upper end portion of the lower shaft 48. The lower case portion 54 and a cylindrical core member 56 fitted into each of the upper case portion 52 and the lower case portion 54 are configured. The shaft diameter of the lower shaft 48 is equal to or smaller than the shaft diameter of the core member 56, and the length of the core member 56 is equal to or smaller than the length of the inner periphery of the upper case portion 52 in the axial direction. .

Serrations are formed in the axial direction on the inner periphery of the upper case portion 52 and the lower case portion 54, the upper end portion of the lower shaft 48, and the outer periphery of the core member 56, respectively. The upper case portion 52 and the lower case portion 54, the lower shaft 48 and the core member 56 are serrated.
As a result, the coupling portion 50 rotates the upper shaft 46 around the axis from the upper case portion 52 to the core member 56, from the core member 56 to the lower case portion 54, and from the lower case portion 54 to the lower shaft 48. It has a function to communicate.

  Further, grooves 52a and 56a are formed in the circumferential portions in the corresponding portions of the inner periphery of the upper case portion 52 and the outer periphery of the core member 56, respectively, and O-rings 58 are provided in the groove portions 52a and 56a. ing. Similarly, the lower case portion 54 and the core member 56 are provided with groove portions 54a and 56b and are provided with O-rings 60, and the lower shaft 48 and the lower case portion 54 are provided with groove portions 48a and 54b and are provided with O-rings 60. A ring 62 is provided. The O-rings 58, 60, 62 hold the core member 56 and the lower shaft 48 so that they do not slide up and down in a normal state, and release the holding when a predetermined force is applied in the axial direction of the intermediate shaft 40. It has a function.

Hereinafter, the operation of the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a time-series view of the state of the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention during a vehicle collision. Referring to FIG. The figure which showed the state of the connection part 50 when force was applied to the axial direction in time series is shown. Hereinafter, description will be made based on these drawings.

  When the vehicle collides with the front, as shown in FIG. 3A, the vehicle 74 is crushed from the front of the vehicle body, and the engine 74 first moves to the rear of the vehicle. Then, the engine 74 comes into contact with the cross member 72 at the rear of the vehicle, and the cross member 72 also moves toward the rear of the vehicle. At the same time, the steering gear box 70 supported by the cross member 72 also moves rearward of the vehicle, and the intermediate shaft 40 connected to the steering gear box 70 receives a force in the axial direction.

  When an axial force is applied to the intermediate shaft 40 in this manner, the connecting portion 50 first receives an upward force from the lower shaft 48 as shown in FIG. 4A. . 4B, the holding by the O-ring 62 provided in the groove portion 48a of the lower shaft 48 is released, the lower shaft 48 slides upward, and the upper end of the core member 56 Contact the lower edge.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, the core member 56 is pushed upward by the lower shaft 48, and the holding by the O-rings 58 and 60 provided in the grooves 56 a and 56 b of the core member 56 is released. Is done. The core member 56 also slides upward and is accommodated in the upper case 52.
Thus, the upper shaft 46 and the lower shaft 48 can be separated.
At this time, the airbag 16 provided on the steering wheel 10 is deployed.

  In the steering wheel protrusion prevention device, as shown in FIG. 3B, the engine 74 further moves rearward and contacts the dashboard 80. The dashboard 80 is pushed by the engine 74 and deforms toward the vehicle rear side. As a result, the projecting portion 82 of the dashboard 80 that has approached the intermediate shaft 40 comes into contact with the lower shaft 48 of the intermediate shaft 40 from the substantially axial direction of the intermediate shaft 40. At this time, the connecting portion 50 of the intermediate shaft 40 is in a separable state as described above, and when the lower shaft 48 receives a force from a substantially axial direction in this state, as shown in FIG. 46 and the lower shaft 48 are easily separated.

As described above, the upper shaft 46 and the lower shaft 48 are separated from each other, so that the impact acting on the vehicle is blocked by the lower shaft 48.
Thereby, it can prevent that the steering wheel 10 protrudes to the driver's seat side. In addition, since the intermediate shaft 40 is not supported, the impact when the driver's head or the like contacts the airbag 16 can be reduced.

As described above, by providing the dashboard 80 with the projecting portion 82 that is close to the intermediate shaft 40, the projecting portion 82 is arranged in a substantially axial direction on the intermediate shaft 40 in which the connecting portion 50 is separable in a vehicle collision. The upper shaft 46 and the lower shaft 48 can be easily separated from each other.
Thus, since the intermediate shaft 40 can be easily separated at the time of a vehicle collision, the impact at the time of the vehicle collision can be blocked without increasing the length of the intermediate shaft 40 as in the conventional contraction structure. .

Therefore, in the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the present invention, it is possible to easily separate the intermediate shaft 40 at the time of a vehicle collision and to reliably prevent the steering wheel 10 from protruding toward the driver's seat while saving space. .
Next, Example 2 will be described.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a configuration diagram of a steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, description of the same configuration as in the first embodiment is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, an actuator 100 is provided on the intermediate shaft 90.
Specifically, the intermediate shaft 90 includes the actuator 100 and an upper shaft 92, a middle shaft 94, and a lower shaft 96.
The upper shaft 92 and the middle shaft 94 are connected at a connecting portion 98. The configuration of the connecting portion 98 is the same as that of the connecting portion 50 of the first embodiment.

  Further, the middle shaft 94 and the lower shaft 96 are connected via an actuator 100. The actuator 100 is an actuator of a known electric variable gear system. The actuator 100 is controlled by an ECU (not shown) mounted on the vehicle and has a function of transmitting the shaft rotation input from the middle shaft 94 to the lower shaft 96 with a torque according to the driving state of the vehicle. .

Furthermore, in the dashboard 110 of the second embodiment, a protrusion 112 is formed that is close to the lower portion of the actuator 100 at a predetermined interval.
Hereinafter, the operation of the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a diagram showing, in time series, the state at the time of a vehicle collision of the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

As in the first embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the vehicle collides front, the engine 74 and the cross member 72 come into contact with each other, and the cross member 72 moves to the rear of the vehicle. An axial force acts on the shaft 90. Thereby, the connection part 98 of the intermediate shaft 90 will be in a separable state.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6B, the engine 74 comes into contact with the dashboard 110, and the dashboard 110 is deformed rearward of the vehicle, so that the projecting portion 112 is substantially perpendicular to the intermediate shaft 90 below the actuator 100. Contact from the direction.

As a result, the intermediate shaft 90 is separated into the upper shaft 92 and the middle shaft 94 at the connecting portion 98 as shown in FIG.
As described above, in the second embodiment, even when the actuator 100 is provided on the intermediate shaft 90, the intermediate shaft 90 can be easily obtained by the protrusion 112 of the dashboard 110 coming into contact with the actuator 100 at the time of a vehicle collision. Can be separated, and the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

Therefore, according to the steering wheel protrusion prevention device according to the present invention, the electric variable gear system in which the length of the intermediate shaft is increased can be employed in a vehicle having a small space such as a horizontally mounted engine.
Although the description of the embodiment of the steering wheel protrusion preventing device according to the present invention is finished above, the embodiment is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, the protrusions 82 and 112 are formed on the dashboards 80 and 110. However, for example, a protrusion may be provided on the dashboard to form the protrusions.
In the above embodiment, the engine 74 is horizontally placed, but may be vertically placed.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the lower end of the steering shaft 20 and the upper end of the intermediate shaft 40 were connected with the universal joint, a constant velocity joint may be sufficient.
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the core member was cylindrical shape, you may be prismatic shape or another shape.
Further, in the above embodiment, the dashboard 74, 110 is deformed by the engine 74 coming into contact with the dashboards 80, 110, and the protrusions 82, 112 are in contact with the intermediate shafts 40, 90. The factors that cause deformation of 80 and 110 are not limited to this, and the dashboards 80 and 110 may be deformed by contact with other members or distortion of the vehicle body.

  In the above embodiment, the core member 56 and the lower shaft 48 are held by the O-rings 58, 60, 62. However, the holding means is not limited to this. For example, a pin member (resin pin or the like) is used. The upper case portion, the lower case portion, the core member, and the lower shaft may be inserted and held, or a hole may be provided in the case so that the groove portion is filled with resin from the outside. At this time, the groove may be partially provided on the circumference. Further, the case and the core may be caulked.

Moreover, you may arrange | position the connection part 50 in the said embodiment upside down.
Moreover, you may provide the protrusion part of the dashboard in the said embodiment in the vicinity of an upper shaft.
Further, the connecting portion 98 in the above embodiment may be provided in the lower portion of the actuator.
Moreover, in the connection part 50 or 98 in the said embodiment, as shown to FIG. 7 (a), (b), by arrange | positioning the springs 120 and 122 between the upper case 52 and the core member 56, it should be normal by any chance. Even when the O-rings 58, 60, 62 are removed from use, the core member 56 may be prevented from being stored in the upper case 52 by the spring reaction force to prevent the connecting portion from being separated.

  Moreover, in the connection part 50 or 98 in the said embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the conical protrusion may be provided in the opposing surface of the core member 56 and the lower shaft 48, and it may make it easier to isolate | separate.

It is a block diagram of the steering wheel protrusion prevention apparatus which concerns on 1st Example of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the connection part of an intermediate shaft. It is the figure which showed the state at the time of the vehicle collision of the steering-wheel protrusion prevention apparatus which concerns on 1st Example of this invention in time series. It is the figure which showed the state of the connection part when force was applied to the axial direction of the intermediate shaft in time series. It is a block diagram of the steering wheel protrusion prevention apparatus which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention. It is the figure which showed the state at the time of the vehicle collision of the steering wheel protrusion prevention apparatus which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention in time series. It is sectional drawing of the structure which has arrange | positioned the spring between the upper case and the core member in the connection part of the intermediate shaft. It is sectional drawing of the structure which provided the conical protrusion in the opposing surface of a core member and a lower shaft in the connection part of an intermediate shaft.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Steering wheel 12 Instrument panel 16 Air bag 20 Steering shaft 22 Steering column 40, 90 Intermediate shaft 42, 44 Universal joint 46, 92 Upper shaft 48, 96 Lower shaft 50, 98 Connection part 52 Upper case part 54 Lower case part 56 Core member 58, 60, 62 O-ring 70 Steering gear box 72 Cross member 74 Engine 80, 110 Dashboard 82, 112 Protruding portion 94 Middle shaft

Claims (3)

A steering wheel protrusion prevention device for preventing a steering wheel connected to a steering shaft from protruding toward the rear of the vehicle at the time of input from the front of the vehicle,
A plurality of members are engaged to each other, and has a separation structure in which the plurality of members are disengaged when a force greater than a predetermined value is applied in the axial direction, and connects the steering shaft and the steering gear box. An intermediate shaft,
A steering wheel protrusion prevention device comprising: a dashboard having protrusions that approach the intermediate shaft at predetermined intervals so as to come into contact with the intermediate shaft at the time of input from the front of the vehicle.   The projecting portion of the dashboard comes into contact with the intermediate shaft after a force greater than the predetermined value is applied in the axial direction of the intermediate shaft when the vehicle shaft is input and the intermediate shaft is disengaged. The steering wheel protrusion prevention device according to claim 1.   3. The steering wheel protrusion prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion of the dashboard contacts the intermediate shaft from a substantially axial direction of the intermediate shaft when input from the front of the vehicle.

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