JP7765261B2 - Steering beam support structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a steering beam support structure installed at the connection between a vehicle's front pillar lower and steering beam.

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle such as an automobile, a steering column that holds an upper steering shaft to which a steering wheel is connected is supported by a steering beam.
The steering beam is a beam-like member that spans between the left and right front pillar lowers.
The front pillar lowers are columnar members that are provided on the left and right sides of the front part of the vehicle compartment and extend vertically.

As a technology relating to such a vehicle body structure around a steering beam, for example, Patent Document 1 describes an automobile stay structure that prevents the steering member from moving downward during a frontal collision of the vehicle. When a downward load is applied due to a vehicle collision or the like, the bolts at the upper end push open the slits from the mounting holes and escape into the slits, so that only the stay moves downward relative to the bracket. As a result, the downward movement of the steering member is restricted and it remains in its original position, so that the steering member does not interfere with devices below it and does not move further rearward due to interference with such devices. The document also describes that the steering member is installed between the left and right front pillars.
Patent Document 2 describes a front compartment structure for suppressing steering column displacement due to a load from a front pillar during a small overlap collision, in which a load acts between a fixing bracket of an instrument panel reinforcement and the front pillar when the front pillar is deformed toward the rear of the vehicle due to the collision load. It also describes that when this load exceeds the frictional force acting between the fixing bracket and the front pillar, the bolt normally located on the front end side of the elongated hole and notch moves toward the rear end side, allowing the front pillar to move relative to the fixing bracket toward the rear of the vehicle.
Patent Document 3 describes a steering member structure that can control the rigidity of the vehicle body during a collision using the steering member to produce optimal strength reaction force characteristics, in which the steering member is displaceable in the axial direction of the steering member relative to the bracket in both offset and full-overlap collisions. It also describes that in the early stages of a collision, the steering member is movable back and forth relative to the front pillar, and that a pin attached to the steering member moves along a notch in the bracket, and when the steering member slides a predetermined amount, the pin reaches the interior end of the notch and is prohibited from moving any further.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-72039 JP 2015-16718 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-344139

In a small overlap offset collision, in which an object strikes the front of the vehicle only in a small area near the side edge in the vehicle width direction, there is a concern that a relatively large load will be transmitted to the passenger compartment, causing deformation of the passenger compartment, without being able to fully absorb the collision energy, as opposed to an offset collision or full overlap collision, in which the overlap is relatively large.
In particular, if the steering beam supporting the steering device approaches the front seat due to deformation of the vehicle body, there is concern about the impact of the steering device on the occupants.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering beam support structure that reduces the harm caused to an occupant by the steering device during a collision.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a steering beam support structure that is provided at a connection between a front pillar lower that is located at a side in the front part of a vehicle compartment where an occupant is seated and that extends in the vertical direction, rearward of the front wheels, and a steering beam that is provided between the left and right front pillar lowers and to which a steering column of a steering device is attached, the steering beam support structure comprising: a bracket that extends in the vertical and longitudinal directions from an end of the steering beam in the vehicle width direction; a mechanical fastening member that fastens the bracket to the front pillar lower; and a groove that is formed through the bracket and into which a shaft of the mechanical fastening member is inserted, the groove having an inclined groove that raises the bracket relative to the front pillar lower in response to rearward movement of the front pillar lower that occurs during a collision, and the groove having a locking portion that restricts relative displacement of the bracket with respect to the front pillar lower along the inclined groove before a collision occurs and releases the restriction in response to inclination and deformation of the front pillar lower in a collision .
With this, in response to the rearward movement of the lower front pillar relative to the vehicle compartment that occurs during a collision, the bracket can be raised relative to the lower front pillar when the shaft portion of the mechanical fastening means passes through the inclined groove portion.
Therefore, the steering device can be raised to prevent the steering wheel and other parts from inflicting damage on the thighs, lower abdomen, and other parts of the occupant.

In the present invention, the groove portion can be configured to restrict relative displacement of the bracket with respect to the front pillar lower along the inclined groove portion before a collision occurs, and to have a locking portion that releases the restriction in response to the inclined deformation of the front pillar lower when a collision occurs.
This allows the relative displacement between the bracket and the lower front pillar along the inclined groove portion to be restricted before a collision occurs, thereby ensuring the support strength of the steering beam during normal vehicle use.

In the above invention, the bracket may be fastened to the vicinity of an upper end of the front pillar lower, and the inclination deformation of the front pillar lower may be a rearward inclination in which the upper portion is more toward the rear of the vehicle than the lower portion.
With this, the locking portion is released from restraint in response to the rearward tilt of the front pillar lower, so that the above-mentioned effect can be reliably obtained in the event of a small overlap offset collision in which the front pillar lower is likely to tilt rearward.

Furthermore, a steering beam support structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a steering beam support structure provided at a connection between a front pillar lower that is provided at a side in the front part of a vehicle compartment in which occupants are accommodated and that extends in the vertical direction, behind the front wheels, and a steering beam that is provided between the left and right front pillar lowers and to which a steering column of a steering device is attached, and the steering beam support structure comprises: a bracket formed to protrude in the vertical and longitudinal directions from an end of the steering beam in the vehicle width direction; a mechanical fastening member that fastens the bracket to the front pillar lower; and a groove formed through the bracket and into which a shaft of the mechanical fastening member is inserted, the groove having an inclined groove that raises the bracket relative to the front pillar lower in accordance with rearward movement of the front pillar lower that occurs during a collision, and the groove having a curved portion through which the shaft passes when the front pillar lower rotates relative to the bracket as the front pillar lower tilts and deforms, and the inclined groove that is formed linearly and continuously from the end of the curved portion.
This allows the bracket to smoothly move into the inclined groove and start to rise without interfering with the relative rotation of the bracket with respect to the lower front pillar in the initial stage of a collision.

Furthermore, a steering beam support structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a steering beam support structure provided at a connection between a front pillar lower that is located at a side in the front part of a vehicle compartment in which occupants are accommodated and that extends in the vertical direction, rearward of the front wheels, and a steering beam that is provided between the left and right front pillar lowers and to which a steering column of a steering device is attached, and the steering beam support structure comprises: a bracket formed to extend in the vertical and longitudinal directions from an end of the steering beam in the vehicle width direction; a mechanical fastening member that fastens the bracket to the front pillar lower; and a groove formed through the bracket and into which a shaft of the mechanical fastening member is inserted, the groove having an inclined groove that raises the bracket relative to the front pillar lower in response to rearward movement of the front pillar lower that occurs during a collision, and the bracket is supported rotatably with respect to the front pillar lower on a rotation axis that is provided forward and above the vehicle with respect to a central axis in the vicinity of the connection part of the steering beam with the bracket.
This increases the rotational moment of the relative rotation of the bracket with respect to the front pillar lower, which occurs in response to the rearward tilting rotation of the front pillar lower, thereby enhancing the above-mentioned effect.

As described above, the present invention provides a steering beam support structure that reduces the risk of injury to occupants from the steering device during a collision.

1 is a schematic plan view showing a vehicle body structure having a steering beam support structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above the vehicle. 1 is a schematic side view showing a vehicle body structure of a vehicle having a steering beam support structure of a first embodiment as viewed from the vehicle width direction. FIG. 1 is a view showing the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, illustrating a state before a collision; 1 is a view showing the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, illustrating a state in which a front pillar lower is tilted after a collision. FIG. 1 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state in which the steering beam is raised relative to the front pillar lower after a collision; FIG. FIG. 10 is a view showing a second embodiment of a steering beam support structure to which the present invention is applied, as viewed from the vehicle width direction, showing a state before a collision. 1 is a view showing the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, illustrating a state in which a front pillar lower is tilted after a collision. FIG. 1 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state in which the steering beam is raised relative to the front pillar lower after a collision; FIG.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment of a steering beam support structure to which the present invention is applied will be described below.
The steering beam support structure of the first embodiment is provided in an automobile such as a passenger car having a power unit compartment 3 provided on the front side of a passenger compartment 2 .
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a vehicle body structure having a steering beam support structure according to a first embodiment, as viewed from above the vehicle.
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the vehicle body structure of FIG. 1 as viewed from the vehicle width direction.

The vehicle body structure 1 is characterized by the configuration of the periphery of the joint between the passenger compartment 2 and the power unit compartment 3 .
The passenger compartment 2 is a space for accommodating passengers and the like (not shown).
The power unit compartment 3 is a space that accommodates a power unit such as an engine, a transmission, a motor generator, and their accessories (not shown).
The power unit compartment 3 is formed to protrude from the front end of the passenger compartment 2 toward the front side of the vehicle.

The vehicle body structure 1 is formed by a front pillar lower 10, a front pillar upper 20, a toe board 30, a toe board cross member 40, a floor panel 50, a front side frame 60, an upper frame 70, a strut housing 80, a suspension cross member 90, etc.

The front pillar lowers 10 are columnar members provided on the left and right sides at the front end of the vehicle interior.
The front pillar lower 10 extends in the vertical direction.
The front pillar lower 10 is formed so that the cross section thereof, when cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, has a closed cross section.
The front pillar lower 10 is provided in an area below the lower ends of the front window glass and front door glass (not shown) (below the so-called greenhouse).

The upper front pillar 20 is a columnar member that protrudes upward from the upper end of the lower front pillar 10 .
The front pillar lower 10 and the front pillar upper 20 together form a front pillar (A pillar) of the vehicle.
The front pillar upper 20 is tilted backward so that the upper end is located toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the lower end.
The upper front pillar 20 is disposed so as to be inclined inward so that its upper end is located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to its lower end.
The front pillar upper 20 is formed so that the cross section thereof, when cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, has a closed cross section.
The front pillar upper 20 is disposed along the side edges of the front window glass and the front edges of the front door glass.
The rear end of the front pillar upper 20 is continuously connected to a roof side frame (not shown) that extends along the side of the roof (not shown).
The roof side frames are connected to the upper ends of center pillars (A pillars) and rear pillars (C pillars, D pillars, etc.) not shown.

The toe board 30 is a panel-like member that is provided between the left and right front pillar lowers 10 .
The toe board 30 is a part that forms the front part of the lower half of the passenger compartment 2.
The upper portion 31 of the toe board 30 extends in the up-down direction when viewed in the vehicle width direction.
The lower portion 32 of the toe board 30 is formed to extend downward from the lower end of the upper portion 31.
The lower portion 32 is disposed tilted forward so that its lower end is located rearward of the vehicle relative to the upper end (the portion connected to the upper portion 31).

The toe board cross member 40 is disposed between the upper portions of the left and right front pillar lowers 10 .
The toe board cross member 40 is formed to protrude toward the front side of the vehicle relative to the upper portion 31 of the toe board 30.
The toeboard cross member 40 extends along the lower edge of the front windshield.

The floor panel 50 is a panel-shaped member that forms the floor surface of the vehicle interior 2 .
The floor panel 50 is formed to protrude from the lower end of the lower portion 32 of the toe board 30 toward the rear of the vehicle.
A side sill 51 is provided at the side end of the floor panel 50 .
The side sill 51 is a structural member that has a closed cross section and extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
The front end of the side sill 51 is connected to the lower end of the front pillar lower 10 .

The front side frame 60 is a structural member of the vehicle body that supports a power unit (not shown) and part of the front suspension.
The front side frame 60 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the front of the passenger compartment 2 to the power unit compartment 3 .
The front side frame 60 is configured so that its cross section when viewed from the vehicle longitudinal direction is a closed cross section.

A front portion 61 of the front side frame 60 is formed to protrude toward the front of the vehicle from near the joint between the upper portion 31 and the lower portion 32 of the toe board 30 .
The middle portion 62 of the front side frame 60 is disposed along the front surface (lower surface) of the lower portion 32 of the toe board 30 .
A rear portion 63 of the front side frame 60 extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle along the lower surface of the floor panel 50 .
The middle portion 62 and the rear portion 63 are fixed to the toe board 30 and the floor panel 50, respectively, by welding or the like.

The front side frame 60 is disposed on the inner side of the front pillar lower 10 in the vehicle width direction.
A pair of front side frames 60 are provided spaced apart in the vehicle width direction.
The main engine of the power unit and other components are arranged between the left and right front side frames 60.
On the outer side of the front side frame 60 in the vehicle width direction, a front wheel FW and part of a suspension device (not shown) that supports the front wheel FW are arranged.

The upper frame 70 is a structural member that protrudes from the front portion of the front pillar lower 10 toward the front side of the vehicle.
The upper frame 70 has a rectangular closed cross section when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction.
The front end of the upper frame 70 protrudes toward the front of the vehicle relative to the strut housing 80 .
The rear end of the upper frame 70 is joined to the front portion of the front pillar lower 10 near the upper end of the front pillar lower 10 by, for example, welding.

The strut housing 80 is a portion that houses a part of the suspension device.
The strut housing 80 can be formed, for example, as a box-shaped structure that is open on the lower side.
For example, if the suspension device is a McPherson strut type, the strut housing 80 houses the upper part of the strut (not shown).
The strut has a shock absorber and a coil spring wound around the outer diameter side of the shock absorber.
The lower end of the shock absorber is fastened to a hub bearing housing (hub knuckle) (not shown) to which a front wheel FW is rotatably attached.
The strut housing 80 is formed with a strut top mount portion (not shown) to which the upper end of the strut is fastened.

The lower portion of the strut housing 80 is joined by welding or the like to the outer portion of the front portion 61 of the front side frame 60 in the vehicle width direction.
The joint between the strut housing 80 and the front side frame 60 is located on the vehicle front side of the joint between the front side frame 60 and the toe board 30 with a gap between them.
The upper portion of the strut housing 80 is joined by welding or the like to the inner side portion of the upper frame 70 in the vehicle width direction.

The suspension cross member 90 is a beam-shaped structural member that is provided between the front portions 61 of the left and right front side frames 60 .
The suspension cross member 90 is disposed adjacent to the strut housing 80 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
For example, when the power unit of the vehicle has an engine as a power source for running, the suspension cross member 90 is provided with an engine mount that supports the main engine via an elastic body.
Furthermore, components of a suspension device, such as a transverse link (lower arm), are attached to the suspension cross member 90 .

In the first embodiment, the vehicle further includes a steering device 100 .
The steering device 100 steers the vehicle by applying a steering angle to the front wheels FW.
The steering device 100 includes a steering wheel 101, a steering column 102, a bracket 103, and the like.

The steering wheel 101 is a member through which a driver (not shown) inputs steering operations.
The steering wheel 101 is formed, for example, in a circular ring shape.
The central axis of the steering wheel 101 is disposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle in a plan view seen from above.
The central axis of the steering wheel 101 is inclined so that the rear side of the vehicle is higher than the front side in a side view seen from the vehicle width direction.

The steering column 102 is a portion that houses a steering shaft (not shown) in a state in which the steering shaft can rotate around a central axis.
The steering shaft is a rotation shaft that transmits the rotation of the steering wheel 101 to a steering gear box (not shown).
The bracket 103 is a member that fixes the steering column 102 to the lower part of the middle part of the steering beam 110 .

The steering column 102 of the steering device 100 is attached to the vehicle body structure 1 via a steering beam 110, which will be described below.
The steering beam 110 is a beam-shaped member that is provided between the left and right front pillar lowers 10 .
The main body of the steering beam 110 is formed, for example, from a round steel pipe material.
The steering beam 110 is configured by arranging a straight round pipe material so that its central axis is aligned along the vehicle width direction.

Both ends of the steering beam 110 in the vehicle width direction are attached to the left and right front pillar lowers 10 via brackets 120, which will be described below.
The bracket 120 cooperates with the front pillar lower 10 to function as the steering beam support structure of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state before a collision.
The bracket 120 is fastened to the front pillar lower 10 by bolts B1 and B2.
In the state before a collision occurs shown in FIG. 3, the bolt B1 is disposed above the central axis of the steering beam 110 and toward the rear of the vehicle.
The bolt B2 is disposed below the central axis of the steering beam 110 and toward the front of the vehicle.

The bracket 120 is formed with grooves 130 and 140 into which the shanks of the bolts B1 and B2 are inserted, respectively.
The groove 130 is for inserting the bolt B1.
The groove 140 is for inserting the bolt B2.
The grooves 130 and 140 are formed to penetrate the bracket 120 in the thickness direction (vehicle width direction).

The groove 130 has an arc portion 131 and a linear portion 132 .
The arc portion 131 is formed to extend from the location where the bolt B1 is provided before a collision occurs toward the rear and downward side of the vehicle (in a clockwise direction when looking at the right front pillar lower 10 as shown in Figure 3).
The arc portion 131 extends in an arc shape concentric with the central axis of the steering beam 110 .
The terminal end of the arc portion 131 (the end opposite to the initial position side of the bolt B1) is located above and rearward of the central axis of the steering beam 110.
The straight portion 132 is formed in a straight line from the terminal end of the arc portion 131 toward the rear and downward side of the vehicle, and is inclined relative to the horizontal direction.
The rear end of the straight portion 132 is open at the rear edge of the bracket 120 so that the bolt B1 can pass through.

The groove 140 has an arc portion 141 and a straight portion 142 .
The arc portion 141 is formed to extend from the location where the bolt B2 is provided before a collision occurs toward the front and upper side of the vehicle (in a clockwise direction when looking at the right front pillar lower 10 as shown in Figure 3).
The arc portion 141 extends in an arc shape concentric with the central axis of the steering beam 110 .
The terminal end of the arc portion 141 (the end opposite to the initial position side of the bolt B2) is located forward and below the center axis of the steering beam 110 of the vehicle.
The straight portion 142 is formed in a straight line from the terminal end of the arc portion 141 downward and toward the rear of the vehicle, and is inclined relative to the horizontal direction.
The rear end of the straight portion 142 is open at the rear edge of the bracket 120 so that the bolt B2 can pass through.

The straight portions 132, 142 are inclined groove portions that raise the bracket 120 relative to the front pillar lower 10 in response to the rearward movement of the front pillar lower 10 in the event of a small overlap offset collision.
An end 143 of the arc portion 141 on the vehicle rear side functions as a locking portion that restricts relative movement of the bracket 120 along the straight portions 132, 142 with respect to the front pillar lower 10 before a collision occurs.

In the above-described vehicle body structure 1, in the event of a small overlap offset collision in which the main input is applied to the outside of the front side frame 60 in the vehicle width direction, the front wheel FW moves backward, causing damage to the suspension device, etc., and collides with the middle portion of the front pillar lower 10, as shown in FIG. 2 .
As a result, the upper portion of the front pillar lower 10 exhibits a rotational behavior in which the upper portion is tilted forward relative to the lower portion so as to be closer to the front of the vehicle when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

FIG. 4 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state in which the lower front pillar is tilted after a collision.
As shown in FIG. 4, after a collision, the upper portion of the front pillar lower 10 (the area where the bracket 120 is attached) exhibits a rotational behavior of tilting forward (in the direction of arrow A1 in FIG. 4).
At this time, since the steering beam 110 is constrained by the front pillar lower 10 and the steering device 100 on the opposite side, the bracket 120 does not rotate in accordance with the front pillar lower 10, and only the front pillar lower 10 rotates.
The front pillar lower 10 rotates relative to the bracket 120 around the central axis of the steering beam 110 .
As a result of this rotation, the bolt B1 moves to the boundary between the arc portion 131 and the straight portion 132 of the groove 130. The bolt B2 moves to the boundary between the arc portion 141 and the straight portion 142 of the groove 140.

FIG. 5 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state in which the steering beam is raised relative to the front pillar lower after a collision.
As the vehicle body deformation progresses from the state shown in FIG. 4 and the front pillar lower 10 retreats relative to the bracket 120 (in the direction of arrow A2), the bracket 120 starts to rise relative to the front pillar lower 10 (in the direction of arrow A3).
The straight portions 132, 142 of the groove portions 130, 140 function as cam grooves, and the shanks of the bolts B1, B2 function as cam followers, so that the bracket 120 rises relative to the front pillar lower 10 in conjunction with the relative displacement of the front pillar lower 10 toward the rear of the vehicle with respect to the bracket 120.
As a result, the steering beam 110 and the steering device 100 supported thereby rise, preventing the steering wheel 101 and other components from injuring the thighs or lower abdomen of the occupant.
Furthermore, if the front pillar lower 10 is further retracted than in the state shown in FIG. 5, the bolts B1 and B2 will fall out of the rear ends of the grooves 130 and 140, and the steering beam 110 and bracket 120 will fall out of the front pillar lower 10.

According to the first embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In response to the front pillar lower 10 moving backward relative to the passenger compartment 2 during a small overlap offset collision, the bracket 120 can be raised relative to the front pillar lower 10 when the shanks of the bolts B1 and B2 pass through the straight portions 132 and 142 of the grooves 130 and 140.
Therefore, the steering device 100 can be raised to prevent the steering wheel 101 and the like from inflicting damage on the thighs, lower abdomen, and the like of the occupant.
(2) Before a collision occurs and the front pillar lower 10 tilts backward, the bolt B2 is engaged with the end 143 of the groove portion 140, and the relative displacement of the bracket 120 with respect to the front pillar lower 10 in the direction along the straight portions 132, 142 is restricted, thereby ensuring the support strength of the steering beam 110 during normal vehicle use (before a collision occurs).
(3) The bolt B2 is released from the restraint by the end 143 in response to the rearward tilt of the front pillar lower, so that the above-described effect can be reliably obtained in the event of a small overlap offset collision in which the front pillar lower 10 is likely to tilt rearward.
(4) Since the groove portions 130, 140 are configured by connecting the arc portions 131, 141 and the straight portions 131, 142, the bracket 120 can smoothly move to the straight portions 132, 142 to start rising, without interfering with the relative rotation of the bracket 120 with respect to the front pillar lower 10 at the initial stage of a collision.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of a steering beam support structure to which the present invention is applied will be described.
In the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used to designate parts common to the first embodiment, and explanations thereof will be omitted, and differences will be mainly described.
FIG. 6 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the first embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state in which the lower front pillar is tilted after a collision.

In the second embodiment, the bracket 120 is supported rotatably about the rotation axis S relative to the front pillar lower 10 .
The rotation axis S is disposed near the upper end and the front end of the bracket 120 .
The rotation shaft S is disposed with its central axis aligned in the vehicle width direction.

The bracket 120 is fastened to the front pillar lower 10 by bolts B3 and B4.
In the state before a collision occurs shown in FIG. 6, the bolt B3 is disposed above the central axis of the steering beam 110 and toward the rear of the vehicle.
Bolt B4 is disposed below the central axis of steering beam 110 and toward the rear of the vehicle.

The bracket 120 is formed with grooves 150 and 160, instead of the grooves 130 and 140 of the first embodiment, into which the shanks of the bolts B3 and B4 are inserted, respectively.
The groove 150 is for inserting the bolt B3.
The groove 160 is for inserting the bolt B4.
The grooves 150 and 160 are formed to penetrate the bracket 120 in the thickness direction (vehicle width direction).

The groove 150 has an arc portion 151 and a linear portion 152 .
The arc portion 151 is formed to extend from the location where the bolt B3 is provided before a collision occurs toward the front and downward side of the vehicle (in a clockwise direction when looking at the right-side front pillar lower 10 as shown in Figure 6).
The arc portion 151 extends in an arc shape concentric with the rotation axis S.
The terminal end of the arc portion 151 (the end opposite to the initial position side of the bolt B1) is disposed above and rearward of the central axis of the steering beam 110.
The straight portion 152 is formed in a straight line from the terminal end of the arc portion 151 toward the rear and downward side of the vehicle, and is inclined relative to the horizontal direction.
The rear end of the straight portion 152 is open at the rear edge of the bracket 120 so that the bolt B3 can pass through.

The groove 160 has an arc portion 161 and a linear portion 162 .
The arc portion 161 is formed to extend from the location where the bolt B4 is provided before a collision occurs toward the front and downward side of the vehicle (in a clockwise direction when looking at the right front pillar lower 10 as shown in Figure 6).
The arc portion 161 extends in an arc shape concentric with the rotation axis S.
The terminal end of the arc portion 161 (the end opposite to the initial position side of the bolt B4) is located rearward and below the center axis of the steering beam 110 of the vehicle.
The straight portion 162 is formed in a straight line from the terminal end of the arc portion 161 downward and toward the rear of the vehicle, and is inclined relative to the horizontal direction.
The rear end of the straight portion 162 is open at the rear edge of the bracket 120 so that the bolt B4 can pass through.

The straight portions 152, 162 are inclined groove portions that raise the bracket 120 relative to the front pillar lower 10 in response to the rearward movement of the front pillar lower 10 in the event of a small overlap offset collision.
An end 163 of the arc portion 161 on the vehicle rear side functions as a locking portion that restricts relative movement of the bracket 120 along the straight portions 152, 162 with respect to the front pillar lower 10 before a collision occurs.

FIG. 7 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the second embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state in which the lower front pillar is tilted after a collision.
As shown in FIG. 7, after a collision, the upper portion of the front pillar lower 10 (the area where the bracket 120 is attached) exhibits a rotational behavior of tilting forward (in the direction of arrow A4).
At this time, since the steering beam 110 is constrained by the front pillar lower 10 and the steering device 100 on the opposite side, the bracket 120 does not rotate in accordance with the front pillar lower 10, and only the front pillar lower 10 rotates.
The front pillar lower 10 rotates around a rotation axis S relative to the bracket 120 .
As a result of this rotation, the bolt B3 moves to the boundary between the arc portion 151 and the straight portion 152 of the groove portion 150. The bolt B4 moves to the boundary between the arc portion 161 and the straight portion 162 of the groove portion 160.
Furthermore, the rotation shaft S can be configured to break due to the impact when the bolts B3 and B4 hit the round ends of the arcuate portions 151 and 161.

FIG. 8 is a view of the steering beam support structure of the second embodiment as seen from the vehicle width direction, showing a state in which the steering beam is raised relative to the front lower pillar after a collision.
When the front pillar lower 10 moves backward relative to the bracket 120 (in the direction of arrow A5) from the state shown in FIG. 7, the bracket 120 starts to move upward relative to the front pillar lower 10 (in the direction of arrow A6).
The straight portions 152, 162 of the groove portions 150, 160 function as cam grooves, and the shanks of the bolts B3, B4 function as cam followers, so that the bracket 120 rises relative to the front pillar lower 10 in conjunction with the relative displacement of the front pillar lower 10 toward the rear of the vehicle with respect to the bracket 120.
As a result, the steering beam 110 and the steering device 100 supported thereby rise, preventing the steering wheel 101 and other components from injuring the thighs or lower abdomen of the occupant.
Furthermore, if the front pillar lower 10 is further retracted than in the state shown in FIG. 8, the bolts B3 and B4 will fall out of the rear ends of the grooves 150 and 160, and the steering beam 110 and bracket 120 will fall out of the front pillar lower 10.

The second embodiment described above not only achieves the same effects as the first embodiment, but also increases the rotational moment of the relative rotation of the bracket 120 with respect to the front pillar lower 10 that occurs in response to the rearward tilt rotation of the front pillar lower 10, thereby enhancing the effects described above.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The steering beam support structure and the vehicle body structure are not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified as appropriate.
The shape, structure, material, manufacturing method, arrangement, quantity, and joining method of each of the components constituting these are not limited to the configurations of the embodiments and can be modified as appropriate.
(2) The configuration of the grooves of the bracket in each embodiment is an example, and the arrangement, shape, and number of the grooves can be changed as appropriate.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle body structure 2 passenger compartment 3 power unit compartment 10 front pillar lower 20 front pillar upper 30 toe board 31 upper portion 32 lower portion 40 toe board cross member 50 floor panel 51 side sill 60 front side frame 61 front portion 62 middle portion 63 rear portion 70 upper frame 71 upper surface portion 72 lower surface portion 73 inner side portion 74 outer side portion 80 strut housing 90 suspension cross member 100 steering device 101 steering wheel 102 steering column 102 bracket 110 steering beam 120 bracket 130 groove portion 131 arc portion 132 straight portion 140 groove portion 141 arc portion 142 straight portion 143 end portion 150 groove portion 151 Arc portion 152 Straight portion 160 Groove portion 161 Arc portion 162 Straight portion 163 End portion B1, B2, B3, B4 Bolt S Rotation axis

Claims (4)

a front pillar lower that is provided on a side of a front portion of a vehicle interior in which occupants are accommodated and that extends in a vertical direction and is located rearward of the front wheels;
a steering beam provided between the left and right front pillar lowers and to which a steering column of a steering device is attached;
A steering beam support structure provided at a connection point of
a bracket formed to protrude in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction from an end of the steering beam in the vehicle width direction;
a mechanical fastening member that fastens the bracket to the front pillar lower;
a groove formed through the bracket and into which a shaft portion of the mechanical fastening member is inserted,
the groove portion has an inclined groove portion that raises the bracket relative to the front pillar lower in response to rearward movement of the front pillar lower during a collision,
a groove portion that restrains relative displacement of the bracket with respect to the front pillar lower along the inclined groove portion before a collision occurs, and has a locking portion that releases the restraint in response to inclination deformation of the front pillar lower when a collision occurs. The bracket is fastened to the vicinity of an upper end of the front pillar lower,
2. The steering beam support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the inclination deformation of the front pillar lower is a rearward inclination in which the upper portion is positioned toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the lower portion. a front pillar lower that is provided on a side of a front portion of a vehicle interior in which occupants are accommodated and that extends in a vertical direction and is located rearward of the front wheels;
a steering beam provided between the left and right front pillar lowers and to which a steering column of a steering device is attached;
A steering beam support structure provided at a connection point of
a bracket formed to protrude in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction from an end of the steering beam in the vehicle width direction;
a mechanical fastening member that fastens the bracket to the front pillar lower;
a groove formed through the bracket and into which a shaft portion of the mechanical fastening member is inserted,
the groove portion has an inclined groove portion that raises the bracket relative to the front pillar lower in response to rearward movement of the front pillar lower during a collision,
a steering beam support structure, characterized in that the groove portion has a curved portion through which the shaft portion passes when the front pillar lower rotates relative to the bracket in accordance with tilting deformation of the front pillar lower, and the inclined groove portion formed linearly and continuously from an end of the curved portion. a front pillar lower that is provided on a side of a front portion of a vehicle interior in which occupants are accommodated and that extends in a vertical direction and is located rearward of the front wheels;
a steering beam provided between the left and right front pillar lowers and to which a steering column of a steering device is attached;
A steering beam support structure provided at a connection point of
a bracket formed to protrude in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction from an end of the steering beam in the vehicle width direction;
a mechanical fastening member that fastens the bracket to the front pillar lower;
a groove formed through the bracket and into which a shaft portion of the mechanical fastening member is inserted,
the groove portion has an inclined groove portion that raises the bracket relative to the front pillar lower in response to rearward movement of the front pillar lower during a collision,
The bracket is rotatably supported on the lower front pillar at a rotation axis provided on the front side and above the central axis of the steering beam near the joint between the bracket and the steering beam.