JPH0232174B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an energy absorption device for a steering wheel, and more specifically, the present invention relates to an energy absorption device for a steering wheel. The present invention relates to an energy absorption device for a steering wheel that can reduce the impact on an occupant.

(Prior art) The steering wheel is designed to be attached to the tip of the steering shaft.
This mounting part has a structure in which a boss part including the mounting bolt protrudes upward, so in the event of a collision, this boss part is likely to hit the occupant's body, and this boss part applies an impact load to the occupant. There was a problem.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, an energy absorbing member is placed around the boss portion so as to cover the boss portion, and in the event of a collision, the energy absorbing member is arranged to absorb the collision energy and reduce the impact shock exerted on the occupant. As such, various efforts have been made. For example, JP-A-58-152660 discloses a top plate and a pair of side plates extending parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to the top plate from the upper and lower edges of the top plate so as to cover the boss portion of the attachment portion of the steering wheel to the steering shaft. We have proposed an energy absorption device with a roughly U-shaped cross section.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Such an energy absorption device is capable of absorbing a force in the axial direction of the steering shaft, a force in a lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to this, and a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft. They each have appropriate rigidity against force and can exhibit the desired energy absorption function, but the rigidity is insufficient against force applied diagonally to the corners of the top plate and side plate. Because it was not sufficient, there was a problem that it deformed and could not absorb enough energy.

In order to solve this problem, it is possible to increase the thickness of the top plate and side plates, or to provide side plates on the left and right edges of the top plate. The rigidity against force, the force in the lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to this, and the force in the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft becomes too large, and the energy absorption function as a whole deteriorates. In addition, it is extremely difficult to selectively adjust only the stiffness against forces in a specific direction, and it is not possible to respond to various demands with a large degree of freedom. It was hot.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention is directed to the axial direction of the steering shaft, the force in the lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to this, the force in the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft, as well as the force in the axial direction of the steering shaft. To provide an energy absorbing device for a steering wheel, which has a sufficient energy absorbing function even for forces applied from an oblique direction to the corners of a side plate and a side plate, and can adjust the energy absorbing ability for each as desired. The purpose is to

(Structure and operation of the invention) An object of the present invention is to provide an energy absorption device that is attached to the tip of a steering shaft, which includes a substantially rectangular top plate and a top plate that faces from the front and rear edges of the top plate. In a space defined by a plate structure having a pair of side plates extending downward in a substantially perpendicular direction, the top plate and the pair of side plates,
This is achieved by an energy absorption device that extends in a diagonal direction of a cross section of the space in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and includes a reinforcing member that has both ends attached to the plate structure, and that has openings formed in the pair of side plates. Ru.

According to the present invention, reinforcement is provided within the space defined by the top plate and the pair of side plates, extending in the diagonal direction of the cross section of the space in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and having both ends attached to the plate structure. Since the members are provided, it is possible to sufficiently exhibit energy absorption function even against forces applied from diagonal directions to the corners of the top plate and side plates.Also, it is possible to change the thickness of the top plate and side plates, or By simply providing a reinforcing member, the energy of the impact force applied from the diagonal direction to the corners of the top plate and side plates can be absorbed without configuring the energy absorption device in a box shape by providing four side plates. In addition, it has an energy absorption function for the axial force of the steering shaft generated by providing the reinforcing member, the force in the lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to this, and the force perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft. This is prevented by the openings formed in the pair of side plates, so by appropriately selecting the shape, mounting position, and number of the reinforcing members, and the shape, forming position, and number of the openings, it is possible to prevent changes in the axial direction of the steering shaft. The corner portions of the top plate and the side plate maintain the desired energy absorption function against forces, forces in the lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to these forces, and forces in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft. It becomes possible to effectively absorb the energy of the impact force applied from an oblique direction.

In the present invention, the plate structure further includes:
It may have a bottom plate attached to the ends of the pair of side plates opposite to the top plate.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcing member is comprised of a pair of reinforcing plates with at least one end attached to the plate structure with the boss portion in between.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement members are attached to the upper and lower corners of the inner surface of the plate structure by any attachment means such as welding. If the plate structure has a bottom plate, the lower corner may be attached to the bottom plate.

(Examples) Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, showing a state in which the steering wheel energy absorption device according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached.

In FIG. 2, the steering wheel 10
has a core portion 12 in its center, and a through hole 14 provided in the core portion 12 and a boss portion 18 formed at the tip of the steering shaft 16 are provided on the inner surface of the through hole 14. Teeth and boss part 1
The steering wheel 10 is fixed to the steering shaft 16 so that relative rotation does not occur. The core portion 12 at the center of the steering wheel 10 is the core portion 1
By the spoke parts 20 extending radially from 2,
It is connected to a donut-shaped grip portion 22.
The corner part 12 further includes, so as to cover the upper part thereof,
A core cover 24 is attached, and an energy absorbing device 26 having a substantially rectangular cross section is disposed in a space formed between the core cover 24 and the core portion 12. This energy absorption device 26 is
It is fixed to the steering shaft 16 together with the core portion 12 of the steering wheel 10 by bolts 30 via washers 28 . Also,
The outside of the core cover 24 is covered with a cap 32.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an energy absorption device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the energy absorption device 26 includes a substantially rectangular top plate 36 having an opening 34 for bolt attachment work in the center, and a downward direction substantially perpendicular to the top plate 36 from both edges of the top plate 36 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The plate structure includes a pair of side plates 38, 38 that extend parallel to each other, and a bottom plate 40 that is parallel to a top plate 39 that is integrally formed with these side plates 38, 38, and has a space formed by these. It has a body 42. The upper ends of the pair of side plates 38, 38 are
The bent portion 38a is bent toward the space side.
38a, and this bent portion 38
A top plate 36 is welded and fixed to a, 38a.
Further, in the space of the plate structure 42 of the energy absorbing device 26, a plate structure is formed from the top plate 36, one side plate 38, and the inner surface of the corner to the inner surface of the corner of the other side plate 38 and the bottom plate 40. A pair of reinforcing members 44 are provided substantially diagonally in the cross section of 42, one end of the reinforcing member 44 is on the upper inner surface of one side plate 38, and the other end is on the other side of the bottom plate 40. They are each fixed by welding to the inner surface near the side plate 38. The pair of reinforcing members 44 are connected to the bottom plate 40
A boss portion inserted into a through hole 40a provided approximately at the center of the hole 40a is sandwiched therebetween. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the plate structure 42 has a space in which
The pair of reinforcing members 44 are attached to the vehicle body so as to extend in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, and the pair of reinforcing members 44 are attached to the upper inner surface of the side plate 38 on the rear side of the vehicle body and the bottom plate 40 near the side plate 38 on the front side of the vehicle body.
are attached to the inner surface of each.

Further, the pair of side plates 38, 38 are provided with substantially rectangular openings 38b, 38b, respectively, and by appropriately selecting the size and number of the openings 38b, 38b, the side plates 38, 38 can be
The rigidity can be adjusted. Top plate 36
A plurality of screw holes 36a are provided in the cap 32, the core cover 24, and the plate structure 42 are integrally fixed by screws (not shown). Further, the bottom plate 40 has projecting portions 40b formed on both sides thereof, and screw holes 40c are also provided in the projecting portions 40b. It is designed to be firmly fixed to the portion 20.

Energy absorption device 26 configured as above
In this case, when an impact force is applied in the axial direction of the steering shaft 16, a force is applied in the vertical direction to the energy absorption device 26, as shown in FIG. It buckles, deforms, and absorbs energy. Also,
When an impact force is applied in the lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft 16, that is, when a force is applied in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. Wake up and absorb energy. On the other hand, when an impact force in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft 16 and a direction perpendicular thereto, that is, a force in the left-right direction in FIG.
8 and 38 cause bending deformation and absorb that energy. Furthermore, when an impact force is applied from an oblique direction to the corner of the top plate 36 and side plate 38 of the plate structure 42, the pair of reinforcing members 44 deform and absorb the energy.

As described above, according to this embodiment, even when an impact force is applied to the energy absorption device 26 from any direction, it is possible to effectively absorb the impact force. In this example, FIGS.
As shown in the figure, the reinforcing member 44 is constituted by a pair of plate-like members having a width extending in the vertical direction of the plate structure 42, and therefore resists the impact force in the axial direction of the steering shaft 16. Although the rigidity may be increased, as described above, in this embodiment, the pair of side plates 38, 38
The openings 38 each have a substantially rectangular shape.
b, 38b, this opening 38
By appropriately selecting the shape, size, number, etc. of the side plates 38, 38b, the rigidity of the side plates 38, 38 can be adjusted as desired, and the rigidity against the impact force in the axial direction of the steering shaft 16 can be adjusted as desired. It becomes possible to prevent undesirable changes in
In addition, simply providing the reinforcing member 44 absorbs the energy of the impact force applied in the diagonal direction, so by appropriately selecting the shape, mounting position and number of the reinforcing member 44, the steering shaft
While preventing undesirable changes in rigidity with respect to an impact force in the axial direction of zero, an impact force in the lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to this, and an impact force in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft 10, With a large degree of freedom, it becomes possible to effectively absorb the energy of impact forces in all directions, including diagonal directions.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned examples, but various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

For example, in the above explanation, the force in the axial direction of the steering shaft, the force in the lateral direction of the vehicle body perpendicular to this, the force in the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft, and the angle between the top plate and the side plate. Although it is stated that the force applied to the energy absorption device from an oblique direction does not necessarily mean that the force is applied only from that direction, the force applied to the energy absorption device has component forces in those directions. This also includes cases where the

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, even when an impact force is applied from an oblique direction to the plate structure 42 constituting the energy absorption device of the steering wheel, this energy can be effectively absorbed while other It becomes possible to obtain an energy absorption device for a steering wheel that can absorb impact energy applied from any direction as desired, and can effectively absorb impact force from any direction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an energy absorption device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle body in the longitudinal direction showing a state in which the energy absorption device for a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Steering wheel, 16... Steering shaft, 18... Boss part, 20... Spoke part, 26... Energy absorption device, 36...
Top plate of the plate structure, 38... Side plate of the plate structure, 40... Bottom plate of the plate structure, 42...
...Plate structure, 44...Reinforcement member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An energy absorption device attached to the tip of a steering shaft, which has a substantially rectangular top plate and a pair of side plates extending downward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top plate so as to face each other from the front and rear edges of the top plate. In a space defined by the structure, the top plate, and the pair of side plates, a plate extending in a diagonal direction of a cross section of the space in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and having both ends attached to the plate structure. What is claimed is: 1. An energy absorption device for a steering wheel, comprising: a reinforcing member, and an opening is formed in the pair of side plates.