Nsk Corporation

Nippon Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha

Nsk Steering Systems Co., Ltd.

Other

Kiyoshi Sadakata

Takahiro Minamigata

Takeshi Fujiwara

Toru Segawa

Osamu Tatewaki

Minao Umeda

Seiichi Moriyama

Kiyoharu Higashino

Nobuyuki Nishimura

Hiromichi Komori

Nobuyuki Hagiwara

Kiyoshi Okubo

Kazuo Chikaraishi

Hiroshi Shibazaki

Tamotsu Waga

Mikio Yamaguchi

Masaki Tomaru

Hiroshi Sekine

Makoto Nagasawa

Kaname Yasuda

Tadashi Hibino

Masajirou Watanabe

Hiroki Mizuno

Masaharu Igarashi

Akira Aida

Shin Yoshimoto

Tooru Matsushima

Seiichi Hagiwara

Katsumi Saito

Kazuho Chikaraishi

Koichi Yokoi

Masahiro Inoue

Yuji Kawaike

Shuji Hitani

Ritsuo Kuribara

Yuichiro Fukunaga

Yasuo Matsui

Teruomi Yanagidate

Yoshihide Sasamoto

An electric power steering apparatus capable of being both lightweight and rigid. A lightweight electric power steering apparatus is achieved wherein a gear housing () that houses an electric assist mechanism, a lower support bracket () for fastening the gear housing () to the vehicle body, a sensor housing () that houses a torque sensor (), an outer column () of a steering column (), and an upper support bracket () for fastening the middle section of the outer column () to the vehicle body can all be integrally formed of synthetic resin, improving the strength of the joined sections of these members.

Column unit for an electric power steering apparatus

Construction is achieved that makes it possible to stably and sufficiently increase support rigidity of a column-side bracket with respect to a vehicle-side bracket. The vehicle-side bracket and a locking capsule that is fastened to the column-side bracket are connected with synthetic resin locking pins so as to be able to break away during a secondary collision. Concave sections are formed on the bottom surface of the vehicle-side bracket, and together with one end being connected to small through holes in which the locking pins are located, the other end is open to the external space side. Part of the synthetic resin of the locking pins is exposed to the external space side through these concave sections.

Support apparatus for steering column and manufacturing method thereof

Provided is steering column support construction that together with eliminating strong rubbing between the bottom surface of a vehicle-side bracketand the top surface of a column-side bracket, and keeping the absolute value and fluctuation in the break away load small, more completely protects the driver during a collision accident without lowering the freedom of design of the steering apparatus. An adjustment rodfor adjusting the position of a steering wheel is provided on the top side of a steering column. During a secondary collision, a moment that is applied to the column-side bracketis kept small, friction at the area of rubbing between the column-side bracketand the vehicle-side bracketis reduced, and the break away load is kept low. Moreover, the driver's knees are protected by eliminating the portion that protrudes further downward than the steering column.

Steering column support construction

A protruding wall sectionis provided on the outer circumferential surface of a steering columnaround a lock hole, a concave groovethat engages with the protruding wall sectionis provided in a portion that surrounds a guide sectionof a butting surfaceof a lock unit, and by engaging the protruding wall sectionwith the concave groove, and preferably, by engaging concave sectionsthat are provided in the steering columnwith convex sectionsthat are provided on the lock unitso that the lock unitis supported by and fastened to the steering column, the occurrence of damage such as cracking of the steering columnis prevented even when there is an attempt to rotate a steering wheel by large force when an ignition key is turned OFF.

Steering lock apparatus

A steering column has an overall hollow and cylindrical shape at least part of which is formed using a column member. The column member includes a main body portion having one-side end section and the other-side end section and a cylindrical member having one-side end section and the other-side section. The cylindrical member is joined in the axial direction with respect to the main body portion by fitting and fastening the other-side end section of the cylindrical member inside the one-side end section of the main body portion. The inner diameter of the end surface of the other-side end section of the cylindrical member is smaller than the inner diameter of a portion of the other-side end section of the cylindrical member. The portion of the other end section of the cylindrical member constitutes a joined section between the main body and the cylindrical member.

Steering column and manufacturing method thereof

When adjusting the forward-backward position of a steering wheel, together with reducing any uncomfortable feeling experienced by the driver, a support bracket is prevented from breaking away toward the front due to an extremely large force applied during the adjustment operation. Elastic sleevesare mounted inside the long holesin the forward-backward direction, and an adjustment rodis inserted through the inside of the elastic sleeves. Gapslocated between the outer circumferential surface of both end portions in the forward-backward direction of the elastic sleevesand the inner circumferential surface of the both end portions in the forward-backward direction of the long holesin the forward-backward direction. When adjusting the forward-backward position the steering wheel, the adjustment rodforcibly displaces toward the end portions in the forward-backward direction of the long holesin the forward-backward direction, and when forcibly colliding with the inner circumferential surface of the end portions in the forward-backward direction of the elastic sleeves, the gapsreduce the impact that is applied to the inner circumferential surface of the end portions of the long holesin the forward-backward direction from the adjustment rodby increasing the amount that the end portions of the elastic sleeveselastically deform.

Telescopic steering apparatus

Provided is construction of a steering apparatus for an automobile that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing forward displacement in the forward direction of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, and preventing damage to the component members of the section that supports a bracketon the column side with respect to the bracketon the vehicle side. In construction where the bracket on the vehicle sideand the bracketon the column side are connected at only one location in the center section in the width direction of the both brackets by a locking capsule, the top edges of a pair of protruding sectionsthat protrude to both the left and right sides of the bracketon the column side closely face the bottom edge of a bent sectionof the bracketon the vehicle side. The bracketon the column side is prevented from inclining excessively even when a large moment is applied to the bracketon the column side when an attempt is made to rotate the steering wheel with a steering lock apparatus in the locked state.

Steering apparatus for an automobile

Structure of a cross universal joint is achieved in which the fact that an excessive torque was applied to a universal joint due to a collision accident or mishandling can be easily determined afterwards. Protrusions, which are straight lines as seen from the outside surface sides of linking arm sectionsof a yoke, are formed on the outside surfaces of the linking arm sections. When an excessive torque acts and the linking arm sectionsare plastically deformed, the protrusionschange from a straight line to a non-straight line. From this change it is possible to easily confirm that an excessive torque has been applied to a cross universal joint that includes this yoke. Moreover, when the space between the inside surfaces of the linking arm sectionsis taken to be D, and the length in the axial direction of the linking arm sectionsis taken to be L, the dimensions of the parts of the yokeare regulated so that the relation 3&#x3c;L/D&#x2266;4 is satisfied.

Cross universal joint and manufacturing method thereof

Construction is achieved wherein upward displacement of a steering columnduring a secondary collision is prevented, and the distance D between the steering columnand the tip end section of an adjustment leveris kept the same regardless of the up/down position of the steering wheel. The position of the adjustment leverafter rotation is maintained by the tip end section of a locking armthat is provided on the base end section of the adjustment armengaging with a locking grooveof a locking piecethat is provided on a support plate section. The direction of formation of the locking grooveis such that when the up/down position of the steering wheelis in an upward position, the top end section of the locking grooveengages with the tip end section of the locking arm, and when the up/down position of the steering wheelis in a downward position, the bottom end section of the locking grooveengages with the tip end section of the locking arm

Steering column apparatus

Provided is an electric power steering apparatus that is both lightweight and rigid. A lightweight electric power steering apparatus is achieved wherein a gear housingthat houses an electric assist mechanism, a lower support bracketfor fastening the gear housingto the vehicle body, a sensor housingthat houses a torque sensor, an outer columnof a steering column, and an upper support bracketfor fastening the middle section of the outer columnto the vehicle body are all integrally formed of synthetic resin with glass fibers, improving the strength of the joined sections of these members.

The present invention provides construction that keeps the load required for a locking capsulethat is supported by the steering column to come out in the forward direction from a locking holethat is formed in a fastening bracketon the vehicle side low. Small through holesare formed in a flange sectionof the locking capsule. Small notch sectionsthat are each open toward the inside of the locking holeare formed in portions of the fastening bracketon the vehicle side around the locking holethat are aligned with each of the small through holes. Injection molding is performed to inject synthetic resinsuch that the synthetic resinspans between these small through holesand small notch sections, and connects the locking capsuleand the fastening bracketon the vehicle side. Moreover, part of the synthetic resinpenetrates into and solidifies in a small spacebetween the inside surfaces of the locking holeand the outside surfaces of the locking capsule

Steering column support apparatus

Provided is a steering column support apparatus that simplifies tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel during a secondary collision, and suppresses the absolute value and variation of the break away load without strong rubbing between the bracketon the vehicle side and the bracketon the column side. By forming an extending sectionon the top plate sectionof the bracketon the column side, and a convex curved surfaceon the top surface of the front end section of that extending section, a rise in contact pressure at the area of contact that occurs when the edge on the front end of the top surface of the top plate sectionis pressed against the bottom surface of the bracketon the vehicle side by a moment that is applied from the steering columnto the bracketon the column side during a secondary collision is suppressed.

An assembly method for a steering column support apparatus is achieved that simplifies tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, eliminates space in the engagement section between a bracketon the vehicle side and a locking capsule, and suppresses rocking displacement of the steering column due to that space. Of a plurality of small through holeson the capsule side and a plurality of small notch sections, part of the small through holesand the small notch sectionsare aligned, and pin shaped membersare formed so as to span these small through holes and small notch sections. After that, the locking capsuleand bracketon the vehicle side are put into the final assembled position, shearing the pin shaped membersin the process. The remaining small though holes, the remaining small notch sectionsand small through holesare aligned, and locking pinsthat shear during a secondary collision are formed so as to span these holes.

Steering column support apparatus and assembly method

Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheelduring a secondary collision, and lowering and stabilizing the break away load of the steering column. A connecting bracketis used that comprises an installation plate sectionthat connects and fastens to the portion on the top surface of the top plate sectionof a bracketon the column side which is exposed on the inside of a locking notch, a raised sectionthat rises upward from the installation plate section, and a restraining plate sectionthat is bent and extends outward from the edge on the top end of the raised section. With the installation plate sectionconnected and fastened to the top plate section, the portion of a bracket on the vehicle sidethat surrounds the locking cutout sectionis elastically held between the top surface of the top plate sectionand the bottom surface of the restraining plate section, and the bracketon the column side is supported by the bracketon the vehicle side so as to be able to displace in the forward direction during a secondary collision.

Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that simplifies tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, lowers and stabilizes the break away load, and when necessary, prevents the steering wheel from dropping excessively after a secondary collision. A locking cutout sectionthat extends in the forward/backward direction is formed in a bracketon the vehicle side, top and bottom sliding plate sectionsthat are formed on outside and inside sliding platesof a sliding memberare located on both the top and bottom surfaces of the portions on both sides of the locking cutout section. A bolt that is inserted from the top through these sliding plate sectionsand a nutconnect the top plate sectionof a bracketon the column side to the bracketon the vehicle side. During a secondary collision, the outside sliding plateslides and moves in the forward direction with respect to the inside sliding plate, and the bracketon the column side breaks away from the bracketon the vehicle side with little force.

Growing community of inventors

Gunma, Japan

Kiyoshi Sadakata