Nsk Corporation

Kou Yamamoto

Noritomo Narita

Youhei Nakazato

Shinji Okada

Daijiro Yamasaki

Construction of a tilt steering apparatus is provided that is capable of preventing the occurrence of unpleasant noise during height adjustment of a steering wheel, and maintains sufficient durability and smooth operation. The tilt steering apparatus of the present invention is provided with stoppersin at least two locations in a buffer memberc that are rotationally symmetric about the center axis of an adjustment rod, and that when a driven-side camis rotated as the axial dimension of a cam apparatusis expanded or contracted, controls rotation of the driven-side camso that a convex engaging portiondoes not collide with the front-side edge or rear-side edge of a vertically long hole

Tilt steering apparatus

Construction is achieved wherein the front-end section of an outer columncan be assembled in the rear-end section of a housingthat houses an electric power steering apparatusfrom below. At least the front-end section of the outer columnis formed into a U shape that is open on the top end. A connection and fastening sectionthat can be inserted inside the front-end section of the outer columnthrough an opening on the top end of the front-end section is provided on the rear-end section of the housing. After the connection and fastening sectionhas been inserted inside the front-end section of the outer columnthrough the opening at the top end of the front-end section, fastening nutsare screwed onto the tip end sections of fastening boltsthat are inserted in the left-right direction through portions near the top ends of the connection and fasting sectionand the front-end section of the outer column, and by tightening the nuts, the connection and fastening sectionand front-end section of the outer columnare connected and fastened together.

Steering apparatus for an automobile

Construction is achieved wherein the front-end section of an outer columnis assembled in the rear-end section of a housingthat houses an electric power steering apparatusfrom below. A block shaped connection and fastening sectionis provided on the rear-end section of the housingA pair of slitsis formed in portions of the connection and fastening sectionnear the left and right ends, and are open on the bottom end surface and rear end surface of the connection and fastening sectionAt least the front-end section of the outer columnhas a pair of side plate sectionsand a bottom plate sectionthat is formed in a U shape that is open at the top. The side plate sectionsare inserted inside the slitsfrom below. In this state, the connection and fastening sectionand the front-end section of the outer columnare connected and fastened by a bolt

In a steering device, when a telescopic position of a steering wheel is disposed at a vicinity of an adjustment end on a front side of a vehicle body, if a large force is applied erroneously to the steering wheel toward the front side of the vehicle body, rear ends of telescopic position adjusting long grooves are brought into contact with a fastening rod and push the fastening rod to the front side of the vehicle body. An engaging protrusion pushes an inner column to the front side of the vehicle body. A large force to the front side of the vehicle body, which is applied to the steering wheel is supported by the vehicle body via the inner column, and a force which is applied to a vehicle body attaching bracket can be reduced. This prevents the vehicle body attaching bracket from becoming detached from the vehicle body.

Steering device

A steering device is provided that prevents an inner column from coming out from an outer column even when the inner column is released from being telescopically clamped by the outer column in a state before mounting a vehicle body attaching bracket. Front ends of the telescopic position adjusting long grooves and are brought into contact with an outer peripheral face of a fastening rod at a rear end of a telescopically adjusting position. The fastening rod is moved to a rear side of the vehicle body and an engaging member outwardly fitted to the fastening rod is brought into contact with the collar. The fastening rod cannot be moved to a rear side of the vehicle body further, and the outer column and the vehicle body attaching bracket are prevented from coming out of the inner column.

A steering device is provided in which fastening of a column is carried out smoothly, meshing of a movable tilt lock gear and a fixed tilt lock gear is carried out smoothly when tilting is clamped, and a rigidity can be increased when the tilting is clamped. A side plate on a left side to which a fixed tilt lock gear is attached is restrained from being elastically deformed by a rib. Therefore, in tilting and clamping and telescopically clamping, positions of the fixed tilt lock gear and a movable tilt lock gear in a vehicle width direction relative to each other is not varied, and therefore, the movable tilt lock gear and the fixed tilt lock gear are brought in mesh with each other smoothly.

Construction of an impact absorbing steering wheel apparatus that is capable of obtaining excellent performance at low cost while maintaining the freedom of design is achieved. An energy absorbing memberis provided between a tightening rodthat displaces in the forward direction together with an outer columnduring a secondary collision and a housingor support pinthat does not displace in the forward direction during a secondary collision, and being a member that plastically deforms as the outer column displaces in the forward direction during a secondary collision, absorbs part of the impact energy by the relative movement of the plastic deformation. Part of the energy absorbing memberis fastened to the tightening rod, and plastic deformation of this memberis restricted in the width direction by a pair of held wall sectionsof the outer column

Impact absorbing steering apparatus

In a steering apparatus configured by including: a steering shaft to which a steering wheel can be fitted; a steering column supported on a vehicle body and supporting the steering shaft rotatably; and a combination switch fixedly fitted to the steering column and constructed by combining a plurality of switches having different functions into one integral unit, the improvement comprises: a spacer having an inner peripheral surface that is fixedly fitted onto an outer peripheral surface of an end portion of the steering column on a rear side with respect to a vehicle body and an outer peripheral surface that is formed to have a dimension of an outer diameter enabling an inner peripheral surface of a fitting portion provided in the combination switch to be fitted onto the outer peripheral surface; and a rotation preventive mechanism preventing the spacer from rotating about the steering column. With this configuration, the same combination switch can be fitted to plural types of columns having different dimensions of outer diameters.

Steering apparatus

Construction of an impact absorbing steering wheel apparatus that is capable of obtaining excellent performance at low cost while maintaining the freedom of design is achieved. An energy absorbing member comprises: a base plate section; an energy absorbing sectionthat is located in the rear half section of the base plate section, or extends toward the rear from the base plate section and has a bent back sectionthat is bent back in a U shape upward or downward with respect to the base plate section; a rear end installation sectionthat is located on the tip end section of the bent back section; and a front end installation sectionthat is located in front of the base plate section; wherein the tip end section of the bent back sectionand the rear end installation sectionare located in a space between a pair of held wall sectionsand fastened to a tightening rod; the front end installation sectionis fastened to the front end section of an inner columnor the housingof a electric-powered steering apparatus. Near the energy absorbing section, there is a guide section that, when the bent back sectionmoves as the rear end installation sectionmoves in the forward direction together with an outer columnduring a secondary collision, guides the movement of the bent back section

An extendable and contractable steering column apparatus includes an outer column through which an inner column is slidably inserted, a lock housing portion formed on the outer column, and a locking mechanism that includes a pair of movable pieces slidably fitted within a bore formed in the lock housing portion. The locking mechanism shifts the pair of movable pieces toward each other so as to press the inner column and shifts the pair of movable pieces away from each other so as to release the pressure on the inner column, in response to swinging of an operating lever. The cross section of the bore of the lock housing portion is non-circular and the cross sections of said pair of movable pieces are also non-circular correspondingly.

Extendable and contractable steering column apparatus

A steering column apparatus comprises a steering shaft having its rear end to which a steering wheel is secured, a steering column supporting rotatably the steering shaft and adjustable of its length in axial directions together the steering shaft, and telescopic position fixing means for fixing the steering column to a desired length. The steering column is constructed of an outer column fixed on a car body side and an inner column slidably fitted in the outer column. The telescopic position fixing means is constructed of a lock housing formed on the outer column, first and second press blocks slidably held by the lock housing and moving forwards and backwards in a way that embraces an outer peripheral surface of the inner column, and presses block driving means for bringing the first and second press-blocks into a press-contact with the inner column. The press block driving means includes a fixed cam provided on the second press block, a rotatable cam facing the fixed cam, a fastening lever used for rotating the rotatable cam. An interval between the rotatable cam first press block is adjustable.

Growing community of inventors

Gunma, Japan

Kou Yamamoto