Nippon Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha

Nsk Corporation

Mitsuo Ichikawa

Sakae Matsumoto

Mikio Yamaguchi

Masaharu Igarashi

Toshiyuki Nagashima

Nobuyoshi Ito

Kenji Sato

A shock absorbing steering apparatus comprises a steering upper shaft fitted with a steering wheel, provided with a collapsible mechanism, a steering column for rotatably supporting the steering upper shaft therein, a first column bracket formed on the side of a front side end of the steering column and used for fixing a front portion of the steering column to a car body structural member, a second column bracket, formed on the side of a rear side end of the steering column and used for fixing a rear portion of the steering column to the car body structural member. A collapsible mechanism is provided, between the first and second column brackets, in the steering column and operating with the collapsing motion of the steering upper shaft. A guide plate is fixedly fitted to the fixed bracket in order to regulate an upward movement of the steering column when the movable bracket is released from the fixed bracket by dint of an impact force on the steering wheel and when a rear portion of the steering column moves forward.

Shock absorbing type steering apparatus and a structure for mounting to an automobile body the steering apparatus

A coupler of a collapsible shaft for a steering device comprises a shaft member having a male serration formed at an end of an outer periphery thereof; a tube member having a female serration for engaging with the male serration groove formed at at least an end of an inner periphery thereof; synthetic resin intervened between the shaft member and the tube member in order to axially secure the shaft member and the tube member coupled through the engagement of the male serration and the female serration. Through-holes are formed at a plurality of positions around a circumference at the end of the tube member and a concave groove is formed around an entire circumference at the end of the outer periphery of the shaft member. A plurality of ribs are formed around a circumference on the bottom of the concave groove, and the synthetic resin filled into the groove through the through-hole is solidified between the female serration and the ribs.

Coupler of collapsible shaft for steering device

In an impact absorbing type steering column device, edges of a flat plate portion provided at an end portion of an energy absorbing member are bent to form bent-over sides which are attached to the outer surface of a steering column to provide a space where the energy absorbing member can be guidingly displaced.

Impact absorbing type steering column device

A tilt type steering apparatus comprising a support bracket fixed to a vehicle body, a steering column having one end thereof pivotally supported on the support bracket by a first cross member, a first engagement member having first engagement teeth formed on the underside thereof forming an arcuate convex surface centering around the first cross member, the first engagement member being fixed to the underside of the steering column, a second engagement member having one end forming an arcuate convex surface centering around the first cross member, the first engagement member being fixed to the underside of the steering column, a second engagement member having one end thereof pivotally supported on a second cross member provided in the support bracket, and having second engagement teeth formed on the upper edge portion of the other end thereof, the second engagement teeth being engageable and disengageable with the first engagement teeth, a third cross member having an eccentric cam portion on that portion thereof which is opposed to the underside of the other end of the second engagement member and rotatably supported in the steering column under the second engagement member, arcuate follower teeth centering around the third cross member and secured to the third cross member in that portion thereof which deviates from the eccentric cam portion, and a tilt lever having arcuate driving teeth meshing with the follower teeth, the tilt lever being pivotally supported on the first cross member, whereby the first engagement teeth and the second engagement teeth can be brought into and out of engagement with each other by the rotation of the eccentric cam portion resulting from the pivotal movement of the tilt lever.

Tilt type steering apparatus

A telescopic steering column device comprising: a drive-side steering shaft; a driven-side steering shaft; a cylindrical inner column having an elongated hole in the axial direction; a cylindrical outer column having an opening corresponding the elongated hole in the inner column, fastened on the outer surface of the inner column so as to be telescopically combined with the inner column; a lock bracket having a thread hole corresponding the opening in the outer column; a lock member having a through hole at the central portion, the lock member being arranged to be fitted within the opening; and a lock screw having the inner portion which is engaged with the lock member and a projection which is formed at the central portion of the inner portion, which is rotatably inserted into the through hole of the lock member and which is inserted into the elongated hole in the inner column so that the axial displacement of the inner column with respect to the outer column is allowed while the rotation of the inner column with respect to the outer column is prevented, the lock screw being driven into the thread hole in the lock bracket, whereby the inner column is secured to the outer column by abutting the inner surface of the lock member against the outer surface of the inner column by adjusting the lock screw, and the inner column can be expanded/contracted by releasing the abutment.

Telescopic steering column device

An electric steering apparatus which effects position adjustment by electric drive has a screw shaft parallel to upper and lower columns. A nut member rotatably supported by a housing fixed to a bracket is fixed against movement in the axial direction of the screw shaft and threadably engaged with a screw portion provided at one end of the screw shaft. In a preferred embodiment the other end of the screw shaft is pivotally connected to the upper column for pivotal movement relative to the bracket in the direction of tilt. The nut member is self-aligning in the housing, and the nut member is rotatively driven by an electric motor to move the screw shaft in the axial direction and thereby move the upper column, whereby position adjustment can be accomplished. The apparatus is provided with a back-lash preventing device in which the screw shaft is pressed against the nut member in a radial direction and the threadably engaged portions of the screw shaft and the nut member are urged against each other.

Electric steering apparatus

A shock absorbing steering apparatus has a steering column having a steering shaft pivotably supported thereon, a distance bracket secured to the column, and a column bracket for fixing the column to a vehicle body through the distance bracket. The steering apparatus further has a curling plate provided between a fastening bolt inserted in the distance bracket and the column bracket, and a curling plate bent portion controlling guide member secured to the column side for containing the curling plate and restraining the U-shaped bent portion thereon. That portion of the distance bracket in which the fastening bolt is inserted is opened to the steering wheel side, and the curling plate, when shocked, has its U-shaped bent portion plastically deformed and moved while being restrained by the guide member, thereby absorbing shock energy.

Shock absorbing steering apparatus

An electric steering apparatus which effects position adjustment by electric drive has a screw shaft parallel to upper and lower columns. A nut member rotatably supported by a housing fixed to a bracket is fixed against movement in the axial direction of the screw shaft and threadably engaged with a screw portion provided at one end of the screw shaft. In a preferred embodiments, the other end of the screw shaft is pivotally connected to the upper column for pivotal movement relative to the bracket in the direction of tilt, the nut member is self-aligning in the housing, and the nut member is rotatively driven by an electric motor to move the screw shaft in the axial direction and thereby move the upper column, whereby position adjustment can be accomplished. The apparatus is provided with a back-lash preventing device in which the screw shaft is pressed against the nut member in a radial direction and the threadably engaged portions of the screw shaft and the nut member are urged against each other.

Growing community of inventors

Maebashi, Japan

Mitsuo Ichikawa