Nissan Motor Company Limited

Fuji Kiko Co., Ltd.

Nippon Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha

Naoki Yuzuriha

Yoshimi Yamamoto

Koh Uchida

Tohru Futami

Naoki Norimatsu

Satoshi Osawa

Shigeru Saitoh

Shogo Kachi

Taishiro Mochizuki

Michio Shinohara

Toshinobu Kato

Hideya Yamashita

An intermediate shaft comprising a shaft body including an axle portion and a portion having an approximately elliptic shape of cross section, both major and minor axes of the elliptical cross-section portion being longer than a diameter of the axle portion, and a ring-shaped member with a cross-sectional shape analogous to the elliptic cross-section portion. A method for assembling this shaft provides for a vibration damping member intervened between the housing member and elliptic cross-section portion for damping vibrations transmitted from the steering gear box. This method also ensures that the housing and the vibration damping members and the elliptic cross-section portion are fitted into an outer tubular envelope, and the ring-shaped member normally has a gap against the outer tubular envelope and transmits rotational torque from the outer tubular envelope to the elliptic cross-section portion when the ring-shaped member is contacted with the outer tubular envelope. A universal joint yoke portion is linked to the outer tubular envelope so as to face opposing ends of the housing and vibration damping members and is contactable against the ends of the housing and vibration damping members. A stopper member is extended from the end edge of the outer tubular envelope so as to prevent the ring-shaped member from coming out of the elliptic cross-section portion.

Stroke absorbing type intermediate shaft for vehicular steering column

A power steering device for a motor vehicle whereby when the vehicle is under a high or middle speed movement, the slide torque is controlled to a relatively low constant level irrespective of the turning of the steering wheel. The device includes a hydraulic pump for producing a hydraulic pressure; a power cylinder powered by the hydraulic pressure for producing a force to assist the steering job; a hydraulic valve for controlling the hydraulic pressure supplied to the power cylinder, the hydraulic valve including a valve shaft and a valve body; a chattering protection seal associated with the hydraulic valve to assure a concentric rotation of the valve shaft relative to the valve body with an assistance of hydraulic pressure applied thereto; and an electronically controlled solenoid valve. The electronically controlled solenoid valve applies when the vehicle is at a standstill or under a low speed movement, the chattering protection seal with a hydraulic pressure which is varied as a steering wheel is turned, and applies, when the vehicle is under a high or middle speed movement, the chattering protection seal with a hydraulic pressure which is controlled to a relatively low constant level even when the steering wheel is turned.

Hydraulic valve device for automotive power steering gear

A steering column assembly includes a steering column having an upper steering column tube and a lower steering column tube which are telescopically connected at their lower and upper portions respectively, a stationary bracket fixed to a vehicle body and an energy absorption bracket fixed to the stationary bracket. The energy absorption bracket fixedly receives the upper steering column tube which extends therethrough. The energy absorption bracket gets plastically deformed in response to an impact load exceeding a predetermined value to allow the upper steering column tube to displace downward with respect to the lower steering column tube. The impact load is applied to the energy absorption bracket through the upper steering column tube in the direction along the axis of the steering column. The applied impact load is absorbed through the plastic deformation of the energy absorption bracket.

Steering column assembly with energy absorption mechanism

A system and method for controlling a posture of a steering wheel for a vehicle are disclosed in which a steering wheel is so structured that a posture of the steering wheel can be changed between a driving position at which the vehicle driver (occupant) can appropriately handle the steering wheel to drive the vehicle and an escape position at which the steering wheel is jumped up to facilitate getting on and off the vehicle according to situations in which an ignition key is inserted or removed into or from a corresponding key switch hole, an uppermost stage position taken for the driving position is set at an angle of the steering wheel between the escape position and a lowest limit of the driving position, the steering wheel is automatically returned to the uppermost stage position when the ignition key is inserted into the key switch hole, and the steering wheel is manually adjustable only when the steering wheel is placed between the uppermost stage position and the lowest limit of the driving position. Therefore, the system and method according to the present invention can achieve both of easiness in the driver's getting on and off the vehicle when the steering wheel is placed at the escape position and an ensured operation of an air bag installed in the steering wheel for preventing driver's body (head) from impinging on the steering wheel when the vehicle collides with an obstacle present in front of the vehicle.

System and method for controlling posture of steering wheel for vehicle

A pair of stoppers are formed in side wall sections of an upper clamp for preventing a tilt bracket from rotating about a tilt adjusting bolt relative to the upper clamp in secondary collision. The tilt bracket has an inclined upstanding wall section secured to a column jacket and a pair of side walls formed with cuts for encouraging shearing thereof. The tilt bracket further has rounded corners or rounded wall sections for encouraging the side wall sections to bend and flow toward the inclined upstanding wall section in collision. A pair of rollers may be fitted in the rounded wall sections of the tilt bracket.

Tilting collapsible steering column

A positioning member is installed on a pinion of a steering gear in such a manner that its U-shaped bend forms an alignment mark. A yoke of a steering shaft joint has a slit which forms an alignment mark. The U-shaped bend is insertable into the slit only when the pinion and the steering shaft are properly aligned.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Naoki Yuzuriha