Nsk Corporation

Takahiro Minamigata

Kiyoshi Sadakata

Takeshi Fujiwara

Toru Segawa

Osamu Tatewaki

Minao Umeda

Shoji Oka

Nobuyuki Nishimura

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

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

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

A structure is realized that is capable of preventing interference of respective friction plates () with other members existing therearound or with the body of a driver, and furthermore that facilitates, when assembling, insertion of a tension rod () through a circular hole () and longitudinal elongated holes () formed in the respective friction plates (). The respective friction plates () are arranged between both of the side faces of a displacement bracket section () and the inner face of supporting plate sections () that constitute a fixed side bracket (). Moreover, the end edges of the respective friction plates () symmetrically present in pairs are connected by connecting sections (), to thereby integrate the left and right friction plates () so that the respective holes (), through which the tension rod () is to be inserted, can be easily aligned.

Position adjusting device for steering wheel

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.

A steering column support apparatus that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, keeping material costs, processing costs and assembly costs of an energy absorbing member low, and when necessary, preventing the steering wheel from dropping down excessively during a secondary collision. A locking capsulethat is fastened to a bracketon the column side is held inside a locking holeof a bracketon the vehicle side that is fastened to the vehicle body by a plurality of connecting members that shear during a secondary collision. An energy absorbing memberis placed between the locking capsuleand the bracketon the vehicle side. This energy absorbing memberis formed by bending a plastically deformable wire, and allows forward displacement of the locking capsule while absorbing impact energy that is applied to the locking capsule by plastically deforming during a secondary collision.

Provided is construction of a steering column support apparatus that simplifies tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel during a secondary collision, makes the apparatus more compact and low cost, and lowers and stabilizes the break away load. A bracketon the column and a locking capsulethat are both made of metal plate are connected and fastened together by welding. A pair of left and right eave sectionsare formed on both the left and right end sections of the locking capsuleby way of raised sections. The portion of the metal plate of a bracketon the vehicle side on both sides of a locking holefits between the bottom surfaces of the eave sectionsand the top surface of the bracketon the column side so as to be able to break away during a secondary collision.

An elastic shaft joint comprises a shaft with a pair of outer-diameter side engagement surfaces which are substantially parallel to each other at two positions on the opposite sides of the outer peripheral surface in the radial direction, a rotary member with a pair of restraint plate portions which are substantially parallel to each other, having an opening on a lateral side thereof, and a vibration absorbing member provided between the rotary member and the shaft. The vibration absorbing member is constituted by an elastic member disposed on the inner peripheral surface of a part fixed to the rotary member and a sliding sleeve which is supported by the inner peripheral surface of the elastic member and which inner peripheral surface is in slidable contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Gunma, Japan

Takahiro Minamigata