Nsk Corporation

Nsk Steering Systems Co., Ltd.

Yasuhisa Yamada

Akihiro Shoda

Atsushi Ozawa

Takatsugu Yamada

Masato Taniguchi

Kinji Yukawa

Low cost construction of a steering apparatus is provided that is capable of protecting an operator's kneesduring an automobile collision. A tilted plateis arranged below and behind a bottom end section of a housingwhich is a component of an electric power assist mechanismconnected to a front end section of a steering column. In case that the automobile is in a collision, automobile equipmentthat moves forward under pressure from the driver's knees hits against a bottom surface of the tilted plate. This allows the impact energy to be absorbed by the elasticity or deformation of the tilted plateduring impact, and after impact as well, the automobile equipmentto move in a direction along the bottom surface of the tilted plate.

Steering apparatus

A telescopic shaft used for steering of a vehicle to be used in the steering shaft of a vehicle has a male shaft and a female shaft that are fitted to each other non-rotatably and slidably. The telescopic shaft is provided with at least one set of torque transmission members disposed in at least one set of intermediate fitting portions formed on the outer circumferential surface of the male shaft and the inner circumferential shaft of the female shaft and a stopper plate for regulating movement of the at least one set of torque transmission members with respect to the axial direction.

Extendable shaft for vehicle steering

A vehicle steering telescopic shaft having a male shaft and a female shaft so fitted to each other as not to be rotatable but to be slidable. First torque transmitting members are disposed between the male shaft and the female shaft, and roll when the male shaft and the female shaft make relative movements in axial directions. Elastic members are disposed adjacent in a radial direction to the first torque transmitting members and restrict them when rotated and apply a pre-load to the male shaft and the female shaft through the first torque transmitting members when not rotated. Second torque transmitting members are provided between the male shaft and the female shaft, and slide when the male shaft and the female shaft make the relative movements in the axial directions, and transmit a torque when rotated.

Vehicle steering telescopic shaft

A telescopic shaft for steering of a vehicle is assembled in a steering shaft and includes a male shaft and a female shaft that are so fitted as not to be rotatable but to be slidable. Rolling members are fitted through an elastic body for pre-load between at least a pair of axially-extending grooves formed in an outer peripheral surface of the male shaft and in an inner peripheral surface of the female shaft. A slide member is fitted in between at least another pair of axially-extending grooves formed in the outer peripheral surface of the male shaft and in the inner peripheral surface of the female shaft. When a steering toque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined level, the elastic body for the pre-load exhibits a low rigidity characteristic as the elastic body performs pre-load action. When the steering torque is equal to or larger than the predetermined level, the slide member exhibits a high rigidity characteristic as the slide member engages with the pair of axially extending grooves.

Telescopic shaft for steering of vehicle, and telescopic shaft for steering of vehicle with cardan shaft joint

There is disclosed a steering apparatus for a vehicle in which a steering power of a steering shaft is assisted by a column-assist type electric power steering apparatus so that the steering power is transmitted to steer the wheels by means of a steering mechanism, in which a telescopic shaft with a male shaft and a female shaft fitted to each other to be mutually unrotatable and slidable is interposed between an output shaft of said column-assist type electric power steering apparatus and an input shaft of the steering mechanism.

Steering device for motor vehicle

According to the present invention, a rolling elementfor rotating upon relative movement of both shaftsandin the axial direction is disposed between three pairs of axial groovesandwhich are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the male shaftand on the inner peripheral surface of the female shaft, respectively, a raceway surface elementwhich is in contact with the rolling elementand an elastic memberfor pressurizing the rolling elementagainst the male shaftand the female shaftthrough the raceway surface elementare interposed between the axial grooveon the male shaft sideand the rolling element, and a sliding memberfor slidably moving upon relative movement of the both shaftsandin the axial direction is disposed between another three pairs of axial groovesandwhich are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the male shaftand on the inner peripheral surface of the female shaft, respectively.

Telescopic shaft for vehicle steering

A telescopic shaft for vehicle steering has first and second torque transferring members. The first torque transferring member is interposed, with an elastic body in between, between axial grooves formed in an outer peripheral surface of a male shaft and an inner peripheral surface of a female shaft. The second torque transferring member is interposed between other axial grooves formed in the outer peripheral surface of the male shaft and in the inner peripheral surface of the female shaft. The elastic body has transferring-member-side contact portions contacting the first torque transferring member, shaft-side contact portions contacting groove surfaces of the axial groove of the male shaft or the female shaft, and a biasing portion for elastically urging the transferring-member-side contact portions and the shaft-side contact portions away from each other. Rigidity of the transferring-member-side contact portions is different from that of the shaft-side contact portions.

Telescopic shaft for motor vehicle steering

In a telescopic shaft for vehicle steering, assembled in a steering shaft of a vehicle and including a male shaft and a female shaft so fitted as to be mutually incapable of rotating but mutually slidable, at least one set of torque transmission members are disposed in at least one set of accommodating portions formed in an outer peripheral surface of the male shaft and in an inner peripheral surface of the female shaft, and at least the one set of torque transmission members are cylindrical members that gradually decrease in their diameters toward end portions in an axial direction.

Extendable vehicle steering shaft

In a telescopic shaft for vehicle steering which is installed in a steering shaft of a vehicle and in which a male shaft () and a female shaft () are fitted to each other to be incapable of mutual rotation and capable of sliding, at least one set of torque transmitting members () are interposed between at least one set of grooves () formed on the outer peripheral surface of the male shaft and on the inner peripheral surface of the female shaft to be extended in the axial direction to face each other and at least one projection () formed to be axially concentric with at least one of the grooves () extending in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the male shaft is fitted in at least one of the grooves () extended in the axial direction of the female shaft through a gap in the radial direction.

Growing community of inventors

Gunma-ken, Japan

Yasuhisa Yamada