Steering column arrangement

Abstract

At least either of a space portion between an inner side surface of any of the pair of support plate portions and an outer side surface of the column side bracket of the steering column, and a space portion between an outer side surface of any of the pair of support plate portions and an inner side surface of any of the pair of pressing portions, sandwiches a friction plate having a mounting hole and an elongated hole through which an adjustment rod is inserted. A hook portion having a cantilever beam configuration and extending through the mounting hole in the width direction has a restriction protrusion for restricting movement of the friction plate in the width direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to steering column devices. Background Technology

[0002] The steering system in automobiles is equipped with a steering wheel position adjustment device that can adjust the up-down and forward-backward positions of the steering wheel according to the driver's body shape and driving posture.

[0003] Figures 14-16 This shows an example of a steering device with a steering wheel position adjustment device as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-148487.

[0004] The steering shaft 100 is rotatably supported on the inner side of the steering column 101. A steering wheel is fixed to the rear end of the steering shaft 100. The steering shaft 100 is constructed to allow for adjustment of the steering wheel's fore-and-aft position by combining an inner shaft 102 located at the front and an outer shaft 103 located at the rear in a manner capable of transmitting torque and extending / retracting, using spline engagement or the like. Furthermore, the fore-and-aft direction refers to the vehicle's forward and backward movement, the vertical direction refers to the vehicle's vertical movement, and the width direction refers to the vehicle's width.

[0005] The steering column 101 has a generally cylindrical shape and is supported on the vehicle body. In order to adjust the fore-and-aft position of the steering wheel, the steering column 101 is configured to extend and retract its full length by loosely fitting the front side of the rear outer column 105, which is located at the rear, into the rear side of the inner column 104, which is located at the front, in a manner that allows for relative displacement in the axial direction.

[0006] A pillar-side bracket 107, consisting of a pair of clamping plates 106, is provided on the front side of the outer pillar 105. The pillar-side bracket 107 is clamped from both sides in the width direction by a pair of support plates 109 provided by a body-side bracket 108 supported on the vehicle body. An adjusting rod 112 passes through the pillar-side through-holes 110, which respectively penetrate the pair of clamping plates 106 in the width direction, and the body-side through-holes 111, which respectively penetrate the pair of support plates 109 in the width direction. In the conventional structure described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-148487, the pillar-side through-holes 110 are elongated holes extending in the front-rear direction to allow for adjustment of the steering wheel's fore-and-aft position. Furthermore, the body-side through-holes 111 are elongated holes extending in the vertical direction to allow for adjustment of the steering wheel's vertical position.

[0007] An anchoring part (head) 113 is provided at the base end of the adjusting rod 112, and an anti-detachment member 114 is installed at the top end of the adjusting rod 112. An anchoring part 113 and one side in the width direction ( Figure 16 A cam device 115 and an adjusting lever 116 are provided between the support plate portion 109 on the left side.

[0008] The cam device 115 consists of a movable side cam 117 and a fixed side cam 118. The movable side cam 117 is supported by an adjusting rod 112, located on the inner side of the vehicle body in the width direction. Figure 16 The right side surface has a movable side cam surface that is a concave-convex surface in the circumferential direction. The fixed side cam 118 is supported on the support plate portion 109 on one side in the width direction in a manner that prevents relative rotation, and on the outer side surface of the vehicle body in the width direction opposite to the movable side cam surface ( Figure 16 The left side has a fixed side cam surface that is a concave-convex surface in the circumferential direction.

[0009] The base of the adjusting lever 116 is fixed to the movable side cam 117 in a manner that prevents it from rotating relative to the movable side cam 117. The cam device 115, based on the operation of the adjusting lever 116, causes the movable side cam 117 to rotate relative to the fixed side cam 118, thereby changing the rotational phase of the movable side cam surface and the fixed side cam surface, causing the width dimension to expand or shrink. This allows the spacing between the pair of support plate portions 109 to expand or shrink, thereby adjusting the magnitude of the force used to clamp the pair of clamped plate portions 106.

[0010] In the unlocked state, where the width dimension of the cam mechanism 115 is reduced, thereby decreasing the force exerted by the pair of support plates 109 on the pair of clamped plates 106, the steering wheel position can be adjusted within the range of displacement of the adjusting rod 112 within the column-side through hole 110 and the vehicle-side through hole 111. Conversely, in the locked state, where the width dimension of the cam mechanism 115 is increased, thereby increasing the force exerted by the pair of support plates 109 on the pair of clamped plates 106, the steering wheel can be held in the adjusted position.

[0011] To increase the force required to hold the steering wheel in the adjusted position, friction units 119 are clamped in the space between the outer side of the support plate portion 109 on one side of the width direction and the inner side of the fixed-side cam 118, and in the space between the outer side of the support plate portion 109 on the other side of the width direction and the inner side of the anti-slip member 114. The friction unit 119 is constructed by alternately overlapping multiple telescopic friction plates 120 and multiple washers 121.

[0012] The telescopic friction plate 120 is flat and has an elongated hole 122 extending in the front-rear direction and through which an adjusting rod 112 passes. The telescopic friction plate 120 has a mounting hole 123, which is a circular hole, located forward of the elongated hole 122. The telescopic friction plate 120 is supported on the outer pillar 105 by inserting a hook (pin) 124, which has a cantilever beam structure, on the outer peripheral surface of the outer pillar 105 through the mounting hole 123. The adjusting rod 112 passes through a through hole in the center of the washer 121. By providing such a friction unit 119, the friction area is increased, thereby improving the force required to hold the steering wheel in the adjusted position.

[0013] Existing technical documents

[0014] Patent documents

[0015] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-148487 Summary of the Invention

[0016] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0017] In the conventional configuration described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-148487, there is a possibility that when the cam device 115 is unlocked, the amount of movement of the telescopic friction plate 120 relative to the hook portion 124 in the width direction increases.

[0018] That is, the telescopic friction plate 120 is generally formed by stamping a coil material. While the coil material can be straightened using a roller straightener or similar process to remove habitual curling or deformation, it is difficult to completely remove habitual curling or deformation. Therefore, when the cam device 115, which holds the telescopic friction plate 120 in the width direction, is released from locking, the telescopic friction plate 120 is prone to bending or warping, with the outer or inner surface becoming concave. Furthermore, in the conventional construction described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-148487, the hook portion 124 is constructed of a cylindrical shape whose outer diameter does not change along its entire length.

[0019] Therefore, as Figure 17 As shown, there is a possibility that when the cam device 115 is unlocked, the outermost side of the telescopic friction plate 120, which is disposed in the width direction, becomes concave and curved. Figure 17 The amount of movement of the telescopic friction plate 120 (on the upper side) relative to the hook portion 124 in the width direction increases, while the amount of hooking relative to the hook portion 124 decreases.

[0020] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a steering column device capable of limiting the movement of the friction plate relative to the hook portion in the width direction.

[0021] Solution for solving the problem

[0022] One technical solution of the present invention provides a steering column device comprising a steering column, a vehicle body side bracket, an adjusting rod, a pair of pressing parts, an expanding and contracting mechanism, a friction plate, and a hook part.

[0023] The steering column has a column-side bracket with a column-side through hole extending along its width.

[0024] The vehicle body side bracket has a pair of support plates, which are arranged on both sides of the column side bracket in the width direction, and each has a vehicle body side through hole that runs through the width direction.

[0025] The adjusting rod passes through the column side through hole and the pair of vehicle body side through holes along the width direction.

[0026] The pair of pressing parts are provided in the adjusting rods, which are the portions that protrude in the width direction from the outer sides of the pair of support plates.

[0027] The expanding and shrinking mechanism expands and shrinks the distance between the pair of pressing parts.

[0028] The friction plate has a mounting hole and an elongated hole extending in a direction that allows for adjusting the position of the steering wheel and passing through the adjusting rod. The friction plate is held in at least one of the following: a space between the inner side of any one of the pair of support plate portions and the outer side of the pillar bracket; and a space between the outer side of any one of the pair of support plate portions and the inner side of any one of the pair of pressing portions.

[0029] The hook portion has a cantilever beam structure and extends through the mounting hole along the width direction.

[0030] The hook portion has a limiting protrusion for restricting the movement of the friction plate in the width direction.

[0031] In one embodiment of the steering column device of the present invention, the limiting protrusion protrudes in a direction that is perpendicular to both the width direction and the elongation direction of the elongated hole.

[0032] When the elongated hole is formed by an elongated hole extending in the front-back direction, the limiting protrusion protrudes in the upward or downward direction.

[0033] When the elongated hole is formed by an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction, the limiting protrusion protrudes in the forward or backward direction.

[0034] In a steering column device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the limiting protrusion is integrally disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the end of the hook portion with the hook portion.

[0035] In a steering column device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the limiting protrusion is independently formed relative to the hook portion and is fixed to the hook portion.

[0036] In a steering column device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the hook portion passes through the mounting hole in a manner that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the target.

[0037] In a steering column device according to one embodiment of the present invention, when the elongated hole is formed by an elongated hole extending in the longitudinal direction, the hook portion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering column. In this case, the friction plate is formed by a telescopic friction plate.

[0038] When the elongated hole is formed by an elongated hole extending vertically, the hook portion is provided on the side of the support plate portion. In this case, the friction plate is formed by a pitching friction plate.

[0039] In a steering column device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the friction plate is bent such that its outer surface is concave in a free state.

[0040] In a steering column device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the steering column has an outer column disposed on the front side, an inner column disposed on the rear side, and a support bracket.

[0041] The outer column includes: a slit extending axially (front-rear direction); and a pair of clamping plate portions disposed on both sides of the slit in the width direction and each forming a column-side through hole, the pair of clamping plate portions constituting the column-side bracket. The support bracket includes a mounting portion and a hook portion, the mounting portion being disposed inside the slit and mounted to the inner column in a manner that allows it to detach relative to the inner column. The elongated hole is formed by a front-rear elongated hole extending in the front-rear direction.

[0042] One or more friction plates are clamped in the space between the inner surfaces of each of the pair of support plates and the outer surfaces of each of the pair of clamped plates. The support bracket has two hook portions. At least one of the two hook portions has the limiting protrusion. That is, the limiting protrusion may be provided in both hook portions. Alternatively, the limiting protrusion may be provided in only one of the two hook portions, and not in the other hook portion.

[0043] In particular, in a structure in which the limiting protrusion is provided only in one of the two hook portions, and multiple friction plates are clamped in the space between the inner sides of each of the pair of support plates and the outer sides of each of the pair of clamped plates, the outermost friction plate among the multiple friction plates through the mounting hole of the one hook portion is configured such that its outer side is concave in the free state, and the outermost friction plate among the multiple friction plates through the mounting hole of the other hook portion is configured such that its outer side is convex in the free state.

[0044] The effects of the invention

[0045] According to one technical solution of the present invention, a steering column device is provided that can limit the movement of the friction plate relative to the hook portion in the width direction. Attached Figure Description

[0046] Figure 1 This is a partial sectional side view schematically showing an electric power steering device with a steering column assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the steering column assembly in the first example.

[0048] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A sectional view along line AA.

[0049] Figure 4 This is a partial bottom view of the steering column assembly in Example 1.

[0050] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The side view from direction B.

[0051] Figure 6 From Figure 4 The end view obtained by observing the support bracket and friction unit of the steering column device in Example 1 from the left side.

[0052] Figure 7 (A) is a front view showing the support bracket of the steering column assembly in Example 1. Figure 7 (B) is its top view. Figure 7 (C) is its right view.

[0053] Figure 8 (A) is a perspective view of the support bracket of the steering column assembly in Example 1, viewed from above. Figure 8 (B) is a three-dimensional view obtained from its lower side.

[0054] Figure 9(A) is an end view of the hook portion of the steering column device in the first example, viewed from the outside in the width direction. Figure 9 (B) is Figure 7 A magnified view of (A).

[0055] Figure 10 (A) is a front view showing the telescopic friction plate of the steering column device in Example 1. Figure 10 (B) is its top view.

[0056] Figure 11 It is a bottom view of the support bracket and friction unit of the steering column device in the first example, exaggeratedly showing the curvature of the telescopic friction plate.

[0057] Figure 12 (A) and Figure 12 (B) is a diagram showing the assembly method of the telescopic friction plate relative to the hook part in the process sequence for the steering column device of Example 1.

[0058] Figure 13 This is the second example of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 A fairly accurate diagram.

[0059] Figure 14 This is a side view showing an example of a conventionally constructed steering column device.

[0060] Figure 15 From Figure 14 The top view is obtained by observing an example of a conventionally constructed steering column device from the top side.

[0061] Figure 16 yes Figure 14 CC-line sectional view.

[0062] Figure 17 This is used to illustrate a problem point of a conventionally constructed steering column assembly. Figure 14 The pattern diagram is obtained by observing from the bottom. Detailed Implementation

[0063] [Example 1]

[0064] use Figures 1-12 The first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this example, a steering column assembly is mounted on an electric power steering system for automobiles. In the following description, the front-rear direction refers to the front-rear direction of the vehicle equipped with the electric power steering system, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the width direction refers to the width direction of the vehicle.

[0065] [Overall structure of electric power steering system]

[0066] In this example, the electric power steering device 1 is a column-assisted type electric power steering device. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the electric power steering system 1 includes a steering wheel 2, a steering shaft 3, a steering column assembly 4, a pair of universal joints 5a and 5b, an intermediate shaft 6, a steering gear unit 7, a pair of tie rods 8, and an electric auxiliary device 9.

[0067] The steering wheel 2 is fixed to the rear end of the steering shaft 3. The steering shaft 3 is rotatably supported on the inner side of the steering column 19, which constitutes the steering column assembly 4. Figure 2 As shown, the front end of the steering shaft 3 is inserted into the inside of the gearbox housing 10, which is fixed to the front end of the steering column 19, and is connected to the output shaft 12 by means of the torsion bar 11.

[0068] The rotation of the output shaft 12 is transmitted to the pinion shaft 13 of the steering gear unit 7 via a pair of universal joints 5a, 5b and intermediate shaft 6. The rotation of the pinion shaft 13 is converted into linear motion of the rack shaft (not shown), which pushes and pulls a pair of levers 8 to give the steering wheel a steering angle.

[0069] The electric assist device 9 generates an auxiliary torque to reduce the force required for the driver to operate the steering wheel 2. The electric assist device 9 includes a gearbox housing 10, a torque sensor 14, an ECU (not shown), an electric motor 15, and a worm gear reducer 16.

[0070] A torque sensor 14 is positioned around the output shaft 12 to detect the direction and amount of torsion of the torsion bar 11. The ECU determines the auxiliary torque based on information such as the steering torque calculated from the direction and amount of torsion of the torsion bar 11 detected by the torque sensor 14, and information about the vehicle speed measured by a vehicle speed sensor (not shown). An electric motor 15 is fixed to the gearbox housing 10, and its energizing direction and amount are controlled by the ECU. A worm gear reducer 16 increases the torque of the electric motor 15 and transmits it to the output shaft 12. As a result, an auxiliary torque is applied to the output shaft 12, pushing and pulling a pair of levers 8 with a force greater than the force applied by the driver to the steering wheel 2.

[0071] [Steering column assembly]

[0072] In this example, the steering column assembly 4 is used to support the steering shaft 3 relative to the vehicle body so that it can rotate. The steering column assembly 4 includes a position adjustment mechanism (pitch mechanism and telescopic mechanism) that can adjust the vertical and horizontal positions of the steering wheel 2, and an impact absorption mechanism for mitigating the impact load applied to the driver's body in the event of a secondary impact. In this example, in order to adjust the horizontal and horizontal position of the steering wheel 2, the steering shaft 3 is configured to combine the inner shaft 17 located at the front and the outer shaft 18 located at the rear in a way that can transmit torque and is telescopic, using spline engagement or the like.

[0073] The steering column assembly 4 includes a steering column 19 with a hook portion 42, a body side bracket 20, an adjustment rod 21, an adjustment lever 22 constituting an expansion / retraction mechanism, a cam assembly 23, a thrust bearing 24, and a friction unit 52 with a telescopic friction plate 53. In this example, the thrust bearing 24 and the fixed-side cam 51 constituting the cam assembly 23 are equivalent to a pair of pressing portions, and the telescopic friction plate 53 is equivalent to a friction plate.

[0074] <Steering column>

[0075] The steering column 19 has a generally cylindrical shape, axially oriented in the front-rear direction, and is supported on the vehicle body. To allow for adjustment of the fore-and-aft position of the steering wheel 2, the steering column 19 is configured such that the front side of the rear inner column 26 is loosely fitted into the rear side of the front outer column 25 in a manner allowing for relative axial displacement, thus enabling it to extend and retract its full length. The steering shaft 3 is rotatably supported on the inside of the steering column 19 by means of rolling bearings 27.

[0076] Outer Pillar

[0077] The outer pillar 25 is made of metals such as iron-based alloys and aluminum-based alloys, and its overall structure is cylindrical. The front end of the outer pillar 25 is fixed to the gearbox housing 10, which is supported on the vehicle body in a manner that allows it to swing vertically, and the rear end of the outer pillar 25 is supported on the side bracket 20 of the vehicle body. The outer pillar 25 has a slit 28 and a pillar side bracket 29.

[0078] The slit 28 is used to expand or contract the inner diameter of the rear portion of the outer post 25 and extends axially along the outer post 25. The slit 28 extends from the front portion of the lower surface of the outer post 25 to the rear end. The slit 28 opens on the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the outer post 25, and also opens on the rear end face of the outer post 25.

[0079] A column-side bracket 29 is provided at the rear end of the outer column 25. The column-side bracket 29 is composed of a pair of clamping plate portions 30a and 30b disposed on both sides of the slit 28 in the width direction. The pair of clamping plate portions 30a and 30b are generally flat. The pair of clamping plate portions 30a and 30b extend vertically and are arranged separately in the width direction. In the pair of clamping plate portions 30a and 30b, column-side through holes 31a and 31b are formed in the aligned portions, extending in the width direction. The pair of column-side through holes 31a and 31b are coaxially arranged. The column-side through holes 31a and 31b are generally circular holes.

[0080] The outer column 25 has a bulge 32. The bulge 32 extends axially along the outer column 25 and bulges outward radially. The bulge 32 extends from the middle of the upper part of the outer column 25 to the rear part. In this example, by providing the bulge 32 on the outer column 25, a receiving space 33 is formed between the outer column 25 and the inner column 26.

[0081] "Inner Pillar"

[0082] The inner column 26 is made of metals such as iron-based alloys and aluminum-based alloys. The inner column 26 has a cylindrical shape as a whole.

[0083] like Figure 2 As shown, in order to limit the adjustable range of the steering wheel 2 in the fore-and-aft direction, the steering column 19 in this example includes a stop member 35 and a support bracket 34 with a hook portion 42. Both the support bracket 34 and the stop member 35 are mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 26.

[0084] Support bracket

[0085] The support bracket 34 functions to support the telescopic friction plate 53 and also acts as a stop mechanism on the retracted side to prevent the steering wheel 2 from shifting excessively forward. Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the support bracket 34 is detachably mounted on the lower surface of the front end of the inner column 26. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the support bracket 34 is made of metal and is roughly T-shaped. The support bracket 34 integrally includes a mounting part 36, a connecting part 37, and a main body part 38.

[0086] like Figure 4 As shown, the mounting portion 36 is configured as a rectangular plate and is disposed inside the slit 28 provided in the outer post 25. A small gap is provided between the outer surface of the mounting portion 36 in the width direction and the inner surface of the slit 28 in the width direction to ensure that the mounting portion 36 can move back and forth within the slit 28. The mounting portion 36 is mounted to the center portion in the width direction of the lower surface of the inner post 26 in a detachable manner using multiple (two in the illustrated example) shear pins 39 made of easily breakable materials such as synthetic resin or aluminum alloy. For this purpose, multiple through holes 36a are formed in the mounting portion 36.

[0087] The connecting portion 37 connects the front end of the mounting portion 36 and the upper side surface of the center portion in the width direction of the main body portion 38, and extends in the vertical direction. A locking recess 40 is provided on the front end surface of the connecting portion 37, recessed towards the rear. A cushioning member 41 made of elastic material (see reference) is locked in the locking recess 40. Figure 2 ).

[0088] The main body 38 is roughly U-shaped when viewed in the front-to-back direction. At each end of the main body 38 in the width direction, there is a pair of hook portions 42 that extend in opposite directions and each has a cantilever beam structure. Each pair of hook portions 42 has a roughly quadrangular prism shape and passes through mounting holes 56 in the telescopic friction plate 53 in the width direction.

[0089] In this example, when the steering wheel 2 is moved to the foremost position within the adjustable range, the buffer 41 mounted on the support bracket 34 abuts against the front edge 28a of the slit 28. This prevents the steering wheel 2 from moving further forward.

[0090] Stopping components

[0091] The stop member 35 constitutes a stop mechanism on the extended side, which has the function of preventing the steering wheel 2 from excessively displacing rearward. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the stop member 35 is installed in the center of the upper surface of the front end of the inner column 26 in the width direction. The stop member 35 is disposed in the receiving space 33 formed inside the bulge 32 of the outer column 25.

[0092] In this example, when the steering wheel 2 is moved to the rear position within the adjustable range, the stop member 35 abuts against the forward-facing abutment surface 32a on the inner surface of the bulge 32. This prevents the steering wheel 2 from moving further rearward and the inner pillar 26 from disengaging from the outer pillar 25 to the rear.

[0093] <Side bracket for vehicle body>

[0094] The side bracket 20 supports the rear end of the outer pillar 25 relative to the vehicle body in a switchable state that allows adjustment of the steering wheel 2's vertical and horizontal positions, and a clamped state that holds the steering wheel 2 in the adjusted position. Figure 3 As shown, the side bracket 20 of the vehicle body is made of a metal plate with sufficient rigidity, such as steel or aluminum alloy, and has a pair of support plates 43a and 43b and a top 44.

[0095] A pair of support plates 43a and 43b are disposed on both sides of a pair of clamped plates 30a and 30b constituting the column-side bracket 29 in the width direction. The pair of support plates 43a and 43b are each configured as a generally flat plate. The pair of support plates 43a and 43b extend vertically, and each support plate 43a and 43b is separately disposed in the width direction. Body side through holes 45a and 45b are formed in the mutually aligned portions of each pair of support plates 43a and 43b, extending in the width direction. The body side through holes 45a and 45b are elongated holes extending vertically. More specifically, the body side through holes 45a and 45b are, for example, elongated holes extending in an arc direction centered on the swing center of the gearbox housing 10. Furthermore, in the absence of a pitch mechanism, the body side through holes are simply circular holes.

[0096] The top 44 is positioned above the steering column 19. The upper ends of a pair of support plates 43a and 43b are fixed to the lower surface of the top 44 by welding or the like. A plurality of through holes 46 extending vertically are provided in the top 44. The top 44 is fixed to the vehicle body using bolts or other fixing members (not shown) that pass through the through holes 46.

[0097] <Adjusting lever>

[0098] The adjusting rod 21 is configured such that its axial direction is toward the width direction of the steering column assembly, and it passes through a pair of column-side through holes 31a, 31b and a pair of vehicle-side through holes 45a, 45b along the width direction. The total length of the adjusting rod 21 is longer than the distance between the outer surfaces of the pair of support plate portions 43a, 43b. The adjusting rod 21 is located on one side in the width direction ( Figure 3 The left end (head) of the head has an anchoring part 47, and on the other side in the width direction ( Figure 3 The right end of the part has an external thread 48.

[0099] Around the portion of the adjusting rod 21 that protrudes in the width direction from the outer side of the support plate portion 43a located on one side in the width direction, an adjusting lever 22 and a cam device 23 are arranged sequentially from the outer side in the width direction. That is, in the width direction, the adjusting lever 22 and the cam device 23 are arranged between the inner side of the anchor portion 47 and the outer side of the support plate portion 43a. Around the portion of the adjusting rod 21 that protrudes in the width direction from the outer side of the support plate portion 43b located on the other side in the width direction, a nut 49 and a thrust bearing 24 are arranged sequentially from the outer side in the width direction. The nut 49 is screwed into the external thread portion 48 of the adjusting rod 21.

[0100] <Enlargement and reduction mechanism and a pair of pressing parts>

[0101] The cam device 23 includes a movable side cam 50 disposed on the outer side in the width direction and a fixed side cam 51 disposed on the inner side in the width direction. The movable side cam 50 is made of sintered metal and has a movable side cam surface on its inner side in the width direction of the vehicle body, which is a concave-convex surface in the circumferential direction. The movable side cam 50 is fixed to the base of the adjusting lever 22 and rotates back and forth as the adjusting lever 22 swings back and forth. In addition, the base of the adjusting lever 22 and the movable side cam 50 can be fixed to the adjusting lever 21 in a manner that allows them to rotate integrally with the adjusting lever 21, or they can be fitted onto the adjusting lever 21 in a manner that allows them to rotate relative to the adjusting lever 21.

[0102] The fixed-side cam 51 is made of sintered metal. Its outer surface in the width direction of the vehicle body has a fixed-side cam surface that is a circumferentially concave-convex surface, and its inner surface has a generally rectangular engaging protrusion protruding inward in the width direction. The fixed-side cam 51 is fitted onto the adjusting rod 21 in a manner that allows it to rotate relative to the adjusting rod 21 and to displace relative to the adjusting rod 21 in the width direction. The fixed-side cam 51 engages the engaging protrusion with the body-side through-hole 45a of the support plate portion 43a located on one side of the width direction, such that it can displace only along the body-side through-hole 45a.

[0103] The cam device 23, based on the swing operation of the adjusting lever 22, causes the movable cam 50 to rotate relative to the fixed cam 51, thereby changing the rotational phase of the movable and fixed cam surfaces and expanding or shrinking their width dimension. This, in turn, expands or shrinks the gap between the fixed cam 51 and the thrust bearing 24 of the cam device 23, and also expands or shrinks the gap between the pair of support plates 43a and 43b. In this example, the fixed cam 51 and the thrust bearing 24 of the cam device 23 correspond to a pair of pressing parts, and the expanding / shrinking device is constituted by the adjusting lever 22 and the cam device 23.

[0104] In this example, to increase the force required to hold the steering wheel 2 in the adjusted position (especially the force required to hold it in the forward / backward direction), friction units 52 are respectively clamped in the gap between the inner side of the support plate portion 43a on one side of the width direction and the outer side of the clamped plate portion 30a on one side of the width direction, and in the gap between the inner side of the support plate portion 43b on the other side of the width direction and the outer side of the clamped plate portion 30b on the other side of the width direction. In this example, each friction unit 52 is constructed by alternately overlapping one or more telescopic friction plates 53 and one or more fixed-side friction plates 54 in the width direction. In the illustrated example, each friction unit 52 is constructed by clamping a fixed-side friction plate 54 between two telescopic friction plates 53.

[0105] <Friction plate and hook section>

[0106] The telescopic friction plate 53 is manufactured by stamping a metal coil with a high coefficient of friction relative to the inner surfaces of the support plates 43a and 43b and the outer surfaces of the clamped plates 30a and 30b, and by applying straightening processing as needed. For example... Figure 10 As shown in (A), the telescopic friction plate 53 is flat and has a generally rectangular shape (approximately Y-shaped) that is longer in the front-to-back direction. Figure 10 As shown in (B), the telescopic friction plate 53 is bent such that one side of its surface is concave in its free state. That is, the telescopic friction plate 53 has a bend (warping) where one side is concave and the other side is convex. The telescopic friction plate 53 is formed by stamping a roll of material in a specified direction using a stamping machine; therefore, multiple telescopic friction plates 53 are bent in the same direction.

[0107] In this example, such as Figure 11As shown, in the unlocked state of the cam device 23 (the free state of the telescopic friction plate 53), the multiple (two in the illustrated example) telescopic friction plates 53 arranged on one side of the width direction are arranged with their outer surfaces bent into concave shapes, and the multiple (two in the illustrated example) telescopic friction plates 53 arranged on the other side of the width direction are arranged with their outer surfaces bent into convex shapes.

[0108] The telescopic friction plate 53 has a generally rectangular elongated hole 55 extending in the width direction and extending in the front-rear direction from its middle portion (length direction) to its rear end. In the illustrated example, the elongated hole 55 is configured as a slit opening at the rear end edge of the telescopic friction plate 53. The adjusting rod 21 passes through the elongated hole 55 in the width direction. In this example, because the elongated hole 55 is configured as a slit, the telescopic friction plate 53 is more prone to greater bending compared to a telescopic friction plate with an elongated hole having a closed shape.

[0109] The telescopic friction plate 53 has a mounting hole 56 extending through its width at its front end, located ahead of the longitudinal hole 55. The mounting hole 56 is a rectangular hole with a rectangular shape, extending through its width. Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, a hook portion 42 of the support bracket 34 passes through the inner side of the mounting hole 56, allowing the telescopic friction plate 53 to move in the width direction. Thus, the telescopic friction plate 53 is supported on the support bracket 34 (inner pillar 26) in a manner that allows for relative displacement only in the width direction. When adjusting the fore-and-aft position of the steering wheel 2, the telescopic friction plate 53 and the inner pillar 26 move together in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0110] In this example, the hook portion 42 has a quadrangular prism shape (cubic parallelepiped) and the mounting hole 56 is a rectangular hole. Therefore, the hook portion 42 passes through the mounting hole 56 in a manner that is substantially non-rotatable.

[0111] In this example, a limiting protrusion 57 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the top end (outer end in the width direction) of each of the two hook portions 42 provided on the support bracket 34. This limiting protrusion 57 restricts the movement of the telescopic friction plate 53 relative to the hook portion 42 in the width direction. Specifically, the limiting protrusion 57 is provided as a flange on the front half of the upper side surface of the top end of the hook portion 42, protruding upwards in a direction perpendicular to both the width direction and the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 55. The limiting protrusion 57 is constructed of a thin plate that is approximately rectangular when viewed from the width direction. The limiting protrusion 57 is integrally provided with the hook portion 42. Figure 6As shown, the inner surface of the limiting protrusion 57 is opposite to the portion of the outer surface of the telescopic friction plate 53 located above the mounting hole 56 in the width direction. The protrusion of the limiting protrusion 57 is smaller in the vertical direction than the vertical dimension of the portion of the telescopic friction plate 53 located above the mounting hole 56.

[0112] The hook portion 42 has a recessed recess 58 on the lower side of the top surface opposite to the upper side where the limiting protrusion 57 is provided. When the telescopic friction plate 53 is assembled to the hook portion 42, the recessed recess 58 prevents the lower edge of the mounting hole 56 in the telescopic friction plate 53 from abutting against the top surface of the hook portion 42.

[0113] To assemble the telescopic friction plate 53 onto the hook portion 42 (with the hook portion 42 extending through the inside of the mounting hole 56), firstly, as... Figure 12 As shown in (A), with the telescopic friction plate 53 tilted such that its upper side is positioned more inward than its lower side in the width direction, the upper edge of the mounting hole 56 is hooked (locked) to the limiting protrusion 57 of the hook portion 42 from the inside in the width direction. Next, as... Figure 12 As shown in (B), while rotating the telescopic friction plate 53 in a direction that reduces the tilt angle, the hook portion 42 is inserted through the inner side of the mounting hole 56. In this example, since the hook portion 42 is provided with a retraction recess 58, the lower edge of the mounting hole 56 in the telescopic friction plate 53 can be prevented from abutting against the top surface of the hook portion 42.

[0114] In this example, the fixed-side friction plate 54 is made of a metal plate, such as a steel plate, which has a higher coefficient of friction than the side of the telescopic friction plate 53, and has a circular hole 59 extending through the width direction. The adjusting rod 21 passes through the circular hole 59 of the fixed-side friction plate 54 along the width direction. In this example, the fixed-side friction plate 54 located on one side of the width direction and the fixed-side friction plate 54 located on the other side of the width direction are connected in the width direction by a connecting part 60 at their respective lower ends. When adjusting the vertical position and the forward / backward position of the steering wheel 2, the fixed-side friction plate 54 moves synchronously with the adjusting rod 21. That is, when adjusting the vertical position of the steering wheel 2, the fixed-side friction plate 54 moves together with the adjusting rod 21 in the vertical direction, and when adjusting the forward / backward position of the steering wheel 2, the fixed-side friction plate 54 stops at its original position.

[0115] In this example, the steering column assembly 4, in order to mitigate the impact load on the driver's body in the event of a secondary impact, includes an impact-absorbing mechanism that allows the steering wheel 2 to shift forward. In this example, as... Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the support bracket 34 at the front end of the telescopic friction plate 53 is mounted to the inner pillar 26 by a shear pin 39. When a strong forward force is applied to the support bracket 34 from the steering wheel 2 via the outer shaft 18 and the inner pillar 26 during a secondary impact, the shear pin 39 breaks. This allows the inner pillar 26, the outer shaft 18 supported on the inner pillar 26, and the steering wheel 2 to move forward, mitigating the impact load on the driver's body.

[0116] In the steering column assembly 4 of this example, when adjusting the position of the steering wheel 2, the movable cam 50 is rotated in the unlocking direction by swinging the adjusting lever 22, thereby reducing the width dimension of the cam assembly 23 and increasing the gap between the fixed cam 51 and the thrust bearing 24. As a result, the force that clamps the pair of clamped plates 30a and 30b from both sides in the width direction using the pair of support plates 43a and 43b is reduced or lost. At the same time, the inner diameter of the outer column 25 is elastically expanded, and the surface pressure of the contact portion between the inner circumferential surface of the outer column 25 and the outer circumferential surface of the front side of the inner column 26 is reduced. In this released state, the vertical position of the steering wheel 2 can be adjusted within the range that the adjusting lever 21 can move inside the body side through holes 45a and 45b. Furthermore, the fore-and-aft position of the steering wheel 2 can be adjusted within a range between the front position where the buffer member 41 of the support bracket 34 supported on the inner pillar 26 abuts against the front edge 28a of the slit 28, and the rear position where the stop member 35 abuts against the contact surface 32a of the bulge 32.

[0117] After the steering wheel 2 is moved to the desired position, the movable cam 50 is rotated in the locking direction by swinging the adjusting lever 22, thereby increasing the width dimension of the cam device 23 and decreasing the gap between the fixed cam 51 and the thrust bearing 24. As a result, the force of the pair of support plates 43a, 43b clamping the pair of clamped plates 30a, 30b from both sides in the width direction increases. Simultaneously, the inner diameter of the outer pillar 25 elastically decreases, and the surface pressure of the contact portion between the inner circumferential surface of the outer pillar 25 and the outer circumferential surface of the front side of the inner pillar 26 increases. Consequently, the steering wheel 2 is held in the adjusted position.

[0118] According to the steering column device 4 in this example, the movement of the telescopic friction plate 53 relative to the hook portion 42 in the width direction can be restricted.

[0119] That is, in this example, the hook portion 42 with a cantilever beam structure has a limiting protrusion 57 on the outer peripheral surface of its top end. This limiting protrusion 57 is used to limit the movement of the telescopic friction plate 53 relative to the hook portion 42 in the width direction. Therefore, when the cam device 23 is released, even the telescopic friction plate 53, which is located on the outermost side in the width direction, will not move in the width direction. Figure 11Even when the telescopic friction plate 53 (on its upper side) has a concave outer surface, the telescopic friction plate 53 can be prevented from moving further in the width direction relative to the hook portion 42 by limiting the engagement of the protrusion 57 with the portion of the telescopic friction plate 53 located above the mounting hole 56. As a result, the hooking amount of the telescopic friction plate 53 located on one side of the width direction relative to the hook portion 42 is prevented from becoming further smaller. In this example, since the limiting protrusion 57 is provided on both sides of the hook portion 42 in the width direction, the movement of the telescopic friction plate 53 located on the other side of the width direction relative to the hook portion 42 in the width direction can also be limited.

[0120] In this example, the limiting protrusion 57 is configured to protrude upwards in a direction that is perpendicular to both the width direction and the front-rear direction of the elongated hole 55. Therefore, when supporting (assembling) the telescopic friction plate 53 to the hook portion 42, instead of tilting the larger front-rear width direction of the telescopic friction plate 53 (for example, tilting it so that the front part is positioned more inside the width direction than the rear part), the smaller vertical width direction of the telescopic friction plate 53 is tilted (so that the upper part is positioned more inside the width direction than the lower part). Therefore, the workability of its assembly can be improved.

[0121] In this example, the limiting protrusion 57 is integrally provided on the outer peripheral surface of the top end of the hook portion 42, and the hook portion 42 is provided on the support bracket 34 that disengages from the inner column 26 during a secondary impact. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the number of parts of the steering column assembly 4 and to achieve miniaturization of the steering column assembly 4. As a result, it is also possible to improve the layout of the steering device in which the steering column assembly 4 is assembled.

[0122] In this example, such as Figure 11 As shown, the multiple telescopic friction plates 53 disposed on one side of the width direction are arranged in a state where their outer surfaces are concave and bent in the free state, while the multiple telescopic friction plates 53 disposed on the other side of the width direction are arranged in a state where their outer surfaces are convex and bent. Therefore, as a variation of this example, it is possible to provide a limiting protrusion 57 only on the hook portion 42 disposed on the width direction side, which is provided in one of the pair of hook portions 42 of the support bracket 34 and where the hooking amount of the telescopic friction plate is easily reduced. In addition, as another variation, a limiting protrusion can also be provided on the lower side of the top part of the hook portion in a downward protruding manner.

[0123] [Example 2]

[0124] use Figure 13 A second example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0125] In this example, a limiting protrusion 57a ​​is provided on the front side of the top end of the hook portion 42a. The limiting protrusion 57a ​​protrudes in the elongating direction of the longitudinal hole 55, i.e., the forward direction. The limiting protrusion 57a ​​is made of a thin plate that is approximately rectangular in shape when viewed from the width direction. The inner side of the limiting protrusion 57a ​​is opposite to the portion of the outermost telescopic friction plate 53 located in the width direction, which is located in front of the mounting hole 56. The protrusion amount of the limiting protrusion 57a ​​is smaller in the longitudinal direction dimension than the portion of the telescopic friction plate 53 located in front of the mounting hole 56.

[0126] The hook portion 42a has a recessed recess 58a on the rear side of its top surface opposite to the front side where the limiting protrusion 57a ​​is located, which is recessed inward in the width direction. The recessed recess 58a prevents the rear end edge of the mounting hole 56 in the telescopic friction plate 53 from abutting against the top surface of the hook portion 42a when the telescopic friction plate 53 is assembled to the hook portion 42a.

[0127] In order to insert the hook portion 42a into the inner side of the mounting hole 56 of the telescopic friction plate 53, firstly, with the telescopic friction plate 53 tilted such that the front side is positioned closer to the inside in the width direction than the rear side, the front edge of the mounting hole 56 is hooked (locked) onto the limiting protrusion 57a ​​of the hook portion 42a from the inside in the width direction. Next, while rotating the telescopic friction plate 53 in the direction that reduces the tilt angle, the hook portion 42a is inserted into the inner side of the mounting hole 56.

[0128] In this example, the movement of the telescopic friction plate 53 relative to the hook portion 42a in the width direction can also be restricted. Other structural features and effects are the same as in the first example.

[0129] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be appropriately modified without departing from the technical concept of the invention. Furthermore, the constructions of the various embodiments can be appropriately combined and implemented without creating contradictions.

[0130] In implementing this invention, the shape, location, and range of the limiting protrusion are not limited to the structures shown in the examples of the embodiments. They can be appropriately modified while still fulfilling the function of limiting the movement of the friction plate in the width direction. Furthermore, the shape of the hook portion is not limited to the structures shown in the examples of the embodiments; it can be a cylindrical shape or a shape other than a rectangular prism. Moreover, the elongated hole (e.g., a forward / backward elongated hole or a vertical elongated hole) provided on the friction plate, extending in a direction that allows for adjusting the position of the steering wheel, is not limited to the slit-shaped elongated hole shown in the examples of the embodiments; it can also be a closed-off elongated hole. Furthermore, the steering column device of this invention is not limited to telescopic friction plates; it can also be applied to limit the movement of the pitch friction plate in the width direction.

[0131] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0132] 1. Electric power steering system; 2. Steering wheel; 3. Steering shaft; 4. Steering column assembly; 5a, 5b. Universal joints; 6. Intermediate shaft; 7. Steering gear unit; 8. Tie rod; 9. Electric auxiliary device; 10. Gearbox housing; 11. Torque bar; 12. Output shaft; 13. Pinion shaft; 14. Torque sensor; 15. Electric motor; 16. Worm gear reducer; 17. Inner shaft; 18. Outer shaft; 19. Steering column; 20. Body side bracket; 21. Adjusting rod; 22. Adjusting lever; 23. Cam assembly; 24. Push... 25. Force bearing; 26. Outer column; 27. Inner column; 28. Rolling bearing; 29. ​​Slit; 20a. Front edge; 30b. Column side bracket; 31a, 31b. Clamped plate portion; 32a, 32b. Column side through hole; 33. Bulging portion; 34. Abutment surface; 35. Accommodation space; 36. Support bracket; 37. Stop member; 38. Mounting part; 39. Through hole; 40. Connecting part; 41. Main body portion; 42. Shear pin; 43. Locking recess; 44. Buffer; 45. 46a. Hook portion; 47. 48. Support 44. Top; 45a, 45b. Body side through hole; 46. Through hole; 47. Anchoring part; 48. External thread part; 49. Nut; 50. Movable side cam; 51. Fixed side cam; 52. Friction unit; 53. Telescopic friction plate; 54. Fixed side friction plate; 55. Long hole in the front-rear direction; 56. Mounting hole; 57, 57a. Restriction protrusion; 58. Retreat recess; 59. Round hole; 60. Connecting part; 100. Steering shaft; 101. Steering column; 102. Inner shaft; 103. Outer shaft; 104. Inner... 105. Column; 106. Clamped plate; 107. Column side bracket; 108. Body side bracket; 109. Support plate; 110. Column side through hole; 111. Body side through hole; 112. Adjusting rod; 113. Anchoring part; 114. Anti-detachment component; 115. Cam device; 116. Adjusting lever; 117. Movable side cam; 118. Fixed side cam; 119. Friction unit; 120. Telescopic friction plate; 121. Washer; 122. Long hole in front and rear direction; 123. Mounting hole; 124. Hook part.

Claims

1. A steering column device, wherein, The steering column assembly includes: A steering column, including a column side bracket having a column side through hole extending in the width direction; The vehicle body side bracket includes a pair of support plates disposed on both sides of the column side bracket in the width direction, each having a vehicle body side through hole extending in the width direction. An adjusting rod that extends through the column-side through-hole and a pair of vehicle-side through-holes along its width; A pair of pressing parts, which are provided in the adjusting rods and protrude in the width direction from the outer side of the pair of support plates respectively; An expanding / reducing mechanism that expands or reduces the distance between the pair of pressing parts; A friction plate having a mounting hole and an elongated hole extending in a direction that allows for adjusting the position of the steering wheel and passing through the adjusting rod, the friction plate being clamped in at least one of the following: a space between the inner side of any of the pair of support plate portions and the outer side of the pillar bracket, and a space between the outer side of any of the pair of support plate portions and the inner side of any of the pair of pressing portions. as well as The hook portion has a cantilever beam structure and extends through the mounting hole along its width. The hook portion has a limiting protrusion for restricting the movement of the friction plate in the width direction.

2. The steering column device according to claim 1, wherein, The limiting protrusion protrudes in a direction that is perpendicular to both the width direction and the elongation direction of the elongated hole.

3. The steering column device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The limiting protrusion is integrally provided on the outer peripheral surface of the end of the hook portion.

4. The steering column device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The hook portion extends through the mounting hole in a manner that substantially prevents relative rotation.

5. The steering column device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The friction plate is bent such that its outer surface is concave in a free state.

6. The steering column device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The steering column has an outer column disposed on the front side, an inner column disposed on the rear side, and a support bracket. The outer column includes: a slit extending axially; and a pair of clamping plate portions disposed on both sides of the slit in the width direction and respectively forming the column-side through holes, the pair of clamping plate portions constituting the column-side bracket. The support bracket includes a mounting portion and a hook portion. The mounting portion is disposed inside the slit and is mounted to the inner post in a manner that allows it to detach from the inner post. The elongated hole is formed by an elongated hole extending in the front-back direction.

7. The steering column device according to claim 6, wherein, One or more friction plates are clamped in the space between the inner surfaces of each of the pair of support plates and the outer surfaces of each of the pair of clamped plates. The support bracket includes two hook portions. The limiting protrusion is provided in at least one of the two hook portions.

8. The steering column device according to claim 7, wherein, The limiting protrusion is provided in both of the hook portions.

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