Novel steering column crumple structure

Abstract

The utility model relates to a novel crumple structure of a steering column. The sliding groove lower layer is welded and fixed to the inner pipe column, the sliding groove upper layer and the sliding groove lower layer are connected through the sliding groove fixing bolt, a groove is formed between the sliding groove upper layer and the sliding groove lower layer, the sliding block is arranged in the groove between the sliding groove upper layer and the sliding groove lower layer, the pulling rivet penetrates through the sliding groove upper layer, the sliding block and the sliding groove lower layer, and the sliding groove upper layer is provided with a longitudinal long hole. A plurality of grooves are formed in the sliding block, a plurality of long holes are formed in the sliding block, the positions of the long holes correspond to the positions of the grooves, a crumple piece is arranged in the longitudinal long hole in the upper layer of the sliding groove and comprises a crumple guide block, a belleville spring and a crumple guide bolt, the crumple guide block is arranged in the long hole, the belleville spring is placed on the crumple guide sliding block, and the crumple guide bolt penetrates through the belleville spring and the crumple guide sliding block to be connected with the sliding block. The crumple structure of the steering column is small in occupied space, low in cost and stable in crumple curve of the steering column. And only bolt connection is adopted, the requirement for a process production line is low, and implementation is easy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of vehicle steering columns, and particularly to a novel steering column collapse structure. Background Art

[0002] When a vehicle collides, the steering column collapse structure can absorb part of the impact energy, thereby reducing the impact force transmitted to the cab and protecting the safety of the driver.

[0003] Most of the existing steering column collapse devices use complex structures such as energy absorption sheets or tolerance rings to cooperate to achieve collapse. As Figure 6 shown, in the prior patent 202111641218.1, a collapse structure of a steering column. When a vehicle collides, under the action of the impact force of the airbag, the column tube 100 of the steering column will move downward, while the support sleeve 500 remains stationary, so that the tooth stone assembly 600 connected to the support sleeve 500 remains stationary. Since the tooth stone on the tooth stone assembly 600 meshes with the tooth-shaped structure 400, the upper plane of the energy absorption sheet 300 with the tooth-shaped structure 400 remains stationary, while the lower plane of the energy absorption sheet 300 connected to the column tube 100 by bolts will move downward along the steering column with the column tube 100. At this time, relative movement occurs between the upper plane and the lower plane, causing the rivets connecting the energy absorption sheet 300 and the C-shaped support 200 to break to generate a collapse force peak. At the same time, since the energy absorption sheet 300 undergoes bending deformation, it can reduce or avoid the harm of the steering wheel to the driver during a frontal collision of the vehicle. This energy absorption sheet collapse structure occupies a large space and has a high cost.

[0004] As Figure 7 shown, the front end portion of the inner sleeve 100 of the steering column is inserted into the outer sleeve 200, and a tolerance ring 300 is inserted between the inner sleeve 100 and the outer sleeve 200. The tolerance ring 300 has friction protrusions 400 and is assembled to the inner sleeve in a state where the friction protrusions 400 are in contact with the outer surface of the inner sleeve 100. The friction protrusions 400 can be provided in multiple numbers and can extend in the longitudinal direction of the inner sleeve 100. During collapse, the tolerance ring 300 moves together with the inner sleeve 100, so that relative movement of the tolerance ring 300 relative to the outer sleeve 200 in the longitudinal direction can occur. Factors such as the shape, size, and position of the friction protrusions of this tolerance ring type structure all affect the collapse performance of the steering column, resulting in an unstable collapse curve of the steering column. Moreover, the tolerance ring assembly process is complex and has high requirements for the assembly production line.

[0005] As vehicle safety becomes increasingly important and comfort requirements become higher, the existing collapse structures can no longer meet higher safety requirements and space requirements simultaneously, and the demand for a collapse structure that occupies a small space and is stable is increasing day by day. Content of the Utility Model

[0006] The object of the present utility model is to provide a novel collapsible structure for a steering column, which has a small occupied space, low cost, and a stable collapse curve.

[0007] The technical solution of the present utility model:

[0008] A novel collapsible structure for a steering column, comprising an inner column, a lower slide groove, an upper slide groove, a slide groove fixing bolt, a slider, a collapse guiding bolt, a disc spring, a collapse guiding block, and a rivet. The lower slide groove is welded and fixed on the inner column, the upper slide groove and the lower slide groove are connected by the slide groove fixing bolt, a groove is formed between the upper slide groove and the lower slide groove, the slider is placed in the groove between the upper slide groove and the lower slide groove, the rivet passes through the upper slide groove, the slider and the lower slide groove, a longitudinal long hole is formed in the upper slide groove, and the long hole corresponds to the position of the groove. A collapse member is arranged in the longitudinal long hole of the upper slide groove. The collapse member comprises a collapse guiding block, a disc spring, and a collapse guiding bolt. The collapse guiding block is placed in the long hole, the disc spring is placed on the collapse guiding slider, and the collapse guiding bolt passes through the disc spring and the collapse guiding slider and is connected with the slider.

[0009] The beneficial effects of the present utility model:

[0010] 1. The collapsible structure of the steering column in this application has a small occupied space, low cost, and a stable collapse curve of the steering column. Moreover, this application only uses bolt connection, which has low requirements for the process production line and is easy to implement.

[0011] 2. The collapsible structure of the steering column in this application adopts the cooperation form of a slide groove, a slider, and a rivet. The slide groove is a double-layer guiding slide groove. The slider is rigidly connected to the length adjusting mechanism and then clamped by the slide groove. The rivet passes through the double-layer slide groove and the slider. By modifying the diameter and quantity of the rivet and the tightening torque of the collapse guiding bolt, it can meet the requirements of any vehicle manufacturer for the collapse force curve of the intermediate shaft. It can be used as the standardized collapse structure design of the intermediate shaft product in the factory. Description of the Drawings

[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present utility model or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only the embodiments of the present utility model. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained according to the provided drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the steering column structure with the collapse structure of this application.

[0014] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the collapsible structure of the steering column in this application.

[0015] Figure 3 This is an enlarged view of the chute part structure of the steering column collapse structure of this application.

[0016] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of the chute and slider part structures of the steering column collapse structure of this application.

[0017] Figure 5 This is an enlarged view of the slider and collapse guide block part structures of the steering column collapse structure of this application.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the steering column collapse structure in the prior art.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the steering column collapse structure in the prior art.

[0020] Reference numerals:

[0021] Inner pipe column 1; lower chute layer 2; upper chute layer 3; chute fixing bolt 4; slider 5; collapse guiding bolt 6; disc spring 7; collapse guiding block 8; rivet 9; groove 10; long hole 11; length guiding slider 12; steering column collapse structure 20. Detailed implementation manners

[0022] In order to solve the problems in the background art, a novel steering column collapse structure is specifically invented to improve the instability problems of the existing energy-absorbing sheet or tolerance ring type collapse forms.

[0023] It should be noted that in the description of this application, terms indicating directions or positional relationships such as "upper", "lower", "inner side", "outer side", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings. This is only for the convenience of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0024] A new type of steering column collapse structure 20 includes an inner column 1, a lower chute layer 2, an upper chute layer 3, chute fixing bolts 4, a slider 5, collapse guiding bolts 6, disc springs 7, collapse guiding blocks 8, and rivets 9. The upper chute layer 3 and the lower chute layer 2 form a chute. The lower chute layer 2 is welded and fixed to the inner column 1. The upper chute layer 3 and the lower chute layer 2 are connected by chute fixing bolts. A groove 10 is formed between the upper chute layer 3 and the lower chute layer 2. The slider 5 is placed in the groove between the upper chute layer and the lower chute layer. The rivet 9 passes through the upper chute layer, the slider, and the lower chute layer. A longitudinal long hole 11 is formed in the upper chute layer. The long hole 11 corresponds to the position of the groove 10. A collapse member is provided in the longitudinal long hole of the upper chute layer. The collapse member can be one or more, preferably two or more. The collapse member includes a collapse guiding block 8, a disc spring 7, and a collapse guiding bolt 6. The collapse guiding block is placed in the long hole. The disc spring is placed on the collapse guiding slider. The collapse guiding bolt passes through the disc spring and the collapse guiding slider and is connected to the slider. A length guiding slider is installed between the upper chute layer and the chute fixing bolt. A length guiding slider 12 is installed between the upper chute layer of the collapse member and the collapse guiding bolt.

[0025] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0026] As Figure 1 shown, it is a new type of collapse structure column assembly. The new collapse structure includes an inner column tube, a lower chute layer, an upper chute layer, two chute fixing bolts, a slider, two length adjustment guiding blocks, two collapse guiding bolts, two disc springs, two collapse guiding blocks, and rivets. The main implementation principle is that the inner column tube and the lower chute layer are welded together. The lower chute layer and the upper chute layer are the main collapse parts. The collapse guiding bolts press the upper chute layer and the slider. The rivet passes through the lower chute layer, the upper chute layer, and the slider at the same time. The two disc springs have a shock absorption and anti-loosening effect to prevent the change of the clamping force provided by the collapse guiding bolts. The upper chute layer and the lower chute layer are connected by chute fixing bolts to form a whole. The collapse guiding blocks provide a guiding effect during the collapse process to prevent the collapse curve from not meeting the expectation due to the change of direction during the collapse. The length adjustment guiding blocks provide a guiding effect during the length adjustment.

[0027] The novel collapsible structure of the present application can formulate a standard sample by the diameter and quantity of the blind rivets, and formulate a standardized production process by the tightening torque of the collapse guiding bolts. During the collapse process, the lower layer of the chute and the upper layer of the chute are regarded as a whole; the slider is rigidly connected to the length adjustment mechanism, and the slider remains stationary during collapse; the length adjustment guiding block, the collapse guiding bolts, the disc bolts, and the collapse guiding bolts are rigidly connected to the slider and remain stationary during collapse. There are long holes on the upper layer of the chute to provide a clearance space for the length adjustment guiding block, the collapse guiding bolts, the disc bolts, and the collapse guiding bolts. The lower layer of the chute and the upper layer of the chute slide backward and collapse, and the blind rivets are sheared during collapse. Among them, the chute fixing bolts that fix the upper layer and the lower layer of the chute, the length adjustment guiding block and the upper layer and the lower layer of the chute are rigidly connected and collapse backward synchronously.

[0028] The shearing force provided by shearing the blind rivets during the collapse process can be controlled by the diameter and quantity of the blind rivets. The frictional force between the upper layer of the chute, the lower layer of the chute and the slider can be controlled by the tightening torque of the collapse guiding bolts (the greater the tightening torque, the greater the pressure and the greater the frictional force). By adjusting the lengths of the upper layer and the lower layer of the chute, the lengths of the long holes on the upper layer of the chute and the grooves between the upper and lower layers of the chute, as well as the shearing force of the sheared blind rivets and the frictional force between the upper layer and the lower layer of the chute and the slider, the requirements for the collapse curve and displacement of the steering column can be met.

[0029] The above has schematically described the present invention and its implementation manners, and this description is not restrictive. What is shown in the drawings is only one of the implementation manners of the present invention, and the actual structure is not limited thereto. Therefore, if those of ordinary skill in the art are inspired by it and, without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention, design similar structural manners and implementations to the technical solution without creative efforts based on the technical essence of the present invention, they should all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A novel steering column collapse structure, characterized in that: It includes inner pipe column, lower slide, upper slide, slide fixing bolt, slider, collapse guide bolt, disc spring, collapse guide block, rivet, The lower layer of the slide is welded and fixed on the inner pipe column, the upper layer of the slide and the lower layer of the slide are connected by slide fixing bolts, a groove is opened between the upper layer of the slide and the lower layer of the slide, the slider is placed in the groove between the upper layer of the slide and the lower layer of the slide, and the rivets pass through the upper layer of the slide, the slider and the lower layer of the slide. A longitudinal long hole is opened on the upper layer of the slide groove, and the long hole corresponds to the position of the groove. A collapse component is arranged in the longitudinal long hole on the upper layer of the slide groove. The collapse component includes a collapse guide block, a disc spring and a collapse guide bolt. The collapse guide block is placed in the long hole, and the disc spring is placed on the collapse guide slider. The collapse guide bolt passes through the disc spring and the collapse guide slider and is connected to the slider.

2. A novel steering column collapse structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the collapse components is two or more.

3. A novel steering column collapse structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A length guide slider is arranged between the upper layer of the slide groove and the slide groove fixing bolt, and a length guide slider is arranged between the upper layer of the slide groove of the collapse member and the collapse guide bolt.

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