Steering column structure

Abstract

This suppresses changes in the relative positional relationship between the steering wheel and the display. [Solution] The steering column structure comprises a display 12, a steering wheel 14, a steering column 10, a combination lever body 16, and a display support portion 18. The combination lever body 16 is displaced in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle in accordance with the vertical and longitudinal displacement of the steering wheel 14. The display support portion 18 comprises a front base portion 30 supported so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction of the vehicle with the opposite side from the steering wheel 14 as the center of rotation, a rear base portion 32 that supports the display 12 and is supported so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the front base portion 30, and a support arm portion 36 that connects the rear base portion 32 and the combination lever body 16.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a steering column structure.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a holding mechanism for holding a display provided in a vehicle interior. Further, the display held by the holding mechanism is arranged to face the driver of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1 above, when the driver of the vehicle adjusts the position of the steering wheel, the relative positional relationship between the steering wheel and the display changes. As a result, it is conceivable that the visibility of the display from the driver changes.

[0005] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a steering column structure capable of suppressing a change in the relative positional relationship between the steering wheel and the display.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The steering column structure of the first embodiment includes a display on which information is displayed and directed toward the driver's seat side of the vehicle; a steering wheel positioned toward the driver's seat side of the display and operated by an occupant seated in the driver's seat; a steering column that supports the steering wheel so as to be displaceable in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle; a combination lever body provided on the steering column and displaced in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle in accordance with the vertical and longitudinal displacement of the steering wheel; a front base portion supported so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction of the vehicle with the opposite side from the steering wheel as the center of rotation; a rear base portion that supports the display and is supported so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the front base portion; and a support arm portion connecting the rear base portion and the combination lever body; and a display support portion.

[0007] In the steering column structure of the first embodiment, the steering wheel is supported by the steering column so as to be displaceable in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle. The steering column is also provided with a combination lever body connected to the support arm of the display support. When the steering wheel is displaced in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the combination lever body is also displaced in the vertical direction of the vehicle. As a result, the front base portion of the display support, together with the rear base portion, tilts in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Consequently, the display can be displaced in the vertical direction of the vehicle to follow the vertical displacement of the steering wheel. On the other hand, when the steering wheel is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the combination lever body is also displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As a result, the rear base portion of the display support is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the front base portion. Consequently, the display can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to follow the longitudinal displacement of the steering wheel. In this way, the steering column structure of the first embodiment can suppress changes in the relative positional relationship between the steering wheel and the display.

[0008] In the second embodiment of the steering column structure, the front base portion and the rear base portion are cover members that cover the steering column from the upper side of the vehicle, in the same configuration as the steering column structure of the first embodiment.

[0009] In the steering column structure of the second embodiment, the front base portion and the rear base portion constituting the display support portion are cover members that cover the steering column from the upper side of the vehicle. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in appearance quality due to the steering column being visible from the upper side of the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The steering column structure according to the present invention has the excellent effect of suppressing changes in the relative positional relationship between the steering wheel and the display. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view showing the area around the steering column to which the steering column structure of this embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the area around the steering column to which the steering column structure of this embodiment is applied, and it shows the steering wheel positioned as far back and upward as possible. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing the area around the steering column to which the steering column structure of this embodiment is applied, indicating that the steering wheel is positioned in the center in both the front-to-back and vertical directions. [Figure 4] This is a side view showing the area around the steering column to which the steering column structure of this embodiment is applied, and it shows the steering wheel positioned as far forward and downward as possible. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The steering column structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the arrow FR indicates the front of the vehicle, and the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, when the front / rear, up / down, and left / right directions are indicated, they refer to the front / rear direction of the vehicle, the up / down direction of the vehicle, and the left / right direction of the vehicle (vehicle width direction).

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, a display 12, a steering wheel 14 (see Figure 2), a combination lever body 16, and a display support 18 are provided around the steering column 10 to which the steering column structure according to this embodiment is applied.

[0014] The steering column 10 comprises a steering column body 20 and a steering support member 22 supported by the steering column body 20. The steering support member 22 protrudes toward the driver's seat side (rearward side) relative to the steering column body 20. A steering wheel 14 (see Figure 2) is fixed to the tip (rear end) of the steering support member 22 in the protruding direction. The amount of rearward protrusion of the steering support member 22 relative to the steering column body 20 is adjustable. A supported portion 24 is provided at the front end of the steering column body 20. A support member 26 is provided above the steering column body 20, spanning in the left-right direction in front of the driver's seat. The supported portion 24 is rotatably supported by the support member 26 with the left-right direction as the rotation axis, allowing the steering column 10 to tilt in the vertical direction.

[0015] The display 12 shows various information, such as vehicle information and map information. This display 12 is supported by a display support part 18, which will be described in detail later, and is oriented towards the driver's seat.

[0016] The steering wheel 14 is supported by the aforementioned steering column 10 and is positioned on the driver's side of the display 12. The direction of travel of the vehicle is changed by operating this steering wheel 14 while seated in the driver's seat. The vertical position of the steering wheel 14 is adjusted by tilting the steering column 10 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the longitudinal position of the steering wheel 14 is adjusted by displacing the steering support member 22 in the longitudinal direction relative to the steering column body 20.

[0017] The combination lever body 16 is fixed to the portion of the steering support member 22 that is on the steering wheel 14 side. As a result, the combination lever body 16 is displaced together with the steering support member 22.

[0018] The display support portion 18 is disposed above the support member 26. The display support portion 18 includes a front base portion 30 and a rear base portion 32 that form a cover member 28 covering the steering column 10 from above, a telescopic portion 34 provided between the front base portion 30 and the rear base portion 32, and a support arm portion 36 extending from the rear base portion 32 toward the combined lever body 16 side. A supported portion 38 is provided on the front end side of the front base portion 30. And, the supported portion 38 is rotatably supported by the support member 26 with the left - right direction as the rotation axis direction, so that the display support portion 18 can be tilted in the up - down direction. The rear base portion 32 is supported by the front base portion 30 via the telescopic portion 34. A display 12 is fixed to the rear end portion of the rear base portion 32. And, when the telescopic portion 34 operates, the position of the rear base portion 32 in the front - rear direction with respect to the front base portion 30 changes. The support arm portion 36 constitutes a portion connecting the rear base portion 32 and the combined lever body 16. The end portion of the support arm portion 36 opposite to the rear base portion 32 is a ball joint portion 40 formed in a spherical shape. And, the ball joint portion 40 is spherically supported by a part of the combined lever body 16. Note that the portion of the support arm portion 36 corresponding to the ball joint portion 40 may be rotatably supported by a part of the combined lever body 16 with the left - right direction as the axis direction.

[0019] (Operations and Effects of this Embodiment) Next, the operations and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0020] In the embodiment described above, when the steering wheel 14 is displaced downward from the position shown in FIG. 2, that is, when the steering column 10 is tilted downward as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the combined lever body 16 is displaced downward.

[0021] When the combined lever body 16 is displaced downward, the display support portion 18 tilts downward. As a result, the display 12 can be displaced downward so as to follow the downward displacement of the steering wheel 14. Similarly, even when the steering wheel 14 is displaced upward from the position shown in FIG. 3, the display 12 can be displaced upward so as to follow the upward displacement of the steering wheel 14.

[0022] Further, when the steering wheel 14 is displaced forward from the position shown in FIG. 2, that is, when the steering support member 22 is displaced forward with respect to the steering column main body 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the combined lever body 16 is displaced forward.

[0023] When the combined lever body 16 is displaced forward, the telescopic portion 34 operates, and the rear base portion 32 is displaced forward with respect to the front base portion 30. As a result, the display 12 can be displaced forward so as to follow the forward displacement of the steering wheel 14. Similarly, even when the steering wheel 14 is displaced rearward from the position shown in FIG. 3, the display 12 can be displaced rearward so as to follow the rearward displacement of the steering wheel 14.

[0024] As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress a change in the relative positional relationship between the steering wheel 14 and the display 12.

[0025] Further, in the present embodiment, the front base portion 30 and the rear base portion 32 constituting the display support portion 18 serve as a cover member 28 that covers the steering column 10 from above. Thereby, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the appearance quality due to the steering column 10 being visually recognized from above.

[0026] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the front base portion 30 and the rear base portion 32 serve as cover members 28 that cover the steering column 10 from above, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a configuration in which other members are provided to cover the steering column 10 from above, a configuration in which the front base portion 30 and the rear base portion 32 do not serve as cover members 28 can also be adopted.

[0027] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above, and can be implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 10 Steering column 12 displays 14 Steering Wheel 16 Combination Lever Body 18 Display support section 28 Cover component 30 Front base section 32 Rear base section 36 Support arm section

Claims

1. Information is displayed on a screen facing the driver's side of the vehicle, A steering wheel positioned closer to the driver's seat than the aforementioned display and operated by an occupant seated in the driver's seat, A steering column that supports the steering wheel so that it can be displaced in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle, A combination lever body is provided on the steering column and displaces in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle in accordance with the vertical and longitudinal displacement of the steering wheel, A display support unit having a front base portion supported so as to be tiltable in the vehicle vertical direction with the opposite side of the steering wheel as the pivot point, a rear base portion supported so as to be displaceable in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the front base portion and a support arm portion connecting the rear base portion and the combination lever body, A steering column structure equipped with this feature.

2. The steering column structure according to claim 1, wherein the front base portion and the rear base portion are cover members that cover the steering column from the upper side of the vehicle.

Images