Steering apparatus

• US 10,449,994 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Funahashi, Akitsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew J
• Application Number:
  US15/864,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20180201296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/181 with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/189 the entire column being tiltable as a unit
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering apparatus includes: a steering column that rotatably supports a steering shaft; and a controller provided with an accommodation case fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the steering column, in which a pair of engagement protrusions, which face each other, are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering column, an insertion portion is provided in the accommodation case to be inserted between the engagement protrusions, and the insertion portion is provided with a fitting portion having a crushing margin which is crushed by the engagement protrusions when the insertion portion is inserted between the engagement protrusions.

Claims

1. A steering apparatus comprising:

a steering column that rotatably supports a steering shaft; and

a controller provided with an accommodation case fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the steering column,

wherein a pair of engagement protrusions, which face each other, are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the steering column,

an insertion portion is provided in the accommodation case to be inserted between the engagement protrusions, and

the insertion portion is provided with a fitting portion having a crushing margin which is crushed by the engagement protrusions when the insertion portion is inserted between the engagement protrusions.

2. The steering apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the fitting portion extends in a direction in which the engagement protrusions protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the steering column in a state where the insertion portion is inserted between the engagement protrusions.

3. The steering apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the insertion portion is provided with a plurality of the fitting portions aligned in an extending direction of the engagement protrusions which extend in a direction along the outer peripheral surface of the steering column in a state where the insertion portion is inserted between the engagement protrusions.

4. The steering apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the insertion portion is provided with a plurality of the fitting portions aligned in an extending direction of the engagement protrusions which extend in a direction along the outer peripheral surface of the steering column in a state where the insertion portion is inserted between the engagement protrusions.

5. The steering apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the engagement protrusions are castings integrally formed with a housing, which constitutes the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

6. The steering apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the engagement protrusions are castings integrally formed with a housing, which constitutes the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

7. The steering apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the engagement protrusions are castings integrally formed with a housing, which constitutes the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

8. The steering apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller includes a connector portion exposed to an outside of the accommodation case, and

the engagement protrusions are provided to face each other in a direction in which a wire harness is connected to the connector portion.

9. The steering apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the controller includes a connector portion exposed to an outside of the accommodation case, and

the engagement protrusions are provided to face each other in a direction in which a wire harness is connected to the connector portion.

10. The steering apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the controller includes a connector portion exposed to an outside of the accommodation case, and

the engagement protrusions are provided to face each other in a direction in which a wire harness is connected to the connector portion.

11. The steering apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the controller includes a connector portion exposed to an outside of the accommodation case, and

the engagement protrusions are provided to face each other in a direction in which a wire harness is connected to the connector portion.

12. The steering apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the engagement protrusions and the insertion portion are positioned between the outer peripheral surface of the steering column and the connector portion.

13. The steering apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the accommodation case includes a pedestal portion fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

14. The steering apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the accommodation case includes a pedestal portion fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

15. The steering apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the accommodation case includes a pedestal portion fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

16. The steering apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the accommodation case includes a pedestal portion fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

17. The steering apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the accommodation case includes a pedestal portion fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

18. The steering apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the accommodation case includes a pedestal portion fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column.

19. The steering apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the pedestal portion includes a plurality of engagement pieces having flexibility, and each of the engagement pieces forms a snap fit that fixes the accommodation case in a non-detachable manner with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the steering column, and

the engagement protrusions are provided to face each other in a direction intersecting with a direction connecting the snap fits.