Steering apparatus

• US 20050081675A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Oshita, Morito, Ozawa, Masakazu, Kurokawa, Yasuaki
• Application Number:
  US10/968,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20050081675A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/493
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/181 with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/187 with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering apparatus includes a steering wheel, a steering column connected to the steering wheel at one end of the steering column, a column supporting member rotatably supporting the steering column relative to a vehicle body, and a column swinging member rotatably supporting the steering column for swinging the steering column about a column swinging point on the column swinging member. A distance (LS) between the column swinging point and a column supporting point provided at the column supporting member is equal to or greater than 30% of distance (LH) between the column swinging point and the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A steering apparatus comprising:

a steering wheel;

a steering column connected to the steering wheel at one end of the steering column;

a column supporting member rotatably supporting the steering column relative to a vehicle body; and

a column swinging member rotatably supporting the steering column for swinging the steering column about a column swinging point on the column swinging member, wherein

a distance (LS) between the column swinging point and a column supporting point provided at the column supporting member is equal to or greater than 30% of distance (LH) between the column swinging point and the steering wheel.

2. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steering column includes

a first link fixed to the steering column;

a second link rotatably attached to the first link about a first rotation axis; and

a third link rotatably attached to the second link about a second rotation axis.

3. The steering apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a driving mechanism supported by the second link for moving the second link relative to the first link.

4. The steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the steering column includes

a first column;

and

a second column moving to overlap with the first column, wherein either one of the first column or second column is supported by the first link.

5. The steering apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a locking and releasing member for releasing an engagement of the vehicle body with the third link in case a load exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the steering wheel in an axial direction of the steering column, wherein

an overlap between the first column and the second column increases to move the steering wheel in axial direction of the steering column in case the engagement of the vehicle body with the third link is released.