Vehicle shock absorption type steering column device

• US 20050167962A1
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NSK Limited
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Kenji, Sawada, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,311,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/775
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/187 with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/195 Yieldable supports for the steering column

Abstract

An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle is capable of adjusting a steering position and, when a secondary collision happens, absorbs impact energy thereof by moving a steering column supported through a bracket on a car body towards the front of the vehicle. The bracket includes a restricting portion for restricting a steering position adjusting range of the steering column. The restricting portion allows, upon the secondary collision, the steering column to move beyond the steering position adjusting range.

Claims

1. In an impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle, capable of adjusting a steering position and, when a secondary collision happens, absorbing impact energy thereof by moving a steering column supported through a bracket on a car body towards the front of the vehicle,

an improvement characterized in that said bracket includes a restricting portion for restricting a steering position adjusting range of said steering column, and

said restricting portion allows, upon the secondary collision, said steering column to move beyond the steering position adjusting range.

2. In an impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle, capable of adjusting a steering position and, when a secondary collision happens, absorbing impact energy thereof by moving a steering column supported through a bracket on a car body towards the front of the vehicle,

an improvement characterized in that said bracket includes a steering column position adjusting groove, through which a fastening member of said steering column is inserted and of which one end is opened, and a restricting portion for restricting a steering position adjusting range of said steering column, and

said restricting portion allows, upon the secondary collision, said steering column to move beyond the steering position adjusting range.

3. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said groove serves for adjusting a tilt position of said steering column, and a lower bracket supporting said steering column through a hinge mechanism in the front of the vehicle and supported on the car body, is provided on a front-of-the vehicle side of said bracket,

said lower bracket includes a cut-away portion through which a pivot of said hinge mechanism is inserted and of which a front-of-the-vehicle side is opened, and

said pivot comes off said open end of said cut-away portion upon an axis-directional input of said steering column when the secondary collision happens, and said steering column is released from said lower bracket.

4. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a protrusion for regulating a movement of said fastening member is provided as said restricting portion within said adjusting groove.

5. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said protrusion is constructed of a plurality of protrusions formed in alignment in their directions towards the front of the vehicle.

6. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said protrusion includes an abutting surface on the side facing said fastening member.

7. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said restricting portion of said bracket extends substantially in front-and-rear directions of the vehicle in a way that leaves said open end, and is formed to delimit substantially a lower portion of said position adjusting groove, and

said restricting member includes a bend allowing portion for allowing said fastening member of said steering column to move towards the front of the vehicle through said open end.

8. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said restricting portion of said car body sided bracket extends substantially in vertical directions in a way that leaves said open end, and is formed to delimit substantially a side position of said adjusting groove, and

said restricting portion includes a bend allowing portion for allowing said fastening member of said steering column to move towards the front of the vehicle through said open end.

9. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a column support member extending so as to be curved under said steering column,

wherein said column support member delimits substantially the lower portion of the steering position adjusting range, and prevents said steering column from falling down.

19. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 3, wherein a protrusion for regulating a movement of said fastening member is provided as said restricting portion within said adjusting groove.

20. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said protrusion includes an abutting surface on the side facing said fastening member.

21. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a column support member extending so as to be curved under said steering column,

wherein said column support member delimits substantially the lower portion of the steering position adjusting range, and prevents said steering column from falling down.

10. In an impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle, capable of adjusting a steering position and, when a secondary collision happens, absorbing impact energy thereof by moving a steering column supported through a bracket on a car body towards the front of the vehicle,

an improvement characterized in that there is provided a restricting member including a first restricting portion and a second restricting portion, said restricting member allows, within said first restricting portion, said steering column to move for a positional adjustment, then deforms when said steering column moves, upon a secondary collision, beyond a first predetermined range restricted by said first restricting portion, and restricts the movement of said steering column within a second predetermined range by use of said second restricting portion.

11. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said bracket is constructed of an upper bracket and a lower bracket, a bolt is inserted through a hole of said upper bracket, and said steering column is supported by said upper bracket,

said restricting member is formed integrally with said car body sided upper bracket,

said first restricting portion is formed with said hole, and

when said steering column moves through only the first predetermined range upon the secondary collision, said bolt causes said restricting member to deform and enters said second restricting portion provided adjacent to said first restricting portion.

12. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 11, wherein when said bolt enters said second restricting portion, said restricting member makes its flexural deformation so as to extend in a moving direction of said bolt.

13. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said second restricting portion is previously formed as an elongate hole suitable for guiding said bolt in its moving direction when said bolt has entered said second restricting portion.

14. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said hole of said upper bracket is a groove for a tilt adjustment, said bolt is a fastening bolt for the tilt adjustment, and said lower bracket pivotally supports said steering column.

15. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a bolt is inserted through a hole of said lower bracket, and said steering column is supported by said lower bracket,

said restricting member is formed integrally with said car body sided lower bracket,

said first restricting portion is formed with said hole, and

when the secondary collision happens, impact energy is absorbed in a way that causes a flexural deformation of said restricting member while moving said steering column towards the front of the vehicle, and

when said steering column moves through only the first predetermined range, said bolt causes said restricting member to deform and enters said second restricting portion provided adjacent to said first restricting portion.

16. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 15, wherein when said bolt enters said second restricting portion, said restricting member makes its flexural deformation so as to extend in a moving direction of said bolt.

17. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said second restricting portion is previously formed as an elongate hole suitable for guiding said bolt in its moving direction when said bolt has entered said second restricting portion.

18. An impact absorbing type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said hole of said car body sided lower bracket is a support hole for the tilt adjustment, and said bolt is a tilt adjusting hinge pin for determining a tilt center when inserted into said support hole.