STEERING COLUMN FOR VEHICLE AND STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE HAVING THE SAME

• US 20100326230A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Mando Corporation (Halla Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mando Corporation
• Inventors: Oh, Jae-moon
• Granted Patent: US 8,387,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/493
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions

Abstract

Disclosed are a steering column for a vehicle and a steering apparatus for a vehicle having the same. According to the present invention, since a coupling position of a tilt bolt is positioned on the central axis of a steering shaft, bending is not caused and an adjustment lever does not hit a driver on the knee at the time of vehicle collision, and the nut opposite to the adjustment lever can be prevented from being loosened at the time of manipulating the adjustment lever.

Claims

1. A steering column for a vehicle, comprising:

a ring bolt having a pair of fastening parts at the opposite sides thereof, each fastening part having threads formed on a cylindrical member, the central part of the ring bolt is configured so as to allow an outer tube to be inserted through the central part;

a tilt bracket with a pair of opposite plates, each of which is formed with a tilt slit opened in an end of the corresponding plate; and

a plain nut closely contacted with and supported by an outer surface of the tilt bracket, one side of the plain nut being extended through one of the tilt slits and coupled to one of the fastening parts of the ring bolt.

2. The steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guide block is inserted between the inner surface of the tilt bracket and the outer tube so as to compress and make the ring bolt, the outer tube, a telescopic bush, and an inner tube come into close contact with each other at the time of tightening an adjustment lever.

3. The steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the ring bolt is coated with a low friction material so as to reduce frictional force with the outer tube which is slid at the time of telescopic operation.

4. The steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plain nut comprises:

a seating part coming into close contact with the outer surface of the tilt bracket, and a support part extending in the direction of the central axis of the seating part from the inner surface of the seating part, the support part being extended through one of the tilt slit and supported by the outer circumferential surface of the outer tube.

5. The steering column as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plain nut further comprises a nut part extending in the direction of the central axis of the seating part from the outer side of the seating part, the nut part being formed with threads on the inner circumferential surface of the nut part.

6. A steering apparatus for a vehicle comprising a steering column within which a steering shaft is housed, and a rack and pinion mechanism coupled with the steering shaft so as to steer the front opposite wheels of the vehicle, wherein the steering column comprises:

a ring bolt having a pair of fastening parts at the opposite sides thereof, each fastening part having threads formed on a cylindrical member, the central part of the ring bolt is configured so as to allow an outer tube to be inserted through the central part;

a tilt bracket with a pair of opposite plates, each of which is formed with a tilt slit opened in an end of the corresponding plate; and

a plain nut closely contacted with and supported by an outer surface of the tilt bracket, one side of the plain nut being extended through one of the tilt slits and coupled to one of the fastening parts of the ring bolt.

7. The steering apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a guide block is inserted between the inner surface of the tilt bracket and the outer tube so as to compress and make the ring bolt, the outer tube, a telescopic bush, and an inner tube come into close contact with each other at the time of tightening an adjustment lever.

8. The steering apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the ring bolt is coated with a low friction material so as to reduce frictional force with the outer tube which is slid at the time of telescopic operation.

9. The steering apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plain nut comprises:

a seating part coming into close contact with the outer surface of the tilt bracket, and a support part extending in the direction of the central axis of the seating part from the inner surface of the seating part, the support part being extended through one of the tilt slit and supported by the outer circumferential surface of the outer tube.

10. The steering apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plain nut further comprises a nut part extending in the direction of the central axis of the seating part from the outer side of the seating part, the nut part being formed with threads on the inner circumferential surface of the nut part.