STEERING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A steering apparatus comprising:
- an upper jacket having a first end in a column axis direction, the first end being coupled to a steering member;
a lower jacket slidably fitted externally on a second end of the upper jacket in the column axis direction;
a supporting member that is fixed to a vehicle body and that supports the lower jacket;
a clamping mechanism that holds the upper jacket in a position relative to the lower jacket by clamping the lower jacket to the upper jacket;
a holding member held by the upper jacket; and
a resistive force generating mechanism that is movable together with the holding member in the column axis direction and that slides, when the upper jacket moves relative to the lower jacket during a secondary impact, relative to at least one of the supporting member and the lower jacket so as to generate a resistive force against movement of the upper jacket, whereinthe resistive force generating mechanism includes a fixed portion fixed to the holding member, and an extension portion extending in the column axis direction and having a coupled portion that is coupled to the fixed portion at a predetermined location in the column axis direction,the clamping mechanism clamps the lower jacket to the upper jacket via the supporting member and the extension portion, andthe resistive force generating mechanism further includes a coupling stiffness reducing mechanism that reduces coupling stiffness between the fixed portion and the coupled portion of the extension portion so as to facilitate, when the clamping mechanism clamps the lower jacket to the upper jacket, deflection of the coupled portion of the extension portion relative to the fixed portion in a lateral direction as seen from the column axis direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A first sliding member is held by an upper jacket. A second sliding member includes a fixed portion fixed to the first sliding member, and an extension portion that extends in a column axis direction and that has a coupled portion coupled to the fixed portion at a predetermined location in the column axis direction. The second sliding member being clamped by the clamping mechanism slides relative to a supporting member and a lower jacket during a secondary impact. The second sliding member includes a slit that reduces coupling stiffness between the fixed portion and the coupled portion of the extension portion so as to facilitate, in a clamping state of the clamping mechanism, deflection of the coupled portion of the extension portion relative to the fixed portion in a lateral direction as seen from the column axis direction.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A steering apparatus comprising:
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an upper jacket having a first end in a column axis direction, the first end being coupled to a steering member; a lower jacket slidably fitted externally on a second end of the upper jacket in the column axis direction; a supporting member that is fixed to a vehicle body and that supports the lower jacket; a clamping mechanism that holds the upper jacket in a position relative to the lower jacket by clamping the lower jacket to the upper jacket; a holding member held by the upper jacket; and a resistive force generating mechanism that is movable together with the holding member in the column axis direction and that slides, when the upper jacket moves relative to the lower jacket during a secondary impact, relative to at least one of the supporting member and the lower jacket so as to generate a resistive force against movement of the upper jacket, wherein the resistive force generating mechanism includes a fixed portion fixed to the holding member, and an extension portion extending in the column axis direction and having a coupled portion that is coupled to the fixed portion at a predetermined location in the column axis direction, the clamping mechanism clamps the lower jacket to the upper jacket via the supporting member and the extension portion, and the resistive force generating mechanism further includes a coupling stiffness reducing mechanism that reduces coupling stiffness between the fixed portion and the coupled portion of the extension portion so as to facilitate, when the clamping mechanism clamps the lower jacket to the upper jacket, deflection of the coupled portion of the extension portion relative to the fixed portion in a lateral direction as seen from the column axis direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification