Steering apparatus

• US 8,955,883 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NSK Limited
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Nagase, Masatoshi, Mashimo, Masayoshi, Ishii, Nobuhiro, Takeuchi, Kenji, Ikuta, Tomohiro, Fukuda, Hiroshi, Hibino, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US13/810,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20140182409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 280/775, 280/777, 744/92, 744/93
• US Class Current: 280/775
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/18 yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable padded linings associated with the steering column B60R21/05
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/195 Yieldable supports for the steering column

Abstract

When the guide bracket 61 is fixed to the vehicle-mounting bracket 21 by the guide pin 71, the upper surfaces 24c, 24c of the capsules 24, 24 are in contact with the lower surfaces 61c, 61c of the flange portions 61b, 61b on the guide bracket 61, and the first engaging portions 64, 64 and the second engaging portions 65, 65 engage with the capsules 24, 24. As a result, even before fixing the vehicle-mounting bracket 21 and the guide bracket 61 to the vehicle body 41 by the bolt 22, the guide bracket 61 does not rotate with respect to the vehicle-mounting bracket 21 about the guide pin 71, or move in the forward and rearward direction, or in the vehicle body width direction.

Claims

1. In a steering apparatus comprising:

a steering shaft capable of attaching a steering wheel at rearward end thereof with respect to a vehicle body;

a steering column that rotatably holds the steering shaft inside thereof and moves frontward with respect to the vehicle body upon a secondary collision;

a vehicle-mounting bracket that holds the steering column and moves frontward with respect to the vehicle body together with the steering column while collapsing upon the secondary collision;

a couple of capsules that are disposed in a width direction with respect to the vehicle body, fixed to the vehicle body, and on which the vehicle-mounting bracket is attached so as to hold the vehicle-mounting bracket to the vehicle body, and make the vehicle-mounting bracket detach from the vehicle body while absorbing predetermined impact energy upon the secondary collision;

a fixed bracket that is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket to be fixed to the vehicle body and remained to the vehicle body upon the secondary collision; and

a guide mechanism that guides the movement of the vehicle-mounting bracket upon the secondary collision;

the improvement comprising;

a movement-preventing mechanism that is provided for preventing movement of the fixed bracket attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket, with respect to the vehicle-mounting bracket before fixing the fixed bracket to the vehicle body,

wherein the movement-preventing mechanism includes at least one of the couple of capsules, and an engaging portion that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with said at least one of the couple of capsules, and

wherein said engaging portion includes;

a couple of first engaging portions each of which protrudes downward from in the vicinity of each of end in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body of the rearward end surface of the fixed bracket, and engaged with the rear end surface of the corresponding capsule; and

a couple of second engaging portions each of which protrudes downward from rearward end of each end surface in the width direction of the fixed bracket, and includes a side-surface-width engaging portion engaging with a vehicle-body-width-direction-side of the corresponding capsule and a front-end-surface-engaging portion engaging with a front-end-surface of the same capsule.

2. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide mechanism is composed of a guide pin fixed to the vehicle-mounting bracket, and a guide hole that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with the guide pin slidably in the moving direction of the vehicle-mounting bracket,

the fixed bracket is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket by engaging the guide pin slidably to the guide hole, and

said engaging portion, engaging with said at least one of the capsules, prevents the fixed bracket from moving in the frontward and rearward direction and in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body, and rotating around the guide pin.

3. The steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a chamfered portion is formed between a rear end surface and a lower surface of each capsule.

4. The steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said fixed bracket is formed from a single plate, the couple of second engaging portions comprising downward extending portions extending downward from rearward ends of end surfaces at both sides of the single plate in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body, the side-surface-engaging portions extending forward along vehicle-body-width-direction-side surfaces of the corresponding capsule from the lower ends of the downward extending portions, and front-end-surface-engaging portions bending at a right angle from frontward ends of the side-surface-engaging portions and extending inside in the vehicle-body-width direction.

5. The steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a chamfered portion is formed between a rear end surface and a lower surface of each capsule.

6. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fixed bracket is formed from a single plate, the couple of second engaging portions comprising downward extending portions extending downward from rearward ends of end surface at both sides of the single plate in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body, the corresponding capsule from the lower ends of the downward extending portions, and a front-end-surface-engaging portions bending at a right angle from frontward ends of the side-surface-engaging portions and extending inside in the vehicle-body-width direction.

7. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a chamfered portion is formed between a rear end surface and a lower surface of each capsule.

8. In a steering apparatus comprising:

a steering shaft capable of attaching steering wheel at rearward end thereof with respect to a vehicle body;

a steering column that rotatblv holds the steering shaft inside thereof and moves frontward with respect to the vehicle body upon a secondary collision;

a vehicle-mounting bracket that holds the steering column and moves frontward with respect to th vehicle body together with the steering column while collapsing upon the secondary collision;

a couple capsules that are disposed in a width direction with respect to the vehicle body, fixed to the vehicle body, and on which the vehicle-mounting bracket is attached so as to hold the vehicle-mounting bracket to the vehicle body, and make vehicle-mounting bracket detach from the vehicle body while absorbing predetermined impact energy upon the secondary collision;

a fixed bracket that is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket to be fixed to the vehicle body and remained to the vehicle body upon the secondary collision; and

a guide mechanism that guides the movement of the vehicle-mounting bracket upon the secondary collision;

the improvement comprising;

a movement-preventing mechanism that is provided for preventing movement of the fixed bracket attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket, with respect to the vehicle-mounting bracket before fixing the fixed bracket to the vehicle body,

wherein the movement-preventing mechanism includes at least one of the couple of capsules, and an engaging portion that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with said at least one of the couple of capsules, and

wherein said engaging portion includes;

a couple of first engaging portions each of which protrudes downward from in the vicinity of each end in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body of the rearward end surface of the fixed bracket, and engaged with the rear end surface of the corresponding capsule; and

a couple of second engaging portions each of which protrudes downward from inside in the width direction of the first engaging portion of the rearward end surface of the fixed bracket, and includes a side-surface-engaging portion engaging with a vehicle-body-width-direction-side surface of the corresponding capsule and a front-end-surface-engaging portion engaging with a front-end-surface of the same capsule.

9. The steering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a chamfered portion is formed between a rear end surface and a lower surface of each capsule.

10. The steering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the guide mechanism is composed of a guide pin fixed to the vehicle-mounting bracket, and a guide hole that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with the guide pin slidably in the moving direction of the vehicle-mounting bracket,

the fixed bracket is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket by engaging the guide pin slidably to the guide hole, and

said engaging portion, engaging with said at least one of the capsules, prevents the fixed bracket from moving in the frontward and rearward direction and in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body, and rotating around the guide pin.

11. In a steering apparatus comprising;

a steering shaft capable of attaching a steering wheel at rearward end thereof with respect to a vehicle body;

a steering column that rotably holds the steering shaft inside thereof and moves frontward with respect to the vehicle body upon a secondary collision;

a vehicle-mounting bracket that holds the steering column and moves frontward with respect to the vehicle body together with the steering column while collapsing upon the secondary collision;

a couple of capsules that are disposed in a width direction with respect to the vehicle body, fixed to the vehicle body, and on which the vehicle-mounting bracket is attached so as to hold the vehicle-mounting bracket to the vehicle body, and make the vehicle-mounting bracket detach from the vehicle body while absorbing predetermined impact energy upon the secondary collision;

a fixed bracket that is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket to be fixed to the vehicle body and remained to the vehicle body upon the secondary collision; and

a guide mechanism that guides the movement of the vehicle-mounting bracket upon the secondary collision;

the improvement comprising;

a movement-preventing mechanism that is provided for preventing movement of the fixed bracket attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket, with respect to the vehicle-mounting bracket before fixing the fixed bracket to the vehicle body,

wherein the movement-preventing mechanism includes at least one of the couple of capsules, and an engaging portion that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with said at least one of the couple of capsules, and

wherein said engaging portion includes;

a couple of first engaging portions each of which protrudes downward from in the vicinity of each end in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body of the rearward end surface of the fixed bracket, and engaged with the rear end surface of the corresponding capsule; and

a single second engaging portions which protrudes downward from in the vicinity of one of the couple of first engaging portions of the rearward end surface of the fixed bracket, and includes a side-surface-connecting portion engaging with a vehicle-body-width-direction-side surface of the corresponding capsule and a front-end-surface-engaging portion engaging with a front-end-surface of the same capsule.

12. The steering apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a chamfered portion is formed between a rear end surface and a lower surface of each capsule.

13. The steering apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the guide mechanism is composed of a guide pin fixed to the vehicle-mounting bracket, and a guide hole that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with the guide pin slidably in the moving direction of the vehicle-mounting bracket,

the fixed bracket is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket by engaging the guide pin slidably to the guide hole, and

said engaging portion, engaging with said at least one of the capsules, prevents the fixed bracket from moving in the frontward and rearward direction and in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body, and rotating around the guide pin.

14. In a steering apparatus comprising:

a steering wheel shaft capable of attaching a steering wheel at rearward end thereof with respect to a vehicle body;

a steering column that rotatably holds the steering shaft inside thereof and moves frontward with respect to the vehicle body upon a secondary collision;

a vehicle-mounting bracket that holds the steering column and moves frontward with respect to the vehicle body together with the steering column while collapsing upon the secondary collision;

a couple of capsules that are disposed in a width direction with respect to the vehicle body, fixed to the vehicle body, and on which the vehicle-mounting bracket is attached so as to hold the vehicle-mounting bracket to the vehicle body, and make the vehicle-mounting bracket detach from the vehicle body while absorbing predetermined impact energy upon the secondary collision;

a fixed bracket that is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket to be fixed to the vehicle body and remained to the vehicle body upon the secondary collision; and

a guide mechanism that guides the movement of the vehicle-mounting bracket upon the secondary collision;

the improvement comprising

a movement-preventing mechanism that is provided for preventing movement the fixed bracket attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket, with respect to the vehicle-mounting bracket before fixing the fixed bracket to the vehicle body,

wherein the movement-preventing mechanism includes at least one of the couple of capsules, and an engaging portion that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with said at least one of the couple of capsules,

the guide mechanism is composed of a guide pin fixed to the vehicle-mounting bracket and a hole that is formed on the fixed bracket and engaged with engaged with the guide pin slidably in the moving direction of the vehicle-mounting bracket,

the fixed bracket is attached to the vehicle-mounting bracket by engaging the guide pin slidably to the guide hole,

said engaging portion, engaging with said at least one of the capsules, prevents the fixed bracket from moving in the frontward and rearward direction and in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body, and rotating around the guide pin,

said engaging portion is a protruding portion formed on at least one lower surface among lower surfaces in the vicinity of both side ends in the width direction with respect to the vehicle body of the fixed bracket protruding downward lower than the lower surface, and

a hole for engaging with the protruding portion protruding downward is formed on the capsule.

15. The steering apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said protruding portion protruding downward is formed a cylindrical shape,

an inner circumference of the cylindrical shape forms a bolt hole in which a bolt for attaching the fixed bracket to the vehicle body is inserted, and

the hole on the capsule is a bolt hole in which a bolt for attaching the capsule to the vehicle body is inserted.