Steering column for vehicle

• US 9,428,214 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Mando Corporation (Halla Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mando Corporation
• Inventors: Ku, Sang Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US14/971,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20160176436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/184 Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/195 Yieldable supports for the steering column

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steering column for a vehicle. The steering column of a vehicle includes: an adjusting bolt that passes through tilting guide holes having slot shapes and are formed on opposite sides of a plate bracket, and telescoping guide holes having slot shapes and are formed on opposite sides of a distance bracket; and an impact absorbing member having a hollow pipe shape into which the adjusting bolt is inserted therein, and having tilting impact absorbing parts, which protrude on an outer peripheral surface thereof that are supported by opposite lengthwise ends of the tilting guide hole, and telescoping impact absorbing parts, which protrude on the outer peripheral surface thereof that are supported by opposite lengthwise ends of the telescoping guide hole. The steering column for a vehicle can allow an impact absorbing member no absorb an impact that is generated when an adjusting bolt collides with a tilting guide hole or a telescoping guide hole during a tilting or telescoping operation, thereby improving the operational feeling and reducing operational noise.

Claims

1. A steering column of a vehicle comprising:

an adjusting bolt that passes through tilting guide holes having slot shapes and formed on opposite sides of a plate bracket, and telescoping guide holes having slot shapes and formed on opposite sides of a distance bracket; and

an impact absorbing member having a hollow pipe shape into which the adjusting bolt is inserted therein, and having tilting impact absorbing parts protruding on an outer peripheral surface thereof supported by opposite lengthwise ends of the tilting guide hole and telescoping impact absorbing parts protruding on the outer peripheral surface thereof supported by opposite lengthwise ends of the telescoping guide hole.

2. The steeling column of claim 1, wherein the telescoping impact absorbing parts comprise a first impact absorbing part protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the impact absorbing member towards one lengthwise end of the telescoping guide hole, and a second impact absorbing part protruding towards an opposite lengthwise end of the telescoping guide hole.

3. The steering column of claim 2, wherein the telescoping impact absorbing parts comprise a pair of first bosses protruding from opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the first impact absorbing part is provided, and a pair of second bosses protruding from opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the second impact absorbing part is provided.

4. The steering column of claim 3, wherein recesses that are roundly recessed inwards are provided at connection portions of opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the first impact absorbing part and the first bosses, and connection portions of opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the second impact absorbing part and the second bosses.

5. The steering column of claim 4, wherein the first bosses protrude on an incline from an outer peripheral surface of the first impact absorbing part to face each other circumferentially in order to absorb an impact while being shrunk when making contact with the telescoping guide hole, and the second bosses also protrude on an incline from an outer peripheral surface of the second impact absorbing part to face each other circumferentially so absorb an impact while being shrunk when making contact with the telescoping guide hole.

6. The steering column of claim 5, wherein the first bosses and the second bosses have support portions protruding from inner surfaces of ends connected to the recesses so that when the impact absorbing member makes contact with the telescoping guide hole, the support portions are supported by the first impact absorbing part and the second impact absorbing part while the first bosses and the second bosses are bent inwards.

7. The steering column of claim 1, wherein the impact absorbing member has hollow portions between the bolt insertion hole, into which the adjusting bolt is inserted, and the telescoping impact absorbing parts.

8. The steering column of claim 1, wherein the tilting impact absorbing part comprises a third impact absorbing part protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the impact absorbing member towards one lengthwise end of the tilting guide hole, and a fourth impact absorbing part protruding towards an opposite lengthwise end of the tilting guide hole.

9. The steering column of claim 8, wherein the tilting impact absorbing part comprises a pair of third bosses protruding from opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the third impact absorbing part is provided, and a pair of fourth bosses protruding from opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the fourth impact absorbing part is provided.

10. The steering column of claim 9, wherein recesses that are roundly recessed inwards are provided at connection portions of opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the third impact absorbing part and the third bosses, and connection portions of opposite sides of an outer peripheral surface of the fourth impact absorbing part and the fourth bosses.

11. The steering column of claim 10, wherein the third bosses protrude on an incline from an outer peripheral surface of the third impact absorbing part to face each other circumferentially in order to absorb an impact while being shrunk when making contact with the tilting guide hole, and the fourth bosses also protrude on an incline from an outer peripheral surface of the fourth impact absorbing part to face each other circumferentially in order to absorb an impact while being shrunk when making contact with the tilting guide hole.

12. The steering column of claim 11, wherein the third bosses and the fourth bosses have support portions protruding from inner surfaces of ends connected to the recesses so that when the impact absorbing member makes contact with the tilting guide hole, the support portions are supported by the third impact absorbing part and the fourth impact absorbing part while the third bosses and the fourth bosses are bent inwards.

13. The steering column of claim 1, wherein the impact absorbing member has hollow portions between the bolt insertion hole, into which the adjusting bolt is inserted, and the tilting impact absorbing parts.