Steering apparatus

• US 9,446,783 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NSK Limited
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Ko
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US14/911,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 280/775, 744/92, 744/93
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/185 adjustable by axial displacement, e.g. telescopically B62D1/183, B62D1/187, B62D1/19 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/187 with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering apparatus includes a steering column including a cylindrical outer column and a cylindrical inner column partially inserted into the outer column, and rotatably supporting an input shaft connected to a steering wheel, two telescopic adjustment portions projecting from an outer peripheral surface of the outer column to extend facing each other, the two telescopic adjustment portions each including an elongated hole elongated in an axial direction of the outer column, a rod penetrating the elongated hole, and an urging member provided on an outer peripheral surface of the inner column exposed from a slit provided between the two telescopic adjustment portions on the outer peripheral surface of the outer column, and urging the rod outward in a radial direction of the inner column and being positioned in an opening portion provided in an outer peripheral surface of the inner column.

Claims

1. A steering apparatus comprising:

a steering column including a cylindrical outer column and a cylindrical inner column partially inserted into the outer column, and rotatably supporting an input shaft connected to a steering wheel;

two telescopic adjustment portions projecting from an outer peripheral surface of the outer column to extend facing each other, the two telescopic adjustment portions each including an elongated hole elongated in an axial direction of the outer column;

a rod penetrating the elongated hole; and

an urging member provided on an outer peripheral surface of the inner column exposed from a slit provided between the two telescopic adjustment portions on the outer peripheral surface of the outer column, and urging the rod outward in a radial direction of the inner column,

the urging member being positioned in an opening portion provided in an outer peripheral surface of the inner column.

2. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the urging member includes a spring portion, a fitting portion projecting relative to the spring portion to extend inward in a radial direction of the outer column, and is fitted into the opening portion, and a contact portion projecting from the spring portion to extend in the axial direction of the outer column and making contact with the rod, and the spring portion of the urging member has two leg portions, the two leg portions urge the rod outward in the radial direction of the outer column.

3. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the urging member includes a spring portion, a fitting portion projecting relative to the spring portion to extend inward in a radial direction of the outer column, and is fitted into the opening portion, a contact portion projecting from the spring portion to extend in the axial direction of the outer column and making contact with the rod, and a ring portion, the fitting portion is provided with a stopper portion making contact with a rear side inner wall of the opening portion of the inner column, and the ring portion urges the rod forward in the axial direction of the outer column.

4. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the urging member includes a base portion, a fitting portion projecting from the base portion to extend inward in the radial direction of the outer column, and fitted into the opening portion, and a deformable portion projecting from the base portion to extend in the axial direction of the outer column, held between the rod and the inner column, and elastically deformed.

5. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the urging member is positioned at an equal distance from the two telescopic adjustment portions.