阅读说明：本技术 用于车辆的转向柱 (Steering column for vehicle ) 是由 卢炳佑 于 2019-06-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于车辆的转向柱,所述转向柱可以包括：下柱；以及上柱,其中,所述上柱的下端部装配到下柱中以与下柱可滑动地重叠,所述上柱的上端部联接接到方向盘,其中,所述上柱可以包括引导槽,所述引导槽在与在碰撞中产生的碰撞力的施加方向相同的方向上延伸,并且其中,倾斜螺栓设置成延伸穿过引导槽。(The present invention relates to a steering column for a vehicle, which may include: column descending; and an upper column, wherein a lower end portion of the upper column is fitted into the lower column to slidably overlap with the lower column, and an upper end portion of the upper column is coupled to the steering wheel, wherein the upper column may include a guide groove extending in the same direction as an application direction of a collision force generated in a collision, and wherein a tilt bolt is provided to extend through the guide groove.)

1. A steering column for a vehicle, the steering column comprising:

column descending; and

the upper part of the column is provided with a column,

wherein a lower end portion of the upper column is fitted into the lower column to slidably overlap with the lower column, an upper end portion of the upper column is coupled to a steering wheel,

the upper pillar includes a guide groove extending in the same direction as a direction in which a collision force generated at the time of a vehicle collision is applied,

the tilt bolt is provided to extend through the guide groove.

2. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein a longitudinal axis of the guide groove is positioned to extend in a front-rear horizontal direction,

the longitudinal axis of the upper column is positioned to be inclined at a predetermined acute angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide groove.

3. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a remote guide coupled with the tilt bolt and coming into contact with the guide groove to guide the upper pillar in a collapsing direction upon a vehicle collision.

4. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein a longitudinal axis of the guide groove is positioned to extend in a front-rear horizontal direction,

the longitudinal axis of the upper column is positioned to be inclined at a predetermined acute angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide groove.

5. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the tilt bolt extends through the remote guide and is integrally coupled to the remote guide,

the remote guide has at least one flat region that comes into contact with at least one of the upper and lower inner surfaces of the guide slot.

6. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein contact is continuously maintained between at least one of the upper and lower inner surfaces of the guide slot and the at least one flat region of the remote guide when the remote guide is pressed during movement of the upper post in the collapsing direction.

7. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the remote guide is made of a plastic material.

8. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the plate is coupled to the at least one flat region of the remote guide to be positioned between the remote guide and the guide slot.

9. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 8,

wherein the plate is made of the same material as the upper column.

10. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 9,

wherein the plate and the upper column are made of aluminum.

11. A steering column for a vehicle includes a lower column and an upper column,

wherein a direction in which a collision force generated when a driver collides with a steering wheel in a vehicle collision is applied coincides with a collapse direction in which an upper column moves toward a lower column due to the collision force.

12. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein a direction in which the collision force is applied and a collapsing direction of the steering column are forward horizontal directions of the steering column.

13. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein the upper column includes a guide groove formed to extend in a front-rear horizontal direction,

a tilt bolt is provided to extend through the guide slot, a remote guide is coupled to the tilt bolt and is in contact with the guide slot,

the upper column moves in a collapsing direction in a front-rear horizontal direction in a state where the guide groove and the remote guide contact each other at the time of a vehicle collision.

14. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 13,

wherein a longitudinal axis of the guide groove is positioned to extend in a front-rear horizontal direction,

the longitudinal axis of the upper column is positioned to be inclined at a predetermined acute angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide groove.

15. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 13,

wherein the remote guide has at least one flat region that comes into contact with at least one of the upper and lower inner surfaces of the guide groove.

16. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 15,

wherein contact is continuously maintained between at least one of the upper and lower inner surfaces of the guide slot and the at least one flat region of the remote guide when the remote guide is pressed during movement of the upper post in the collapsing direction.

17. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 16,

wherein the remote guide is made of a plastic material.

18. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 16,

wherein the plate is coupled to the at least one flat region of the remote guide to be positioned between the remote guide and the guide slot.

19. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 18,

wherein the plate is made of the same material as the upper column.

20. The steering column for a vehicle according to claim 19,

wherein the plate and the upper column are made of aluminum.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a steering column for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a steering column for a vehicle, in which a direction in which a collision force is applied to the steering column in the event of a collision is set to coincide with a collapsing direction of the steering column, thereby enabling the steering column to collapse smoothly at an early stage of the collision.

Background

Generally, a steering column for a vehicle is configured such that a steering wheel is mounted on an upper end portion of the steering column, and a gear box is connected to a lower end portion of the steering column to transmit steering force from a driver to two wheels.

Further, the steering column is basically provided with an impact absorbing function, which is satisfied such that the steering column is divided into upper and lower portions, thereby shortening the total length of the steering column to absorb an impact and thus reducing injury to a driver when the driver collides with the steering wheel in the event of a collision.

In other words, when the upper body of the driver collides with the steering wheel due to an impact generated at the time of collision, the upper column moves toward the lower column, thereby shortening the total length of the steering column. The shortening action of the steering column absorbs the impact generated when the upper body of the driver collides with the steering wheel, reducing the injury to the driver.

In the conventional steering column, since the direction of the collision force generated by the collision of the upper body of the driver with the steering wheel is not in agreement with the direction in which the steering column collapses (contraction direction) due to the collision force, smooth collapse of the steering column is not achieved at the early stage of the collision, exacerbating the injury to the driver.

In the event of a collision, the upper body of the driver moves forward in the horizontal direction, and collides with the steering wheel due to the inertial force, so the collision force applied to the steering column is directed in the forward horizontal direction thereof.

The steering column is oriented in the front-rear direction such that the front portion thereof is positioned at a lower level and the rear portion thereof facing the driver is positioned at a higher level. Thus, the collapsing direction of the steering column is forward and downward inclined.

Therefore, since the direction of the collision force applied to the steering column, which is directed forward in its horizontal direction, does not coincide with the forward and downward inclined collapse directions of the steering column, smooth collapse of the steering column is not achieved at an early stage of the collision, so that driver injury due to the steering column is aggravated.

Further, since the direction of the collision force applied to the steering column and the collapsing direction of the steering column do not coincide with each other, a jamming phenomenon between components of the steering column occurs during the collapsing of the steering column, and thus, durability of the components is deteriorated due to the jamming phenomenon occurring between the components.

The information disclosed in this background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Disclosure of Invention

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide a steering column for a vehicle, in which a collision force generated when an upper body of a driver collides with a steering wheel in the event of a collision is applied in a direction consistent with a direction in which the steering column is collapsed due to the collision force, so that the upper column can be smoothly collapsed in an early stage of the collision, thereby preventing the driver from being injured more seriously due to the steering column.

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide a steering column for a vehicle configured to prevent a jamming phenomenon occurring between components forming the steering column when the upper column moves in a collapsing direction thereof, and to increase durability of the components by aligning a direction of a collision force with the collapsing direction of the upper column.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a steering column for a vehicle, which is configured to effectively disperse an impact in a collision.

In various aspects of the present invention, a steering column for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a lower column into which a lower end portion of the upper column is fitted to slidably overlap with the lower column, an upper end portion of the upper column being coupled to a steering wheel, the upper column including a guide groove extending in the same direction as an application direction of a collision force generated in a collision situation, and an inclined bolt provided to extend through the guide groove.

The steering column may further include a remote guide (teleguide) coupled with the tilt bolt and contacting the guide groove forming surface to guide the upper column in the collapsing direction at an early stage of the collision.

The tilt bolt may extend through and be integrally coupled to the remote guide, and the remote guide may have flat regions that are in surface contact with upper and lower inner surfaces of the guide slot, respectively.

Even when the remote guide is pressed during the movement of the upper column in the collapsing direction thereof, surface contact can be continuously maintained between the upper and lower inner surfaces of the guide groove and the flat region of the remote guide.

The remote guide may be made of a plastic material to reduce weight and friction with the guide slot.

The remote guide may be made of a plastic material to reduce weight, and a thin plate made of aluminum, which is the same material as the upper post, may be coupled to the flat region of the remote guide to reduce friction with the guide groove.

In various aspects of the present invention, a steering column for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a lower column and an upper column, wherein a collision force generated when a driver collides with a steering wheel is applied in a direction coinciding with a collapse direction in which the upper column moves toward the lower column due to the collision force at an early stage of the collision.

Either one of the direction in which the collision force is applied and the collapsing direction of the steering column may be the forward horizontal direction of the steering column.

The upper column may have a guide groove formed to extend in a front-to-rear horizontal direction thereof, wherein the tilt bolt may extend through the guide groove, and the remote guide may be coupled to the tilt bolt and may be in surface contact with the guide groove; in a state where the guide groove and the remote guide are in surface contact with each other at an early stage of the collision, the upper column may move in a collapsing direction thereof, which is a front-rear horizontal direction thereof.

As can be seen from the above description, since the steering column according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the guide groove formed in the upper column extends in the same direction as the direction of the collision force, so that the direction of the collision force coincides with the collapsing direction of the upper column, it is possible to eliminate a phenomenon in which the remote guide is stuck in the guide groove at an early stage of the collision, thereby enabling the upper column to move more smoothly in the collapsing direction. As a result, there is an advantage in that the driver injury due to the steering column is prevented from progressing in the event of a collision.

Further, the present invention is configured such that: by making the direction of the collision force coincide with the collapse direction, a phenomenon in which the remote guide is stuck in the guide groove when the upper column moves in the collapse direction is prevented, thereby providing an advantage of improving the durability of the component.

Various aspects of the present invention aim to provide the advantage that a smoother movement of the upper column in the collapsing direction is achieved at an early stage of the collision by surface contact between the guide groove and the remote guide. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an advantage that an upper column can be smoothly moved in a collapsing direction by surface contact between a guide groove and a remote guide even when a direction of a collision force is not consistent with the collapsing direction due to the collision.

Other features and advantages of the methods and apparatus of the present invention will be more particularly apparent from or elucidated with reference to the drawings described herein, and subsequently, described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which serve to explain certain principles of the invention.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a steering column according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which the direction of collision force coincides with the direction of collapse of the steering column;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the upper column shown in FIG. 1, with a guide slot formed therein;

FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG. 2;

fig. 4 and 5 are views illustrating a remote guide according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

It is to be understood that the appended drawings are not to scale, showing a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the invention disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular application and environment of use contemplated.

In the drawings, reference numerals refer to identical or equivalent parts of the invention throughout the several views of the drawings.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only these exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Hereinafter, a steering column according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in fig. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, a steering column according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a lower column 10 and an upper column 20.

The lower end of the lower column 10 is connected to the gear box, and the upper end of the lower column 10 is fitted to the lower end of the upper column 20 to overlap with the lower end. The upper end of the upper column 20 is connected to a steering wheel 30.

In the event of a collision, the upper body of the driver 1 collides with the steering wheel 30 due to inertial force. The upper column 20 moves in the collapsing direction M1 toward the lower column 10 due to the collision force F1 caused by the collision of the upper body of the driver 1 with the steering wheel 30, shortening the total length of the steering column. By the shortening action of the steering column, the impact generated when the upper body of the driver 1 collides with the steering wheel 30 is absorbed, thereby reducing the injury to the driver.

Since a structure configured to shorten the length of the steering column in the event of a collision is well known in the art, a description thereof will be omitted.

The exemplary embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the direction in which the collision force F1 (which is generated by the collision of the upper body of the driver 1 with the steering wheel 30) is applied coincides with the collapse direction M1 in which the upper column 20 is moved toward the lower column 10 due to the collision force F1 in the collapse direction M1.

To achieve the present structure, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a guide groove 21 is formed in the upper column 20, and the tilt bolt 40 extends through the guide groove 21. In the present structure, the present invention is characterized in that the guide groove 21 extends in the same direction as the direction in which the collision force F1 is applied, and in that the remote guide 50 coupled to the tilt bolt 40 is brought into surface contact with the guide groove 21.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the tilt bolt 40 is connected to the vehicle body such that the guide groove 21 slides on the remote guide 50 coupled to the tilt bolt 40.

When an impact force F1 generated by a collision of the upper body of the driver 1 with the steering wheel 30 in the event of a collision is transmitted to the upper column 20, the upper column 20 moves forward in a collapse direction M1, which collapse direction M1 is the same as the direction of the impact force F1 in a state where the remote guide 50 and the guide groove 21 are in surface contact. The remote guide 50 is configured to guide the movement of the upper column 20 in the collapsing direction M1 at an early stage of the collision.

When the guide groove 21 formed in the upper pillar 20 extends in the same direction as the direction of the collision force F1 such that the direction of the collision force F1 coincides with the collapse direction M1 of the upper pillar 20, it is possible to eliminate a phenomenon in which the remote guide 50 is stuck in the guide groove 21 at an early stage of the collision, thereby enabling the upper pillar 20 to move more smoothly in the collapse direction M1. As a result, there is an advantage in that the driver injury due to the steering column is prevented from progressing in the event of a collision.

Further, since it is possible to prevent a phenomenon in which the remote guide 50 is stuck in the guide groove 21 when the upper column 20 moves in the collapse direction M1 by making the direction of the collision force F1 coincide with the collapse direction M1, there is an advantage in that the durability of the components is improved.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the remote guide 50 is in surface contact with the guide groove 21. When the remote guide 50 and the guide groove 21 are configured to come into surface contact with each other in the present manner, the profile of the remote guide 50 is not easily deformed even when the remote guide 50 is pressed during the movement of the upper column 20 in the collapse direction M1. Therefore, the guide groove 21 and the remote guide 50 are continuously maintained in a state of surface contact with each other, so that the upper column 20 can be more smoothly moved in the collapse direction M1 in the early stage of the collision by the surface contact between the guide groove 21 and the remote guide 50.

Further, the surface contact between the guide groove 21 and the remote guide 50 provides an advantage that even when the direction of the collision force F1 does not coincide with the collapse direction M1 due to the collision, smooth movement of the upper column 20 in the collapse direction M1 is achieved.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal axis of the upper column 20 is positioned to be inclined at a predetermined acute angle θ with respect to the longitudinal axis of the guide groove 21, the longitudinal axis of the guide groove 21 being horizontally aligned such that the collapsing direction M1 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide groove 21.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the tilt bolt 40 extends through a central portion of the remote guide 50 having a circular shape, and is integrally formed with the remote guide 50. Since the flat region 51 is formed on each of the upper and lower end portions of the outer peripheral surface of the remote guide 50, the flat regions 51 are brought into surface contact with the upper and lower surfaces 21a and 21b of the guide groove 21, respectively.

The upper column 20 has a guide groove 21 formed therein, the upper column 20 is made of an aluminum material in order to reduce weight and improve durability thereof, and the remote guide 50 is made of a plastic material in order to reduce friction with the guide groove 21. In this case, flat regions 51 formed on the upper and lower end portions of the remote guide 50, which are in surface contact with the upper and lower surfaces 21a and 21b of the guide groove 21, respectively, are configured as shown in fig. 4.

In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the upper post 20 (which has the guide groove 21 formed therein) and the remote guide 50 may be made of an aluminum material and a plastic material as described above, and the thin plate 60 made of an aluminum material, which is the same material as that of the upper post 20, may be coupled to the flat region 51 of the remote guide 50, thereby reducing friction with the guide groove 21, as shown in fig. 5.

As described above, since the steering column according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the guide groove 21 formed in the upper column 20 extends in the same direction as the direction of the collision force F1, thereby aligning the direction of the collision force F1 with the collapse direction M1 of the upper column 20, it is possible to eliminate a phenomenon in which the remote guide 50 is caught in the guide groove 21 at an early stage of a collision, thereby enabling the upper column 20 to move more smoothly in the collapse direction M1. As a result, there is an advantage in that the driver injury due to the steering column is prevented from progressing in the event of a collision.

Further, the present invention is configured such that: by making the direction of the collision force F1 coincide with the collapse direction M1, a phenomenon in which the remote guide 50 is stuck in the guide groove 21 when the upper column 20 moves in the collapse direction M1 is prevented, thereby providing an advantage of improving the durability of the components.

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide an advantage in that the upper column 20 is more smoothly moved in the collapse direction M1 at an early stage of a collision by surface contact between the guide groove 21 and the remote guide 50. Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide an advantage that the upper column 20 can be smoothly moved in the collapse direction M1 by surface contact between the guide groove 21 and the remote guide 50 even when the direction of the collision force F1 does not coincide with the collapse direction M1 due to the collision.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms "above", "below", "inner", "outer", "upper", "lower", "upward", "downward", "front", "rear", "back", "inside", "outside", "inward", "outward", "inside", "outside", "inner", "outer", "forward" and "rearward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. It will be further understood that the term "coupled" or derivatives thereof, refers to both direct and indirect connections.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and its practical application to enable others skilled in the art to make and use various exemplary embodiments of the invention and various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.