Steering device

文档序号：1602308 发布日期：2020-01-07 浏览：30次中文

阅读说明：本技术 转向装置 (Steering device ) 是由原田和幸岩川将人原一贵于 2018-03-27 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种转向装置。该转向装置(200)具有设有导向槽部(25)的外柱(10)、具备限位器(300)的内柱(11)、以及用于安装方向盘(101)的转向轴(3),通过使限位器(300)抵接于导向槽部(25)的车辆后方向侧端部,来规定方向盘(101)的伸缩位置的调整范围,其中,限位器(300)具有限位器主体(331)和将限位器主体(331)固定于内柱(11)的紧固构件(332),在限位器主体(331)及内柱(11)分别形成有相互连通并供紧固构件(332)插入的贯通孔(331c、11a)。由此提供容易将限位器安装于内柱的转向装置。(The invention provides a steering device. The steering device (200) comprises an outer column (10) provided with a guide groove part (25), an inner column (11) provided with a stopper (300), and a steering shaft (3) for mounting a steering wheel (101), wherein the stopper (300) is abutted against the end part of the guide groove part (25) on the rear side of the vehicle to define the adjustment range of the telescopic position of the steering wheel (101), the stopper (300) comprises a stopper main body (331) and a fastening member (332) for fixing the stopper main body (331) to the inner column (11), and through holes (331c, 11a) which are communicated with each other and into which the fastening member (332) is inserted are respectively formed in the stopper main body (331) and the inner column (11). Thus, a steering device is provided in which the stopper can be easily attached to the inner column.)

1. A steering device is provided with:

an outer column provided with a guide groove portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction;

an inner column which is provided with a stopper guided by the guide groove portion and is fitted to the outer column so as to be movable in the vehicle longitudinal direction; and

a steering shaft rotatably supported by the outer column and the inner column and having a steering wheel attached thereto,

the stopper abuts against a vehicle rear direction side end portion of the guide groove portion to define an adjustment range of an expansion/contraction position of the steering wheel,

the above-described steering device is characterized in that,

the stopper has a stopper body made of metal or resin and a fastening member for fixing the stopper body to the inner column,

through holes are formed in the stopper body and the inner column, respectively, so as to communicate with each other and allow the fastening member to be inserted thereinto.

2. Steering device according to claim 1,

the stopper further includes a current-carrying member for securing a current-carrying path for grounding the vehicle body,

the energizing member has a through hole that communicates with the through hole of the stopper body and the through hole of the inner column, and into which the fastening member is inserted.

3. Steering device according to claim 2,

the fastening member is a blind rivet.

4. Steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the stopper body is provided with an engaging portion that engages with an engaging hole formed in the inner column.

5. Steering device according to claim 4,

the stopper includes a cover member made of resin and attached to a vehicle rear side end portion of the stopper body.

6. Steering device according to claim 5,

the stopper body is formed with a hole portion for attaching the cover member,

the cover member includes a horizontal portion having a projection portion fitted into the hole portion of the stopper body and sandwiching the stopper body, and a vertical portion having a locking portion locked to the stopper body and extending along a side surface of the stopper body.

7. Steering device according to claim 2,

the stopper body is provided with an engaging portion that engages with an engaging hole formed in the inner column,

and a cover member made of resin and attached to a vehicle rear side end portion of the stopper body,

the stopper body is formed with a hole portion for attaching the cover member,

the energizing member further has a cover member through-hole communicating with the hole of the stopper body,

the cover member includes a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, the horizontal portion includes a protrusion portion fitted into the through hole for the cover member of the current-carrying member and the hole portion of the stopper body and clamps the current-carrying member together with the stopper body, and the vertical portion includes a locking portion locked to the stopper body and extends along a side surface of the stopper body.

8. Steering device according to claim 7,

the through hole and the hole of the stopper body, and the through hole of the energizing member and the through hole for the cover member are formed on the same plane,

the through hole of the energizing member and the through hole of the stopper body have different shapes from the through hole of the cover member of the energizing member and the hole of the stopper body.

9. Steering device according to claim 8,

the fitting hole formed in the inner column is rectangular.

10. Steering device according to claim 9,

the fastening member is a blind rivet,

the energizing member is in contact with the blind rivet and the outer column, which are in contact with the inner column, and secures an energizing path from the inner column to the outer column.

11. Steering device according to claim 3,

the stopper body is provided with a through hole communicating with the through hole formed in the inner column and into which the blind rivet is inserted, and a protrusion pressed into the press-fitting hole formed in the inner column,

the protrusion has a slit formed therein.

12. Steering device according to claim 11,

the front end of the projection is provided with a retaining part engaged with the inner column.

13. Steering device according to claim 11 or 12,

the protrusion has a cylindrical shape.

14. The steering device according to any one of claims 11 to 13,

the stopper body is provided with two of the projections arranged in a vehicle front-rear direction,

the through hole of the stopper body is formed between the two protrusions.

15. Steering device according to any one of claims 11 to 14,

the stopper has a cover member made of resin at least at a vehicle rear side end portion of end portions of the stopper body in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a steering device mounted on an automobile or the like.

Background

A steering device capable of adjusting the telescopic position of a steering wheel (the position in the vehicle longitudinal direction) according to the body shape and driving posture of a driver is provided with a stopper for defining the telescopic adjustment range of an inner column with respect to an outer column and for preventing relative rotation between the outer column and the inner column. A stopper is mounted to an inner column by press-fitting a protrusion formed on the stopper by flanging into a press-fitting hole in the outer peripheral surface of the inner column and fastening the stopper and the inner column with a blind rivet. For example, refer to patent document 1.

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, in the above-described conventional steering device, when the stopper is attached to the inner column, it is difficult to press the protrusion of the stopper into the press-fitting hole of the inner column, and therefore, there is a problem that the attachment work is complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a steering device in which a stopper is easily attached to an inner column.

Means for solving the problems

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a steering device including:

an outer column provided with a guide groove portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction;

an inner column which is provided with a stopper guided by the guide groove portion and is fitted to the outer column so as to be movable in the vehicle longitudinal direction; and

a steering shaft rotatably supported by the outer column and the inner column and having a steering wheel attached thereto,

the stopper abuts against a vehicle rear direction side end portion of the guide groove portion to define an adjustment range of an expansion/contraction position of the steering wheel,

the above-described steering device is characterized in that,

the stopper has a stopper body made of metal or resin and a fastening member for fixing the stopper body to the inner column,

through holes are formed in the stopper body and the inner column, respectively, so as to communicate with each other and allow the fastening member to be inserted thereinto.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a steering device in which a stopper can be easily attached to an inner column.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a steering mechanism using a steering device according to a first and second embodiments of the present application, as viewed from diagonally front.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the steering device of the first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the steering device of the first embodiment of the present application, taken along the line 1A-1A shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view showing an attachment procedure of a movable-side stopper to an inner column in the steering device according to the first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a stopper body of a movable-side stopper in a steering device according to a first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a modification of the stopper body of the movable-side stopper in the steering device according to the first embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a steering device according to a second embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken at the line 2A-2A shown in fig. 7, showing a steering device of a second embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 9 is a view showing an attachment procedure of a movable-side stopper to an inner column in a steering device according to a second embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3A-3A shown in fig. 9, showing one assembly of the stopper main body, the energizing member, and the cover member of the movable-side stopper in the steering device according to the second embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a steering device used in a column assist type electric power steering mechanism of a tilt/telescopic adjustment type (hereinafter simply referred to as a steering mechanism) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description, the positions and directions of the respective members will be described by arrows showing front and rear, left and right, and up and down in the drawings. The direction corresponds to a direction of the vehicle in a state where the steering device is mounted on the vehicle.

(first embodiment)

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a steering mechanism 1 using a steering device 2 according to a first embodiment of the present application, as viewed from diagonally front. As shown in fig. 1, a steering apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment transmits a steering force from a steering wheel 101 from a steering shaft 3 rotatably supported by a steering column and an intermediate shaft 102 to a steering gear 103, and reciprocates a rack shaft, not shown, to the left and right, thereby steering front wheels, not shown, via left and right tie rods 104 coupled to the rack shaft. This is also the case when the steering mechanism 1 uses the steering device 200 of the second embodiment described below.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the steering device 2 of the first embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 2, the steering device 2 includes: a cylindrical outer column 10 of an aluminum alloy die-cast product constituting the intermediate portion; a tilt bracket 12 attached to a vehicle body, not shown, and holding a vehicle rear side portion of the outer column 10; an inner column 11 fitted in the vehicle rear side of the outer column 10; an electric assist mechanism 4 attached to the vehicle front side of the outer column 10; and a steering shaft 3. The steering shaft 3 is rotatably supported by the inner column 11, the outer column 10, and the electric assist mechanism 4, and a steering wheel 101 (not shown in fig. 2) is attached to a vehicle rear side end portion of the steering shaft 3.

The steering column is configured to be axially extendable and retractable by an outer column 10 and an inner column 11. In the outer column 10, a holding cylindrical hole 13 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner column 11 is formed in the axial direction, and the vehicle front side portion of the inner column 11 is internally fitted in the holding cylindrical hole 13.

A resin coating having a low friction coefficient is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the inner column 11 fitted into the holding cylindrical hole 13, and the inner column 11 moves toward the vehicle front side against a small fastening friction force at the time of a secondary collision. A ball bearing 29 is fitted inside the rear end portion of the inner column 11, and the ball bearing 29 rotatably supports an upper steering shaft 62 constituting a vehicle rear side portion of the steering shaft 3.

A pivot boss 22 holding a collar 21 made of steel is formed in a boss hole 22a penetrating in the vehicle left-right direction in an upper front side portion of the housing 5 of the electric assist mechanism 4. The radially outwardly extending front end 10f of the outer column 10 is fixed to the housing 5 by a bolt 56. The electric assist mechanism 4, the outer column 10, the inner column 11, and the steering shaft 3 are rotatably attached to the vehicle body by a pivot bolt, not shown, passing through the pivot boss 22.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the steering device 2 of the first embodiment of the present application, taken along the line 1A-1A shown in fig. 2. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, a guide groove portion 25 is formed in an upper portion of the outer column 10, and the guide groove portion 25 includes a pair of left and right guide walls 23, 24 that protrude upward and extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The upper side (radially outer side) of the guide groove portion 25 on the vehicle rear side is covered with a reinforcement portion 10b that improves the rigidity of the outer column 10. As shown in fig. 2, an opening 10d that penetrates in the radial direction is formed in an upper portion (radially outer portion) of the outer column 10 on the vehicle front side. As shown in fig. 2, a slit portion 26 is formed in a lower portion of the outer column 10, and the slit portion 26 penetrates in the radial direction, extends in the front-rear direction (axial direction), and is open on the rear side.

As shown in fig. 3, a pair of clamp portions 10a, 10a projecting downward are formed at a lower portion of the outer column 10 on the vehicle rear side. A through hole 28 penetrating in the vehicle lateral direction (vehicle width direction) is bored in the pair of clamp portions 10a, 10 a.

A fastening bolt 81 of a fastening mechanism 80 for tilt and telescopic adjustment described below is inserted through the through hole 28. The fastening portion 10g of the outer column 10 to which the inner column 11 is fastened by the fastening mechanism 80 extends further toward the vehicle rear side than the clamp portion 10 a. A deformation inhibiting portion 10c (see fig. 2) having a substantially U-shaped configuration as viewed in the axial direction is integrally formed at the lower end of the fastening portion 10g extending toward the vehicle rear side. The deformation inhibiting portion 10c increases the rigidity of the vehicle rear side portion of the fastening portion 10g, thereby preventing the vehicle rear side portion of the fastening portion 10g from being deformed excessively more than the vehicle front side portion when the fastening portion 10g is fastened by the fastening mechanism 80.

As shown in fig. 2, a movable-side stopper 30, which is described in detail below, is mounted on an upper portion of the inner column 11 on the vehicle front side and is accommodated in the guide groove portion 25 of the outer column 10. Relative rotation of the outer column 10 and the inner column 11 about the center axis of the steering column is prevented by engagement of the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 with the movable side stopper 30.

A fixed-side stopper 10e is formed integrally with the outer column 10 on the vehicle rear side of the guide groove portion 25. After the fixed side stopper 10e is adjusted in the telescopic manner toward the vehicle rear side, the movable side stopper 30 is brought into contact with it, whereby the telescopic adjustment range (indicated by reference numeral "TAr" in fig. 2) on the vehicle rear side is defined (restricted). The fixed-side stopper 10e is not limited to being formed integrally with the outer column 10, and may be formed separately from the outer column 10 and attached to the outer column 10. In this case, the inner column 11 can be inserted into the outer column 10 after the movable-side stopper 30 is attached, and then the fixed-side stopper 10e can be attached to the outer column 10, and the opening 10d formed in the outer column 10 described below is not required.

Fig. 4A is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the movable side stopper 30 in the steering device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 4A, the movable-side stopper 30 is composed of a stopper main body 31, a blind rivet 32 as a fastening member, a current-carrying member 33, and a cover member 34.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the stopper main body 31 of the movable-side stopper 30 in the steering device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 4A and 5, the stopper body 31 is made of a resin harder than the cover member 34, and is formed of a rectangular thick plate member extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. A circular through hole 31a penetrating in the vehicle vertical direction is formed in the center of the stopper body 31. The diameter of the through hole 31a is designed to be slightly larger than the diameter of a rivet body 32b of the blind rivet 32 described below. Circular through holes 31b, 31b penetrating in the vertical direction are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the stopper body 31. The through holes 31a, 31b, and 31b are aligned at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the stopper body 31.

As shown in fig. 5B, cylindrical protrusions 31c, 31c are integrally formed on the lower surface of the stopper body 31, i.e., the surface on the inner column 11 side, so as to communicate with the through holes 31B, and the protrusions 31c, 31c have inner circumferential surfaces concentric with the through holes 31B, 31B and having the same diameter. The protrusion 31c extends parallel to the center axis of the through hole 31a, and has a cylindrical stopper 31d formed by increasing the diameter of the outer peripheral surface by providing a step at the tip thereof. The protrusion 31c has U-shaped slits 31e and 31e cut from the distal end side at two opposite positions.

The total of four slits 31e, and 31e of the protrusions 31c and 31c are located on a straight line passing through the centers of the protrusions 31c and 31c in the longitudinal direction of the stopper body 31. The slits 31e, and 31e are arranged in consideration of the force (load in the vehicle longitudinal direction, load in the rotational direction of the steering shaft 3) received by the movable side stopper 30 in contact with the fixed side stopper 10e and the guide groove portion 25, but are not limited thereto. The shape and number of the slits 31e are not limited to the above example. The length from the lower surface of the stopper body 31 to the stopper portion 31d, that is, the axial length of the protrusion 31c excluding the stopper portion 31d, is designed to be the same as the thickness of the inner column 11.

As shown in fig. 4A and 5A, a step portion 31f for fitting the conductive member 33 is provided at the longitudinal center portion of the stopper body 31.

As shown in fig. 5B, the lower surface of the stopper body 31 is formed into an arc-shaped curved surface so as to be in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 11. In the present invention, the lower surface of the stopper body 31 can be formed in a shape matching the shape of the inner column 11. For example, when the stopper body 31 is attached to a flat portion, such as when the stopper body 31 is attached to the inner column 11 having a polygonal cross section, the lower surface of the stopper body 31 can be made flat.

The blind rivet 32 is a well-known member, and as shown in fig. 4A, includes a cylindrical rivet body 32b having a large-diameter disc-shaped flange 32a integrally formed at an upper end thereof, and a rivet stem 32c inserted into the rivet body 32 b.

As shown in fig. 4A, the current-carrying member 33 is composed of a flat portion 33a extending in the vehicle lateral direction, and bent portions 33b, 33b extending downward from both ends of the flat portion 33a in the vehicle lateral direction, and these portions are integrally formed from a thin plate member of metal having electrical conductivity. That is, the current-carrying member 33 has a shape of "コ", and can be fitted to the step portion 31f of the stopper main body 31. A circular through-hole 33c having the same diameter and diameter as the through-hole 31a is formed in the center of the flat portion 33a of the current-carrying member 33 so as to face the through-hole 31a of the stopper body 31.

As shown in fig. 4A, the cover members 34, 34 are formed of an upper surface portion 34A extending in the vehicle lateral direction, a thick portion 34b extending downward from one end of the upper surface portion 34A in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and thin portions 34c, 34c extending downward from both ends of the upper surface portion 34A in the lateral direction, and they are integrally formed of a resin member.

A cylindrical protrusion, not shown, that fits into the through hole 31b of the stopper body 31 is integrally formed on the lower surface of the upper surface portion 34a of the cover members 34, that is, the surface on the stopper body 31 side. The cover members 34, 34 can be attached to the stopper body 31 by fitting the columnar projections into the through-holes 31b of the stopper body 31, and the both ends of the stopper body 31 in the vehicle longitudinal direction can be protected.

The lower surfaces of the thick portions 34b of the cover members 34, i.e., the surfaces on the inner column 11 side, are formed into arc-shaped curved surfaces so as to be in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 11.

In the present embodiment, the cover member 34 on the vehicle front side of the two cover members 34, 34 may be omitted.

As shown in fig. 4A, a circular through hole 11a having the same diameter and the same diameter as the through hole 31a is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 11 to which the movable-side stopper 30 is attached so as to face the through hole 31a of the stopper body 31, and circular press-fitting holes 11b, 11b concentric with the through holes 31b, 31b are formed so as to face the through holes 31b, 31b of the stopper body 31. In order to press-fit the protrusions 31c, 31c of the stopper body 31 with a predetermined interference, the press- fit holes 11b, 11b are designed to have a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusions 31c, 31 c.

The movable stopper 30 having the above-described structure is attached to the inner column 11 in the following order. Fig. 4B and 4C are views showing an attachment procedure of the movable side stopper 30 to the inner column 11 in the steering device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present application.

The inner column 11 fitted and inserted into the outer column 10 shown in fig. 2 is moved forward in the vehicle, and the through hole 11a and the press-fitting holes 11b and 11b of the inner column 11 are exposed from the opening 10d of the outer column 10.

Sequence 1: the cover members 34, 34 are attached to the vehicle longitudinal direction end portions of the stopper body 31, the energizing member 33 is fitted into the step portion 31f of the stopper body 31, and the blind rivet 32 is inserted into the through hole 33c of the energizing member 33 and the through hole 31a of the stopper body 31 (see fig. 4A and 4B).

Sequence 2: the stopper body 31 is inserted from the opening 10d (see fig. 2) of the outer column 10 and is disposed on the inner column 11 as shown in fig. 4B. At this time, the blind rivet 32 is aligned to the through hole 11a of the inner column 11, and the protrusions 31c and 31c of the stopper body 31 are aligned to the press-fitting holes 11b and 11b of the inner column 11.

Sequence 3: the stopper body 31 and the inner column 11 are fastened by the blind rivet 32 by pulling out the rivet core 32c of the blind rivet 32 from the rivet body 32b toward the vehicle upper side using a rivet tool not shown. Specifically, the rivet core 32c is pulled out upward in the vehicle by the rivet tool, whereby the tip end portion 32d of the rivet core 32c expands the diameter of the lower portion of the rivet body 32b as shown in fig. 3, thereby forming an expanded diameter portion 32 e. Then, along with this, the rivet body 32b contracts in the axial direction (vehicle vertical direction), and the rivet core 32c is broken above the distal end portion 32d and pulled out upward in the vehicle. Thereby, the stopper body 31 and the inner column 11 are fastened by the flange 32a and the enlarged diameter portion 32e of the rivet body 32 b. At this time, since the outer diameter of the rivet body 32b expands, gaps between the rivet body 32b and the through holes 11a of the inner column 11, the through hole 31a of the stopper body 31, and the through hole 33c of the conductive member 33 are eliminated.

When the rivet core 32c of the blind rivet 32 is pulled out by the rivet tool, the stopper body 31 is pressed against the inner column 11 by the force of the pulled-out rivet core 32c, so that the protrusions 31c, 31c of the stopper body 31 are pushed into the press-fitting holes 11b, 11b of the inner column 11, and the retaining portions 31d, 31d of the protrusions 31c, 31c enter the inner column 11 and engage with the inner peripheral surface of the inner column 11 (see fig. 2). In this case, the protrusion 31c is easily elastically deformed by the slits 31e and 31e, so that the press-fitting force, that is, the load required to press-fit the protrusion 31c into the press-fitting hole 11b can be suppressed to be small, and the protrusion can be smoothly and easily press-fitted into the press-fitting hole 11 b.

In summary, as shown in fig. 4C, the mounting of the movable-side stopper 30 to the inner column 11 is completed. According to the above procedure, the blind rivet 32 can be fastened and the protrusions 31c, 31c of the stopper body 31 can be press-fitted into the press-fitting holes 11b, 11b of the inner column 11 at the same time, and the work of attaching the movable-side stopper 30 to the inner column 11 can be performed quickly and easily with a small number of steps. Further, the mounting work can be performed from the outer circumferential surface side of the outer column 11, that is, the work performed on the inner circumferential surface side of the inner column 11 is not required, and the mounting work is easy. Further, since the shapes of the respective constituent members of the movable-side stopper 30 are simple, the assembly work of the above-described procedure 1 is easy. Further, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, since the movable-side stopper 30 (particularly, the stopper body 31 and the stopper body 35 shown in fig. 6 described below) is symmetrical about the center axis of the through hole 31a, it is possible to prevent erroneous attachment to the inner column 11 in the vehicle longitudinal direction when the above-described procedure 2 is performed.

As described above, the movable-side stopper 30 is fixed to the inner column 11 by the blind rivet 32 and the two protrusions 31c and 31 c. Therefore, even when the driver adjusts the telescopic position of the steering wheel, the movable side stopper 30 abuts against the fixed side stopper 10e of the outer column 10 to receive the force (load) in the front-rear direction, or when the driver steers the steering wheel in the key-locked state, the movable side stopper 30 abuts against the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 in the outer column 10 to receive the force in the rotational direction, the state of being fixed to the inner column 11 can be maintained. Therefore, the range of adjustment of the extension and contraction of the inner column 11 with respect to the outer column 10 can be stably restricted and the relative rotation between the outer column 10 and the inner column 11 can be stably prevented. In particular, in the present embodiment, the stopper body 31 of the movable-side stopper 30 is configured such that the retaining portions 31d and 31d of the protrusions 31c and 31c engage with the inner peripheral surface of the inner column 11. Therefore, the protrusions 31c, 31c can be effectively prevented from coming out of the press-fitting holes 11b, 11b of the inner column 11, and the state in which the movable-side stopper 30 is fixed to the inner column 11 can be maintained more stably.

In the above-described conventional steering apparatus, in order to maintain the state in which the stopper is fixed to the inner column by receiving the force in the vehicle longitudinal direction received when the driver adjusts the telescopic position of the steering wheel and the force in the rotational direction received when the driver steers the steering wheel in the key-locked state, as described above, it is necessary to increase the interference between the protrusion of the stopper and the press-in hole of the inner column to make it difficult for the protrusion to come out of the press-in hole. However, since the press-fitting force inevitably becomes large, the inner column receiving the press-fitting force is deformed. Therefore, in order to prevent the deformation of the inner column, it is necessary to thicken the wall of the inner column or to provide a reinforcement portion separately on the inner circumferential surface of the inner column.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, as described above, the projections 31c and 31c of the stopper body 31 are easily elastically deformed by the slits 31e and 31e, and therefore the press-fitting force can be suppressed to be small. Therefore, deformation of the inner column 11 can be prevented without providing a reinforcement portion or the like to the inner column 11. As described above, the protrusions 31c and 31c can be prevented from coming out of the press-fitting holes 11b and 11b of the inner column 11 by the retaining portions 31d and 31d of the protrusions 31c and 31 c. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the interference between the protrusions 31c and the press-fitting holes 11b and 11b, and the press-fitting force can be suppressed to be smaller.

Here, electrical components such as a horn and an airbag are mounted on the steering wheel 101 of the automobile, and the electrical components are often grounded through the vehicle body, and it is necessary to secure an electrical path from the steering wheel 101 to the vehicle body. However, if the inner peripheral surface of the outer column 10 or the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 11 is coated with the low-friction material as described above, it becomes difficult to apply current through the current-applying path via the contact surface where the inner column 11 and the outer column 10 are in contact with each other due to the coating. Further, when the spline fitting portion of the steering shaft 3 is coated with a resin as described later, it becomes difficult to apply current through a current-applying path via the spline fitting portion due to the resin coating.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 3 and 4C, by providing the bent portion 33b of the current-carrying member 33 in the step portion 31f of the stopper main body 31, it is possible to prevent plastic deformation of the bent portion 33b caused by contact between the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 in the outer column 10 and the bent portion 33b of the current-carrying member 33, and to ensure elastic contact between the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 and the bent portion 33b of the current-carrying member 33. Therefore, the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 in the outer column 10 contacts the bent portion 33b of the current-carrying member 33, the flange 32a of the blind rivet 32 contacts the flat portion 33a of the current-carrying member 33, the enlarged diameter portion 32e of the lower end portion of the rivet body 32b in the blind rivet 32 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the inner column 11, or/and the rivet body 32b contacts the surface of the through hole 11a constituting the inner column 11. This enables the inner column 11 and the outer column 10 to be electrically connected, and a current-carrying path for grounding the vehicle body can be secured from the steering wheel 101 to the vehicle body.

As shown in fig. 3, the inclined bracket 12 includes an upper plate, not shown, extending in the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right side plates 72, 73 welded to the lower surface of the upper plate. The upper plate is fastened to the vehicle body with bolts or the like. The distance between the side plates 72, 73 is set slightly larger than the width of the outer column 10 in the vehicle lateral direction in the free state. The side plates 72 and 73 are formed with long holes 72a and 73a for tilt adjustment. The long holes 72a and 73a for tilt adjustment are formed in an arc shape centering on the pivot boss 22.

As shown in fig. 3, a fastening mechanism 80 for performing tilt adjustment and telescopic adjustment of the steering column is provided at a lower portion of the tilt bracket 12. The tilt and telescopic positions are fixed and released by fastening and releasing the fastening bolts 81 inserted from the vehicle left side into the through holes 28 for fastening bolts formed in the clamping portions 10a, 10a of the outer column 10 in accordance with the operation of the user.

As shown in fig. 3, an unillustrated operation lever that is rotated by the operation of the driver, a movable cam 83 that rotates integrally with the operation lever, and a fixed cam 84 whose right end is non-rotatably engaged with the long hole 72a for tilt adjustment are fitted around the fastening bolt 81 between the head portion thereof and the side plate 72 of the tilt bracket 12. An end surface of the fixed cam 84 facing the movable cam 83 is formed with an inclined cam surface having a complementary shape. According to the rotation of the operation lever, the fixed cam 84 and the movable cam 83 approach to each other in an engaged manner to release the fastening of the fastening bolt 81, and move away from each other in a repulsive manner to generate tension in the fastening bolt 81 to perform the fastening.

Between the side plates 72 and 73 of the tilt bracket 12 and the outer column 10, two left and right friction plates 85, whose front ends engage with locking arms extending from a lower stopper 50 (see fig. 2) described below in the vehicle lateral direction, and an intermediate friction plate 86, in which one pair of left and right end plate portions 86a and 86b are sandwiched between the two friction plates 85 on the left and right sides, are fitted over the fastening bolt 81. The friction plate 85 engages with the lower stopper 50 as described above, and increases the friction surface to enhance the holding of the outer column 10 to the inner column 11.

The friction plate 85 is provided with an elongated hole that allows relative movement with the fastening bolt 81 in a state where the fastening by the fastening mechanism 80 is released, and that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction so as to be able to perform telescopic adjustment. The intermediate friction plate 86 has the following shape: a circular hole through which the fastening bolt 81 passes is formed in the center of the square plate-like member, and the pair of left and right end plate portions 86a, 86b that are in surface contact with the friction plate 85 are coupled by the coupling plate portion 86 c.

As shown in fig. 3, a pressing plate 87 and a thrust bearing 88 are fitted to the fastening bolt 81 on the outside of the side plate 73, and they are fastened to other members by a nut 89 screwed to the male thread 81a of the fastening bolt 81.

As shown in fig. 2, a lower stopper 50 of an aluminum alloy die-cast product loosely fitted in the slit portion 26 is attached to the lower surface of the vehicle front side portion of the inner column 11. A cushion holding portion 52 having a substantially L-shaped cross section is formed at the vehicle front end of the lower stopper 50 so as to project downward in the axial direction and cut in the vertical direction, and a cushion block 53 made of rubber is held by the cushion holding portion 52. The cushion block 53 abuts on the front end portion of the slit portion 26, thereby defining the expansion/contraction adjustment range of the inner column 11 toward the vehicle front side (indicated by a symbol "TAf" in fig. 2).

The lower stopper 50 is fixed to the inner column 11 by a pair of resin pins 51, 51 aligned in the vehicle front-rear direction. When a load of a secondary collision is applied to the steering wheel 101, the load is transmitted to the inner column 11 via the upper steering shaft 62, and the inner column 11 is moved forward of the vehicle. On the other hand, the buffer holding portion 52 supported by the friction plate 85 does not move. Therefore, a shearing force is applied to the resin pins 51, and the resin pins 51, 51 are cut. When the resin pins 51 and 51 are cut, the coupling between the inner column 11 and the buffer holding portion 52 is released, and the inner column 11 is in a state in which the axial movement is restricted only by the frictional force generated between the inner column 11 and the outer column 10. Thus, even when the load of the secondary collision is small, the movement of the inner column 11 to the vehicle front side is permitted, and the impact of the secondary collision is alleviated by moving the inner column 11 within the range indicated by the symbol "CP".

As shown in fig. 2, the steering shaft 3 is composed of a lower steering shaft 61 and an upper steering shaft 62 that are spline-coupled to each other in the steering column so as to be capable of telescopic adjustment, and an output shaft 39 that is coupled to the lower steering shaft 61 via a torsion bar 44. The steering shaft 3 is rotatably supported by the above-described ball bearing 29 fitted and inserted into the vehicle rear side portion of the inner column 11 and the ball bearing 37 fitted and inserted into the housing 5 of the electric assist mechanism 4.

The lower steering shaft 61 may be formed by rolling, broaching, or the like using a steel round bar as a material, and a spline 61a is formed on the outer periphery of the rear half in the vehicle longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the upper steering shaft 62 can be formed by drawing, broaching or the like using a steel pipe as a material, and a female spline 62a that fits into the male spline 61a of the lower steering shaft 61 is formed on the inner periphery of the front half in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In order to prevent rattling with respect to the female splines 62a of the upper steering shaft 62, the male splines 61a of the lower steering shaft 61 are coated with a resin. In addition, a coating of a low friction material may be used instead of the resin coating.

A serration 62b to which a protrusion of the steering wheel 101 (not shown in fig. 2) is externally fitted is formed at the vehicle rear end of the upper steering shaft 62.

In the case of the above-described configuration, when the driver rotates the operation lever, not shown, toward the tightening side, the mountain portion of the inclined cam surface of the movable cam 83 rides up the mountain portion of the inclined cam surface of the fixed cam 84 shown in fig. 3, pulling the tightening bolt 81 in the vehicle left direction, while pressing the fixed cam 84 in the vehicle right direction. Thus, the side plates 72 and 73 fasten the clamp portions 10a and 10a of the outer column 10 from the vehicle lateral direction, regulate the movement of the steering column in the tilt direction, and regulate the axial movement of the inner column 11 by the fastening friction force of the outer column 10 to the inner column 11 and the friction force generated by the friction plate 85.

On the other hand, when the driver rotates the operation lever in the release direction, the side plates 72 and 73 of the tilt bracket 12, which have a larger interval than the width of the outer column 10 in the free state, are elastically restored, respectively, as described above. This releases both the restriction of the movement of the outer column 10 in the tilt direction and the restriction of the movement of the inner column 11 in the axial direction, and allows the user to adjust the position of the steering wheel 101.

In this state, as indicated by reference numeral "TAr" in fig. 2, the user can move the steering wheel 101 toward the vehicle rear side by the axial distance formed between the fixed side stopper 10e and the movable side stopper 30 of the outer column 10. When the movable-side stopper 30 reaches a predetermined position (position after rearward movement of "TAr") due to the telescopic adjustment toward the vehicle rear side, the movable-side stopper 30 abuts against the fixed-side stopper 10e to prevent the movement of the steering wheel 101.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the steering device 2 can be realized in which the movable side stopper 30 can be quickly and easily attached to the inner column 11 with a small number of steps while preventing deformation of the inner column 11.

In the steering device 2 of the present embodiment, the stopper body 35 of a modification example described below can be used instead of the stopper body 31 of the movable-side stopper 30. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a modification of the stopper body 31 in the movable-side stopper 30 of the steering device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present application. The same components as those of the stopper body 35 and the stopper body 31 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

The stopper body 35 of the modification shown in fig. 6A and 6B is made of metal, and through holes 31B and cylindrical protrusions 35a and 35a on the lower surface of the stopper body 35 are formed by burring. U-shaped slits 31e, 31e are formed at two positions in the projections 35a, respectively, and the four slits 31e, 31e in total are positioned on a straight line passing through the centers of the projections 35a, 35a in the longitudinal direction of the stopper body 35. In order to press-fit the protrusions 35a, 35a into the press- fit holes 11b, 11b of the inner column 11 with a predetermined interference, the outer diameters of the protrusions 35a, 35a are designed to be larger than the diameters of the press- fit holes 11b, 11 b.

The movable-side stopper 30 including the stopper body 35 having such a structure can be attached to the inner column 11 in the same manner in the above-described procedure. That is, the steering device 2 can be realized in which the movable side stopper 30 can be quickly and easily attached to the inner column 11 with a small number of steps while preventing deformation of the inner column 11. The movable-side stopper 30 to which the stopper body 35 is applied can omit the energizing member 33.

In the above description of the embodiments, the present invention has been specifically described to help understanding of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and modifications, improvements, and the like can be appropriately made.

For example, although the above embodiment is an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a column assist type electric power steering apparatus, the present invention can also be applied to other steering apparatuses such as a rack assist type electric power steering apparatus.

The specific configuration and shape of the movable stopper 30 can be appropriately modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the stopper main body 31 of the movable-side stopper 30 is made of resin, but may be made of metal (made of sintered metal or the like). The stopper main body 35 of the modified example is made of metal, but may be made of resin.

The stopper main body 31 and the cover members 34, 34 of the movable-side stopper 30 are made of resins having different hardness and are independent from each other, but they may be made of the same resin and formed integrally.

The movable-side stopper 30 is fixed to the inner column 11 by one blind rivet 32 and two protrusions 31c and 31c (35a and 35 a). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the movable side stopper 30 may be fixed to the inner column 11 by two or more blind rivets 32 and one or three or more protrusions 31c (35 a).

The shape of the protrusion 31c of the stopper body 31 of the movable-side stopper 30 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be, for example, a cylindrical shape or a prismatic shape. The shape of the stopper portion 31d of the protrusion 31c is not limited to a cylindrical shape. For example, if the outer peripheral surface of the retaining portion 31d is formed as an inclined surface whose diameter decreases toward the distal end, the protrusion 31c can be more easily press-fitted into the press-fitting hole 11b of the inner column 11.

(second embodiment)

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a steering mechanism 1 using a steering device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present application, as viewed from diagonally front. As shown in fig. 1, a steering apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment transmits a steering force from a steering wheel 101 from a steering shaft 3 and an intermediate shaft 102 rotatably supported by a steering column to a steering gear 103, and reciprocates a rack shaft, not shown, to the left and right, thereby steering front wheels, not shown, via left and right tie rods 104 coupled to the rack shaft.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a steering device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present application. Note that the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the steering device 200 according to the second embodiment of the present application shown in fig. 7 and 8. As shown in fig. 7, a steering device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes a movable side stopper 300 instead of the movable side stopper 30 in the first embodiment. As shown in fig. 7, the steering device 200 includes: a cylindrical outer column 10 of an aluminum alloy die-cast product constituting the intermediate portion; a tilt bracket 12 attached to a vehicle body, not shown, and holding a vehicle rear side portion of the outer column 10; an inner column 11 fitted in the vehicle rear side of the outer column 10; an electric assist mechanism 4 attached to the vehicle front side of the outer column 10; and a steering shaft 3. The steering shaft 3 is rotatably supported by the inner column 11, the outer column 10, and the electric assist mechanism 4, and a steering wheel 101 (not shown in fig. 7) is attached to a vehicle rear side end portion of the steering shaft 3.

A pivot boss 22 holding a collar 21 made of steel is formed in a boss hole 22a penetrating in the vehicle left-right direction in an upper front side portion of the housing of the electric assist mechanism 4. The front end 10f of the outer column 10, which extends radially outward, is fixed to the housing by a bolt 56. The electric assist mechanism 4, the outer column 10, the inner column 11, and the steering shaft 3 are rotatably attached to the vehicle body by a pivot bolt, not shown, passing through the pivot boss 22.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken at the line 2A-2A shown in fig. 7, showing the steering device 200 of the second embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 7 and 8, a guide groove portion 25 is formed in an upper portion of the outer column 10, and the guide groove portion 25 includes a pair of left and right guide walls 23, 24 that protrude upward and extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The upper side (radially outer side) of the guide groove portion 25 on the vehicle rear side is covered with a reinforcement portion 10b that improves the rigidity of the outer column 10. As shown in fig. 7, an opening 10d that penetrates in the radial direction is formed in an upper portion (radially outer portion) of the outer column 10 on the vehicle front side. As shown in fig. 7, a slit portion 26 is formed in a lower portion of the outer column 10, and the slit portion 26 penetrates in the radial direction, extends in the front-rear direction (axial direction), and is open on the rear side.

As shown in fig. 8, a pair of clamp portions 10a, 10a projecting downward are formed at a lower portion of the outer column 10 on the vehicle rear side. A through hole 28 penetrating in the vehicle lateral direction (vehicle width direction) is bored in the pair of clamp portions 10a, 10 a.

A fastening bolt 81 of a fastening mechanism 80 for tilt and telescopic adjustment described below is inserted through the through hole 28. The fastening portion 10g of the outer column 10 to which the inner column 11 is fastened by the fastening mechanism 80 extends further toward the vehicle rear side than the clamp portion 10 a. A deformation inhibiting portion 10c (see fig. 7) having a substantially U-shaped configuration as viewed in the axial direction is integrally formed at the lower end of the fastening portion 10g extending toward the vehicle rear side. The deformation inhibiting portion 10c increases the rigidity of the vehicle rear side portion of the fastening portion 10g, thereby preventing the vehicle rear side portion of the fastening portion 10g from being deformed excessively more than the vehicle front side portion when the fastening portion 10g is fastened by the fastening mechanism 80.

As shown in fig. 7, a movable-side stopper 300, which is described in detail below, is mounted on the upper portion of the inner column 11 on the vehicle front side and is housed in the guide groove portion 25 of the outer column 10. Relative rotation of the outer column 10 and the inner column 11 about the center axis of the steering column is prevented by engagement of the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 with the movable-side stopper 300.

A fixed-side stopper 10e is formed integrally with the outer column 10 on the vehicle rear side of the guide groove portion 25. When the fixed side stopper 10e is adjusted in the telescopic manner toward the vehicle rear side, the movable side stopper 300 is brought into contact with it, whereby the telescopic adjustment range (indicated by reference numeral "TAr" in fig. 7) on the vehicle rear side is defined (restricted). The fixed-side stopper 10e is not limited to being formed integrally with the outer column 10, and may be formed separately from the outer column 10 and attached to the outer column 10. In this case, the inner column 11 can be inserted into the outer column 10 after the movable-side stopper 300 is attached, and then the fixed-side stopper 10e can be attached to the outer column 10, and the opening 10d formed in the outer column 10 described below is not required.

Fig. 9A is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a movable side stopper 300 in a steering device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 9A, the movable-side stopper 300 is composed of a stopper main body 331, a blind rivet 332 as a fastening member, a current-carrying member 333, and a cover member 334.

As shown in fig. 9A, the stopper main body 331 is made of metal (specifically, made of carbon steel for machine construction, such as S35C, S45C, S25C, etc. of JIS), and is constituted by a rectangular plate-like member extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The stopper body 331 is formed of a thin plate portion 331a on the vehicle front side and a thick plate portion 331b on the vehicle rear side, and has an L-shape when viewed from the side. The stopper main body 331 may be made of a resin harder than the cover member 334, a resin into which a core metal such as steel is fitted, or another metal such as aluminum.

A circular through hole 331c that penetrates in the vehicle vertical direction is formed in the center of the thin plate portion 331a of the stopper body 331. The diameter of the through hole 331c is designed to be slightly larger than the diameter of a rivet body 332b of the blind rivet 332 described below.

The lower surface of the thin plate portion 331a is formed into an arc-shaped curved surface so as to be in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 11. Further, the lower surface of the thin plate portion 331a can be formed in a shape matching the shape of the inner column 11, similarly to the lower surface of the stopper main body 31 in the first embodiment.

An oblong through hole (elongated hole) 331d having a shape different from (specifically, a circular shape extended from) the shape of the through hole 331c of the thin plate portion 331a is formed in the center of the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper body 331. The through hole 331d penetrates the thick plate portion 331b in the vehicle vertical direction, but may be a recess that does not penetrate.

A groove 331e extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is formed in the center of the lower surface of the thick plate portion 331 b. The groove 331e has a width slightly larger than that of the claw 334d to lock the claw 334d of the cover member 334 described below. Instead of the groove 331e, a recess capable of locking the claw 334d of the cover member 334 may be formed on the vehicle rear side of the lower surface of the thick plate 331 b.

The blind rivet 332 is a well-known member, and as shown in fig. 9A, is composed of a cylindrical rivet body 332b having a large-diameter disc-shaped flange 332a integrally formed at the upper end thereof, and a rivet core 332c inserted into the rivet body 332 b. The tip 332d of the rivet core 332c is spherical and has a shape different from the shape of the tip 32d of the blind rivet 32 according to the first embodiment.

As shown in fig. 9A, the current-carrying member 333 is formed by bending a thin plate member of a metal having conductivity (specifically, stainless steel, for example, SUS304 according to JIS) so as to surround the upper surface and the side surface of the stopper main body 331. Specifically, the energizing member 333 is constituted by a flat portion 333a extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, a bent portion 333b extending downward from a vehicle rear end portion of the flat portion 333a, arm portions 333c, 333c extending forward from both vehicle lateral direction end portions of the bent portion 333b, and claw portions 333d, 333d extending inward in the vehicle lateral direction from vehicle front end portions of the arm portions 333c, 333 c.

The flat portion 333a of the conducting member 333 is formed with through holes 333e and through holes 333f having a shape different from that of the through holes 333e, which are arranged in the vehicle front-rear direction. The through hole 333e is a circular hole facing the through hole 331c of the stopper body 331 and having the same diameter as the through hole 331 c. The through hole 333f is an elongated hole of the same size, concentric with and in the same oval shape as the through hole 331d, facing the through hole 331d of the stopper body 331.

Specifically, the arm portions 333c, 333c of the current-carrying member 333 extend forward from both ends of the bent portion 333b in the vehicle lateral direction so that an angle with the bent portion 333b is greater than 90 degrees. Accordingly, the arm portions 333c, 333c are in a state of spreading outward in the vehicle lateral direction as they go forward in the vehicle, and can function as springs that flex in the vehicle lateral direction. The arm portions 333c, 333c extend from the vehicle rear end portion of the side surface of the stopper main body 331 to the vehicle front end portion, and the length of the arm portions 333c, 333c is sufficiently secured, so that a small spring force can be maintained.

As shown in fig. 9A, the cover member 334 is configured by a horizontal portion 334a extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and a vertical portion 334b extending downward from a vehicle rear end portion of the horizontal portion 334a, and these are integrally formed by a plate-shaped member made of resin (specifically, POM (polyoxymethylene)).

A columnar protrusion 334c having an oblong cross section and fitted into the through hole 333f of the current-carrying member 333 and the through hole 331d of the stopper main body 331 is integrally provided on the lower surface of the horizontal portion 334a of the cover member 334, that is, the surface on the stopper main body 331 side.

A claw portion 334d (see fig. 10) extending toward the vehicle front side and capable of being engaged with the groove portion 331e of the stopper main body 331 is integrally provided at the vehicle lower side end portion of the vertical portion 334b of the cover member 334. As shown in fig. 10, the claw portion 334d has a triangular prism shape extending in the vehicle lateral direction, but may have a shape that can be locked to the groove portion 331e of the stopper main body 331 without being limited to the ground.

As shown in fig. 9A, a circular through hole 11a and a rectangular hole 11c are formed in a row in the vehicle longitudinal direction on the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 11 to which the movable side stopper 300 is attached. The through hole 11a is a circular hole facing the through hole 331c of the thin plate portion 331a of the stopper body 331 and having the same diameter as the through hole 331 c. The rectangular hole 11c is a rectangular through hole (fitting hole) into which the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper body 331 is fitted as a fitting portion. Specifically, as shown in fig. 9C, the rectangular hole 11C is designed to have a size that allows smooth fitting when the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper body 331 is inserted together with the bent portion 333b of the energizing member 333 and the vertical portion 334b of the cover member 334.

The movable stopper 300 having the above-described structure is attached to the inner column 11 in the following procedure. Fig. 9B to 9D are views showing an attachment procedure of the movable side stopper 300 to the inner column 11 in the steering device 200 according to the second embodiment of the present application.

The inner column 11 fitted and inserted into the outer column 10 shown in fig. 7 is moved forward in the vehicle, and the through hole 11a and the rectangular hole 11c of the inner column 11 are exposed from the opening 10d of the outer column 10.

Sequence 1: the energizing member 333 is mounted on the upper portion of the stopper main body 331. The columnar projection 334c of the cover member 334 is inserted into the through hole 333f of the energizing member 333 and the through hole 331d of the stopper main body 331, and the claw portion 334d of the cover member 334 is elastically deformed to be locked (engaged) with the groove portion 331e of the stopper main body 331, thereby attaching the cover member 334 to the stopper main body 331 (see fig. 9A). Thus, the cover member 334 is configured to sandwich the stopper main body 331 and the current-carrying member 333, and therefore the stopper main body 331, the current-carrying member 333, and the cover member 334 can be handled as one assembly (sub ASSY) (see fig. 9B).

Sequence 2: the stopper body 331 is inserted from the opening 10d (see fig. 7) of the outer column 10, and as shown in fig. 9C, the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper body 331 is fitted into the rectangular hole 11C of the inner column 11 together with the vertical portion 334b of the cover member 334. Thus, the through hole 333e of the energizing member 333 and the through hole 331c of the stopper body 331 are aligned to face the through hole 11a of the inner column 11. The blind rivet 332 is inserted into the through hole 333e, the through hole 331C, and the through hole 11a thus aligned (see fig. 9C).

Sequence 3: as in the procedure 3 described in the first embodiment, the rivet core 332C of the blind rivet 332 is pulled out upward in the vehicle from the rivet body 332b by using a rivet tool (not shown), whereby the stopper body 331 and the inner column 11 are fastened by the blind rivet 332 (see fig. 9C). Specifically, the rivet core 332c is pulled out upward in the vehicle by the rivet tool, whereby the tip end 332d of the rivet core 332c expands the diameter of the lower portion of the rivet body 332b to form an expanded diameter portion 332e as shown in fig. 8. Then, along with this, the rivet body 332b contracts in the axial direction (the vehicle vertical direction), and the rivet core 332c is broken above the distal end portion 332d and pulled out upward in the vehicle. Thereby, the stopper body 331 and the inner column 11 are fastened by the flange 332a and the enlarged diameter portion 332e of the rivet body 332 b. At this time, since the rivet main body 332b expands in outer diameter, gaps between the rivet main body 332b and the through holes 11a of the inner column 11, the through hole 331a of the stopper main body 331, and the through hole 333e of the energizing member 333 are eliminated.

As described above, as shown in fig. 9D, the mounting of the movable-side stopper 300 to the inner column 11 is completed. In the movable-side stopper 300, the cover member 334 is disposed on the vehicle rear side, and the blind rivet 332 is disposed on the vehicle front side, which is the opposite side of the cover member 334. According to the above procedure, the operation (press-fitting operation) of press-fitting the protrusion of the stopper into the press-fitting hole of the inner column as in the conventional steering apparatus is not required, and in the procedure 2, the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper body 331 can be easily fitted into the rectangular hole 11c of the inner column 11, and the operation of attaching the movable-side stopper 300 to the inner column 11 can be performed more quickly and easily with a small number of steps. Also, the inner column 11 is not deformed by the press-fitting force.

In addition, in the conventional steering apparatus, when the above-described press-fitting operation is performed, the stopper body is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the inner column in an unstable state. In contrast, according to the above procedure, the stopper body 331 can be arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the inner column 11 in a stable state by fitting the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper body 331 into the rectangular hole 11c of the inner column 11 without the above press-fitting operation. Therefore, in sequence 3, fastening (caulking) of the blind rivet 332 can be stably performed, and incomplete caulking can be prevented.

Further, as in the first embodiment, the work of attaching the movable-side stopper 300 can be performed from the outer circumferential surface side of the outer column 11, that is, the work performed on the inner circumferential surface side of the inner column 11 is not required, and the work of attaching is easy. Further, since the shapes of the respective constituent members of the movable-side stopper 300 are simple, the assembly work of the above-described procedure 1 is easy. As described in the above-mentioned sequence 1, the stopper main body 331, the energizing member 333, and the cover member 334 are formed as one assembly, and therefore, the operation is facilitated particularly in the above-mentioned sequence 2, and the work of fitting the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper main body 331 into the rectangular hole 11c of the inner column 11 is simplified, and the work of attaching the movable-side stopper 300 to the inner column 11 can be performed more quickly and easily.

Further, as described above, by making the through hole 331c of the stopper body 331 and the through hole 333e of the energizing member 333 circular and making the through hole 331d of the stopper body 331 and the through hole 333f of the energizing member 333 oval, that is, by making the shapes of them different, in the above-described procedure 1, it is possible to prevent the columnar projection 334c of the cover member 334 from being erroneously inserted into the through hole 333e of the energizing member 333 and the through hole 331c of the stopper body 331. Therefore, in the above-described steps 2 and 3, the blind rivet 332 can be prevented from being erroneously inserted into the through hole 333f of the energization member 333 and the through hole 331d of the stopper body 331 and fastened. The through-hole 331d of the stopper body 331 and the through-hole 333f of the energizing member 333 are not limited to the oval shape, and may be other shapes such as an oval shape and a rectangular shape, or may be circular shapes having a diameter different from that of the through-hole 331c of the stopper body 331.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the thick plate portion 331b of the stopper body 331 is fitted in the rectangular hole 11c of the inner column 11. Therefore, even if the movable side stopper 300 abuts against the fixed side stopper 10e of the outer column 10 to receive a force in the front-rear direction when the driver adjusts the telescopic position of the steering wheel, or the movable side stopper 300 abuts against the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 in the outer column 10 to receive a force in the rotational direction when the driver steers the steering wheel in the key-locked state, the force can be received by the surface 11d constituting the rectangular hole 11c of the inner column 11, and the state in which the movable side stopper 300 is fixed to the inner column 11 can be maintained. Therefore, the range of adjustment of the extension and contraction of the inner column 11 with respect to the outer column 10 can be stably restricted and the relative rotation between the outer column 10 and the inner column 11 can be stably prevented. Even when the movable side stopper 300 receives a force in the twisting direction (e.g., a force in the rotating direction about the blind rivet 332), it can be received by the surface 11d of the rectangular hole 11c of the inner column 11.

The cover member 334 of the movable-side stopper 300 abuts on the surface 11d (the surface 11d on the vehicle rear side) of the rectangular hole 11c constituting the inner column 11 or faces the surface 11d with a slight gap. Therefore, the claw portion 334d of the cover member 334 locked in the groove portion 331e of the stopper main body 331 can be prevented from being displaced from the groove portion 331e, and as a result, the cover member 334 can be prevented from being displaced from the stopper main body 331.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the energizing member 333 includes the arm portions 333c, 333c that function as springs that flex in the vehicle lateral direction, and the arm portions 333c, 333c elastically contact the inner side surfaces of the guide groove portions 25 of the outer column 10 as shown in fig. 8. Therefore, as shown in fig. 8 and 9D, the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 of the outer column 10 contacts the arm portions 333c, 333c of the conductive member 333, the flange 332a of the blind rivet 332 contacts the flat portion 333a of the conductive member 333, the expanded diameter portion 332e of the lower end portion of the rivet body 332b of the blind rivet 332 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the inner column 11, and/or the rivet body 332b contacts the surface of the through hole 11a constituting the inner column 11. This enables the inner column 11 and the outer column 10 to be electrically connected, and a current-carrying path for grounding the vehicle body can be secured from the steering wheel 101 to the vehicle body.

Further, since the arm portions 333c, 333c of the energizing member 333 function as springs that flex in the vehicle lateral direction, when the driver releases the lever, not shown, for adjusting the telescopic position of the steering wheel 101, or when the driver steers the steering wheel in the key-locked state, rattling noise generated by the movable-side stopper 300 coming into contact with the inner side surface of the guide groove portion 25 of the outer column 10 can be effectively suppressed.

When the driver releases the operation lever, not shown, and adjusts the steering wheel 101 to extend or contract toward the rear of the vehicle, the cover member 334 of the movable-side stopper 300 can effectively suppress rattling noise generated when the movable-side stopper 300 abuts against the fixed-side stopper 10e of the outer column 10. The cover member 34 of the movable-side stopper 30 according to the first embodiment can also achieve the same effect.

As shown in fig. 8, the inclined bracket 12 includes an upper plate, not shown, extending in the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right side plates 72, 73 welded to the lower surface of the upper plate. The upper plate is fixed to the vehicle body with bolts or the like. The distance between the side plates 72, 73 is set slightly larger than the width of the outer column 10 in the vehicle lateral direction in the free state. The side plates 72 and 73 are formed with long holes 72a and 73a for tilt adjustment. The long holes 72a and 73a for tilt adjustment are formed in an arc shape centering on the pivot boss 22.

As shown in fig. 8, a fastening mechanism 80 for performing tilt adjustment and telescopic adjustment of the steering column is provided at a lower portion of the tilt bracket. The fastening mechanism 80 is fastened and released in accordance with the operation of the user by the fastening bolt 81 inserted from the vehicle left side into the through hole 28 for the fastening bolt formed in the clamping portions 10a, 10a of the outer column 10, thereby fixing and releasing the tilt and telescopic positions.

As shown in fig. 8, an unillustrated operation lever that is rotated by the operation of the driver, a movable cam 83 that rotates integrally with the operation lever, and a fixed cam 84 whose right end is non-rotatably engaged with the long hole 72a for tilt adjustment are fitted around the fastening bolt 81 between the head portion thereof and the side plate 72 of the tilt bracket 12. An end surface of the fixed cam 84 facing the movable cam 83 is formed with an inclined cam surface having a complementary shape. According to the rotation of the operation lever, the fixed cam 84 and the movable cam 83 approach to each other in an engaged manner to release the fastening of the fastening bolt 81, and move away from each other in a repulsive manner to generate tension in the fastening bolt 81 to perform the fastening.

Between the side plates 72, 73 of the tilt bracket and the outer column 10, two left and right friction plates 85, whose front ends engage with locking arms extending from a lower stopper 50 (see fig. 7) described below in the vehicle lateral direction, and an intermediate friction plate 86, in which a pair of left and right end plate portions 86a, 86b are sandwiched between the two friction plates 85 on the left and right sides, are fitted over the fastening bolt 81. The friction plate 85 engages with the lower stopper 50 as described above, and increases the friction surface to enhance the holding of the outer column 10 to the inner column 11.

As shown in fig. 8, a pressing plate 87 and a thrust bearing 88 are fitted to the fastening bolt 81 on the outside of the side plate 73, and they are fastened to other members by a nut 89 screwed to the male thread 81a of the fastening bolt 81.

As shown in fig. 7, a lower stopper 50 of an aluminum alloy die-cast product loosely fitted in the slit portion 26 is attached to the lower surface of the vehicle front side portion of the inner column 11. A buffer holding portion 52 having a substantially L-shaped cross section, which is cut in the vertical direction in the axial direction, is formed so as to protrude from the vehicle front end of the lower stopper 50, and a buffer block 53 made of rubber is held by the buffer holding portion 52. The cushion block 53 abuts on the front end portion of the slit portion 26, thereby defining the expansion/contraction adjustment range of the inner column 11 toward the vehicle front side (indicated by a symbol "TAf" in fig. 7).

As shown in fig. 7, the steering shaft 3 is composed of a lower steering shaft 61 and an upper steering shaft 62 that are spline-coupled to each other in the steering column so as to be capable of telescopic adjustment, and an output shaft 39 that is coupled to the lower steering shaft 61 via a torsion bar 44. The steering shaft 3 is rotatably supported by the above-described ball bearing 29 fitted and inserted into the vehicle rear side portion of the inner column 11 and the ball bearing 37 fitted and inserted into the housing of the electric assist mechanism 4.

A serration 62b to which a protrusion of the steering wheel 101 (not shown in fig. 7) is externally fitted is formed at the vehicle rear end of the upper steering shaft 62.

In the case of the above-described configuration, when the driver rotates the operation lever, not shown, toward the tightening side, the mountain portion of the inclined cam surface of the movable cam 83 rides up the mountain portion of the inclined cam surface of the fixed cam 84 shown in fig. 8, pulling the tightening bolt 81 in the vehicle left direction, while pressing the fixed cam 84 in the vehicle right direction. Thus, the side plates 72 and 73 fasten the clamp portions 10a and 10a of the outer column 10 from the vehicle lateral direction, regulate the movement of the steering column in the tilt direction, and regulate the axial movement of the inner column 11 by the fastening friction force of the outer column 10 to the inner column 11 and the friction force generated by the friction plate 85.

In this state, as indicated by reference numeral "TAr" in fig. 7, the user can move the steering wheel 101 toward the vehicle rear side by the axial distance formed between the fixed side stopper 10e and the movable side stopper 300 of the outer column 10. When the movable-side stopper 300 reaches a predetermined position (position after rearward movement of "TAr") by the telescopic adjustment to the vehicle rear side, the movable-side stopper 300 abuts against the fixed-side stopper 10e to prevent the movement of the steering wheel 101.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the steering device 200 can be realized in which the movable-side stopper 300 can be quickly and easily attached to the inner column 11 with a small number of steps while preventing deformation of the inner column 11.

In the present embodiment, the stopper body 331 of the movable-side stopper 300 and the inner column 11 can be fastened using bolts and nuts instead of the blind rivets 332. This is also the same in the first embodiment described above.

Description of the symbols

1-steering mechanism, 2, 200-steering device, 3-steering shaft, 4-electric assist mechanism, 5-housing, 10-outer column, 10 e-fixed side stopper, 11-inner column, 11 a-through hole, 11 b-press-in hole, 12-inclined bracket, 13-holding cylinder hole, 23, 24-guide wall, 25-guide groove portion, 26-slit portion, 28-through hole, 30, 300-movable side stopper, 31, 35, 331-stopper body, 31c, 35 a-protrusion portion, 31 d-disengagement prevention portion, 31 e-slit, 32, 332-blind rivet, 33, 333-energizing member, 34, 334-cover member, 39-output shaft, 44-torsion bar, 50-lower stopper, 61-lower steering shaft, 62-upper steering shaft, 80-fastening mechanism, 81-fastening bolt, 83-movable cam, 84-fixed cam, 85-friction plate, 86-intermediate friction plate, 87-pressing plate, 88-thrust bearing, 89-nut, 101-steering wheel, 102-intermediate shaft, 103-steering gear, 104-tie rod.

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