JPH0712827B2 - Telescopic steering device - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a telescopic steering device in which a steering shaft is extendable and retractable and its length can be adjusted.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, a steering device of an automobile is provided with a so-called tilt mechanism in which the steering wheel tilts in the vertical direction and a so-called telescopic mechanism in which the steering wheel advances and retreats toward the driver side so as to ensure an optimal driving position for the driver. Sometimes.

A conventional telescopic steering device, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-18449, comprises steering shafts that can be inserted into and removed from each other and integrally formed with a pair of shafts that can rotate in the circumferential direction. The column jacket covering the shaft is composed of a fixed jacket and a movable jacket that can be inserted and removed by screws. One of the pair of shafts to which a steering wheel is attached is rotatably supported in the movable jacket in the circumferential direction, and the two shafts are integrally movable in the axial direction. In the structure in which the both are integrally moved in the axial direction, the rotation of the electric motor is transmitted to the movable jacket, and the movable jacket is rotationally driven with respect to the fixed jacket.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, according to the telescopic steering device as described above, the rigidity of the steering column is significantly reduced when the steering shaft on the movable side, which expands and contracts due to the rotation of the movable jacket, is stretched to a great extent. It resonates according to the vehicle body vibration, and there is a possibility that the driver may feel uncomfortable and anxious. That is, the steering shafts are spline-engaged with clearances so that they can be easily moved in the axial direction, while the fixed and movable jackets are screw-engaged with clearances. A kind of telescopic steering device has a so-called loose structure. Also, when one of the steering shafts is fully extended, the length ratio from the tilt center of the bracket to the steering wheel becomes large, so the rigidity of the steering column is slightly reduced compared to the case where it is not fully extended due to the leverage ratio. It depends on things.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a pair of shafts that can be inserted into and removed from each other and that can rotate in the circumferential direction as a unit, and one of the shafts that is axially inserted and rotatably supported, and at the outer periphery of one end. An inner jacket having a threaded portion, a sleeve having a threaded portion that engages with the threaded portion of the inner jacket formed on the inner peripheral surface, and the sleeve is inserted to fix the sleeve rotatably to the bracket. An outer jacket, a driving means fixed to the outer jacket and rotating the sleeve, a pusher capable of contacting the inner jacket through a through hole formed in the outer jacket, and the pusher. The wedge body that presses and urges the inner jacket in a direction perpendicular to the axis, the pusher body and the wedge body are housed, and the wedge body has an inclined surface that is in constant contact with the tapered surface of the wedge body. A cover secured to the over jacket and the wedge body constitutes a telescopic pin poke steering apparatus comprising a bullet machine for presses and biases to the cover.

[Action]

According to the invention, rotation of the sleeve causes the inner jacket to move axially within the outer jacket.
For example, when the sleeve rotates normally, the inner jacket extends outward from the outer jacket, and conversely, when the sleeve rotates in the opposite direction, the inner jacket contracts into the outer jacket. Then, during such axial movement of the inner jacket, the pusher body is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve by the wedge body that bites the inner jacket into the cover with a bullet having a constant biasing force. The inner jacket and the outer jacket are tightly engaged, and the clearance of the threaded portion is reduced so that they are tightly engaged, so that the rigidity of the steering column does not decrease even if the inner jacket is fully extended from the sleeve. Holds constant.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiments. 1 is a vertical side view, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a movable bracket 3 is rotatably mounted on a fixed bracket 1 fixed to the vehicle body via a tilt hinge 2. The movable bracket 3 is provided with a housing 5 connected to the outer jacket 4, and a sleeve 6 is provided inside the housing 5 with bearings 6a, 6a.
It is rotatably inserted through b. 6c and 6d are C
It consists of a ring and an elastic body (rubber), and functions as a stopper for the bearings 6a and 6b. A worm wheel 7 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the sleeve 6, and a screw portion 8 having a predetermined pitch is engraved on the inner peripheral surface thereof. This worm wheel 7
An electric motor 10 such as a geared motor having a worm 9 that engages with is fixed to the housing 5, and the worm 9 is inserted into the housing 5 so as to be engageable with the worm wheel 7. On the other hand, the inner jacket 11 is inserted through the outer jacket 4 in the axial direction.
A threaded portion 12 that is screwed into the threaded portion 8 of the sleeve 6 is formed on the inner end portion of the sleeve 11. Further, a long hole 13 in the axial direction is formed in the inner jacket 11 with a constant length (same as the expansion / contraction length of the steering shaft), and a pin 14 fitted in the long hole 13 has an inner peripheral surface of the outer jacket 4. Is projected on. And
A shaft 15 is axially inserted into the inner jacket 11, and one end of the shaft 15 is a bearing 16 and the other end is a bearing 11a.
Each of them is rotatably supported in the inner jacket 11. The shaft 15 is made of a hollow body, and a steering wheel 17 is inserted at one end, and a shaft 18 made of a solid body is inserted into the other end by spline engagement so as to be axially movable and circumferentially rotatable. The shaft 18 penetrates the outer jacket 4 and the housing 5 and extends to the other side of the movable bracket 3, and the tilt hinge 2 of the fixed bracket 1
It is connected to a universal joint 19 having a trunnion 19a in the vicinity. A steering lower shaft (not shown) is connected to the universal joint 19, and this steering lower shaft is connected to a steering gear (not shown).

On the other hand, a through hole 20 is formed in the outer jacket 4, and a pusher body 21 is inserted into the through hole 20. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this pusher body 21 has a columnar metal which has an arcuate surface 22 which is in pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner jacket 11 at one end and on which a wedge body 23 can be placed. Made of synthetic resin material.
As shown in FIG. 2, the wedge body 23 is housed in a cover 25 having a single roof so that the inclined surface facing the tapered surface 24 is in constant contact with the pusher body 21. The wedge body 23 is provided with an ammunition such as rubber or a spring from the direction orthogonal to the axis of the inner jacket 11.
26 abuts and presses the wedge body 23 against the cover 25. Ammo 26
Is fixed by pressing the stopper 27 into the cover 25 by crimping it together with the cover 25. It is pressed against the inner jacket 11 in the orthogonal direction.

To explain the operation of the above embodiment, in order to move the shaft 15 in the axial direction, the electric motor 10 is rotationally driven to rotate the worm 9, and the worm wheel 7 engaged with the worm 9 is rotated. When the worm wheel 7 rotates, the sleeve 6 rotates within the housing 5 about its axis. Due to the rotation of the sleeve 6, the inner jacket 11 is prevented from rotating by the elongated hole 13 and the pin 14 via the screw portions 8 and 12, and moves in the axial direction. Therefore, the shaft 15 and the inner jacket 11 can be expanded and contracted from the outer jacket 4 as a unit. Therefore, it is possible to freely select the expansion / contraction of the shaft 15 by selecting the forward / reverse rotation of the electric motor 10.
When the rotation of the electric motor 10 is stopped at an appropriate extension / contraction length, the position is fixed, and the steering wheel 17 can be set to the optimum position.

On the other hand, when the inner jacket 11 expands and contracts from the outer jacket 4 as described above, the pusher body 21 is constantly pressed against the inner jacket 11 with a constant pressure, so that the screw portions 8 and 12 in the pressing direction are tight. Since the inner jacket is pressed against the outer jacket while being screwed to reduce the clearance, there is no play even if the shaft 15 is fully extended, and the rigidity is improved. When the inner jacket 11 moves in the axial direction, the pusher body 21
Since it has an ammunition machine 26 that presses the wedge body 23 from a direction orthogonal to the axis of 11, the wedge body 23 does not spring up due to its urging force when the inner jacket 11 slides, and the outer jacket 4 and the inner jacket 4 do not move up. It is unlikely that the problem of slipping out in the gap direction with the jacket 11 will occur.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention described above, the shaft having the steering wheel mounted thereon is adjustable in expansion and contraction, so that the effect as a telescopic steering device can be obtained, and the drawbacks of the conventional telescopic steering device are In order to deal with the decrease in rigidity when the shaft is stretched, the presser body is pressed in the direction orthogonal to the axis of the inner jacket through the ammunition and wedge body, so the inner jacket and outer jacket are closely packed. As a result of the engagement to improve the rigidity, so-called rattling is reduced, so that resonance does not occur in response to vibration of the vehicle body during idling or during high-speed traveling, and thus the driver does not feel discomfort or anxiety. Further, even if a load is input from the steering column to the shaft, the pusher body does not move easily due to the engagement between the wedge body and the cover, so that the rigidity is always maintained and the pushing force of the ammunition is also maintained. Since the size is small, the jackets can be slid smoothly, which is very effective.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a vertical side view, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view. 4 ... Outer jacket, 5 ... Housing, 6 ... Sleeve, 7 ... Worm wheel, 8, 12 ... Screw part, 9 ... Worm, 10 ... Electric motor, 11 ... Inner jacket, 13 ... Long hole, 14 ... Pin, 15, 18 ... Shaft, 17 ... Steering wheel, 20 ... Through hole, 21 ... Pusher body, 23 ... Wedge body, 25 ... Cover, 26 ... Ammo, 27 ... Stopper.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pair of shafts which can be inserted into and removed from each other and which are integrally rotatable with each other in the circumferential direction, and one of the shafts is axially inserted so as to be rotatably supported, and a screw portion is formed at one outer peripheral portion. An inner jacket, a sleeve having an inner peripheral surface formed with a screw portion to be screwed with a screw portion of the inner jacket, an outer jacket for inserting the sleeve and rotatably fixing the bracket to the bracket, and an outer jacket. A drive unit that is fixed and rotates the sleeve, a pusher body that can come into contact with the inner jacket through a through hole formed in the outer jacket, and a biasing force that pushes the pusher body in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the inner jacket. And a wedge body that accommodates the pusher body and the wedge body, and has an inclined surface that is in constant contact with the tapered surface of the wedge body and is fixed to the outer jacket. Cover and, telescopic pin poke steering apparatus characterized by comprising a bullet machine for pressing biasing said wedge member to said cover.