# US 11,993,303 B2 · Steering device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,303 B2 - Document ID: US11993303B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/915,938 - Filed: 2021-03-25 - Published: 2023-05-11 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-30 - Assignees: Nsk Ltd. - Applicants: Nsk Ltd. - Inventors: Tomohiro Ikuta; Yoshiyuki Sato; Suguru Sugishita; Hirotaka Shimizu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993303B2 ## CPC - B62D 1/185: adjustable by axial displacement, e.g. telescopically (B62D1/183, B62D1/187, B62D1/19 take precedence) - B62D 1/184: Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions - B62D 5/0409: {Electric motor acting on the steering column} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A steering device includes a telescopic steering shaft that extends in a first direction, and a cylindrical outer steering column that rotatably supports the steering shaft. The steering column includes a lower column and an upper column having one end slidably attached to the lower column and the other end on which a bearing that supports the steering shaft is provided. The upper column includes a clamp that is externally slidably fitted to the lower column and that has a slit extending in the first direction, and a cylindrical part that has a cylindrical shape and that has one end continuous with the clamp and the other end blocked by the bearing being internally fitted. The cylindrical part has an air hole that is spaced apart from the one end of the cylindrical part and that penetrates an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering device comprising: a telescopic steering shaft that extends in a first direction; and a cylindrical outer steering column that rotatably supports the steering shaft, wherein the steering column includes a lower column, and an upper column having one end that is slidably attached to the lower column and another end on which a bearing that supports the steering shaft is provided, the upper column includes a clamp that is externally slidably fitted to the lower column and that has a slit extending in the first direction, and a cylindrical part that has a cylindrical shape and that has one end continuous with the clamp and another end blocked by the bearing being internally fitted, the cylindrical part has an air hole that is spaced apart from the one end of the cylindrical part and that penetrates an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part, in a state where the steering shaft is shortened, the lower column and the air hole overlap in a direction orthogonal to the first direction, the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part includes a first inner diameter part that is capable of being brought into slide-contact with an outer peripheral surface of the lower column, and a second inner diameter part having an inner diameter larger than that of the first inner diameter part, and the air hole penetrates the second inner diameter part. ### Claim 2 A steering device comprising: a telescopic steering shaft that extends in a first direction; a cylindrical outer steering column that rotatably supports the steering shaft; a bracket including a first side plate and a second side plate that sandwich thea clamp from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a fastening mechanism that has a fastening shaft penetrating the first side plate and the second side plate to fasten the first side plate and the second side plate, wherein the steering column includes a lower column, and an upper column having one end that is slidably attached to the lower column and another end on which a bearing that supports the steering shaft is provided, the upper column includes the clamp that is externally slidably fitted to the lower column and that has a slit extending in the first direction, and a cylindrical part that has a cylindrical shape and that has one end continuous with the clamp and another end blocked by the bearing being internally fitted, the cylindrical part has an air hole that is spaced apart from the one end of the cylindrical part and that penetrates an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part, the upper column includes a pair of protrusions between which the slit is interposed, the protrusions protruding radially outward from the clamp and being pressed by the first side plate and the second side plate during fastening with the fastening mechanism, the pair of protrusions has long grooves into which the fastening shaft is inserted, and a penetration direction of the air hole is parallel to a penetration direction of the long grooves. ### Claim 3 A steering device comprising: a telescopic steering shaft that extends in a first direction; and a cylindrical outer steering column that rotatably supports the steering shaft, wherein the steering column includes a lower column, and an upper column having one end that is slidably attached to the lower column and another end on which a bearing that supports the steering shaft is provided, the lower column includes a cylindrical part that has a cylindrical shape, and a clamp that protrudes from one end of the cylindrical part, that is externally slidably fitted to the upper column, and that has a slit extending in the first direction, the cylindrical part has an air hole that is spaced apart from the one end of the cylindrical part and that penetrates an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part, in a state where the steering shaft is shortened, the upper column and the air hole overlap in a direction orthogonal to the first direction, the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part includes a first inner diameter part that is capable of being brought into slide-contact with an outer peripheral surface of the upper column, and a second inner diameter part having an inner diameter larger than that of the first inner diameter part, and the air hole penetrates the second inner diameter part.