Steering device
AssigneeNsk Ltd.
InventorTakahiro Tanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a steering device having a steering lock device and a telescopic clamp device, the strength of a column in a key-locked state and the force of telescopic clamping are secured. A flange section and ribs are formed between a through hole which a lock pin comes in and leaves and a slit for reducing the inner circumferential diameter of an outer column so as to increase the strength of the outer column. Hence, both the strength of the outer column against the bending moment applied to the lock pin in a key-locked state and the strength of the outer column against telescopic clamping effected by reducing the inner peripheral diameter of the outer column can be secured.
Claims9
A steering device comprising:
- an inner column;
- a hollow cylindrical outer column fitted, axially relatively movably, over the inner column;
- a steering shaft which is axially rotatably supported by the outer column and which can be attached with a steering wheel at a portion thereof toward a vehicle rear side;
- a steering lock device which is attached to the outer column and which causes a lock pin operated by operation of an ignition key to engage the steering shaft so as to lock the steering shaft not to allow the steering shaft to rotate;
- a slit formed to extend over a predetermined length along an axial direction of the outer column;
- a clamp device which can axially relatively immovably clamp the inner column by contracting a diameter of the outer column;
- a through hole formed in the outer column such that the through hole is circumferentially spaced, about an axis of the outer column, from the slit and such that there is a clearance formed between the through hole and an outer peripheral surface of the lock pin;
- and
- a flange section which is formed integrally with an outer peripheral surface portion between the slit and the through hole on the outer column, which projects radially outwardly from the outer peripheral surface portion and to which a housing to accommodate the steering lock device is attached.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.