Column unit for an electric power steering apparatus
AssigneeNsk Ltd.
InventorsHiroshi Shibazaki, Tamotsu Waga, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Seiichi Moriyama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electric power steering apparatus capable of being both lightweight and rigid. A lightweight electric power steering apparatus is achieved wherein a gear housing (45) that houses an electric assist mechanism, a lower support bracket (54) for fastening the gear housing (45) to the vehicle body, a sensor housing (56) that houses a torque sensor (57), an outer column (30) of a steering column (6c), and an upper support bracket (59a) for fastening the middle section of the outer column (30) to the vehicle body can all be integrally formed of synthetic resin, improving the strength of the joined sections of these members.
Claims15
A column unit for an electric power steering apparatus configured for installation in a vehicle body defining a forward direction, a vehicle-front side, and a vehicle-rear side, the column unit comprising:
- a steering column comprising an outer column and an inner column, the inner column being located on the vehicle-rear side of the outer column, located inside the outer column, adapted to collapse toward the vehicle-front side during a secondary collision, and having an inside that supports a steering shaft such that the steering shaft can rotate;
- a housing comprising a sensor housing and a gear housing, the sensor housing houses a torque sensor that detects torque acting on the steering shaft, and the gear housing houses part of an electric assist mechanism that applies a specified steering assist force according to a torque value detected by the torque sensor;
- a lower support bracket adapted to fasten the vehicle-front side of the outer column or the housing to the vehicle body;
- and
- an upper support bracket adapted to fasten the vehicle-rear side of the outer column to the vehicle body,
- wherein the gear housing and the outer column are integrally formed of synthetic resin, or the outer column, the lower support bracket and the upper support bracket are integrally formed of synthetic resin.
A column unit for an electric power steering apparatus configured for installation in a vehicle body defining a front/rear direction, an upward direction, a vehicle-front side, a vehicle-rear side, a vehicle-top side, and a vehicle-bottom side, the column unit, comprising:
- a steering column comprising an outer column and an inner column, the outer column being made of synthetic resin, the inner column being located on the vehicle-rear side of the outer column, located inside the outer column, adapted to collapse toward the vehicle-front side during a secondary collision, and having an inside that supports a steering shaft such that the steering shaft can rotate;
- a lower support bracket integrally formed with the vehicle-front side of the outer column or having a portion integrally formed with the vehicle-front side of the outer column so as to protrude in the upward direction toward the vehicle-top side, the lower support bracket comprising a lower installation hole that is parallel with a horizontal axis line that is orthogonal to a center axis of the outer column;
- an upper support bracket formed on the vehicle-rear side of the outer column so as to protrude in the upward direction toward the vehicle-top side, the lower support bracket comprising an upper installation hole that is parallel with a horizontal axis line that is orthogonal to the center axis of the outer column;
- a metal lower installation bolt inserted through the lower installation hole and adapted for fastening the lower support bracket to a metal lower vehicle installation plate fastened to the vehicle body;
- and
- a metal upper installation bolt inserted through the upper installation hole and adapted for fastening the upper support bracket to a metal upper vehicle installation plate fastened to the vehicle body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.