Steering column device
AssigneeNsk Ltd.
InventorKoji Inoue
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering column apparatus comprising: a steering column provided with a body-side bracket mounted to a body strength member to have a pair of side plate portions opposed each other to be extended in a vertical direction, and a substantially cylindrical distance unit for supporting a steering shaft to be rotatable therein and having a pair of pressed and expanding portions formed to be expanded by plastic working to be pressed and supported by the side plate portions of the body-side bracket; and an adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting a position of the steering column with respect to the side plate portions of the body-side bracket within a predetermined range, wherein the steering column is formed with a reinforcement portion for enhancing the clamping rigidity of the distance unit with respect to the side plate portions.
Claims20
A steering column apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle body-side bracket mounted to a vehicle body member to have a pair of side plate portions opposed each other to be extended in a vertical direction;
- a steering column for supporting a steering shaft to be rotatable therein, the steering column being formed with a distance unit expanded by hydroforming plastic working and having a pair of opposite side portions disposed to be clamped between said side plate portions of said body-side bracket to fix a position of said steering column;
- and
- an adjusting mechanism operable to clamp and release said opposite side portions of said distance unit with respect to said side plate portions of said body-side bracket to permit adjustment of the steering column position,
- wherein said steering column is formed with a reinforcement portion for enhancing clamping rigidity of said distance unit with respect to said side plate portions,
- said reinforcement portion couples said opposite side portions of said distance unit together in at least one of an upper part and lower part of said opposite side portions, and
- said reinforcement portion includes at least one convex streak or concave streak which couples said opposite side portions.
A steering column apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle body-side bracket mounted to a vehicle body member and having a pair of side plate portions opposed each other;
- a steering column having an expanded portion with a pair of opposite side portions disposed to be clamped between said side plate portions of the bodyside bracket to fix a position of said steering column;
- and
- an adjusting mechanism operable to clamp and release said opposite side portions of said expanded portion with respect to said side plate portions of the body-side bracket to permit adjustment of the steering column position,
- wherein an upper wall portion of the steering column between said opposite side portions of said expanded portion is formed with a reinforcement portion which enhances a clamping rigidity of said expanded portion with respect to said side plate portions of the body side bracket,
- said reinforcement portion includes a convex or concave band on said upper wall portion, and
- said band couples said opposite side portions of said expanded portion.
A steering column apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle body-side bracket mounted to a vehicle body member and having a pair of side plate portions opposed each other;
- a steering column having an expanded portion with a pair of opposite side portions disposed to be clamped between said side plate portions of the body-side bracket to fix a position of said steering column;
- and
- an adjusting mechanism operable to clamp and release said opposite side portions of said expanded portion with respect to said side plate portions of the body-side bracket to permit adjustment of the steering column position,
- wherein an upper wall portion of the steering column between said opposite side portions of said expanded portion is formed with a reinforcement portion which enhances a clamping rigidity of said expanded portion with respect to said side plate portions of the body side bracket,
- said upper wall portion of said steering column has an arch-shaped cross-section, and
- said reinforcement portion extends circumferentially of said upper wall portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.