# US 8,540,280 B2 · Steering apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,280 B2 - Document ID: US8540280B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/520,576 - Filed: 2012-03-15 - Published: 2012-12-20 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-18 - Assignees: Nsk Ltd. - Applicants: Toru Ishii; Takahiro Tanaka - Inventors: Toru Ishii; Takahiro Tanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540280B2 ## CPC - B62D 1/195: {Yieldable supports for the steering column} - B60R 21/09: Control elements or operating handles movable from an operative to an out-of-the way position, e.g. {pedals,} switch knobs, window cranks {(specially adapted for brake pedals, e.g. by venting of master cylinder or destruction of force transmitting rod, B60T7/065)} - 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) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A steering apparatus has a column 46, a column 42 fitted to the column 46 and able to make collapsing movement or move, a bracket 21 attached to a vehicle body in such a way that it can be detached with the column 42 by an impact force of a secondary collision, a guide bracket 61 fixed to the column 46 and having a guide groove 63, and a pin 71 fixed to the bracket 21 and movable with the bracket 21 while being guided by the guide groove 63. The guide bracket 61 has a flat plate portion 61d that is not contact with the bracket 21. A guide groove 63 is provided in the flat plate portion 61d. The pin 71 has a head portion 713 at the top having a diameter larger than its shaft portion. The apparatus has a gap setting portion that is in abutment with the upper surface of the bracket 21 when the pin 71 is fixed to the bracket 21 to set the distance between the lower surface of the head portion 713 and the upper surface of the bracket 21 to a predetermined value. Thus, there is provided a steering apparatus in which the detaching force upon detachment of the column 42 in the forward direction with respect to the vehicle body by the impact force of a secondary collision can be adjusted accurately with an easy detaching force adjusting operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering apparatus comprising: a lower column that can be fixed to a vehicle body by its front side with respect to the vehicle body; an upper column that is fitted to said lower column in such a way as to be able to make collapsing movement or move frontward with respect to the vehicle body and rotatably supports a steering shaft on which a steering wheel is attached; an upper bracket that can be attached to the vehicle body in such a way that it can be detached forward with respect to the vehicle body together with said upper column by an impact force upon a secondary collision; a guide bracket that is fixed to said lower column by its front side with respect to the vehicle body, extends rearward with respect to the vehicle body along said lower column, and has a guide groove that guides the collapsing movement of said upper column upon a secondary collision; and a guide pin that is fixed to said upper bracket and can move with the upper bracket with the outer circumferential surface of its shaft portion being guided by said guide groove, wherein said guide bracket has a flat plate portion that is not in contact with said upper bracket, said flat plate portion being provided with said guide groove, said guide pin has a head portion provided on top of the shaft portion of the guide pin and having a diameter larger than the shaft portion, and the steering apparatus comprises a gap setting portion that is in abutment with an upper surface of said upper bracket when said guide pin is fixed to said upper bracket to set the length of a gap between a lower surface of said head portion and an upper surface of the upper bracket to a predetermined value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A steering apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a spacer made of a synthetic resin that is externally fitted on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion of the guide pin and can make collapsing movement or move with its outer circumferential surface being in contact with said guide groove, wherein the outer circumferential surface of said spacer is provided on a cylinder portion that can make collapsing movement or move while being in contact with said guide groove. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the outer circumferential surface of said spacer is provided with two flat portions parallel to each other that can make collapsing movement or move while being in contact with said guide groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A steering apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A steering apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a flange portion provided at the top of said spacer and having a diameter larger than the outer circumference of the spacer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A steering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the flange portion of said spacer has a disk-like shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A steering apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A steering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the flange portion of said spacer has a rectangular shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A steering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) A steering apparatus according to claim 5, comprising a projection that is provided on an upper surface of said flange portion in such a way as to project upward with respect to the vehicle body and can be plastically deformed when pressed by a lower surface of said head portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A steering apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cross sectional area of said projection of said flange portion on a plane perpendicular to a center axis of said spacer decreases upward with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A steering apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A steering apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) A steering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) A steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said gap setting portion is a shoulder surface that is integral with the shaft portion of said guide pin, and the distance between the lower surface of said head portion and said shoulder surface along the center axis of said guide pin is larger than the length of said spacer along the center axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) A steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said gap setting portion comprises a hollow cylindrical sleeve that is externally fitted on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion of said guide pin and has an outer circumferential surface on which said spacer is externally fitted, and the length of said sleeve along its center axis is larger than the length of said spacer along its center axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) A steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side, with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the groove width of said guide groove at its front side with respect to the vehicle body is larger than the groove width of the guide groove at its rear end with respect to the vehicle body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A steering apparatus according to claim 18, a circumferential edge of said guide groove of said guide bracket is raised by burring.