# US 9,038,495 B2 · Steering apparatus for vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,495 B2 - Document ID: US9038495B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/626,263 - Filed: 2012-09-25 - Published: 2013-03-28 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-26 - Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Shinya Morinaga; Makoto Toyoda - Inventors: Shinya Morinaga; Makoto Toyoda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038495B2 ## CPC - B62D 1/181: with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory - 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 apparatus for a vehicle includes a main housing formed in a box form provided with a pair of side walls extending in an axial direction of the main housing with an opening between the pair of side walls, and provided with opening portions at opposing ends in the axial direction. The steering apparatus also includes a movable column member formed in a tubular form accommodated in the main housing through one of the opening portions at the opposing ends of the main housing in the axial direction. The steering apparatus further includes a resilient member, which is a plate spring, formed in one piece configured to fix to the main housing at the pair of fixing portions in a state where the pair of thrust portions, via thrust members, are thrusting the movable column member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering apparatus for a vehicle configured to adjust an operation position of a steering wheel at least in a frontward and rearward direction of a vehicle body, comprising: a main housing formed in a box form retained to the vehicle body, provided with a pair of side walls extending in an axial direction of the main housing with an opening between the pair of side walls, and provided with opening portions at opposing ends in the axial direction; a movable column member formed in a tubular form movably supported by the main housing to be movable in the axial direction relative to the main housing, the movable column member accommodated in the main housing through one of the opening portions at the opposing ends of the main housing in the axial direction, the movable column member being connected to the steering wheel; a resilient member formed in one piece provided with a pair of thrust portions thrusting the movable column member at positions separated by a predetermined separation distance in the axial direction and with a pair of fixing portions fixing to end surfaces of the pair of side walls at positions between the pair of thrust portions in the axial direction; and the resilient member configured to fix to the main housing at the pair of fixing portions in a state where the pair of thrust portions are thrusting the movable column member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the movable column member is provided with a first flat surface portion that extends in the axial direction on an exterior surface of the movable column member formed in the tubular form and is arranged in a state where the pair of thrust portions of the resilient member is thrusting the first flat surface portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The steering apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein each of the pair of thrust portions of the resilient member is provided with a thrust member that thrusts the first flat surface portion of the movable column member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The steering apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the resilient member is a plate spring provided with the pair of fixing portions and with the pair of thrust portions, and each of the thrust members is provided with a second flat surface portion that comes in contact with the first flat surface portion of the movable column member, the thrust member provided in a floating support state on the plate spring constantly providing a plane contact of the second flat surface portion with the first flat surface portion of the movable column member independently of a resilient deformation of the plate spring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The steering apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the plate spring is provided with a diamond shape in top view, provided with the pair of fixing portions at a pair of opposing corners of the diamond shape and with the pair of thrust portions at the other pair of opposing corners of the diamond shape, and wherein a bent portion is formed between one of the pair of thrust portions and the pair of fixing portions, and another bent portion is formed between the other one of the pair of thrust portions and the pair of fixing portions, and wherein a level difference is formed between a surface provided with a thrust portion of the pair of thrust portions and another surface provided with the pair of fixing portions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The steering apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the main housing is provided with a larger size between the pair of side walls relative to the diameter of the movable column member formed in the tubular form, and wherein an inner wall of the main housing formed in the box form is provided with a curved surface fitting the exterior surface of the movable column member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The steering apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the main housing 10 is provided with a cross-sectional shape obtained in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the cross-sectional shape in a U-shape while including the pair of side walls.