JP2001213356A - Steering support bracket and steering support structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering support bracket of fragile structure under force generated in a collision in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, while ensuring required rigidity in regard to vertical vibration. SOLUTION: This steering support bracket 30 is formed in shape with a bent part 32c bent at an obtuse angle. A cutout 37 is formed at the bent part 32c, and force acting in the longitudinal direction in the collision is applied as bending moment to the bent part 32c formed with the cutout 37, thereby forming steering support bracket structure cut and broken by longitudinal force and fragile under the collision.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a steering post bracket structure for connecting a steering member and a dash upper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A steering member extending in the vehicle width direction is mounted between left and right front pillars of a vehicle body.

The basic functions of this steering member are as follows: Steering column shaft (steering post)
Installation, air conditioning unit, air bag unit, electrical unit, etc., and strength improvement.

FIG. 4 shows a structure of a steering post mounting portion disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-132923.

[0005] The steering member 1 is attached to the left and right front pillars of the vehicle body and extends in the vehicle width direction in an instrument panel in front of the cabin. Steering support brackets 2 and 3 are fixed to the steering mounting portion of the steering member 1 by welding or bolts. One end of a stay having the other end fixed to the vehicle body floor is connected to a substantially central portion of the steering member 1, and the rigidity of the steering member 1 is reinforced.

[0006] The steering support bracket 2 is attached to a steering column shaft 5 that supports the steering 4. The steering support bracket 3
Dash upper 6 on the vehicle body side via auxiliary bracket 7
It is attached to.

FIG. 5 shows a steering member 10 disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-129940.

The steering member 10 is formed as a hollow molded product having a small diameter on the passenger side and a large diameter on the driver side, and the left and right ends are fixed to the front pillars as in the prior art. At a substantially central portion of the steering member 10, a stay mounting bracket 11 for mounting a stay having the other end fixed to the vehicle body floor is welded. Steering support 10 near driver's seat
The steering support brackets 12 and 13 are fixed to a. One steering support bracket 12 is mounted on a steering column shaft, and the other steering support bracket 13 is mounted on a dash upper on the vehicle body side.

In such a configuration, the function of the steering support brackets 3 and 13 is to enhance the rigidity of the column shaft 5, and the brackets 3 and 13 themselves are required to have required rigidity.

On the other hand, if the rigidity of the brackets 3 and 13 is too high, the impact at the time of collision is transmitted from the vehicle body to the steering members 1 and 10, and the steering column 5 protrudes rearward, which is serious for the driver's body. Influence
It is required to be easily cut and destroyed at the time of collision.

Therefore, conventionally, in response to such conflicting demands, the steering support brackets 3 and 13 are provided.
Fig. 6 and Fig. 7
It was something like that shown.

6 and 7, the steering support brackets 3, 13 are formed by pressing a steel plate, one end 15 of which is bolted to the dash upper 6, and the other end 16 of which is a steering member 1, 13. 1
0 is bolted or welded.

At substantially the center of the brackets 3 and 13, a bead 17 having a Λ-shaped cross section is formed so that it can be easily broken from this portion in the event of a collision.

[0014]

The structure of the conventional steering support bracket has a problem that the rigidity at the time of a vehicle collision is still too strong. That is, at the time of a collision, the support bracket is broken from the bead 17 but is not completely cut and broken.
The force transmitted from the vehicle body to the steering member and the steering column shaft 5 is not completely eliminated, and there is still a possibility that serious damage to the driver's body may occur.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a steering support bracket which is susceptible to vertical force generated during a collision while securing required rigidity in vertical vibration. Another object of the present invention is to provide a steering support structure.

[0016]

According to one aspect of the present invention,
A steering support bracket for connecting the steering member and the vehicle body has a bent portion bent at an obtuse angle, and a cutout is formed in the bent portion.
The steering support bracket is integrally formed of, for example, an aluminum-based metal casting.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second steering support brackets are fixed to a steering mounting position of a steering member fixed to extend in the vehicle width direction, and the first steering support bracket is attached to the vehicle body. In a steering support structure which is connected to a frame and connects a second steering support bracket to a steering column shaft, the first steering support bracket has a bent portion bent at an obtuse angle, and the bent portion is notched. Is formed. The first steering support bracket is integrally formed of, for example, an aluminum-based metal casting.

In these inventions, the steering support bracket is formed into a shape having a bent portion bent at an obtuse angle, and the notch is formed in the bent portion. Will act as a bending moment on the bend in which the notch is formed, so that in the event of a collision, the steering support bracket will be completely cut and broken by a relatively small front-rear force. Therefore, it is possible to provide a steering support bracket that is vulnerable to a longitudinal force generated at the time of a collision while securing required rigidity with respect to vertical vibration.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a structure of a steering post mounting portion to which the steering support bracket according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the steering support bracket according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a steering member used for the steering post mounting portion shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the steering member 2
0 is a small-diameter passenger seat member 20a located on the passenger seat side and a large-diameter driver seat member 20b located on the driver seat side.
The two hollow members are connected by a joint bracket 21. These members 20a,
20b is made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum.

The joint bracket 21 is made of, for example, magnesium, and is fixed by fastening the members 20a and 20b with bolts and nuts.
A stay mounting bracket 22 is formed below the joint bracket 21 so as to extend downward. One end of a stay having the other end fixed to the vehicle body floor is fixed to the bracket 22.

Aluminum side brackets 23 and 24 are fixed to the end of the passenger seat member 20a and the end of the driver seat member 20b, and the steering member 20 is connected via these side brackets 23 and 24. Between the front pillars of the vehicle body.

Next, the main part of the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a first steering support bracket 30 and a second steering support bracket 40 are fixed to the steering mounting portion of the steering member 20 by welding, bolts, nuts, or the like. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the first steering support bracket 30 is fixed to a predetermined portion of the second steering support bracket 40 on the front side of the vehicle body with bolts and nuts 31.

The second steering support bracket 40 includes:
For example, it is made of magnesium, and has a hole 41 through which the driver seat member 20b is inserted. A flange is formed below the bracket 40, and the bracket 40 is fixed to the driver's seat member 20b by fastening the flange with a bolt and a nut 42. Further, the bracket 40 is provided with bolts and nuts 43 for the steering column shaft 5 supporting the steering 4.
Has been fixed by.

The first steering support bracket 30 is
It is composed of an aluminum casting, the details of which are shown in FIG.
Is shown in

The first steering support bracket 30
Has an outer frame 32 having a substantially U-shaped cross section and ribs 33 formed inside for reinforcement. A bolt hole 35 for inserting a bolt 34 is formed in a mounting surface 32a of the dash upper 6 serving as a body frame, and a bolt 31 is inserted in a mounting surface 32b of the second steering support bracket 40. Bolt holes 36 are formed.

When viewed from the side, the bracket 30 has a shape having a bent portion 32c bent at an obtuse angle, and a cutout 37 is formed in the bent portion 32c.

The first steering support bracket 30
As shown in FIG. 1, is connected to the second steering support bracket 40 by bolts and nuts 31 and is connected to the dash upper 6 by bolts and nuts 34 via the auxiliary bracket 7.

As described above, in this embodiment, the first
The steering support bracket 30 is made of an aluminum casting which is relatively brittle against impact and has a bent portion 32c bent at an obtuse angle, and a notch 37 is formed in the bent portion 32c. Therefore, the force in the front-rear direction at the time of the collision acts as a bending moment on the bent portion having the notch, so that the steering support bracket 30 has a relatively small size of 200 × 9. 8 to 400 × 9.
With a load of about 8N (Newton), it will be completely cut and destroyed. When the first steering support bracket 30 is cut and broken by the collision, a part of the bracket is moved to the driver together with the dash upper 6, but the side connected to the column shaft 5 does not move as it is. Also, the column shaft 5 does not protrude toward the driver.

Further, in this embodiment, since the first steering support bracket 30 is formed by casting, the rigidity can be improved more easily by the arrangement of the ribs 33 and the adjustment of the thickness of the plate than a conventional steel plate pressed product. .

Therefore, according to the first steering support bracket 30 of this embodiment, required rigidity can be obtained with respect to vertical vibration, but it is vulnerable to the longitudinal force generated at the time of collision.

In the above embodiment, the steering support bracket 30 is made of an aluminum casting in order to reduce the weight. However, a casting of another metal, Mg, Fe or the like may be adopted. Further, a casting of an aluminum alloy may be adopted.

Further, in the above embodiment, the first steering support bracket 30 and the second steering support bracket 40 are formed separately, but they may be integrally formed as a casting of the same material.

[0036]

According to the present invention, the steering support bracket is formed into a shape having a bent portion bent at an obtuse angle, and a cutout is formed in the bent portion. And a steering support bracket which is fragile against forces in the vehicle longitudinal direction generated at the time of a collision can be provided. Therefore, the possibility of seriously damaging the driver's body at the time of a collision can be reduced while suppressing the vibration of the vehicle.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a steering support bracket according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the steering support bracket according to the present invention is attached to a steering member.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a conventional technique.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional technique.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a conventional steering support bracket.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional steering support bracket.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 steering 5 steering column shaft 6 dash upper 20 steering member 20 20a passenger seat member 20b driver seat member 21 joint bracket 22 stay mounting bracket 23 side bracket 24 side bracket 30 first steering support bracket 40 second steering support bracket 32 outer frame Frame 32c Bent part 33 Rib 35 Bolt hole 36 Bolt hole 37 Notch

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A steering support bracket for connecting a steering member to a vehicle body, wherein the steering support bracket has a bent portion bent at an obtuse angle, and a cutout is formed in the bent portion. . 2. The steering support bracket according to claim 1, wherein the material is integrally formed of a metal casting containing aluminum. 3. A first and a second steering support bracket are fixed to a steering mounting position of a steering member fixed so as to extend in a vehicle width direction, and the first steering support bracket is connected to a vehicle body frame.
In a steering support structure in which a steering support bracket is connected to a steering column shaft, the first steering support bracket has a bent portion bent at an obtuse angle, and a cutout is formed in the bent portion. A steering support structure characterized by the following. 4. The steering support bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first steering support bracket is integrally formed of a metal casting including aluminum.