JP3564900B2 - Car steering support structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automobile steering support structure.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional automobile steering support structure, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-169771, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-112973, a steering wheel arranged in the vehicle width direction inside an instrument panel is disclosed. The mount bracket is extended to the member in the front-rear direction, and it is arranged at an angle according to the arrangement angle of the steering column.The lower bracket and the upper bracket fixed to the steering column are fastened and fixed to this mount bracket with bolts and nuts. There is known one in which the steering column is supported by a steering member.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In any of the above-mentioned conventional structures, the lower bracket and the upper bracket of the steering column are overlapped on the lower surface of the mount bracket of the steering member, and the bolts and nuts are fastened and fixed from almost immediately below. The upper bracket is located near the lower edge of the instrument panel so that the upper bracket can be relatively easily tightened from the lower side of the instrument panel. The operator must bend down to the underside of the instrument panel to fasten the lower bracket because it is located at the back of the inside of the lower bracket, forcing the worker to take an unreasonable posture. Workability deteriorates.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a steering support structure for an automobile which can easily perform a fastening operation of a lower bracket as well as an upper bracket of a steering column and improve workability.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting bracket is extended in the front-rear direction on the steering member arranged in the vehicle width direction inside the instrument panel, and is inclined and arranged in accordance with the arrangement angle of the steering column. The lower bracket arranged on the lower side is fastened and fixed to the lower part protruding forward of the mount bracket, and the upper bracket arranged on the upper part of the steering column is fastened and fixed to the upper part protruding rearward of the mount bracket. In the above structure, the mounting surface of the lower portion of the mount bracket is inclined downward toward the rear of the vehicle compartment by bending the front end of the lower portion downward, and the mounting surface of the lower bracket of the steering column is formed as described above. Yes inclined molded to fit the attachment surface of the lower portion, and, up to the mounting bracket The bracket is composed of a pair of bracket elements separated to the left and right with the steering column in the middle, and a connecting piece extending between the bases of the bracket elements, while the upper bracket straddles over the steering column. A bridge portion fastened and fixed to the element, and a leg portion connected to the bridge portion and arranged on the left and right side portions of the steering column, and furthermore, a rearward portion is provided on a rear edge of a substantially central portion of the connecting piece. The tongue piece formed as described above, and a socket portion which is formed to bulge upward at a substantially central portion of the bridge portion and is engaged with the tongue piece, constitute temporary fixing means .
[0006]
According to the second aspect, the mounting surface of the lower portion of the mount bracket according to the first aspect includes a chamfered portion at a side edge corner corresponding to a back portion of a pedal lever disposed in front of the lower portion. It is characterized by having.
[0010]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the upper bracket of the steering column according to the first or second aspect is vertically movably connected to a column-side bracket fixed to the steering column, while a lower part of the steering column is provided. The mounting surface of the bracket is formed at the upper end of the lower bracket, and the lower bracket is flexibly mounted in the front-rear direction with the fastening portion of the mounting surface as a support point.
[0011]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect, since the upper bracket of the steering column is located near the lower edge of the instrument panel, the upper portion of the mount bracket of the steering member can be relatively easily used from the lower side of the instrument panel as in the related art. Of course, the mounting surface of the lower part of the mount bracket is inclined toward the rear of the cabin, and the mounting surface of the lower bracket of the steering column is inclined to match the mounting surface of this lower part. Therefore, even when the lower bracket is located at a deep position inside and forward of the instrument panel, the mounting surfaces can be overlapped while visually confirming the mounting surfaces from behind the lower edge of the instrument panel. Fastening can also be performed from the rear of the room while visually confirming it. Without imposing unreasonable posture, such as to bend down to the narrow part of the Ntopaneru lower, it is possible to easily perform the fastening operation.
[0012]
Further, a pedal lever such as a brake pedal is disposed in front of the lower portion. However, since the mounting surface of the lower portion is bent downward, the distance between the pedal lever and the mounting surface is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to secure a space for attaching and detaching pedal functional components such as switches and the like that are mounted on the pedal lever so as to protrude to the back side thereof, and to easily attach and detach the pedal functional components. .
Further, since the upper portion of the mount bracket and the upper bracket of the steering column are temporarily fixed by the temporary fixing means, and the heavy steering column can be temporarily supported by the steering member, the operator can support the steering column by hand. The fastening work can be performed without any need, and the workability can be further improved.
When the upper part of the mount bracket is temporarily fixed to the upper bracket of the steering column, the socket part of the upper bracket is engaged with the tongue on the rear edge of the substantially central part of the upper part, so that the steering column can be temporarily fixed. Since the support can be performed and the positioning in the left-right direction can be performed, the fastening operation can be further improved without the operation of adjusting the alignment.
Moreover, the tongue piece of the temporary fixing means can be easily formed on the rear edge of the connecting piece of the lower part of the mount bracket, and the socket part of the temporary fixing means can be easily formed on the bridge part of the upper bracket of the steering column.
In addition, when the upper portion of the mount bracket and the upper bracket of the steering column are temporarily fixed, the bulging portion of the socket portion is inserted between the pair of bracket elements, so that the guide action between these bracket elements and the bulging portion allows The tongue piece and the socket part can be easily engaged, and the temporary fixing operation can be easily performed.
[0013]
According to the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, even when the pedal lever moves backward during a full collision of the vehicle, the chamfered portion is formed at the side edge corner of the front end of the lower portion of the mount bracket. To prevent the pedal lever from escaping to the side of the lower part and bottoming out at the front end of the lower part.
[0018]
According to the third aspect , in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect, the lower bracket of the steering column is fastened and fixed to the mounting surface of the lower end of the mounting bracket to the mounting surface of the lower portion of the mount bracket, and cantilevered. Since the lower bracket is flexibly mounted in the front-rear direction using the fastening portion of the mounting surface of the lower bracket as a support point, the position of the column-side bracket is adjusted in the vertical direction with respect to the upper bracket of the steering column. A tilt operation can be performed.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
1 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a steering member arranged in the vehicle width direction inside an instrument panel 5, and a mounting bracket 2 for mounting a steering column 6 is mounted on the steering member 1 at an angle at which the steering column 6 is arranged. In addition, it is slopingly arranged at the front.
[0021]
The mount bracket 2 includes a lower portion 3 projecting forward from the steering member 1 and an upper portion 4 projecting rearward from the steering member 1. In the present embodiment, the lower portion 3 and the upper portion 4 are formed separately. Although the lower part 3 and the upper part 4 are integrally joined to the steering member 1, the lower part 3 and the upper part 4 can be joined and arranged to the steering member 1.
[0022]
And each other by a post bracket 7 is joined on the upper surface of the lower portion 3 Niwaso, a vehicle body side bracket 9 joined fix the post bracket 7 to the dash panel 8, bolts and nuts 11 fixed to該車side bracket 9 The lower part 3 is connected to and supported by the dash panel 8 via the post bracket 7, the intermediate bracket 10, and the vehicle body side bracket 9.
[0023]
The lower portion 3 is formed by bulging the rib projection 12 in the front-rear direction at the center thereof toward the lower side, and by bending the flanges 3a downward on both left and right side edges to increase rigidity. Is bent downward at the front end, and the mounting surface 13 facing the rear of the vehicle cabin is inclined.
[0024]
This is the right and left side portions of the mounting surface 13 Yes and fixed directly to the stud bolt 14 projecting rearward surface lies so as to attach the lower bracket 22 to be described later with screwed a nut 15 to the stud bolt 14 .
[0025]
A pedal lever, specifically, a pedal lever 17 of a brake pedal is mounted on the dash panel 8 via a bracket 17a in front of the lower part 3, and a lower part 3 of the lower part 3 corresponding to the back of the pedal lever 17 is provided. A chamfer 16 is formed at the right side corner.
[0026]
The upper part 4 of the mount bracket 2 has a pair of bracket elements 18 which are formed by bending upward and downward reinforcing flanges 19 on both left and right side edges and are fixedly joined to the steering member 1 at appropriate intervals in the left and right direction. The bracket elements 18 are connected to the lower surfaces of the bracket elements 18 and 18 by connecting or fixing them to the lower surfaces thereof by bolts and nuts.
[0027]
Reinforcing rib projections 21 which also serve as positioning are formed by bulging upward at portions of the connecting piece 20 which are in contact with the inner side edges of the left and right bracket elements 18, 18, respectively.
[0028]
The steering column 6 includes a lower bracket 22 and an upper bracket 23. The lower bracket 22 is fastened and fixed to the lower portion 3 of the mount bracket 2, and the upper bracket 23 is fastened and fixed to the upper portion of the mount bracket 2. 1 is supported.
[0029]
The lower bracket 22 is formed in a substantially disk shape and is fixedly joined to the outer periphery of the front end of the steering column 6. Both sides of the upper end of the lower bracket 22 are adjusted to the bending angle of the mounting surface 13 of the lower part 3 of the mounting bracket 2. The mounting surface 24 is bent and bent so as to face the rear of the vehicle compartment.
[0030]
In a central portion between the left and right mounting surfaces 24, 24, a receiving portion 22 b into which the front portion of the rib projection 12 of the lower portion 3 is fitted is bulged toward the rear side, and the mounting surfaces 24, 24 are formed. A flange 22a is bent toward the rear side and a lower edge of the lower bracket 22 so as to increase the rigidity of the lower bracket 22.
[0031]
Bolts 33 to the rear end of the upper bracket 23 is the bracket elements 18, 18 across the top of the steering column 6, a bridge portion 25 which is fastened by a nut 34, provided continuously in the bridge portion 25 by the steering column 6 And the leg portions 26 arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle.
[0032]
In this embodiment, the upper bracket 23 is formed separately from the steering column 6, and a column-side bracket 27, which is bent and formed in a U-shape, is fixedly joined to the steering column 6 with its opening facing upward. The column side bracket 27 and the leg portion 26 are movably connected to each other in a vertical direction through a tilt shaft 28 in a vertically long hole 26 a formed in the leg portion 26.
[0033]
Further, a temporary fixing means 30 which engages with the upper part 4 of the mount bracket 2 and the upper bracket 23 of the steering column 6 is provided.
[0034]
The temporary fixing means 30 includes a tongue piece 31 protruding rearward from a substantially central rear edge of the upper portion 4 and a bulging shape formed substantially upward at a substantially central portion of the upper bracket 23 to form the tongue piece 31. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the tongue piece 31 protrudes from the central rear edge of the connecting piece 20 while the socket part 32 is It is bulged upward in the center of the.
[0035]
In the figure, 35 indicates a steering shaft.
[0036]
According to the structure of the above embodiment, when the steering column 6 is mounted, the mounting surface 24 of the lower bracket 22 is overlapped with the rear surface of the mounting surface 13 of the lower portion 3 of the mount bracket 2 fixed to the steering member 1. Then, the stud bolt 14 and the nut 15 are fastened and fixed, and the upper bracket 23 is overlapped on the lower surface of the upper portion 4 of the mount bracket 2 and fastened and fixed by the bolt 33 and the nut 34. The upper part 4 is located near the lower edge of the instrument panel 5 and can be seen from below the lower edge of the instrument panel 5 and is easily accessible. A nut 34 is screwed into the bolt 33 and the nut is inserted from below the instrument panel 5. The door 34 can be easily fastened by the tool.
[0037]
Further, the lower portion 3 and the lower bracket 22 of the mount bracket 2 are located at a deeper position inside and forward of the instrument panel 5, but their mounting surfaces 13 and 24 are inclined and formed toward the rear of the vehicle compartment. The mounting surfaces 13 and 24 can be superimposed while visually confirming from behind the lower edge of the instrument panel 5, and the nut 15 can be easily screwed and fastened to the stud bolt 14 by a tool. The lower part 3 and the lower bracket 22 can be easily fastened without imposing an excessive posture such as to bend into the narrow part on the lower side of the instrument panel 5.
[0038]
Particularly, in the present embodiment, a tongue piece 31 and a socket part 32 as temporary fixing means 30 are provided on the upper part 4 and the upper bracket 23 of the mount bracket 2, and the socket part 32 is attached to the tongue piece 31. The upper bracket 23 is temporarily fixed to the upper part 4 by being engaged with the upper part, and the heavy steering column 6 can be temporarily supported by the steering member 1, so that the operator does not need to support the steering column 6 by hand. Can be performed, and the workability can be further improved.
[0039]
Here, the tongue piece 31 protrudes from the rear edge of the substantially central portion of the connecting piece 20 laid between the bases of the pair of left and right bracket elements 18 of the upper part 4, while the socket part 32 is formed of the upper bracket. Since the bridge portion 25 is formed so as to bulge upward substantially at the center of the bridge portion 25, the bulge portion of the socket portion 32 is inserted between the pair of bracket elements 18, 18 at the time of the above-mentioned temporary fixing. By the guide action of the bracket elements 18, 18 and the bulging part, the tongue piece 31 and the socket part 32 can be easily engaged with each other, and by engaging the socket part 32 on the tongue piece 31, It is possible to temporarily support the steering column 6 while maintaining the weight balance in the left-right direction, and to perform the positioning in the left-right direction, thereby further improving the fastening work without the need for alignment adjustment work. Can.
[0040]
In addition to the above effects on the mounting of the steering column 6, the lower bracket 22 has a mounting surface 24 formed on the upper end thereof fastened and fixed to the mounting surface 13 of the lower portion 3 of the mounting bracket 2. Since the mounting portion 24 is flexibly mounted in the front-rear direction using the fastening portion of the mounting surface 24 as a support point, the fastening of the tilt shaft 28 is loosened by the tilt lever 29 so that the column-side bracket 27 is elongated in the leg 26 of the upper bracket 23. By adjusting the vertical position in the formation range of 26a, the tilt operation of the steering column 6 can be performed smoothly.
[0041]
Furthermore, the mounting surface 13 is formed by bending the front end of the lower part 3 downward, so that the distance between the lower part 3 and the brake pedal lever 17 disposed in front of the lower part 3 can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform the operation of attaching and detaching the switches 17b such as the stop lamp switch and the shift lock switch mounted on the pedal lever 17.
[0042]
Further, since a chamfered portion 16 is formed at the side edge corner of the mounting surface 13 at the lower front end corresponding to the back portion of the pedal lever 17, when the pedal lever 17 moves backward during a frontal collision of the vehicle, The pedal lever 17 can be guided by the chamfered portion 16 and rubbed sideways to prevent the pedal lever 17 from bottoming on the front end of the lower portion 3.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a relationship between a lower portion of the mount bracket and a pedal lever.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering member 2 Mount bracket 3 Lower part 4 Upper part 5 Instrument panel 6 Steering column 13 Lower part mounting surface 16 Chamfer part 17 Pedal lever 18 Bracket element 20 Connecting piece 22 Lower bracket 23 Upper bracket 24 Lower bracket mounting surface 25 Bridge part 26 Leg part 27 Column side bracket 30 Temporary fixing means 31 Tongue piece 32 Socket part

Claims (3)

The mounting bracket is extended in the vehicle width direction inside the instrument panel, and the mount bracket is extended in the front-rear direction. The mounting bracket is tilted according to the installation angle of the steering column, and the lower part is installed below the steering column. The structure wherein the bracket is fastened and fixed to a lower portion protruding forward of the mount bracket, and the upper bracket disposed on the upper portion of the steering column is fastened and fixed to an upper portion protruding rearward of the mount bracket. The mounting surface of the lower part of the bracket is formed by bending the front end of the lower part downward and inclined toward the rear of the cabin, while the mounting surface of the lower bracket of the steering column is aligned with the mounting surface of the lower part. Yes inclined molding, and upper portion of the mounting bracket, the steering It consists of a pair of bracket elements separated to the left and right with the ram in the middle, and a connecting piece spanning between the bases of these bracket elements, while the upper bracket is fixed to the bracket element over the steering column. And a tongue formed rearwardly at a substantially central rear edge of the connecting piece, and a leg portion connected to the bridge portion and disposed on the left and right sides of the steering column. A piece and a socket part which is bulged upward at a substantially central part of the bridge part and is engaged with the tongue piece to constitute a temporary fixing means, wherein a steering support structure for an automobile is provided. . 2. The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting surface of the lower portion of the mount bracket has a chamfered portion at a corner of a side edge corresponding to a back portion of a pedal lever disposed in front of the lower portion. Support structure. While the upper bracket of the steering column is vertically movably connected to a column-side bracket fixed to the steering column, the mounting surface of the lower bracket of the steering column is formed at the upper end of the lower bracket. 3. The steering support structure for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the lower bracket is flexibly mounted in the front-rear direction with the fastening portion of the mounting surface as a support point.

Images