JP5040382B2 - Steering column with airbag device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering column having a structure in which a knee protection airbag device is provided, and the knee protection airbag is folded and stored on the inner peripheral surface side of the lower side in the column cover. The present invention relates to a steering column that includes an airbag that can protect a knee of an occupant seated in a driver's seat when completed.

Conventionally, as a steering column having a configuration in which an airbag device for knee protection is disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of the lower side of the column cover, a folded airbag and an inflator are provided on the column body of the steering column. There is a configuration in which a case that is stored is fixed and a lower side of the case is covered with a column cover (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-37003 A

  Although not disclosed in Patent Document 1, normally, the column cover includes an upper cover that is divided into two along the direction orthogonal to the axis of the column main body so that a surface along the axial direction of the column main body is a divided surface. It consists of a lower cover. In the airbag device for protecting the knee, a large reaction force is generated so as to be directed upward when the airbag is expanded and inflated downward. It is necessary to fix it firmly to the main body. Therefore, as in the case of a conventional steering column, when the airbag device is disposed on the inner peripheral surface side on the lower side in the column cover, after the airbag device is fixed to the column body side, the upper cover and the lower cover are respectively attached. There is room for improvement in reducing the assembly man-hours and costs because it is necessary to connect to the column body side.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems, and an airbag device capable of suppressing an increase in man-hours and costs for assembling to the column main body side even when the airbag device for protecting the knee is mounted. An object of the present invention is to provide a steering column having the same.

A steering column having an airbag device according to the present invention includes a column main body and a substantially cylindrical column cover that covers the outer peripheral side of the column main body,
The column cover is folded and stored on the inner peripheral surface side of the lower part of the column cover, and during operation, an expansion gas is introduced into the interior to expand and inflate and protect the driver's knees seated in the driver's seat It is possible to have a configuration in which an airbag device for knee protection including an airbag configured to protrude from the column cover is disposed,
The column cover is divided into two along the axis orthogonal direction of the column main body so that the surface along the axial direction of the column main body is a divided surface, and the cross-sectional shape of the column main body in the axis orthogonal direction is substantially inverted U-shaped. A steering column having an airbag device composed of an upper cover and a lower cover having a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the column body,
An airbag device includes an airbag, an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the airbag, and a case that houses the folded airbag and the inflator and opens at least on the lower side, and is folded. It is configured as an airbag assembly that contains an airbag and an inflator in a case,
A work opening for fixing the airbag assembly to the column body side is formed in the upper cover or the lower cover,
The lower cover is configured to include a locking portion that locks the lower edge of the upper cover on the upper edge side which is the upper cover side,
Airbag assembly member is in a state assembled with the lower cover, a mounting bracket which is disposed an air bag assembly body, by using a fixing means is inserted from the work opening, arranged on the column body of the column tube Fixed to the column body side by fixing it to the column side bracket,
The lower cover is attached to the column tube using the airbag assembly by fixing the airbag assembly to the column tube, and the locking portion is locked to the lower edge of the upper cover. It is characterized by that.

  In the steering column having the airbag device according to the present invention, the lower cover is configured to be held by the airbag assembly, and the work bracket is formed in the upper cover or the lower cover as the mounting bracket of the airbag assembly. The lower cover is also attached to the column tube when it is fixed to the column tube by fixing it to the column side bracket disposed on the column tube of the column body. That is, in the steering column having the airbag apparatus of the present invention, the airbag assembly can be firmly fixed to the column body side by fixing the airbag assembly to the column side bracket using the mounting bracket. And a lower cover can be attached to a column tube simultaneously with an airbag assembly. Therefore, in the steering column having the airbag device of the present invention, if the upper cover is attached to the column tube and the airbag assembly is attached to the column tube, the column cover and the airbag device can be attached to the column main body side. Since it can do, an assembly man-hour can be reduced compared with the case where an upper cover, a lower cover, and an airbag assembly | attachment are separately attached to the column main body side.

  Therefore, in the steering column having the airbag apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of assembling steps and costs on the column main body side even when the airbag apparatus for knee protection is mounted.

  In the steering column having the airbag device of the present invention, the upper cover side of the lower cover is provided with a locking portion for locking the lower edge of the upper cover. Even when connected to the column main body first, it is possible to lock the upper edge of the lower cover with good cut-off by suppressing a step between the edges with respect to the lower edge of the upper cover. .

  Furthermore, in the steering column having the airbag apparatus of the present invention, if the work opening is provided in the lower cover, the work opening is formed in an area covering the substantially lower half side of the column body, and driving. It is difficult to see from the driver seated on the seat, and the design of the interior space is not greatly reduced.

  Furthermore, in the steering column having the airbag apparatus configured as described above, if the working opening is arranged so as to penetrate the left and right side walls of the lower cover in the left-right direction, the lower cover is assembled. The airbag assembly is fixed to the column side bracket from the left-right direction, and even if the upper cover is connected to the column body first, the airbag assembly can be easily attached to the column. It can be fixed to the main body.

Still further, in the steering column having the airbag apparatus having the above-described configuration, the mounting bracket and the column-side bracket are each provided with a mounting hole penetrating in the left-right direction so that a fixing means having a rod-like body can be inserted. ,
Preferably, the fixing means is arranged such that the axial direction is along the left-right direction substantially orthogonal to the protruding direction of the airbag, and the mounting bracket is fixed to the column side bracket.

  If the steering column having the airbag device is configured as described above, the reaction force acting on the case in the vertical direction when the airbag protrudes downward is not the fastening direction of the fixing means but the fixing means. Since it acts along the shear direction that is the direction perpendicular to the axis, it is not necessary to consider the fastening strength of the fixing means, and the fixing means stably holds the airbag assembly on the column side bracket. be able to.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A steering column SC of the embodiment includes a column main body 1 connected to a steering wheel SW and an outer periphery of the column main body 1 as shown in FIGS. A column cover 10 having a substantially cylindrical shape covering the side, and a knee protecting airbag device AM disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of the lower side of the column cover 10 are provided.

  In the embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions are the directions along the axial direction of the column main body 1 in the steering column SC mounted on the vehicle, and the direction orthogonal to the axis of the column main body 1 The vertical direction of the vehicle is the vertical direction, and the horizontal direction of the vehicle that is orthogonal to the column body 1 is the horizontal direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the column main body 1 includes a round bar-shaped main shaft 2 connected to the steering wheel SW, and a substantially cylindrical column tube 3 disposed on the outer peripheral side of the main shaft 2. Yes. The main shaft 2 rotates together with the rotation of the steering wheel SW to transmit the rotation of the steering wheel SW to a steering gear (not shown), and the column tube 3 does not rotate even when the steering wheel SW rotates. ing. The column tube 3 is provided with a column side bracket 4 for fixing a case 46 of an airbag device AM described later. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the column side bracket 4 is configured to be fixed to the lower surface side of the column tube 3 and to extend in the left and right direction which is the axis orthogonal direction of the column tube 3. It is made into the flat substantially reverse U shape provided with the fixed piece part 4a extended on the side. In this column side bracket 4, two mounting piece portions 52 provided on a mounting bracket 50, which will be described later, fixed to the case 46 are fixed to the fixing piece portion 4a by using bolts 53 as fixing means. Each of the fixed piece portions 4a is formed with an insertion hole 4b penetrating in the left-right direction through which a bolt 53 as a fixing means can be inserted. A nut 4c that can be screwed with a bolt 53 is fixed to the periphery of the insertion hole 4b on the inner side surface of each fixed piece 4a.

  The column cover 10 is made of a synthetic resin having a substantially rectangular tube shape so as to cover the outer periphery of the column main body 1, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, from the instrument panel (hereinafter referred to as “instrument panel”) 6. It is arranged in front of the seated driver D so as to protrude rearward. The instrument panel 6 includes an upper panel 7 on the upper side and a lower panel 8 on the lower side.

  The column cover 10 includes an upper cover 11 and a lower cover 19 that are divided into two parts in the vertical direction along the axis orthogonal direction of the column main body 1 so that a surface along the axial direction of the column main body 1 is a divided surface. Yes.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper cover 11 has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the column body 1 and is closed at the rear end side so that the upper half of the column body 1 is closed. It is set as the structure which covers. The upper cover 11 includes an upper wall portion 12 that covers the upper side of the column body 1, a left wall portion 13 and a right wall portion 14 that cover the left and right sides of the column body 1, a rear wall portion 15 that covers the rear of the column body 1, It is composed of As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, on the lower edges 13 a and 14 a side of the left wall portion 13 and the right wall portion 14, upper edges 21 a and 22 a of the left wall portion 21 and the right wall portion 22 described later in the lower cover 19. A plurality of locking claws 16 (four in the embodiment) are arranged in parallel along the front-rear direction. Further, a recess 15b for inserting the main shaft 2 is formed in the vicinity of the center in the left-right direction on the lower edge 15a side of the rear wall portion 15. Further, on the inner peripheral surface side of the upper wall portion 12 in the upper cover 11, there are formed engaging protrusions 17 that protrude downward and attach the upper cover 11 to the column tube 3 side at two locations on the left and right. (See FIGS. 3 and 5). As shown in FIG. 5, the engaging protrusion 17 engages the front end side with the peripheral edge of the mounting hole 3b of the mounting member 3a formed on the column tube 3 side, thereby allowing the upper cover 11 to be moved back and forth, left and right. It is attached to the column tube 3 side while suppressing movement.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the lower cover 19 has a substantially U-shaped cross section in the direction orthogonal to the axis of the column body, and the rear end side is closed to cover the lower half of the column body 1. It is said that. The lower cover 19 is formed so that the lower surface of the portion protruding from the instrument panel 6 has a substantially rectangular plate shape and a curved shape that rises rearward in the front-rear direction. It comprises a part 20, a left wall part 21 and a right wall part 22 that cover the left and right sides of the column body 1, and a rear wall part 23 that covers the back of the column body 1. The lower cover 19 includes an airbag cover portion 25 that covers an airbag 39 that is folded and stored in the airbag device AM, and a general portion 33 around the airbag cover portion 25.

  The airbag cover portion 25 includes a front door portion 28 and a rear door portion 29 that are formed by disposing a predetermined breakage portion 26 in an area protruding from the instrument panel 6 of the lower cover 19, and a front edge side of the front door portion 28. And mounting wall portions 30 and 31 formed on the rear edge side of the rear door portion 29. In the embodiment, the front door portion 28 and the rear door portion 29 are disposed from the lower wall portion 20 side to the left wall portion 21 and the right wall portion 22. The planned breakage portion 26 disposed around the front door portion 28 and the rear door portion 29 breaks when the front door portion 28 and the rear door portion 29 are pushed by the inflating airbag 39, and the front door The front edge side of the front door portion 28 except for the expected breakage portion 26 and the rear edge side of the rear door portion 29 excluding the expected breakage portion 26. , An integral hinge-like hinge portion 27 that is a rotation center when the front door portion 28 and the rear door portion 29 are opened is disposed. That is, the front door portion 28 is configured to open the rear edge side forward with the hinge portion 27 on the front edge side being the center of rotation when opening, and the rear door portion 29 opens the hinge portion 27 on the rear edge side. As a center of rotation, the front edge side is opened rearward. Each of the mounting wall portions 30 and 31 is formed substantially along the left-right direction and is formed so as to protrude from the lower cover 19 substantially along the up-down direction. Locking hole portions 30a and 31a capable of locking the claws 48a and 49a to the periphery are disposed at a plurality of locations along the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, the locking claw portion 16 of the upper cover 11 is disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of the upper wall 21 a and 22 a side of the left wall portion 21 and the right wall portion 22 in the general portion 33. A plurality of locking recesses 34 (four in the embodiment) are formed along the front-rear direction. Further, a recess 23b for inserting the main shaft 2 is formed in the vicinity of the center in the left-right direction on the upper edge 23a side of the rear wall portion 23. Furthermore, the left and right sides of the column body 1 that are on the side perpendicular to the axis of the column main body 1 are positioned on the upper edge 21a, 22a side of the left wall portion 21 and the right wall portion 22 of the general portion 33 and above the airbag cover portion 25. Work openings 35, 35 for attachment work penetrating in the direction are formed. The work openings 35 and 35 are used when a mounting bracket 50, which will be described later, fixed to the case 46 is fixed to the column side bracket 4 disposed on the column tube 3 of the column main body 1 using the bolts 53. As shown in FIG. 4, a step is provided around the periphery 35 a so as to be recessed from the outer surfaces of the left wall portion 21 and the right wall portion 22. Each work opening 35 is closed by a lid member 36 when the vehicle is mounted. The lid member 36 uses a locking piece (not shown) to be locked to the peripheral edge 35a so as to close the work opening 35. When the work opening 35 is closed, the surrounding left wall portion is closed. 21, the right wall portion 22 and the outer surface are configured to be substantially flush with each other.

  The airbag device AM is arranged so that the outer peripheral side is covered with the lower cover 19, and includes an airbag 39, an inflator 41 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 39, and a folded airbag 39. A case 46 that houses the inflator 41 and that opens at least on the lower side is configured.

  As shown in the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in FIG. 7, the airbag 39 has a horizontally elongated rectangular plate shape that can protect the left and right knees KL and KR of the driver D, as shown in FIG. 7. It is configured as follows. In the case of the embodiment, the airbag 39 is formed into a bag shape made of a woven fabric such as flexible polyester or polyamide yarn, and is folded and accommodated in the case 46. Then, the airbag 39 is inflated by inflating the inflation gas discharged from the inflator 41 housed inside with the bolt 43a protruding outside, and is disposed in the airbag cover portion 25. While projecting downward from a projecting opening formed by pushing the front door portion 28 and the rear door portion 29 open, the lower surface side of the column cover 10, the lower side of the column cover 10 in the instrument panel 6, and both the left and right sides It is the structure which expand | swells so that the rear surface side may be covered.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inflator 41 includes a cylinder-type main body 42 that is arranged so that the axial direction is along the left-right direction, and a substantially cylindrical diffuser 43 that holds the main body 42. Yes. In the case of the embodiment, the main body 42 is provided with a plurality of gas discharge ports 42a along the left and right sides, and leads (not shown) are connected. The diffuser 43 is configured to open both the left and right ends to cover the entire body 42, and is configured to allow the inflation gas discharged from the gas discharge ports 42 a of the main body 42 to flow out from both the left and right ends. . And the diffuser 43 is the structure which hold | maintains the main body 42 by crimping the several places along the shaft periphery direction. Also, the diffuser 43 is provided with two bolts 43 a for attaching the inflator 41 to the case 46 side together with the airbag 39 along the left-right direction. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, each bolt 43 a protrudes from a mounting bracket 50 that attaches the case 46 to the column tube 3 side via a ceiling wall 47 described later of the airbag 39 and the case 46. The nut 44 is fixed.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the case 46 is made of sheet metal having a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section so as to open both the left and right sides and the lower side, and includes a ceiling wall 47 and front and rear edges of the ceiling wall 47. And side walls 48 and 49 extending downward from the side walls. Locking claws 48a and 49a for locking the peripheral edges of locking holes 30a and 31a formed in the mounting wall portions 30 and 31 of the lower cover 19 are respectively provided on the lower ends of the side walls 48 and 49. It is formed so as to protrude.

  An attachment bracket 50 for attaching the case 46 to the column tube 3 side is fixed to the ceiling wall 47. The mounting bracket 50 is fixed to the column side bracket 4 fixed to the column tube 3, and is used for mounting the case 46 (airbag device AM) to the column main body 1 side. The mounting bracket 50 has a substantially U-shaped flat cross section in the left-right direction corresponding to the column side bracket 4, and is disposed along the left-right direction on the upper surface side of the ceiling wall 47. FIG. As shown, the case side portion 51 extending in the left-right direction is fixed to the upper surface side of the ceiling wall 47, and mounting piece portions 52, 52 extending upward are provided on the left and right ends of the case side portion 51. . Each mounting piece 52 is formed at a position where the inner peripheral surface is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the fixed piece 4a of the column side bracket 4 when the mounting bracket 50 is mounted on the column side bracket 4. Thus, the mounting hole 52a penetrating in the left-right direction is disposed at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 4b of the fixed piece 4a. Then, each mounting piece portion 52 of the mounting bracket 50 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface side of each fixing piece portion 4 a of the column side bracket 4, and the bolt 53 as a fixing means is axially oriented in the protruding direction of the airbag 39. It is arranged so as to be along the left and right direction substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, and is screwed into the nut 4c disposed at the peripheral edge of the insertion hole 4b while being inserted into each mounting hole 52a and the insertion hole 4b. Accordingly, the case 46 (airbag device AM) is fixed to the column tube 3 side and fixed to the column main body 1 side.

  Next, mounting of the steering column SC of the embodiment on a vehicle will be described. A mounting bracket 50 is fixed to the ceiling wall 47 of the case 46 in advance. First, the airbag device AM is assembled. Specifically, in a state where the inflator 41 is housed inside so that the bolt 43a protrudes, the airbag 39 is folded to a size that can be housed in the case 46, and the folded airbag 39 is attached to the bolt 43a. The airbag assembly AA (airbag device AM) is manufactured by accommodating the housing 44 in the case 46 so as to protrude from the bracket 50 and fastening the nut 44 to the bolt 43a protruding from the mounting bracket 50. Thereafter, the airbag cover portion 25 is attached to the case 46 so that the locking claws 48a and 49a of the case 46 are locked to the peripheral edges of the locking holes 30a and 31a of the mounting wall portions 30 and 31, respectively. 19 is held in the airbag assembly AA.

  Thereafter, the upper cover 11 is put on the column main body 1 already attached to the vehicle from above the column main body 1, and the engaging projection 17 is engaged with the peripheral edge of the mounting hole 3 b of the mounting member 3 a formed on the column tube 3. The upper cover 11 is attached to the column body 1 side. Then, the lower cover 19 is attached to the upper cover 11 so that the locking claw portion 16 provided in the upper cover 11 is locked to the periphery of the locking recess 34, and the airbag assembly AA (airbag) The device AM) is temporarily fixed. After that, the bolts 53 are inserted from the working openings 35 and 35 formed in the lower cover 19, the mounting holes 52 a formed in the mounting pieces 52 of the mounting bracket 50 fixed to the case 46, and the column side bracket 4. The mounting bracket 50 is attached to the column-side bracket 4 by being screwed into the nut 4c while being inserted through the insertion hole 4b formed in the fixed piece portion 4a in FIG. Fix it. If the working opening 35 is closed by the lid member 36, the steering column SC of the embodiment can be mounted on the vehicle.

  After the steering column SC is mounted on the vehicle, if an operation signal is input to the main body 42 of the inflator 41 via a lead wire (not shown), the inflation gas is discharged from the gas discharge port 42a of the inflator 41, and the air bag 39 Will flow into. Then, the inflating airbag 39 projects downward from the projecting opening formed by pushing the front door portion 28 and the rear door portion 29 formed on the lower cover 19 and opens the two points in FIGS. As shown by the chain line and FIG. 7, the expansion is completed.

  In the steering column SC according to the embodiment, the lower cover 19 is configured to be held by the airbag assembly AA, and the mounting bracket 50 of the airbag assembly AA is used as a work opening 35 formed in the lower cover 19. The lower cover 19 is also attached to the column tube 3 when being fixed to the column tube 3 by being fixed to the column side bracket 4 disposed on the column tube 3 of the column main body 1. . That is, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, the airbag assembly AA can be firmly fixed to the column body 1 side by fixing the airbag assembly AA to the column side bracket 4 using the mounting bracket 50, and The lower cover 19 can be attached to the column tube 3 simultaneously with the airbag assembly AA. Therefore, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, if the upper cover 11 is attached to the column tube 3 and the airbag assembly AA is attached to the column tube 3, the column cover 10 and the airbag device AM are attached to the column body 1 side. Therefore, the number of assembling steps can be reduced as compared with the case where the upper cover, the lower cover, and the airbag assembly are separately attached to the column main body.

  Therefore, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, even when the knee protection airbag device AM is mounted, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of assembling steps and costs on the column body 1 side.

  Further, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, the locking claw portion 16 is formed on the lower edge 13a, 14a side of the upper cover 11, and the peripheral edge is engaged with the locking claw portion 16 on the upper edge 21a, 22a side of the lower cover 19. Since the locking recess 34 to be stopped is formed, even when the upper cover 11 is first connected to the column main body 1 side, the edge portion 13 a with respect to the lower edges 13 a and 14 a of the upper cover 11. , 14a, 21a, and 22a can be suppressed, and the upper edges 21a and 22a of the lower cover 19 can be locked with good parting.

  Furthermore, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, the work opening 35 for fixing the airbag device AM to the column main body 1 side is disposed in the lower cover 19, so that the work opening 35 is located below the column main body 1. It will be formed in an area that covers the half side, and it is difficult for the driver seated in the driver's seat to see it, and the design of the interior space of the vehicle is not greatly reduced. In particular, in the embodiment, the work opening 35 is arranged in the left wall portion 21 and the right wall portion 22 of the lower cover 19, but is covered with a cover member 36 for blindfolding when mounted on a vehicle, It is set as the structure which does not reduce designability as much as possible. Note that when a lower cover having a narrow cross section with the lower wall side is used as the lower cover, even if the work opening is provided in the left wall part and the right wall part, the work opening is provided by the driver. Since it becomes more difficult to see, it is not necessary to arrange the lid member. Of course, if the above points are not taken into consideration, the working opening may be arranged on the upper cover side.

  Furthermore, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, the mounting bracket 50 disposed in the airbag assembly AA is provided with a work opening for mounting work formed in the left wall portion 21 and the right wall portion 22 of the lower cover 19. In this configuration, the bolt 53 as a fixing means inserted from 35 is used to fix the column side bracket 4. That is, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, since the airbag assembly AA in the state where the lower cover 19 is assembled is fixed to the column side bracket 4 from the left and right sides, the upper cover 11 is attached first. Even if it is connected to the column body 1 side, the airbag assembly AA can be easily fixed to the column body 1 side. In particular, in the steering column SC of the embodiment, the bolts 53 as fixing means are arranged so that the axial direction is along the left-right direction substantially orthogonal to the protruding direction of the airbag 39, and the mounting bracket 50 is attached to the column side bracket. 4, when the airbag 39 protrudes downward, the reaction force acting on the case 46 in the vertical direction is not in the fastening direction of the bolt 53 but in the direction orthogonal to the axis of the bolt 53. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the fastening strength of the bolt 53, and the bolt 53 can stably hold the airbag assembly AA on the column side bracket 4. it can. Of course, if the above points are not taken into account, the work opening is provided on the lower wall side of the lower cover, and the fixing means is arranged so as to be along the vertical direction along the protruding direction of the airbag. May be fixed to the column side bracket.

  In the embodiment, the nut 4 c is fixed in advance to the periphery of the insertion hole 4 b in the fixed piece 4 a of the column side bracket 4, and the bolt 53 as a fixing means is fixed to the mounting piece 52 of the mounting bracket 50. Although the mounting bracket 50 is fixed to the column side bracket 4 by penetrating the piece 4a and screwing into the nut 4c, the fixing means is not limited to this. For example, as a fixing means, a bolt that is elongated so as to be able to penetrate both the mounting piece portion 52 and the fixing piece portion 4a and in which a screw groove is provided on the tip side, and a nut are used. It is good also as a structure which fixes an attachment bracket to a column side bracket by fastening a nut in the state which made the front end side protrude from one attachment bracket 50. FIG.

  Further, in the embodiment, the mounting bracket 50 is configured so that the mounting piece 52 is positioned on the outer peripheral side from the fixed piece 4a of the column side bracket 4, but the mounting piece of the mounting bracket and the column The arrangement position of the fixing piece portion of the side bracket is not limited to this, and the mounting piece portion of the mounting bracket may be arranged on the inner peripheral side of the fixing piece portion of the column side bracket.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment, the locking claw portion 16 is disposed on the upper cover 11 side as a locking portion for locking the lower edges 12a, 13a of the upper cover 11 and the upper edges 21a, 22a of the lower cover 19, and the lower cover Although the locking recess 34 that can lock the periphery by the locking claw 16 is provided on the 19 side, the shape of the locking portion is not limited to this, and the locking portion 34 is not limited to this. It is good also as a structure which arrange | positions a stop recessed part and arranges a latching claw part in the lower cover side.

It is a schematic side view which shows the vehicle mounting state of the steering column which has the airbag apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic front view seen from the vehicle rear side which shows the vehicle mounting state of the steering column of embodiment. It is a general | schematic expanded sectional view of the steering column of the embodiment of the vehicle front-back direction. FIG. 4 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the IV-IV part in FIG. 3. It is a general | schematic expanded sectional view of the VV site | part of FIG. It is a general | schematic disassembled perspective view which shows the column main body, column cover, and airbag apparatus in the steering column of embodiment. In the steering column of the embodiment, it is a schematic cross-sectional view in the vehicle front-rear direction showing a state of completion of inflation of the airbag.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Column body,
2 ... Main shaft,
3 ... Column tube,
4 ... Column side bracket,
10 ... Column cover,
11 ... Upper cover,
16 ... locking claw part,
19 ... Lower cover,
25 ... airbag cover,
34 ... locking recess,
35 ... opening for work,
39 ... Airbag,
41 ... Inflator,
46 ... Case,
50 ... Mounting bracket,
53 ... Bolt (fixing means),
AA ... airbag assembly,
AM ... Airbag device,
SC ... Steering column.

Claims (4)

A column body and a substantially cylindrical column cover that covers the outer peripheral side of the column body;
The column cover is folded and housed on the inner peripheral surface side of the lower side of the column cover. It is configured to arrange an airbag device for knee protection provided with an airbag configured to protrude from the column cover in a protective manner,
The column cover is divided into two along the axis orthogonal direction of the column body so that the surface along the axial direction of the column body is a split surface, and the cross-sectional shape of the column body in the axis orthogonal direction is substantially reversed. A steering column having an airbag device including an U-shaped upper cover and a lower cover having a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the column body,
The airbag device includes the airbag, an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the airbag, and a case that houses the folded airbag and the inflator and opens at least a lower side. And configured as an airbag assembly in which the folded airbag and the inflator are stored in the case,
A work opening for fixing the airbag assembly to the column body side is formed in the upper cover or the lower cover,
The lower cover is configured to include a locking portion that locks the lower edge of the upper cover on the upper edge side that is the upper cover side,
In the state in which the airbag assembly is assembled with the lower cover, a fixing bracket that is disposed in the airbag assembly is inserted into the column body using the fixing means. By fixing to the column side bracket disposed in the column tube, it is fixed to the column body side,
The lower cover is attached to the column tube using the airbag assembly by fixing the airbag assembly to the column tube, and the locking portion is connected to the lower edge of the upper cover. A steering column having an airbag device, wherein the steering column is configured to be locked to the vehicle.   The steering column having an airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the working opening is provided in the lower cover.   The steering column having an airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the working opening is disposed so as to penetrate in the left-right direction on the left and right side walls of the lower cover. The mounting bracket and the column side bracket are each configured to include a mounting hole penetrating in the left-right direction so that the fixing means as a rod-like body can be inserted.
The fixing means is arranged so that an axial direction is along a horizontal direction substantially orthogonal to a protruding direction of the airbag, and the mounting bracket is fixed to the column side bracket. A steering column having the airbag device according to 3.

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