JP5070530B2 - Steering member - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering member that supports a steering shaft for a vehicle such as an automobile.

  An instrument panel is provided at the front of the vehicle interior, and a steering member for supporting the steering extends in the vehicle width direction on the inner side, and the steering members are mounted on both sides of the vehicle body at both ends thereof. Yes.

  In order to support and mount the steering shaft, the steering member is mounted with a steering column through which the steering shaft is inserted so as to be capable of steering rotation, and a steering support bracket is attached to mount the steering column. Has been.

  Therefore, the load applied from the steering shaft is received by the steering member via the steering support bracket.

  As a result, in order to cope with the increase in the weight of the steering column in relation to the steering shaft, if it is required to further increase the rigidity of the steering support bracket and increase the cross-sectional secondary moment per constant weight, Measures such as increasing the thickness of the steel material that constitutes the steering support bracket and increasing the number of brackets for increasing the number of attachment points to the vehicle body are taken. As the weight of the bracket itself increases, the space occupying ratio of brackets such as a steering support bracket increases, and the layout for avoiding interference with other adjacent members must be difficult.

In order to solve such problems, conventionally, an attempt has been made to provide a steering member that achieves overall weight reduction, maintains desired rigidity and strength, and has an increased secondary moment of section (see Patent Document 1). ).
JP-A-11-129940.

  The above-mentioned conventional steering member has a structure in which a steering member body that supports a steering column and has a shock-absorbing function in the event of a vehicle collision and a vibration-preventing function of the instrument panel is arranged in the vehicle width direction on the instrument panel of the automobile. The steering member main body is formed of a hollow molded product, and is formed of a deformed member in which the cross-sectional shape and the plate thickness at a predetermined location are changed.

  According to such a steering member, the steering member main body is formed of a hollow molded product and is formed of a deformed member having a changed cross-sectional shape and plate thickness at a predetermined location, so that the overall weight can be reduced. It is said that the desired rigidity and strength can be maintained.

  However, even in the above-described prior art, the predetermined portion is also formed by a deformed member, but the sectional moment is increased by taking a measure to increase the plate thickness of the steering member main body.

  As a result, the steering member main body becomes larger and heavier, and eventually the layout for avoiding interference with adjacent parts becomes difficult.

  Therefore, in view of such points, the present invention can obtain a desired moment of inertia of the cross section without taking measures such as increasing the plate thickness and increasing the rigidity by increasing the number of brackets. The purpose is to provide a steering member made.

In order to achieve the above object, a steering member according to the present invention has a hollow cylindrical steering member main body extending in the vehicle width direction and a steering support bracket for supporting a steering shaft attached thereto. A steering member adapted to be mounted on both sides of a vehicle body using vehicle body mounting brackets attached to both ends, and a bracket bulkhead configured in a disk shape is inserted inside the steering member body, and , wherein the outer peripheral end portion of the bracket bulkhead, wherein the steering support bracket with is positioned a steering supporting part which is mounted in the steering member body, the bracket mounting flange portion by folding the outer edge of the bulkhead Formed and, it is characterized in that the mounting flange portion is constituted by fixing the inner wall of the steering member body.

  By having such a configuration, the present invention suppresses cross-sectional deformation of the steering member main body because the bracket bulkhead in which the outer peripheral end portion is fixed to the inner wall portion of the steering member main body exists in the steering support portion of the steering member main body. Thus, the steering support rigidity can be improved to obtain a desired moment of inertia of the cross section, and a lightweight and inexpensive steering member can be provided by suppressing an increase in plate thickness or outer shape of the steering member body.

In addition, with this configuration, the presence of the mounting flange portion can increase the fixing force of the bracket bulkhead to the steering member main body, and further suppress the cross-sectional deformation of the steering member main body, thereby improving the steering support rigidity. is allowed can Rukoto give the desired cross-sectional secondary moment.

Furthermore, with this configuration, the bracket bulkhead can adhere to the inner wall portion along the shape of the inner wall portion of the steering member body, thereby increasing the fixing force of the bracket bulkhead to the steering member body. In addition, the deformation of the cross section of the steering member main body can be further reliably suppressed, the steering support rigidity can be improved, and a desired secondary moment of the cross section can be obtained.

Upper Symbol The present invention can be constituted by a pair of brackets bulkhead which is fixed the bracket bulkhead while spaced from each other to the steering support site.

With this configuration, by suppressing the cross-sectional deformation in the steering support portion of the steering member body more reliably, thereby improving the steering support rigidity Ru possible to obtain a desired geometrical moment of inertia.

Further, the present invention, the bracket bulkhead, laser welding an outer circumferential edge portion of its, by tightening spot welding or pressing, and be adapted to fixed to the steering member body, penetrating in said steering support portion The welding member may be fixed to the inner wall of the steering member main body by welding by arc welding .

With this configuration, the bracket bulkhead can be secured from the outside of the steering member body, that Do facilitates securing work.

  The steering member according to the present invention configured as described above has a bracket bulkhead in which an outer peripheral end portion is fixed to the inner wall portion of the steering member main body at the steering support portion of the steering member main body. Thus, the steering support rigidity can be improved and a desired secondary moment of section can be obtained. In addition, an increase in the thickness or outer shape of the steering body can be suppressed, and a lightweight and inexpensive steering member can be provided.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a steering member employing an embodiment according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the vicinity of a steering support portion of the steering member in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is AA sectional drawing of 2.

First, in FIG. 1, a steering member main body 1 extends in the vehicle width direction and is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. One side in the vehicle width direction is formed as a large diameter portion 1a with a substantially middle portion as a boundary. The side is configured as a deformed member formed in the small diameter portion 1b.

  The steering member main body 1 has vehicle body mounting brackets 2 and 3 having different shapes fixed to both ends thereof, and is attached to both side portions of the vehicle body (not shown) via the mounting brackets 2 and 3.

  A steering support bracket 4 for attaching a steering column (not shown) is attached to the large-diameter portion 1a of the steering member main body 1.

  The steering support bracket 4 is wide in the vehicle width direction and forms a steering support portion 1c in the large diameter portion 1a.

In addition, the steering member body 1, the installation stearyl Lee bracket 6, 7 and post bracket 5 for fastening the vehicle body to the other is attached.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of bracket bulkheads 8 and 8 are inserted into the steering member main body 1.

  Each of the bracket bulkheads 8 and 8 includes a bulkhead main body portion 8a having a disk shape and a mounting flange portion 8b formed by bending the outer peripheral end portion of the bulkhead main body portion 8a. The mounting flange portion 8b is fixed to the inner wall portion 1d of the steering member main body 1 in the steering support portion 1c.

  The fixing of the mounting flange portion 8b is performed by forming the fixing portion 9 by laser welding over the entire outer peripheral end portion.

  The through-hole 8a-1 formed in the central part of the bulkhead main body 8a of the bracket bulkheads 8 and 8 is, for example, a cylinder device when the bracket bulkheads 8 and 8 are inserted into the steering member main body 1. An operating rod (not shown) is fitted to support the bracket bulkheads 8, 8, and the bracket bulkheads 8, 8 are formed to be inserted into the steering member body 1 by the operating rod.

The steering member according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above is a bracket in which the outer peripheral end of the mounting flange portion 8b is fixed to the inner wall portion 1d of the steering member main body 1 to the steering support portion 1c of the steering member main body 1. Since the bulkheads 8 and 8 exist, the cross-sectional deformation of the steering member main body 1 can be suppressed and the steering support rigidity can be improved to obtain a desired second moment of cross-section, and the thickness of the steering member main body 1 can be increased. It is possible to reduce the outer shape and reduce the weight and cost.

  In the above embodiment, since the bracket bulkheads 8 are fixedly attached to the steering support portion 1c in a state of being separated from each other, the cross-sectional deformation of the steering member main body 1 is reliably suppressed and the steering support rigidity is improved. Thus, a desired moment of inertia of the cross section can be obtained.

  Accordingly, the bracket bulkhead 8 may be single or may be provided in a plurality of three or more depending on the desired amount of secondary moment of section.

  In the above embodiment, the bracket bulkhead 8 is fixed to the steering member main body 1 by laser welding over the entire outer peripheral end of the mounting flange portion 8b. The steering member main body 1 can be fixed from the outside of the steering member main body 1 so that the fixing work is facilitated.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the mounting flange portion 8 b formed by bending is provided at the outer peripheral end portion of the bulkhead main body portion 8 a of the bracket bulkhead 8, and the mounting flange portion 8 b is connected to the inner wall of the steering member main body 1. Since it is configured to be fixed to the portion 1d, the presence of the mounting flange portion 8b can increase the fixing force of the bracket bulkhead 8 to the steering member main body 1, and the cross-sectional deformation of the steering member main body 1 can be further increased. It is possible to reliably suppress, improve the steering support rigidity, and obtain a desired cross-sectional second moment.

  The bulkhead main body 8a of the bracket bulkhead 8 may have a star shape or other shapes depending on the desired moment of inertia of the cross section. Since it is configured to have a plate shape, it can follow the shape of the inner wall 1d of the steering member body 1, and as a result, a wide range, for example, the entire periphery can be fixed to the inner wall 1d, and the steering member The fixing force to the main body 1 can be increased, the cross-sectional deformation of the steering member main body 1 can be reliably suppressed, the steering support rigidity can be improved, and a desired second moment of cross section can be obtained.

  FIGS. 4 and 5 show another embodiment according to the present invention. According to FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of welding holes 8e penetrating the inside and outside of the steering support portion 1c are continuously arranged in a row on the circumference. The bracket bulkhead 8 is disposed in the steering support portion 1c in a state where the mounting flange portion 8b is opposed to the welding hole 8e, and the fixing portion 9 is welded by arc welding from the welding hole 8e. The bracket bulkhead 8 is fixed to the inner wall 1d of the steering member main body 1.

  With this configuration, the fixing portion 9 is formed by welding using arc welding from the welding hole 8e provided so as to penetrate the steering support portion 1c, and is fixed to the inner wall portion 1d of the steering member main body 1. As a result, the bracket bulkhead 8 can be fixed from the outside of the steering member main body, and the fixing operation is facilitated.

  6 to 8 show an embodiment according to the present invention in a case where another method is adopted as a method for fixing the bracket bulkhead 8 to the steering member main body 1.

  First, according to FIG. 6, the bracket bulkhead 8 has an attachment flange portion 8b formed by bending the outer peripheral end portion of the bulkhead body portion 8a on the inner wall portion 1d of the steering member body 1 at the steering support portion 1c. The fixing | fixed part 9 is formed by spot welding, and is fixing several places intermittently.

  Such spot welding is performed using, for example, a one-side welding mechanism.

  Therefore, the bracket bulkhead 8 can be fixed from the outside of the steering member main body 1, and the fixing work becomes easy.

  Moreover, according to FIG.7 and FIG.8, the bracket bulkhead 8 is being fixed to the steering member main body 1 by crimping.

  That is, first, as shown in FIG. 7, the bracket bulkhead 8 is for caulking formed so as to be recessed inward in a mounting flange portion 8b formed by bending the outer peripheral end portion of the bulkhead body portion 8a. The concave portion 8b-1 is formed, for example, around the entire circumference, and fitted into the steering member main body 1.

  Next, a fixing portion 9 is formed by caulking the outer peripheral portion of the steering member main body 1 facing the caulking concave portion 8b-1 of the mounting flange portion 8b, and the bracket bulkhead 8 is fixed to the steering member main body 1. Will be.

  Therefore, the bracket bulkhead 8 can be fixed from the outside of the steering member main body 1 similarly to the above-described embodiment, and the fixing work becomes easy.

  As described above, the present invention has a bracket bulkhead in which the outer peripheral end is fixed to the inner wall portion of the steering member main body at the steering support portion of the steering member main body. Since it is possible to obtain a desired moment of inertia of the cross section by improving the steering support rigidity, and to provide a lightweight and inexpensive steering member by suppressing an increase in thickness or outer shape of the steering body, an automobile or the like It is suitable for a steering member that supports a steering shaft for a vehicle.

1 is a perspective view depicting a schematic configuration of a steering member employing an embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of a steering support portion of a steering member in FIG. 1. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of a steering support portion of a steering member employing another embodiment according to the present invention. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is sectional drawing similar to FIG. 4 which employ | adopted another Example which concerns on this invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 before a bracket bulkhead according to still another embodiment of the present invention is fixed to a steering member body. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 depicting a state in which the bracket bulkhead is fixed to the steering member body.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering member main body 1c Steering support part 1d Inner wall part 1e Weld hole 2, 3 Car body mounting bracket 4 Steering support bracket 8 Bracket bulkhead 8a Bulkhead main body 8b Mounting flange part

Claims (6)

A steering support bracket that supports a steering shaft is attached to a hollow cylindrical steering member body that extends in the vehicle width direction, and vehicle body mounting brackets that are attached to both ends of the steering member body are used on both sides of the vehicle body. A steering member that is designed to be installed,
A bracket bulkhead configured in a disk shape is inserted into the steering member main body, and an outer peripheral end of the bracket bulkhead is inserted into a steering support portion of the steering member main body to which the steering support bracket is attached. And a mounting flange portion formed by bending an outer peripheral end portion of the bracket bulkhead, and the mounting flange portion being fixed to an inner wall portion of the steering member body. member.   2. The steering member according to claim 1, wherein the bracket bulkhead includes a pair of bracket bulkheads that are fixed to the steering support portion in a state of being separated from each other.   The steering member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bracket bulkhead is fixed to the steering member main body by laser welding of an outer peripheral end portion thereof.   The steering member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bracket bulkhead is fixed to the steering member main body by spot welding of an outer peripheral end portion thereof.   The steering member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bracket bulkhead is fixed to the steering member body by caulking an outer peripheral end portion thereof.   2. The bracket bulkhead is fixed to an inner wall portion of the steering member main body by welding by arc welding from a welding hole provided so as to penetrate the steering support portion. Or the steering member of 2.

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