Patent ID: 9623896
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: B62D

Claim:
1. A steering column device comprising: an outer column having a cylindrical shape and arranged along a vehicle longitudinal direction; a slit formed to penetrate through a cylindrical wall of the outer column along a cylinder-axis direction of the outer column; first and second clamp parts arranged on both edge parts of the slit along the cylinder-axis direction; an inner column having a cylindrical shape and inserted into the outer column so as to be movable in the cylinder-axis direction; an operating shaft having a shaft-shape and arranged so as to penetrate through the first and second clamp parts while engaging one end of the operating shaft with an outer face of the first clamp part, the operating shaft comprising a large-diameter shaft portion positioned on the side of the first clamp part, a small-diameter shaft portion having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the large-diameter shaft portion and positioned on the side of the second clamp part and a step part interposed between the large-diameter shaft portion and the small-diameter shaft portion and arranged between the first clamp part and the second clamp part; an operating lever arranged on a shaft portion of the operating shaft positioned on the side of an outer face of the second clamp part; cam mechanism that allows a dimension thereof in the direction of the operating shaft to be increased by rotating the operating shaft about an axis thereof to a fastening direction, thereby reducing an interval between the first clamp part and the second clamp part, contracting the diameter of the outer column and bringing the outer column into pressure contact with the inner column; and frictional lock mechanism having a laminated body in which a movable-side friction plate including a plate member having an impact absorbing slot opening along the cylinder-axis direction and arranged on the side of the inner column and a stationary-side friction plate including a plate member and arranged on the side of the outer column are laminated on each other, the impact absorbing slot being penetrated by the small-diameter shaft portion of the operating shaft along the laminating direction, wherein, between the step part and the second clamp part, the movable-side friction plate is brought into pressure contact with the stationary-side friction plate to be held since the dimension of the cam mechanism in the direction of the operating shaft is increased to move the operating shaft toward the cam mechanism, and when a load exceeding a set value is applied to the inner column under condition that the movable-side friction plate is brought into pressure contact with the stationary-side friction plate to be held, the movable-side friction plate slides on the stationary-side friction plate, thereby absorbing impact energy.