Patent ID: 9738305
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: B62D,F16C

Claim:
1. A tilt steering apparatus comprising: a steering shaft to which a steering handle is installed; a steering column having a cylindrical tube member housing the steering shaft, the steering column rotatably installed on a body frame for tilt around a tilt center shaft; and an intermediate shaft provided between a steering gearbox and the steering shaft, the intermediate shaft being installed to a first universal joint fixed to the steering shaft on one end side of the intermediate shaft and on another end side to a second universal joint whose movement in an axial direction relative to the body frame is limited, wherein the steering shaft has opposite ends each rotatably supported by a bearing member for rotation of the steering shaft relative to the tube member of the steering column, the steering shaft engaging with elastic members provided on axial-direction outer ends of both bearing members, the elastic members flexing to provide for movement of the steering shaft within the steering column in an axially-aligned manner, the elastic members having elastic properties allowing the elastic members to contract a predetermined amount relative to a weight of the steering shaft and a weight of the steering handle and to absorb an axial-direction displacement of the steering shaft that accompanies a tilting operation, and wherein the steering shaft is alignable in a state where there is substantially no deformation of the elastic members due to the weight of the steering shaft and the weight of the steering handle to facilitate assembly and maintenance of the steering apparatus, and wherein the tube member of the steering column includes opposite ends and each of the elastic members is located outside the tube member at an axial distance from the associated end of the tube.