Patent ID: 8678437
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: B62D,F16F

Abstract:
1. An impact absorbing steering apparatus, comprising: a steering column that comprises: an inner column that is located on the front side in a state in which the forward and backward position is regulated; and an outer column that fits around a rear section of the inner column such that relative displacement is possible in an axial direction, and that has a slit in the axial direction that is provided in the axial direction in a front section that fits with the inner column and enables the diameter of the front section to expand or constrict, a pair of held wall sections that are provided on a top surface or a bottom surface of the front section on both left and right sides of the axial slit, and a pair of first through holes that are formed in these held wall sections at positions that are aligned with each other; a steering shaft supported on an inner diameter side of the steering column that comprises; an inner shaft; and an outer shaft that fits around a rear section of the inner shaft such that relative displacement in an axial direction is possible, and a rear end section of the outer shaft protruding further toward a rear than an opening on the rear end of the outer column, a steering wheel being supported by and fastened to the rear end section; a support bracket that comprises: a pair of left and right holding plate sections; a pair of second through holes that are formed in these holding plate sections in positions that are aligned with at least part of the first through holes; and an installation plate section that is supported by a vehicle body and that together with supporting the holding plate sections, is capable of dropping toward the front due to impact energy that is applied from the steering wheel to the outer column during a secondary collision; a tightening rod that is inserted through the first through holes and second through holes, and that comprises one pair of pressure sections, with one pressure section being located on one end of the tightening rod and the other pressure section being located on the other end of the tightening rod; a fastening unit that increases or decreases the space between the pair of pressure sections, and when that space is decreased, decreases the diameter of the front section of the outer column and creates a friction fit between an inner circumferential surface of the front section of the outer column and an outer circumferential surface of the rear section of the inner column; and an energy absorbing member that is located between a portion that displaces in the forward direction together with the outer column during the secondary collision and a portion that does not displace in the forward direction during that secondary collision, the energy absorbing member being made of a member that plastically deforms as the outer column displaces in the forward direction during the secondary collision, and absorbs part of the impact energy through the relative movement of the plastic deformation; wherein the portion that displaces in the forward direction together with the outer column is the tightening rod, the energy absorbing member comprises a U-shaped bent back section located on a rear end section of the energy absorbing member, a portion located on one end side of the bent back section and provided with a third through hole, and a portion extending toward the front from the other end of the bent back section, by inserting the tightening rod through the third through hole, a rear section of the energy absorbing member is fastened to the tightening rod such that displacement in the forward direction together with the outer column during a secondary collision is possible, the portion extending toward the front from the other end of the bent back section plastically deforms as the outer column displaces in the forward direction during the secondary collision, and the plastic deformation of the member is restricted in the width direction by the pair of held wall sections of the outer column.