Patent ID: 6764098
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A support mechanism of a steering system, comprising:a support portion that supports a steering column to a part of a vehicle body, the steering column supporting a steering shaft so that the steering shaft is rotatable in a circumferential direction; and an energy absorbing mechanism mounted in the support portion on a side of at least one of the steering column and the vehicle body, and capable of changing an energy absorption amount, wherein: the energy absorption amount of the energy absorbing mechanism is reduced when a driver fastens a seatbelt and is increased when the driver does not fasten the seatbelt, the energy absorbing mechanism comprises: a support member fixed to the steering column, a support pin which extends through a longitudinal long hole in the support member and which is attached to a part of the vehicle body to support the steering column to the vehicle body through the support member, an energy absorbing member mounted in the support member, and capable of being deformed by the support pin when the support pin moves relative to the bug hole within the long hole, and an actuator that changes an amount of a deforming action on the energy absorbing member, wherein the actuator reduces the amount of a deforming action on the energy absorbing member when the driver of the vehicle fastens the seatbelt and increases the amount of the deforming action on the energy absorbing member when the driver of the vehicle does not fasten the seatbelt, the energy absorbing member includes a pair of bent plates arranged in parallel with each other, the actuator includes an interfering member selectively abutting on at least one of the pair of bent plates according to whether the driver fastens the seatbelt and the interfering member abuts on at least one of the pair of bent plates so that a deformation characteristic of the bent plate becomes higher in a case where the driver does not fasten the seatbelt as compared to a case where the driver fastens the seatbelt, and the interfering member applies a deforming force to the bent plate during deformation of the bent plates, and the pair of bent plates have different deformation capabilities, wherein when the driver fastens the seatbelt, the interfering member abuts on the bent plate having lower deformation characteristics and applies a deforming force to the bent plate and when the driver does not fasten the seatbelt, the interfering member abuts on the bent plate having higher deformation characteristics and applies a deforming force to the bent plate during deformation of the bent plates.