The present disclosure relates to a steering device.
There has hitherto been an electric power steering system that assists in operating a steering wheel using a motor. An electric power steering system according to Patent Document 1, for example, includes an electric assist device. The electric assist device includes a motor and a housing. The housing supports the motor. A speed reducer of a worm type is housed inside the housing. Torque of the motor is transferred to a steering shaft via the speed reducer.
The housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member. The first housing member and the second housing member are fitted with each other in the axial direction of the steering shaft. A cylindrical steering column is coupled to a side surface of the first housing member on the opposite side of the second housing member by a bolt. The steering shaft is rotatably supported inside the steering column.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-71590 (JP 2013-71590 A)
The electric power steering system according to Patent Document 1 involves the following apprehension. That is, when the coaxiality between the first housing member and the steering column is not secured, the coaxiality between a member provided inside the first housing member and a member provided inside the steering column that should be positioned on the same line as each other is also not secured.
Therefore, it is necessary to perform so-called centering when attaching the steering column to the first housing member. The term “centering” refers to the work of adjusting the relative positional relationship between the first housing member and the steering column such that the axis of the first housing member and the axis of the steering column are positioned on the same line. However, the centering work is troublesome.
A steering device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a cylindrical support tube that includes a flange that supports a steering shaft such that the steering shaft is rotatable; a speed reducer configured to apply torque to the steering shaft; a housing that includes a cylindrical portion that houses the speed reducer, the cylindrical portion being disposed coaxially with the flange; and a bolt that couples the flange and the cylindrical portion to each other. The flange and the cylindrical portion include an engagement portion, at which the flange and the cylindrical portion are engaged with each other in a radial direction of the flange, at a different location from a location at which the bolt is provided.
A steering device according to an embodiment will be described.
As illustrated in
The steering shaft 2 includes an outer shaft 11 and an inner shaft 12. The outer shaft 11 and the inner shaft 12 are coupled to each other by a spline connection, for example. The outer shaft 11 and the inner shaft 12 are rotatable together and relatively movable along the axial direction. The steering shaft 2 is provided obliquely with respect to the front-rear direction of a vehicle with the steering wheel 6 facing upward.
The steering device 1 includes a steering column 15. The steering shaft 2 is inserted through the steering column 15. The steering shaft 2 is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the steering column 15 via a bearing (not illustrated). The steering column 15 is attached to two frames 13 and 14 provided on the vehicle body. One frame 13 is positioned rearward of the other frame 14 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
The steering column 15 includes an upper tube 16, a lower tube 17, and a housing 18. The upper tube 16 is in a cylindrical shape. The lower tube 17 is in a cylindrical shape, and includes a flange 31. The upper tube 16 and the lower tube 17 are fitted with each other. The upper tube 16 is inserted into a first end portion of the lower tube 17, by way of example. The first end portion is an end portion on the opposite side of a second end portion at which the flange 31 is provided. The upper tube 16 and the lower tube 17 are movable relative to each other in the axial direction of the steering shaft 2. The lower tube 17 includes a column bracket 17A. The lower tube 17 is attached to the frame 13 of the vehicle body via the column bracket 17A.
The upper tube 16 and the lower tube 17 constitute a support tube that supports the steering shaft 2 such that the steering shaft 2 is rotatable.
The housing 18 is coupled to the second end portion of the lower tube 17. The housing 18 includes two support portions 18A (only one is illustrated in
A motor 19 that assists in steering is provided outside the housing 18. A speed reducer 20 is housed inside the housing 18. The speed reducer 20 reduces the speed of rotation of the motor 19, and transfers the rotation at the reduced speed to the inner shaft 12. The speed reducer 20 is a worm speed reducer that includes a worm 21 and a worm wheel 22. The worm 21 is coupled to an output shaft (not illustrated) of the motor 19 so as to be rotatable together. The axis of the worm 21 and the axis of the output shaft of the motor 19 are positioned on the same line. The worm wheel 22 is meshed with the worm 21. The worm wheel 22 is provided so as to be rotatable together with the inner shaft 12. The axis of the worm wheel 22 and the axis of the inner shaft 12 are positioned on the same line.
The steering device 1 includes a lock mechanism (not illustrated). The lock mechanism selectively locks and unlocks swing of the steering column 15 about the support shaft 18B and expansion and contraction of the steering column 15 through an operation of a lever (not illustrated). An unlocking operation of the lever enables the steering column 15 to swing with respect to the column bracket 17A about the support shaft 18B. The vertical position of the steering wheel 6 can be adjusted by performing the unlocking operation of the lever and thereafter moving the steering wheel 6 upward or downward. The unlocking operation of the lever also enables the upper tube 16 to move in the axial direction of the steering shaft 2 with respect to the lower tube 17. The position of the steering wheel 6 in the axial direction can be adjusted by performing the unlocking operation of the lever and thereafter moving the steering wheel 6 in the axial direction of the steering shaft 2.
Next, the configuration of the lower tube 17 will be described in detail.
As illustrated in
Next, the configuration of the housing 18 will be described in detail.
As illustrated in
The worm wheel 22 is rotatably housed inside the worm wheel housing member 41. The worm 21 is supported inside the worm housing member 42 so as to be rotatable via a bearing (not illustrated). The worm wheel 22 and the worm 21 are meshed with each other via the communication hole 43 of the housing 18.
The worm wheel housing member 41 includes two tightening portions 44. The tightening portions 44 are each a portion to which the bolt 30 is tightened when fixing the flange 31 to the housing 18. The tightening portions 44 project radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the worm wheel housing member 41. The two tightening portions 44 are positioned on the opposite sides of each other in the radial direction of the worm wheel housing member 41. The tightening portions 44 each have a screw hole 44A. End surfaces of the tightening portions 44 in which the screw holes 44A open are flush with an end surface of the worm wheel housing member 41 in which the opening portion 41A opens.
The worm wheel housing member 41 includes three regulation portions 41B. The regulation portions 41B are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the worm wheel housing member 41. The regulation portions 41B are in a plate shape, and are curved along the outer peripheral surface of the worm wheel housing member 41. The regulation portions 41B project in an opposite direction of a mounting direction DW of the flange 31 from an end surface of the worm wheel housing member 41 in which the opening portion 41A opens. The mounting direction DW is a direction along the axis of the worm wheel housing member 41, and a direction of getting closer to the worm wheel housing member 41 from a position facing the opening portion 41A. To attach the flange 31 to the worm wheel housing member 41, the flange 31 is moved in the mounting direction DW with respect to the worm wheel housing member 41 to abut against the worm wheel housing member 41. The regulation portions 41B are spaced from each other in the circumferential direction of the worm wheel housing member 41. A regulation surface 41C is provided on the inside surface of each of the regulation portions 41B. The regulation surface 41C is an arcuate surface curved along the outer peripheral surface of the worm wheel housing member 41, and faces radially inward.
As illustrated in
When seen in the axial direction of the steering column 15, in addition, the two regulation portions 41B in the region A1 are positioned on the opposite sides of each other with respect to a line L2. The line L2 is orthogonal to the line L1, and passes through the center of the worm wheel housing member 41 in the radial direction. The regulation portion 41B in the region A2 is positioned on the line L2. More specifically, the regulation portions 41B are arranged as follows. That is, when seen in the axial direction of the steering column 15, the two regulation portions 41B in the region A1 are positioned in the directions of approximately 10:30 and 1:00 with respect to the center of the worm wheel housing member 41 in the radial direction. The regulation portion 41B in the region A2 is positioned in the direction of approximately 6:00.
When seen in the axial direction of the steering column 15, the regulation portions 41B are positioned inward of a virtual circle CB. The virtual circle CB is a circle that circumscribes the head portions 30A of two bolts 30 positioned in the worm wheel housing member 41 on the opposite sides of each other in the direction along the line L1. As illustrated in
Next, a method of assembling the steering column 15 will be described. The upper tube 16 and the lower tube 17 are assembled in advance.
To couple the lower tube 17 and the housing 18, the flange 31 of the lower tube 17 and the opening portion 41A of the housing 18 are caused to face each other in the axial direction. In this state, the flange 31 and the housing 18 are brought closer to each other along the axial direction. At this time, the flange 31 is disposed in a region surrounded by a plurality of the regulation portions 41B while adjusting the rotational position of the flange 31 such that the insertion holes 31B of the flange 31 and the corresponding screw holes 44A of the housing 18 coincide with each other. Then, the peripheral edge of the flange 31 abuts against an end surface of the worm wheel housing member 41 in which the opening portion 41A opens. While maintaining such a state of abutment, the bolts 30 are inserted through the insertion holes 31B of the flange 31 from the opposite side of the housing 18, and the inserted bolts 30 are tightened to the tightening portions 44 of the housing 18. Consequently, the flange 31 is fixed to the housing 18. That is, the lower tube 17 is coupled to the housing 18 via the flange 31. In addition, the opening portion 41A of the housing 18 is maintained in the state of being blocked by the flange 31. The flange 31 also serves as a cover that blocks the opening portion 41A of the housing 18.
Next, the function of the present embodiment will be described.
To assemble the steering column 15, the flange 31 is disposed in a region surrounded by the regulation portions 41B while a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the flange 31 is slid against the regulation surfaces 41C. The regulation portions 41B guide movement of the flange 31 in the axial direction. A plurality of locations of the outer peripheral surface of the flange 31 in the circumferential direction abuts against the regulation surfaces 41C in the radial direction of the flange 31. That is, the flange 31 and the worm wheel housing member 41 include engagement portions, at which the flange 31 and the worm wheel housing member 41 are engaged with each other in the radial direction of the flange 31, at different locations from the locations of the attachment portions 31A and the tightening portions 44 at which the bolts 30 are provided. Consequently, the movement of the flange 31 in the radial direction with respect to the worm wheel housing member 41 is regulated. Therefore, the lower tube 17 and the housing 18 are maintained in the state of being disposed coaxially. Thus, there is no need for the work of adjusting the relative positional relationship between the lower tube 17 and the housing 18 such that the lower tube 17 and the housing 18 are disposed coaxially. Since there is no need to perform so-called centering work, the steering column 15 can be assembled more easily.
As illustrated in
In assembling the lower tube 17 and the housing 18, rotation of the flange 31 about the axis is regulated with the flat surfaces 31D of the flange 31 guided by the corresponding regulation surfaces 41C that are also flat surfaces. Therefore, the attachment posture of the flange 31 in the rotational direction is determined. In addition, the movement of the flange 31 in the radial direction is regulated with the flat surfaces 31D abutting against the corresponding regulation surfaces 41C in the radial direction of the flange 31. Therefore, the lower tube 17 and the housing 18 are maintained in the state of being disposed coaxially.
This comparative example can also eliminate the need for so-called centering work. However, this comparative example involves the following apprehension.
As illustrated in
In the present embodiment, in this respect, the engagement portions of the flange 31 and the worm wheel housing member 41, that is, the regulation portions 41B, are positioned away from the locations at which the bolts 30 are provided in the circumferential direction of the flange 31 and the worm wheel housing member 41. Therefore, the regulation portions 41B can be positioned inward of the virtual circle CB that circumscribes the head portions 30A of the two bolts 30 when seen in the axial direction of the worm wheel housing member 41. Therefore, an increase in the size of the worm wheel housing member 41 in the radial direction can be suppressed compared to the comparative example in which the regulation portions 41B are positioned on the outer side in the radial direction of the flange 31 with respect to the attachment portions 31A of the flange 31.
According to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
The present embodiment may be modified as follows.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2021/024116 | 6/25/2021 | WO |