Steering column

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10604171-B2
Application number	US-201815879873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2018
Priority date	Jan 26, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a steering column of a vehicle, the steering column including: an inner tube; a fixed block disposed on the outer side of the inner tube in the axial direction of the steering column and having a plurality of fastening holes arranged in the axial direction of the steering column; an outer tube fitted on the outer side of the inner tube such that the inner tube can be moved in the axial direction of the steering column, and having distance portions disposed at both sides of the fixed block and having a first bolt hole; a movable block fastened to the fixed block and having a second bolt hole; a lever bolt disposed through the first bolt hole and the second bolt hole; and an elastic member coupled to the outer side of an end of the lever bolt and having both ends supported by the movable block and the distance portions and elastically supporting the movable block toward the fixed block.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering column comprising:
an inner tube;
a fixed block disposed on an outer side of the inner tube in an axial direction of the steering column, the fixed block having a plurality of fastening holes arranged in the axial direction of the steering column;
an outer tube fitted on the outer side of the inner tube such that the inner tube can be moved in the axial direction of the steering column, the outer tube having distance members disposed at both sides of the fixed block and having a first bolt hole;
a movable block configured to be coupled to and separable from the fixed block, and having a second bolt hole;
a lever bolt disposed through the first bolt hole and the second bolt hole, such that the lever bolt extends through a center of the movable block; and
an elastic member coupled to an outer side of an end of the lever bolt the elastic member having both ends supported by the movable block and the distance members and elastically supporting the movable block toward the fixed block,
wherein the fixed block has an upside-down “U”-shape having a closed upper surface and an opened lower surface, and has the plurality of fastening holes on a closed side surface thereof.

2. The steering column of claim 1 wherein a stopper supporting and spacing the movable block away from the fixed block when the lever bolt is unlocked is disposed on an outer side of another end of the lever bolt.

3. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein the fixed block has:
a guide portion protruding from the outer side of the inner tube and disposed in the axial direction of the steering column; and
a load-absorbing portion coupled to a side of the guide, having the plurality of fastening holes spaced from each other in the axial direction of the steering column, and absorbing a collision load by being supported and plastically deformed in a collision of a vehicle.

4. The steering column of claim 3 , wherein the load-absorbing portion coupled to the guide hole by a coupling member is configured to be separate from the guide portion when the collision load that is a set value or more is applied to the steering column.

5. The steering column of claim 3 , wherein a space is defined inside the guide portion, a first end portion of the load-absorbing portion bends into the space inside the guide portion, and a bending portion is supported by the guide portion.

6. The steering column of claim 5 , wherein a bending guide, which is supported by the bending portion of the load-absorbing portion and configured to contribute to plastic deformation in the collision of the vehicle, is located at an end of the guide portion.

7. The steering column of claim 1 , wherein the movable block includes:
a block body having the second bolt hole; and
a fastening portion disposed on a first side of the block body and having a fastening projection corresponding to a corresponding fastening hole.

8. The steering column of claim 7 , wherein the movable block has a support groove supporting the elastic member on a second side of the block body.

Assignees

• Mando Corp

Inventors

• Kwon Hyunbi

Classifications

• B62D1/184 Primary

  Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions · CPC title

• B62D1/187

  with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment (B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/192 Primary

  Yieldable or collapsible columns · CPC title

• B62D1/195

  Yieldable supports for the steering column · CPC title

• B62D1/197

  incorporating devices for preventing ingress of the steering column into the passengers space in case of accident · CPC title