Steering support member structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618569-B2
Application number	US-201615561186-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

The steering support member is disposed in a front portion of a vehicle cabin to support the steering column. The steering support member includes a steering support member body that extends in a vehicle width direction, and side brackets that fix both ends of the steering support member body to a vehicle body. The steering support member body is disposed above a gravity center position of the steering column to fix the gravity center position or a position in a vicinity of the gravity center position. At least the side bracket closer to the steering column includes a front-and-rear fixing portion that fixes the steering support member to the vehicle body in a vehicle front-and-rear direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering support member structure, comprising a steering support member that is disposed in a front portion of a vehicle cabin to support a steering column,
the steering support member comprising:
a single steering support member body configured to extend over an entire width of the front portion of the vehicle cabin in a vehicle width direction that is perpendicular to a vehicle front-and-rear direction; and
side brackets configured to fix both ends of the single steering support member body to a vehicle body,

wherein the single steering support member body is disposed above a center of gravity of the steering column to fix the center of gravity or a position in a vicinity of the center of gravity,
wherein a virtual line extending vertically upward from the center of gravity of the steering column is located within a cross-sectional area of the single steering support member body,
wherein a side bracket closer to the steering column comprises:
a member fixing portion that is fixed to an end of the single steering support member body and extends perpendicular to an axial direction of the steering support member, and
a front-and-rear fixing portion that fixes the steering support member to the vehicle body in the vehicle front-and-rear direction, and bends outward in the vehicle width direction from a front end of the member fixing portion in the vehicle front-and-rear direction,

wherein the side bracket closer to the steering column has an L-shape formed by the member fixing portion and the front-and-rear fixing portion,
wherein the front-and-rear fixing portion abuts and is fixed to an opening flange of a door opening by a fastener, and
wherein a head of the fastener is located forward of the steering support member body in the vehicle front-and-rear direction.

Assignees

• Calsonic Kansei Corp

Inventors

• Abe Masato

Classifications

• B62D27/00

  Connections between superstructure {or understructure} sub-units {(B62D33/0207, B62D33/044 take precedence; between sub-units predominently made of synthetic material B62D29/048)} · CPC title

• B62D25/145 Primary

  having a crossbeam incorporated therein · CPC title

• B62D1/16

  Steering columns · CPC title