Steering apparatus for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018347635-A1
Application number	US-201815993330-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 30, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a steering apparatus for a vehicle. The embodiments provide a vehicular steering apparatus including: a shaft member having several outer axial grooves provided on an outer circumferential surface of a sliding section; a first outer member having a hollow shape, wherein the first outer member has first serration portions axially formed on an outer circumferential surface of thereof and several inner axial grooves formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof to correspond to the outer axial grooves of the shaft member; and a second outer member having a hollow shape, wherein the second outer member has second serration portions axially provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof to correspond to the first serration portions of the first outer member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A steering apparatus for a vehicle, the steering apparatus comprising:
a shaft member having a yoke provided at one end thereof and several outer axial grooves provided on an outer circumferential surface of a sliding section; a first outer member having a hollow shape, wherein a remaining end of the shaft member is slidably inserted into one end of the first outer member and the first outer member has first serration portions axially formed on an outer circumferential surface of a remaining end thereof and several inner axial grooves formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof to correspond to the outer axial grooves of the shaft member; and a second outer member having a hollow shape, wherein the remaining end of the first outer member is slidably inserted into one end of the second outer member, and the second outer member has second serration portions axially provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof to correspond to the first serration portions of the first outer member, and a yoke provided on the remaining end thereof.

2 . The steering apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first load control member coupled to the one end of the first outer member and configured to control a collapse load by being in close contact with and being supported by the outer axial grooves on the shaft member when a collapse motion in which the shaft member is inserted into the first outer member is performed when the vehicle is in a collision.

3 . The steering apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first load control member comprises:
an annular contact member having contact protrusions provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof to be in close contact with and to be supported by the outer axial grooves of the shaft member; and an annular support member, one end of which is coupled to an outer circumferential side of the contact member and a remaining end of which is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the first outer member.

4 . The steering apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the contact member is provided with a small diameter portion whose diameter is reduced at an axial end thereof, and one or more coupling protrusions formed to radially protrude are provided on an outer circumference side of the small diameter portion.

5 . The steering apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the support member is provided with an inner end whose diameter is reduced so as to be seated in the small diameter portion at an axial end thereof, and one or more insertion grooves, into which the coupling protrusions are inserted, are formed on the inner end.

6 . The steering apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the contact member has a seating groove formed between adjacent coupling protrusions.

7 . The steering apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the support member has a support end bent axially outward to be supported on the seating grooves on the contact member.

8 . The steering apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the support member has an elastic support portion, one end portion of which is connected to and supported by another circumferential surface of the support member, the elastic support portion being slit in an axial direction and a circumferential direction thereof so as to be elastically deformed in a radial direction thereof.

9 . The steering apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first outer member has a support groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of one end thereof, the elastic support portion being seated in and supported by the support groove.

10 . The steering apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second load control member coupled to the remaining end of the first outer member and configured to control a collapse load by being in close contact with and being supported by the outer circumferential surface of the first outer member when a collapse motion in which the first outer member is inserted into the second outer member is performed when the vehicle is in a collision.

11 . The steering apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second load control member is formed of an annular elastic material, and a fixing groove to which the second load control member is coupled is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the first outer member.

12 . The steering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second outer member is provided with a compressive plastic deformation portion configured to press and plastically deform the outer circumferential surface of a portion where the second serration portions are formed, to a radial center portion thereof.

13 . The steering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein one Or more compressive plastic deformation portions are provided at each of radially opposed symmetrical positions with respect to a center portion of the second outer member.

14 . The steering apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second load control member coupled to one end of the second outer member and configured to control a collapse load by being in close contact with and being supported by the outer circumferential surface of the first outer member when a collapse motion in which the first outer member is inserted into the second outer member is performed when the vehicle is in a collision.

15 . The steering apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second load control member comprises:
an annular contact member having a contact support portion provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof to be in close contact with and to be supported by the outer circumferential surface of the first outer member; and an annular support member, one end of which is coupled to an outer circumferential side of the contact member and a remaining end of which is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the second outer member.

16 . The steering apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the contact member is provided with one or more coupling protrusions protruding radially from the outer circumferential side of the contact support portion.

17 . The steering apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the support member is provided with an inner end whose diameter is reduced so as to be seated on the contact support portion at an axial end thereof, and one or more insertion grooves, into which the coupling protrusions are inserted, are formed on the inner end.

18 . The steering apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the contact member has a seating groove formed between adjacent coupling protrusions.

19 . The steering apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the support member has an elastic support portion, one end portion of which is connected to and supported by another circumferential surface of the support member, the elastic support portion being slit in an axial direction and a circumferential direction thereof so as to be elastically deformed in a radial direction thereof.

20 . The steering apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the second outer member has a support groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of one end thereof, the elastic support portion being seated in and supported by the support groove.

Assignees

• Mando Corp

Inventors

• Kim Hyun

Classifications

• F16D3/06 Primary

  specially adapted to allow axial displacement · CPC title

• B62D1/192 Primary

  Yieldable or collapsible columns · CPC title

• F16D1/10

  Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially · CPC title

• B62D1/20 Primary

  Connecting steering column to steering gear · CPC title

• B62D1/19 Primary

  incorporating energy-absorbing arrangements, e.g. by being yieldable or collapsible (shock absorbers using plastic deformation of members in general F16F7/12) · CPC title