Steering device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9932065-B2
Application number	US-201615234644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2016
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A steering device includes a motor, a first shaft, a transmitter, a second shaft, and an engagement portion. The first shaft of a hollow cylindrical shape is coupled in a torque transmittable manner to a steering member with which a driver performs steering operation. The transmitter is disposed on an outer circumference of the first shaft and configured to transmit torque of the motor to the first shaft. The second shaft is coupled in a torque transmittable manner to a wheel-turning unit configured to turn wheels. The second shaft is inserted in the first shaft. The engagement portion is interposed between an inner surface of the first shaft and an outer surface of the second shaft and configured to make the first shaft and the second shaft engage with each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering device comprising:
a motor;
a first shaft of a hollow cylindrical shape coupled in a torque transmittable manner to a steering member for a driver to performs steering operation;
a transmitter disposed on an outer circumference of the first shaft and configured to transmit torque of the motor to the first shaft;
a second shaft coupled in a torque transmittable manner to a wheel-turning unit configured to turn wheels, the second shaft being inserted in the first shaft; and
an engagement portion interposed between an inner surface of the first shaft and an outer surface of the second shaft and configured to make the first shaft and the second shaft engage with each other.

2. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter comprises a reduction gear configured to reduce a speed of rotation of an output shaft of the motor and transmit the rotation to the first shaft.

3. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft are splined.

4. The steering device according to claim 3 , wherein the engagement portion is made of resin.

5. The steering device according to claim 3 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a protrusion formed on one of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft and a recess formed in another of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft.

6. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein the engagement portion is made of resin.

7. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a protrusion formed on one of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft and a recess formed in another of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft.

8. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter comprises an output shaft of the motor and is configured to transmit rotation of the output shaft to the first shaft without reducing a speed of the rotation.

9. The steering device according to claim 8 , wherein the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft are splined.

10. The steering device according to claim 9 , wherein the engagement portion is made of resin.

11. The steering device according to claim 9 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a protrusion formed on one of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft and a recess formed in another of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft.

12. The steering device according to claim 8 , wherein the engagement portion is made of resin.

13. The steering device according to claim 8 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a protrusion formed on one of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft and a recess formed in another of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft.

14. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft are splined.

15. The steering device according to claim 14 , wherein the engagement portion is made of resin.

16. The steering device according to claim 14 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a protrusion formed on one of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft and a recess formed in another of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft.

17. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement portion is made of resin.

18. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement portion comprises a protrusion formed on one of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft and a recess formed in another of the inner surface of the first shaft and the outer surface of the second shaft.

19. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement portion comprises an engagement member of an annular or arcuate shape configured to engage with a first recess and a second recess, the first recess being formed in the inner surface of the first shaft in a circumferential direction, the second recess being formed in the outer surface of the second shaft in a circumferential direction.

20. The steering device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing configured to accommodate at least the first shaft; and
a support member configured to support the housing, the support member being configured to displace the housing at least in an axial direction of the first shaft when the housing receives a force in the axial direction of the first shaft.

Assignees

• Showa Corp

Inventors

• Uchibori Hirotoshi

Classifications

• B62D1/192 Primary

  Yieldable or collapsible columns · CPC title

• B62D3/12

  of rack-and-pinion type · CPC title

• B62D5/0409 Primary

  Electric motor acting on the steering column · CPC title

• B62D6/10

  characterised by means for sensing {or determining} torque · CPC title

• B62D5/005

  means for generating torque on steering wheel or input member, e.g. feedback · CPC title