US 12,325,463 B2
Steering device
Yuki Togawa, Hiroshima (JP); Yuki Hori, Hiroshima (JP); Gaku Ikeyama, Hiroshima (JP); Shuji Sanagi, Hiroshima (JP); Toshihiko Mori, Hiroshima (JP); Hiroyuki Fuke, Hiroshima (JP); Nobuyuki Tanaka, Hiroshima (JP); and Daito Nakano, Hiroshima (JP)
Assigned to MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, Hiroshima (JP)
Filed by MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, Hiroshima (JP)
Filed on Apr. 9, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/629,991.
Claims priority of application No. 2023-084303 (JP), filed on May 23, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0391515 A1, Nov. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. B62D 1/184 (2006.01); B62D 1/189 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 1/184 (2013.01) [B62D 1/189 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steering device, comprising:
an upper shaft extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and having a rear end portion to which a steering wheel is fixed;
an upper column rotatably supporting the upper shaft;
a lower shaft connected to a front end portion of the upper shaft so as to slide in an axial direction;
a lower column rotatably supporting the lower shaft and provided to be movable in an axial direction relative to the upper column;
a support bracket fixed to a vehicle body and supporting a support-side column which is either one of the lower column and the upper column; and
a tilt-telescopic mechanism operative to switch a state of the support-side column between a movable state where the support-side column is allowed to tilt in a vertical direction and move in an axial direction and a prohibited state where the support-side column's tilting and moving is prohibited,
wherein said tilt-telescopic mechanism includes a pair of side wall portions provided at said support bracket to interpose said support-side column therebetween from both sides in a vehicle width direction and having tilting long holes extending in the vertical direction, a bolt penetrating the pair of side wall portions through the tilting long holes and producing a fastening force to press the pair of side wall portions against each other in an approaching direction, a bolt operational portion operative to change the fastening force by rotationally operating the bolt, and a biasing member arranged between each of the pair of side wall portions and the support-side column and operative to apply a pressing force to the support-side column from the both sides, in the vehicle width direction, thereof when the pair of side wall portions receive the fastening force,
said biasing member comprises at least a pair of upper-side pressing portions provided to press a portion of said support-side column which is above an axial center of the support-side column from the both sides, in the vehicle width direction, thereof and at least a pair of lower-side pressing portions provided to press another portion of the support-side column which is below the axial center of the support-side column from the both sides, in the vehicle width direction, thereof, and
the steering device further comprises a pair of pressing plates arranged on respective outward sides, in the vehicle width direction, of said pair of side wall portions and operative to press the pair of side wall portions to respective inward sides, in the vehicle width direction, thereof when receiving the fastening force of said bolt, wherein said pair of pressing plates have respective convex portions which protrude toward said side wall portions at respective positions which face said pair of upper-side pressing portions and said pair of lower-side pressing portions, interposing the side wall portions therebetween.