Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-28
2001-07-17
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C280S750000, C403S002000, C403S400000, C074S492000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260883
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering column holding structure in an automobile, more particularly relates to a steering column structure where a column lower bracket of the steering column holding structure is avoided to be moved rearward even through a brake lever of a foot pedal or the like is moved rearward when the automobile forwardingly bumps against something, thereby refraining a steering wheel rotatably connected with the steering column from moving toward a driver on the automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general steering column holding structure S′ is known as the structure shown in FIG.
1
. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the general steering column holding structure S′ is located at rear end of an automobile in relation to a brake lever of a foot pedal, and including column lower bracket
403
which holds a steering column
2
.
The column lower bracket
403
includes: a column holding section
431
holding the steering column
2
; and a pair of protruding sections
433
,
433
. The pair of protruding sections
433
,
433
protrude from the column holding section
431
toward left end and right end of the automobile, respectively. The pair of protruding sections
433
,
433
are to be connected with a column holding frame of the automobile.
In addition, the protruding sections
433
,
433
are formed with a pair of through holes
432
a,
432
a,
respectively. In this connection, the column lower bracket
403
is attached to the column holding frame of the automobile in a manner such that the protruding sections
433
,
433
are connected with the column holding frame by bolts inserted into the through holes
432
a,
432
a.
However, in the general steering column holding structure S′, when the automobile forwardingly bumps against something, a brake lever
1
of a foot pedal is moved rearward, then the brake lever
1
is able to hit the protruding section
433
of the column lower bracket
403
. As the result, the motion of the brake lever
1
is transferred to the steering column
2
by means of the column lower bracket
403
, thereby moving a steering wheel rotatably connected with the steering column
2
rearward. Namely, the steering wheel is moved toward a driver in the automobile, then the clearance between the driver and the steering wheel is reduced.
To avoid the result stated above, it is required to redesign for arranging the brake lever
1
and/or the column lower bracket
403
so that the brake lever
1
does not reach to the column lower bracket
403
even if the brake lever
1
is moved rearward.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved with such points in mind.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide a steering column holding structure wherein a column lower bracket is avoided to be moved rearward even though a brake lever of a foot pedal or the like is moved rearward, thereby increasing flexibility of design to arrange the brake lever and the column lower bracket of the steering column holding structure.
To achieve the object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering column holding structure, comprising: a column lower bracket locating at rear end of an automobile in relation to a pedal lever, the column lower bracket holding a steering column, wherein the column lower bracket includes: a column holding section holding the steering column; and a first and a second protruding sections protruding from the column holding section toward left end and right end of the automobile, each of the first and a second protruding sections is formed with a first and a second through holes so that the column lower bracket is attached to a column holding frame of the automobile with connecting members which are fit into the first and the second through hole, wherein the first protruding section is formed with an opening channel so as to open the first through hole, thereby making the first protruding section between the opening channel and the steering column as a absorbingly deforming section which is to be deformed by the pedal lever when the automobile forwardingly bumps.
According to a second aspect of the present invention as it depends from the first aspect, there is provided a steering column holding structure, wherein the opening channel opens from rear end portion of the first through hole toward a rear end portion of the automobile.
According to a third aspect of the present invention as it depends from the first or the second aspect, there is provided a steering column holding structure, wherein the absorbingly deforming section has a upper wall portion which is formed with a notched portion at a rear end of the upper wall.
In the steering column holding structure stated above, when the automobile forwardingly bumps against something, the pedal lever is moved rearward and hit the first protruding section, especially hit the absorbingly deforming section, so that the column bracket is pressed so as to be entirely moved rearward by receiving a force which is going to bend the column lower bracket in such a manner that the first and the second through holes act as a fulcrum. However, since the first protruding section is formed with the opening channel which opens rearward, the column lower bracket is deformed by opening the opening channel in such a manner that the first and the second through holes act as a fulcrum according to the force by the pedal lever. In this connection, the deformation of the column lower bracket is easily performed.
As stated hereinbefore, since the column lower bracket is deformed at the first protruding section which is hit by the pedal lever, namely at the absorbingly deforming section, the column bracket is not entirely moved rearward. Therefore, the steering column is refrained from moving rearward, especially from moving toward the driver of the automobile. In the result, flexibility of design to arrange the brake lever and the column lower bracket of the steering column holding structure is increased.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3392599 (1968-07-01), White
patent: 4102217 (1978-07-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5294149 (1994-03-01), Haldric et al.
patent: 5390955 (1995-02-01), Kaliszewski et al.
patent: 5605351 (1997-02-01), Higashino
patent: 5704254 (1998-01-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5899116 (1999-05-01), Armstrong et al.
Hattori Toshiki
Shimizu Yoshiyuki
Dickson Paul N.
Fleming Faye M.
Fujikiko Kabushiki Kaisha
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
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