Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-23
2002-03-26
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C280S750000, C180S271000, C180S430000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06361074
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering structure of a vehicle such as a so-called cable type steering structure comprising an operation detecting unit for detecting an operation of a steering wheel by a crew member, a steering unit for steering wheels which are to be steered (refer to as “steered wheels”, hereinafter), and flexible transmitting members for connecting the operation detecting unit and the steering unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as the above described steering structure of a vehicle, there exist structures disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication HEI 11-5543, HEI 11-11325 and HEI 11-11326, for example.
That is, according to Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication HEI 11-5543, a cable is provided between a pulley (driving pulley) provided on a steering wheel side and a pulley (follower pulley) provided on a steering unit side which steers steered wheels, an outer peripheral face of the driving pulley is curved into a curved concavity, an outer peripheral face of the follower pulley is formed into a curved convex, then a tilting force and a tilting angle of the steered wheels (front wheels) with respect to a rotation force and a rotation angle of the steering wheel are varied, while keeping at ensile force of the cable constant.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication HEI 11-11325, a cable is provided between a driving pulley provided on a steering wheel side and a follower pulley provided on a steering unit side which steers steered wheels, a pulley housing for accommodating the pulleys such that the pulleys can rotate is provided, a slider which is biased by a spring in a direction separating away from the pulley is mounted in the pulley housing, and when the cable is prolonged by secular changes, a tensile force is applied by the slider to the cable which was reeled around the pulleys, thereby compensating the extension of the cable.
Further, according to Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication HEI 11-11326, a steering wheel operated by a crew member and a steering gear box for steering the steered wheel are connected to each other through a cable comprising an outer member in which an inner member is accommodated, a rotation of the steering wheel is transmitted to the steering gear box through the inner member, the outer member is made of metal pipe material so that the deflection of the outer member is prevented to enhance a rigidity feeling at the time of operation of the steering wheel.
When the cable type steering structure of the above kinds is mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile, it is required not to vary the steering wheel angle by deformation of the cable when a collision of the vehicle occurs, in order to secure safety at the time of the collision.
However, none of the above-mentioned prior arts (Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication HEI 11-5543, HEI 11-11325 and HEI 11-11326) disclose nor indicate the idea and/or constitution for preventing the steering wheel angle from being varied by deformation and/or behavior of the cable, in order to enhance the safety at the time of collision of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of a first aspect of the present invention to provide a steering structure of a vehicle in which when a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied from outside to flexible transmitting members which connect an operation detecting unit for detecting an operation of a steering wheel and a steering unit, a portion of the transmitting member is separated (including both a structure for cutting and separating the transmitting member itself, and a structure for cutting a coupling or the like provided on the transmitting member), so that when the transmitting member is varied at the time of collision, the steering wheel angle is prevented from being varied to enhance the safety at the time of collision.
It is an object of a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the object of the first aspect of the invention, to provide a steering structure of a vehicle in which a predetermined portion of the vehicle corresponding to the transmitting member is provided with a cutting member which is retreated by a load from outside to cut (cut and separate) the transmitting member, thereby reliably cutting the transmitting member at the time of collision of the vehicle.
It is an object of a third aspect of the present invention to provided a steering structure of a vehicle in which a supporting member is provided for supporting the transmitting member at a predetermined portion of the vehicle body, and the supporting member releases the support of the transmitting member from the vehicle body when a relative displacement between the supporting member and the transmitting member exceeds a predetermined amount, so that when a relative displacement between the transmitting member and the supporting member exceeds the predetermined value at the time of collision, the steering wheel angle is prevented from being varied to enhance the safety at the time of collision.
It is an object of a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the object of any one of the first to the third aspects of the invention, to provided a steering structure of a vehicle in which a connecting portion between the transmitting member and the operation detecting unit is disengaged from each other when the transmitting member and the operation detecting unit are relatively moved by a distance equal to or greater than a predetermined value, so that the steering wheel angle is prevented from being varied by behavior of the transmitting member at the time of collision to enhance the safety at the time of collision.
It is an object of a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the object of any one of the first to the fourth aspects of the invention, to provided a steering structure of a vehicle in which a connecting portion between the transmitting member and the steering unit is disengaged from each other when the transmitting member and the steering unit are relatively moved by a distance equal to or greater than a predetermined value, so that the steering wheel angle is prevented from being varied by behavior of the transmitting member at the time of collision to enhance the safety at the time of collision.
It is an object of a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the object of the fifth aspect of the invention, to provide a steering structure of a vehicle in which the transmitting member is connected to the steering unit from the front thereof, and the steering unit and the transmitting member are disconnected from each other when the steering unit is retreated by a load applied from outside so that the transmitting member is disconnected easily at the time of collision, and the safety at the time of collision is further enhanced.
It is an object of a seventh aspect of the present invention to provided a steering structure of a vehicle in which the transmitting member is disposed with a predetermined deflection, so that the behavior is absorbed by the deflection, the steering wheel angle is not affected, the transmitting member is not cut at the time of collision, and minimum running is ensured even at the time of accident.
It is an object of a eighth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the object of the seventh aspect of the invention, to provide a steering structure of a vehicle in which the transmitting member comprises a pair of cables, the pair of cables are supported by a same member (refer to a engine which retreats at the time of collision), thereby preventing the pair of cables from twisting each other.
It is an object of a ninth aspect of the present invention to provide a steering structure of a vehicle in which the transmitting member is supported by a member (refer to a engine) which moves at the time of collision, and the steering wheel is moved forward by a predetermined distance by a retreating movement of the transmitting member so that the transmitting member
Noma Kohji
Nonaka Kenji
Fleming Faye M.
Johnson Brian L.
Mazda Motor Corporation
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Studebaker Donald R.
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