Abstract: A steering wheel position adjustment device includes a displacement bracket fixed to a steering column, a pair of support plate parts for interposing the displacement bracket, an adjustment rod inserted in a through hole in the displacement bracket and in through holes in the support plate parts, a pair of pressing parts provided at both ends of the adjustment rod, an adjustment lever provided to one end of the adjustment rod and configured to expand and contract an interval between the pressing parts, and a rotating friction plate. The rotating friction plate is interposed between the displacement bracket and the support plate parts and/or between the support plate parts and the pressing parts. The rotating friction plate has a base end portion rotatably supported by a rotation support shaft, and a tip half portion formed with a long guide hole with which the adjustment rod is engaged.

Abstract: A torque transmission joint has a shock-absorbing member between a drive shaft and a driven shaft. When the drive shaft is rotated in one direction, forces due to torque transmitted from the drive shaft to the driven shaft act inward in a radial direction of the shock-absorbing member on held sections that are held between one side surfaces in the circumferential direction of drive-side arm sections that are positioned in the front side in the one direction of rotation of the drive shaft, and side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driven-side arm sections that are positioned on the rear side in the one direction of rotation of the drive shaft.

Abstract: Provided is a torque-transmission joint 15a that is able to reduce the thrust force that is transmitted between the output shaft 12a of an electric motor 8 and a worm shaft 6a without generating noise. A shock-absorbing member 18a that is made using an elastic material is assembled between a driving-side transmission member 16a that is supported by the output shaft 12a and a driven-side member 17a that is supported by the worm shaft 6a. Held sections 33a, 33b of the shock-absorbing member 18a are located between the side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driving-side arm sections 21a of the driving-side transmission member 16a and side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driven-side arm sections 23a of the driven-side transmission member 17a. A damper section 26 is integrally provided with the shock-absorbing member 18a, and that damper section 26 is elastically held between the tip-end surface of the output shaft 12a and the base-end surface of the worm shaft 16a.

Abstract: A shock-absorbing member comprises held sections located at a plurality of locations in a circumferential direction and comprising paired held sections and non-paired held sections, and is constructed to have a non-circular cylindrical shape in cross-section. Portions where outer-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous by way of outer-diameter side cover sections, and portions where inner-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous directly or by way of inner-diameter side cover sections, in an alternating sequence in the circumferential direction. Drive-side arm sections are placed between the non-paired held sections, driven-side arm sections are placed between the paired held sections, and the outer circumferential surfaces of the drive-side arm sections are covered by the outer-diameter side cover sections.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus capable of being both lightweight and rigid. A lightweight electric power steering apparatus is achieved wherein a gear housing (45) that houses an electric assist mechanism, a lower support bracket (54) for fastening the gear housing (45) to the vehicle body, a sensor housing (56) that houses a torque sensor (57), an outer column (30) of a steering column (6c), and an upper support bracket (59a) for fastening the middle section of the outer column (30) to the vehicle body can all be integrally formed of synthetic resin, improving the strength of the joined sections of these members.

Abstract: At least one of the vehicle body side through holes and the column side through hole is an adjusting long hole which is long in a direction in which a position of the steering wheel can be adjusted. A base end portion of the adjusting lever includes a lever side through hole penetrating through the base end portion in the width direction. The adjusting rod is press-fitted into the lever side through hole.

Abstract: Construction is achieved wherein performing design for sufficiently maintaining the collapse stroke is simple regardless of whether or not there is a key lock cylinder, and support rigidity of the steering column 1a during normal operation can be adequately increased. A vehicle-side bracket 5a is provided with a stationary-side support plate section 17 on only one side in the width direction of the column-side bracket 4a. This column-side bracket 4a is supported by the stationary-side support plate section 17 so as to be able to displace in the forward direction due to an impact load during a secondary collision. The column-side bracket 4a is also supported by the vehicle-side bracket 5a by way of an installation plate section 21 that is provided in a portion on the opposite side in the width direction of the steering column 1a from the stationary-side support plate section 17 so as to be able to displace in the forward direction due to an impact load during a secondary collision.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus capable of being both lightweight and rigid. A lightweight electric power steering apparatus is achieved wherein a gear housing (45) that houses an electric assist mechanism, a lower support bracket (54) for fastening the gear housing (45) to the vehicle body, a sensor housing (56) that houses a torque sensor (57), an outer column (30) of a steering column (6c), and an upper support bracket (59a) for fastening the middle section of the outer column (30) to the vehicle body can all be integrally formed of synthetic resin, improving the strength of the joined sections of these members.

Abstract: Provided is a telescopic shaft having a coated section that reduces sliding resistance, with fluctuation of the sliding resistance according to sliding position of the telescopic shaft being reduced. A female shaft 16B is fitted onto a male shaft in a state of interference, and by causing the male shaft 16A to slide back-and-forth a specified number of times in the axial direction with respect to the female shaft 16B while applying, for example, a load in a direction that bends the male shaft 16A with respect to the female shaft 16B, friction heat is generated between side surfaces 411 of grooves 41 in the female shaft 16B and the coated section 61, which heats the coated section 61 and causes the coated section 61 to expand along the entire length in the axial direction of teeth 51 of the male shaft 16A. Therefore, the coated section 61 plastically deforms along the entire length in the axial direction of the teeth causing compressive strain to occur.

Abstract: A steering wheel position adjustment device includes a displacement bracket fixed to a steering column, a pair of support plate parts for interposing the displacement bracket, an adjustment rod inserted in a through hole in the displacement bracket and in through holes in the support plate parts, a pair of pressing parts provided at both ends of the adjustment rod, an adjustment lever provided to one end of the adjustment rod and configured to expand and contract an interval between the pressing parts, and a rotating friction plate. The rotating friction plate is interposed between the displacement bracket and the support plate parts and/or between the support plate parts and the pressing parts. The rotating friction plate has a base end portion rotatably supported by a rotation support shaft, and a tip half portion formed with a long guide hole with which the adjustment rod is engaged.

Abstract: A telescopic steering apparatus includes a steering column having an outer column and an inner column. An inner peripheral surface of the outer column has a supporting portion that supports the inner column. An inner peripheral surface of the outer column further has a shock absorbing portion at a location shifted toward one side in an axial direction from an axial end face of the inner column, a diameter of an inscribed circle of the shock absorbing portion being smaller than an outer diameter of the inner column. The outer column, including the supporting portion and the shock absorbing portion, and a movable bracket are integrally formed by an expansion forming.

Abstract: A telescopic steering apparatus includes a steering column having an outer column and an inner column. An inner peripheral surface of the outer column has a supporting portion that supports the inner column. An inner peripheral surface of the outer column further has a shock absorbing portion at a location shifted toward one side in an axial direction from an axial end face of the inner column, a diameter of an inscribed circle of the shock absorbing portion being smaller than an outer diameter of the inner column. The outer column, including the supporting portion and the shock absorbing portion, and a movable bracket are integrally formed by an expansion forming.

Abstract: A steering apparatus which includes: an inner column (3); an outer column (4) fitted with the inner column (3) in such a manner that it is movable in a telescopic manner; a steering shaft (102) which is rotatably supported on the inner column (3) and outer column (4), and on the vehicle body rearward side of which a steering wheel (103) can be mounted; a lock apparatus (7) including a lock pin (73A) which can be operated by an actuator to thereby prevent the rotation of the steering shaft (102); and, a lock housing (71) which is formed integrally with the outer column (4) and stores the lock apparatus (7) therein.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus has a first rolling bearing and a second rolling bearing rotatably supporting an output shaft. The first rolling bearing is provided between an inner peripheral surface of a through-hole of a gear housing and an outer peripheral surface of the output shaft. The second rolling bearing is provided between an inner peripheral surface of an intermediate plate press-fitted and fixed in an opening portion of the gear housing and the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft. An outer peripheral portion of the intermediate plate has alternately arranged large diameter portions and small diameter portions, and the large diameter portions are press-fitted in the gear housing.

Abstract: A steering apparatus mounted on a vehicle is small both in dimension in a vehicle widthwise direction and in number of components, the steering apparatus is hard to move a column when a secondary collision occurs and easy to design an impact absorbing mechanism. The steering apparatus is therefore provided with a first rock friction plate 51 and a second rock friction plate 52 to increase frictional faces counteracting an impact force when the secondary collision occurs, thereby augmenting a force of fixing an outer column 11.

Abstract: When an adjustment lever 32 is rotated in order to adjust the position of a steering wheel 1, the adjustment lever 32 is prevented from vigorously rotating, which prevents making the driver who operates the adjustment lever 32 feel discomfort. An expandable damper 35 that provides resistance to the rotation of the adjustment lever 32 is provided between a protrusion 34 that rotates together with the adjustment lever 32 centered around an adjustment rod and an extending portion 37 that is provided on a support-plate portion 15c. The expandable damper 35 has a cylinder portion 38 and a damper rod 39 that are combined so as to be able to displace relative to each other in the axial direction by way of grease 40.

Abstract: Provided is a torque-transmission joint 15a that is able to reduce the thrust force that is transmitted between the output shaft 12a of an electric motor 8 and a worm shaft 6a without generating noise. A shock-absorbing member 18a that is made using an elastic material is assembled between a driving-side transmission member 16a that is supported by the output shaft 12a and a driven-side member 17a that is supported by the worm shaft 6a. Held sections 33a, 33b of the shock-absorbing member 18a are located between the side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driving-side arm sections 21a of the driving-side transmission member 16a and side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driven-side arm sections 23a of the driven-side transmission member 17a. A damper section 26 is integrally provided with the shock-absorbing member 18a, and that damper section 26 is elastically held between the tip-end surface of the output shaft 12a and the base-end surface of the worm shaft 16a.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus has a first rolling bearing and a second rolling bearing rotatably supporting an output shaft. The first rolling bearing is provided between an inner peripheral surface of a through-hole of a gear housing and an outer peripheral surface of the output shaft. The second rolling bearing is provided between an inner peripheral surface of an intermediate plate and the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft. The intermediate plate has an outer peripheral portion supported and fixed in an opening portion of the gear housing.

Abstract: A shock-absorbing member 18a comprises combined held sections 33 that are located at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction and that comprise paired held sections 25a, 25b, and is constructed so as to have a non-circular cylindrical shape in the cross section by arranging portions where outer-diameter side end sections of the held sections 25a, 25b that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous by way of outer-diameter side cover sections 31, and portions where inner-diameter side end sections of the held sections 25a, 25b that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous directly or by way of inner-diameter side cover sections 32, in an alternating sequence in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: Construction is achieved that more completely protects the driver of a vehicle during a secondary collision by gradually increasing the impact load that is absorbed by an energy absorbing member 22b the more the steering wheel displaces in the forward direction. The energy absorbing member 22b comprises a base section 27a that is provided in the center section, and a pair of impact absorbing sections 28b that extend in the forward direction from both ends of the base section 27a and have U-shaped bent back curved sections 29b in the middle section. Of these impact absorbing sections 28b , at least the portions that are nearer the tip end side than the bent back curved sections 29b are pressed so that the height of the energy absorbing member 22b with respect to a stroking section 32 gradually increases going in a direction from the bent back curved sections 29b toward the tip end side of the energy absorbing sections 28b.