Abstract: Provided is a continuous hot-dip galvanizing apparatus comprising: a vertical annealing furnace having heating, soaking zone, and cooling zones therein; and a hot-dip galvanizing line downstream of the cooling zone. The heating, soaking, and cooling zones each have, in its upper portion, at least one upper hearth roll and, in its lower portion, at least one lower hearth roll. The soaking zone has a first and second humidified gas supply ports to supply a humidified gas having a dew point of 10° C. to 30° C. to the soaking zone. The first and second humidified gas supply ports are 1.0 m to 5.0 m lower than the center of the lower and upper hearth rolls, respectively, and overlap the steel sheet. The first humidified gas supply port is provided only for an ascending pass and the second humidified gas supply port is provided only for a descending pass.

Abstract: A method for producing a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet includes supplying humidified gas to the soaking zone 12 in a manner such that: in passes in which the steel sheet moves upward, the humidified gas is supplied from first humidified gas supply ports 40A to 40E provided at positions higher by 1.0 m or more and 5.0 m or less than the centers of lower hearth rolls 54 and overlapping the steel sheet in the passes when viewed from the side of the soaking zone; and in passes in which the steel sheet moves downward, the humidified gas is supplied from second humidified gas supply ports 42A to 42E provided at positions lower by 1.0 m or more and 5.0 m or less than the centers of the upper hearth rolls 52 and overlapping the steel sheet in the passes when viewed from the side of the soaking zone.

Abstract: A method for producing a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet includes supplying humidified gas to the soaking zone 12 in a manner such that: in passes in which the steel sheet moves upward, the humidified gas is supplied from first humidified gas supply ports 40A to 40E provided at positions higher by 1.0 m or more and 5.0 m or less than the centers of lower hearth rolls 54 and overlapping the steel sheet in the passes when viewed from the side of the soaking zone; and in passes in which the steel sheet moves downward, the humidified gas is supplied from second humidified gas supply ports 42A to 42E provided at positions lower by 1.0 m or more and 5.0 m or less than the centers of the upper hearth rolls 52 and overlapping the steel sheet in the passes when viewed from the side of the soaking zone.

Abstract: Disclosed is a steering column apparatus including an impact energy absorbing mechanism for absorbing an impact energy at a secondary collision. The impact energy absorbing mechanism includes an energy absorbing section that serves as a load generating section for absorbing the impact energy. The energy absorbing section includes (a) a resistive member that extends along an axial direction of the middle jacket and is fixed to the middle jacket and (b) a wire having a bent portion that is wound around the resistive member to have a curvature and a front portion that is fixed to the upper jacket, the front portion being at a more forward position than the bent portion.

Abstract: A steering column device includes: a steering column; and a the telescopic guide mechanism including a second telescopic elongated hole formed in one of the lower wall portion of the tilt bracket and the bottom wall portion of the steering column, and a sliding guide member which is provided to the other of the lower wall portion of the tilt bracket and the bottom wall portion of the steering column which does not include the second telescopic elongated hole, whose a portion confronts the second telescopic elongated hole, and which elastically sandwiches an edge portion of the second telescopic elongated hole in the upward and downward directions.

Abstract: A steering column device has a downward U-shaped attachment bracket, an upward U-shaped lower jacket, a polygonal cylindrical mid jacket 3, a polygonal cylindrical upper jacket 4 inserted into the polygonal cylindrical mid jacket 3 and a shock energy absorbing mechanism 26 to absorb a shock energy at the time of a secondary collision. The shock energy absorbing mechanism 26 has a contracting guide part 27 to perform sliding and contracting operation of the upper jacket 4 to the mid jacket 3 separately from an energy absorbing part 28. The contracting guide part 27 is formed by interposing a plurality of linear guides 29 at an overlapping part between the mid jacket 3 and the upper jacket 4, linear guides 29 in which a plurality of bolls 29b arranged in the sliding direction of the mid jacket 3 and the upper jacket 4 are connected to each other through holders 29a.

Abstract: A steering column device includes: a steering shaft; a steering column; a vehicle body mounting bracket; one of the pair of the clamping pieces including a slit which has a substantially U-shape, and which surrounds one of a front side and a rear side of the tilt hole, and an upper side and a lower side of the tilt hole, and a tongue piece portion which is surrounded by the slit, the tilt hole being positioned at a tip end side of the tongue piece portion, and at least the one of the clamping pieces including the slit, including a reinforcement portion which surrounds an outside of the slit, and which is integrally provided with the one of the clamping pieces including the slit.

Abstract: A steering column device includes: a steering column; and a the telescopic guide mechanism including a second telescopic elongated hole formed in one of the lower wall portion of the tilt bracket and the bottom wall portion of the steering column, and a sliding guide member which is provided to the other of the lower wall portion of the tilt bracket and the bottom wall portion of the steering column which does not include the second telescopic elongated hole, whose a portion confronts the second telescopic elongated hole, and which elastically sandwiches an edge portion of the second telescopic elongated hole in the upward and downward directions.

Abstract: A steering column device includes: a steering shaft; a steering column; a vehicle body mounting bracket; one of the pair of the clamping pieces including a slit which has a substantially U-shape, and which surrounds one of a front side and a rear side of the tilt hole, and an upper side and a lower side of the tilt hole, and a tongue piece portion which is surrounded by the slit, the tilt hole being positioned at a tip end side of the tongue piece portion, and at least the one of the clamping pieces including the slit, including a reinforcement portion which surrounds an outside of the slit, and which is integrally provided with the one of the clamping pieces including the slit.

Abstract: A steering column device has a downward U-shaped attachment bracket, an upward U-shaped lower jacket, a polygonal cylindrical mid jacket 3, a polygonal cylindrical upper jacket 4 inserted into the polygonal cylindrical mid jacket 3 and a shock energy absorbing mechanism 26 to absorb a shock energy at the time of a secondary collision. The shock energy absorbing mechanism 26 has a contracting guide part 27 to perform sliding and contracting operation of the upper jacket 4 to the mid jacket 3 separately from an energy absorbing part 28. The contracting guide part 27 is formed by interposing a plurality of linear guides 29 at an overlapping part between the mid jacket 3 and the upper jacket 4, linear guides 29 in which a plurality of bolls 29b arranged in the sliding direction of the mid jacket 3 and the upper jacket 4 are connected to each other through holders 29a.

Abstract: Disclosed is a steering column apparatus including an impact energy absorbing mechanism for absorbing an impact energy at a secondary collision. The impact energy absorbing mechanism includes an energy absorbing section that serves as a load generating section for absorbing the impact energy. The energy absorbing section includes (a) a resistive member that extends along an axial direction of the middle jacket and is fixed to the middle jacket and (b) a wire having a bent portion that is wound around the resistive member to have a curvature and a front portion that is fixed to the upper jacket, the front portion being at a more forward position than the bent portion.

Abstract: A steering column device includes: telescopic guide holes provided in one of a pair of upstanding walls constituting a lower jacket and a pair of vertical walls constituting an upper jacket and also constituted by through-holes opening along a vehicle longitudinal direction; and co-fastening pins penetrating through the telescopic guide holes movably in the telescopic guide holes by which the upstanding walls and the vertical walls are jointly fastened to each other so that the vertical walls can move on the upstanding walls.

Abstract: A steering column device includes: telescopic guide holes provided in one of a pair of upstanding walls constituting a lower jacket and a pair of vertical walls constituting an upper jacket and also constituted by through-holes opening along a vehicle longitudinal direction; and co-fastening pins penetrating through the telescopic guide holes movably in the telescopic guide holes by which the upstanding walls and the vertical walls are jointly fastened to each other so that the vertical walls can move on the upstanding walls.