| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering column having an expandable shaft which is capable of suppressing the vibration of a steering wheel. <P>SOLUTION: A second shaft is fitted to the inner side of a first shaft 16 with a steering wheel fixed thereto in a relatively non-rotatable and axially relative-movable manner, and accommodated in an expandable tube 14. The expandable tube 14 includes an outer tube 50 for accommodating the first shaft 16 in relatively non-rotatable and axially relative-movable manner, and an inner tube 52 which accommodates the second shaft 18 and is fitted to the inner side of the outer tube 52 in a relatively movable manner in the axial direction. A plurality of spherical members 80 held by a ring-shaped wire are arranged between the first shaft 16 and the inner tube 52 to support the first shaft 16 by the inner tube 52. The supporting rigidity of the first shaft 16 is high, and the vibration of the steering wheel is suppressed irrespective of a play from the second shaft 18, and connection of the second shaft 18 to an input shaft 32 by an elastic coupling 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
