JPH0411541A - Relaying device for steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smoothly turn a movable case by nipping a fixed case fixed on a column part side, steering wheel and a turning movable case by a connecting member which is turned with the movable case and accommodating a signal wire in winding state into the space between both the cases. CONSTITUTION:Though the turn of a steering wheel 1 is transmitted to a movable case 12 through a boss 4, a fixed case 10 is not turned since it is fixed on a column part 2. Three pieces of engaging hooks of a connecting member 13 intrude into the recessed part of the movable case 12, and the annular projection 26a of a body part 26 contacts the bottom surface of the fixed case 10, and nips both the cases 10 and 12 from the upper and lower parts. Accordingly, the connecting member 13 turns integrally with the movable case 12. Though a frictional resistance is generated by the contact between the annular projection 26a and the bottom surface of the fixed case 10, during the turn of the connecting member 13, the magnitude of the frictional resistance is determined according to the nipping force of the connecting member 13. A flexible tape- shaped electric wire 28 is wound in spiral form on the outer periphery of a spring device part 20 and accommodated into the annular accommodation space S between the fixed base 10 and the movable case 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a relay device for a steering wheel.

[Prior Art] In recent years, as automobiles have become more electronic, multiple switches have been installed on the pad of the steering wheel. A device was required between the steering wheel and the column section.

Therefore, for example, in Utility Model Application Publication No. 64-2653, the 7th
As shown in FIG. 8, a relay device is disclosed that includes a fixed case 51 fixed to a column side, and a movable case 52 that is attached to a steering wheel and rotates with respect to the fixed case 51. In this relay device, an annular housing space S is formed between a fixed case 51 and a movable case 52. A tape-shaped electric wire 53 is housed in the housing space S in a thinly wound manner, and one end of the tape-shaped electric wire 53 is fixed to the fixed case 51 and the other end is fixed to the movable case 52. The column portion and the pad portion of the steering wheel are electrically connected by this tape-shaped electric wire 53.

In the relay device, the movable case 52 rotates relative to the fixed case 51, and the movable case 52 rotates relative to the fixed case 5.
1. In order to prevent this from becoming deviated from 1, the connection structure shown in FIG. 9 is adopted. That is, an annular projection 51a is provided on the outer circumferential wall portion and the upper portion of the inner circumferential wall of the fixed case 51, respectively.
, 51b are formed. In addition, at the lower part of the outer peripheral wall and the lower part of the inner peripheral wall of the movable case 52, each of the projections 51a and 51 is provided.
A plurality of engagement claws 52a, 52b are formed corresponding to the number b.

In a state where both cases 51 and 52 are connected, each engaging claw 52a and 52b engages the fixed case 1 due to its own elasticity.
The inner circumferential wall and outer circumferential wall of No. 0 are engaged with the respective protrusions 51a and 51b while urging them radially outward.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the prior art, when the steering wheel is rotated, the movable case 52 rotates accordingly. At this time, the plurality of engaging claws 52 of the movable case 52
a and 52b are force protrusions 51a that urge both the inner and outer walls of the fixed case 51 radially outward.

51b. Therefore, the sliding contact with these biasing forces creates a large frictional resistance, and there is a possibility that the movable case 52 may not be able to rotate smoothly.

Furthermore, since the frictional resistance is large at 1.1 as described above, the engaging claws 52a and 52b will gradually wear out after long-term use, and if the degree of wear becomes severe, there is a risk that the movable case 52 will come off the fixed case 51. There is.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to not only enable the movable case to rotate smoothly relative to the fixed case, but also to enable the movable case to be easily rotated from the fixed case even after long-term use. To provide a relay device for a steering wheel that does not come off.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a fixed case arranged between a steering wheel and a column section and fixed to the column section side, and a fixed case arranged on the steering wheel side. a movable case that is fixed and rotates with respect to the fixed case as the steering wheel rotates; and a movable case that is unrotatably latched to one of the fixed case and the movable case and rotatably abuts the other. a connecting member that holds both cases together in a state where the two cases are held together; The gist of the invention is a steering wheel power relay device having a signal line attached to the steering wheel.

[Function] As the steering wheel is rotated, the movable case also rotates. At this time, the connecting member is unrotatably latched to one of the fixed case and the movable case, and is sandwiching the two cases in a state in which it rotatably abuts on the other. Therefore, the frictional resistance generated by contact with the connecting member when the movable case rotates is determined by the clamping force of the connecting member.

Therefore, the magnitude of this frictional resistance is smaller than that in the prior art in which the engaging pawl slides on the protrusion while elastically biasing the fixed case.

Further, since no frictional resistance due to sliding contact acts on the locking portion of the connecting member with respect to one of the fixed case and the movable case, this portion does not wear out.

[Example] An example embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the center of the steering wheel 1. A steering shaft 3 protrudes from a column 2 fixed to the vehicle body, and a boss 4 of the steering wheel 1 can rotate integrally at its upper end. is installed on.

Further, this boss 4 is covered by a lower cover 5 and a pad portion 6. The pad section 6 incorporates a horn switch section 7 for sounding a horn, and a display section 8 for displaying the names of various devices installed in the automobile by light emission.

In order to electrically connect the horn switch section 7 and display section 8 to the column section 2 side, a first,
A relay device 9 shown in FIG. 3 is incorporated. Relay device 9
comprises a fixed case 10 that is unrotatably locked to the column part 2, and a movable case 12 that is fixed to the boss 4 with screws 11, and both cases 10 and 12 are connected to the connecting member 1.
3 for relative rotation.

The fixed case 10 is composed of an annular bottom plate part 14 and a peripheral wall part 15 that projects upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate part 14. A lower connector 16 is attached to the lower surface of the bottom plate portion 14, and a number of lead wires 17 extend downward from the lower connector 16.

The movable case 12 includes an annular upper plate part 18, a flange part 19 that protrudes downward from the outer peripheral edge of the annular upper plate part 18 and covers the peripheral wall part 15 of the fixed case 10, and a substantially circular flange part 19 that protrudes downward from the inner peripheral edge of the upper plate part 18. It is composed of an annular spring mounting part 20. A mounting recess 29 is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the spring mounting portion 20, and the upper connector 21 is mounted within this mounting recess 29.

A large number of lead wires 22 extend upward from this upper connector 21.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a spring member 23 having a plurality of elastic pieces 23a is fixed on the outer circumference of the spring attachment part 20 in a curved state along the outer circumference of the spring attachment part 20. It is worn. Furthermore, on the inner peripheral surface of the spring mounting part 20,
A plurality of (three in this embodiment) recesses 24 extending vertically are provided at regular intervals, and a step portion 25 is formed in the lower half of each recess 24 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the bottom plate portion 14 of the fixed case 10
An annular housing space S is constituted by the peripheral wall portion 15, the upper plate portion 18 of the movable case 12, and the spring mounting portion 20. In this housing space S, a flexible tape-shaped electric wire 28 serving as a signal line is housed so as to be wound thinly around the outer periphery of the spring mounting portion 20 . The tape-shaped electric wire 28 is urged radially outward by an elastic piece 23a of a spring member 23 fixed to the spring mounting portion 20.

As shown in FIG. 1.3, the inner end portion of the tape-shaped electric wire 28 is introduced into the mounting recess 29 via the communication portion 30 that communicates the inside and outside of the spring mounting portion 20, and is introduced into the mounting recess 29.
It is connected to the. On the other hand, the outer end of the tape-shaped electric wire 28 is connected to a notch 1 made in the peripheral wall 15 of the fixed case 10.
5a to the outside of the fixed case 10, and is connected to the lower connector 16. Therefore, both the upper and lower connectors 2
1° 16 are electrically connected to each other by a tape-shaped electric wire 28.

The connecting member 13 includes a main body portion 26 having an annular plate shape, and three locking claws 27 that protrude upward from the inner peripheral edge of the main body portion 26 so as to correspond to the recess 24 of the spring mounting portion 20. , a sealing portion 31 that closes the mounting recess 29 of the movable case 12 and locks the upper connector 21 mounted in the mounting recess 29 so as not to move. Each of the locking claws 27 has flexibility, and when the fixed case 10 and the movable case 12 are connected by the connecting member 13, each of the locking claws 27 engages in the corresponding recess 24 to form a step. 25 (see Figure 6). Note that an annular projection 26a is formed on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the main body portion 26.

Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained.

When the steering wheel 1 is rotated, the rotation is transmitted to the movable case 12 via the boss 4. Therefore, the movable case 12 rotates together with the steering wheel l. At this time, the fixed case 10 is
It is fixed in place so it does not rotate. In addition, the connecting member 13
, the three locking claws 27 fit into the recess 24 of the movable case 12.
The annular projection 26a of the main body 26
comes into contact with the bottom of the fixed case 10, and both cases 10°12
is sandwiched from above and below. Therefore, the connecting member 13 rotates integrally with the movable case 12.

When the connecting member 13 rotates, frictional resistance is generated due to the contact between the annular projection 26a and the bottom surface of the fixed case 10. The magnitude of the frictional resistance at this time is determined by the clamping force of the connecting member 13, and is that of the conventional technology in which the plurality of engaging claws 52a, 52b slide on the protrusions 51a, 51b while elastically urging the fixed case 51. smaller than Therefore, the movable case 12 can be rotated smoothly.

Further, in this embodiment, the locking claws 27 of the connecting member 13 that have entered into each recess 24 of the movable case 12 are locked to the step portion 25 of the recess 24 . And these locking claws 27
The movable case 12 and the fixed case 10 are sandwiched between the main body portion 26 and the movable case 12 . Therefore, the movable case 12 is prevented from moving upward due to the pinching of the connecting member 13.

By the way, due to the rotation of the movable case 12, a frictional resistance force is applied to the annular projection 26a of the connecting member 13 that comes into contact with the fixed case 10. Therefore, there is a risk that the protrusion 26a will wear out, but even if the wear progresses,
The main body portion 26 of the connecting member 13 only comes into contact with the bottom surface of the fixed case 10, and the fixed case 10 and the movable case 12 are not separated as in the prior art. Further, since no frictional resistance due to sliding contact acts between the step portion 25 and the locking pawl 27, which are the connecting portion between the connecting member 13 and the movable case 12, the step portion 25 and the locking pawl 27 are It never wears out.

In this embodiment, a spring member 23 is fixed to the spring mounting portion 20 of the movable case 12, and the two elastic pieces 23a of the spring member 23 bias the tape-shaped electric wire 28 outward in the radial direction. did. Therefore, even if the inner end portion of the tape-shaped electric wire 28 connected to the spring mounting portion 20 becomes loose when the movable case 12 is rotated as described above, the tape-shaped electric wire 28 will not be wound in the opposite direction. do not have.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiments,
For example, the following changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

(1) The number of locking claws 27 of the connecting member 13 is not limited to three pieces,
It may be 2 pieces or 4 pieces or more. In this case, it is necessary to change the recess 24 and stepped portion 25 of the movable case 12 according to the number of locking claws 27.

(2) In the above embodiment, the connecting member 13 rotates integrally with the movable case 12, but the configuration may be changed so that the connecting member 13 does not rotate. In this case,
For example, the spring mounting portion 20 is formed on the fixed case 10 side, and the spring mounting portion 20 has a recess 24 and a stepped portion 25.
form. Then, with the connecting member 13 upside down, the locking claw 2 of the connecting member 13 is inserted from the upper side of the movable case 12.
7 is locked to the stepped portion 25. In this way, when the steering wheel 1 is rotated, the upper surface of the movable case 12 rotates while slidingly contacting the annular projection 26a of the connecting member 13.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the steering wheel relay device of the present invention, not only can the movable case be smoothly rotated with respect to the fixed case, but also the movable case can be easily rotated even after long-term use. This has an excellent effect of preventing the case from coming off the fixed case.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 6 show an embodiment embodying the present invention.
The figure is a partially exploded perspective view of the relay device seen from below, Figure 2 is a partially sectional view of the steering wheel, Figure 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the relay device seen from above, and Figure 4 is a diagram showing a movable case, a spring member, and a tape-shaped electric wire viewed from below, FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views of the relay device, and FIGS. 7 to 9 show a conventional relay device. FIG. 7 is a central vertical sectional view, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line ■--■ in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view. ■...Steering wheel, 2...Column part, 1
0...Fixed case, 12...Movable case, 13...
- Connecting member, 28... Tape-shaped electric wire as a signal line,
S...Accommodation space. Patent applicant: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent attorney: Hironobu Onda (and one other person) Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed case (10) disposed between the steering wheel (1) and the column part (2) and fixed to the column part (2) side; ) side and rotates with respect to the fixed case (10) as the steering wheel (1) rotates; and one of the fixed case (10) and the movable case (12). a connecting member (13) that clamps both cases (10, 12) in a state in which the two cases (10, 12) are unrotatably engaged with the other and rotatably abutted on the other; the fixed case (10) and the movable case (12); A signal line (28) is housed in a wound state in an annular housing space (S) formed between the two, and has one end attached to the movable case (12) and the other end attached to the fixed case (10).
) A steering wheel power relay device comprising: