CN211809432U - Clock spring - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model discloses a clock spring, its include shell (1), with shell (1) rotatable coupling's rotor (2) and be located shell (1) with flat cable group (3) between rotor (2), flat cable group (3) are including many evenly distributed's flat cable, rotor (2) are seted up there is mark window (26), work as when rotor (2) rotate to neutral position, only can pass through when clock spring is in the meso position flat cable is observed to mark window (26). The utility model discloses a set up the mark window on the rotor to set flat cable group to work as when the rotor rotates to neutral position, only be in just can pass through when the clock spring is in the meso position the flat cable is observed to the mark window, makes when rotating the whole circle, can confirm that the clock spring is in the meso position as long as the flat cable appears in the mark window, and is very convenient.

Description

Clock spring

Technical Field

The utility model relates to an automobile electrical appliance adapting unit, in particular to clock spring.

Background

The clock spring is arranged on an automobile steering column, can rotate along with the steering wheel and is used for ensuring that the electrical signals of the safety air bag loop and the functional key loops on the steering wheel can be normally transmitted in the rotating process of the steering wheel. Clock springs have gone from a single air bag circuit to a multi-functional integrated module, extending from simple body control functions to ancillary functions of comfort operation that meet noise requirements. Especially, multifunctional integration and comfortable operation meeting noise requirements are increasingly required in high-end vehicle types, so that the difference and the recognition degree between the high-end vehicle types and low-end vehicle types are increased, and the core value of products is improved.

The reliability, stability and comfort of the clock spring are important considerations in the product design process. In general, a clockspring generally comprises a housing, a rotor rotatably connected within the housing, and a plurality of flexible flat cables disposed between the housing and the rotor, which flat cables can be functionally divided into flat cables for signal transmission and auxiliary belts for auxiliary movements.

Because the flat cable in the clock spring has a certain length, the number of turns of the rotor is fixed, when the clock spring is installed, the flat cable needs to be arranged at the middle position of the working area, the middle position is the middle position of the clock spring, and the operation of correspondingly adjusting the clock spring to the middle position is called clock spring centering. If the clock spring is not installed in the middle position, the flat cable is easily broken and damaged when the steering wheel is turned, and parts such as an air bag and an automobile combination switch are failed. Therefore, it is particularly desirable to provide a clock spring that can be easily centered.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

An object of the utility model is to provide a clock spring to the above-mentioned defect among the prior art, this clock spring can be convenient ground centering.

In order to realize the utility model discloses the purpose, the utility model provides a clock spring, its include the shell, with but shell swivelling joint's rotor and being located the shell with flat cable group between the rotor, flat cable group is including many evenly distributed's flat cable, the mark window has been seted up to the rotor, works as when the rotor rotates to neutral position, only can pass through when clock spring is in the meso position flat cable is observed to the mark window.

Furthermore, the utility model discloses still provide following subsidiary technical scheme:

the shell is provided with circular shape cavity, the rotor is including stretching into pipe portion in the cavity, the winding of flat cable pipe portion with between the rampart of cavity.

An annular cavity is formed between the pipe part and the annular wall, and the flat cable forms a U-shaped curved part in the annular cavity.

When the rotor rotates for one circle, the fixed value angle A of the rotation of the curved part can be adjusted by the inner diameter D of the annular wall and the outer diameter D of the pipe part.

The relationship between the fixed angle A and the inner diameter D and the outer diameter D is as follows: the fixed angle a is 360 ° × k × (D/D), where k is a coefficient and the range is 0< k < 1.

The value of the constant angle A is selected by the following formula: a ═ 360 °/n + pxx [ (360 °/n) × 1/(m + q) ], where: n is the number of flat cables, m is the maximum integer circle that the rotor 2 can rotate anticlockwise or clockwise from the middle position of the clock spring, p and q are constants, the value of p is a positive integer, and the value of q is greater than 0.

The value range of the fixed value angle A is as follows: a is more than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

The fixed value angle A is 157.5 degrees.

The rotor further includes a second interface located at a twelve o' clock position of the rotor.

Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the advantages of: through set up the mark window on the rotor to set up flat cable group and become to work as when the rotor rotates to neutral position, only when the clock spring is in the meso position can see the flat cable through the mark window, make when rotating the whole circle, as long as appear the flat cable in the mark window can confirm that the clock spring is in the meso position, it is very convenient.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a clock spring in embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the positions of the housing and the flat cable set in embodiment 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of the housing in embodiment 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of the rotor in embodiment 1.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of the rotor and the housing in embodiment 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the clock spring in embodiment 1.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the flat cable assembly in the housing of embodiment 2.

Fig. 8 is a schematic structural view of the flat cable set in embodiment 2.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the clock spring in embodiment 2.

Fig. 10 is a schematic view of the position of each flat cable in example 3 during a complete rotation.

Detailed Description

The following non-limiting detailed description of the present invention is provided in connection with the preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.

Example 1

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, a clock spring according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 1, a rotor 2 rotatably connected in the housing 1, and a flat cable group 3 disposed between the housing 1 and the rotor 2.

As shown in fig. 3, the housing 1 is provided with a circular cavity 10, the cavity 10 includes a bottom plate 11 and a circular annular wall 12, the housing 1 is further provided with a first interface 13, and the first interface 13 is provided with a plurality of pin pins connected with external electrical components.

As shown in fig. 4, the rotor 2 includes a plate body 20 and a pipe portion 21 protruding from the plate body 20, after the rotor 2 is mounted on the housing 1, the plate body 20 is covered above the cavity 10, the pipe portion 21 is located in the cavity 10, and an annular cavity 22 for accommodating the flat cable assembly 3 is formed between the pipe portion 21 and the annular wall 12, as shown in fig. 5. A second connector 23 protruding outward is further disposed on the plate body 20 of the rotor 2, and a plurality of pin pins connected with external electrical components are disposed in the second connector 23.

As shown in fig. 6, a first mark 14 is provided on the housing 1, a second mark 25 is provided on the rotor 2, the first mark 14 is directed to the rotor 2, and the second mark 25 is directed to the housing 1. When the rotor 2 is in the neutral position, the first mark 14 and the second mark 25 are aligned. Preferably, the first indicia 14 and the second indicia 25 are arrow-like shapes, such as triangles; it can be formed integrally with the housing 1 and the rotor 2, for example as a convex protrusion or a concave recess; the mark can also be formed by sticking a paper, scribing, etc.

The number of turns of the clock spring in the counterclockwise and clockwise rotation of the neutral position is fixed, and in this embodiment, the rotor 2 is set to rotate counterclockwise from the neutral position for a maximum number of turns of 3.33 and to rotate clockwise for a maximum number of turns of 3.

In centering, the centering can be performed by the following steps:

firstly, the rotor 2 is rotated anticlockwise to the limit position, and the second interface 23 can be pushed to rotate during rotation, so that the rotation is more convenient;

second, the rotor 2 is rotated clockwise (0.33 turns) to align the first mark 14 and the second mark 25;

and thirdly, continuing to rotate the rotor 2 clockwise for 3 turns, wherein the number of turns can be judged by observing the number of times that the first mark 14 and the second mark 25 are aligned in the rotating process.

After rotating clockwise for 3 turns to align the first mark 14 and the second mark 25, the rotor 2 is in the middle position, and the centering is completed.

It will be appreciated that it is also possible to rotate the rotor 2 clockwise to the extreme position and then counter-rotate to perform the indexing.

Preferably, the first mark 14 and the second mark 25 are respectively arranged on the housing 1 and the board body 20 at the seven o 'clock position, and the second interface 23 is arranged on the board body 20 at the twelve o' clock position, so that the arrangement is more convenient for observation and operation.

In the embodiment, the first mark 14 and the second mark 25 which are aligned with each other in the middle position of the clock spring are arranged, so that the number of turns of rotation can be conveniently judged by observing the first mark 14 and the second mark 25 during centering operation, and finally the clock spring returns to the middle position, and the operation is simple and convenient.

Example 2

This embodiment is a modification of embodiment 1, and the same components and reference numerals as those in embodiment 1 are given the same names and reference numerals.

As shown in fig. 7, in the present embodiment, the flat cable group 3 includes four flat cables, namely a first flat cable 30, a second flat cable 31, a third flat cable 32 and a fourth flat cable 33. One end of the flat cable is fixed to the tube portion 21 of the rotor 2 and the other end is fixed to the annular wall 12. Among the flat cables, there are a flat cable and an auxiliary tape, the flat cable is a cable in which a plurality of wires for transmitting electrical signals are disposed, and both ends of the flat cable are connected to the first interface 13 and the second interface 23, respectively. In this embodiment, the first flat cable 30 and the second flat cable 31 are flat cables, and the other flat cables are auxiliary tapes.

With further reference to fig. 8, the flat cables form a substantially U-shaped curve in the annular cavity 22, and the corresponding curves of the first, second, third and fourth flat cables 30, 31, 32 and 33 are a first curve 30a, a second curve 31a, a third curve 32a and a fourth curve 33a, respectively. When the rotor 2 rotates, the curve also rotates, but at a later speed than the rotor 2. The four curves are evenly distributed within the annular cavity 22.

As shown in fig. 9, a transparent marking window 26 is provided on the plate body 20 of the rotor 2, and the marking window 26 is used for observing a flat cable in the flat cable group 3, and when the clock spring is located at the middle position, the flat cable is located in the marking window 26. In this embodiment, the flat cable is a first flat cable 30, and the first flat cable 30 is configured to be a color different from the other flat cables. The other flat cables are made of white PET material, while the first flat cable 30 changes the overall color, for example blue or red, by adding additives.

Whether the clock spring is in the middle position can be judged through the mark window 26 and the reference member, for example, when the first flat cable 30 is observed through the mark window 26 and the first mark 14 and the second mark 15 are aligned with each other, the clock spring is in the middle position; for another example, when the first flat cable 30 is viewed through the indicia viewing window 26 and the second port 23 is positioned at twelve o' clock, this indicates that the clock spring is in the neutral position. Of course, other possible alignment methods can be used.

The shape of the mark window 26 may be rectangular or circular, and in one embodiment, the whole plate body 20 is opaque, and the mark window 26 is a through hole formed on the plate body 20, and a cover transparent plate may be installed on the through hole to prevent foreign matters from entering the annular cavity 22; in another embodiment, the plate body 20 is made of a transparent material, such as transparent plastic, and the marking window 26 is positioned by a marking method, such as attaching a ring-shaped sticker or forming a ring-shaped protrusion or recess, which can more visually observe the movement of the flat band set 3.

In this embodiment, through the setting can observe the mark window of flat cable, through the cooperation of first mark 14, second mark 25 and mark window 26, can be convenient carry out the centering, more directly perceived.

Example 3

This embodiment is a modification of embodiment 2, and the same components and reference numerals as those in embodiment 2 are given the same names and reference numerals.

In this embodiment, the ribbon pack 3 is arranged such that, throughout the rotation, when the rotor 2 is in the neutral position, the flat cable, selected as the first flat cable 30, is only visible through the indicia viewing window 26 when the clock spring is in the neutral position, in accordance with embodiment 2. The neutral position of the rotor 2 is the same as the position of the rotor 2 when the clock spring is in its neutral position, and during rotation the rotor 2 will pass the neutral position several times, but only when the clock spring is in its neutral position will the first flat cable 30 be visible through the indicia viewing window 26.

The determination of the neutral position of the rotor 2 can be determined by determining the position of the second port 23, for example, if the second port 23 is located at 12 o 'clock when the clock spring is located at the neutral position, then the rotor 2 can be determined to be at the neutral position as long as the second port 23 is located at 12 o' clock, and further, when the rotor 2 is at the neutral position and the flat cable can be observed through the mark window 26, the clock spring is at the neutral position.

Specifically, as can be seen from embodiment 2, when the rotor 2 rotates, the curved portion of each flat cable rotates at the same speed, and the rotation speed of the curved portion is slower than the rotation speed of the rotor 2, and when the rotor 2 rotates one circle (360 degrees), the curved portion of each flat cable rotates by a constant angle. Therefore, the rotation speed of the curved portion can be changed by changing the outer diameter D of the tube portion 21 and/or the inner diameter D of the annular chamber 22, so that the flat cable can be observed from the mark window 26 only when the clock spring is in the neutral position, and the flat cable cannot be observed when the other rotors 2 are in the neutral position.

Specifically, the fixed angle a of the curve part rotating when the rotor 2 rotates one circle, the inner diameter D and the outer diameter D are approximately in the following mathematical relationship: the fixed angle a is 360 ° x k × (D/D), and is affected by the inner diameter D and the outer diameter D, and is also related to other factors such as damping, and besides the neutral position, the position of the marking window 26 needs to be avoided when each flat cable is in the neutral position, so that the coefficient k needs to be set, the value range of k is 0< k <1, and the coefficient k can be selected according to actual situations or obtained through testing. In general, the smaller the width of the marking window 26, the closer k is to 1. The value of the fixed angle A is preferably as follows: a is more than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

Taking the fixed angle of rotation of the curved part of the flat cable as 157.5 degrees when the rotor 2 rotates for one circle as an example, k is 0.75, D can be 55mm, and D can be 94 mm. As shown in fig. 10, a, b, c, and d in the drawing respectively indicate positions of the flat cables when the flat cables are rotated one, two, and three times in the neutral position and clockwise direction of the clock spring (i.e., positions of the corresponding flat cables when the rotor 2 is at the neutral position), a solid line indicates a position of the first curved portion 30a, a broken line indicates a position of the second curved portion 31a, a two-dot chain line indicates a position of the third curved portion 32a, and a one-dot chain line indicates a position of the fourth curved portion 33 a. As can be seen, only the first curved portion 30a of the first flat cable 30 is located in the mark window 26 when the clock spring is in the neutral position, and the other flat cables are not located in the mark window 26 when they are rotated for a full turn.

The value of the fixed value angle A can be calculated by the following formula:

A＝360°/n+p×[(360°/n)×1/(m+q)]，

wherein, a is a fixed angle, n is the number of flat cables, m is the maximum integer circle (the non-integer circle can be rounded, for example, in this embodiment, the maximum number of circles set to rotate counterclockwise from the neutral position is 3.33 circles, then m is 3), p and q are constants, the value of p is a positive integer, and the value of q is greater than 0.

For example, when the number of flat cables n is 4, the number of rotations m is 3, p is 3, and q is 1, the constant angle a is 157.5 °.

When in design, an appropriate fixed value angle is selected according to a formula A of 360 degrees/n + p x [ (360 degrees/n) x 1/(m + q) ], and then appropriate values of the inner diameter D and the outer diameter D are designed according to the formula A of 360 degrees x k x (D/D).

In this embodiment, since it is only necessary to determine whether the clock spring is in the middle position by combining the position of the rotor 2 and whether the flat cable is present in the mark window 26, the first mark 14 and the second mark 25 do not need to be provided, and the color of the first flat cable 30 does not need to be different from that of the other flat cables. Of course, the first mark 14 and the second mark 25 can be provided to more conveniently judge whether the rotor 2 is in the neutral position; the first flat cable 30 is set to have a color different from the colors of the other flat cables, so that the flat cables can be observed in the mark window 26 more clearly, and the corresponding advantages are also provided.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned preferred embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concepts and features of the present invention, and the purpose thereof is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the contents of the present invention and to implement the present invention accordingly, and the protection scope of the present invention cannot be limited thereby. All equivalent changes and modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (9)

1. A clock spring, characterized by: it includes shell (1), with but shell (1) swivelling joint's rotor (2) and be located shell (1) with flat cable group (3) between rotor (2), flat cable group (3) include many evenly distributed's flat cable, rotor (2) are seted up and are had mark window (26), work as when rotor (2) rotate to neutral position, only when clock spring is in the meso position can pass through the flat cable is observed to mark window (26).

2. The clock spring as recited in claim 1, wherein: the shell (1) is provided with a circular cavity (10), the rotor (2) comprises a pipe part (21) extending into the cavity (10), and the flat cable is wound between the pipe part (21) and the annular wall (12) of the cavity (10).

3. The clock spring as recited in claim 2, wherein: an annular cavity (22) is formed between the pipe part (21) and the annular wall (12), and the flat cable forms a U-shaped curved part in the annular cavity (22).

4. The clock spring as recited in claim 3, wherein: when the rotor (2) rotates for one circle, the fixed value angle A of the rotation of the curved part can be adjusted by the inner diameter D of the annular wall (12) and the outer diameter D of the pipe part (21).

5. The clock spring as in claim 4, wherein: the relationship between the fixed angle A and the inner diameter D and the outer diameter D is as follows: the fixed angle a is 360 ° × k × (D/D), where k is a coefficient and the range is 0< k < 1.

6. The clock spring as in claim 4, wherein: the value of the constant angle A is selected by the following formula: a ═ 360 °/n + pxx [ (360 °/n) × 1/(m + q) ], where: n is the number of flat cables, m is the maximum integer circle that the rotor (2) can rotate anticlockwise or clockwise from the middle position of the clock spring, p and q are constants, the value of p is a positive integer, and the value of q is greater than 0.

7. Clock spring according to claim 4 or 5 or 6, characterized in that: the value range of the fixed value angle A is as follows: a is more than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

8. The clock spring as recited in claim 7, wherein: the fixed value angle A is 157.5 degrees.

9. The clock spring as recited in claim 1, wherein: the rotor (2) further comprises a second interface (23), the second interface (23) being located at the twelve o' clock position of the rotor (2).

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