JP2000077149A - Rotary connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rotary connector suppressing uncomfortable noise such as hitting sound produced by cases hitting each other by vibration and sliding sound produced by the cases rubbing each other. SOLUTION: This rotary connector 1 is equipped with first and second cases 2, 3 which are rotatably combined relatively to each other and in which an annular space S is formed, and a strip transmission wire 6 spirally wound and stored in the circular space with one end fixed to the first case and another end fixed to the second case respectively. A roller 5 is disposed in a sliding part where the first case 2 abuts and slides on the second case 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotary connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A rotary connector connects a rotary member and a fixed member, and is rotatably combined with each other so that a rotary case and a fixed case having an annular space formed therein. The case is provided with a flat cable that is fixed to the fixed case at the other end and is spirally wound and housed in the annular space. The rotary connector is used, for example, as a connector provided in a steering device of an automobile to connect an airbag detonator and a power supply.

[0003] For this reason, when the rotary connector is provided in the steering device, a vibration damping plate is provided in order to suppress the dancing noise generated when the flat cable collides with the inner wall of the case as the vehicle travels and to enhance the quietness in the vehicle interior. Is provided in the case. This damping plate is provided, for example, on the upper side in the rotating shaft direction in the rotating case, and suppresses vibration of the flat cable mainly in the rotating shaft direction.

[0004]

By the way, since the rotating connector is constructed by combining the rotating case and the fixed case so as to be rotatable relative to each other, a slight gap is provided between the two cases to increase the rotating torque. Avoided. For this reason, the rotary connector has a problem in that unpleasant abnormal sounds such as a hitting sound generated by collision of the cases due to vibrations caused by running and a sliding sound generated by rubbing of the cases are generated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and suppresses the generation of unpleasant abnormal sounds such as a tapping sound generated when the cases collide with each other due to vibration and a sliding sound generated when the cases rub against each other. It is an object to provide a rotating connector.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a first case and a second case, which are combined with each other so as to be rotatable relative to each other and have an annular space formed therein, and one end of which is connected to the first case. Wherein the other end is fixed to the second case, and the rotary connector is provided with a band-shaped transmission line which is spirally wound and housed in the annular space. In this case, the rolling element is arranged in a sliding portion that slides by contacting the case.

[0007]

The rotary connector has a rolling element disposed on a sliding portion where the first case and the second case are brought into contact with each other and slide.
The first case receives a pressing force on the second case in a radial direction (horizontal direction) orthogonal to the rotation axis and in a vertical direction along the rotation axis.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a rotary connector according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the rotary connector 1 includes a rotary case 2, a fixed case 3, a flat cable 6, and a damping plate 7. For example, the rotary case 2 is made of polyacetal, and the fixed case 3 is made of polybutylene terephthalate. The two cases 2 and 3 are formed of different synthetic resins in consideration of good slidability.

The rotating case 2 has an inner cylindrical shaft portion 2a and an upper flange 2b, and one end (inner end) of a flat cable 6 wound spirally is fixed. The inner cylinder shaft portion 2a is formed with a stepped portion 2c whose diameter is reduced radially inward at a lower portion. As shown in the figure, the upper flange 2b has a ridge 2 having a semicircular cross-sectional shape formed on the outer peripheral edge thereof via a step 2d.
e is provided in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fixed case 3 has an outer cylindrical portion 3a, an upper flange 3b, and a lower flange 3c. The fixed case 3 is rotatably combined with the rotatable case 2, and houses the flat cable 6 therein. An annular space S is formed. The other end (outer end) of the flat cable 6 is fixed to the fixed case 3. The ridge 2e formed on the outer peripheral edge of the upper flange 2b abuts on the lower surface of the upper flange 3b in a state close to linear contact. The lower flange 3c has a concave groove 3d formed on the upper surface in the circumferential direction, and the vibration isolating sheet 4 for suppressing the frictional resistance with the flat cable 6 and absorbing the vibration of the flat cable 6 is attached to the concave groove 3d. Lower flange 3c
When the rotating case 2 and the fixed case 3 are combined, as shown in FIG. 2, the bearing roller 5 is arranged at an appropriate interval in the circumferential direction between the rotating case 2 and the outer periphery of the stepped portion 2c of the rotating case 2. At the same time, a slight gap C (see FIG. 2) is formed between the lower flange 3c and the outer periphery of the step portion 2c or the lower portion of the inner cylindrical shaft portion 2a.

The bearing roller 5 smoothly guides the relative rotation between the rotating case 2 and the fixed case 3 and moves the rotating case 2 relative to the fixed case 3 in the radial direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the rotation axis and the rotation. A roller that applies a pressing force in the vertical direction along the axis, and is formed from polyacetal, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate, or the like. The bearing roller 5 may be provided in any case as long as it can exhibit the above function, or may be simply arranged between both cases.

The flat cable 6 is, for example, a plurality of flat electric conductors or optical fibers, or a combination thereof, arranged in parallel at a desired arrangement pitch, and covered with a flexible band-like transmission covered with an electrically insulating coating. The wire is spirally wound and housed in an annular space S formed by the rotating case 2 and the fixed case 3. The damping plate 7 is a ring-shaped plate made of a synthetic resin such as polyester, nylon, or polypropylene that suppresses vertical vibration along the rotation axis of the rotary connector 1. As shown in the figure, the damping plate 7 has a cross-sectional shape curved downwardly and convexly, and is attached to the lower surface of the upper flange 2b.

The rotary connector 1 constructed as described above.
Adjusts the flat cable 6 to a neutral position in which the flat cable 6 is tightly wound and loosened, and accommodates the flat cable 6 in an annular space S formed by the rotating case 2 and the fixed case 3, and mounts the plurality of bearing rollers 5 serving as bearings on the lower flange. The rotary case 2 and the fixed case 3 are assembled appropriately by appropriately disposing the rotary case 2 and the fixed case 3 between the step 3c and the inner periphery of the step 2d. Thereby, the rotating connector 1 receives the pressing force of the rotating case 2 against the fixed case 3 in the radial direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the rotating shaft and the vertical direction along the rotating shaft by the plurality of bearing rollers 5. become.

As described above, in the rotary connector 1, the bearing roller 5 is disposed between the inner periphery of the lower flange 3c and the outer periphery of the step portion 2c. Therefore, in the rotary connector 1, the rotating case 2 and the fixed case 3 do not directly rub against each other on the side of the step portion 2c, and the ridges 2e of the upper flange 2b contact the lower surface of the upper flange 3b in a state close to line contact. It just touches. For this reason, the rotating connector 1 allows the rotating case 2 to rotate smoothly with respect to the fixed case 3 and also suppresses generation of unpleasant sliding noise due to friction between the cases 2 and 3.

The rotary connector 1 has a lower flange 3c.
The rotating case 2 and the fixed case 3 are combined with each other by forming a small gap C between the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the stepped portion 2c, but the bearing roller 5 is provided between the inner circumference of the lower flange 3c and the outer circumference of the stepped portion 2c.
Is arranged. For this reason, in the rotary connector 1, the rotating case 2 receives the pressing force against the fixed case 3 in the radial direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the rotating shaft and the vertical direction along the rotating shaft by the plurality of bearing rollers 5. become.
Therefore, even if vibration is applied to the rotary connector 1, since the plurality of bearing rollers 5 exist between the cases 2 and 3,
Cases 2 and 3 do not collide with each other and do not generate an unpleasant hitting sound.

Moreover, even if the flat cable 6 vibrates up and down, the rotary connector 1 is arranged so that the damping plate 7 presses the flat cable 6 downward in FIG. 4 is affixed. Therefore, the vibration of the rotary connector 1 in the vertical direction along the rotation axis of the flat cable 6 is suppressed. For this reason, the rotating connector 1 also suppresses the dancing sound caused by the collision between the flat cable 6 and the inner walls of the two cases 2 and 3.

The rotary connector 1 configured as described above
And a conventional rotary connector having no bearing roller 5 were prepared and shaken with both rotary connectors. As a result, the rotary connector of the present invention had reduced abnormal noise as compared with the conventional rotary connector. Hereinafter, other embodiments and modifications of the rotary connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 11. However, the same components as those of the rotary connector 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be repeated. Is omitted. Here, the protrusion 2e of the upper flange 2b is provided only on the rotary connector 1 shown in FIG. 7, and is not provided on the rotary connector 1 shown in other drawings.

First, as shown in FIG.
Is the outer peripheral edge of the upper flange 2b in the rotating case 2,
The bearing roller 9 is disposed at an appropriate interval in the circumferential direction between a portion where the outer cylindrical portion 3a and the upper flange 3b intersect in the fixed case 3. By arranging the bearing rollers 9 as described above, the rotating connector 1
Is pressed by the plurality of bearing rollers 9 against the fixed case 3 in the radial direction (horizontal direction) orthogonal to the rotation axis and in the vertical direction along the rotation axis. The generation of unpleasant abnormal sounds, such as a hitting sound generated when the cases 2 and 3 collide with each other and a sliding sound generated when the cases 2 and 3 rub against each other, is suppressed.

Here, the bearing roller 9 is, like the rotary connector 1 shown in FIG.
Even if the bearing roller 9 is disposed at an appropriate interval in the circumferential direction between the bearing roller 9 and the tip of the upper flange 3b of the fixed case 3, the same effect as described above can be exerted. In addition, like the rotary connector 1 shown in FIG.
c, the bearing roller 5 between the inner periphery and the outer periphery of the stepped portion 2c, and the bearing roller 9 between the outer periphery of the upper flange 2b and the portion where the outer cylindrical portion 3a and the upper flange 3b intersect. In addition to the above-described effects, the two types of bearing rollers 5 and 9 further enhance the effect of reducing the unpleasant hitting sound generated when the cases 2 and 3 collide with each other. I do.

Further, as in the rotary connector 1 shown in FIG. 6, a bearing roller 5 is provided between the inner periphery of the lower flange 3c and the outer periphery of the step 2c, and a bearing roller 9 is provided between the step 2d and the tip of the upper flange 3b. Are arranged at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction, the same effect as described above can be exerted. On the other hand, as in the rotary connector 1 shown in FIG. 7, a bearing ball 10 made of polyacetal, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate or the like is used as a rolling element, and a bearing ball is provided between the inner periphery of the lower flange 3c and the outer periphery of the step portion 2c. 10
Even if they are arranged at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction, the same effect as the rotary connector 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be exerted.

Further, as shown in FIG.
Is the outer peripheral edge of the upper flange 2b in the rotating case 2,
Even if the bearing balls 11 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction between the outer casing 3a and the portion where the upper flange 3b intersects in the fixed case 3, the same effects as described above can be obtained. it can. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the rotating connector 1 has a bearing ball 11 disposed between the stepped portion 2d of the rotating case 2 and the tip of the upper flange 3b of the fixed case 3 at an appropriate interval in the circumferential direction. Even in this case, the same effect as above can be exerted.

Then, as in the rotary connector 1 shown in FIG. 10, a bearing ball 10 is provided between the inner periphery of the lower flange 3c and the outer periphery of the step portion 2c, and the outer peripheral edge of the upper flange 2b and the outer cylindrical portion 3 are formed.
Even if the bearing balls 11 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction between the a and the portion where the upper flange 3b intersects, the same effect as the rotary connector 1 shown in FIGS. can do.

Further, as in the rotary connector 1 shown in FIG. 11, a bearing ball 10 is provided between the inner circumference of the lower flange 3c and the outer circumference of the step 2c, and a bearing ball 11 is provided between the step 2d and the tip of the upper flange 3b. Are arranged at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction, the same effect as described above can be exerted.

[0024]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the rolling elements are arranged at the sliding portions where the first case 2 and the second case 3 come into contact with each other and slide, the cases are mutually vibrated by vibration. It is possible to provide a rotary connector that suppresses generation of unpleasant abnormal sounds such as a hitting sound caused by collision and a sliding sound caused by rubbing between cases.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional front view of a rotary connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector, showing a modification of the rotary connector shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector, showing a modification of the rotary connector shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector according to still another embodiment of the rotary connector of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the rotary connector of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional front view of the left half side of the rotary connector.

9 is a sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector, showing a modification of the rotary connector shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a sectional front view of a left half of the rotary connector, showing a modification of the rotary connector shown in FIG. 10;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 rotary connector 2 rotary case (first case) 3 fixed case (second case) 4 anti-vibration sheet 5 bearing roller (roller) 6 flat cable (band-shaped transmission line) 7 damping plate 9 bearing roller (roller) 10) Bearing ball (roller) 11 Bearing ball (roller)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A first case and a second case, which are combined with each other so as to be rotatable relative to each other and have an annular space formed therein, one end of which is provided in the first case, and the other end of which is provided in the second case.
A rotary connector having a band-shaped transmission line fixed and spirally wound and housed in the annular space,
A rotary connector, wherein a rolling element is disposed on a sliding portion in which the first case and the second case abut and slide.