JP2001213327A - Leather wound steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase degrees of freedom of design in a steering wheel having the two-color structure of a leather wound part/a design panel part having a vertical partition line in a design cover part of a holding ring part. SOLUTION: In this steering wheel, a holding ring part 12 is provided with a synthetic resin formed part 14 and a design cover part 16 for covering the synthetic resin formed part 14, and the design cover part 16 is formed into the two-color structure of a leather wound part 18/a design panel part 20 having a vertical partition line. A parting recessed groove 30 is provided in the peripheral edge of a panel arrangement part of the synthetic resin formed part 14. A peripheral edge of the leather wound part 18 is fitted in the parting recessed groove 30 like a crank, and the peripheral edge of the leather wound part 18 is pushed by the peripheral edge of the design panel part 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a leather-wound steering wheel mounted on a vehicle or the like. In particular,
What is claimed is: 1. A steering wheel, comprising: a boss portion, a grip ring portion, and a spoke portion connecting the boss portion and the grip ring portion, wherein the grip ring portion includes a synthetic resin molded portion and a design covering the synthetic resin molded portion. A leather-wound steering wheel comprising a cover portion, wherein the design cover portion has a two-color configuration of a leather-wound portion / design panel portion having a vertical section line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cross section of a ring portion of a two-color configuration of a steering wheel of the above type has a configuration as shown in FIG. Here, the case where the design panel portion is wood-like will be described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0003] The grip ring 12 is made of a synthetic resin molded part 14.
And a design covering portion 16 for covering the synthetic resin molded portion 14. The design covering portion 16 has a two-color configuration of a leather winding portion 18 and a design panel portion (wood portion) 20. Note that a core metal (ring core metal 22) is provided on the grip ring portion 12.
Are inserted to ensure functional strength.

[0004] In the above, the peripheral edge of the leather winding portion 18 is trimmed to the design panel portion of the synthetic resin molding portion 14 so that the abutting portion (partition) on the cross section of the leather winding portion 18 and the design panel portion 20 becomes sharp. The wood was inserted (inserted) into the insertion groove (grain groove) 23 formed on the inner peripheral edge of the disposition portion.

The wood grain groove 23 is usually formed at the same time when the synthetic resin molding part 14 is formed by the upper and lower molds, and its depth is usually required to be 3 to 5 mm. For this reason, a design structure such as forming one wood grain groove on the side portion, for example,
It is difficult to form a configuration in which a quarter or one-third of the peripheral surface of the grip ring portion is used as the design panel portion because the undercut amount is large.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, it is necessary to adopt a configuration in which a pair of wood-groove grooves 23, 23 formed on the cross section are oriented substantially vertically, that is, a two-color configuration in which the circumference is ２. there were.

It is conceivable that the synthetic resin molded part is formed of a material having a high degree of softness (softer), such as a thermoplastic elastomer, and is forcibly removed. However, with this configuration, the following problems are likely to occur.

[0008] If the degree of softness is high, it is difficult to obtain sharp corners when a leather terminal is inserted into the wood grain groove (so-called R sagging occurs and it is difficult to obtain a clean butted edge).

[0009] It is difficult to secure a sufficient depth in the wood-groove groove due to forced removal.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a steering wheel in which a design covering portion of a grip ring portion has a two-color configuration of a leather winding portion / design panel portion having a vertical section line, and the degree of freedom of design can be increased. The purpose is to provide something.

[0011]

The leather-wound steering wheel according to the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by the following constitution.

A steering wheel having a boss, a grip ring, and spokes connecting the boss and the grip ring, wherein the grip ring covers the synthetic resin molding and the synthetic resin molding. Design covering part to be provided,
In a steering wheel in which the design covering portion has a two-color configuration of a leather winding portion and a design panel portion having a vertical dividing line, a parting-off ridge is formed on a peripheral edge of a panel portion arranging portion of a synthetic resin molding portion. The peripheral edge of the leather winding portion is formed into a crank shape and fitted into the parting recess, and is pressed by the peripheral edge of the design panel portion.

In the present invention, the two-color configuration of the leather-wrapped portion / design panel portion in the grip ring portion is applied to a leather-wrapped steering wheel in which the design panel is located on the inner peripheral side of the grip ring portion. The effect of the invention is remarkable.

Further, it is desirable that the outer peripheral surface side of the synthetic resin molded portion in the grip ring portion is usually formed of a soft synthetic resin so that the grip feeling of the ring portion can be improved.

[0015]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the steering wheel of the present embodiment basically includes a boss portion 24, a holding ring portion 12, and four spoke portions connecting the boss portion 24 and the holding ring portion 12. 26.

Specifically, the boss portion 24 and the spoke portion 26
Is formed by a die-casting (for example, aluminum) steering wheel core 28 itself integrally formed with the gripping ring core 22.

The holding ring 12 has a synthetic resin molded part 14 and a design covering part 16 for covering the synthetic resin molded part 14.

The synthetic resin molded portion 14 extends from the grip ring portion 12 to the root of the spoke portion 26, and the grip ring portion core 22 of the steering wheel core 28 is used as an insert to form the grip ring portion 12. Steering strength is ensured.

The material for forming the synthetic resin molded portion 14 is usually a semi-rigid or soft synthetic resin such as polyurethane foam from the viewpoint of not reducing the leather touch (soft feeling) when gripping the ring portion. In the illustrated example, the synthetic resin molded portion 14 has a single-layer structure, but may have a two-layer structure of a hard synthetic resin molded portion / a soft synthetic resin molded portion in which only the surface portion is made of a soft synthetic resin.
For example, the rigid synthetic resin molded part is made of polypropylene (PP)
Then, the soft synthetic resin molded portions are each formed of an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPO).

The design covering portion 16 has a two-color configuration of a leather winding portion 18 having a vertical section line and a design panel portion 20. In the illustrated example, the portion of the two-color configuration has a two-color configuration in about one-third of the circumference of the grip ring portion 12 above the spoke portion 26 and the portion between both sides of the four spokes. The other portions are leather-wound portions 18 and 18A.

The design panel portion (wood portion) 20 includes:
For example, a veneer obtained by compression molding or a veneer molded by a hard synthetic resin and having a pseudo grain added by in-mold or hydraulic transfer is used.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the design panel portion 20 has a cross section of the two-color component portion of the grip ring portion 12, which is about １ ／ inner circumference. Naturally, the design panel section 20
It is optional such as an outer 1/4 turn, an inner or outer 1/3 turn, or a 1/2 turn.

In the above configuration, a pair of parting recesses 30 are formed on the cross section of the synthetic resin molded part 14, and the peripheral edge of the leather winding part 18 is fitted into the pair of parting recesses 30 in a crank shape. And at the periphery of the design panel section 20. (See FIGS. 3 and 4.) Here, the depth and width of the parting groove 30 are set such that when the crank-shaped peripheral edge of the leather winding portion 18 is stored and pressed by the design panel portion 20, the peripheral edge of the leather winding portion 18 is pressed. Sufficient tensile force can be applied.
Specifically, when the thickness of the leather-wound portion 18 is 1.3 mmt, the depth is 1.0 to 1.5 mm (preferably 1.2 to 1.4 mm).
mm) and width (polymerization width): 5 to 8 mm. If the depth is too shallow, the peripheral portion of the design panel portion 20 may be lifted. On the other hand, if the depth is too deep, the undercut amount becomes too large and the section position of the two-color design is restricted (that is, the design is limited). Is limited.) If the overlap width is too narrow, a sufficient tensile force does not act on the periphery of the leather winding portion 18, so that the dividing line (partition) between the leather winding portion 18 and the design panel portion 20 is difficult to appear sharply. On the other hand, if the polymerization width is too wide, the peripheral edge of the design panel portion 20 may be generated, and the peripheral edge rigidity of the design panel portion 20 is high, that is, the thickness / material of the design panel portion 20 is limited. You.

Here, the thickness of the design panel portion 20 is 3 to
The synthetic resin molded portion 14 has a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm at each of the positions where the design panel portion 20 and the leather winding portion 18 are provided. 1.5mm
(Preferably around 1 mm) 3-4 mm (preferably 3.5 mm)
mm). Therefore, in the present embodiment, the diameter of the virtual arrangement peripheral surface 14 a of the design panel section 20 in the synthetic resin molded section 14 is 1.5 times larger than the diameter of the virtual arrangement peripheral surface 14 b of the leather winding section (leather winding section) 18. 3.5 mm smaller.
And, naturally, the parting-off recess 30 is provided in the design panel portion 2.
It is formed on the basis of the 0 virtual arrangement peripheral surface 14a. The cut portion 30a may be formed in the die-cutting direction of the side parting recess 30.

The steering wheel of this embodiment is manufactured as follows.

First, the steering wheel core 28 previously manufactured by the die casting method is set in a mold for forming a synthetic resin molded portion, and the ring synthetic resin molded portion 14 is injection molded using the synthetic resin material. I do.

Here, a semi-rigid foamed polyurethane is usually used as the synthetic resin material. However, in order to sharpen the separation between the leather winding portion 18 and the design panel portion 20, the leather winding portion of the parting-off recess 30 is used. It is desirable that the 18 side is molded by embedding a parting ring body 32 (see a two-dot chain line) made of a hard synthetic resin (for example, ABS). Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in order to sharpen the section between the leather winding portions, a wood grain which vertically inserts the edge of the leather winding portion at the dividing position of the first and second leather winding portions 18 and 18A. It is desirable to embed the parting-off column 34 having the indented ridge 33.

The first and second leather-wound portions 18 and 18A are then coated with the adhesive 36 on the synthetic resin molded portion 14 of the gripping ring portion 12 of the steering wheel body thus manufactured, if necessary. Temporarily adhere and fix. In addition, the first leather winding part 18 is provided with the design panel parts 20 and 2.
The inner suture S is formed excluding the portion where the "0" is formed and the joint between the grip ring portion 12 and the spoke portion 26. If the polymerization width is too small, the workability decreases, while if it is too large, the material cost increases.

At this time, the parting recess 30 has the leather winding part 1
Push along the edge of the leather for 8. As a result, the periphery of the leather for the leather winding portion 18 is formed in a crank shape, and the cut-out concave stripe 3 is formed.
0 is set.

Next, an adhesive 36 is applied to the inner peripheral side of the design panel portion 20 and is adhered and fixed to the synthetic resin molded portion 14.
At this time, the peripheral edge of the leather winding portion 18 is pressed by the peripheral edge of the design panel portion 20, and at the same time, a tensile force acts, so that the division between the leather winding portion 18 and the design panel portion 20 appears beautifully.

In the above description, the adhesive layer 36 depends on the type of the molding material of the synthetic resin molded portion, but when the synthetic resin molded portion 14 is formed of semi-rigid polyurethane or the like, a urethane-based adhesive is used.

Further, the pad 38 and the lower cover are attached to the upper and lower portions of the boss portion 24 together with functional parts (airbag device and horn switch), and the manufacture of the steering wheel is completed.

The steering wheel is mounted on a steering shaft of a vehicle. At this time, since the steering wheel is fixed to the steering shaft with a nut, the pad 38 is fixed to the steering shaft with the pad 38 removed, and the pad is assembled after assembly.

[0035]

According to the leather-wound steering wheel of the present invention, as described above, in the steering wheel in which the design covering portion is formed in two colors of the leather-wrapped portion and the design panel portion, the panel of the synthetic resin molded portion is formed. A parting recess is formed on the periphery of the part arranging part, and the periphery of the leather winding part is formed in the parting recess.
Due to the configuration of being fitted into the shape of a crank and being pressed at the periphery of the design panel portion, it is not necessary to form a deep groove such as a wood grain groove. In other words, it is only necessary to have a depth for accommodating the tip of the crank-shaped peripheral edge of the leather winding portion, and the amount of undercut is small. Therefore, the partition position of the leather winding portion can be set to an arbitrary position. Therefore, in a leather-wound steering wheel in which the design covering portion of the grip ring portion has a two-color configuration of a leather-wound portion / design panel portion having a vertical section line, the degree of freedom of design can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a two-color component showing a conventional example of a grip ring portion in a leather-wound steering wheel (A in FIG. 2);
-A line part)

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a steering wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the same before the formation of a design covering portion.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 12 gripping ring part 14 synthetic resin molding part in gripping ring part 16 design covering part 18 leather winding part 20 design panel part 22 gripping ring core metal 24 boss part 26 spoke part 28 steering wheel core metal 30

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel comprising a boss portion, a grip ring portion, and a spoke portion connecting the boss portion and the grip ring portion, wherein the grip ring portion includes a synthetic resin molded portion and the synthetic resin. A design covering portion for covering the resin molding portion, wherein the design covering portion has a two-color configuration of a leather winding portion / design panel portion having a vertical section line, wherein the panel of the synthetic resin molding portion is provided. A parting recess is formed on the periphery of the part arranging part, and the periphery of the leather winding part is formed on the parting recess.
A leather-wound steering wheel, which is fitted in a crank shape and is pressed by a peripheral edge of the design panel portion. 2. The two-color configuration of the leather-wrapped portion / design panel portion in the grip ring portion is such that the design panel is located on the inner peripheral side of the grip ring portion. Leather-wound steering wheel. 3. The leather-wound steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral surface side of the synthetic resin molded portion in the grip ring portion is formed of a soft synthetic resin.