JP2006069426A - Steering member for vehicle and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering member for a vehicle and its manufacturing method in which it is not required that a steering member body is made of a split structure. <P>SOLUTION: Since a resin duct part 5 is formed by blow-molding it into the steering member body 4, it is not required that the steering member body 4 is made of the split structure. Since cutout ports 16, 17, 18 corresponding to openings 9, 10, 11 of the steering member body 4 are formed on the resin duct part 5, introduction and blowing out of air-conditioned air can be certainly performed. Since the resin duct part 5 is a hollow structure, the air-conditioned air is not leaked even if the steering member body 4 is not the hollow structure with air-tight property. Since the resin duct part 5 is formed by a foam resin, sound-absorption effect is high and generation of noise by the air-conditioned air can be suppressed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle steering member and a method for manufacturing the same.

  A steering member main body is disposed inside the instrument panel of the automobile in a state along the vehicle width direction. The steering member main body has a metal cylindrical shape and is originally used to support a steering column, an air conditioning unit, and the like, but may also be used as an air conditioning duct due to the cylindrical shape.

  When used as an air conditioning duct, an opening for introducing air-conditioned air from the air-conditioning unit and an opening for branching and blowing the introduced air-conditioned air into a plurality of locations are formed in the steering member body. In addition, a resin duct portion is formed inside the steering member main body in order to prevent dew condensation on the metal steering member main body.

In order to form the resin duct portion in the steering member main body, the steering member main body has, for example, a split structure that is divided in two in the cross-sectional direction, and the steering member is in a state in which the pre-formed resin duct portion is placed inside. The main body is assembled in a cylindrical shape, or the steering member main body is assembled in a cylindrical shape after a resin layer is formed on the inner surface of each divided steering member main body by spraying (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).
JP 2004-1687 A

  However, in such a conventional technique, since the resin duct portion is formed inside the steering member main body, the steering member main body is divided into a plurality of parts, so that the original strength of the steering member main body may be reduced. There is. Therefore, it is necessary to add a plurality of reinforcing parts in order to compensate for the strength reduction of the steering member body, which may increase the weight of the vehicle body and the number of parts.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a conventional technique, and provides a vehicle steering member that does not require a divided structure of a steering member body and a method for manufacturing the same.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, an opening for introducing or blowing air-conditioning air is formed in a metallic cylindrical steering member main body arranged along the vehicle width direction inside the instrument panel, and the steering member A vehicle steering member provided with a resin duct portion inside a main body, wherein the resin duct portion is formed by blow molding inside the steering member main body, and the resin duct portion is formed at an opening of the steering member main body. A corresponding excision opening is formed.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the resin duct portion has a hollow structure in which portions corresponding to both end portions of the steering member main body are closed.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the resin duct portion is formed of a foamed resin.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a cylindrical steering member main body made of metal is held in the vertical direction, a cylindrical parison whose one end is closed is introduced into the steering member main body, and the inside of the introduced parison Injecting pressurized air into the resin, blow molding is performed, and after blow molding, the other end of the parison is closed to form a resin duct portion having a hollow structure.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the opening of the steering member main body is closed with a cap mold having a size larger than the opening, and in this state, blow-molding is performed to form a bulging portion in which the parison is expanded from the opening. And after removing a cap type | mold, the excision opening which has a flange part is formed by leaving the flange part which closely_contact | adhered with the outer surface of opening periphery leaving the flange part.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the steering member main body has a cylindrical shape, a plurality of small holes are formed in the steering member main body, and a part of the parison is inserted into the small holes during blow molding to engage with the small holes. An anchor portion to be formed is formed.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the resin duct portion is formed by blow molding into the steering member main body, the steering member main body does not need to be divided. Since the excision opening corresponding to the opening of the steering member main body is formed in the resin duct portion, air-conditioning air can be reliably introduced and blown out.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the resin duct portion has a hollow structure, air-conditioning air does not leak even if the steering member body is not a hollow structure in which airtightness is maintained.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the resin duct portion is formed of the foamed resin, the sound absorption effect is high, and the generation of noise due to the air-conditioned air can be suppressed.

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the steering member main body is held in the vertical direction, the parison can be introduced into the steering member main body by gravity and blow-molded.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, by cutting the bulging portion formed from the opening to the outside by blow molding, an excision opening having a flange portion covering the outer surface around the opening can be formed. It can couple | bond with the duct of another apparatus via a part.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, even if the steering member main body is cylindrical, the anchor portion formed in the resin duct portion engages with the small hole of the steering member main body. It is possible to prevent misalignment in the case.

  To provide a vehicle steering member that does not require a divided structure of the steering member main body and a method for manufacturing the same, a metal-made cylindrical steering member main body arranged along the vehicle width direction inside the instrument panel In addition, an opening for introducing or blowing air-conditioned air is formed, and a vehicle steering member is provided with a resin duct portion inside the steering member body, and the resin duct portion is blow molded inside the steering member body. This was realized by forming an excision opening corresponding to the opening of the steering member main body in the resin duct portion. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIGS. 1-11 is a figure which shows one Example of this invention. An instrument panel 1 is attached in front of the passenger compartment. A steering member 3 is installed in the instrument panel 1 between the dash sides 2 on both sides in the vehicle width direction along the vehicle width direction. The steering member 3 includes a metal-made cylindrical steering member main body 4 and a hollow resin duct portion 5 provided therein.

  Both end portions of the steering member main body 4 are coupled to the dash side 2 via brackets 6. A steering support 7 that supports a steering column (not shown) is fixed to the driver side of the steering member body 4 by welding. Further, a pair of stays 8 are fixed by welding at positions closer to the center of the steering member body 4 and are coupled to the floor tunnel.

  In the center of the steering member main body 4, a center outlet 9 is formed in the upper part, and an inlet 10 is formed in the lower part. Moreover, the side blower outlet 11 is each formed in the upper part of right-and-left both ends. The center outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side outlet 11 constitute the "opening" of this embodiment.

  The instrument panel 1 has a center differential 12 formed in the center and side differentials 13 formed on both the left and right sides. The center differential 12 and the center outlet 9 are connected via a duct (not shown), and the side differential 13 and the side outlet 11 are also connected via a duct (not shown). The introduction port 10 is connected to the blowout duct 15 of the air conditioning unit 14 (see FIG. 3).

  Inside the steering member main body 4, a resin duct portion 5 made of foamed polypropylene that is in close contact with the inner surface of the steering member main body 4 is provided. The resin duct portion 5 has a hollow structure in which both ends are closed, and air conditioning air E (see FIG. 3) is taken in and out of portions corresponding to the center outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side outlet 11. The excision openings 16, 17 and 18 are formed.

  In addition, flange portions 16a, 17a, and 18a that cover the peripheral outer surfaces of the center outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side outlet 11 are integrally formed in each of the excision openings 16, 17, and 18, respectively. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the flange 15a of the outlet duct 15 of the air conditioning unit 14 is brought into contact with the flanges 16a, 17a, and 18a, whereby the airtightness of the connecting portion is obtained.

  Further, a plurality of small holes 19 are formed in the steering member main body 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the small holes 19 are formed at equal angles by three in the circumferential direction. The resin duct portion 5 is formed with an anchor portion 20 that enters and engages in the small hole 19. By engaging the small hole 19 and the anchor portion 20, the resin duct portion 5 is prevented from being displaced in the rotational direction in the cylindrical steering member main body 4, and stress concentration at the excision ports 16, 17, 18 is achieved. Can be prevented.

  Next, a method for forming the resin duct portion 5 inside the steering member main body 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the cylindrical steering member body 4 is held along the vertical direction. The lower end of the steering member body 4 is closed by the bottom mold 21. Moreover, the center blower outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side blower 11 are made into the state blocked | closed with the cap type | molds 22, 23, and 24 of a larger size, respectively.

  Then, a parison P made of foamed polypropylene in a heat-softened state is discharged into the steering member main body 4 from a die 25 installed above (see FIG. 6). Since the steering member body 4 is held along the vertical direction, the parison P can be smoothly introduced into the steering member body 4 by gravity.

  After the parison P is stored in the steering member main body 4, pressurized air is injected into the parison P from an air hole (not shown) formed in the die 25 and blow-molded. The parison P is expanded by the pressure of the pressurized air and is pressed against the inner surface of the steering member body 4 (see FIG. 7). At the center outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side outlet 11, the parison P bulges outward from the peripheral outer surface of the center outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side outlet 11 to the inner surfaces of the cap dies 22, 23, 24. The bulging portions 26, 27, and 28 pressed along are formed (see FIG. 9).

  Further, in a portion corresponding to the small hole 19, a part of the parison P enters the small hole 19 and becomes an anchor portion 20 (see FIG. 4) that engages with the small hole 19. Since the diameter of the small hole 19 is small, a part of the parison P does not penetrate the small hole 19, and becomes an anchor portion 20 that does not protrude from the small hole 19.

  Next, after the parison P is solidified, the bottom mold 21 and the cap molds 22, 23, 24 are removed. Then, the parison P is removed from the die 25, and the upper end is closed by thermal welding to obtain a resin duct portion 5 having a hollow structure (see FIG. 8).

  And the flange part 16a which closely_contact | adhered the bulging part 26,27,28 which protruded from the center blower outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side blower 11 with the periphery outer surface of the center blower 9, the inlet 10, and the side blower 11 , 17a, and 18a are cut out from the cutting line C (see FIG. 10). By doing so, excision ports 16, 17 and 18 communicating with the center air outlet 9, the introduction port 10 and the side air outlet 11 are formed. In addition, flange portions 16a, 17a, and 18a that cover the outer peripheral surfaces of the center outlet 9, the inlet 10, and the side outlet 11 are also formed in each of the excision openings 16, 17, and 18 (see FIG. 11).

  Since the steering member 3 manufactured as described above forms the resin duct portion 5 by being blow-molded into the steering member main body 4, it is not necessary to make the steering member main body 4 into a divided structure as in the prior art. Therefore, the strength of the steering member main body 4 is not reduced, and a reinforcing component for compensating for the strength reduction is not required. Therefore, the weight of the vehicle body and the number of parts can be reduced.

  Further, since the resin duct portion 5 has a hollow structure in which both ends are closed, the air-conditioning air E does not leak even if the steering member body 4 coupled to the dash side 2 via the bracket 6 is not completely hollow.

  The air-conditioned air E is introduced from the air-conditioning unit 14 to the steering member 3, and then is cut from the excision ports 16 and 18 corresponding to the center air outlet 9 and the side air outlet 11 through the center differential 12 and the side differential 13 of the instrument panel 1. It is blown out into the passenger compartment.

  And since the resin duct part 5 is formed with foamed resin (foamed polypropylene), the sound absorption effect is high and the generation | occurrence | production of the noise by the air-conditioning air E can be suppressed.

  In the above embodiment, the cylindrical steering member main body 4 is taken as an example, but a rectangular tube shape may be used. In this case, since the resin duct portion 5 does not inherently rotate inside the steering member main body 4, the small hole 19 and the anchor portion 20 are unnecessary (may be provided to prevent displacement in the longitudinal direction). ). Further, the hollow resin duct portion 5 is taken as an example, but if the steering member main body 4 itself is airtight, a cylindrical resin duct portion may be used.

The perspective view which shows the steering member which concerns on one Example of this invention. The side view which shows the steering member of FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing the steering member of FIG. 1. The expanded sectional view which shows the small hole and anchor part of FIG. Sectional drawing of the steering member main body which shows the formation position of the small hole of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the state which introduced the parison in the steering member main body of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the state which inject | pours pressurized air into the parison introduced in the steering member main body of FIG. 6, and blow-molds. Sectional drawing which shows the state which removes a cap type | mold after blow molding of FIG. 7, and cut | disconnects a bulging part. The expanded sectional view which shows the formation state of the bulging part in the cap type | mold of FIG. The expanded sectional view which shows the cutting state of the bulging part of FIG. The expanded sectional view which shows the state after the cutting | disconnection of the bulging part of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument panel 3 Steering member 4 Steering member main body 5 Resin duct part 9 Center outlet (opening)
10 Inlet (opening)
11 Side outlet (opening)
16, 17, 18 Cut opening 16a, 17a, 18a Flange 19 Small hole 20 Anchor 22, 23, 24 Cap type 26, 27, 28 Swelling E Air-conditioned air P Parison C Cutting line

Claims (6)

Opening (9, 10, 11) for introducing or blowing air-conditioning air is formed in a metal-made cylindrical steering member body (4) arranged along the vehicle width direction inside the instrument panel (1). And a vehicle steering member provided with a resin duct (5) inside the steering member body (4),
The resin duct portion (5) is formed by blow molding inside the steering member main body (4), and the opening (9, 10, 11) of the steering member main body (4) is formed in the resin duct portion (5). A steering member for a vehicle, characterized in that a resection opening (16, 17, 18) corresponding to is formed. The vehicle steering member according to claim 1,
The vehicle steering member, wherein the resin duct portion (5) has a hollow structure in which portions corresponding to both ends of the steering member body (4) are closed. A vehicle steering member according to claim 1 or claim 2,
A vehicle steering member, wherein the resin duct portion (5) is formed of foamed resin.   A cylindrical steering member body (4) made of metal is held in the vertical direction, and a cylindrical parison (P) whose one end is closed is introduced into the steering member body (4). (P) is injected with pressurized air and blow-molded. After blow molding, the other end of the parison (P) is closed to form a hollow resin duct portion (5). Member manufacturing method. It is a manufacturing method of the steering member for vehicles according to claim 4,
The opening (9, 10, 11) of the steering member main body (4) is closed with a cap mold (22, 23, 24) having a size larger than that of the opening (9, 10, 11), and blow-molded in that state to cap The bulging part (26, 27, 28) which expanded the parison (P) from the opening (9, 10, 11) is formed inside the mold (22, 23, 24), and the cap mold (22, 23, 24). ) Is removed from the resin duct part (5) leaving the flange parts (16a, 17a, 18a) in close contact with the outer surfaces around the openings (9, 10, 11). A method of manufacturing a steering member for a vehicle, characterized in that a cut opening (16, 17, 18) having a flange portion (16a, 17a, 18a) is formed by cutting. It is a manufacturing method of the steering member for vehicles according to claim 4,
The steering member main body (4) has a cylindrical shape, a plurality of small holes (19) are formed in the steering member main body (4), and a part of the parison (P) enters the small holes (19) during blow molding. An anchor portion (20) that engages with the small hole (19) to form a steering member for a vehicle.

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