JP2006256492A - Roll connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suitably absorb a displacement between a fitting projecting part of a rotator and a fitting hole of a steering wheel and prevent generation of a rotation delay at the time of rotation of the steering wheel. <P>SOLUTION: The fitting projecting part 20 of the rotator 13 is composed of an elastic member 22 and a core member 24. As the core member 24 inserted into a core insertion hole 23 of the elastic member 22 is composed of a member different from the rotator 13, the fitting projecting part 20 is enabled to be bent from the root of the core member 24. Accordingly, the fitting projecting part 20 can be fitted to the fitting hole 21 even if a relatively large displacement exists between the fitting projecting part 20 and the fitting hole 21 of the steering wheel 18. As the the fitting projecting part 20 is composed of the elastic member 22 inserted with the core member 24 having rigidity higher than that of the elastic member 22, it can have higher rigidity compared with the case of being composed of the elastic member only. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a roll connector for electrically connecting an external wiring on a steering column side and an external wiring on a steering wheel side, and particularly relates to a structure of a rotation transmission portion between a rotator and a steering wheel.

  In recent years, a roll connector is used as an apparatus for electrically connecting a steering wheel side and a steering column side of an automobile. FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration thereof. The roll connector 1 comprises an annular case 4 composed of an annular stator 2 fixed to the steering column side and an annular rotator 3 provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the stator 2. As an electrical connection means, a flexible flat cable (not shown) is housed in a spiral shape. The upper surface of the rotator 3 is provided with two fitting projections 5 for torque transmission, and these fitting projections 5 are fitted in fitting holes 7 provided in the steering wheel 6. It has become.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows how the roll connector 1 is attached. The stator 2 of the roll connector 1 is fixed to a lever combination switch 8 provided on the steering column side, and the steering wheel 6 is fixed to the distal end portion of the steering shaft 9 that penetrates the lever combination switch 8 and the roll connector 1. At this time, the fitting convex portion 5 is fitted in the fitting hole 7 of the steering wheel 6, and the rotator 3 is also rotated through the fitting convex portion 5 with the rotation of the steering wheel 6. It has become.

  As the fitting convex portion 5, as shown in FIG. 5, a protruding portion 5a protruding upward is provided on the upper wall 3a of the synthetic resin rotator 3 by integral molding, and a rubber cap is provided on the protruding portion 5a. The structure covered with 5b is common (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By covering the protrusion 5a with the rubber cap 5b, it is possible to prevent rattling in the fitted state of the fitting convex part 5 and the fitting hole 7, and also to prevent rattling noise. ing.

  By the way, when the fitting convex portion 5 and the fitting hole 7 are fitted, due to a manufacturing error or assembly error of the steering wheel 6 or the roll connector 1, the fitting convex portion 5 and the fitting hole 7 are not connected. May cause misalignment (eccentricity). In such a case, the fitting projection 5 and the fitting hole 7 are forcibly fitted, but the stator 2 is fixed to the lever combination switch 8 side (steering column side) and the rotator 3. Is rotated following the steering wheel 6 via the fitting portion, and the influence of the positional deviation is concentrated on the roll connector 1 portion, and a squeak noise is generated when the steering wheel 6 rotates. Problems such as occurrence may occur.

  At this time, since the fitting convex portion 5 has a configuration in which a protrusion 5 a integrally formed with the rotator 3 is covered with a rubber cap 5 b, the fitting convex portion 5 is formed between the fitting convex portion 5 and the fitting hole 7. With respect to the positional deviation, almost no deformation of the protrusion 5a can be expected, and only the collapse of the cap 5b can be expected. For this reason, there has been a problem in that the displacement can hardly be absorbed.

Therefore, as a countermeasure against the positional deviation, it has been proposed that the fitting convex portion 5 is constituted by an elastic material, for example, a rubber columnar protrusion, and the rubber protrusion is attached to the rotator 3 ( Patent Document 2).
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-3594 (FIGS. 1 to 3) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-26273 (FIGS. 3 and 4)

  As described above, when there is a misalignment between the fitting convex portion 5 of the rotator 3 and the fitting hole 7 of the steering wheel 6 due to a manufacturing error or an assembly error of the steering wheel 6 or the roll connector 1, In the configuration of FIG. 5, the deformation of the fitting convex portion 5 can hardly be expected, and the displacement can hardly be absorbed.

  On the other hand, when the fitting convex part 5 is comprised only with the rubber protrusion, since the deformation deformation of the whole rubber protrusion can be expected, the degree of absorption of misalignment can be increased. However, when only the rubber protrusions are used, there is a problem that the deflection deformation is too large and a rotation delay of the rotator 3 is likely to occur when the steering wheel 6 rotates.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and its purpose is to absorb the positional deviation well even if there is a positional deviation between the fitting convex part of the rotator and the fitting hole of the steering wheel. And it is providing the roll connector which can also prevent that a rotation delay arises in a rotator at the time of rotation of a steering wheel.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention accommodates a stator fixed to the steering column side, a rotator rotatably provided on the upper part of the stator, and a housing part formed by the stator and the rotator. And an electrical connection means for electrically connecting the external wiring on the steering column side and the external wiring on the steering wheel side, and a fitting provided on the steering wheel so as to protrude upward from the rotator And a fitting convex portion for torque transmission fitted in the hole, wherein the fitting convex portion is configured to rotate the rotator via the fitting convex portion as the steering wheel rotates. Made of an elastic material provided in the upper wall of the rotator so as to protrude upward through the upper wall and extending in the axial direction. And sex member, characterized by being constituted by a core member of the rod-like inserted into the core insertion hole is formed by stiffer material than the elastic member.

  According to the present invention, the fitting convex portion is constituted by an elastic member and a core member, and the core member inserted in the core insertion hole of the elastic member is constituted by a member different from the rotator, The fitting convex portion can be bent from the base of the core member. For this reason, as a fitting convex part, even if there exists a comparatively big position shift between the said fitting convex part and a fitting hole, it comes to be able to fit in a fitting hole, and absorbs a position shift well. Will be able to. In addition, since the fitting convex portion is not only an elastic member but also a core member having higher rigidity than this elastic member is inserted, the rigidity can be increased as compared with the case where only the elastic member is configured. It becomes possible to prevent a rotation delay from occurring in the rotator when the wheel rotates.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
Like the conventional configuration, the roll connector 11 includes an annular stator 12 fixed to the steering column side and an annular rotator 13 that is rotatably provided with respect to the stator 12. In this case 14, a flexible flat cable (not shown) is housed in a spiral shape as electrical connection means. Both the stator 12 and the rotator 13 constituting the case 14 are made of synthetic resin. A circular hole 15 is formed at the center of the case 14 with both upper and lower ends open. A steering shaft (not shown) is inserted into the circular hole 15 in a penetrating state.

  A connector 16 is provided on the outer periphery of the stator 12, and a terminal (not shown) to which one end of the flexible flat cable is connected is provided on the connector 16. A connector 17 is also provided on the upper surface of the rotator 13, and the connector 17 is also provided with a terminal (not shown) to which the other end of the flexible flat cable is connected. An external wiring (not shown) on the steering column side is connected to the connector 16, and an external wiring (not shown) on the steering wheel 18 side is connected to the connector 17.

  Now, on the upper surface of the rotator 13, there are provided two torque transmitting fitting projections 20 protruding upward, and these fitting projections 20 are fitting holes provided in the steering wheel 18. 21 is fitted. Each of these fitting convex parts 20 has a configuration shown in FIG. That is, the fitting convex portion 20 is an elastic material provided in the upper wall 13a of the rotator 13 so as to penetrate the upper wall 13a in the vertical direction and protrude upward. In this case, the elastic member 22 made of rubber, and the elastic member 22 It is comprised by the rod-shaped core member 24 inserted in the core insertion hole 23 formed so that it might extend in this axial direction.

  In this case, the elastic member 22 is inserted into the through hole 25 formed in the upper wall 13a, and the two-stage flange portions 22a and 22b formed on the outer peripheral portion are attached so as to sandwich the upper wall 13a. The core insertion hole 23 of the elastic member 22 has an opening at the lower end, and the core member 24 is inserted into the core insertion hole 23 from below. At the lower end of the core member 24, a large diameter portion 24a having a diameter larger than that of the insertion shaft portion is provided. The elastic member 22 is not limited to rubber, and may be composed of a synthetic resin elastomer. The core member 24 is formed of a material having higher rigidity than the elastic member 22, that is, a relatively hard synthetic resin in this embodiment.

  In the above configuration, when the fitting convex portion 20 of the roll connector 11 and the fitting hole 21 of the steering wheel 18 are fitted, the fitting convexity is caused by a manufacturing error or an assembly error of the roll connector 11 or the steering wheel 18. There may be a displacement (eccentricity) between the portion 20 and the fitting hole 21.

  In this case, the fitting convex portion 20 is constituted by an elastic member 22 and a core member 24, and the core member 24 inserted into the core insertion hole 23 of the elastic member 22 is constituted by a member different from the rotator 13. Therefore, the fitting convex portion 20 can be bent from the base of the core member 24. For this reason, the fitting convex portion 20 can be fitted into the fitting hole 21 even if there is a relatively large positional deviation between the fitting convex portion 20 and the fitting hole 21. It will be able to absorb well. Further, since the fitting convex portion 20 has not only the elastic member 22 but also a core member 24 having a higher rigidity inserted in the elastic member 22, the rigidity is higher than that of the elastic member 22 alone. Thus, it is possible to prevent a rotation delay from occurring in the rotator 13 when the steering wheel 18 rotates.

Sectional drawing of the principal part which shows one Example of this invention Exploded perspective view of roll connector and steering wheel FIG. 2 equivalent diagram showing the conventional configuration Sectional view showing the assembled state 1 equivalent diagram

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 11 is a roll connector, 12 is a stator, 13 is a rotator, 13a is an upper wall, 18 is a steering wheel, 20 is a fitting projection, 21 is a fitting hole, 22 is an elastic member, 23 is a core insertion hole, Reference numeral 24 denotes a core member.

Claims (1)

A stator fixed on the steering column side, a rotator rotatably provided on the stator, and a housing formed by the stator and the rotator. The external wiring on the steering column side and the steering wheel side An electrical connection means for electrically connecting the external wiring of the motor, and a fitting protrusion for torque transmission, which is provided so as to protrude upward from the rotator and is fitted into a fitting hole provided in the steering wheel. A roll connector configured to rotate the rotator via the fitting convex portion with the rotation of the steering wheel,
The fitting convex portion,
An elastic member made of an elastic material provided in the upper wall of the rotator so as to protrude upward through the upper wall, and having a core insertion hole extending in the axial direction;
A roll connector comprising: a rod-shaped core member formed of a material having higher rigidity than the elastic member and inserted into the core insertion hole.

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