JP2009078667A - Rotation connector device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rotating connector device capable of keeping a neutral state by releasing a locking mechanism when a handle is mounted and functioning the locking mechanism when the handle is removed, while keeping dimensions. <P>SOLUTION: The rotating connector device comprises a fixed side case and a rotating side case coupled so as to relatively rotate, a cable stored in a cable storage portion formed between these two cases, and the locking mechanism disposed outside the cable storage portion. The locking mechanism is disposed between an inner cylinder portion of the rotating side case and a steering shaft. The locking mechanism is composed of a spring member locking portion and a spring member. The spring member locking portion projects out from the inner cylinder portion to support the spring member. The spring member is composed of an upper cover side end portion, a steering boss contacting portion, a locking recessed portion, and an outer case side end portion. The upper cover side end portion and the locking recessed portion contact with the inner cylinder portion, and the outer case side end portion is locked to an outer case locking portion of an outer vase. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a rotary connector device used for transmitting an electric signal, an optical signal, electric power or the like between a rotating body and a fixed body.

A rotary connector device is used to electrically connect a rotary body and a fixed body that supports the rotary body. For example, an electrical signal is transmitted from the vehicle body side to an airbag system or the like installed in a steering of an automobile. Used to do. In a rotary connector device used in an automobile, an annular cable housing portion is usually formed by an outer case and an inner case that is rotatably installed inside the outer case relative to the outer case. The flat cable is housed inside the unit.

The outer case includes an outer tube portion and a bottom portion, and the inner case includes an inner tube portion and an upper lid portion. The inner case is rotatable inside the outer cylinder portion. The outer case includes a fixed connector portion, and the inner case includes a rotary connector portion.

The flat cable housed in the cable housing part is wound around in one direction on the inner wall of the outer cylinder part after one end is connected to the fixed connector part, and after reversing the winding direction in the reversing part, Are wound around the outer wall of the inner cylinder portion in the opposite direction, and the other end is connected to the rotary connector portion. Alternatively, there are those wound only in one direction inside the cable housing portion, and those in which the reversing portion is formed by a roller.

When the rotary connector device is attached to the vehicle body, it is required that the rotational position of the inner case is set so that the number of times that the inner case can be rotated clockwise and the number of times that the inner case can be rotated counterclockwise are equal. Hereinafter, this state is referred to as a neutral state.

The rotary connector device includes a fixture for locking the inner case to the outer case, and the inner case is maintained in a neutral state until the rotary connector device is attached to the vehicle body. Temporarily fixed with the fixture.

In some cases, alignment marks are provided at appropriate positions on the outer case and the inner case so that the inner case can be accurately returned to the neutral state after the fixing member is removed.

However, the above alignment mark matches even when the inner case is rotated once. Therefore, if the inner case rotates greatly after removing the fixing tool, there is a problem that it becomes difficult to return the inner case to the neutral state again.

In particular, when the rotary connector device is attached to the vehicle body and then removed for repairs, the inner case must be returned to the neutral state when it is attached to the vehicle body again. Since this was not performed, it was difficult to return the inner case to the neutral state.

Patent Document 1 describes a rotary connector device in which a lock mechanism in which a neutral position is automatically released by a column pin provided on a steering column is arranged on the steering column side. Patent Document 2 describes a rotary connector device in which a lock mechanism is released when a handle is attached by a lock mechanism disposed between a movable housing and a fixed housing.
JP-A-9-169275 JP2002-075575

  However, in the lock mechanism described in Patent Document 1, when only the handle is removed for repair or the like, the lock mechanism does not work, so the inner case rotates greatly and it is difficult to return to the original position. Further, due to the increase in density and miniaturization of in-vehicle devices, it has become impossible to provide a space between the movable housing and the fixed housing. For this reason, it has become difficult to provide a lock mechanism between the movable housing and the fixed housing as in Patent Document 2.

  The present invention has been made to solve these problems. The lock mechanism is released when the handle is attached, and the lock mechanism is activated when the handle is removed. It is to provide a rotary connector device that can be maintained.

The first aspect of the present invention is:
A stationary case and a rotating case, which are relatively rotatably connected, a cable housed in a cable housing formed between the two cases, an inner cylinder portion of the rotating case, and a steering shaft. A rotary connector device comprising a locking mechanism disposed therebetween.

The second aspect of the present invention is:
The locking mechanism is composed of a spring member locking portion and a spring member,
The spring member locking portion protrudes from the inner cylinder portion and supports the spring member,
The spring member comprises an upper lid side end, a steering boss contact portion, a locking recess, and an outer case side end,
The upper lid side end and the locking recess are in contact with the inner cylinder,
An outer case side end is locked to an outer case locking portion of the outer case.

According to the present invention, when the handle is attached, the lock mechanism is released, and when the handle is removed, the lock mechanism works to maintain a neutral state. Furthermore, since the lock mechanism is disposed closer to the center side (steering boss side) than the inner cylinder portion of the inner case, the size does not increase. Therefore, there is a significant industrial effect.

A configuration of a rotary connector device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, about each structural part which has the same function, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and shown for simplification of illustration and description.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a rotary connector device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the rotary connector device 1 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a cable housing portion 2 is formed by an outer case 11 and an inner case 21, and flat cables 3 to 6 are built in the cable housing portion 2. The inner case 21 is configured so as to be freely rotatable around the left and right sides inside the outer cylinder portion 12 of the outer case 11. The outer case 11 is a fixed side case fixed to the vehicle body side. The inner case 21 is a rotation-side case that is fixed to the handle 41 and rotated.

In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, four flat cables 3 to 6 are stored in the cable storage unit 2. However, the number of flat cables stored in the cable storage unit 2 needs to be four. There may be more or less than this.

The outer case 11 includes a cylindrical outer tube portion 12, a bottom portion 13 (not shown), and a fixed connector portion 14. The inner case 21 includes a cylindrical inner tube portion 22, an upper lid portion 23, and a rotary connector portion 24. The cable storage portion 2 is an annular space surrounded by the outer cylindrical portion 12 and the bottom portion 13 of the outer case 11 and the inner cylindrical portion 22 and the upper lid portion 23 of the inner case.

The flat cables 3 to 6 housed inside the cable housing portion 2 are connected to the fixed connector portion 14 provided at the outer case 11 at one end and to the rotary connector portion 24 at the other end. An electrical signal can be transmitted from the vehicle body side to, for example, an airbag mounted on the steering wheel via the rotary connector device 1.

The flat cables 3 to 6 connected to the fixed connector portion 14 are guided to the inside of the cable housing portion 2 and wound in a spiral shape in one direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1) along the outer cylinder portion 12. Yes. And it has the inversion part 3a-6a which reversed the winding direction in the middle of each flat cable, and spirals in the reverse direction (clockwise in FIG. 1) along the inner cylinder part 22 from this inversion part 3a-6a. It is wrapped around

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the rotary connector device according to the embodiment of the present invention before the handle 41 is attached. FIG. 2 shows a state after the steering boss 51 is attached and before the handle 41 is attached. FIG. 3 is a detailed view thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, the steering boss 42 of the handle 41 is inserted into the vehicle body side mounting shaft 51, and the steering boss 42 and the vehicle body side mounting shaft 51 come into contact with each other, and are firmly fixed by the friction of the contacting surfaces.

The rotary connector device 1 is required to be maintained in a freely rotatable state while the handle 41 is attached, and to be maintained in a non-rotatable state while the handle 41 is detached. For this reason, in the present invention, the lock mechanism 31 is disposed outside the cable housing portion 2 and between the inner cylindrical portion 22 of the inner case 21 and the steering shaft 61 (closer to the steering boss 42).

As shown in FIG. 3, the lock mechanism 31 includes a spring member locking portion 25 and a spring member 32. Since the spring member locking portion 25 has a hook shape protruding from the inner cylinder portion 22, the spring member 32 is supported by the spring member locking portion 25. The spring member 32 is bent in a non-linear manner, and includes an upper lid side end portion 33, a steering boss contact portion 34, a locking recess 35, and an outer case side end portion 36. The upper lid side end 33 and the locking recess 35 are in contact with the inner cylinder portion 22. Before the steering boss contact portion 34 and the steering boss 42 contact each other, the outer case side end portion 36 is locked to the outer case locking portion 11a of the outer case 11, whereby the outer case 11 and the inner case 21 are mutually connected. It is fixed so that it does not rotate freely.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the rotary connector device according to the embodiment of the present invention when the handle 41 is attached. FIG. 4 shows a state after the steering boss 42 is attached and after the handle 41 is attached. FIG. 5 is a detailed view thereof.

The steering boss 42 of the handle 41 is inserted into the vehicle body side mounting shaft 51. When the steering boss 42 and the vehicle body side mounting shaft 51 come into contact with each other and are firmly fixed by the friction of the contact surfaces, the steering boss 42 springs. The steering boss contact portion 34 comes into contact with the steering boss contact portion 34 of the member 32, and the steering boss contact portion 34 is pushed outward of the vehicle body side mounting shaft 51. As a result, the spring member 32 is deformed, and the outer case side end 36 moves toward the vehicle body side mounting shaft 51 around the spring member locking portion 25 as an axis. Thereby, the outer case side end portion 36 is separated from the outer case locking portion 11 a of the outer case 11. Therefore, the outer case 11 and the inner case 21 can rotate freely with respect to each other.

The spring member 32 may be any member that can maintain the spring reaction force for a long time, but is preferably made of metal such as SUS. The spring member 32 may be plate-shaped or rod-shaped.

In addition, the description in this Embodiment shows an example of the rotation connector apparatus which concerns on this invention, and is not limited to this. The detailed configuration and detailed operation of the rotary connector device in the present embodiment can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the outline of the rotation connector apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure before the attachment of the handle | steering_wheel 41 of the rotation connector apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure before the attachment of the handle | steering_wheel 41 of the rotation connector apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure at the time of attachment of the handle | steering_wheel 41 of the rotation connector apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure at the time of attachment of the handle | steering_wheel 41 of the rotation connector apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rotary connector apparatus 2 ... Cable storage part 3-6 ... Flat cable 3a-6a ... Inversion part 11 ... Outer case 12 ... Outer cylinder part 13 ... Bottom part 14・ ・ Fixed connector part 15 ・ ・ ・ Fixing tool 21 ・ ・ ・ Inner case 22 ・ ・ ・ Inner cylinder part 23 ・ ・ ・ Upper cover part 24 ・ ・ ・ Rotary connector part 25 ・ ・ ・ Spring member locking part 31 ・ ・ ・Lock mechanism 32 ... Spring member 33 ... Upper lid side end 34 ... Steering boss contact part 35 ... Locking recess 36 ... Outer case side end 41 ... Handle 42 ... Steering Boss 51 ... Body side mounting shaft

Claims (2)

A stationary side case and a rotary side case that are relatively rotatably connected, a cable stored in a cable storage part formed between the two cases, and an inner cylinder part of the rotary side case and a steering shaft. A rotary connector device comprising a lock mechanism disposed on the rotary connector device. The rotary connector device according to claim 1,
The locking mechanism is composed of a spring member locking portion and a spring member,
The spring member locking portion protrudes from the inner cylinder portion and supports the spring member,
The spring member comprises an upper lid side end, a steering boss contact portion, a locking recess, and an outer case side end,
The upper lid side end and the locking recess are in contact with the inner cylinder,
An outer case side end is locked to an outer case locking portion of the outer case.

Images