JP2009158170A - Rotating connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rotating connector which achieves low cost even if the number of using sheet of a flat cable are different. <P>SOLUTION: As for a rotating connector in which in the interior of a housing space 3 between a stator housing 1 and a rotor housing 2, one sheet of the flat cable 4 is incorporated, a pin terminal 13 group retained by insulating substrate of a lead block 5 is connected to the end part of the flat cable 4, the insulating substrate is mounted on a housing 1 (or 2), the lead block 5 makes the pin terminal 13 group collectively arranged which is obtained by means that exposed end face 14b of the insulating substrate is equally divided into halves to get the pin terminal 13 is arranged in one region. When the number of connecting circuits is numerous, one more sheet of the flat cable is incorporated. Other pin terminal groups connected to this flat cable is arranged collectively at the other region of the exposed end face 14b, and the lead block is constituted by the same insulating substrate so that a stator housing 1 and a rotor housing 2 are used in common. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a rotary connector that is incorporated in a steering device of an automobile and used as an electrical connection means for an airbag system or the like.

  The rotary connector includes a stator housing fixed to a combination switch assembly or the like provided in the steering device, a rotor housing attached to the steering wheel, and an annular storage space defined between the stator housing and the rotor housing. A flat cable or the like housed in a wound state is provided therein, and is used as an electrical connection means such as an airbag or an inflator attached to a steering wheel having a finite rotation speed. Conventionally, in this type of rotary connector, a structure in which a lead block formed by holding a plurality of pin terminals on an insulating substrate is provided. The pin terminal group of the lead block is connected to the end of the flat cable, and the insulating base is attached to the stator housing or the rotor housing. Since the pin terminal group protrudes outward from the exposed end surface of the insulating base, the vehicle body side external connector (female connector) can be easily attached to and detached from the pin terminal group.

In this type of rotary connector, one flat cable is generally incorporated in the annular storage space. Recently, however, the number of lead wires has increased due to the increase in the number of steering devices. In order to cope with this, a rotary connector in which two flat cables are incorporated in a storage space has also been put into practical use (for example, see Patent Document 1).
No. 2000-294359

  By the way, in the rotary connector described above, the size of the annular storage space defined between the stator housing and the rotor housing is designed to be relatively wide so that the flat cable can be smoothly wound and unwound. There is no particular need to change the diameter or height of the housing regardless of whether the number of flat cables incorporated into the storage space is one or two. However, the number and arrangement of the pin terminals of the lead block differ greatly between the case of incorporating only one flat cable with a small number of connected circuits and the case of incorporating two flat cables with many connected circuits. Depending on the size of the insulating base of the lead block, the structure of a predetermined portion (connector setting portion) of the stator housing and the rotor housing to which the insulating base is attached is also changed according to the number of flat cables. I had to make it. For this reason, there has been a problem that the cost of parts of the stator housing and the rotor housing is increased and it is difficult to reduce the cost of the product.

  The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation of the prior art, and the object thereof is to reduce the cost of products by reducing the cost of components of the stator housing and the rotor housing even if the number of flat cables used is different. An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary connector capable of achieving the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a stator housing having an outer cylinder and a bottom plate, and an inner cylinder that is rotatably connected to the stator housing via an annular storage space and faces the outer cylinder. A rotor housing having a top plate facing the body and the bottom plate, a flat cable housed in a wound state inside the housing space, and a plurality of pin terminals (pin terminals) connected to ends of the flat cable And a lead block holding the insulating base on the insulating base, and the insulating base is attached to the stator housing and / or the rotor housing, and the pin protrudes outward from the exposed end surface of the insulating base In a rotary connector used by attaching an external connector to a terminal group, the pin terminal group connected to the flat cable is placed in front. And the configuration of is arranged to aggregate exposed end face of the insulating substrate on one region obtained by substantially bisecting.

  In this manner, when the pin terminal group connected to a specific flat cable is collectively arranged in one region obtained by roughly dividing the exposed end surface of the insulating base of the lead block, this exposed end surface It is necessary to change the size and outer shape of the insulating base between the case where another group of pin terminals connected to another flat cable is aggregated and arranged in the other area, and the case where no pin terminals are arranged at all. Disappears. Therefore, this rotary connector has a structure in which two flat cables are connected to the lead block and the number of pin terminals is large, or only one flat cable is connected to the lead block and the number of pin terminals is small. Even in this case, the lead block can be constituted by the insulating base having the same size and outer shape, so that the stator housing and / or the rotor housing can be used in common. Cost reduction can be achieved.

  In the above configuration, the insulating base of the lead block includes a first base that is exposed in one region of the exposed end surface and holds the pin terminal group, and a second base that is exposed in the other region of the exposed end surface. With the combined structure, for the first base that requires insert molding, etc., when two flat cables are connected to the lead block, the first base is used as it is between the first bases. For the second base body that can be configured as a lead block and has no pin terminals, when a single flat cable is connected to the lead block, a second terminal that holds a desired number of pin terminals according to the number of circuits. Since the first substrate and the second substrate can be used in combination, the cost of parts can be further reduced.

  Further, in the above configuration, an engaging portion is provided on one of the first base and the second base, and an engaging portion for locking the engaging portion is provided on the other of the first base and the second base. As a result, it is possible to easily assemble the lead block that integrates the first and second bases, and the lead block can be easily handled. Can be easily attached.

  According to the rotary connector of the present invention, the pin terminal group connected to the specific flat cable is collectively arranged in one region obtained by roughly dividing the exposed end surface of the insulating base body of the lead block. Therefore, in the other region of the exposed end surface, the size of the insulating base is different depending on whether another pin terminal group connected to another flat cable is aggregated and arranged. There is no need to change the sheath. Therefore, this rotary connector has a structure in which, for example, two flat cables / connect to the lead block to increase the number of pin terminals, or only one flat cable is connected to the lead block to reduce the number of pin terminals. Even in the case of a small structure, the lead block can be constituted by the insulating base having the same size and outer shape, so that the stator housing and the rotor housing can be used in common, and the cost of parts of those housings can be reduced and the product can be reduced. The cost can be reduced.

  1 is a plan view of a rotary connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the top plate side, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rotary connector of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing the lead block mounting location of the rotary connector of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lead block used in the rotary connector according to the first embodiment, and FIG. It is a perspective view of the external connector with which the rotation connector of FIG. 1 is mounted | worn.

  1 to 3 includes a synthetic resin stator housing 1, a synthetic resin rotor housing 2 rotatably connected to the stator housing 1 via an annular storage space 3, and a storage space. 3 is constituted roughly by a strip-shaped flat cable 4 housed in a wound state inside the cable 3 and a lead block 5 (see FIG. 4) attached to the end of the flat cable 4 in the longitudinal direction. An external connector 20 (see FIG. 5) can be attached to and detached from the block 5.

  The stator housing 1 is configured by combining a stator 6 having an outer cylindrical body 6a and a lower cover 7 having a center hole, and the both 6 and 7 are integrated using a fixing means such as a snap coupling. A plurality of mounting pieces 7a are integrally formed on the outer peripheral portion of the lower cover 7, and these mounting pieces 7a are screwed to a combination switch assembly or the like of the steering device. The lower cover 7 forms the bottom plate of the stator housing 1. In the present embodiment, the stator 6 and the lower cover (bottom plate) 7 are integrated by snap coupling, but both 6 and 7 can be integrally formed. It is.

  The rotor housing 2 is configured by combining an upper rotor 8 having an annular top plate 8a and a lower rotor 9 having an annular flange 9a. The upper rotor 8 has an inner cylinder extending downward from the inner peripheral edge of the top plate 8a. 8b is integrally formed. The lower rotor 9 is integrally formed with a cylindrical wall portion (not shown) extending upward from the inner peripheral edge of the flange portion 9a, and this cylindrical wall portion is inserted into the center hole of the lower cover 7 to form an inner cylinder. The upper rotor 8 and the lower rotor 9 are integrated with each other by snap coupling to the inner wall portion of the body 8b. Thus, when integrating the upper rotor 8 and the lower rotor 9, the outer peripheral edge of the top plate 8 a is engaged with the upper end of the outer cylinder 6 a of the stator 6, and the flange 9 a is connected to the center hole of the lower cover 7. What is necessary is just to engage with a peripheral part, and it will be in the state by which the rotor housing 2 was connected with the stator housing 1 rotatably. An annular storage space 3 is defined by the outer cylindrical body 6 a and the lower cover 7 of the stator housing 1 and the top plate 8 a and the inner cylindrical body 8 b of the rotor housing 2, and the outer cylindrical body 6 a is formed via the storage space 3. And the inner cylinder 8b face each other, and the top plate 8a and the lower cover 7 face each other. A driving pin 8c is erected on the top plate 8a of the upper rotor 8. By engaging the driving pin 8c with the steering wheel, the rotational force of the steering wheel is transmitted via the driving pin 8c. To be communicated to.

  The stator housing 1 and the rotor housing 2 are provided with connector setting portions 11 and 12 for attaching the lead block 5, respectively. The connector setting portion 11 of the stator housing 1 is suspended from the lower cover 7 in a cylindrical shape, and a lead block 5 attached to one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable 4 is fitted inside the connector setting portion 11. (See FIG. 3). The connector setting portion 12 of the rotor housing 2 is erected in a cylindrical shape on the top plate 8a, and another lead block attached to the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable 4 inside the connector setting portion 12. 5 is fitted.

  The flat cable 4 is stored in the storage space 3 in a state where the winding direction is reversed halfway, and the reversing portion of the flat cable 4 is a movable body (not shown) rotatably disposed in the storage space 3. It is looped to the roller. In this embodiment, only one flat cable 4 is stored in the storage space 3, and both end portions of the flat cable 4 in the longitudinal direction are respectively connected to the connector setting portion of the stator housing 1 via lead blocks 5. 11 and the connector setting portion 12 of the rotor housing 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lead block 5 holds a plurality of pin terminals (pin terminal group) 13 arranged in a row and connected to the end of the flat cable 4, and these pin terminals 13. The insulating base 14 made of synthetic resin is integrated, and a part of each pin terminal 13 is embedded in the insulating base 14 by insert molding. The base end side of each pin terminal 13 is connected to a conductor portion (not shown) of the flat cable 4 by spot welding or the like. An engaging projection 14a that is locked to the connector setting portion 11 (or 12) is integrally formed on the outer wall of the insulating base 14, and the connector setting portion 11 (or 12) has an opening 11a (or 12a). The tip end side of each pin terminal 13 protrudes outward from the exposed end face 14b. However, the group of pin terminals 13 is arranged in one area obtained by dividing the exposed end face 14b into two equal parts along the center line L (see FIGS. 1 and 2) along the longitudinal direction. Pin terminals are not arranged. The external connector 20 (see FIG. 5), which is a female connector, is inserted into and removed from the connector setting section 11 (or 12), so that the external connector 20 can be attached to and detached from the pin terminals 13 group.

  The rotary connector configured as described above is used by being incorporated in a steering apparatus of an automobile. At that time, the stator housing 1 is fixed to an assembly of a combination switch or the like. In the rotor housing 2, the cylindrical wall portion of the lower rotor 9 is externally mounted on the steering shaft, and the drive pin 8 c of the upper rotor 8 is engaged with the steering wheel.

  When the driver rotates the steering wheel clockwise or counterclockwise, the rotational force is transmitted to the upper rotor 8 via the drive pin 8c, so that the rotor housing 2 is clockwise with respect to the stator housing 1. Or it rotates counterclockwise. For example, when the upper rotor 8 rotates clockwise from the neutral position of the steering wheel, the reversing portion of the flat cable 4 moves clockwise by a smaller amount of rotation than the upper rotor 8, and accordingly, the reversing portion of the flat cable 4 moves. The moving body passing through also moves in the clockwise direction. As a result, the flat cable 4 having a length approximately twice the moving amount is drawn out from the inner cylinder 8b side of the upper rotor 8 in the storage space 3 and is rewound to the outer cylinder 6a side. On the contrary, when the upper rotor 8 rotates counterclockwise from the neutral position of the steering wheel, the reversing portion of the flat cable 4 moves counterclockwise by a smaller amount of rotation than the upper rotor 8, and accordingly the movement The body also moves counterclockwise. As a result, the flat cable 4 having a length approximately twice the moving amount is drawn out from the outer cylindrical body 6a side in the storage space 3 and wound around the inner cylindrical body 8b side.

  As described above, in the rotary connector according to this embodiment, the pin terminal 13 connected to the flat cable 4 is provided in one region obtained by dividing the exposed end surface 14b of the insulating base 14 of the lead block 5 into two equal parts. Since the groups are arranged in a concentrated manner and no pin terminals are arranged in the other region of the exposed end face 14b, the lead block can be used even when another pin terminal group is arranged in the other region. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the size or the outer shape of the insulating base 14 of 5 and to change the design of the connector setting unit 11 and the connector setting unit 12. Specifically, when the number of circuits to be connected is small, only one flat cable 4 can be incorporated and the pin terminals 13 can be arranged in one row in the half region of the exposed end face 14b as in this embodiment. If the number of circuits to be connected is large, another flat cable with another pin terminal group connected to the end is added, and the pin terminal group is arranged in one row in the remaining half of the exposed end surface 14b. Therefore, the stator housing 1 and the rotor housing 2 can be used as they are when the specification is changed to incorporate two flat cables. That is, in order to correspond to various specifications with different numbers of circuits to which the rotary connector is connected, it is only necessary to appropriately select the lead block 5 having the same size and outer shape of the insulating base 14 and different numbers of pin terminals. Since most of the components of the rotary connector including both the housings 1 and 2 can be used as they are, the cost of the parts can be reduced as a result, and the cost of the product can be easily reduced.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a lead block according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to those in FIG.

  In the lead block 5 shown in FIG. 6, the insulating base 14 is configured by combining the first base 15 and the second base 16. The first base 15 holds a group of pin terminals 13, and a part of each pin terminal 13 is embedded in the first base 15 by insert molding. The second base 16 is a dummy base that is formed in substantially the same shape as the first base 15 but is not provided with pin terminals. The first and second bases 15 and 16 are integrated by using a snap coupling in which the other convex portion 16a as the engaging portion is fitted into the one concave portion 15a as the engaging portion, so that The insulating base 14 having the same size and outer shape as the insulating base (see FIG. 4) of the lead block in the first embodiment is obtained. Note that an engaging protrusion 14a that is locked to a connector setting portion on the housing side is integrally formed on one or both outer walls of the first and second bases 15 and 16.

  The exposed end face 14b of the insulating base 14 shown in FIG. 6 is an exposed end face 15b of the first base 15 from which the group of pin terminals 13 protrudes, and an exposed end face of the second base 16 where no pin terminals are provided. 16b, if the second base 16 is replaced with another base having substantially the same shape on which the pin terminals are arranged, the size of the insulating base 14 is changed as shown in FIG. Without changing the outer shape, two rows of pin terminal groups are arranged on the exposed end surface 14b to obtain a lead block that functions as a connector portion of two flat cables. In this case, most of the components of the rotary connector including both the housings 1 and 2 can be used as they are, so that the cost of the parts can be reduced. Therefore, the cost of the product can be easily reduced and the insert molding process is required. Since the first substrate 15 can be used as it is, as a result, the component cost of the lead block 5 can be reduced.

  7 is a plan view of the rotary connector according to the third embodiment of the present invention viewed from the top plate side, FIG. 8 is a plan view of the rotary connector of FIG. 7 viewed from the bottom plate side, and FIG. 9 is the rotary connector of FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lead block used in the rotary connector according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the lead block of FIG. Parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 and FIG.

  The rotary connector according to the third embodiment is applied when the number of circuits to be connected is large. As shown in FIG. 9, two flat cables 4 and 10 are incorporated in the storage space 3. ing. The insulating base 14 of the lead block 5 of the rotary connector includes a first base 15 that holds a group of pin terminals 13 connected to the end of one flat cable 4 and an end of the other flat cable 10. The second base 18 that holds the group of pin terminals 17 connected to is combined with the second base 18. A part of each pin terminal 13 is embedded in the first base 15 by insert molding, and similarly, a part of each pin terminal 17 is embedded in the second base 18 by insert molding. The first and second bases 15 and 18 are integrated by snap coupling in which the other convex portion 18a is fitted into one concave portion 15a, and the lead in the first embodiment example or the second embodiment example described above. The insulating base 14 has the same size and shape as the insulating base of the block (see FIGS. 4 and 6). Note that an engaging protrusion 14a that is locked to the connector setting portion on the housing side is integrally formed on one or both outer walls of the first and second bases 15 and 18.

  In the third embodiment, the exposed end face 14b of the insulating base 14 is exposed to the exposed end face 15b of the first base 15 from which the pin terminal 13 group protrudes, and the second end of the pin terminal 17 group is protruded. Since it is divided into the exposed end surface 18b of the base 18, it is insulated if either one of the first and second bases 15 and 18 is replaced with another base having substantially the same shape in which no pin terminals are arranged. Without changing the size or outer shape of the conductive substrate 14, a lead block that functions as a connector portion of one flat cable can be obtained by arranging only one row of pin terminal groups on the exposed end surface 14b. In this case, most of the components of the rotary connector including both the housings 1 and 2 can be used as they are, so that the cost can be reduced. Therefore, the cost of the product can be easily reduced, and the first and second components can be reduced. Since the other one of the substrates 15 and 18 can be used as it is, the cost of parts of the lead block 5 can be reduced as a result.

  In the third embodiment, when the number of pin terminals arranged on the first base 15 and the second base 18 is the same, both 15.18 can be the same, In that case, the component cost of the lead block 5 can be further reduced.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the example in which the flat cable is looped around the roller of the movable body that is rotatably arranged in the storage space has been described. Alternatively, it may be spirally wound inside the storage space. In each of the above embodiments, the case where one flat cable is stored and the case where two flat cables are stored in the storage space has been described. However, three or more flat cables may be storage cables, for example, three When storing the flat cable, the lead block shown in FIG. 4 or 6 can be applied to one of the two lead blocks, and the lead block shown in FIG. 10 can be applied to the other lead block. .

It is the top view which looked at the rotation connector which concerns on the example of 1st Embodiment of this invention from the top-plate side. It is the top view which looked at the rotation connector of FIG. 1 from the baseplate side. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a lead block attachment location of the rotary connector of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lead block according to the first embodiment. It is a perspective view of the external connector with which the rotation connector of FIG. 1 is mounted | worn. It is a perspective view of the lead block concerning the example of a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is the top view which looked at the rotary connector which concerns on the example of 3rd Embodiment of this invention from the top-plate side. It is the top view which looked at the rotation connector of FIG. 7 from the baseplate side. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a lead block attachment location of the rotary connector of FIG. 7. It is a perspective view of the lead block concerning the example of a 3rd embodiment. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the lead block shown in FIG. 10.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Stator housing 2 Rotor housing 3 Storage space 4,10 Flat cable 5 Lead block 6a Outer cylinder 7 Lower cover (bottom plate)
8a Top plate 8b Inner cylinder 11, 12 Connector setting part 13, 17 Pin terminal 14 Insulating substrate 14b Exposed end surface 15 First substrate 16, 18 Second substrate 20 External connector

Claims (3)

  A stator housing having an outer cylindrical body and a bottom plate, and a rotor housing having an inner cylindrical body facing the outer cylindrical body and a top plate facing the bottom plate, which are rotatably connected to the stator housing via an annular storage space. A flat cable housed in a wound state inside the housing space, and a lead block holding a plurality of pin terminals connected to an end of the flat cable on an insulating base, and the insulation A rotary connector that is used by attaching an external connector to the pin terminal group that protrudes outward from an exposed end surface of the insulating base, and is attached to the stator housing and / or the rotor housing. One area obtained by dividing the pin terminal group connected to the flat cable into approximately two equal parts of the exposed end face of the insulating substrate. Rotary connector which is characterized in that is arranged to aggregate the.   2. The first substrate according to claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate is exposed in one region of the exposed end surface to hold the pin terminal group, and the second substrate is exposed in the other region of the exposed end surface. A rotary connector having a structure in which a base is combined.   3. The engagement portion according to claim 2, wherein an engaging portion is provided on one of the first base and the second base, and a locking portion for locking the engaging portion is provided on the other of the first base and the second base. A rotary connector characterized by being provided.

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