JP2013121766A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering wheel that can accurately and easily perform positioning of an airbag apparatus fixing member in assembling thereof.SOLUTION: A steering wheel has: a body 100 formed by coating a periphery of a core material by an elastic material; and an airbag apparatus fixing member 200 mounted to the body and having the airbag apparatus fixed thereto. The airbag apparatus fixing member is formed by projecting to the body side almost along a turning center axial direction, and has a fastening surface part 240 where a fastening means 244 to fasten the airbag apparatus fixing member to the body is provided. The fastening surface part has a side end part 241 that is formed substantially in parallel clamping the fastening means. The body holds the side end of the fastening surface by a pair of parallel surfaces 152a, and has a rotation prevention part 152 that prevents rotation of the fastening surface part caused by the fastening torque.

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a driver's seat airbag device at the center, and more particularly to a steering wheel that can be easily fixed at an appropriate position during assembly.

An airbag device for a driver's seat of a vehicle such as an automobile is generally disposed in a hub portion provided at the center of a steering wheel.
Further, the steering wheel is formed, for example, by covering the periphery of a metal core with an elastic material such as urethane.
As a conventional technique related to a steering wheel having such an airbag device for a driver's seat, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses that an airbag module, a horn switch, a lid, etc. are sub-assembled from an airbag module into a steering wheel hub side. In addition, a female screw portion is provided on the peripheral wall portion protruding to the side of the steering wheel, and a tool is inserted along a radial direction from a work hole formed on a side surface of a lower cover provided on the back side of the steering wheel, and fastening is described. ing.

JP 2010-241364 A

In the steering wheel as described above, it is required to accurately position the airbag device with respect to the main body portion (core metal and surrounding urethane portion) of the steering wheel.
For example, when a relatively hard member for urethane such as a resin panel is provided on a driver-side surface portion such as a spoke portion of a steering wheel for the purpose of decoration or switch attachment, Positioning can be performed by providing a positioning surface portion or engaging means between the rigid member and the airbag device fixing member.

However, in a low-priced structure used in vehicles for emerging countries in recent years, such a hard member cannot be used, and positioning is performed by bringing the airbag device fixing member into contact with the urethane portion of the steering wheel. There are cases where it must be done.
In such a configuration, when there is a relatively large input to the airbag device fixing member, there is a concern that urethane is elastically deformed and the airbag device fixing member moves relative to the steering wheel main body. The
For example, when fastening with a bolt or the like, there is a concern that the attachment location of the airbag device fixing member may be rotated by the fastening torque.
Further, when the air bag device fixing member is assembled, if an operator fixes the air bag device fixing member while pressing the air bag device fixing member, there is a concern that the air bag device fixing member may be fixed at a position pushed in from the original attachment position due to urethane deformation. .
As described above, when the airbag device fixing member is fixed while being displaced from the original position, problems such as malfunction of the horn switch (the horn switch does not turn on even when the driver presses the lid portion) become a problem. .

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel capable of accurately and easily positioning an airbag device fixing member during assembly.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a steering wheel of the present invention includes a main body portion formed by covering the periphery of a core material with an elastic material, and an airbag device that is attached to the main body portion and to which an airbag device is fixed. A steering wheel having a fixing member, wherein the airbag device fixing member is formed to protrude toward the main body portion substantially along a rotation center axis direction of the steering wheel, and the airbag device fixing member A fastening surface part provided with fastening means for fastening the body part to the body part, the fastening surface part having side end parts formed substantially in parallel with the fastening means interposed therebetween, There is a rotation preventing portion that holds the side end portion of the fastening surface portion by a pair of parallel surface portions and prevents relative rotation of the fastening surface portion with respect to the main body due to fastening torque. And wherein the Rukoto.
According to this, the position of the airbag device fixing member is displaced or the airbag device fixing member is distorted by preventing the fastening surface portion from rotating due to the fastening torque of a fastening means such as a bolt at the time of fastening. And the airbag device can be fixed at an appropriate position.

In the invention described in the preceding paragraph, the interval between the pair of parallel surface portions of the rotation preventing portion can be made larger than the interval between the side end portions of the fastening surface portion.
According to this, even if a variation in dimensions due to individual differences occurs, assembly can be performed and yield of products and parts can be improved.

In this invention, the said main-body part can be set as the structure which has a height control part which controls the insertion depth to the said rotation prevention part of the said fastening surface part.
According to this, the elastic material is deformed when the operator presses the airbag device fixing member against the elastic material, and the airbag device fixing member can be prevented from being fixed at the position where the airbag device fixing member is pushed in from the original mounting position. .

In the invention described in the preceding paragraph, the height restricting portion can be configured to contact the fastening surface portion only when the airbag device fixing member is pressed toward the main body while deforming the elastic material. .
According to this, even if a variation in dimensions due to individual differences occurs, assembly can be performed and yield of products and parts can be improved.

In this invention, the said rotation prevention part can be set as the structure which has a guide surface part which guides the said fastening surface part so that it may be inserted between this rotation prevention part at the time of attachment of the said airbag apparatus fixing member.
The airbag device fixing member is usually assembled with an airbag device, a horn switch, etc. attached to the normal worker side, and the fastening portion cannot be visually observed, but according to the present invention, the rotation prevention portion has a guide surface portion. Thus, even in such a state, assembly and fastening can be easily performed, and workability is improved.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a steering wheel capable of accurately and easily positioning an airbag device fixing member during assembly.

1 is an external perspective view of a main body portion in a first embodiment of a steering wheel to which the present invention is applied. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the state which attached the horn plate to the main-body part of FIG. It is the III-III part arrow directional view of FIG. It is a figure which shows the fastening location in the steering wheel which is a comparative example of this invention, Comprising: It is a figure which shows the location corresponded in FIG. 3 in 1st Embodiment. It is an external appearance perspective view in the state where the decoration panel was attached to the main-body part in 2nd Embodiment of the steering wheel to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the fastening location in the steering wheel of 2nd Embodiment, Comprising: It is a figure which shows the location corresponded in FIG. 3 in 1st Embodiment.

Hereinafter, first and second embodiments of a steering wheel to which the present invention is applied will be described.
<First Embodiment>
The steering wheel according to the first embodiment is used, for example, for a steering operation of an automobile such as a passenger car, and an airbag device for collision at the front of the driver's seat is provided at the center.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a main body portion in the steering wheel of the first embodiment.
In the present specification, claims, and the like, the main body portion of the steering wheel is a single component in which a core rim portion and a spoke portion made of a hard material such as metal are covered with an elastic material such as urethane resin. Shall point to.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body portion 100 of the steering wheel includes a rim portion 110, a hub portion 120, a lateral spoke portion 130, and a lower spoke portion 140.
The rim portion 110 is an annular portion that is gripped by the driver, and is formed by covering the periphery of the core material with urethane resin.
The hub portion 120 is disposed at the central portion of the rim portion 110, and is a portion to which a vehicle body side steering shaft (not shown) is coupled and a horn switch and an airbag device are attached.
The hub portion 120 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape as viewed from the central axis direction of the steering wheel.
The hub part 120 is arranged offset with respect to the rim part 110 in the steering shaft side (the direction deepened when viewed from the driver side).
A spline hole 121 into which a spline shaft portion provided at the distal end portion of the steering shaft is inserted is formed in the central portion of the hub portion 120.

The lateral spoke portion 130 is a portion that connects the upper portion at the left and right end portions of the hub portion 120 with the inner peripheral edge portion of the adjacent rim portion 110.
The lateral spoke portion 130 includes an outer portion 131 that protrudes from the inner peripheral edge portion of the right and left side portions of the rim portion 110 toward the inner diameter side, a protruding end portion (end portion on the hub portion 120 side) of the outer portion 131, and the hub portion 120. And a connecting portion 132 that connects the side end portions.
The connecting portion 132 is formed to protrude from the side end portion of the hub portion 120 toward the driver side substantially along the axial direction of the steering shaft, and is connected to the outer side portion 131 at the end portion on the driver side.

Further, a positioning surface portion 133 used for positioning the horn plate 200 is provided at an inner diameter side end portion of the outer portion 131.
The positioning surface portion 133 is arranged in a planar shape arranged in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the steering shaft.
In the lateral spoke portion 130, substantially all the surface portions of the outer portion 131, the connecting portion 132, and the positioning surface portion 133 described above are covered with urethane resin.

The lower spoke portion 140 is a portion that connects the left and right side portions of the lower end portion of the hub portion 120 with the inner peripheral edge portion of the adjacent rim portion 110.
The lower spoke part 140 is a connection that connects the outer part 141 formed to protrude from the inner peripheral edge part of the lower part of the rim part 110 to the inner diameter side (upward), and the upper end part of the outer part 141 and the lower end part of the hub part 120. Part 142.
The connecting portion 142 is formed to protrude from the lower end portion of the hub portion 120 toward the driver side substantially along the axial direction of the steering shaft, and is connected to the outer portion 141 at the end portion on the driver side.
For example, a pair of connecting portions 142 is provided apart from each other in the left-right direction.

A positioning surface portion 143 used for positioning the horn plate 200 is provided at the inner diameter side (upper side) end portion of the outer portion 141.
The positioning surface portion 143 is arranged in a planar shape arranged in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the steering shaft.
In the lower spoke portion 140, substantially all the surface portions of the outer portion 141, the connecting portion 142, and the positioning surface portion 143 described above are covered with urethane resin.

Further, a horn plate fixing portion 150 to which the fastening surface portion 240 of the horn plate 200 is fixed is integrally formed in a region below the connecting portion with the lateral spoke portion 130 at the left and right end portions of the hub portion 120. Yes.
The horn plate fixing part 150 will be described in detail later.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a state where the horn plate 200 is attached to the main body 100 described above.
The horn plate 200 is a component that becomes a base (an airbag device fixing member) to which a retainer, an inflator, a horn switch, and the like of an airbag device (not shown) are attached.
The horn plate 200 is formed, for example, by pressing a steel plate, and includes a frame portion 210, a lateral spoke contact portion 220, a lower spoke contact portion 230, a fastening surface portion 240, and the like.

The frame portion 210 is disposed on the driver side with respect to the hub portion 120 and is formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape.
The frame part 210 is a part to which an airbag device, a horn switch, and the like are fixed.

The lateral spoke contact portion 220 is formed so as to protrude from the upper part at the left and right end portions of the frame portion 210 toward the driver side.
A positioning surface portion 221 that contacts the positioning surface portion 133 of the lateral spoke portion 130 of the main body portion 100 is formed at the distal end portion of the lateral spoke contact portion 220.

The lower spoke contact portion 230 is formed so as to protrude toward the driver side from the central portion at the lower end portion of the main body portion.
A positioning surface portion 231 that contacts the positioning surface portion 143 of the lower spoke portion 140 of the main body portion 100 is formed at the distal end portion of the lower spoke contact portion 230.

Here, the periphery of the positioning surface portions 133 and 143 on the main body portion 100 side is provided with stepped portions 133a and 143a formed so as to project to the driver side, and in the surface direction of the positioning surface portions 221 and 231 on the horn plate 200 side. Positioning along the direction is performed.
When the steering wheel is viewed straight from the axial direction, the stepped portion 133a is disposed so as to surround the steering wheel outer diameter side, upper side, and lower side of the positioning surface portions 133 and 221. The step portion 143a is disposed so as to surround the left and right sides and the lower side of the positioning surface portions 143 and 231.
That is, with the above-described configuration, the positioning surface portions 133 and 143 on the main body 100 side are substantially formed as the bottom surface portions of the recesses in which the positioning surface portions 221 and 231 on the horn plate 200 side are accommodated. The positioning surface portions 221 and 231 are accommodated in the recesses and pushed into the positioning surface portions 133 and 143 to be positioned at a predetermined fixed position.

The fastening surface portion 240 is a rectangular flat plate portion that protrudes from the region below the lateral spoke contact portion 220 on the side portion of the frame portion 210 toward the hub portion 120 substantially along the axial direction of the steering shaft.
The fastening surface part 240 is a part fastened to the horn plate fixing part 150 on the main body part 100 side.
The fastening surface portions 240 are provided on the left and right sides of the frame portion 210, and these left and right fastening surface portions 240 are mutually inclined in the direction in which the upper side opens, but are disposed substantially opposite to each other.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2, and shows a portion where the fastening surface portion 240 is fastened to the horn plate fixing portion 150 as viewed from the inner side in the axial direction of the bolt (steering wheel inner diameter side). FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fastening surface portion 240 has a side end portion 241 disposed along and parallel to the insertion direction (substantially the same as the axial direction of the steering shaft), and a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction provided at the protruding end portion. , And a substantially rectangular shape.
A protrusion 243 extending along the insertion direction is formed at the center of the tip 242, and the protrusion of the protrusion 243 is inserted into an opening formed in the horn plate fixing part 150.
A fixing nut 244 having an internal thread portion is attached to the surface portion on the inner diameter side of the steering wheel at the center portion of the fastening surface portion 240.

The horn plate fixing portion 150 on the main body 100 side is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape and is fixed in a state where the horn plate fixing portion 150 is in contact with the surface portion of the fastening surface portion 240 on the outer diameter side of the steering wheel.
A groove 151 into which a bolt (not shown) is inserted is formed in the horn plate fixing portion 150, and the horn plate fixing portion 150 is fixed to the fastening surface portion 240 by fastening the bolt to the fixing nut 244 of the fastening surface portion 240. .
Further, the horn plate fixing portion 150 is further formed with a rotation prevention rib 152 and a sinking prevention rib 153.

The rotation prevention ribs 152 are provided on both sides of the fastening surface portion 240, respectively, and include a pair of parallel surface portions 152 a arranged to face the region on the tip end side of the fastening surface portion 240 in the side end portion 241.
A gap (for example, about 0.2 mm) set in consideration of the dimensional tolerance of each component is provided between the parallel surface portion 152a and the side end portion 241.
Further, on the entrance side of the rotation prevention rib 152 (the side into which the fastening surface portion 240 enters when the fastening surface portion 240 is inserted), the surface portion of the rotation prevention rib 152 that faces the fastening surface portion 240 is located on the inlet side with respect to the side end portion 241. The inclined surface portion 152b is inclined with respect to the parallel surface portion 152a.

The sinking prevention rib 153 is disposed to face the front end portion 242 of the fastening surface portion 240, and a predetermined pushing amount (for example, 0.2 mm) with respect to the original position where the horn plate 200 is positioned by the positioning surface portions 133 and 143. To the extent that it is pushed in, it is formed so as to contact the tip 242.
The subsidence prevention ribs 153 are arranged on both sides of the protrusion 243 and the outer end (the end far from the protrusion 243) is connected to the rotation prevention rib 152.
This predetermined push-in amount can be set in consideration of, for example, the range in which the horn switch can operate normally and the dimensional tolerance of each component.

Next, the effect of the first embodiment described above will be described in comparison with a comparative example of the present invention described below.
In the comparative example and the second embodiment described below, portions that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted, and differences are mainly described.
FIG. 4 is a view showing a fastening portion between the horn plate fixing portion and the fastening surface portion in the comparative example, and is a view showing a portion corresponding to FIG. 3 in the first embodiment.
The steering wheel of the comparative example is different from the above-described first embodiment in that the rotation prevention rib 152 and the sinking prevention rib 153 are not provided on the horn plate fixing portion 150.

In both the first embodiment and the comparative example, the positioning surface portions 133 and 143 on the main body 100 side are formed of urethane resin, which is a relatively soft elastic material. In some cases, the urethane resin is elastically deformed by the force applied and the fastening surface portion 240 of the horn plate 200 is not fixed at the designed target position.
For example, as a result of the operator pressing the horn plate 200 substantially along the axial direction of the steering shaft, the positioning surface portions 133 and 143 may bend and the horn plate 200 may be fixed at a position deeper than the original position. .
Further, when the fixing nut 244 of the fastening surface portion 240 is fastened with a bolt, the fastening surface portion 240 may rotate around the axis of the bolt due to the fastening torque transmitted from the bolt to the fixing nut 244.
In particular, when the left and right fastening surface portions 240 are fastened with bolts in the same rotational direction, the left and right fastening surface portions 240 may rotate in opposite directions, and the horn plate 200 may be entirely twisted.

  On the other hand, in the first embodiment, even when the operator pushes the horn plate 200, the distal end portion 242 of the fastening surface portion 240 comes into contact with the sinking prevention rib 153, so that further displacement is caused. Therefore, even if it is fixed at a position pushed in with respect to the original design target, the operation of the horn switch or the like is not affected.

Further, even when the fixing nut 244 receives a fastening torque, the side end portion 241 of the fastening surface portion 240 is restrained by the parallel surface portion 152a of the rotation prevention rib 152 of the horn plate fixing portion 150, and the horn plate fixing portion of the fastening surface portion 240 Relative rotation with respect to 150 is prevented.
Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the horn plate 200 from being fixed while the position of the horn plate 200 is deviated from the original position and to prevent the horn plate 200 from being twisted.
In addition, since the rotation prevention rib 152 and the sinking prevention rib 153 described above do not come into contact with the fastening surface portion 240 when the horn plate 200 is mounted at a regular position, the rotation prevention rib 152 and the sinking prevention rib 153 are caused by contact between metals. No abnormal noise is generated.

  Further, by providing the rotation prevention rib 152 of the horn plate fixing portion 150 with the slope portion 152b that functions as a guide when the fastening surface portion 240 is inserted, the horn plate fixing portion 150 is blocked by, for example, an airbag device or a lid. Even when the horn plate 200 is attached in a state in which the horn plate cannot be visually observed, the fastening surface portion 240 can be easily attached to the correct position of the horn plate fixing portion 150.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the steering wheel to which the present invention is applied will be described.
FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the steering wheel according to the second embodiment, and shows a state before the horn plate is attached.
In the second embodiment, a decoration panel 300 is provided on the main body 100 of the steering wheel.
The decorative panel 300 is formed of a material harder than urethane resin such as ABS resin, for example, for the purpose of improving design and attaching switches, and is provided on the driver side surface portion of the main body portion 100 of the steering wheel. ing.
The decorative panel 300 is integrally formed with positioning surface portions 310 and 320 that abut on the positioning surface portions 221 and 231 of the horn plate 200.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a fastening location in the steering wheel of the second embodiment, and is a diagram showing a location corresponding to FIG. 3 in the first embodiment.
In the second embodiment, since the position of the horn plate 200 in the axial direction of the steering shaft is positioned by the positioning surface portions 310 and 320 provided on the hard decorative panel 300, the horn plate as in the comparative example described above. There is little concern that 200 will be fixed in a pressed state.
For this reason, in 2nd Embodiment, while providing the rotation prevention rib 152 in the horn plate fixing | fixed part 150 by the side of the main-body part 100, it is set as the structure which does not provide the sinking prevention rib 153.
Also in the second embodiment described above, substantially the same effect as the effect of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiments, and can be changed as appropriate, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention.
For example, the shape, structure, material, manufacturing method, arrangement, and the like of each member constituting the steering wheel are not limited to those in each embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Main body part 110 Rim part 120 Hub part 121 Spline hole 130 Lateral spoke part 131 Outer part 132 Connection part 133 Positioning surface part 133a Step part 140 Lower spoke part 141 Outer part 142 Connection part 143 Positioning surface part 143a Step part 150 Horn plate fixing part 151 Groove portion 152 Anti-rotation rib 152a Parallel surface portion 152b Slope portion 153 Sinking prevention rib 200 Horn plate 210 Frame portion 220 Side spoke contact portion 221 Positioning surface portion 230 Lower spoke contact portion 231 Positioning surface portion 240 Fastening surface portion 241 Side end portion 242 243 Projection 244 Fixing nut 300 Decorating panel 310, 320 Positioning surface

Claims (5)

A main body formed by coating the periphery of the core material with an elastic material;
A steering wheel having an airbag device fixing member attached to the main body portion and to which the airbag device is fixed,
The airbag device fixing member is formed to protrude toward the main body portion substantially along the direction of the rotation center axis of the steering wheel, and fastening means for fastening the airbag device fixing member to the main body portion is provided. A fastening surface portion,
The fastening surface portion has side end portions formed substantially in parallel with the fastening means interposed therebetween,
The main body portion includes a rotation prevention portion that holds the side end portion of the fastening surface portion by a pair of parallel surface portions and prevents relative rotation of the fastening surface portion with respect to the main body portion due to fastening torque. Steering wheel. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein an interval between the pair of parallel surface portions of the rotation preventing portion is larger than an interval between the side end portions of the fastening surface portion. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the main body portion includes a height restricting portion that restricts an insertion depth of the fastening surface portion into the rotation preventing portion. The steering according to claim 3, wherein the height restricting portion abuts on the fastening surface portion only when the airbag device fixing member is pressed toward the main body while deforming the elastic material. wheel. The said rotation prevention part has a guide surface part which guides the said fastening surface part so that it may be inserted between this rotation prevention part at the time of attachment of the said airbag apparatus fixing member. The steering wheel according to any one of the above.

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