JP2566484B2 - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a steering wheel for an automobile or the like, and more particularly to a steering wheel provided with a back cover that covers the back surfaces of the three spokes on the left, right, and center. .

[Prior Art] As a conventional steering wheel of this type, the technology disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-128457 can be mentioned.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a conventional steering wheel disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the conventional steering wheel has a rim portion 50, a boss portion 51, left and right spoke portions 52,
And a central spoke portion 53. The rim portion 50 has an annular rim cored bar 54, and a spoke cored bar 55 is installed between two positions facing each other. A boss plate 56 is installed between the center portion of the spoke core metal 55 and the rim core metal 54,
A boss 57 is fixed to the back surface thereof. A synthetic resin skin 58 is continuously applied to the entire rim core metal 54, and a part of the spoke core metal 55 and the boss plate 56.

A back cover 59 made of a synthetic resin is capped on the back sides of the left and right spokes 52 and the center spoke 53, and is fixed to the boss plate 56 by screws 60. On the inner surface of the back cover 59 corresponding to the left and right spokes 52, locking claws 61 are provided so as to project in the axial direction. Further, on the synthetic resin outer skins 58 of the left and right spokes 52, engaging portions 62 to which the locking claws 61 are locked are formed. In FIG. 8, 63 is a horn pad.

At the time of assembling the conventional steering wheel configured as described above, the back cover 59 is slid in the axial direction to lock the locking claw 61 to the engaging portion 62, and then the screw 60 is tightened. The cover 59 is fixed to the boss plate 56. By doing this, the back cover 59 is joined to the left and right spokes 52 at the central portion and the outer portion thereof, so that the back cover 59 floats up in this portion and chatter noise and the like due to vibration are generated. Occurrence can be suppressed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, according to the conventional steering wheel, as described above, since the back cover 59 is coupled only to the left and right spoke portions 52, the portion corresponding to the central spoke portion 53 is There is a problem in that it is impossible to effectively prevent the back cover 59 from floating and making a vibration noise. In the left and right spokes 52 as well, since the locking claws 61 are provided inside the tip of the back cover 59, the base of the locking claws 61 serves as a fulcrum, and parts outside thereof easily vibrate. . Therefore, a sufficient vibration noise preventing effect cannot be expected by simply diverting the configuration of the left and right spoke portions 52 to the central spoke portion 53.

On the other hand, as another prior art, there is a technology disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-168975. According to this technique, a protrusion is provided on a terminal portion of a cover body that abuts a synthetic resin coating portion of a rim portion or a spoke portion, and the coating portion and the cover body are in point contact with each other so that the protrusion bites into the coating portion. It is possible to reliably prevent the generation of abnormal noise due to the sliding of the body and the covering portion.
However, since the cover body and the covering portion are pressed in a point contact state, if one or both of them is subject to permanent strain due to secular change, abnormal noise and rise of the cover body occur. .

Further, as another prior art, there is a technology described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-73629. This technology uses an upper surface cover made of a flexible elastic material on the upper surface of the spokes of the wheel body,
This is a hard lower surface cover fitted on the lower surface side of the spoke portion and having both upper end edges engaged with the upper surface cover, and is intended to ensure safety at the time of impact and to simplify the manufacturing process. However, even with this technique, when permanent distortion occurs in either the upper surface cover made of a flexible elastic body or the hard lower surface cover due to aging, the engagement between the two is released, and the upper surface cover and the lower surface cover are lifted due to warpage, Vibration or the like will occur.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel that can reliably prevent the back cover from rising and vibrating noise in the central spoke portion, and can easily assemble the back cover at an accurate position by utilizing a configuration therefor. To provide wheels.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, a steering wheel according to the present invention has a rim portion formed by coating an annular rim core metal with a synthetic resin outer cover, and three positions of the rim core metal. The left and right spoke cores and the center spokes, which are formed by extending the left and right spoke cores and the center spokes cores extending from the rim to the center of the rim, and the left and right spoke cores and the center spoke cores. A boss portion having a boss disposed at the intersection of the gold center lines, a back cover that covers the back surfaces of the left and right spoke portions and the center spoke portion, and a step portion formed on the synthetic resin outer skin of the left and right spoke portions, the step. The left and right attachment means, which comprises a contact piece bent at the tip of the back cover so as to be in pressure contact with the rear cover, and an assembly means for attaching the back cover to the left and right spoke portions and the central spoke portion. The attaching means is composed of an insertion groove undercut formed in the synthetic resin outer skin of the center spoke toward the rim side, and a locking claw protruding from the tip edge of the back cover so as to be inserted into the insertion groove. Become.

[Operation] According to the steering wheel of the present invention, since the locking claws of the back cover are inserted into the insertion grooves of the central spoke portion, the back cover can be lifted up in the central spoke portion without using screws. This can be prevented, and the outer surface of the back cover in this portion can be smoothly connected to the back surface of the synthetic resin skin. Further, since the locking claws are provided so as to project from the front edge of the back cover, the entire back cover in the central spoke portion can be restrained, and the generation of vibration noise and the like can be reliably prevented. Further, the abutting pieces bent at the ends of the back covers of the left and right mounting means are positioned by pressing the stepped portions formed on the synthetic resin skins of the left and right spokes, and the insertion groove is formed in the central spoke. Since the synthetic resin skin of the part is undercut molded toward the rim side, if the locking claw is inserted and positioned in this insertion groove, the center position of the back cover can be accurately determined, and in that state The back cover can be fixed to the left and right spokes by the assembling means, and the entire back cover can be easily assembled to the left and right spokes and the center spoke.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a steering wheel showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the structure of a core metal in the steering wheel of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is AA of FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the basic configuration of the steering wheel of this embodiment is a known configuration including a rim portion 1, a boss portion 2, a right spoke portion 3, a left spoke portion 4, and a central spoke portion 5. have. The boss portion 2 having the boss 9 is arranged at the intersection of the center lines of the right spoke portion 3, the left spoke portion 4 and the central spoke portion 5, as is well known.

The rim portion 1 has a rim cored bar 7 made of an annular metal tube.
Is provided. Between two positions of the rim cored bar 7 which are opposed to each other in a substantially diametrical direction, a spoke cored bar 8 made of a substantially square V-shaped front plate forming the right spoke part 3 and the left spoke part 4 is provided at both ends thereof. It is erected and fixed by welding. A recess 8a is formed in the center of the spoke core metal 8 at a position corresponding to the boss 2, and a cylindrical boss 9 screwed to a steering shaft (not shown) is formed on the back surface of the recess 8a. It is fixed.

Between the two positions of the spoke core metal 8 on both the left and right sides of the boss 9 and the three positions of the intersection of the bisector of the straight line connecting the two positions and the rim core metal 7, the central spoke portion 5 is provided.
A central spoke core metal 10 composed of a shape-maintaining core metal constituting the above is installed. The center spoke core metal 10 is made of a thin metal plate and is formed into a substantially Y-shaped front face. On the side of the boss portion 2, an open portion that largely opens the front space of the boss 9 to the left and right.
10a is formed, and locking pieces 10b that are positioned and locked to the protrusions 11 of the spoke core metal 8 are integrally formed at the left and right open ends of the open portion 10a. The other end, that is, the lower end of the center spoke core metal 10 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the rim core metal 7 by welding. Reference numeral 10c shown in FIG. 2 designates a plurality of resin flow holes formed through the central spoke core metal 10.

In the present embodiment, a relatively thick metal plate (for example, about 4 mm) is used as a molding material for the spoke core metal 8 to substantially secure the strength of the entire steering wheel. Therefore, the central spoke core metal
10 does not require so much strength, and a relatively thin metal plate (for example, about 1.6 mm) is used as a molding material to reduce the weight of the steering wheel.

As shown in FIG. 1, synthetic resin skins 13 made of soft polyvinyl chloride or the like are continuously formed on both front and back surfaces of the rim portion 1, the right spoke portion 3, the left spoke portion 4, and the central spoke portion 5. . As shown in FIG. 3, the rim cored bar 7 of the rim part 1 and the center spoke cored bar 10 of the central spoke part 5 are entirely embedded in the synthetic resin skin 13. An insertion groove 14 is undercut-molded toward the rim portion 1 on the end surface of the synthetic resin outer cover 13 on the back surface side of the central spoke portion 5. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the spoke cores 8 of the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 4 are embedded in the synthetic resin outer skin 13 except for the central portion corresponding to the boss portion 2. A step portion 15 is formed on the synthetic resin outer skin 13 on the rear surface side of the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, a back cover 17 is attached to the back side of the boss portion 2, the right spoke portion 3, the left spoke portion 4, and the central spoke portion 5. The back cover 17 is formed of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene in a shape that matches the contour of the synthetic resin outer cover 13.

As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of left and right screw cylinders 18 (only the right side is shown) are projected on the inner surface of the back cover 17, and each screw cylinder 18 is connected to the spoke core metal 8 by a screw 19 as a mounting means. ing. An abutting piece 20 abutting against the stepped portion 15 of the synthetic resin outer cover 13 is bent and formed at the tip of the back cover 17 at a portion corresponding to the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 4. Third
As shown in the drawing, the insertion groove 14 of the synthetic resin outer cover 13 is provided at the tip edge of the back cover 17 at a portion corresponding to the central spoke portion 5.
A locking claw 21 to be inserted into is protruded. In addition, a fitting hole for positioning and fitting to the boss 9 is provided in the center of the back cover 17.
22 is transparently installed.

In FIG. 1, 23 is a contact plate of the horn switch mechanism. In FIG. 3, 24 is a horn pad for operating the contact plate 23, and 25
Shows a space for mounting an electric part in which the horn switch mechanism and other electric parts are mounted.

Next, a method of assembling the respective parts in the steering wheel of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

First, the rim core metal 7, the spoke core metal 8, the boss 9 and the center spoke core metal 10 are assembled as shown in FIG. In this case, the boss 9 is welded to the back surface of the center portion of the spoke core metal 8, both ends of the spoke core metal 8 are welded to the inner peripheral surface of the rim core metal 7, and the pair of locking pieces 10b of the center spoke core metal 10 are The spoke core metal 8 is positioned on the protrusion 11 and the other end of the central spoke core metal 10 is welded to the inner peripheral surface of the rim core metal 7 in this state.

Next, the core metal assembly thus assembled is set as an insert in an injection molding die, and as shown in FIG. 1, synthetic resin outer skins 13 are injection molded on the entire front and back surfaces except the boss portion 2. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the locking piece 10b of the central spoke core metal 10 is connected to the spoke core metal 8 through the protrusion 11, and the connecting portion is molded in the synthetic resin outer cover 13. It Therefore, the three ends of the central spoke core metal 10 can be firmly assembled to the rim core metal 7 and the spoke core metal 8.

Then, a back cover 17 is attached to the back side of the steering wheel on which the synthetic resin outer cover 13 is formed. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the locking claw 21 is inserted into the insertion groove 14, the fitting hole 22 is positioned on the boss 9, and the left and right abutting pieces 20 are located on the step portion 15. The screws 19 are brought into contact with each other, and in this positioning state, the screws 19 are fastened to the left and right screw cylinders 18. In this way, the back cover 17 can be easily assembled at the correct center position, and the engagement of the locking claw 21 and the insertion groove 14 prevents the back cover 17 from floating in this portion. The outer surface of the back cover 17 and the back surface of the synthetic resin skin 13 can be connected by a smooth surface without steps. Also, with the screw 19 tightened, the contact piece
Since 20 is pressed against the stepped portion 15 via the elasticity of the back cover 17, the back cover 17 is prevented from rising in this portion as well, and the back cover 17 and the synthetic resin outer cover 13 are connected by a smooth surface. You can

After that, if the horn pad 24, the horn switch mechanism including the contact plate 23, and other necessary electric parts are assembled in the electric part mounting space 25 of the boss portion 2,
The steering wheel of this embodiment is completed. In some cases, these parts may be assembled on an automobile manufacturing line.

As described above, in the steering wheel of this embodiment, the rim portion 1 formed by covering the annular rim core metal 7 with the synthetic resin skin 13 and the three positions of the rim core metal 7 in the center direction of the rim portion 1. Right and left spokes 3 and left spokes 4 and central spokes 5 formed by covering the left and right spoke cores 8 and the center spoke cores 10 that extend upright with a synthetic resin skin 13.
A boss portion 2 having a boss 9 disposed at an intersection of center lines of the right spoke portion 3, the left spoke portion 4, and the central spoke core metal 5, and the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 4
And a back cover 17 for covering the back surface of the central spoke portion 5, and an insertion groove 14 and an insertion groove 14 which are undercut-molded toward the rim portion 1 side in the synthetic resin skin 13 of the central spoke portion 5. The back cover (17) is provided with an assembling means composed of locking claws (21) protruding from the front edge of the back cover (17). Further, in this embodiment, the left and right mounting means include a pair of screws 19 for fastening the back cover 17 to the spoke core metal 8 and a step portion 15 formed on the synthetic resin outer skin 13 of the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 4. The contact piece 20 is formed by bending the tip of the back cover 17 so as to be pressed against the step portion 15. Further, the assembling means includes an insertion groove 14 which is undercut-molded toward the rim portion 1 side in the synthetic resin outer skin 13 of the central spoke portion 5, and the insertion groove.
It is composed of a locking claw 21 projecting from the front edge of the back cover 17 so as to be inserted into 14.

Therefore, according to the steering wheel of the above-described embodiment, the locking claw 21 of the back cover 17 is inserted into the insertion groove 14 of the central spoke portion 5, so that the rear surface of the central spoke portion 5 is not required to be screwed. You can prevent the cover 17 from rising,
Even if the back cover 17 is deformed by heat, the back cover of this part
The outer surface of 17 can be smoothly connected and held to the back surface of the synthetic resin outer cover 13. Further, since the locking claws 21 are provided so as to project from the leading edge of the back cover 17, the entire back cover 17 in the central spoke portion 5 can be constrained, and the generation of vibration noise and the like can be reliably prevented.

Moreover, the insertion groove 14 is a synthetic resin outer skin of the central spoke portion 5.
Since 13 is undercut molded toward the rim 1 side, the center position of the back cover 17 can be accurately determined by inserting the locking claw 21 into the insertion groove 14 and positioning it. If the back cover 17 is fastened to the spoke core metal 8 with the screws 19, the entire back cover 17 can be easily assembled to the right spoke portion 3, the left spoke portion 4, and the central spoke portion 5. In this case, since the contact piece 20 formed by bending at the tip of the back cover 17 is pressed against the step portion 15 through the elasticity of the back cover 17 by tightening the screw 19, unlike the conventional case, the right spoke portion 3 and Also in the left spoke portion 4, it is possible to reliably prevent the back cover 17 from rising and vibrating noise.

By the way, the assembling means shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the above-described embodiment can be configured as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 5 is a partial front view of a steering wheel showing another embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those used in the above-mentioned embodiment denote the same or corresponding components as those in the above-mentioned embodiment.

In this embodiment, the back cover 17 is attached to the right spoke 3
And the assembling means for assembling to the left spoke portion 4 is the back cover 17
A pair of screws 19 for fastening the spoke core metal 8 to the spoke core metal 8, and slits 27 that are undercut-molded toward the rim portion 1 on the back side of the synthetic resin outer skin 13 of the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 4 and are inserted into the slit 27. It is composed of a locking tongue piece 28 which is bent and formed at the tip of the back cover 17 so as to be locked.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking tongue piece 28 has a back cover 17
It is bent at only a part of the tip of the tongue piece 28 so that the engaging tongue piece 28 can be easily inserted into the slit 27 during assembly.

Therefore, according to the structure of the assembling means described above, it is possible to provide the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 4 with the same operational effect as the central spoke portion 5 of the above-described embodiment, and the slit 27 and the locking tongue piece 28. By engaging with the back cover 17, the back cover 17 can be surely prevented from rising, and the outer surface of the back cover 17 at this portion can be always connected and held smooth to the back surface of the synthetic resin outer skin 13, and the right spoke portion 3 and the left spoke portion 3 can be held. The entire back cover 17 in the portion 4 can be constrained to reliably prevent the generation of vibration noise and the like.

If the back cover 17 is structurally rigid, the shape of the locking tongue 28 joined to the slit 27 is wide on the side of the locking claw 21 and narrow on the opposite side. Spoke part 3
Also, the tongue piece may be formed so as to end on the center line of the left spoke portion 4.

In this type of embodiment, the right spoke portion 3, the left spoke portion 4, and the central spoke portion 5 of the back cover 17 can be prevented from rising.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, in the steering wheel of the present invention, the left and right spoke cores and the center spoke cores that are erected so as to extend in the center direction of the rim from the three positions of the annular rim core bar have a composite rigidity. Left and right spokes and central spokes covered with a resin skin, bosses having bosses arranged at the intersections of the center lines of the left and right spoke cores and center spoke cores, and synthetic resin of the left and right spokes A left and right mounting means composed of a step portion formed on the outer skin and an abutting piece bent at the tip of the back cover so as to be in pressure contact with the step portion; and a back cover for covering the back surfaces of the left and right spoke portions and the central spoke portion. And an assembling means for assembling the back cover to at least the central spoke portion, and the left and right attaching means are attached to the step portion formed on the synthetic resin outer skin of the left and right spoke portions so as to press the back cover. An abutting piece bent at the tip, an inserting groove in which the assembling means is undercut-molded toward the rim side on the synthetic resin outer skin of the central spoke part, and a back side so that it can be inserted into the inserting groove. Since it is composed of locking claws protruding from the tip edge of the cover, a step portion formed on the synthetic resin outer skin of the left and right spokes, and an abutment piece formed by bending the step portion at the tip of the back cover. Positioning by pressing the back cover prevents the back cover from rising in the center spoke part, and the outer surface of this part of the back cover can be connected smoothly to the back surface of the synthetic resin outer skin, and the back cover of the center spoke part The whole body can be restrained to reliably prevent the generation of vibration noise, etc. Moreover, the center position of the back cover can be accurately determined by the positioning of the insertion groove and the locking claw, and the back cover can be easily located at the center spoke part. Can be attached to And, even if aging occurs in assembled state uplift it can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a steering wheel showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the structure of a core metal in the steering wheel of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is A of FIG.
-A line sectional view, FIG. 4 is a BB line sectional view of FIG. 1, 5
FIG. 7 is a partial front view of a steering wheel showing another embodiment according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a front view showing a conventional steering wheel.
The drawing is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. In the figure, 1: rim part, 2: boss part 3: right spoke part, 4: left spoke part 5: center spoke part, 7: rim core metal 8: spoke core metal, 9: boss 10: center spoke core metal, 13: Synthetic resin skin 14: Insertion groove, 17: Back cover 21: Locking claw, 27: Slit 28: Locking tongue. In the drawings, the same reference numerals and symbols indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rim portion formed by covering an annular rim core metal with a synthetic resin skin, left and right spoke core metals and a center erected so as to extend from three positions of the rim core metal toward the center of the rim portion. Left and right spokes and central spokes formed by covering the spoke cores with a synthetic resin skin, bosses having bosses arranged at the intersections of the center lines of the left and right spoke cores and the center spoke cores, and the left and right sides From the back cover that covers the back surfaces of the spokes and the center spokes, the step formed on the synthetic resin skin of the left and right spokes, and the contact piece bent at the tip of the back cover so as to press the step. From the left and right mounting means, the insertion groove undercut formed on the synthetic resin outer skin of the central spoke portion toward the rim side, and the locking claw protruding from the tip edge of the back cover insertable into the insertion groove Assembling means Steering wheel, characterized by comprising.