JP3402143B2 - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel, and more particularly, to a steering wheel main body having a spoke portion and the like, and a lower cover provided under and adjacent to the spoke portion and the pad portion. The present invention relates to a steering wheel including and.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a steering wheel body has an annular ring portion, a spoke portion extending from the ring portion toward the center, and a pad portion provided substantially at the center of the ring portion. The spoke has a cored bar having its tip connected to a boss, and the boss is attached to the tip of a steering shaft.

Further, the lower part of the spoke portion and the pad portion are covered by covering the periphery of the steering shaft.
A resin lower cover is provided. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, the spoke portion 51 is generally provided with a spoke core metal 52 and a covering body 53 made of polyurethane foam or the like for covering the spoke core metal 52 so that it is adjacent to the end surface of the covering body 53. The lower cover 54 is provided. Usually, in order to ensure appearance quality, the design surface of the cover 53 and the main body of the lower cover 54 are set to be substantially flush with each other.

In such a steering wheel, the lower cover 54 is assembled to the steering wheel main body with screws or the like. In some cases, the locking claws 55 extending upward from the lower cover 54 may be assembled by gripping some of the spokes 51 at their upper portions.

[0005]

However, in the prior art,
When stress is applied from the driver's seat side or from above,
The stress transmitted from the ring portion reaches the end edge portion of the lower cover 54 via the spoke portion 51. At this time, the edge portion of the lower cover 54 and the end surface of the cover 53 may come into contact with each other. As a result, the lower cover 54 is stretched, and the steering wheel body including the spokes 51 may come to bear relative to the lower cover 54. In addition, as described above, the locking claw 55
In the case where the lock is provided, the locking claw 55 may hit the end surface of the cover 53, and the relative movement may be hindered.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to effectively alleviate a predetermined stress applied to a steering wheel having a lower cover. The purpose is to provide a steering wheel that can be used.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in the invention described in claim 1, an annular ring portion, a plurality of spoke portions extending from the ring portion toward the center, and the ring portion. A steering wheel main body having a pad portion provided substantially in the central portion thereof, and a lower cover provided below the spoke portion and the pad portion so as to be adjacent to the steering wheel body and the lower portion. A steering wheel provided with at least a pair of locking claws projecting toward at least a spoke portion extending from the driver's seat side of the spoke portion and gripping the spoke portion at an upper portion thereof. It is essential that a rib be provided inside the locking claw to open the locking claw when the spoke portion moves downward relative to the lower cover. It is set to.

Further, in the invention described in claim 2,
Toroidal ring part, from the ring part toward the center
A plurality of spokes extending and substantially the center of the ring
Steering wheel with pad portion provided for the minute
At the bottom of the body and the spokes and pads,
It is installed so that it is adjacent to
Side that is erected so as to correspond to the side surface of the spoke part
A lower cover having a wall portion,
Is at least the driver's seat side of the plurality of spokes
Protruding toward the spoke portion extending from the
At least a pair of locking claws that hold the
The steering wheel is a pair of steering wheels,
Inside the locking claws of the
A rib to open the locking claw when it moves downward relative to
The side wall portion is provided on the outer side of the pair of locking claws.
The main point is to provide a connecting rib for connecting between the locking claws .

[0009]

[0010]

(Operation ) According to the invention described in claims 1 and 2 , in the lower cover, the engaging claws protruding toward at least the spoke portion extending from the driver seat side among the plurality of spoke portions are the spoke portions. It is attached to the steering wheel body by gripping the upper part thereof.

When stress is applied from the driver's seat side or from above, the stress transmitted from the ring portion is
It reaches the edge of the lower cover through the spokes. According to the present invention, since the ribs are provided inside the pair of locking claws, when the spoke portion moves downward relative to the lower cover due to the stress, it becomes possible to ride on the ribs. The nails will be opened. Therefore, the locking claws are easily disengaged from the spokes, and at least the spokes can move relative to the lower cover.

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a steering wheel having a lower cover, when a predetermined stress is applied, it can be effectively alleviated.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 2 is a plan view of the steering wheel in the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line JJ of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line KK of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the steering wheel main body 1 of the steering wheel has an annular ring portion 2.
And a pad portion (indicated by a chain double-dashed line) 3 arranged at the center of the ring portion 2 and a portion 3 for connecting the ring portion 2 and the pad portion 3
And a spoke portion 4 of a book. Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ring portion 2 is composed of a ring portion core metal 5 made of a lightweight die-cast metal such as magnesium or a magnesium alloy, and a covering body 7a covering the ring core metal 5. Further, the spoke part 4 is composed of spoke cores 6A, 6B, 6C made of the same metal as the ring core 5 and a cover 7b for covering a part thereof (a part on the ring core 5 side). Has been done. The covers 7a, 7b and the pad portion 3 are each formed of a soft synthetic resin material (for example, foamed polyurethane).

On the other hand, a storage recess 9 is formed below the pad portion 3, and a switch plate, a membrane switch, and an airbag device (not shown) are disposed in the storage recess 9. Membrane switch
The upper and lower thin plates, which are mounted and fixed on the switch plate and form a part of a horn switch circuit (not shown), are brought into contact with each other when the pad portion 3 is pressed. It is supposed to ring.
Further, the airbag device includes a bag-shaped airbag folded and stored, an inflator for supplying inflation gas to the airbag, and a bag holder for holding and fixing these. (Neither is shown).

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, in the steering reference state, two spoke cores extending from the left and right positions toward the center (hereinafter, simply "left and right spoke cores").
6A and 6B extend downward from the middle thereof, and are connected to a boss 8 for assembling the steering wheel 1 to the steering shaft 30 below the pad portion 3 by a connecting core metal 11. A through hole 8a for fastening the boss 8 and the steering shaft 30 is provided at the center of the boss 8.

In the steering reference state, spoke cores 6C extending from the driver's seat side toward the center (hereinafter, simply referred to as "driver's side spoke cores") 6C are provided on the left and right sides of the connecting core 11. It is connected to the place by a connecting bar 12. The driver's seat side spoke core 6C is located higher than the connecting core 11 like the left and right spoke cores 6A and 6B, and when a predetermined stress is applied from above or from the driver's side. The connecting bar 12
Can be deformed. More specifically, in order to secure the deformation amount (stroke) as large as possible, the connecting bar 12 once extends upward so as to be orthogonal to the connecting core metal 11, and then the driver seat through the hinge portion 12a. It is connected to the side spoke core metal 6C.

In the present embodiment, the connecting bar 12 has a straight straight portion 12b extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the driver-side spoke core bar 6C. Due to the presence of this straight portion 12b, when stress is applied to the spoke side core bar 6C on the driver's side from above or from the driver's seat side, the connecting bar 12 is connected
It is easily bent and deformed at b.

In addition, the connecting bar 12 is provided at a position adjacent to the straight portion 12b, the straight portion 12b.
It has a portion (oblique portion 12c) that obliquely intersects b and the hinge portion 12a. Due to the existence of the slanted portion 12c, the connecting bar 12 is easily twisted in the slanted portion 12c when the straight portion 12b is bent downward.

Next, the assembly structure of the boss 8 and the steering shaft 30 will be described. A male screw portion 31 is provided at the tip of the steering shaft 30,
A serration 32 and a tapered surface 33 are provided below it. The serration 32 of the steering shaft 30 is formed with a predetermined number of teeth (generally, about 30 teeth). Further, serrations 8b and tapered surfaces 8c corresponding to the serrations 32 and tapered surfaces 33 of the steering shaft 30 are also formed on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 8a of the boss 8. The boss 8 is inserted into the tip of the steering shaft 30, and the nut 34 is screwed into the male screw portion 31 of the tip of the steering shaft 30 protruding from the boss 8. ing.

In the present embodiment, a resin lower cover 35 is disposed below the spoke portion 4 and the pad portion 3 so as to be adjacent thereto. That is, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the lower cover 35 is a lower cover body 35 a provided so as to surround the boss 8.
And a side wall portion 35b erected from the lower cover body 35a so as to correspond to the side surface of the cover 7b of the spoke portion 4.
And have. In the portions of the lower cover 35 corresponding to the left and right spoke cores 6A, 6B, they are directly fixed to the spoke cores 6A, 6B with screws (not shown). Also, of the lower cover 35,
A pair of locking claws 37 are formed so as to project at the portion corresponding to the driver side spoke core metal 6C. The locking claw 37 grips the driver's side spoke portion 4 (a portion that is not visible from the outside) at the upper portion thereof. In this way, the lower cover 35 includes the screws and the locking claws 3.
It is attached and fixed to the steering wheel body 1 by 7.

Next, a characteristic part of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, in the present embodiment, a pair of ribs 41 are integrally formed inside the lower end portions of the pair of locking claws 37. The interval S between the ribs 41 is narrower than that of the spoke portion 4 held by the locking claw 37.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6,
In the present embodiment, a connecting rib 42 is provided outside the pair of locking claws 37 so as to connect the side wall portion 35b of the lower cover 35 and the locking claw 37.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described. When stress is applied from the driver's seat side or from above, the stress transmitted from the ring portion 2 reaches the end edge portion of the lower cover 35 via the spoke portion 4. According to the present embodiment, since the ribs 41 are provided inside the pair of locking claws 37, when the spoke portion 4 moves downward relative to the lower cover 35 due to the stress, as shown in FIG. In addition, it is ideal for riding on the rib 41. Therefore, the locking claw 37 is opened as shown in FIG. Therefore, the locking claws 37 are easily disengaged from the spoke portions 4, and at least the spoke portions 4 can move relative to the lower cover 35. As a result, the stress can be effectively absorbed and relaxed.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the side wall portion 35 of the lower cover 35 is provided outside the pair of locking claws 37.
The connecting rib 42 connects the b and the locking claw 37 to each other.
Is provided. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, when stress is applied from the driver's seat side, the side wall portion 35b of the lower cover 35 is preferably opened, and along with this, the connecting rib 42 is pulled and locked. The claw 37 will be opened. Therefore, even by such an action, the locking claw 3
7 easily disengages from the spokes 4, and as shown in FIG.
At least the spoke portion 4 can move relative to the lower cover 35. As a result, the stress can be effectively absorbed and relaxed.

In particular, in this embodiment, the rib 41 is used.
The connecting ribs 42 and the connecting ribs 42 provide a synergistic effect, so that the effect of the invention described in 2 can be achieved together.
Therefore, the stress can be absorbed and alleviated more effectively.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may be implemented as follows with a part of the configuration appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the rib 41 and the connecting rib 42
However, it is also possible to provide only one of them.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the spokes 4 on the driver's side are held by the locking claws 37, whereby
Although it has been embodied in the case of mounting and fixing the lower cover 35, the locking claw 37 may be omitted. That is, the side wall portion 35b of the lower cover 35 is provided with a rib that combines the rib 41 and the connecting rib 42 so that the side wall portion 35b is opened when the spoke portion 4 moves downward relative to the lower cover 35. A configuration may be adopted. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the edge portion of the lower cover 35 and the end surface of the spoke portion 4 from abutting against each other, and at least the spoke portion 4 can move relative to the lower cover 35. As a result, effective absorption and relaxation of stress can be achieved.

(3) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the spokes 4 on the driver's side are held by the locking claws 37, but other spokes (the left and right spoke cores 6A, 6B).
It is also possible to let the engaging claw hold the part corresponding to the above). Further, the spoke portion 4 gripped by the locking claw 37.
The portion (location) may be not only the portion where the cover 7b is provided, but also the portion where the spoke core metal 6C is exposed.

(4) In the above embodiment, the present invention is embodied in a steering wheel of a type having three spoke portions 4, but it can be embodied in a type having two or four or more spoke portions. . In this case, the driver's seat side spoke core may be configured to extend slightly obliquely, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to such a case as well.

(5) Instead of the membrane switch in the above embodiment, a leaf spring type horn switch mechanism or the like may be provided. It can also be embodied in a steering wheel of a type that does not have an airbag device.

(6) Covers 7a, 7b of the above embodiment
The pad portion 3 and the pad portion 3 may be integrally formed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of a lower cover according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a steering wheel.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line JJ of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line KK of FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line LL in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line MM in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing an operation when stress is applied.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6, showing an operation when stress is applied.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the action when stress is applied.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a steering wheel according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 ... Steering wheel, 2 ... Ring portion, 3 ... Pad portion, 4 ... Spoke portion, 5 ... Ring portion core metal, 6A, 6B ...
Left and right spoke cores, 6C ... Driver side spoke cores, 8 ... Boss, 35 ... Lower cover, 35a ... Lower cover body, 35b ... Side wall part, 37 ... Locking claw, 41 ... Rib, 4
2 ... Connecting rib.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-7-228201 (JP, A) JP-A-8-113096 (JP, A) Actual opening 1-128457 (JP, U) Actual opening 2- 133975 (JP, U) Actually open 6-23870 (JP, U) Actually open 62-125668 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62D 1/00-1 / 28 B60R 21/02-21/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A steering wheel main body having an annular ring portion, a plurality of spoke portions extending toward the center from the ring portion, and a pad portion provided substantially at the center of the ring portion, the spoke portion, and A lower cover is provided below the pad portion so as to be adjacent to the pad portion, and the lower cover projects toward at least a spoke portion extending from the driver side of the plurality of spoke portions, and A steering wheel provided with at least a pair of locking claws for gripping a spoke part at an upper portion thereof, wherein the spoke part moves inside the pair of locking claws relative to the lower cover. A steering wheel characterized in that a rib for opening the locking claw is provided on the. 2. An annular ring portion, centered from the ring portion
A plurality of spokes extending in the direction and the ring
Steer having a pad portion provided substantially at the center of the portion
Adjacent to the ring wheel body and under the spokes and pads
And at least the sport
Equipped with a side wall that is erected to correspond to the side surface of the
The lower cover, and the lower cover includes
Of the spokes that extend at least from the driver's side.
Project towards the pork and place the spoke above it
At least a pair of locking claws to be gripped by the
Steering wheel , wherein the spokes are provided inside the pair of locking pawls.
To open the locking claw when moving downward relative to the cover
Ribs are provided on the outside of the pair of locking claws.
A connecting rib for connecting the side wall and the locking claw is provided.
Steering wheel.