JP3406469B2 - Relay device between relative rotating members - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a relative rotating member relay device for electrically connecting relatively rotating members via a cable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a relay device between relative rotating members of this type, for example, one shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 is known. That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the relative rotary member relay device 10 includes a rotating body (first rotating body) 11 having an inner cylindrical portion (cylindrical portion) 11a and an inner cylindrical portion 11a. A fixed body (second rotating body) 12 having an outer cylindrical portion 12a surrounding the inner cylindrical portion 11a and the outer cylindrical portion 1
2a, is housed in the annular space K along the space K, the inner peripheral end portion 13a is held by the inner cylindrical portion 11a,
The outer peripheral end portion 13b is provided with a cable (flexible flat cable) 13 held by the outer cylindrical portion 12a.

The fixed body 12 is provided with a lower cover (bottom plate) 12b which covers the lower side of the space K and rotatably supports the rotating body 11. Further, on the upper side of the space K, an upper cover 12c is provided integrally with the outer cylindrical portion 12a.

The bottom wall 11b of the inner cylindrical portion 11a of the rotating body 11 is slidably mounted on the lower cover 12b of the fixed body 12. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom wall portion 11b projects downward to reduce the contact area and slides on the lower cover 12b via the reduced bottom surface 11c. That is, by reducing the contact area, frictional resistance due to sliding is reduced. Further, the inner cylindrical portion 11a is provided with a lightening portion 11d which is formed in a concave shape from the upper surface and reaches the bottom wall portion 11b. This lightening portion 11d is divided into, for example, four blocks as shown in FIG.

The rotating body 11 is connected to, for example, the steering wheel side of the steering wheel of an automobile, and the fixed body 12 is fixed to the steering column side.

When assembling the relay device 10 between relative rotating members, as shown in FIG. 6, the inner cylindrical portion 11a is formed.
A lubricant L such as grease is applied to the reduced bottom surface 11c of the above to reduce the friction of the sliding portion.

[0007]

However, in the relative rotary member relay device 10, the applied lubricant L is gradually scraped off due to the sliding between the reduced bottom surface 11c and the lower cover 12b. Although the film of the lubricant L is finally left, there is a drawback that the lubricating effect is small.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is a relative rotating member capable of enhancing the lubricating effect in the sliding portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body. It is to provide a relay device.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 has a first rotating body and a second rotating body which rotate relative to each other. A relative rotary member relay device in which a first rotating body and a second rotating body are electrically connected via a cable, wherein the first rotating body has a cylindrical portion. A bottom wall portion of the cylindrical portion is slidably mounted on the bottom plate of the second rotating body, and the cylindrical portion is formed in a concave shape from its upper surface,
A lubricant storage portion reaching the bottom wall portion is provided, and a lubricant supply hole penetrating from the storage portion to the bottom plate side of the second rotating body is provided in the bottom wall portion, and the storage portion is the cylinder. Preformed on the part
It is characterized by being made meat .

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant supply hole is located at a lower position.
The width of the lubricant supply hole is wide in the circumferential direction.
It is characterized in that that.

[0011]

[0012] And, claim 1 configured as described above
In the invention according to the above aspect, since the lubricant storage portion is provided in the cylindrical portion and the lubricant supply hole penetrating from the storage portion to the bottom plate of the second rotating body is provided in the bottom wall portion, the bottom wall portion and the bottom plate are provided. As the lubricant between and is gradually consumed, the lubricant can be gradually supplied during this period. Therefore, the lubrication between the bottom wall portion and the bottom plate can be favorably maintained over a long period of time. That is, the lubricating effect in the sliding portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body can be enhanced.

Further, since the lubrication of the sliding portion can be favorably maintained over a long period of time, it is possible to prevent an increase in frictional resistance, an increase in frictional noise, wear and the like over a long period of time.

Further, in the invention according to claim 1 , the thinning of the cylindrical portion is used as a storage portion for the lubricant, and the thinning portion originally present in the cylindrical portion can be used as the storage portion, so that the cost is extremely low. Thus, the lubrication effect can be increased.

In the invention according to claim 2 , since the lower portion of the lubricant supply hole is formed wide in the circumferential direction, the lubricant is always held in a wider range of the sliding portion. Become. Therefore, the lubrication effect can be further enhanced.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will now be described based on examples with reference to the drawings. 1 shows the first embodiment, and FIGS. 2 and 3 show the second embodiment.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. However, elements common to the constituent elements of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 are designated by the same reference numerals to simplify the description. The difference between the first embodiment and the conventional example is that
This is that a lubricant supply hole 11e is provided in the bottom wall portion 11b.

That is, in the bottom wall portion 11b, the meat removal 11
The lower cover 12 of the fixed body 12 from d through the reduced bottom surface 11c
A lubricant supply hole 11e penetrating to the b side is formed.
The lubricant supply hole 11e is formed at a central position in the circumferential direction of each lightening portion 11d. Each of the lightening portions 11d is a storage portion for the lubricant L.

In the relative rotary member relay device 10 constructed as described above, for example, the rotating body 11 is connected to the steering wheel side of the automobile, and the fixed body 12 is connected to the steering column side. The steering wheel side and the steering wheel side can be electrically connected via a cable 13. Then, by rotating the steering wheel, the rotating body 11 rotates, and the reduced bottom surface 11c of the bottom wall portion 11b causes the lower cover 1 of the fixed body 12 to rotate.
It will slide on 2b.

At this time, the lubricant L in each lightening portion 11d is
It is supplied between the reduced bottom surface 11c and the lower cover 12b through the lubricant supply hole 11e. Then, the lubricant L is gradually supplied during this period as the lubricant L between the reduced bottom surface 11c and the lower cover 12b decreases.

Therefore, the reduced bottom surface 11 of the bottom wall portion 11b
Lubrication between c and the lower cover 12b can be favorably maintained for a long period of time. That is, the lubricating effect of the sliding portion between the rotating body 11 and the fixed body 12 can be enhanced.

Further, since the lubrication of the sliding portion can be maintained satisfactorily for a long period of time, it is possible to prevent the increase of frictional resistance, the increase of friction noise, the occurrence of wear and the like for a long period of time. There is.

Further, since the lightening portion 11d originally provided in the inner cylindrical portion 11a is used as a storage portion for the lubricant L, the lubricating effect can be increased at an extremely low cost.

In the first embodiment described above, all of the four lightening holes 11d are used as the storage portion for the lubricant L.
When the rotating body 11 exceeds one rotation, one thinning 1
It may be configured such that only 1d is used as the storage portion for the lubricant L and the lubricant supply hole 11e is provided in the bottom wall portion 11b corresponding to the lightening portion 11d.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the same components as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. The main difference of the second embodiment from the first embodiment is that the inner cylindrical portion 11a is made of a thick plate, and a storage portion 11f for the lubricant L is formed in the inner cylindrical portion 11a. .

That is, the storage section 11f is shown in FIGS.
As shown in, the inner cylindrical portion 11a is formed in a concave shape from the upper surface thereof and reaches the bottom wall portion 11b.
Further, the lubricant supply hole 11e is formed wide in the circumferential direction at the lower position. Moreover, the width of the lubricant supply hole 11e is formed so as to gradually widen downward.

Also in the inter-relative-rotation-member relay device 10 configured as described above, the lubricant L is gradually fed from the storage portion 11f through the lubricant supply hole 11e between the reduced bottom surface 11c and the lower cover 12b. Can be supplied.

Further, since the width of the lubricant supply hole 11e is formed so as to gradually widen in the circumferential direction as it goes downward, the lubricant L is always held in a wider range of the sliding portion. Become. Therefore, the lubrication effect can be further enhanced.

In the first and second embodiments described above, the bottom wall portion 11b is projected downward so that the reduced bottom surface 11 is formed.
Although it is configured to slide with the lower cover 12b via c, the bottom wall portion 11b is formed in a flat shape, and the flat bottom wall portion 11b is configured to slide on the lower cover 12b. May be.

[0030]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a lubricant storage portion is provided in the cylindrical portion, and a lubricant supply hole penetrating from the storage portion to the bottom plate of the second rotating body is provided in the bottom wall portion. Therefore, as the lubricant between the bottom wall portion and the bottom plate is gradually consumed, the lubricant can be gradually supplied during this period. Therefore, the lubrication between the bottom wall portion and the bottom plate can be favorably maintained over a long period of time. That is, the lubricating effect in the sliding portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body can be enhanced.

Further, since the lubrication of the sliding portion can be maintained well for a long period of time, it is possible to prevent an increase in frictional resistance, an increase in frictional noise, wear, etc. for a long period of time.

Further, in the invention according to claim 1 , since the lightening of the cylindrical portion is used as the storage portion for the lubricant, and the thinning material originally present in the cylindrical portion can be used as the storage portion, the cost is extremely low. Thus, the lubrication effect can be increased.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the lower portion of the lubricant supply hole is formed wide in the circumferential direction, the lubricant is always held in a wider range of the sliding portion. Become. Therefore, the lubrication effect can be further enhanced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a relay device between relative rotating members shown as a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of a relay device between relative rotating members shown as a second embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view showing a main part of the relay device between relative rotating members, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a relay device between relative rotating members shown as a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a view showing the relay device between the relative rotating members,
Sectional drawing which follows VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the relay device between relative rotation members.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Relay device between relative rotating members 11 First rotating body (rotating body) 11a Inner cylindrical part (cylindrical part) 11b bottom wall 11d meat removal 11e Lubricant supply hole 11f storage 12 Second rotating body (fixed body) 12b Bottom plate (lower cover) 13 cables (flexible flat cable) L lubricant

Front page continued (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 35/04 B60R 16/02 630 B62D 1/04 B65H 75/36

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first rotating body which rotates relatively, and a second rotating body.
A rotating body, and the first rotating body and the second rotating body are electrically connected to each other via a cable. The body has a cylindrical portion, and the bottom wall portion of the cylindrical portion is slidably mounted on the bottom plate of the second rotating body, and the cylindrical portion has a concave shape from its upper surface. is formed, said housing portion of the lubricant to reach the bottom wall portion is provided, wherein the bottom wall portion, is provided a lubricant supply hole which penetrates from the housing portion on the bottom plate side of the second rotary member, the housing part Is a lightening formed in advance in the cylindrical portion.
The relay device between relative rotating members characterized by the following. 2. The lubricant supply hole is located at a lower position.
The width of the lubricant supply hole is wide in the circumferential direction.
Relative rotary members between relay device according to claim 1, wherein the that.