JP5853313B2 - Rotary connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes an outer peripheral member having a circular inner peripheral surface, a shaft that is relatively rotatable with respect to the outer peripheral member, and that is disposed coaxially with the inner peripheral surface in a hollow portion of the outer peripheral member; The present invention relates to a connector that includes a roller current collector that is rotatably disposed with elastic deformation in the radial direction between a member and a shaft body, and electrically connects the outer peripheral member and the shaft body via the roller current collector.

As a structure for electrically connecting relatively rotating members and supplying a current between them, a roller-collector type rotary connector has been devised.

In a roller current collecting type rotary connector provided with a roller current collector, when the outer peripheral member and the shaft body relatively rotate, the roller current collector revolves while rotating in an annular space between the outer peripheral member and the shaft body. , So-called planetary motion. When rotating a roller current collector rotary connector with multiple roller current collectors, the distance between the roller current collectors cannot be kept constant due to misalignment of the outer peripheral member and the shaft, slippage of the roller current collector, etc. The roller current collectors may come into contact with each other. When the roller current collectors come into contact with each other, wear powder is generated, which causes problems such as an increase in contact resistance and a shortened product life.

  For this reason, in the roller collector type rotary connector, it is necessary to prevent the roller collectors from contacting each other and to make the positional relationship between the roller collectors within a certain range. In the prior art, a cylindrical retainer spacer is disposed between the roller current collectors to prevent contact between the roller current collectors. According to this structure, a roller-collecting rotary connector can be realized with a simple structure having a small number of parts.

International Publication WO2008 / 012875

  However, in the prior art, the retainer spacer is disposed in an annular space composed of the inner electrode and the outer electrode in contact with the conductive ring, and the outer diameter of the retainer spacer is the circular outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode. The outer electrode has a dimension that is the same as or slightly smaller than the interval between the circular inner peripheral surfaces of the outer electrodes.

  In other words, the retainer spacer is in contact with the two front and rear conductive rings, and when the outer electrode and the inner electrode rotate relatively, the retainer spacer is rotated by the two front and rear conductive rings. Will be pushed to the side or to the inner electrode side.

  Therefore, the retainer spacer is rubbed on the circular inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode or the circular outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode. This friction state is different from the rolling friction of the normal rotation and revolution movement, and the rotation direction is opposite, so that the friction is more intense. Alternatively, when the retainer spacer rolls along the circular inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode or the circular outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode, the retainer spacer in contact with the conductive ring revolves in the same direction as the conductive ring. For this reason, sliding friction occurs at a relatively double speed at the contact portion between the retainer spacer and the conductive ring.

  In any case, either the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode, the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode, or the outer peripheral surface of the conductive ring will violently slide and friction with the resin retainer spacer. Will adhere, resulting in an increase in electrical resistance.

For this reason, in one aspect of the present invention, the outer peripheral member whose inner peripheral surface is circular and the outer peripheral member are rotatable relative to the outer peripheral member, and are disposed coaxially with the inner peripheral surface in the hollow portion of the outer peripheral member. And a roller current collector that is rotatably arranged so as to make a planetary motion while being elastically deformed in a radial direction between the outer circumferential member and the shaft body, and the outer circumference via the roller current collector. In the connector for electrically connecting the member and the shaft body, a spherical or columnar rotating spacer is disposed in a space formed by the outer peripheral member, the shaft body, and the roller current collector, and the rotating spacer is A structure having a guide plate provided with a revolving track groove for restricting the revolving track of the rotating spacer so as not to contact the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member or the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body .

  Furthermore, in another invention of the present invention, the rotating spacer is supported by the revolving raceway groove, and has a size that does not contact the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member or the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body. It is characterized in that it is set at a position not to be used.

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the rotating spacers and roller current collectors are arranged alternately and in the same number in an annular space formed by the shaft body, the outer peripheral member, and the guide plate, and the roller current collectors. And a space between the rotating spacers.

  A long-life rotary connector with stable electrical resistance can be realized by preventing contact between the circular inner peripheral surface side of the outer electrode or the circular outer peripheral surface side of the inner electrode and the spacer. Further, there is no need for roller current collector or rotating spacer positioning adjustment, and a rotary connector that is easy to assemble and has a small number of parts can be realized. In addition, a part of the rotating spacer is supported by the revolving raceway groove, and is set to a size that does not contact the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member or the outer peripheral surface of the shaft, and a position that does not contact, so that frictional contact can be reliably reduced. Generation of wear can be effectively suppressed. Further, the rotating spacers and the roller current collectors are arranged alternately and in the same number in the annular space formed by the shaft body, the outer peripheral member, and the guide plate, and are arranged with a gap between the roller current collectors and the rotating spacers. Therefore, the frictional contact between the roller current collector and the rotating spacer can be reduced, and the generation of wear between them can be effectively suppressed.

  It is sectional drawing of the rotating shaft direction of the rotary connector by this invention.   It is the figure which looked at the cross section along the line as described in FIG. 1 from the arrow AA direction.

  In the present invention, an outer peripheral member whose inner peripheral surface is circular, and a shaft body that is relatively rotatable with respect to the outer peripheral member and is disposed coaxially with the inner peripheral surface in a hollow portion of the outer peripheral member; A roller current collector that is rotatably arranged so as to make a planetary motion while being elastically deformed in a radial direction between the outer circumference member and the shaft body, and the outer circumference member and the shaft body via the roller current collector. A spherical or columnar rotating spacer is disposed in a space formed by the outer peripheral member, the shaft body, and the roller current collector, and the rotating spacer is connected to the inner periphery of the outer peripheral member. The guide plate is provided with a revolving track groove for restricting the revolving track of the rotating spacer so as not to contact the surface or the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral member.

  When the rotating spacer is a sphere, the shape of the revolving track groove of the guide plate is a cross-sectional R shape that matches the diameter of the sphere, and the revolving track groove has a rotating spacer as the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member or the outer periphery of the shaft body. It arrange | positions in the position which does not contact a surface. Further, the guide plate is attached to both ends in the axial direction of the outer peripheral member integrally with the outer peripheral member, thereby restricting the axial movement of the rotating spacer or the roller current collector within a certain range.

  Further, the rotating spacer and the roller current collector are disposed with a slight gap in an annular space formed by the shaft body and the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member. The diameter of the spherical rotating spacer is set to be somewhat longer than the length of the roller current collector in the rotating shaft direction. The part of the rotating spacer, which is somewhat longer than the axial direction of the roller current collector, fits into the revolving track groove of the guide plate, thereby restricting the revolving track of the rotating spacer. It can prevent contacting with the outer peripheral surface of a shaft.

  Further, when the outer peripheral member and the inner peripheral member rotate relatively, the rotating spacer intermittently contacts the roller current collector as the roller current collector revolves. In this contact, the rotating spacer is pulled in the direction of rotation of the roller current collector and dependently rotates in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the roller current collector, and revolves in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the roller current collector. The distance between the roller current collectors can be kept within a certain range without sliding between the electrons and the rotating spacer, and contact between the roller current collectors can be prevented.

According to this structure, it is possible to reduce the generation of abrasion powder in the current-carrying portion, and there is no need for roller current collection or positioning adjustment of the rotating spacer, and it is possible to realize a long-life rotary connector that is easy to assemble and has a small number of components.

  The embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2, the shaft body 1 uses a bearing 3 and a bearing holder 8 so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the outer peripheral member 2 whose inner peripheral surface is circular and coaxial with the inner peripheral surface. And attached integrally with the outer peripheral member 2. A guide plate 4 having an inner diameter portion at the center is attached to both axial ends of the outer peripheral member 2 so that the inner diameter portion of the guide plate 4 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member 2 are coaxial.

  The inner diameter dimension of the guide plate 4 is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft body 1, and the guide plate 4 regulates the revolution orbit of the spherical rotating spacer 5 concentrically with the inner diameter portion. It has a revolving raceway groove 6 having a R-shaped cross section to be supported. The revolution track groove 6 contacts the inner circumferential surface of the outer peripheral member 2 or the outer circumferential surface of the shaft body 1 when a part of the rotating spacer 5 (spherical spacer in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) fits into the revolution raceway groove. It is set to a size that does not touch and a position that does not touch.

  The roller current collector 7 and the spherical rotating spacer 5 are alternately arranged in an annular space composed of the shaft body 1 and the outer peripheral member 2, and two guide plates 4 attached to both ends of the outer peripheral member 2 in the axial direction. In the stationary state, there are some gaps between the roller current collector 7 and the rotating spacer 5 so as to have the same number. At this time, the roller current collector 7 is disposed with elastic deformation in the radial direction, and the rotating spacer 5 is disposed so as to fit into the revolution track groove 6 of the guide plate 4.

  The assembly procedure is such that the roller current collectors 7 and the rotating spacers 5 are alternately arranged in a circle in order, and there is no need for adjustment in the circumferential arrangement of the roller current collectors 7 and the rotating spacers 5. The direction position only needs to be pushed in until the roller current collector or the rotating spacer lightly contacts the guide plate, and there is no need for adjustment. The diameter of the spherical rotating spacer 5 is set to be slightly longer than the axial length of the roller current collector 7, and the rotating spacer 5 is guided by the revolving track groove 6 of the guide plate 4 to support a part thereof.

Further, the arrangement of the revolution track grooves 6 does not have to coincide with the revolution track diameter of the roller current collector 7, and even when the diameter of the roller current collector and the diameter of the rotating spacer are determined, the diameter of the revolution track groove of the roller current collector is larger. Can be set when small. Resin with good lubricity can be considered as the material of the rotating spacer, but Duracon (registered trademark) or MC nylon (registered trademark) is suitable according to the knowledge of the present inventor, and PTFE which has better lubricity than the above two materials. It was confirmed that scaly wear pieces were generated.

  According to this structure, the roller current collector 7 and the rotating spacer 5 are intermittently contacted by the revolving motion of the roller current collector 7 accompanying the relative rotational motion of the outer peripheral member 2 and the shaft body 1. The spacer 5 rotates in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the roller current collector 7 (subordinately rotates by being pulled by the rotation of the roller current collector 7) and revolves in the same direction as the rotation direction of the roller current collector. The current collector 7 and the rotating spacer 5 are not in sliding contact with each other, and the roller current collectors 7 can be prevented from being in frictional contact with each other.

Further, the rotating spacer 5 receives a force in the direction of the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member 2 or the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body 1 by contact with the roller current collector 7, but the revolving track of the rotating spacer 5 is the revolving track groove of the guide plate 4. No contact is made with any member, and generation and adhesion of wear powder in the current-carrying part can be prevented.
In addition, a rotary connector that has a simple structure and does not require skill in assembly adjustment can be realized.

Further, the rotating spacer may have a columnar shape or a cylindrical shape. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the revolution track groove 6 of the guide plate 4 is a rectangle corresponding to the diameter of the rotating spacer.
However, when it is desired to reduce the rotational torque, when high-speed rotation is required, or in a vibration environment, a spherical rotating spacer is effective.

  Further, when the space surrounded by the outer peripheral member, the shaft body, and the roller current collector is large, a plurality of rotating spacers may be provided in the space to stabilize the mutual positional relationship. At that time, attention must be paid to the rotation direction of each member when each roller current collector and the rotating spacer come into contact with each other.

1 Shaft body 2 Outer peripheral member 3 Bearing 4 Guide plate 5 Rotating spacer (sphere)
6 Revolving raceway groove 7 Roller current collector 8 Bearing holder

Claims (3)

An outer peripheral member having a circular inner peripheral surface, a shaft that is relatively rotatable with respect to the outer peripheral member, and is disposed coaxially with the inner peripheral surface in a hollow portion of the outer peripheral member, and the outer peripheral member And a roller current collector rotatably arranged so as to make a planetary movement while elastically deforming in the radial direction between the shaft bodies, and electrically connecting the outer peripheral member and the shaft body via the roller current collectors. In the connector to be connected, a rotation spacer is provided in a space formed by the outer peripheral member, the shaft body, and the roller current collector, and is rotatably disposed. The rotation spacer is an inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member or the shaft body. A rotary connector comprising a guide plate having a revolving track groove that supports a part of the rotating spacer and restricts the revolving track in order to prevent contact with an outer peripheral surface of the rotary spacer. A part of the rotating spacer is supported by the revolving track groove, and is set to a size that does not contact the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral member or the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body, and a position that does not contact. The rotary connector according to claim 1. The rotating spacers and the roller current collectors are arranged alternately and in the same number in an annular space formed by the shaft body, the outer peripheral member, and the guide plate. The rotary connector according to claim 1, wherein a gap is formed between the rotary connectors.

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