JP6381681B2 - Flat cable wiring structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wiring structure of a flat cable that connects a fixed member and a moving member.

  Some in-vehicle devices such as navigation devices have a monitor section that tilts with respect to the device body. When the monitor unit moves from a closed position covering the front surface of the device main body to an open position that protrudes forward and tilts toward the front of the device main body, a disk insertion slot or an SD card slot on the front surface of the device main body appears. Note that the device main body that is a fixed member and the monitor unit that is a moving member are generally electrically connected by a flexible flat cable.

  The flat cable is a long band-shaped member, and is arranged in a curved state along the moving direction of the moving member in order to maintain a length corresponding to the moving range of the moving member. The curved shape of the flat cable changes with the movement of the moving member, but if the change in the curved shape is not properly regulated, it may cause various problems.

  For example, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, in a flat cable that is curved in an S shape between a fixed member and a moving member, a first curved portion that is curved on one end side of the flat cable and the other An intermediate portion between the first bending portion and the second bending portion that is bent in the opposite direction is fixed on the end portion side. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of the curvature of the width direction of a flat cable is prevented, maintaining the 1st bending part and the 2nd bending part.

JP 2003-309281 A

  In the on-vehicle device, the flat cable when the monitor unit is in the open position may be bent in a concave direction or a convex direction with respect to the device main body. That is, each time the monitor unit moves, the flat cable may be bent in a concave direction, but the curve direction may change in a convex direction. In this case, the amount of change in the flat cable is large and the strain amplitude increases. To do.

As described above, the conventional flat cable wiring structure does not regulate the change in the bending direction of the flat cable in accordance with the movement of the moving member. It could be in either a convex or concave direction.
For this reason, when the movement of the monitor unit is repeated in a state where the flat cable is curved in a convex direction with respect to the device body, the burden on the flat cable increases, Before reaching the number of movements, the flat cable could break.

In addition, if the bend radius of the curved portion of the flat cable is increased by setting the distance between the front surface of the device main body and the monitor unit in the closed position to be large, it is possible to reduce the deformation amount of the flat cable as described above. it can.
However, in recent years, electronic devices including in-vehicle devices tend to be miniaturized. In this case, the distance between the front surface of the device main body and the monitor unit in the closed position has to be narrowed, and the flat cable has a curved portion. It is difficult to ensure a large bending radius.
For this reason, the flat cable is bent and deformed with a small bending radius by the movement of the moving member, and the strain amplitude generated in the flat cable tends to increase.

The structure described in Patent Document 1 prevents the unevenness in the bending direction from changing by fixing the intermediate portion of the flat cable and restricting the change in the bending shape.
However, with this structure, the change in the bending direction of the flat cable when the monitor portion tilts with respect to the device main body as described above cannot be restricted.

  This invention solves said subject and it aims at obtaining the wiring structure of the flat cable which can suppress the distortion amplitude resulting from the change of the bending direction of the flat cable according to the movement of a moving member.

The wiring structure of the flat cable according to the present invention is connected to a fixed member and a moving member that moves relative to the fixed member, and is arranged in a curved state between the fixed member and the moving member. The flat cable and a regulation member that is provided on the moving member and regulates the change in the bending direction of the flat cable according to the movement of the moving member over the entire area between the fixed member and the moving member by contacting the flat cable. The flat cable has one end connected to the inside of the opening provided in the moving member, the other end connected to the fixed member, and the restricting portion is the opening of the moving member. Is a rib that abuts against one end of the flat cable and regulates the change in the bending direction.

  According to this invention, since the restricting portion abuts against the flat cable and restricts the change in the bending direction without fixing the flat cable, the distortion caused by the change in the bending direction of the flat cable according to the movement of the moving member. The amplitude can be suppressed.

It is a perspective view which shows the vehicle equipment which applied the wiring structure of the flat cable which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the vehicle equipment of FIG. 1 from the arrow A direction. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows the state of a flat cable when the monitor part in the conventional vehicle equipment is in an open position. It is a figure which shows the state of a flat cable when the monitor part in the conventional vehicle equipment is in the middle of an open position and a closed position. It is a figure which shows the state of a flat cable when the monitor part in the conventional vehicle equipment is in a closed position. It is a figure which shows the state of a flat cable when the monitor part in the vehicle equipment of FIG. 1 is an open position. It is a figure which shows the state of a flat cable when the monitor part in the vehicle equipment of FIG. 1 exists in the middle of an open position and a closed position. It is a figure which shows the state of a flat cable when the monitor part in the vehicle equipment of FIG. 1 exists in a closed position. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a modification of the rib in the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, in order to describe the present invention in more detail, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an in-vehicle device 1 to which a wiring structure of a flat cable 4 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is applied. The in-vehicle device 1 is, for example, an in-vehicle device such as a navigation device, and includes a monitor unit 3 that tilts with respect to the device body 2. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the monitor unit 3 is tilted with respect to the device body 2 and the front surface 2a is opened, and the position in this state is called an open position. The position where the monitor unit 3 stands and covers the front surface 2a of the device body 2 is called a closed position.

The device main body 2 embodies the fixing member in the present invention, and a monitor unit 3 is provided on a front surface 2a which is one surface of a rectangular housing.
The monitor unit 3 embodies the moving member in the present invention, and is tilted with respect to the device main body 2 by the arm 2b. The arm 2b is housed inside the device body 2 from the front surface 2a when the monitor unit 3 is in the closed position, and protrudes from the front surface 2a when the monitor unit 3 moves to the open position. In accordance with the movement of the arm 2b, the monitor unit 3 inclines in the open position with the upper part protruding downward and the lower part protruding forward as shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the in-vehicle device 1 of FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of the arrow A, and shows a state of the back side of the monitor unit 3. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. 2, FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of the portion B, and FIG. 3B is an exploded perspective view of components of the portion B.
The flat cable 4 is a flexible strip-shaped wiring member, and has an end attached to the back panel 3a side of the monitor unit 3 and the other end attached to the device body 2 side. Examples of the flat cable 4 include a flexible wiring board and a flexible flat cable.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the connection terminal 4a of the flat cable 4 is connected to the connector 7 inside the monitor unit 3 from the opening 3b of the back panel 3a.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3A, a cover 5 is attached to the opening 3b at a position where the connector 7 is hidden. The flat cable 4 extends along the cover 5 to the outside of the back panel 3a.

The opening 3b is provided with a rib 6 that embodies the restricting portion in the present invention.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the rib 6 is a cross member that extends from the inner edge of the opening 3b and connects the opposing portions to each other. The change of the bending direction of the flat cable 4 with respect to the portion 3 is restricted.
That is, the rib 6 abuts against the flat cable 4 to regulate the bending of the flat cable 4 that changes from a predetermined bending direction to a different bending direction.

Next, the change in the curved shape of the flat cable 4 will be described for the case where there is no rib 6 and the case where the rib 6 is present.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state of the flat cable 103 when the monitor unit 102 in the conventional vehicle-mounted device 100 is in the open position. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the in-vehicle device 100 in the open position, and FIG. 4B is a partial cross-sectional view of the monitor unit 102 in the open position.

The in-vehicle device 100 includes a monitor unit 102 that tilts with respect to the device main body 101, and the device main body 101 and the monitor unit 102 are electrically connected by a flat cable 103.
That is, the end portion of the flat cable 103 is connected to the connector 105 a inside through the front surface 101 a of the device main body 101. Further, the other end of the flat cable 103 is connected to a connector 105 b inside the monitor unit 102 through an opening 102 b of the back panel 102 a of the monitor unit 102.
The flat cable 103 extends outside the back panel 102a along the cover 104 attached to the opening 102b.

When the monitor unit 102 moves to the open position, the curved portion C1 of the flat cable 103 is curved in a concave direction with respect to the device main body 101 as shown by a solid line in FIG. In some cases, the device body 101 may be bent in a convex direction.
Thus, in the conventional wiring structure, the change in the bending direction of the flat cable 103 is not regulated. For this reason, when the bending direction of the bending portion C1 of the flat cable 103 dynamically changes in accordance with the movement of the monitor unit 3, the amount of change in the flat cable 103 increases due to this unevenness change, and the strain amplitude also increases.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state of the flat cable 103 when the monitor unit 102 in the conventional vehicle-mounted device 100 is in the middle of the open position and the closed position.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state of the flat cable 103 when the monitor unit 102 in the conventional in-vehicle device 100 is in the closed position.
When the monitor unit 102 moves from the open position to the closed position, the monitor unit 102 gradually reduces the distance from the front surface 101a of the device main body 101 while changing the posture from a state inclined forward of the device main body 101 to a standing state. At this time, the curved portion C1 of the flat cable 103 changes to a shape along the front surface 101a of the device main body 101.
When the monitor unit 102 is in the closed position, the distance between the front surface 101a of the device main body 101 and the monitor unit 102 is the smallest, and the flat cable 103 is in a state along the front surface 101a.

Further, when the curved portion C1 of the flat cable 103 is curved in a convex direction with respect to the device body 101 at the open position of the monitor unit 102, the flat cable 103 exposed to the outside of the monitor unit 102 from the opening 102b. As shown by a broken line in FIG. 4A, the portion is in a state of extending almost without bending.
When the monitor unit 102 moves to the closed position from this state, the portion of the flat cable 103 exposed to the outside of the monitor unit 102 from the opening 102b is as shown by a broken line frame A in FIG. It will be bent most about 180 degrees from the state.
As described above, when the bending portion C1 of the flat cable 103 is bent in a convex direction with respect to the device main body 101, the bending state of the flat cable 103 is approximately 0 ° to 180 ° before the monitor portion 102 is in the closed position. It varies greatly by about °, and the strain amplitude is also large.

On the other hand, when the curved portion C1 of the flat cable 103 is curved in a concave direction with respect to the device main body 101 at the open position of the monitor unit 102, the flat cable 103 exposed to the outside of the monitor unit 102 from the opening 102b. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 4A, the portion is bent at about 120 °.
Even if the monitor unit 102 moves to the closed position from this state, the portion of the flat cable 103 exposed to the outside of the monitor unit 102 through the opening 102b is about 120 ° as shown by a broken line frame A in FIG. From the bent state to the bent state by about 180 °.
Therefore, when the curved portion C1 of the flat cable 103 is curved in a concave direction with respect to the device main body 101, the change in the bending of the flat cable 103 is smaller than when the curved portion C1 is curved in the convex direction, and the distortion is reduced. The amplitude is reduced.

Next, the case where there is the rib 6 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state of the flat cable 4 when the monitor unit 3 in the in-vehicle device 1 in FIG. 1 is in the open position. FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the in-vehicle device 1 in the open position, and FIG. 7B is a partial cross-sectional view of the monitor unit 3 in the open position.
In the in-vehicle device 1, the end of the flat cable 4 is connected to the connector 7 inside the monitor unit 3 through the opening 3 b of the back panel 3 a of the monitor unit 3. The other end of the flat cable 4 is connected to a connector 8 inside through the front surface 2 a of the device body 2.

  The flat cable 4 extends outside the back panel 3a along a cover 5 attached to the opening 3b. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), the rib 6 abuts against the flat cable 4, thereby suppressing the bending of the flat cable 4 that changes the bending direction in a convex direction with respect to the device body 2. Thereby, the curved part C2 of a concave direction is maintained with respect to the apparatus main body 2 by which distortion amplitude is suppressed as mentioned above. The bending direction of the bending portion C2 corresponds to a predetermined bending direction of the flat cable 4.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state of the flat cable 4 when the monitor unit 3 in the in-vehicle device 1 in FIG. 1 is in the middle between the open position and the closed position. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state of the flat cable 4 when the monitor unit 3 in the in-vehicle device 1 in FIG. 1 is in the closed position.
While moving from the open position to the closed position, the monitor unit 3 gradually narrows the distance from the front surface 2a of the device main body 2 while changing its posture from a state inclined to the front of the device main body 2. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the curved portion C2 of the flat cable 4 is deformed into a shape along the front surface 2a. When the monitor unit 3 is in the closed position, the distance between the front surface 2a of the device main body 2 and the monitor unit 3 is the smallest, and the flat cable 4 is in a state along the front surface 2a as shown in FIG.

As described above, in the structure according to the first embodiment, the bending direction corresponding to the movement of the monitor unit 3 is adjusted so that the flat cable 4 is bent in the concave direction with respect to the device main body 2 at the open position of the monitor unit 3. Regulating change.
Conventionally, the distortion amplitude has increased due to the change in the bending direction of the flat cable 103 in accordance with the movement of the monitor unit 102. However, the structure according to the first embodiment is a flat cable caused by such a change in the bending direction. 4 strain amplitude can be suppressed.
Moreover, the distortion | strain amplitude of the flat cable 4 can be suppressed rather than the case where it curves in a convex direction by maintaining the curved part C2 of a concave direction with respect to the apparatus main body 2. FIG.

In order to appropriately regulate the bending of the flat cable 4 that changes the bending direction, the rib 6 may be provided on the same plane as the surface including the opening 3b, and is protruded from the surface including the opening 3b. You may provide in a position.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), the angle θ formed by the contact portion of the rib 6 with the flat cable 4 and the flat cable 4 is in a range of 30 ° or more, preferably 30 ° or more and 90 ° or less. Ribs 6 may be disposed on the surface. Even if the ribs 6 are arranged in this way, the bending direction of the flat cable 4 extending from the opening 3 b is maintained in a concave direction with respect to the device main body 2.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing modifications 1 and 2 of the rib in the first embodiment.
FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing the rib 6A of the first modification, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional arrow obtained by cutting the rib 6A and its peripheral configuration along the line DD in FIG. 10A. FIG.
FIG. 10C is a perspective view showing the rib 6B of the second modification. FIG. 10D is a cross-sectional view of the rib 6B and its peripheral structure taken along line EE in FIG. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 10 (b), in the rib 6A, the portion that contacts the flat cable 4 is tapered. Further, as shown in FIG. 10 (d), the rib 6B has a round shape at the portion that contacts the flat cable 4.
If burrs or the like remain on the portion in contact with the flat cable 4, the flat cable 4 may be damaged. In addition, if there are irregularities or corners in the portion that contacts the flat cable 4, it may cause deterioration of the flat cable 4 over time.
Therefore, damage or aging deterioration of the flat cable 4 can be prevented by forming a smooth surface by making a portion that contacts the flat cable 4 into a tapered shape or a round shape like the ribs 6A and 6B.

In the description so far, the case where the restricting portion is the rib 6 provided in the opening 3b of the monitor portion 3 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, you may use the rib provided in the front surface 2a of the apparatus main body 2 as a control part. Even in this case, the rib is in contact with the flat cable 4 so that the predetermined bending direction is maintained.
Moreover, you may use the piece part newly attached instead of the rib integrally formed with the apparatus main body 2 or the monitor part 3 as a control part.
Furthermore, you may regulate the change of the bending direction of the flat cable 4 with a some rib.
That is, the restriction part in this invention should just be the structure and number which can obtain the function which controls that the bending direction of the flat cable 4 changes between a fixed member and a moving member.

Moreover, although the case where the bending direction with a small amount of deformation is a concave direction with respect to the device main body 2 has been shown, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, when conditions such as a change in the distance from the device main body 2 according to the movement of the monitor unit 3 and a movement posture of the monitor unit 3 change, a change from a convex bending direction with respect to the device main body 2 is regulated. There is also a possibility. In this case, the restricting portion restricts the bending of the flat cable 4 so that the convex bending direction with respect to the device main body 2 is maintained.

  Furthermore, although the case where the monitor part 3 tilted with respect to the apparatus main body 2 was shown, it is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the monitor unit slides without tilting with respect to the device body is conceivable. Even in this configuration, it is possible to suppress the distortion amplitude by regulating the change in the bending direction of the flat cable according to the movement of the monitor unit.

Furthermore, although the case where the wiring structure of the flat cable 4 which concerns on this invention was applied to the vehicle equipment 1 was shown, it is not limited to this. For example, it may be an electronic device mounted on a moving body other than a vehicle, or may be a general electronic device used indoors.
Further, the fixing member and the moving member may not be the device main body and the monitor unit, and the structure according to the present invention can be used as long as the electronic device has the fixing member and the moving member that moves relative to the fixing member. Can be applied.

  As described above, the wiring structure of the flat cable 4 according to the first embodiment includes the flexible flat cable 4 and the rib 6. The flat cable 4 is connected to the device body 2 and the monitor unit 3 that moves relative to the device body 2, and is arranged in a curved state between the device body 2 and the monitor unit 3. The rib 6 is provided in the device main body 2 or the monitor unit 3 and abuts against the flat cable 4 to restrict a change in the bending direction of the flat cable 4 between the device main body 2 and the monitor unit 3. Thereby, the distortion amplitude resulting from the change of the bending direction of the flat cable 4 according to the movement of the monitor part 3 can be suppressed.

  Further, in the wiring structure of the flat cable 4 according to the first embodiment, the portion that contacts the flat cable 4 may be either the tapered rib 6A or the rib 6B that has a round shape. In this way, by forming a smooth surface at the portion that abuts against the flat cable 4, damage to the flat cable 4 or deterioration over time can be prevented.

  In the present invention, any component of the embodiment can be modified or any component of the embodiment can be omitted within the scope of the invention.

  The flat cable wiring structure according to the present invention can suppress the distortion amplitude caused by the change in the bending direction of the flat cable in accordance with the movement of the moving member. It is suitable for the in-vehicle device etc. which have.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 In-vehicle apparatus, 2 apparatus main body, 2a front surface, 2b arm, 3 monitor part, 3a back panel, 3b opening part, 4 flat cable, 4a connection terminal, 5 cover, 6, 6A, 6B rib, 7, 8 connector.

Claims (3)

A flexible flat cable that is connected to a fixed member and a moving member that moves relative to the fixed member, and is arranged in a curved state between the fixed member and the moving member;
A regulation that is provided on the moving member and abuts against the flat cable to regulate a change in the bending direction of the flat cable in accordance with the movement of the moving member over the entire area between the fixed member and the moving member. With
The flat cable has one end connected to the inside of the opening provided in the moving member, and the other end connected to the fixing member.
The restriction portion is a rib that is provided in the opening of the moving member and abuts against the one end portion of the flat cable to restrict a change in a bending direction. Wiring structure.   2. The flat cable wiring structure according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the rib contacting the flat cable is tapered or round. The fixing member is a device body of an electronic device,
2. The flat cable wiring structure according to claim 1, wherein the moving member is a monitor unit that moves between a closed position that covers one surface of the device main body and an open position that opens one surface of the device main body. .

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