JP7037995B2 - Heater and steering wheel - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heater and a steering wheel.

Conventionally, a heater for a steering wheel including a base material made of an elastic sheet body wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction of the annular rim portion of the steering wheel and a linear heater supported by the base material. Is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2015-189294

However, since there is a difference in circumference between the outer circumference and the inner circumference of the annular rim portion of the steering wheel, when a stretchable base material (stretchable base material) is wound around the rim portion, the stretchable base material expands or contracts. Occurs. Therefore, when the elastic base material is wound around the rim portion, the density of the heater wire becomes non-uniform between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion, and a temperature difference occurs between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side. There is.

Therefore, the present disclosure provides a heater capable of reducing the temperature difference generated between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion in a state where the stretchable base material is wound around the rim portion, and a steering wheel including the heater. ..

This disclosure is
An elastic base material that can be wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction of the annular rim portion of the steering wheel, and
It comprises at least one heater wire provided on the stretchable substrate along the longitudinal direction of the stretchable substrate.
The elastic base material is wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction and is wound around the central portion facing the outer peripheral portion of the rim portion and around the rim portion along the circumferential direction. It has a side edge portion facing the inner peripheral portion of the rim portion, and has a side edge portion.
The stretchable base material is the rim portion so that the density of the heater wire becomes uniform between the central portion and the side edge portion in a state where the stretchable base material is wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction. The heater wire provides a heater in which the central portion is denser than the side edge portion in a state before being wound around the heater wire.

In addition, this disclosure is
Provided is a steering wheel including the heater and an annular rim portion to which the heater is attached.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the temperature difference generated between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion in a state where the stretchable base material is wound around the rim portion.

It is a front view which shows an example of the structure of a steering wheel. It is a top view which shows the heater of one comparative embodiment compared with the embodiment which concerns on this disclosure. It is a top view schematically showing the heater of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this disclosure. It is a partially enlarged view of FIG. It is a top view schematically showing the state which extended the central part of the elastic base material of 1st Embodiment in the longitudinal direction. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the elastic base material of 1st Embodiment is wound around a rim part along the circumferential direction of a rim part. It is a top view which shows typically the heater of the 2nd Embodiment which concerns on this disclosure. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 7.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are orthogonal to each other. The X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction represent a direction parallel to the X-axis, a direction parallel to the Y-axis, and a direction parallel to the Z-axis, respectively. The XY plane, the YZ plane, and the ZX plane represent a plane including the X-axis and the Y-axis, a plane including the Y-axis and the Z-axis, and a plane including the Z-axis and the X-axis, respectively.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of the steering wheel. The steering wheel 40 shown in FIG. 1 is an operating member operated by the driver to steer the vehicle. The steering wheel 40 includes, for example, a rim portion 50, a hub portion 70, a right spoke portion 61, a left spoke portion 62, and a lower spoke portion 63.

The rim portion 50 is an annular portion gripped by the driver, and may be, for example, a portion formed in an annular shape or a portion formed in another annular shape such as an ellipse. The rim part is also called a grip part. The rim portion 50 has an outer peripheral portion 51 and an inner peripheral portion 52. The outer peripheral length D1 represents the length of the outer circumference of the rim portion 50, and the inner peripheral length D2 represents the length of the inner circumference of the rim portion 50. The inner peripheral length D2 is shorter than the outer peripheral length D1.

The hub portion 70 is a portion located at the inner center portion of the rim portion 50. A steering shaft on the vehicle body side is coupled to the hub portion 70, and an airbag module is fixed to the hub portion 70. The hub portion 70 is offset to the steering shaft side (back side when viewed from the driver) with respect to the rim portion 50.

The right spoke portion 61 is a portion that connects the right side portion of the hub portion 70 and the right side portion of the rim portion 50. The left spoke portion 62 is a portion that connects the left side portion of the hub portion 70 and the left side portion of the rim portion 50. The lower spoke portion 63 is a portion that connects the lower portion of the hub portion 70 and the lower portion of the rim portion 50. The number of spokes is not limited to three, and may be four, for example.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a heater of a comparative embodiment compared with the embodiment according to the present disclosure. Before explaining the heater of the embodiment according to the present disclosure, the heater 110 of one comparative embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The heater 110 is provided on the elastic base material 115 that can be wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the annular rim portion 50 of the steering wheel 40, and a plurality of heaters 110 provided on the elastic base material 115 along the longitudinal direction of the elastic base material 115. The heater wire 130 is provided. The stretchable base material 115 has a pair of side edges 111, 112 facing each other in the width direction thereof. The elastic base material 115 is provided with a pair of electrodes 120 for supplying electric power for generating heat to the heater wire 130 to the heater wire 130.

The stretchable base material 115 is a sheet-like base material having elasticity. The elastic base material 115 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50, and has a central portion facing the outer peripheral portion 51 of the rim portion 50 and a rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50. It has a pair of side edge portions facing the inner peripheral portion 52 of the rim portion 50 in a state of being wound around the rim portion 50. FIG. 2 shows a form in which the density of the heater wire 130 is the same in the central portion and the side edge portion in the state before the elastic base material 115 is wound around the rim portion 50.

Since there is a circumference difference (= outer circumference length D1-inner circumference length D2) between the outer circumference and the inner circumference of the annular rim portion 50, when the stretchable base material 115 is wound around the rim portion 50, the stretchable base material 115 becomes Stretching or shrinking occurs. Therefore, if the density of the heater wire 130 is the same between the central portion and the side edge portion before the elastic base material 115 is wound around the rim portion 50, the elastic base material 115 is wound around the rim portion 50. Then, the density of the heater wire 130 becomes non-uniform between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50. If the density of the heater wire 130 becomes non-uniform between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50, a temperature difference occurs between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side. Such a temperature difference can be a factor that causes discomfort to the driver.

For example, when the elastic base material 115 having the total length between the outer peripheral length D1 and the inner peripheral length D2 is wound around the rim portion 50, the central portion of the elastic base material 115 extends in the direction of B in the longitudinal direction and expands and contracts. The pair of side edges of the base material 115 shrinks in the direction of A in the longitudinal direction. When the stretchable base material 115 expands and contracts in this way, the heater wire 130 becomes denser on the inner peripheral side than on the outer peripheral side of the rim portion 50, so that the temperature on the inner peripheral side becomes higher than that on the outer peripheral side. ..

On the other hand, in the heater of the embodiment according to the present disclosure, in a state where the stretchable base material is wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction of the rim portion, the density of at least one heater wire is on the central portion side of the stretchable base material. It is formed so as to be uniform between the side edge side and the side edge side. Specifically, in a state where the stretchable base material is wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction of the rim portion, the density of the heater wires is uniform between the central portion side and the side edge portion side of the stretchable base material. Before the elastic base material is wound around the rim portion, the heater wire is more densely wired on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side. With such wiring, when the elastic base material is wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction of the rim portion, the density of the heater wire becomes substantially uniform on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion. The temperature difference between the side and the inner peripheral side can be reduced. Therefore, the discomfort given to the driver can be reduced.

Next, the configuration of the heater of the embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described in more detail.

FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the heater of the first embodiment according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 shows a form in which the heater wire is denser on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side in a state before the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50.

The heater 101 is formed on an elastic base material 10 that can be wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the annular rim portion 50 of the steering wheel 40, and on the elastic base material 10 along the longitudinal direction of the elastic base material 10. It is provided with five heater wires 31 to 35 provided.

The stretchable base material 10 has a pair of side edges 11 and 12 facing each other in the width direction thereof, and a pair of tip portions 13 and 14 facing each other in the longitudinal direction thereof. The width W1 of the stretchable base material 10 represents the length between the side edges 11 and the side edges 12, and the center line 23 is a virtual line passing through the center of the stretchable base material 10 in the width direction.
The length L1 of the elastic base material 10 represents the total length in the longitudinal direction thereof.

The stretchable base material 10 is a sheet-shaped base material having elasticity. The elastic base material 10 is a strip-shaped base material such as a urethane sponge or a non-woven fabric.

The plurality of heater wires 31 to 35 are attached to the surface of the elastic base material 10, for example, and more specifically, are supported on the surface of the elastic base material 10 by sewing with a thread or adhering with an adhesive. .. The heater wires 31 to 35 may be formed by folding back one wire rod connected by a single stroke, or may be formed from a plurality of wire rods.

Specific examples of the heater wire include a single wire such as copper, a copper alloy, and stainless steel, or a twisted yarn, or a composite wire obtained by twisting these metal wires with other organic fibers.

The elastic base material 10 is provided with a pair of electrodes (not shown) for supplying electric power for generating heat to the heater wires 31 to 35 to the heater wires. The heater wires 31 to 35 are connected between the pair of electrodes. When a voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes by a power source, all the heater wires 31 to 35 are energized and generate heat. The heat generated by the heater wires 31 to 35 warms the surface portion of the rim portion 50 to which the heater 101 is attached covered with leather, resin, or the like, so that the driver's hand touching the surface portion is warmed.

The elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50, and has a central portion facing the outer peripheral portion 51 of the rim portion 50 and a rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50. It has a pair of side edge portions facing the inner peripheral portion 52 of the rim portion 50 in a state of being wound around the rim portion 50. The central portion of the elastic base material 10 represents a range passing through the center line 23. The pair of side edges of the stretchable base material 10 represents two ranges sandwiched between the pair of side edges 11 and 12 and the central portion thereof in the width direction of the stretchable base material 10. The central portion of the stretchable base material 10 is a region facing the outer peripheral portion 51 but not the inner peripheral portion 52 in a state where the stretchable base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50. be. The pair of side edges of the stretchable base material 10 faces the inner peripheral portion 52 but faces the outer peripheral portion 51 in a state where the stretchable base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50. It is an area that does not.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. The heater wires 31 to 35 are provided on the elastic base material 10 in a corrugated manner, and are, for example, joined to the surface of the elastic base material 10 by a joining member such as a thread or an adhesive so that the corrugated shape is maintained. There is.

In the heater 101, in a state where the stretchable base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50, the density of at least one heater wire is on the central portion side and the side edge portion side of the stretchable base material 10. Is formed to be uniform. Specifically, as described above, the heater wire is more densely wired on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side in the state before the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50. .. With such wiring, when the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50, the density of the heater wires is substantially uniform on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the temperature difference between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side. Therefore, the discomfort given to the driver can be reduced.

For example, when the elastic base material 10 having the total length L1 between the outer peripheral length D1 and the inner peripheral length D2 is wound around the rim portion 50, the central portion of the elastic base material 10 extends in the longitudinal direction, and the elastic base material 10 The pair of side edges of the is contracted in the longitudinal direction. However, even if the stretchable base material 10 expands and contracts in this way, the density of the heater wires is formed to be substantially uniform on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50, so that the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side are formed. The temperature distribution can be made uniform with.

For example, in a state where the central portion is extended in the longitudinal direction, the density of the heater wire is the same on the central portion side and the side edge portion side (see FIG. 5), and the heater is in a state before the central portion is extended in the longitudinal direction. The line should be set denser on the central side than on the side edge side (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

In FIGS. 3 and 4, in a state where the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50, the density of the heater wires is uniform between the central portion side and the side edge portion side of the elastic base material 10. The wave heights H1 to H5 of the heater wire are set higher on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side.

In the case of FIG. 4, the wave height H3 of the heater wire 33 extending in the longitudinal direction at the central portion is higher than the wave height H2 of the heater wire 32 extending in the longitudinal direction on the side edge 11 side with respect to the central portion, and is relative to the central portion. It is higher than the wave height H4 of the heater wire 34 extending in the longitudinal direction on the side edge 12 side (a + b> a). In the case of FIG. 4, the wave height H2 of the heater wire 32 is higher than the wave height H1 of the heater wire 31 extending the side edge portion on the side edge 11 side in the longitudinal direction, and the wave height H4 of the heater wire 34 is on the side edge 12 side. The wave height of the heater wire 35 extending in the longitudinal direction is higher than the wave height H5 (a> ab).

When the stretchable base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 from the outer peripheral side of the rim portion 50 as shown in FIG. 6 in a stretched state as shown in FIG. 5, the pair of side edges 11 and 12 are on the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50. The pair of side edge portions are wound around the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50 so as to face each other at the abutting portion 16. At this time, since the wave height of each heater wire is set as shown in FIG. 4, the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50 as shown in FIG. , The density of the heater wire becomes substantially uniform on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50.

Further, in FIG. 4, each heater line is arranged so that the center lines 21 to 25 of the waveform are located at the same pitch, but may be arranged so as to be located at different pitches. The pitches E1 to E4 represent the distance between the center lines of the heater lines having adjacent waveforms in the width direction.

Further, in FIG. 4, the heater wire is provided on the elastic base material 10 so that the waveform cycle (in other words, the waveform repetition cycle) is the same on the side edge portion side and the center portion side. Since the waveform cycle is the same on the side edge side and the center side, even if the wave height of each heater line is different between the center side and the side edge side, the center part is extended in the longitudinal direction. This makes it easier to make the density of the heater wire the same on the central side and the side edge side.

Further, in FIG. 4, the distance between the heater lines adjacent to each other is narrower on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side. For example, the distance F2 on the central portion side is narrower than the spacing F1 on the side edge portion side, and the spacing F3 on the central portion side is narrower than the spacing F4 on the side edge portion side. By setting such an interval, even if the wave height of each heater wire is different between the central portion side and the side edge portion side, the density of the heater wire is reduced to the central portion side with the central portion extended in the longitudinal direction. It becomes easier to make the same on the side edge side.

FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing the heater of the second embodiment according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 also shows a form in which the heater wire is denser on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side in a state before the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50. In the second embodiment, the description of the same configuration and effect as the above-mentioned embodiment will be omitted or simplified by referring to the above description.

The heater 102 is formed on the elastic base material 10 that can be wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the annular rim portion 50 of the steering wheel 40, and the elastic base material 10 along the longitudinal direction of the elastic base material 10. It is provided with five heater wires 31 to 35 provided.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 7. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the density of the heater wire is uniform between the central portion side and the side edge portion side of the elastic base material 10 in a state where the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50. The cycle P1 to P5 of the waveform of the heater wire is set narrower on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side.

In the case of FIG. 8, the cycle P3 of the heater wire 33 extending in the longitudinal direction with respect to the central portion is narrower than the cycle P2 of the heater wire 32 extending in the longitudinal direction with respect to the side edge 11 side with respect to the central portion. It is narrower than the cycle P4 of the heater wire 34 extending in the longitudinal direction on the side edge 12 side (cd <c). In the case of FIG. 8, the cycle P2 of the heater wire 32 is narrower than the cycle P1 of the heater wire 31 extending the side edge portion on the side edge 11 side in the longitudinal direction, and the cycle P4 of the heater wire 34 is on the side edge 12 side. It is narrower than the cycle P5 of the heater wire 35 extending the side edge in the longitudinal direction (c <c + d).

As shown in FIG. 6, when the stretchable base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 from the outer peripheral side of the rim portion 50 in a stretched state, the pair of side edges 11 and 12 are abutted portions 16 on the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50. The pair of side edges are wound around the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50 so as to face each other. At this time, since the waveform cycle of each heater wire is set as shown in FIG. 8, the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50 along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 50 as shown in FIG. In the state, the density of the heater wire becomes substantially uniform on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rim portion 50.

Further, in FIG. 8, each heater line is arranged so that the center lines 21 to 25 of the waveform are located at the same pitch, but may be arranged so as to be located at different pitches. The pitches E1 to E4 represent the distance between the center lines of the heater lines adjacent to each other in the width direction.

Further, in FIG. 8, the heater wire is provided on the elastic base material 10 so that the wave height is the same on the side edge portion side and the center portion side. Since the wave height is the same on the side edge side and the center side, even if the waveform cycle of each heater line is different between the center side and the side edge side, the center part is extended in the longitudinal direction. This makes it easier to make the density of the heater wire the same on the central side and the side edge side.

Further, in FIG. 8, the heater wire is provided on the elastic base material 10 so that the adjacent intervals are the same on the side edge portion side and the central portion side. For example, the distance F2 on the central portion side is the same as the spacing F1 on the side edge portion side, and the spacing F3 on the central portion side is the same as the spacing F4 on the side edge portion side. By setting such an interval, even if the waveform cycle of each heater wire is different between the central portion side and the side edge portion side, the density of the heater wire is centered with the central portion extended in the longitudinal direction. It becomes easier to make the same on the side and the side edge side.

Although the heater and the steering wheel have been described above according to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modifications and improvements, such as combinations and substitutions with some or all of the other embodiments, are possible within the scope of the present invention.

For example, the number of heater wires may be at least one. Further, the shape of the heater wire is not limited to the corrugated shape, and may be another shape such as a linear shape or a sawtooth shape. Further, when the shape of the heater wire is linear, the density of the heater wire becomes uniform between the central portion side and the side edge portion side of the elastic base material 10 in a state where the elastic base material 10 is wound around the rim portion 50. As described above, the distance between the heater wires adjacent to each other may be set to be narrower on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side.

Further, for example, in the step of attaching the heater to the steering wheel, after the heater is attached to the rim portion, a surface portion is formed in which the rim portion to which the heater is attached is covered with leather or resin. However, after the heater is attached to the inside of the surface portion of leather or the like, the heater attached to the inside of the surface portion may be attached to the rim portion.

10,115 Telescopic base material 11,12 Side edges 13,14 Tip 31-35,130 Heater wire 40 Steering wheel 50 Rim 51 Outer circumference 52 Inner circumference 101, 102, 110 Heater

Claims (10)

An elastic base material that can be wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction of the annular rim portion of the steering wheel, and
It comprises at least one heater wire provided on the stretchable substrate along the longitudinal direction of the stretchable substrate.
The elastic base material is wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction and is wound around the central portion facing the outer peripheral portion of the rim portion and around the rim portion along the circumferential direction. It has a side edge portion facing the inner peripheral portion of the rim portion, and has a side edge portion.
The stretchable base material is the stretchable base material so that the density of the heater wire becomes uniform between the central portion side and the side edge portion in a state where the stretchable base material is wound around the rim portion along the circumferential direction. A heater in which the heater wire is denser on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side in a state before being wound around the rim portion. The heater according to claim 1, wherein the heater wire is provided on the telescopic base material in a corrugated manner. The heater according to claim 2, wherein the wave height of the heater wire is higher on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side. The heater according to claim 3, wherein the heater wire is provided on the telescopic base material so that the waveform cycle is the same on the side edge side and the center side. The heater according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the distance between the heater wires adjacent to each other is narrower on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side. The heater according to claim 2, wherein the waveform cycle of the heater wire is narrower on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side. The heater according to claim 6, wherein the heater wire is provided on the telescopic base material so that the wave height is the same on the side edge portion side and the central portion side. The heater according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the heater wire is provided on the telescopic base material so that the adjacent intervals are the same on the side edge portion side and the central portion side. The one according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heater wire is denser on the central portion side than on the side edge portion side in a state before the central portion is extended in the longitudinal direction. heater. A steering wheel comprising the heater according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and an annular rim portion to which the heater is attached.

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