JPH031187B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a steering wheel equipped with a planetary gear mechanism for preventing pads from rotating.

(Prior art) A non-rotating padded steering wheel has a crank horn, a constant speed running device, a communication device, a radio, a switch for a headlight, etc. in the pad portion.
Developed with the aim of increasing the operability of electronic devices such as sound generators and displays, taking advantage of the non-rotating pads, and increasing product value by giving a sense of luxury. is in progress.

One type of pad non-rotating mechanism is a planetary gear mechanism, but in the case of this mechanism, there is naturally a backlash between the planetary gear and the sun gear, as well as dimensional errors, assembly errors, etc. Larger gaps may also occur. These bumps and gaps are a major problem because they cause the pads to rattle and cause abnormal noises, detracting from the sense of luxury that was one of the objectives of the product's development.

Among the planetary gear mechanisms in conventionally known steering wheels, one that takes this backlash into consideration is a type that uses planetary rollers as seen in Utility Model Application No. 57-191654.
There are problems with assembly and durability.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Therefore, as a means to suppress this backlash, etc., a planetary gear is provided so as to be movable in the radial direction of the sun gear, and this planetary gear is moved in the radial direction of the sun gear by means of a spring or the like. It is conceivable to apply force toward the center (of). However, in this case, the planetary gear may also be displaced in the radially outward direction of the sun gear, so that the planetary gear and the sun gear may become disengaged when rotational force is applied to the pad from the outside. Then, a new problem arises in that the planetary gear slips in the circumferential direction of the sun gear, causing the pad to rotate.

The present invention solves the conventional problem that pad rattling and noise occur due to bumps and gaps between the gears, detracting from the sense of luxury. The purpose is to prevent slips in the circumferential direction and maintain the pad's immobility even when external force is applied to the pad.

Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving Problems) The present invention provides a regulation that regulates the amount of movement of a planetary gear with respect to a sun gear to a value that is larger than the amount of displacement of the planetary gear and smaller than the tooth height of the gear. The above-mentioned problem was solved by the technical means of providing a biasing member for biasing the planetary gear toward the center of the sun gear to suppress backlash and gaps between the gears.

(Operation) When a rotational force is applied to the pad from the outside, the planetary gear tries to overcome the tooth height of the sun gear and displace in the radial outward direction of the sun gear. However, in order to prevent the planetary gear and the sun gear from coming out of mesh, the regulating member sets the amount of movement of the planetary gear to a value smaller than the tooth height of the gear, so the planetary gear slips in the circumferential direction of the sun gear. This will not cause the pads to move, and the pads will remain stationary. In addition, since the amount of movement of the planetary gear is set to be larger than the amount of displacement of the planetary gear, the planetary gear is strongly pressed against the sun gear due to displacement caused by thermal expansion, dimensional error, assembly error, etc. of the planetary gear.
Increased steering force and damage to gears are reliably prevented.

Furthermore, since the biasing member biases the planetary gear toward the center of the sun gear, it suppresses backlash between the gears and also eliminates gaps between the gears caused by thermal expansion, dimensional errors, assembly errors, etc. Therefore, rattling of the pad due to the bumps and gaps does not occur, and abnormal noise is also reduced.

(First Embodiment) Next, a first embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an automobile steering wheel will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

A protrusion 2 is provided around the entire front edge of a column 1 of an automobile to prevent dust and light from entering, and a steering shaft 3 passes through the column 1. A boss 4 is fastened to the front end of the steering shaft 3 with a nut 5, and a boss plate 6 is fixed to the boss 4 by welding or the like. Two spoke portions 7 are integrally formed on the lower edge of the boss plate 6 and extend in a V-shape, and a ring portion 8 is supported at the tips of the spoke portions 7.

A column-side sun gear 9 made of synthetic resin is attached to the column-side outer periphery of the boss 4 so as to be rotatable relative to the boss 4 via a bearing 10, and is prevented from rotating relative to the column 1 by a bolt 11. It seems fixed. Similarly, a pad side sun gear 12 made of synthetic resin is attached to the outer periphery of the boss 4 on the pad side via a bearing 13 so as to be rotatable relative to the boss 4. Both sun gears 9 and 12 are formed to have the same diameter and the same number of teeth, and each tooth height is about 2 mm.

A box-shaped pad 15 is attached to the front end surface of the pad side sun gear 12 with bolts 16, and the pad 15 includes a crank horn, a constant speed traveling device,
Electronic devices 17 such as switches, sound generators, and displays related to communication devices, radios, headlights, etc. are attached. A protrusion 18 is provided on the outer edge of the rear end of the pad 15 to prevent dust and light from entering, and is opposed to the protrusion 2 of the column 1 at a small distance. Note that an optical transmission mechanism (not shown) connected to the electronic device 17 is provided on the pad 15 and the column 1.
is installed.

A rectangular mounting recess 20 that is open on the outside and extends to the center of the boss plate 6 is cut out at one location on the outer periphery of the boss plate 6 (the upper part in this embodiment). Further, a rectangular spring storage recess 21 and a hook-shaped latching recess 22 are cut out in order next to the mounting recess 20 on the outer circumference of the boss plate 6, and between the spring accommodating recess 21 and the latching recess 22, A hook-shaped latching protrusion 23 is formed.

A bearing member 24 made of synthetic resin such as polyacetal is fitted into the mounting recess 20 so as to be slidable in the radial direction of the boss plate 6 (same as the radial direction of the sun gears 9 and 12), and a bearing member 24 is fitted inside the mounting recess 20 as a sliding bearing. A working retaining groove 25 is formed. Two front and rear opposing flanges 26 are integrally formed on both sides of the bearing member 24, and the front and rear flanges 26 sandwich the boss plate 6 therebetween. The side surfaces appearing between the flanges 26 of the bearing member 24 are fitted into the mounting recess 20 so as to substantially abut on both inner surfaces thereof. Furthermore, two guide grooves 27 are provided on the outer surface of the bearing member 24 .

The planetary shaft 3 is installed in the holding groove 25 of the bearing member 24.
0 is rotatably supported, and the same shaft 30
A column-side planetary gear 31 and a pad-side planetary gear 32 are fixed to the column-side end and the pad-side end, respectively. Both planetary gears 31 and 32 are made of synthetic resin and have the same diameter, the same number of teeth, and a tooth height of about 2 mm, and mesh with the column side sun gear 9 and the pad side sun gear 12, respectively. Therefore, both planetary gears 3
1 and 32 are adapted to revolve around their respective sun gears 9 and 12 while simultaneously and similarly rotating on their own axis.

Furthermore, both planetary gears 31 and 32 have their inner end surfaces close to the end surface of the bearing member 24, so that they hardly move in the axial direction. For convenience of explanation, the planetary shaft 30 and both planetary gears 31, 3
2 is collectively referred to as a planetary member 33.

The bearing member 24 has a biasing member 35 made of metal wire.
is being passed over. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the biasing member 35 has a U-shaped hooking portion 36 at one end thereof, and the hooking portion 36 is hooked onto the hooking protrusion 23. Further, a pair of wire portions 37 extend from the hook portion 36, and a coil spring 3 that fits in the spring storage recess 21 is located in the middle of each wire portion 37.
8 are integrally formed. A hook 39 is curved at the tip of the wire portion 37, and is hooked to locking pins 40 protruding from both sides of the boss plate 6.

The biasing member 35 has a wire portion 37 stretched over the guide groove 27 of the bearing member 24 in a mountain shape under tension due to the elastic force of the coil spring 38. The mounting recess 20 is urged inward. Therefore, the urging member 35 presses and urges each of the planetary gears 31 and 32 toward the center of the sun gears 9 and 12 (meshing direction), thereby suppressing gaps due to backlash and errors between the gears. .

The biasing member 35 is provided solely for the purpose of suppressing the backlash and gap, and as will be described later, only has the effect of suppressing the same.

A small piece-shaped regulating member 41 is disposed at the opening edge of the mounting recess 20 of the boss plate 6 so as to close the opening edge, and is fixed immediately adjacent to both sides of the mounting recess 20 with screws 42. The regulating member 41 is the planetary gear 3
This is to restrict the positions of the planetary gears 31, 32 so that the gears 1, 32 and the sun gears 9, 12 do not come out of mesh. Therefore, the regulating member 41 of this embodiment is formed into a small piece with a short span so that it hardly bends. A regulating protrusion 43 that fits into the mounting recess 20 is formed on the inner surface of the regulating member 41, and the regulating protrusion 43 faces the outer surface of the bearing member 24 at an interval of about 1 mm. This interval was determined for the following reasons. That is, if there is no regulating member 41 or if the interval is larger than the tooth height of approximately 2 mm of the planetary gears 31, 32 and sun gears 9, 12, when external rotational force is applied to the pad 15, the planetary gear 31,3
2 can overcome the tooth height of the sun gears 9 and 12.
Therefore, the mesh between the gears becomes disengaged and the planetary gear 3
1 and 32 slip in the circumferential direction of the sun gears 9 and 12, causing a problem that the pad 15 rotates.

However, in gears, the thermal expansion,
It is normal to allow ±0.3mm for dimensional errors, assembly errors, etc. Therefore, the planetary gears 31, 32
When rotating around the sun gears 9 and 12,
Due to the above-mentioned error, the sun gears 9 and 12 may be displaced in the radially outward direction by a maximum of about 0.6 mm. Therefore, if the above-mentioned interval is not provided or is made smaller than the same amount of displacement, the bearing member 24 will come into contact with the regulating member 41 at the time of this displacement. Therefore, the planetary gear 3
1 and 32 are strongly pressed against the sun gears 9 and 12, causing problems such as increased steering force and damage to the gears.

Therefore, in order to sufficiently absorb the error while preventing the occurrence of the above-mentioned slip phenomenon, we determined the optimum spacing that is larger than the displacement of the planetary gears 31 and 32 and smaller than the tooth height of the gears. It is. Therefore, the interval is not necessarily limited to 1 mm, but may be any value that is greater than the displacement amount of the planetary gears 31, 32 and smaller than the tooth height of the gears.

Regarding the first embodiment configured as above,
Next, its effects will be explained.

Now, when the ring portion 8 is rotated to perform a steering operation, as the boss plate 6 is rotated, the planetary gears 31 and 32 on the column side and the pad side are connected to the sun gears 9 and 12 on the column side and the pad side, respectively. It revolves around itself. Here, since the column-side sun gear 9 cannot rotate with respect to the column 1, the pad-side sun gear 12 follows the column-side sun gear 9 and is always in a non-rotatable state with respect to the column 1.

Further, during the above-mentioned steering operation, the biasing member 35 presses and biases the planetary gears 31 and 32 toward the center of the sun gears 9 and 12 by the elastic force of the coil spring 38, thereby suppressing backlash between the gears. At the same time, gaps between gears due to thermal expansion, dimensional errors, assembly errors, etc. are also eliminated. Therefore, the pad 15 does not rattle as in the conventional case, and abnormal noise is also reduced.

Further, the planetary gears 31 and 32 (bearing member 24) may be displaced by a maximum of about 0.6 mm in the radial outward direction of the sun gears 9 and 12 as described above during the rotation and revolution. However, since the regulating member 41 has a distance of about 1 mm from the outer surface of the bearing member 24 that pivotally supports the planetary member 33, it does not come into contact with the bearing member 24. Therefore, the planetary gears 31 and 32 are not pressed too hard by the sun gears 9 and 12, so problems such as an increase in steering force and damage to the gears do not occur.

On the other hand, when a driver or the like forcibly or accidentally applies rotational force to the pad 15 from the outside, the planetary gear 31,
32 tends to be displaced in the radially outward direction of the sun gears 9 and 12. However, at this time, the bearing member 24 comes into contact with the regulating member 41 after passing through the 1 mm interval, and the regulating member 41 hardly bends, so that it cannot be displaced outward any further. That is, the regulating member 41 prevents the planetary gears 31 and 32 from being displaced beyond the tooth height of about 2 mm of the sun gears 9 and 12, etc.
The planetary gear 3
Regulate the positions of 1 and 32. Therefore, the planetary gear 3
1 and 32 do not slip in the circumferential direction of the sun gears 9 and 12, and the pad 15 remains immobile.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the structure of the regulating member.

That is, the regulating member 45 of this embodiment is formed of ABS resin or other synthetic resin into an arcuate arm that occupies about 1/3 of the outer circumference of the boss plate 6, and both ends of the regulating member 45 are fixed to the boss plate 6 with screws 46. .

Further, a regulating protrusion 47 is formed inside the regulating member 45 at a position approximately 1/3 from the left end in FIG.
The regulating protrusion 47 is in contact with the outer surface of the bearing member 24. A portion of the regulating protrusion 47 of the regulating member 45 can be elastically displaced by an external force in the radially outward direction of the boss plate 6 by a maximum of about 1 mm. Note that the maximum displacement amount is not necessarily limited to 1 mm, and may be any value that is larger than the displacement amount of the planetary gears 31 and 32 and smaller than the tooth height of the gears.

In addition, the center of the sun gears 9 and 12 and the regulating protrusion 47
Since the distance between them is almost the same as the length from the left end screw 46 of the regulating member 45 to the regulating protrusion 47, each gear 9, 12, 31, 32 and the regulating member 4
Thermal expansion of the synthetic resin No. 5 is offset.

In this embodiment as well, the planetary gears 31 and 32 extend radially outward of the sun gears 9 and 12 by a maximum of 0.6 mm during rotation.
The degree of change may occur. However, the bearing member 24
The regulating protrusion 47 that is in contact with can be elastically displaced in the radially outward direction up to about 1 mm. Therefore, the planetary gears 31 and 32 are not strongly pressed by the sun gears 9 and 12, so problems such as an increase in steering force and damage to the gears do not occur.

On the other hand, when a driver or the like forcibly or accidentally applies rotational force to the pad 15 from the outside, the planetary gear 31,
32 is displaced in the radially outward direction of the sun gears 9 and 12 to press the regulating protrusion 47 in the same direction. However, since the regulating protrusion 47 does not displace more than 1 mm, the planetary gears 31 and 32 do not slip in the circumferential direction of the sun gears 9 and 12 beyond the approximately 2 mm tooth height of the sun gears 9 and 12, etc. First, the non-rotation of the pad 15 is maintained.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the configurations of each of the embodiments described above, and may be embodied as desired without departing from the spirit of the invention, for example, as follows.

(1) Two or more planetary members 33 are provided. The operational balance of the entire planetary gear mechanism is improved.

(2) Change the structure of the biasing member. For example, a simple coil spring, plate spring, etc. without wire can be arbitrarily employed.

(3) Changing the structure of the regulating member. For example, a mounting structure such as an undercut may be employed, or it may be formed integrally with the boss plate 6.

Effects of the Invention As detailed above, the present invention prevents the planetary gear from disengaging and slipping in the circumferential direction of the sun gear even when rotational force is applied to the pad from the outside. Not only can non-rotation be maintained, but also the bumps and gaps between the gears can be eliminated to prevent rattling of the pads, and abnormal noise can be reduced. This has the excellent effect of reliably preventing the planetary gear from being strongly pressed against the sun gear due to displacement caused by expansion, dimensional errors, assembly errors, etc., which would increase the steering force or damage the gear.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a steering wheel embodying the present invention, FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the same embodiment as seen from the side, FIG. 2 is a front view of main parts,
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the main parts of the second embodiment. 9... Column side sun gear, 12... Pad side sun gear, 15... Pad, 31... Column side planetary gear, 32... Pad side planetary gear, 35... Biasing member, 41, 45... Regulation Element.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a steering wheel equipped with a planetary gear mechanism for making the pads non-rotatable, the planetary gears 31, 32 relative to the sun gears 9, 12
Regulation members 41 and 45 are provided to regulate the amount of movement of the planetary gears 31 and 32 to be larger than the displacement of the planetary gears 31 and 32 and smaller than the tooth height of the gears. A steering wheel characterized in that a biasing member 35 is provided for biasing toward the center of the gears to suppress backlash and gaps between the gears. 2. The planetary gear mechanism is provided with a boss plate 6 in between, and the planetary gears 31 and 32 are pivotally supported by a bearing member 24 movably attached to the boss plate 6, and the regulating member 41 is placed in contact with the bearing member 24. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is attached to the boss plate 6 so as to be in contact with or in close proximity to the boss plate 6. 3. The steering wheel according to claim 2, wherein the regulating member 41 is a small piece-shaped body that hardly bends and is close to the bearing member 24 without contacting it. 4. The steering wheel according to claim 2, wherein the regulating member 45 is an elastically deformable curved arm and displaceably abuts on the bearing member 24.