JPH05131933A - Steering wheel for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate formation of a parting line between a pad part and a ring part, and improve the appearance by disposing a resilient body as a pad main body on a core member for forming a frame, and covering these integrally with a surface member. CONSTITUTION:A steering wheel 1 is composed of a ring part 2 and a pad part 3. In this case, a wheel main body is formed of a core member 4 as a frame, a hollow body of a resilient body disposed as a pad main body on the core member 4, and a surface member 6 disposed to cover these integrally. The core member 4 is formed of a ring core part 7 and a plural spoke core parts 8. The surface member 6 thus covers the hollow body 5 and the core member 4 integrally with a smooth and flat surface, so that the steering wheel 1 can be formed to be an integral mould for the appearance. Formation of a parting line between the pad part 3 and the ring part 2 can thus be eliminated, thereby the appearance can be improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a steering wheel of a vehicle, for example, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-275, one in which a sheet metal impact energy absorber is provided in a pad portion is proposed. By the way, the steering wheel as described above generally includes a pad portion and a ring portion arranged around the pad, but the pad portion is formed by covering the pad body with a skin. The ring portion is formed by covering a ring-shaped core material with a skin, and these are integrally connected using bolts or the like.

[0003]

However, in the above steering wheel, since the pad portion and the ring portion are separate parts, even if they are connected, a dividing line is formed between them. Is being done, which is making it look bad.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a steering wheel in which a dividing line between a pad portion and a ring portion is not formed.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention (first invention), a core material forming a skeleton, and an elasticity arranged as a pad main body on the core material. A steering wheel of a vehicle, comprising: a body; and a skin that integrally covers the elastic body and the core material. With the above-described structure, the elastic body and the core member are integrally covered with the outer skin, so that the steering wheel can be formed as an integrally formed product in appearance. Therefore, the dividing line can be prevented from being formed between the pad portion and the ring portion of the steering wheel. Moreover, in this case, since the pad main body is formed of the elastic body, the pad main body can have a shock absorbing function. Further, since the elastic body and the core member are integrally covered with the outer skin, the outer skin integrally connects the pad portion and the ring portion of the steering wheel. For this reason,
Parts such as bolts for connecting the pad portion and the ring portion of the steering wheel can be omitted, and the number of working steps can be reduced accordingly. Further, since the skin covers the elastic body and the core material as one body, the skin molding for the pad portion and the core material is simultaneously performed. Therefore, the number of man-hours required for forming the skin can be reduced.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a steering wheel according to this embodiment, and the steering wheel 1 is a ring portion 2.
And pad portion 3, which are shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, a core material 4 as a frame, a hollow body 5 that is an elastic body disposed on the core material 4 as a pad body, and a skin that integrally covers the hollow body 5 and the core material 4. 6 and 6.

More specifically, the core material 4 is disposed inside the steering wheel 1, and the core material 4 is provided.
Has a ring core 7 and a plurality of spoke cores (one of which is shown in FIG. 2) 8. The ring core portion 7 is formed in an annular shape so as to determine the framework of the outer diameter of the steering wheel 1. The outer peripheral surface of the ring core portion 7 itself increases the contact area with the skin 6 as much as possible. Therefore, a plurality of unevennesses 9 are formed in the circumferential direction around the axis. The plurality of spoke core portions 8 are arranged on the radially inner side of the ring core portion 7, and each of the plurality of spoke core portions 8 has its one end surrounded by the ring core portion 7. While being connected at points of people in the directions, the other ends thereof are gathered at the annular center of the ring core portion 7 to form a gathering portion 10 as shown in FIG. Has a steering shaft mounting hole 11. This plurality of spoke cores 8
2, is formed so as to be separated from the ring core portion 7 in the axial direction of the ring core portion 7 as it goes inward in the radial direction of the ring core portion 7, as shown in FIG. In the embodiment, the spoke core portion 8 is formed so as to largely drop in the vicinity of the center of the ring, and the space 12 that is largely retracted in the axial direction of the ring core portion 7 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hollow body 5 is placed on the core material 4 so as to fit in the space 12, and the surface of the hollow body 5 has a ring core portion 7. Are arranged so as to be slightly retracted toward the arrangement side of the space 12 with respect to the virtual plane formed by. The hollow body 5 is formed by blow molding using a thermoplastic resin such as P-PR, P-ET, or P-AB so as to have the through hole 13 and the hollow portion 14. The through hole 13 is formed so as to extend substantially in the axial direction of the ring core portion 7, and the lower end opening thereof has a fixing tool (for example, a nut) for fixing the steering shaft from the upper end opening side thereof. In order to enable use, a horn button 15 is provided at the upper end opening facing the steering shaft mounting hole 11 as shown in FIG. Hollow part 14
Is formed so as to be located around the through hole 13, and the hollow portion 14 secures a deformation space of the hollow body 5 in order for the hollow body 5 to exhibit a shock absorbing function.

The skin 6 is, as shown in FIGS.
The outer shape of the steering wheel 1 is formed by covering the hollow body 5 and the core material 4 by skin forming. The skin 6 covers the surface of the hollow body 5 to form the pad portion 3, and the ring core portion 7 and the spoke core portion 8 have a wall thickness as shown in FIG. The ring portion 2 is formed so as to cover it relatively thickly, and the skin 6 continuously straddles the pad portion 3 and the ring portion 2 in a smooth plane. In FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, 17 is a core cover made of a thermoplastic resin such as P-PR.

Therefore, the steering wheel 1
In the above, since the outer skin 6 has a smooth flat surface and integrally covers the hollow body 5 and the core material 4, the steering wheel 1 can be formed as an integrally formed product in terms of appearance. It is possible to prevent the division line from being formed between the portion 3 and the ring portion 2. Moreover, in this case, since the hollow body 5 is provided inside the pad portion 3, the hollow body 5 can ensure the shock absorbing function. Further, since the hollow body 5 and the core member 4 are integrally covered with the skin 6, the skin 6 integrally connects the pad portion 3 and the ring portion 2 of the steering wheel 1. For this reason, parts such as bolts for connecting the pad portion 3 and the ring portion 2 can be omitted, and accordingly, the number of working steps can be reduced. Further, since the outer skin 6 integrally covers the hollow body 5 and the core material 4, the pad portion 3
Also, the skin forming for the ring portion 2 is performed at the same time, and the man-hour for forming the skin can be reduced.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention includes the following. An airbag device should be provided in the hollow portion 14 of the hollow body 5. Use a cushion material such as sponge as the elastic body.

[0012]

As described above, the present invention can provide the steering wheel in which the pad portion has the shock absorbing function and the dividing line is not formed between the pad portion and the ring portion. Further, parts such as bolts for connecting the pad portion and the ring portion of the steering wheel can be omitted, and the number of working steps can be reduced accordingly. Furthermore, the number of man-hours required for forming the skin can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a steering wheel according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Steering Wheel 4 Core Material 5 Hollow Body 6 Outer Skin 11 Steering Shaft Mounting Hole 13 Through Hole 14 Hollow Part 15 Horn Button

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A core material forming a skeleton, an elastic body disposed as a pad body on the core material, and a skin covering the elastic body and the core material integrally. The steering wheel of the vehicle. 2. The elastic body according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body has a through hole and an annular hollow portion arranged around the through hole, and a lower end opening of the through hole is attached to a steering shaft. A steering wheel of a vehicle, characterized in that a horn button is disposed on the upper end opening side of the through-hole facing the use hole.