JPH05278619A - Shock absorbing steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a shock absorbing steering wheel which can improve the protecting performance of passenger at collision without giving a limit to self-aligning function nor requiring a single shock absorbing member. CONSTITUTION:A shock absorbing steering wheel 4 has a rim 4, two horizontal arms 7, 7, and a central arm 8, one end of each arm is connected to the rim 4, and the other end is connected to a boss plate 6. The central arm 8 has a curved part 14 formed as turning down from the upper side to the lower side, and the curved part 14 has two slits. Even if a shock load is added to the vicinity of the connecting part with the central arm 8 of the rim 4 at collision, thus, the curved part 14 having the slits is deformed by the load to absorb the shock load, and significant self-aligning function for improving the protecting performance of passenger can be provided. This steering wheel requires no single shock absorbing member and is economic.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shock absorbing steering wheel used in an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway schematic side view showing a state in which an occupant 3 is seated in a driver's seat 2 of an automobile 1. A shock absorbing steering wheel 4 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is provided in front of the occupant 3. Conventionally, in the shock absorbing steering wheel 4, the rim 5 and the boss plate 6 are connected by the lateral arms 7 and 7 and the central arm 8, and the arms 7, 7 and 8 are fragile portions shown by hatching. 9 are provided respectively, and are configured roughly. With this configuration, the steering wheel 4 is provided with a self-aligning function of easily plastically deforming the fragile portion 9 when a load is applied to the arm. With this function, it is possible to buffer the impact on the steering wheel of the occupant in the event of an automobile collision.

However, in the steering wheel having the three spokes, that is, the arms as described above, the central arm 8 is connected to the lower end of the boss plate 6, so that the normal use is not hindered. Some strength was required. Therefore, the self-aligning function has a certain limit. Further, conventionally, in order to more effectively absorb the impact at the fragile portion 9 of the central arm 8, it has been necessary to additionally provide a single impact absorbing member 10 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Another example in which this type of shock absorbing member is attached to a shock absorbing steering wheel is also disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-99775. Further, the provision of these shock absorbing members has contributed to an increase in the manufacturing cost of the shock absorbing steering wheel.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to protect the occupant in the event of a frontal collision of an automobile without limiting the self-aligning function and requiring a single shock absorbing member. It is to provide a shock absorbing steering wheel capable of

[0005]

As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention has a rim and a plurality of arms, one end of the arms is connected to the rim, and the other end is the rim. In the shock absorbing steering wheel connected to the boss plate arranged in the central part of the, a curved portion that is folded back is provided in the middle of one arm from the connection portion with the rim to the connection portion with the boss plate, and A slit is formed in the curved portion.

[0006]

With the above-described structure, even if the occupant's body collides with the rim and a shock load is applied to the arm having the curved portion in the case of a frontal collision of an automobile, the strength of the curved portion is increased by the slit of the curved portion. Since the arm is weakened, the arm can be deformed at this curved portion to absorb and relax the impact load.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the same members as those in the above figures are designated by the same reference numerals.

1 to 3, the shock absorbing steering wheel 4 comprises an annular rim 5, three arms, two lateral arms 7, 7 and one central arm 8.
And a boss plate 6 arranged in the center of the rim 5,
One end of each arm 7, 7, 8 is connected to the back side of the rim 5, and the other end is connected to the boss plate 6 by welding. A boss 11 is fixed to the boss plate 6, and the tip of the steering column 12 is connected to the boss 11. This connection is performed by screwing a nut 13 into a screw groove formed at the tip of the steering column 12 protruding from the boss 11.

The central arm 8 has a curved portion on the way from the connecting portion with the rim 5 to the connecting portion with the boss plate 6.
14 are formed. The curved portion 14 is formed so that the central arm 8 wraps around from the upper side to the lower side, that is, as apparent from the plan view of FIG. 2, the portion that abuts on the boss plate 6 when viewed from above overlaps. Has been done. The curved portion 14 is provided with two slits 15 and 15 along the curved portion. Therefore, the strength of the central arm 8 is weakened in the curved portion 14 provided with these slits 15, 15. On the other hand, the strength of the lateral arms 7, 7 is set so that they can withstand normal use.

2 and 3, the holes 16 and 17 formed in two portions of the central arm 8 on the extension line of the steering column 12 are as follows.
This is a so-called working hole for screwing the nut 13 onto the tip of the steering column 12.

In the above structure, as shown in FIG. 4, in the case of a frontal collision of an automobile, for example, the impact load indicated by the arrow F is applied to the lower end of the rim 5, that is, in the vicinity of the connecting portion with the central arm 8. Then, the impact load is absorbed while the curved portion 14 is deformed so as to be broken by this load. At the same time, the rim 5 rotates clockwise in the drawing with the connecting portion with the lateral arms 7, 7 as a fulcrum. In this way, since the curved portion 14 of the central arm 8 absorbs the impact load, a large self-aligning function can be obtained, and it is not necessary to provide a single impact absorbing member.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the occupant's head 18 is swung in the direction of the steering wheel 4 due to the impact of the collision, and passes through the space of the rim 5 and the curved portion 14 of the central arm 8.
Or, even if it hits in the vicinity thereof, since the curved portion 14 absorbs the impact, it is unlikely to cause a serious accident.

[0013]

As is apparent from the above description, a curved portion is provided in the middle of the central arm from the connecting portion with the rim to the connecting portion with the boss plate, and a slit is formed in the curved portion. Therefore, even if the occupant's body collides with the rim and an impact load is applied to the arm having a curved portion in the case of a frontal collision of an automobile, the strength of the arm is weakened by the slit of the curved portion. Can be deformed at this curved portion to absorb and relax the impact load. Also, a large self-aligning function can be obtained, and the occupant protection performance in the event of a collision can be enhanced. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide a single shock absorbing member, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a shock absorbing steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of what is shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially omitted perspective view of what is shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state at the time of a collision of the shock absorbing steering wheel of FIG.

5 is a side view showing a state following the state shown in FIG. 4. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state following the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway side view showing an automobile equipped with a shock absorbing steering wheel.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a conventional shock absorbing steering wheel.

9 is a plan view of that of FIG. 8. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a shock absorbing member applied to a conventional shock absorbing steering wheel.

11 is a perspective view of the shock absorbing member shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Steering wheel 5 Rim 6 Boss plate 7 Horizontal plate 8 Center plate 11 Boss 12 Steering column 14 Curved part 15 Slit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shock absorbing steering wheel having a rim and a plurality of arms, wherein one end of the arm is connected to the rim and the other end is connected to a boss plate arranged at the center of the rim. A shock absorbing steering wheel characterized in that a curved portion which is folded back is provided in the middle of one of the arms from a connecting portion with a rim to a connecting portion with the boss plate, and a slit is formed in the curved portion. .