JPH0574535A - Cable reel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To freely divide the lead portion of a flexible cable as required and use a general connector for the connector to be fitted at the lead end. CONSTITUTION:A ribbon electric cable integrated with multiple round cables in a band shape is used as a flexible cable 22, and the flexible cable 22 is reversely wound on an outer tube section 26 and an inner tube section 27 via a reverse section 22H. The flexible cable 22 is led as it is from a lower case 20 and an upper case 21, and these lead portions are divided at the connection section of the round cables.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cable reel which is applied to a steering device of an automobile or the like and which electrically connects a fixed body and a movable body by using a flexible cable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cable reel has a fixed body and a movable body rotatably attached to the fixed body, which are connected by a flexible cable. It is used as an electrical connection means between a movable body and a fixed body whose rotation speed is finite.

9 to 11 show a conventional example of this type of cable reel, and FIG. 9 is a front view of the cable reel, and FIG.
FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the cable reel, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a connected state of the cable reel. In FIGS. 9 and 10, reference numeral 1 denotes a movable body, which is a large diameter portion 1a of the top surface.
And a small-diameter portion 1b vertically provided on the bottom surface of the large-diameter portion 1a. In the large-diameter portion 1a, a cylindrical inner cylindrical body 2 having a slit 2a is provided with a predetermined distance from the small-diameter portion 1b. It is fixed. Reference numeral 3 denotes a flat cable in which a plurality of parallel conductors (for example, 6) are laminated with two flexible base films such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). One end of the flat cable 3 has two lead portions. It is divided into 3a and 3b, whereby the 6 conductors are divided into 3 pieces. These lead-out portions 3a and 3b pass through the slit 2a of the inner cylindrical body 2 to reach the gap between the inner cylindrical body 2 and the small-diameter portion 1b, and then extend in a right angle direction through a 45-degree bending curve in this gap. And is extended to the outside of the movable body 1 from the take-out portion 4 provided in the large diameter portion 1a. Further, connectors 5 and 6 are attached to the tips of the lead-out portions 3a and 3b, and one connector 5 has three connection pins corresponding to the number of conductors, while the other connector 6 has more than three conductors. Also, there are four more connection pins, and a connector 8 is connected to the surplus connection pins via a lead wire 7 called a round wire cable in which a conductor wire is covered with an insulating tube.

On the other hand, 9 indicates a fixed body, and a central hole 9a into which the small diameter portion 1b is rotatably snapped in is formed in the center of the fixed body 9 and the flat cable 3 is housed on the outer periphery thereof. The outer cylinder wall 9b is provided upright. Also,
A notch 9c is formed in the upper part of the outer cylinder wall 9b, and
A guide portion 9d is formed obliquely downward from the cutout 9c. Further, a ring member 10 is interposed between the movable body 1 and the fixed body 7, and the ring member 10 has
An engaging portion 10a facing the inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall 9b with a predetermined space therebetween, and a restraining portion 10b facing the guide portion 9d.
And are formed. And the flat cable 3
The lead-out portion 3c at the other end of the
After being folded back at a right angle between the guide part 9d and the holding part 10b, it extends to the outside of the fixed body 7. A connector 11 having six connection pins corresponding to the number of conductors is attached to the tip of the lead-out portion 3c.

The cable reel thus constructed is
The movable body 1 is provided on the steering wheel side of the steering device, and the fixed body 7 is provided on the bearing side of the steering shaft.
Is installed and used. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the lead-out portions 3a and 3b of the flat cable 3 led out from the movable body 1 of the cable reel are connected to the connector 12 and the unit 2 of the unit 1 attached at appropriate positions on the steering wheel side. The connectors 13, 6 and 8 are connected to the connector 13 and the connector 14 of the unit 3, respectively. The unit 1 is, for example, a speed control switch or a radio switch, and these switches are connected to the three conductors of the lead-out portion 3a via the connector 12 and the connector 5. The unit 2 is, for example, an air bag detonator, and this switch is connected to the lead-out portion 3b via the connector 13 and the connector 6.
Connected to the two conductors of. Further, the unit 3 is, for example, a horn switch, and this switch is the connector 1
4, the connector 8, the lead wire 7, the jumper wire 15 attached to the connector 13 and the connector 6
Is connected to the remaining one conductor. On the other hand, the lead-out portion 3c of the flat cable 3 led out from the fixed body 7 is connected by connecting the connector 11 to the connector 16 of the unit 4, the connector 17 of the unit 5 and the connector 18 of the unit 6 attached to the vehicle body side. To be done. The unit 4 is a speed control circuit or radio circuit corresponding to the unit 1, the unit 5 is an airbag circuit corresponding to the unit 2, and the unit 6 is a horn circuit corresponding to the unit 3. As described above, the unit 1 on the rotor side is arranged. ，
2, 3 are electrically connected to the units 4, 5, 6 on the stator side via cable reels.

[0006] In use, when the steering wheel is rotated in one direction, the flat cable 3 is moved to the movable body 1.
When the steering wheel is rotated in the other direction, the flat cable 3 is rewound to the outer cylinder wall 9b side of the fixed body 7, and in any state, the steering wheel side The electrical connection between the various switches and the corresponding circuits on the vehicle body side is reliably maintained via the flat cable 3 of the cable reel.

[0007]

In the above-mentioned conventional cable reel, since the rotor and the stator of the steering device can be electrically connected by the single flat cable 3, a high reliability of connection can be obtained. You can However, a general connector cannot be directly connected to the flat cable 3 and a dedicated connector is required, which causes a problem of high cost.
Further, the breaking strength of the flat cable 3 is significantly reduced when the width dimension is reduced. Therefore, when connecting to the connector 14 for one circuit such as the unit 3, the connector 13 provided with the jumper wire 15 is required. From the point of view, the cost becomes high. Further, in consideration of mass production, the flat cable 3 is generally divided by using a mold, but there is a limit to the division length that can be formed by the mold, and therefore the flat cable 3 is derived from the fixed body 7. There is also a problem in that it is difficult to divide the portion that needs a sufficient length such as the portion 3c, and as a result, it is troublesome to arrange the lead wires on the steering device side.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances of the prior art, and an object thereof is to freely divide the lead-out portion of the flexible cable to the outside as needed and at a low cost. To provide a cable reel.

[0009]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fixed body, a movable body rotatably mounted on the fixed body, and any one of the fixed body and the movable body. A flexible cable housed in a space between an inner tubular portion provided on one side and an outer tubular portion provided on the other side, and the flexible cable includes the fixed body and the movable body. In the cable reel, which is fixed to and is led out to the outside, and a connector is connected to the ends of these lead portions,
As the flexible cable, a ribbon electric wire in which a plurality of round wire cables are integrated into a strip shape is used, and the ribbon electric wire is integrated in the space, and the inner tubular portion and the outer tubular portion are provided via a U-shaped reversing portion. It is characterized in that at least one of the lead-out portions is divided into a plurality of parts along the adjacent round cable while being wound in the opposite direction to the part.

[0010]

When the movable body is rotated in one direction, the flexible cable is wound around the inner cylinder portion or rewound onto the outer cylinder portion by moving the U-shaped reversal portion in the same direction. Here, the ribbon electric wire used as the flexible cable is a plurality of round wire cables integrated in a strip shape,
Although it is thicker than a flat cable, it is wound in opposite directions around the outer and inner cylinders via the reversing part, so the required length can be shortened and the cable reel becomes larger. There is no such thing. Also, the ribbon wire can be easily split along the joint of each round cable,
Even if it is divided into one round wire cable, it has sufficient breaking strength, and a general connector can be directly connected.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view of a cable reel according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cable reel, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the upper case of the cable reel with omission, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the lead-out portion of the ribbon wire on the upper case side,
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the lead-out portion of the lower side of the ribbon electric wire, FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the ribbon electric wire, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a connection state of the cable reel of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cable reel according to this embodiment includes a lower case 20 and the lower case 20.
An upper case 21 rotatably attached to the case and a flexible cable 22 for electrically connecting the cases 20 and 21 to each other.
And a moving body 23 arranged in both cases 20 and 21.

The lower case 20 has a bottom plate 25 having a center hole 24 formed in the center thereof, and an outer cylinder portion 26 provided upright on the outer periphery of the bottom plate 25, and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape as a whole. ing. On the other hand, the upper case 21 has a top plate 28 having an inner cylindrical portion 27 suspended in the center thereof.
4, the outer edge of the top plate 28 is rotatably connected to the lower case 20 by being guided by the outer cylindrical portion 26, and the bottom plate 25 of the lower case 20 and the outer cylindrical portion 26 are connected.
A ring-shaped space 29 in a plan view is defined by the inner cylinder portion 27 of the upper case 21 and the top plate 28.

The flexible cable 22, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of what is called a ribbon electric wire in which a plurality of round wire cables in which the conducting wire 30 is covered with an insulating tube 31 is integrated into a strip shape. In the present embodiment, a ribbon electric wire in which six round wire cables are integrated is used. There is. This flexible cable 2
One end of 2 is the first take-out body 3 fitted to the inner tubular portion 27.
It is fixed to 2 and is led out of the upper case 21 from the first take-out body 32. As shown in FIG. 5, the flexible cable 22 led out from the first take-out body 32 has a lead-out portion 22a in which three round wire cables are integrated and a lead-out portion in which two round wire cables are integrated. The connector 33 is divided into three parts, that is, the part 22b and the lead-out part 22c composed of one round wire cable. ，
34 and 35 are attached respectively. On the other hand, the other end of the flexible cable 22 is fixed to a second take-out body 36 fitted to the outer cylinder portion 26, and is led out of the lower case 20 from the second take-out body 36. .. As shown in FIG. 6, the flexible cable 2 led out from the second extraction body 36.
2 is a lead-out portion 33d in which three round wire cables are integrated.
And a lead-out portion 22e in which two round wire cables are integrated and a lead-out portion 22f composed of one round wire cable are divided into three portions, and each lead-out portion 22d, 22e, 22f.
Connectors 37, 38, 39 having connection pins corresponding to the number of round wire cables are attached to the tips of the respective. In addition, each round wire cable of the flexible cable 22 is not divided in the space 29, and as shown in FIG. 3, the first take-out body 32 to the outer peripheral wall of the inner cylindrical portion 27 is formed in the space 29. Is wound in a counterclockwise direction and is inverted in a U-shape from there (hereinafter, this is referred to as a reversing portion 22H), and is further wound in a clockwise direction around the inner peripheral wall of the outer tubular portion 26 so that the second extractor It is stored up to 36. The inverting portion 22H of the flexible cable 22 is looped to one open end of the moving body 23 having a C-shape in plan view, and the moving body 23 receives the force from the inverting portion 22H and the space 29. It is designed to move inside in the circumferential direction.

The cable reel thus constructed is
The upper case 21 is attached to the steering wheel side of the steering device, and the lower case 20 is attached to the bearing side of the steering shaft for use. In this case,
As shown in FIG. 4, each lead-out portion 22a, 22b, 2 of the flexible cable 22 led out from the upper case 21 of the cable reel.
2c is connected to the units 1, 2 and 3 attached at appropriate positions on the steering wheel side by connecting the respective connectors 33, 34 and 35 to the corresponding connectors 12, 13 and 14, and from the lower case 20. The lead-out portions 22d, 22e, 22f of the flexible cable 22 to be led out are
By connecting the respective connectors 37, 38, 39 to the corresponding connectors 16, 17, 18, they are connected to the units 4, 5, 6 attached at appropriate positions on the vehicle body side.

In use, when the steering wheel is rotated in one direction and the upper case 21 is rotated clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 3, the reversing portion 2 of the flexible cable 22 is rotated.
2H moves in the space 29 in the clockwise direction by a rotation amount smaller than that of the upper case 21, and the flexible cable 22 having a length equal to the movement amount is fed out from the outer tubular portion 26 side and the inner tubular portion 27.
It is tightened on the side. In this case, the moving body 23 is pressed by the reversing portion 22H that moves clockwise and moves in the same direction.

Contrary to the above, when the steering wheel is rotated in the other direction and the upper case 21 is rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 3, the reversing portion 22H is counterclockwise by a smaller rotation amount than the upper case 21. The flexible cable 22 having a length equal to the moving amount is unwound from the inner tubular portion 27 and rewound on the outer tubular portion 26. In this case, the moving body 23 is pressed by the reversing portion 22H that moves counterclockwise and moves in the same direction, and the flexible cable 27 wound around the inner cylindrical portion 27 by the inner peripheral surface of the moving body 23 is It is prevented from expanding outward in the radial direction. Therefore, the flexible cable 27 on the inner cylinder portion 27 side is reliably extended toward the reversing portion 22H without bulging outward in the radial direction, and the reversing portion 22H.
And is rewound to the outer cylinder portion 26 side.

The cable reel according to the above embodiment is required because the flexible cable 22 is wound around the outer cylinder portion 26 and the inner cylinder portion 27 in opposite directions via the reversing portion 22H. The length of the flexible cable 22 can be remarkably shortened. As a result, the diameter of the flexible cable 22 is large even though a ribbon electric wire having a thickness larger than that of a conventional flat cable is used as the flexible cable 22. Can be prevented.
Further, since the ribbon electric wire in which a plurality of round wire cables are integrated is used as the flexible cable 22, the connectors 33 to 35, 37 connected to both ends of each round wire cable are used.
A general connector can be used for ~ 39, and the cost can be reduced. Further, the ribbon electric wire can be easily divided without using a mold, and has sufficient breaking strength even when the round wire cable is divided into one piece. , 21 can be freely distributed in accordance with the steering wheel and the connecting portion on the vehicle body side, and the degree of freedom in design is greatly improved. Further, since one circuit between the steering wheel and the vehicle body can be directly connected via one round wire cable of the ribbon electric wire, an expensive connector with a jumper wire is not necessary, which also contributes to cost reduction. Can be achieved.

In the above embodiment, the case in which the lower case 20 is a fixed body and the upper case 21 is a movable body has been described. On the contrary, the upper case 21 is a fixed body and the lower case 20 is a fixed body. It can also be used as a movable body.

Needless to say, the number of circuits of the ribbon electric wire used as the flexible cable 22 is not limited to that in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the number of divisions of the lead-out portion of the ribbon electric wire and the distribution state are also required. It can be selected as appropriate. Furthermore, if the ribbon wire is divided into one round wire cable,
Instead of the connectors 35 and 39 attached to the tip, a connecting fitting (for example, a ring-shaped lug) may be caulked and fixed.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Not only can the lead-out portion of the flexible cable be freely divided as necessary, but an inexpensive and general connector can be used as a connector for connecting to an external device.
It is possible to provide an inexpensive cable reel with a high degree of freedom in design.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a cable reel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cable reel of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the upper case of the cable reel of FIG. 1 with a part thereof omitted.

4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

5 is an exploded perspective view showing a lead-out portion on the upper case side of a ribbon wire provided in the cable reel of FIG. 1. FIG.

6 is an exploded perspective view showing a lead-out portion on the upper case side of the ribbon wire provided in the cable reel of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a ribbon electric wire provided in FIG.

8 is an explanatory diagram showing a wire connection state of the cable reel of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a cable reel according to a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the cable reel of FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a wire connection state of the cable reel of FIG. 9.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 Lower Case (Fixed Body) 21 Upper Case (Movable Body) 22 Flexible Cable (Ribbon Wire) 22a to 22f Leading Part 22H Inversion Part 23 Moving Body 26 Outer Tube Part 27 Inner Tube Part 29 Space 30 Conductor Wire 31 Insulating Tube 32 First extractor 33-35, 37-39 Connector 36 Second extractor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed body, a movable body rotatably mounted on the fixed body, an inner cylinder portion provided on one of the fixed body and the movable body, and on the other side. A flexible cable housed in a space between the flexible cable and the outer cylindrical portion, and the flexible cable is guided to the outside in a state of being fixed to the fixed body and the movable body, and these derived portions are also provided. In a cable reel with a connector connected to the end of,
As the flexible cable, a ribbon electric wire in which a plurality of round wire cables are integrated into a strip shape is used, and the ribbon electric wire is integrated in the space, and the inner tubular portion and the outer tubular portion are provided via a U-shaped reversing portion. A cable reel, which is wound in the opposite direction to a portion and at least one of the lead-out portions is divided into a plurality along an adjacent round wire cable.