JPH06151028A - Relay device formed by using spiral wire - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce cost of a relay device by reducing a quantity of spiral wires being used. CONSTITUTION:The first case 1 and the second case 2 are combined with each other, and space is formed. The third cylindrical case 3 is housed in this space. The third case 3 can rotate freely with the axis of the first case 1 and the second case 2 as its center. A spiral wire 4 is wound in this third case 3, and respective end parts 4c and 4d of the spiral wire 4 are fixed respectively to the first case 1 and the second case 2. The spiral wire 4 has rigidity in an extending direction, and is installed so that the first surface 4a can face to the first case 1 and the second case 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a relay device using a spiral wire for supplying electric power to a rotating portion such as a steering wheel of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of technology is disclosed in, for example, SAIKAI Sho 53.
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 118243. In this conventional technique, a spiral wire which is flexible and formed so as to follow the rotation of the steering wheel is interposed between the steering wheel and the steering column, and the spiral wire is wound on the spiral wire. One or more conductors were provided along the direction, one end of the conductor was connected to the signal line of the handle and the other end of the conductor was connected to the corresponding signal line of the steering column.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the winding direction of the spiral wire is always directed in a fixed direction, sufficient rotation is achieved in the relay device using the spiral wire. A spiral wire of sufficient length was required to secure the allowable number of times. In the case of the above configuration, for example, when the spiral wire is rotated in the unwinding direction, the spiral wire eventually hits the inner wall of the case, and the spiral wire is stretched by its own rigidity, and further rotation is difficult. However, the number of rotations until the spiral wire hits the inner wall of the case is proportional to the length of the spiral wire.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and aims to ensure a sufficient allowable number of rotations even when a spiral wire having a short overall length is used. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a first case and a second case, at least one of which is rotatably combined with each other, and a first case and a second case are housed in a space formed by the first case and the second case. A cylindrical third case rotatable about an axis of the case, and a third case that is wound inside the third case and faces the same side of each end to the first case and the second case, respectively. And a spiral wire that is fixed in place and has rigidity in the extension direction, and a relay device using the spiral wire.

Further, for the purpose of appropriately rewinding the spiral wire by intermittently rotating the third case, as an embodiment of the first invention, at least the first case and the second case are provided. One has a convex portion and the third
There is provided a relay device using a spiral wire, wherein the case has a rotating body at a position where it does not interfere with the spiral wire, and the rotating body contacts the convex portion to intermittently rotate the third case.

To achieve the same object, as another embodiment of the first invention, one of the first case and the second case has a convex portion and the other has a concave portion, and the third case has a pin. And the pin cooperates with the projection and the recess to form a third
Provided is a relay device using a spiral wire configured to rotate a case intermittently.

Further, for the purpose of smoothly rotating the third case, the second invention comprises a first case and a second case in which at least one is rotatably combined with each other. A third case that is housed in a space formed by the first case and the second case and that is formed into a cylindrical shape that is rotatable about an axis of the first case and the second case and that has a roller; and the third case. A spiral wire which is wound inward and folded back by the roller and fixed at its ends to the first case and the second case, respectively, and a third case is biased in the unwinding direction from the wound state of the spiral wire. Provided is a relay device using a spiral wire including a spring.

[0008]

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a first case fixed to a rotating portion such as a steering wheel of an automobile, and 2 is a second case fixed to a fixed portion such as a steering shaft of an automobile. The first case 1 and the second case 2 are combined with each other, and the first case 1 is configured to be rotated by steering the steering wheel. Further, 3 is a cylindrical third case, 4 is a spiral wire, and 5 is a leaf spring. The third case 3 is housed in a space formed when the first case 1 and the second case 2 are combined with each other.
Also, it is rotatable about the axis of the second case 2. The spiral wire 4 is made by sandwiching a conductive ribbon material such as copper between films such as polyethylene elephthalate film (PET), and has rigidity in the extension direction and elasticity in the thickness direction. There is.

The spiral wire 4 is gently wound in the third case 3, and when the surfaces indicated by symbols 4a and 4b in FIG. 1 are the first surface and the second surface, respectively, the end portions are Four
c and 4d are fixed so that the first surface 4a faces the first case 1 and the second case 2, respectively. Also leaf spring 5
Is provided on the inner peripheral surface 3a of the third case 3, prevents the spiral wire 4 from adhering to the inner peripheral surface 3a of the third case 3 and increases friction, and rewinds the spiral wire 4 We are taking into consideration that it will be carried out smoothly. The leaf spring 5 may be replaced with other means as long as the same function can be achieved.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment having the above construction will be described. For example, if you turn the steering wheel of a car to the right,
The first case 1 rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. The spiral wire 4 has rigidity in the extension direction. Therefore, as the first case 1 rotates in the direction of arrow A, a force acts in the direction of arrow C in FIG. It will be returned. When the steering wheel of the automobile is rotated counterclockwise, the first case 1 rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. The spiral wire 4 is
Along with this, a force acts in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 1, and the first case 1 is wound.

[0011]

[Second Embodiment] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described above, and the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In the figure, reference numeral 6 is a second case, and seven convex portions 6a are provided around the lower portion of the inner peripheral surface 6b. Further, 7 is a third case, and three rotating bodies 8 are provided in the lower part. The rotating body 8 has a disk-shaped main body 8a having a small friction coefficient, and an adhered portion 8b having a large friction coefficient formed on the outer periphery of the main body 8a.
The rotating body 8 and the convex portion 6a are arranged at substantially equal intervals, and the arrangement pitch is the rotating body 8 and the convex portion 6a.
It is different in a.

The operation of the second embodiment having the above-described structure is basically the same as that of the first embodiment described above, but the second embodiment includes the rotating body 8, and the rotating body 8 has a convex portion. The third case 7 is rotated when intermittently contacting the 6a.

[0013]

Third Embodiment FIGS. 5 to 8 show a third embodiment of the present invention. This third embodiment also has substantially the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described above, and the same components are designated by the same symbols and the description thereof is omitted. In the figure, 9 is the first
It is a case, and the lower end 9b is provided with one protrusion 9a. Further, 10 is a second case, and three recesses 10a are provided under the inner peripheral surface 10b. Reference numeral 11 is a third case, and two pins 12 are provided at the lower positions facing each other. The pin 12 is recessed by the compression spring 13
It is pressed to the a side. The pins 12 are arranged at opposite positions, that is, at intervals of about 180 degrees, and three recesses 10a are arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the second case 10 at intervals of about 120 degrees.

The operation of the third embodiment having the above construction is basically the same as that of the above-mentioned first embodiment, but the third embodiment is provided with the pin 12, and the convex portion 9a is provided with the pin 12. The third case 11 is rotated when it is pushed intermittently. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. For example, when the first case 9 rotates in the direction of arrow E in FIGS. 7 and 8, while the protrusion 9a of the first case 9 pushes the pin 12 as shown in FIG.
The case 11 rotates in the same direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, when the pin 12 is fitted into the concave portion 10a of the second case 10, the convex portion 9a of the first case 9 is disengaged from the pin 12 and the third portion is removed.
The rotation of the case 11 stops. For example, when the first case 9 makes a half turn from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the right as shown by the arrow R, the convex portion 9a hits the pin 12 at the point P on the right side and pushes the pin 12. The pin 12 is pushed by the convex portion 9a to reach the Q point which is rotated by about 60 degrees from the P point, fits into the concave portion 10a, and comes off the convex portion 9a. When the first case 9 further makes a half rotation, the convex portion 9a abuts the left pin 12. In this way, the convex portion 9a pushes one of the two pins 12 every half rotation of the first case 9 having the convex portion 9a, and the third case 11 rotates about 60 degrees each time. . That is, the third case 11 rotates intermittently as the first case 9 rotates.

[0015]

Fourth Embodiment FIGS. 9 to 11 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 14 is the first case,
Reference numeral 15 is a second case, both of which are combined with each other, and the first case 14 is configured to rotate by steering of the steering wheel. 16 is a cylindrical third case, 17
Is a spiral wire, 18 is a spring, and 19 is a cover. The third case 16 has a roller 16a,
It is rotatably supported by the inner peripheral portion of the first guide portion 15a provided on the second case 15. The spiral wire 17 has one end 1
7a is fixed to the first guide portion 15a of the second case 15,
The intermediate portion 17b is wound around the outer peripheral surface 16b of the third case 16 and folded back by the roller 16a, and then the second case 15
Is wound around the second guide portion 15b and the other end 17c is fixed to the first case 14. The spiral wire 17 does not require the rigidity as in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the material may be appropriately selected. Further, the spring 18 has one end 18a at the roller 1
6a and the other end 18b
It is fixed to the case 15, and the third case 16 is biased in the direction in which the spiral wire 17 is unwound, that is, in the direction of arrow F in FIG.

Next, the operation of the fourth embodiment having the above construction will be described. For example, when the steering wheel of the automobile is rotated clockwise from the neutral position, the first case 14 rotates in the direction of arrow G in FIG. Along with this, the spiral wire 17 is pulled in the direction of arrow I in FIG. 9 and is wound around the first case 14. When the handle is returned to the neutral position from this state, the spiral wire 17
Is unwound from the first case 14 by the restoring force of the spring 18. When the steering wheel of the automobile is rotated counterclockwise from the neutral position, the first case 14 rotates in the direction of arrow H in FIG. At this time as well, the spiral wire 17 is pulled in the direction of the arrow I in FIG. The winding direction is opposite to the above case.

[0017]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the spiral wire having rigidity in the extension direction is gently wound in the third case, and the same side surface of each end of the spiral wire is provided in the first case and the second case. By facing and fixing each case, the total length of the spiral wire can be shortened, and the amount of expensive spiral wire used can be reduced.

Further, as an embodiment of the above-mentioned first invention, the spiral wire can be appropriately rewound by intermittently rotating the third case using a rotating body or a pin.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a roller for folding back the spiral wire is provided in the third case, and the third case is urged by a spring in a direction to rewind the spiral wire. The spiral wire can be smoothly rotated, and the spiral wire does not require rigidity in the extension direction, and the material of the spiral wire can be freely selected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line WW of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line YY of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the one shown in FIG. 5, showing a state in which the convex portion pushes the pin.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of what is shown in FIG. 5, showing a state in which the convex portion is disengaged from the pin.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line ZZ shown in FIG.

11 is an exploded perspective view of what is shown in FIG. 9. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,9,14 1st case 2,6,10,15 2nd case 3,7,11,16 3rd case 4,17 Spiral wire 5 Leaf spring 8 Rotating body 12 pin 18 Spring 6a, 9a Convex part 10a Recessed part 16a roller

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Honjo Kazumi 5-28-6 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo Nile Parts Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuo Miyase 5-28-6 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo Nye Rusu Parts Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first case and a second case, at least one of which is rotatably combined with each other, and a first case and a second case which are housed in a space formed by the first case and the second case. A cylindrical third case rotatable about an axis, and a third case that is wound inside the third case and is fixed so that the same side surface of each end faces the first case and the second case, respectively. And a spiral wire having rigidity in the extension direction, and a relay device using the spiral wire. 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first case and the second case has a convex portion, and the third case has a rotating body at a position where it does not interfere with the spiral wire. Then, the rotating body comes into contact with the convex portion and the third
A relay device that uses a spiral wire to rotate the case intermittently. 3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein one of the first case and the second case has a convex portion and the other has a concave portion, and the third case has a pin, and the pin has a convex portion. And a relay device using a spiral wire configured to rotate the third case intermittently in cooperation with the recess. 4. A first case and a second case, at least one of which is rotatably combined with each other, and a first case and a second case which are housed in a space formed by the first case and the second case. A third case, which has a cylindrical shape rotatable about an axis and has a roller, and a third case which is wound in the third case and folded back by the roller so that each end portion is the first case and the second case. A relay device using a spiral wire, comprising: a spiral wire fixed to each case; and a spring for urging the third case in the unwinding direction from the wound state of the spiral wire.