JPH0632458Y2 - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Purpose of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a steering wheel, and more particularly to a relay mechanism thereof.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, various switches 53 are provided on the pad portion 52 as shown in FIG. 8 along with the shift to electronics of automobiles, and these switches 53 and various electric devices installed on the body side ( (Not shown) is electrically connected by a signal line 65 to operate the electric device.

As shown in FIG. 9, since the signal line 65 is passed through the column portion 54 and the steering wheel 51, the boss plate 57 fixed to the boss portion 56 of the steering shaft 55 and the column portion 54 are normally connected. A relay mechanism 60 including a slip ring 58 and a contact pin 59 is incorporated between them.

Although various structures of the relay mechanism 60 have been proposed so far, the applicant of the present invention transmits a large number of signals to the pad section 52.
We have proposed a relay mechanism with the following structure for transmitting between the body and the body (prior art).

As shown in FIG. 10, one orbit circle R of the insulating substrate 62
Six signal line slip rings 58a are arranged on the upper side in an arc shape and insulated from each other, and one of the signal line slip rings 58a has a common line slip ring 58b having the same central angle as that of the signal line slip rings 58a. 1 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 11, the signal line slip ring 58 is used.
The signal line contact pin 59a is made to correspond to a to form a relay mechanism 60.

Through the relay mechanism 60, an electric device 64 mounted on the body 63 and a switch 53 provided on the pad portion 52 or the like are connected by a signal line 65.

Then, each signal line 65 is connected to the common line slip ring 58.
b, the common line contact pin 59b and the common line 66 incorporating the power source 67 are connected to form a signal circuit.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) According to this prior art, a large number of signals can be transmitted within the range of a specific rotation angle, and the relay mechanism 6 thereof can be transmitted.
Although there is an advantage that 0 can be made compact, only one common line slip ring 58b is provided on the inside of the signal line slip ring 58a on the insulating substrate 62, so that the common line slip ring 58b is arranged. There is an extra space S other than the installation area (see Fig. 10).
There is a problem.

Therefore, in order to make the relay mechanism 60 more compact by using the space S, another signal line slip ring 58c is arranged in the space S as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. When the steering wheel 51 is rotated by a predetermined rotation angle or more, the common line contact pin 59 is attached to the newly arranged signal line slip ring 58c.
There is a problem that b comes into contact and the signal path is crossed.

An object of the present invention is to dispose a signal line slip ring in the space so that more signals can be transmitted, and when the steering wheel is rotated more than a predetermined rotation angle, signal line crosstalk occurs. It is to provide a steering wheel equipped with a relay mechanism without any.

Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes two or more slip rings arranged in an insulated state on the same orbital circle,
Two or more contact pins that are in conductive contact with each slip ring, and a specific slip ring of the slip rings or a specific contact pin that is in sliding contact with the specific slip ring are displaced in the axial direction of the steering shaft. The technical mechanism is to construct a relay mechanism from the selective displacement means for preventing the specific contact pin from coming into contact with another slip ring, and to incorporate it into the steering wheel.

(Function) Since other slip rings are arranged in the same orbital circle in addition to the specific slip ring, when the steering wheel is rotated beyond a predetermined rotation angle range, the specific slip ring is in contact with the specific slip ring. The contact pin of this is likely to come into contact with other slip rings. However, at this time, the selective displacement means functions to displace the specific slip ring or the specific contact pin and disconnect the contact between the specific slip ring and another slip ring. Therefore, even when the steering wheel is rotated by a predetermined rotation angle or more while maintaining the function of transmitting many signals, there is no crosstalk in the signal path.

(First Embodiment) Next, a first embodiment embodying the present invention in which the selective displacement means is structured to displace a specific contact pin will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the steering wheel 22, a boss portion 3 is attached to an upper end portion of a steering shaft 2 that extends upward through the column portion 1. A boss plate 5 is welded and fixed to the upper outer peripheral portion of the boss portion 3, and a cam plate 4 as the selective displacement means B is integrally formed with the boss portion 3 on the lower outer peripheral portion.

The lower surface of the boss plate 5 is a flat substrate 1 having a brim shape.
3 is attached, and three arc-shaped slip rings 14 having the same central angle are arranged on the lower surface of the base plate 13 on the two inner and outer orbital circles R ₁ and R _{2 in such a} manner that they are insulated from each other (3). (Fig. 2).

In this embodiment, one of the slip rings 14 on the inner orbital circle R ₂ is used as a common line slip ring 15 of a plurality of signal paths described later. In this sense, in the present invention, the common wire slip ring 15 is referred to as a specific slip ring.

Of the slip rings 14, the slip rings other than the common line slip ring 15 function as signal line slip rings 16. In the present invention, these signal line slip rings 16 are referred to as other slip rings in correspondence with the common line slip ring 15. The common line 11 is connected to the common line slip ring 15, and the signal line 12 is connected to the signal line slip ring 16, and both of them form a wire harness 20.

The cam plate 4 has an actuating portion 4a that is thickly formed within a range of a central angle α that is substantially the same as the central angle of the common-line slip ring 15 or the signal-line slip ring 16.
Non-operation part 4 formed thinly at an angle of (360 degrees-α degrees)
b, and a predetermined height difference h is provided on the upper surfaces of both. The operating portion 4a is arranged so as to be in the same phase as the common wire slip ring 15.

Between the column portion 1 and the boss plate 5, a substantially hollow disk-shaped lower member 6 is supported on the column portion 1.

The upper member 6a of the lower member 6 is provided with a corresponding number of sliding holes 7 at positions overlapping the central portions of the two types of slip rings 15 and 16 when the vehicle is straight ahead. A contact pin 8 is inserted into the sliding hole 7 so that the contact pin 8 is in sliding contact with the two types of slip rings 15 and 16, and the contact pin 8 is formed together with the two types of slip rings 15 and 16. It constitutes the relay mechanism A of the invention.

Of the contact pins 8, one contact pin provided near the boss portion 3 is used as the common wire contact pin 9. In this sense, in the present invention, the common wire contact pin 9 is referred to as a specific contact pin.

The common wire contact pin 9 is pressed upward by the operating portion 4a so that the head portion 9a of the common wire slip ring 15 is brought into sliding contact with the common wire slip ring 15. Therefore, it can be said that the cam plate 4 is a cam that uses the common wire contact pin 9 as a slider. An annular projection 9b is formed at the lower end of the common wire contact pin 9, and a coil spring for urging the common wire contact pin 9 downward between the annular projection 9b and the upper member 6a. 21 is provided as a biasing member. The common wire contact pin 9 is insulated from the cam plate 4 so as to be non-conductive, and a common wire 11 is connected to the lower portion thereof.

Among the contact pins 8, a plurality of contact pins other than the signal line contact pins 9 are signal line contact pins 10.
Used as. In the present invention, the signal line contact pin 10 is referred to as another contact pin in correspondence with a specific contact pin.

In the signal line contact pin 10, its head 10
A coil spring 21 is externally inserted as a biasing member between a and the upper member 6a, and a signal line 12 is connected to the lower part.

Spokes 2 obliquely upward from the peripheral edge of the boss plate 5
5 extends, and a ring (not shown) is supported on the upper ends of the spokes 25.

Also, the pad portion 17 is fixed on the boss plate 5,
Switch 1 on the switch box 19 of the pad section 17
8 etc. are provided.

Also in this invention, as in the prior art shown in FIG. 11, the "switch 18-common wire slip ring 15-
Common wire contact pin 9-Power supply and electric equipment (not shown) installed on the body side-Signal wire contact pin 10-Signal wire slip ring 16-Switch 1
8 ”is formed via the signal lines 11 and 12. The electric device can be turned on and off by operating the switch 18. The horn switch may be provided on the spoke 25.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described. First, in the substrate 13 of the relay mechanism A, two inner and outer orbit circles R
_{1. Since} the signal line slip ring 16 is provided on R ₁ and R ₂ , it is possible to install a larger number of signal paths, unlike the prior art.

Next, it became possible to eliminate crosstalk in the signal path.
Specifically, when the vehicle is moving straight in steering operation, that is, the steering wheel 2
When 2 is in the neutral state, the common wire contact pin 9 is pressed upward by the operating portion 4a of the cam plate 4, and the central portion of the common wire slip ring 15 (the portion through which the straight line N in FIG. 2 passes). ) And contact it.

The signal line contact pin 10 is biased upward by the coil spring 21 and comes into sliding contact with the center portion of the corresponding slip ring 16. Therefore, the relay mechanism A operates normally unless the steering wheel 22 is turned to the right or left within a range that exceeds the half angle of the central angle α from the neutral position in the steering operation. It is possible to turn on and off electrical equipment.

However, if the steering wheel 22 is operated in a range exceeding the above angle when the vehicle approaches a mountain road,
As the boss 3 rotates, the cam plate 4 also rotates, and the biasing force of the coil spring 21 causes the common wire contact pin 9 to move to the cam plate 4 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. Sliding contact with the non-operating part 4b, the operating part 4a and the non-operating part 4b
The common wire contact pin 9 is at a lower position by the height difference h from and. Therefore, even if the rotation range of the steering wheel 22 becomes a predetermined rotation angle or more, and the common line contact pin 9 and the signal line slip ring 16 overlap each other in the axial center C direction of the steering shaft 2, both of them are arranged. Since the contact is broken, the relay mechanism A does not operate during that time, and the crosstalk of the signal path is avoided.

Therefore, it becomes possible to solve the problems caused by increasing the signal paths in the prior art.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment in which the selective displacement means is embodied in a structure such as a substrate of a slip ring will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

Also in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a relay mechanism A including a contact pin 8 and a slip ring 14 is provided between the column portion 1 and the boss plate 5.

However, in this relay mechanism A, the common line slip ring 15 disposed on the back surface of the substrate 13 is disposed so as to protrude below the signal line slip ring 16 by a height difference h.

In the common wire contact pin 9, the coil springs 21 are externally inserted on the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the upper member 6a of the lower member 6, respectively, and the common wire contact pin 9 is always installed with respect to the common wire slip ring 15. However, even if the common wire contact pin 9 overlaps the signal wire slip ring 16 in the axial center C direction of the steering shaft 2 by rotating the steering wheel 22 largely during steering operation, both The two coil springs 21 as biasing members are adjusted so that they do not contact each other.

Further, on the same orbital circle R ₂ , the common line slip ring 15 is adjacent to the signal line slip ring 1
6 is provided with a height difference h and a step is formed between the sliding contact surfaces of the two, but they are connected by a gentle slope made of an insulating material. Therefore, in this embodiment, the selective displacement means B is different from the common wire slip ring 15 in this embodiment.
Slip consisting of a combination of the substrate 13 itself that forms a height difference h between the signal line slip ring 16 and the slope and the coil spring 21 that displaces the signal line slip ring 16 following the slope. The ring mechanism is collectively referred to. In this embodiment, the substrate 1
3 also serves as the cam plate 4.

In the relay mechanism A having this structure, substantially the same operation and effect as in the first embodiment are exhibited. That is, when the steering wheel 22 is turned with a large turning angle,
The common wire contact pin 9 is disengaged from the common wire slip ring 15, but the coil spring 21 on the lower surface side of the upper member 6a prevents the common wire contact pin 9 from rising above a certain length. There is no contact with the wire slip ring 16. Therefore, even if the signal line contact pin 10 may come into contact with the common line slip ring 15, crosstalk does not occur in the signal path.

The signal line contact pin 10 adjacent to the common line contact pin 9 on the same orbital circle R ₂ smoothly transfers from the sliding contact surface of the signal line slip ring 16 to the sliding contact surface of the common line slip ring 15. Go on.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be embodied in the following modes, for example.

(1) When the turning angle becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value, an electromagnetic solenoid may be applied to the common wire contact pin 9 so that the common wire contact pin 9 does not come into contact with the signal wire slip ring 16. .

(2) In the first embodiment, the cam plate 4 is formed of a collar-shaped member having the same thickness as shown in FIG. 6, and the cam plate 4 is rotated while sandwiching the upper and lower surfaces of the cam plate 4 under the common wire contact pin 9. By attaching the guide member 23, the cam plate 4 may have a cam function using the common wire contact pin 9 as a slider.

(3) The relay mechanism A including the common wire contact pin 9 and the common wire slip ring 15 can be used as a ground path or a power supply path.

(4) The relay mechanism A may have a structure in which the slip ring 14 is provided on the boss plate 5 side and the contact pin 8 is provided on the column portion 1 side.

(5) Signal line contact pin 10 as shown in FIG.
The coil spring 21 can be interposed between the lower parts such as the above by accommodating them in an insulating casing 24.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the signal line contact pins 10 are housed in the casing 24, and the coil springs 21 are interposed between them.
Zero can be biased upwards.

(6) In the second embodiment, it is possible to use a mechanism for moving the common wire slip ring 15 up and down.

Effect of the Invention As described in detail above, the present invention transmits many signals from the pad side to the body side without causing crosstalk in the signal path even if the steering wheel is rotated beyond a predetermined rotation angle. It has an excellent effect that it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slip ring, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cam plate integrally attached to a boss portion, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the second embodiment, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part of the same embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another aspect of the cam plate, and FIG. 7 is a vertical section showing another aspect of the contact pin. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the steering wheel, FIG. 9 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the prior art, FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a main part of the prior art, and FIG. 11 is an electric circuit diagram of the prior art. . 1 ... Column part, 2 ... Steering shaft, 3 ... Boss part, 5 ... Boss plate, 8 ... Contact pin, 9 ... Specific contact pin (common wire contact pin), 10
… Other contact pins (contact pins for signal lines), 1
4 ... Slip ring, 15 ... Specific slip ring (common line slip ring), 16 ... Other slip ring (signal line slip ring), 17 ... Pad portion, 21 ...
Biasing means (coil spring), 22 ... steering wheel, A ... relay mechanism, B ... selective displacement means, C ... axial, R 2 _... trajectory yen,

Claims (4)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A steering wheel in which a relay mechanism (A) is incorporated between a column portion (1) and a pad portion (17), which are divided and arranged on the same orbital circle (R ₂ ) in an insulated state. Two or more slip rings (14), two or more contact pins (8) each of which makes conductive contact with each slip ring (14), and a specific slip ring (15) of the slip rings (14) or The specific contact pin (9) that is in sliding contact with the specific slip ring (15) is displaced in the direction of the axis (C) of the steering shaft (2) to move the specific contact pin (9) to another slip ring (9). 16) A steering wheel characterized in that the relay mechanism (A) is composed of a selective displacement means (B) which is not brought into contact with 16). 2. The selective displacement means (B) has a boss portion (3).
Claim 1 for a utility model which is a cam plate (4) fixed to the above and using the specific contact pin (9) as a follower.
The steering wheel according to item. 3. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the selective displacement means (B) is an electromagnetic solenoid connected to a specific contact pin (9). 4. The utility model registration wherein the selective displacement means (B) is a slip ring mechanism in which the specific slip ring (15) and another slip ring (16) are arranged so as to form a step. The steering wheel according to claim 1.