JPH07282936A - Rotary connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To restrain an elastic tongue piece to be bonded for the purpose of prevention of reverse buckle from being peeled from a flexible cable so as to provide a rotary connector with high reliability of connection. CONSTITUTION:A flexible cable 3 is reversely wound via a reversal portion 3a inside a ring-like space 14 defined between an outside cylindrical portion 6 of a first housing 1 and an inside cylindrical portion 13 of a second housing 2. An elastic tongue piece 17 for preventing buckle is bonded to the connected portion of the flexible cable 3 to the inside cylindrical portion 13. A portion for weakening rigidity in the longitudinal direction of the elastic tongue piece is formed in the vicinity of the tip of the elastic tongue piece.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary connector incorporated in a steering device of an automobile and used as an electrical connecting means for an air bag system or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of rotary connector, a fixed body and a movable body which is rotatably mounted on the fixed body are connected by a flexible belt-shaped cable. There are two types according to the method of winding the sex cable. 1
One is a flexible cable wound in a spiral between a movable body and a fixed body, and the other is a flexible cable wound in a reverse direction around the movable body and the fixed body. However, in the latter case, various types of rotary connectors of the latter type have been proposed in recent years because the length of the flexible cable required in the latter case can be shortened to reduce the cost. 11 and 12 are plan views showing a schematic configuration diagram of a rotary connector previously proposed by the present applicant, FIG. 11 showing a winding neutral position of a flexible cable, and FIG. 12 showing a flexible cable. This is the latter type in which the flexible cable is wound in the opposite direction, showing the unwound state, respectively. As shown in FIG.
In the center of the first housing 100 having a
A second housing 101 having 01a is rotatably mounted, and a belt-shaped flexible cable 102 is housed in an annular space defined between the first housing 100 and the movable body. Has been done. This flexible cable 10
Both ends of 2 are led to the outside of the first housing 100 and the second housing 101 while being fixed to the outer tubular portion 100a and the inner tubular portion 101a, respectively, and are connected to the outer tubular portion 100a in the space. It is housed in the inner tubular portion 101a with the winding direction reversed, and a U-shaped reversing portion 102a is formed at a position where the winding direction is changed.
In addition, an elastic piece 103 made of synthetic resin is attached near the fixed portion of the flexible cable 102 to the inner tube portion 101a, and the elastic tongue piece 103 partially improves the rigidity of the flexible cable 102. Have been raised. Further, a moving body 104 is rotatably arranged in the space, and the moving body 104 has a plurality of pins 105a on its upper surface.
And a ring-shaped rotary plate 105 in which one fixed cylinder 105b is erected, and a roller group 106 rotatably supported by each pin 105a. The above-mentioned inversion portion 102a of the flexible cable 102 is the fixed tube 10
5b and a roller 106 that faces the roller 5b (hereinafter, this roller is referred to as a reversing roller and is denoted by reference numeral 106A).

The rotary connector thus constructed is used by being incorporated in a steering device of an automobile (not shown). For example, the first housing 100 is fixed to the steering column to become a fixed body, and the second housing 101 is provided.
Is fixed to the steering wheel and becomes a movable body. Then, when the second housing 101 is rotated clockwise from the neutral position in FIG. 11 in conjunction with the steering wheel, the reversing portion 102a of the flexible cable 102 is moved in the space by a rotation amount smaller than that of the second housing 101. Of the roller group 1 by moving in the clockwise direction and following the reversing portion 102a.
06 and the rotary plate 105 also move in the clockwise direction, and the flexible cable 102 having a length about twice the amount of these movements is attached to the outer tubular portion 1.
00a and is wound around the inner cylindrical portion 101a. In this case, the reversing part 102a is separated from the fixed cylinder 105b and is in contact with the reversing roller 106A, and the inner cylinder part 10a.
Since it is fed out in the direction 1a, the reversing roller 106A revolves in the clockwise direction while rotating in the counterclockwise direction, and the outer cylindrical portion 1
The flexible cable 102 wound around 00a is smoothly drawn out in the direction of the reversing portion 102a, and is tightly wound around the inner tubular portion 101a.

On the contrary, when the second housing 101 rotates counterclockwise from the neutral position in FIG. 11 in conjunction with the steering wheel, the reversing portion 102a of the flexible cable 102 and the moving body 104 move to the second position. Is moved in the same direction by a smaller rotation amount than the housing 101 of
A flexible cable having a length of double is unwound from the inner cylinder portion 101a and rewound on the outer cylinder portion 100a, and the unwound state shown in FIG. 12 is obtained. In this case, the flexible cable 102 wound around the inner cylinder portion 101a swells to the outside in the radial direction to some extent, but each group of rollers 106 and the fixed cylinder 105b prevent the flexible cable 102 from further bulging. Also, the reversing unit 102
Although a is separated from the reversing roller 106A and is extended toward the outer cylinder portion 100a while contacting the fixed cylinder 105b, the contact resistance between the two is extremely small, so that the flexible cable 102 wound around the inner cylinder portion 101a is smooth. Inversion part 1
It is fed out in the 02a direction and is rewound on the outer tubular portion 100a.

As described above, the rotary connector is used by being incorporated in a steering device of an automobile. Before the assembling, the rotation of the second housing 101 is smooth, or the second housing 101 is rotated. It is used for various inspection processes such as whether the rotation amount is appropriate. that time,
An operator attaches the second housing 101 to the flexible cable 10
When it is rotated in the unwinding direction of 2, as shown in FIG.
The flexible cable 102 is completely rewound to the outer tubular portion 100a side at the rewinding end position, and the winding portion around the inner tubular portion 101a is eliminated. From this state, the second housing 10
When 1 is mistakenly over-rotated in the same direction, a force to invert the flexible cable 102 at the connecting portion with the inner tubular portion acts, but the flexible cable 102 at that portion is moved by the elastic tongue piece 103. Due to the increased rigidity, bending of the flexible cable 102 is prevented and the reliability of the connection is maintained.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-described conventional rotary connector, when the flexible cable 102 reaches the end position of the rewinding, the elastic tongue piece 103 attached to the flexible cable 102 is reversed. It is looped by the roller 106A to become the reversing portion 102a, and the radius of curvature of the elastic tongue 103 becomes smaller. Therefore, if the unwinding and tightening operations of the flexible cable 102 are repeated many times, the elastic tongue 103
Is easily peeled off from the flexible cable 102, and finally the tip portion of the elastic tongue 103 is completely peeled off from the flexible cable 102 as shown in FIG. There was a problem of disappearing.

The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances of the prior art as described above, and an object thereof is to prevent the elastic tongue from peeling off from the flexible cable and to improve the connection reliability. To provide a high rotating connector.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a first housing having an outer tubular portion,
A second housing having an inner tubular portion rotatably mounted on the first housing, and a belt-like member housed in an annular space defined between the outer tubular portion and the inner tubular portion. Flexible cable and a substantially annular moving body having an opening rotatably arranged in the space, the flexible cable being inverted at the opening of the moving body to form the inner tubular portion. In the rotary connector, the flexible cable is wound in the opposite direction to the outer tubular part and the both ends of the flexible cable are fixed to the first housing and the second housing and electrically led to the outside. A tongue piece is fixed to a portion of the flexible cable extending from the inner cylindrical portion, and a tongue piece is provided with a portion having low longitudinal rigidity.

[0009]

Since the elastic tongue is provided with a portion having a low rigidity in the longitudinal direction, even if the elastic tongue bends sharply along the reversing roller, the elastic tongue easily bends at a portion with low rigidity, The force of peeling the elastic tongue from the flexible cable is weakened, preventing the elastic tongue from peeling. As a result, the rotation of the movable body is not hindered.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a plan view showing a winding neutral position of a rotary connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the rotary connector, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary connector, and FIG. It is a top view which shows the rewinding state of the 1st rotary connector, and a part of 1st housing is abbreviate | omitted in FIG.1 and FIG.4.

As shown in these drawings, the rotary connector according to the present embodiment includes a first housing 1, a second housing 2 rotatably mounted on the first housing 1, and a second housing 2. The flexible cable 3 is housed between the housings 1 and 2 and the moving body 4 is rotatably arranged between the housings 1 and 2.

The first housing 1 is composed of an upper case 7 in which an outer tubular portion 6 hangs on the outer peripheral edge of a top plate 5, and a lower cover 8 joined and integrated with the lower end of the outer tubular portion 6. ing. Center holes 9 and 10 are formed at the centers of the top plate 5 and the lower cover 8 of the upper case 7, and a ring-shaped guide groove 11 is provided on the lower surface of the lower cover 8. On the other hand, the second housing 2 is formed of a tubular body having a shaft insertion hole 12 in the center, and the upper and lower ends of the outer peripheral edge are guided by the center holes 9 and 10 of the upper case 7 and the lower cover 8, respectively. One housing 1 is rotatably connected. The outer peripheral surface of the second housing 2 is an inner tubular portion 13, and the outer tubular portion 6 and the lower cover 8 of the top plate on the first housing 1 side and the inner tubular portion 13 on the second housing 2 side. A space 14 having a ring shape in plan view is defined between and.

The flexible cable 3 is called a strip-shaped flat cable in which conductors parallel to each other are laminated with a pair of insulating films. In the case of the present embodiment, a flat cable for five circuits in which five conductors are embedded is used. Is used. One end of the flexible cable 3 is connected to a first connector 15 fixed to the outer tubular portion 6 and is led out of the first housing 1 via the first connector 15. On the other hand, the other end of the flexible cable 3 is connected to a second connector 16 fixed to the inner tubular portion 13, and is led out of the second housing 2 via the second connector 16. . As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible cable 3 is wound around the inner wall of the outer tubular portion 6 from the first connector 15 in a counterclockwise direction and is inverted in a U-shape from there (hereinafter, this is referred to as an inversion portion). 3a), and is further housed in the space 14 so as to be wound clockwise around the outer wall of the inner cylindrical portion 13 to reach the second connector 16. Further, an elastic tongue piece 17 made of a synthetic resin having high flexibility such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is attached to the flexible cable 3 in the vicinity of the inner tube portion 13, and together with the flexible cable 3. It is wound around the inner tubular portion 13. This elastic tongue 17
Is provided to prevent buckling of the flexible cable.

The movable body 4 has a ring-shaped rotary plate 20 having a plurality of pins 18 and a fixed cylinder 19 provided on the upper surface thereof.
A roller group 21 is rotatably supported by each pin 18, and a roller 21 that faces the fixed cylinder 19 through the opening 22 of each roller 21 group is a reversing roller (hereinafter, reference numeral 21A is referred to as a reversing roller). Attached). As shown in FIG. 1, a first rib 23 is erected on the inner peripheral edge of the rotary plate 20, and the first rib 23 is provided between the reversing roller 21A and the roller 21 adjacent thereto, and the fixed cylinder 19. It is formed with a slight clearance between the roller 21 and the roller 21 adjacent thereto and between the other rollers. Further, the rotary plate 20 is provided with second ribs 24 located near both ends of the first rib 23.
4 functions as an auxiliary rib that substantially reduces the clearance. The moving body 4 configured as described above is arranged in the space 14 and is guided rotatably in the radial direction of the space 14 by fitting the rotating plate 20 into the guide groove 11 of the lower cover 8. . Further, the reversing portion 3a of the flexible cable 3 described above passes through the opening 22 between the fixed cylinder 19 and the reversing roller 21A, and the reversing roller 21A.
The first rib 23 and the second rib 24 prevent the reversing portion 3a from being accidentally looped by a roller 21 other than the reversing roller 21A during assembly.

The elastic tongue piece 17 is provided with a notch 17a in the width direction at a distance from the tip of the elastic tongue piece 1/4 of the circumference of the reversing roller 21A. Prevents peeling from the flexible cable 3 when bent.

Next, the operation of the rotary connector according to the above embodiment will be described by taking the case where the first housing 1 is used as a fixed body and the second housing 2 is used as a movable body as an example. In this case, after the cable reel has undergone the inspection process described below, the first housing 1 is fixed to the steering device steering column side, and the lead wire led out from the upper case 7 is attached to the vehicle body side airbag. It is connected to a drive circuit and a horn circuit. The second housing 2 is connected to a steering shaft, a steering wheel, etc., and lead wires led out from the second housing 2 are connected to an airbag inflator, a horn switch, etc. mounted on the steering wheel side.

In use, when the handle is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, the rotational force is applied to the second housing 2.
And the second housing 2 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise. For example, from the neutral position shown in FIG.
When the housing 2 of FIG. 3 rotates clockwise, the reversing portion 3a of the flexible cable 3 moves clockwise by a smaller rotation amount than the second housing 2, and the reversing roller 22A is pulled by the reversing portion 3a, so The rotating plate 20 also moves in the clockwise direction following the portion 3a, and the flexible cable 3 having a length about twice the moving amount thereof is fed out from the outer tubular portion 6 side to form a peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 13. Is fastened to. In this case, the reversing portion 3a is separated from the fixed cylinder 19 and is fed toward the inner cylindrical portion 13 while contacting the reversing roller 22A, so that the reversing roller 22A rotates counterclockwise and is wound around the outer cylindrical portion 6. The flexible cable 3 comes into contact with the group of rollers 22 and rotates them in a counterclockwise direction so that the flexible cable 3 is smoothly drawn out in the direction of the reversing portion 3a, and passes through the reversing portion 3a.
It is wound on the 3rd side.

Contrary to the above, when the second housing 2 rotates counterclockwise from the neutral state shown in FIG. 1, the reversing portion 3a of the flexible cable 3 is rotated by a smaller amount than the second housing 2. Since the reversing portion 3a moves counterclockwise and separates from the reversing roller 22A and presses the fixed cylinder 19,
The rotating plate 20 also moves in the counterclockwise direction following the reversing portion 3a, and the flexible cable 3 having a length about twice the moving amount thereof.
Is unwound from the inner tube portion 13 and rewound on the outer tube portion 6 to be in the rewinding state shown in FIG. In this case, a force in the opposite direction such as a clockwise rotation force from the flexible cable 3 that bulges outward in the radial direction from the inner cylinder portion 13 and a counterclockwise rotation force from the reversing portion 3a are fixed cylinders 19. However, since this fixed cylinder 19 is fixed to the rotary plate 20, it does not rotate like the group of rollers 22. Therefore, the rotational force for canceling the feeding of the reversing portion 19 does not act on the fixed cylinder 19, and the flexible cable 3 wound around the inner cylinder portion 13 comes into contact with the group of rollers 22 to rotate them in the clockwise direction. When it is rotated on its own axis, it is smoothly drawn out in the direction of the reversing portion 3a, and is rewound to the outer tubular portion 6 side through the reversing portion 3a.

As described above, in the rotary connector, the flexible cable 3 is rewound or fastened by the rotation of the second housing 2. Therefore, if the rewinding and fastening operations are repeated many times, each time. , The elastic tongue 17 attached to the flexible cable at the end position of the rewinding is the reversing portion 3
a. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the elastic tongue piece 17 is curved in the opening 22 so that the radius of curvature of the elastic tongue piece 17 becomes smaller. By the time it reaches the center, it tends to peel off from the flexible cable. The length of the curved portion of the elastic tongue 17 when the tip of the elastic tongue 17 reaches the central portion of the opening 22 corresponds to ¼ of the entire circumference of the reversing roller 21A. It is advisable to provide a notch 17a in the width direction 17 at a position within a distance of a quarter of the circumference of the guide roller 21A from the tip of the elastic tongue. By doing so, the rigidity in the longitudinal direction becomes small, and it becomes easy to bend at the portion of the notch 17a, and the elastic tongue piece 17 becomes the flexible cable 3.
You can weaken the force of peeling from. Also,
In the case of this embodiment, the elastic tongue piece 17 has a smaller width and thickness as it goes to the tip, which enhances this effect.

Before the rotary connector is incorporated in the steering device, it is subjected to various inspection steps such as whether the rotation of the second housing 2 is smooth or whether the rotation amount of the second housing 2 is appropriate. To be done. At that time, when the worker rotates the second housing 2 in the unwinding direction of the flexible cable 3, the flexible cable 3 is positioned at the end position of the unwinding and the outer tubular portion as shown in FIGS. All are rewound to the 6 side, and the winding portion around the inner cylindrical portion 13 disappears. If the second housing 2 is erroneously over-rotated further in the same direction from this state, a force to invert the flexible cable 3 at the connecting portion with the inner tubular portion 13 acts, but the flexibility of the portion is changed. Since the rigidity of the cable 3 is enhanced at the base of the elastic tongue piece 17, the bending of the flexible cable 3 is prevented and the reliability of connection is maintained.

Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the tip of the elastic tongue piece 17 has a thin portion 17b whose thickness gradually decreases. In this thin portion 17b, the rigidity of the elastic tongue 17 in the longitudinal direction is small. The piece 17 is easily bent at the thin portion 17b, and the force of the elastic tongue piece 17 attempting to separate from the flexible cable 3 can be weakened.

Next, as a third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, an elastic tongue piece 17 has a long hole portion 17c near the tip thereof. In this elongated hole portion 17c, the rigidity of the elastic tongue piece 17 in the longitudinal direction is small, so that the elastic tongue piece 17 attached to the flexible cable 3 at the end position of the rewinding is the inversion portion 3.
When it becomes a, the elastic tongue 17 is easily bent at the portion of the elongated hole portion 17c, and the force of the elastic tongue 17 attempting to separate from the flexible cable 3 can be weakened.

Next, as a fourth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, the elastic tongue 17 has a narrow portion 17d having a width gradually reduced near the tip thereof. Since the rigidity of the elastic tongue 17 in the longitudinal direction is small in the narrow width portion 17d, when the elastic tongue 17 attached to the flexible cable 3 at the end position of rewinding becomes the reversing portion 3a, the elastic tongue 17 is elastic. The tongue piece 17 is easily bent at the narrow width portion 17d, and the force of the elastic tongue piece 17 attempting to separate from the flexible cable 3 can be weakened. The narrow portion 17d may have a constant width, or may have a width that gradually decreases toward the tip. If the width is gradually narrowed toward the tip, the effect of weakening the force of the elastic tongue 17 attempting to separate from the flexible cable 3 is greater.

Next, as a fifth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9, a slit portion 17e is provided near the tip of the elastic tongue piece 17.
have. In this slit portion 17e, the rigidity in the longitudinal direction of the elastic tongue piece 17 between the slits is small, so that the elastic tongue piece 17 attached to the flexible cable 3 at the rewinding end position has the inversion portion 3a. At this time, the elastic tongue 17 is easily bent at the slit portion 17e, and the force of the elastic tongue 17 attempting to separate from the flexible cable 3 can be weakened. Even if this slit is formed in the shape of a horizontally elongated slot closed at the end of the elastic tongue 17, the rigidity of the elastic tongue 17 in the longitudinal direction becomes small, which is preferable.

Next, as a sixth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 10, the elastic tongue piece 17 is provided with a fold portion 17f in which a crease is formed near the tip thereof. Since the rigidity of the elastic tongue 17 in the longitudinal direction is small at this fold portion 17f, when the elastic tongue 17 attached to the flexible cable 3 at the end position of the rewinding becomes the reversal portion 3a, the elastic tongue 17 is elastic. The piece 17 is easily bent at the fold portion 17f, and the force with which the elastic tongue piece 17 tends to separate from the flexible cable 3 can be weakened.

In the rotary connectors according to the second to sixth embodiments, as in the first embodiment, the elastic tongue piece 17 is between the time when the tip of the elastic tongue piece 17 begins to curve and the time when the elastic tongue piece 17 reaches the central portion of the opening 22. Since the elastic tongue piece 17 tends to peel off from the flexible cable, the length of the curved portion of the elastic tongue piece 17 when the tip of the elastic tongue piece 17 reaches the center of the opening 22 is equal to that of the reversing roller 21A.
Since it corresponds to a quarter of the total circumference of the elastic tongue 17, the portion of the elastic tongue 17 having weak rigidity in the longitudinal direction is within a distance of a quarter of the circumference of the guide roller 21A from the tip of the elastic tongue. It is good to provide.

In the rotary connector according to each of the above-described embodiments, the flexible cable 3 is connected to the outer tubular portion 6 via the reversing portion 3a.
Since it is wound around the inner tube portion 13 in the opposite direction, the required length of the flexible cable 3 can be shortened, and as a result, the total cost can be reduced and the size can be reduced. . Further, the moving body 4 is arranged between the portion of the flexible cable 3 wound around the outer tubular portion 6 and the portion of the flexible cable 3 wound around the inner tubular portion 13, and the moving body 4 includes the reversing roller 21A. Since the plurality of rollers 21 are pivotally supported, when the flexible cable 3 is rewound, the flexible cable 3 is reversible.
It is possible to prevent the rollers 21 from bulging outward in the radial direction and buckling on the way to “a”, so that the winding and tightening operation can be reliably performed. In addition, the inversion part 3 of the flexible cable 3
a is looped to one of each group of rollers 21 (reversing roller 21A), and the fixed cylinder 19 is provided at a position facing the reversing roller 21A via the reversing portion 3a, so that the reversing portion 3a is fed out during the rewinding operation. Is not hindered, and the rewinding operation can be surely performed also from this point. Further, since a portion that weakens the rigidity in the longitudinal direction is provided in the middle of the elastic tongue piece 17, when the elastic tongue piece 17 becomes the reversing portion 3a and bends, the elastic tongue piece 17 is separated from the flexible cable 3. The flexible cable 3 can be prevented by the elastic tongue piece 17.
The buckling prevention function of can be maintained for a long period of time.

In the above embodiment, the case where the first housing 1 is used as the fixed body and the second housing 2 is used as the movable body has been described. On the contrary, the first housing 1 is used as the movable body. It is also possible to use the second housing 2 as a fixed body. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the annular rotating plate 20 having no circumferential cut is used as the substantially circular moving body, but a C-shaped moving body having a circumferential cut may be used.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the elastic tongue that prevents reverse buckling of the flexible cable enters between the reversing roller and the fixed portion of the moving body, by providing the elastic tongue with a portion having low longitudinal rigidity,
Since the elastic tongue piece can be prevented from peeling off from the flexible cable, it is possible to provide a rotary connector having a highly reliable connection.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a winding neutral state of a rotary connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a rewound state of the rotary connector of FIG.

5 is a perspective view of the tongue of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a tongue piece of a rotary connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tongue piece of a rotary connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tongue piece of a rotary connector according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a tongue piece of a rotary connector according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tongue piece of a rotary connector according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of relevant parts of the rotary connector previously proposed by the applicant.

12 is a plan view showing a rewound state of the rotary connector of FIG.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a defect of the rotary connector of FIG. 11.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 1st housing 2 2nd housing 3 Flexible cable 3a Reversing part 4 Moving body 5 Top plate 6 Outer cylinder part 7 Upper case 8 Lower cover 13 Inner cylinder part 14 Space 17 Elastic tongue piece 17a Cutout 19 Fixed cylinder (Fixed body) 20 Rotating plate 21 Roller 21A Reversing roller 22 Opening

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A first housing having an outer tubular portion,
A second housing having an inner tubular portion rotatably mounted on the first housing, and a belt-like member housed in an annular space defined between the outer tubular portion and the inner tubular portion. Flexible cable and a substantially annular moving body having an opening rotatably arranged in the space, the flexible cable being inverted at the opening of the moving body to form the inner tubular portion. In the rotary connector, the flexible cable is wound in the opposite direction to the outer tubular part and the both ends of the flexible cable are fixed to the first housing and the second housing and electrically led to the outside. A rotary connector characterized in that a tongue piece is fixed to a portion of the flexible cable extending from the inner tubular portion, and the tongue piece is provided with a portion having a weak rigidity in a longitudinal direction thereof. 2. A reversing roller is provided inside the reversing portion of the flexible cable at one end of the opening so as to guide the reversing portion, and a portion of the tongue piece having a weak rigidity in the longitudinal direction is formed on the tongue piece. 2. The rotary connector according to claim 1, wherein the rotary connector is located within a distance of about a quarter of the circumference of the reversing roller in the longitudinal direction of the tongue piece from the end opposite to the inner tubular portion. 3. The rotary connector according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the tongue piece having low rigidity in the longitudinal direction is a notch provided in the width direction of the tongue piece. 4. The tongue piece having a weak rigidity in the longitudinal direction is a thin-walled portion provided in the vicinity of the tip of the tongue piece and having a gradually reduced thickness. Rotating connector. 5. The rotary connector according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the tongue piece having a low rigidity in the longitudinal direction is an elongated hole elongated in the width direction near the tip of the tongue piece. 6. A portion of the tongue piece having a weak rigidity in the longitudinal direction is a narrow portion which is a portion which is provided near the tip of the tongue piece and whose width is gradually reduced. The rotary connector according to 1. 7. The rotary connector according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the tongue piece whose rigidity in the longitudinal direction is weak is a slit portion formed of a slit provided near the tip of the tongue piece. 8. The rotary connector according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the tongue piece having a weak rigidity in the longitudinal direction is a fold portion having a crease near the tip of the tongue piece.