JPH0737664A - Connector device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out rotary operation of a rotary member smoothly even if a flexible cable is used repeatedly at a high temperature while reducing manufacturing cost of the cable to the possible minimum level. CONSTITUTION:A springy elastic member 7c is formed on a surface of a flat cable 7 having electric conductors 7a whose cross section is formed in a circular shape and have an insulating coat. Thereby, even if elastic force of the flat cable 7 decreases remarkably by the use at a high temperature, the flat cable 7 is push-spread supplementally by the electric member 7c on the surface of the flat cable 7. Thereby, the flat cable 7 sent into the second case 3 through a cable passage 5 can be wound accurately round a core 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector device and is used, for example, in a connector device cable for electrically connecting a rotating body and a fixed end.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a connector device used in a vehicle steering system, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, one end is fixed to a case 30 which is a fixing member and the other end is rotated with respect to the case 30. There is a connector device in which a flat cable 32 fixed to a movable rotating member 31 is wound around the rotating member 31 a plurality of times and housed in a space defined by the case 30 and the rotating member 31.

Furthermore, the applicant of the present invention has proposed, as another connector device, a fixing member (fixed shaft) having one end fixed to the rotating member 1 and the other end outside the rotating member 1 as shown in FIG. 6
The flat cable 7 fixed to the rotary member 1 and the fixed shaft 6 is wound around the rotary member 1 and the fixed shaft 6 a plurality of times, and the rotary member 1, the fixed member 6 and the flat cable 7 are housed in the cases 2 and 3. Applying (Japanese Patent Application No. 4-344)
978).

In the above-described two types of connector devices, as the structure of the flat cables 7 and 32, as shown in FIG.
3 uses a flat cable 40 sandwiched between resin films 42. Incidentally, the flat cable 40 used in the above-described conventional connector device
11A and FIG. 11B which is a side view of FIG. 11A, the rectangular conductor 41 is attached to the bobbin 4 as shown in FIG.
5, the rectangular conductor 41 is sequentially drawn from the bobbin 45 from the state of aligned winding around the rotary shaft 46, and the adhesive 43 is applied and sandwiched between the films 42 to manufacture.

In the manufacturing process, when the rectangular conductor 41 is aligned and wound on the bobbin 45, if the rectangular conductor 41 is not aligned, the rectangular conductor 41 wound on the bobbin 45 is deformed by twisting or the like. This is because, when the flat cable 40 is formed, a gap for insulating between the rectangular conductors 41 may not be accurately obtained.

In particular, in the case of the flat cable 40 used in the above connector device, the length in the width direction of the flat cable cannot be increased due to the physical size requirement of the connector device, and the flat cable 40, such as an air bag signal line, cannot be used. Since there is a material that requires a low resistance value, there is a limitation that the cross-sectional area of the rectangular conductor 41 cannot be reduced. For this reason, the space between the rectangular conductors 41 is very narrow, and
It is quite possible that the deformation of the rectangular flat conductors 41 makes it impossible to maintain the insulation between the adjacent flat rectangular conductors.

In other words, in the conventional flat cable 40 used in the above connector device, it is essential to wind the rectangular conductor 41 in alignment with the bobbin 45 in the manufacturing process. However, in order to carry out such alignment winding on the bobbin 45, there is a problem that equipment having a complicated mechanism is required, and the manufacturing cost increases.

Therefore, as a means for solving the above problems,
The applicant of the present application is the applicant of FIG. 12 (a) and A of FIG. 12 (a).
As shown in FIG. 12B, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A ', a connector device having a flat cable 47 formed by arranging a plurality of conductors 47a having an insulating coating with a circular cross section in parallel was first filed. (Japanese Patent Application No. 5-83125). If such a circular conductor 47a with an insulating coating is used, the winding of the conductor 47a with an insulating coating on the bobbin can be performed irregularly, so that equipment having a complicated mechanism is not required and a flat structure is achieved. The manufacturing cost of the cable 47 can be reduced.

[0009]

By the way, for example, referring to FIG.
In the connector device shown in FIG. 3, the flat cable 7 wound around the rotating member 1 is wound around the fixed member 6 because the flat cable 7 is fed into the fixed member 6 and the flat cable 7 loosens and spreads. Has occurred.

However, the above-mentioned FIG. 12 (a) and FIG.
When the flat cable 47 shown in (b) is adopted as the flat cable 7 of the connector device shown in FIG. 1, when the tightening and loosening by the rotating member 1 and the fixing member 6 are repeated at high temperature, the flat cable 47 ( = The flat cable 7) itself has a significantly reduced elastic force, and the looseness of the flat cable 47 is reduced. As a result, the flat cable 47 fed from the rotating member 1 to the fixing member 6 is It is not wound around but curved and spread in a direction away from the fixing member 6.

Then, the curved flat cable 47 comes into contact with the inner walls of the cases 2 and 3, and the flat cable 4
The flat cable 47 is not smoothly fed due to the frictional resistance generated between the inner wall of the case 7 and the inner wall of the cases 2 and 3, and the rotating torque of the rotating member 1 attached to the steering wheel is increased to rotate the rotating member 1. There is a problem that it will not be carried out smoothly.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and while reducing the manufacturing cost of the flexible cable as much as possible, even if the flexible cable is repeatedly used at a high temperature, the rotating operation of the rotating member is smoothly performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector device that can be performed by the above.

[0013]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a flexible cable having one end fixed to a rotating member and the other end fixed to a fixing member is wound around the rotating member at least a plurality of times, and the flexible cable is cased. In the connector device that is housed in
The flexible cable has an insulating coating on the outer periphery thereof, and a plurality of conductive members each having a substantially circular cross section, and a holding member for joining and holding the plurality of conductive members in a juxtaposed state. And provided inside or outside of this holding member,
The connector device is characterized by comprising an elastic member having an elastic force and an elastic member.

[0014]

With the above structure, the flexible cable according to the present invention has the elastic member having an elastic force provided inside or outside the holding member, so that the flexible cable can be repeatedly used even in a high temperature use environment. Even when the flexible cable is wound around the fixing member, the elastic member can help the flexible cable to loosen and spread.

[0015]

The present invention will be described below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the present invention is applied to a connector device that connects an airbag device which is an occupant protection device and a vehicle-mounted power source. 1 and 2 are configuration diagrams showing an embodiment of a connector device according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which this connector device is mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle.

In FIG. 3, a steering shaft 20 housed in a housing 21 has a steering wheel 22 at its end and a winding member 1 of the connector device 100 around the steering wheel 22.
When the steering wheel 22 is operated, the winding member 1 mounted around the steering shaft 20 rotates. In the steering wheel 22,
An airbag 24 stored under the pad 25 and an inflator 23, which is a gas generator including an ignition device, a transfer agent, a gas generating agent, and the like, for deploying the airbag 24 in the event of a vehicle collision are configured. ing. The inflator 23 is electrically connected to the connector device 100 via the first connection cable 8 for connecting the airbag and the first connection terminal.

A connector device 100 having a flat cable 7 corresponding to a flexible cable is provided with a second connection cable 9 for circuit connection and a second connection terminal, and is electrically connected to a vehicle-mounted power source (not shown). Connected. Then, the vehicle-mounted power source and the inflator 23 are electrically connected by the first and second connection cables, the first and second connection terminals, and the flat cable 7.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. In FIG. 3, when a collision of a vehicle is detected, the collision signal generated in accordance with the collision detection is the second connection cable 9, the connector device 100, and the first connection cable 8.
Is supplied to the inflator 23 via. Then, the inflator 23 generates gas in response to the input of the collision signal,
The air bag 24, into which the gas has flown, breaks through the pad 25 and inflates, thereby protecting the driver from a vehicle collision.

Next, details of the connector device 100 of the present invention will be described. 1 shows a connector device 10
2 is a horizontal sectional view showing a state in which the flat cable 7 is completely wound in the counterclockwise direction at 0, and FIG.
FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view showing a state in which the flat cable 7 is completely wound in the clockwise direction at 00. 1 to 3, the connector device 100 includes a steering shaft 2
A winding member 1 (corresponding to a rotating member) which is fixed to 0 and rotates with the operation of the steering wheel 22, and an inner peripheral surface which is provided around the winding member 1 at a predetermined interval and is smooth. The first case 2, the flat cable 7,
A winding core 6 (corresponding to a fixing member) fitted or integrally formed with the second case 3 for winding the flat cable 7 and an inner portion provided around the winding core 6 at a predetermined interval. The second case 3 having a smooth peripheral surface and the first case 3
Cable passage 5 having walls 4 arranged on both sides to connect the cable outlets of the case 2 and the second case 3
It consists of and.

As shown in FIG. 1, the winding core 6 has a diameter smaller than that of the winding member 1, and the winding core 6 has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the second case 3. The spacing is relatively large so that the flat cable 7 wound a plurality of times around the winding core 6 can be loosened or tightened around the winding core 6. On the other hand, the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the winding member 1 and the inner peripheral surface of the first case 2 ensures that the flat cable 7 wound around the winding member 1 does not spread when unwinding when the second It is made relatively small so as to be sent to the case 3 side.

The flat cable 7 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in (b), a conductor 7a with an insulating coating having a circular cross section (corresponding to a conductive member), and a synthetic resin insulator 7b formed so as to cover the periphery of the conductor 7a,
An adhesive 7d for adhering the conductor 7a and the insulator 7b,
A plate-shaped elastic member 7c having a spring property and the elastic member 7
and an adhesive 7e for adhering c to the surface of the insulator 7b. One end of the flat cable 7 is electrically connected to the winding member 1 and the other end is electrically connected to and fixed to the winding core 6. Note that FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along the line BB ′ in FIG. The insulator 7b and the adhesive 7d correspond to a holding member.

Further, one end of the first connection cable 8 is electrically connected and fixed to the first connection terminal, the other end is electrically connected to the winding member 1, and one end of the second connection cable 9 is secondly connected. The terminal and the other end are electrically connected and fixed to the winding core 6. Next, the connector device 100 having the above configuration
The operation of will be described. 1 to 3, when the steering wheel 22 is started to rotate counterclockwise from its neutral position, the winding member 1 is operated according to the operation of the steering wheel 22.
Rotates counterclockwise, and the winding core 6 of the second case 3 is rotated.
The flat cable 7 unwound around the circumference is drawn out, wound up by the winding member 1 and stored in the first case 2.

On the contrary, the steering 22 as shown in FIG.
When the steering wheel 22 is started to be rotated clockwise from the state of being tightened by rotating counterclockwise, the winding member 1 starts to rotate in the clockwise direction in response to the operation of the steering wheel 22, and the flat cable 7 is connected to the winding member 1. It is loosened from. Then, the flat cable 7 around the winding core 6 loosens and spreads, and the second case 3 passes through the cable passage 5.
The flat cable 7 fed into the inside is wound around the winding core 6 and stored in the second case 3.

Here, the case where the use environment of the connector device 100 operating as described above is high will be described. As described above, when the winding member 1 and the winding core 6 repeatedly perform tightening and loosening at high temperature, the elastic force of the flat cable 7 itself is significantly reduced, and the flat cable 7 is less loosened. As a result, the winding member 1 does not rotate smoothly.

However, according to the first embodiment, since the elastic member 7c having the spring property is provided on the surface of the flat cable 7 wound around the winding core 6, the operation of the steering wheel 22 is performed. When the flat cable 7 is unwound from the wind-up member 1 by rotating the wind-up member 1 in the clockwise direction, the elasticity of the flat cable 7 is lost even if the flat cable 7 loses its elastic force due to use under high temperature. The expansion force of the flat cable 7 can be promoted by the restoring force of the member 7c, that is, the mechanical force of restoring the winding core 6 to the outside. Therefore, the flat cable 7 loosens and spreads, and the flat cable 7 fed into the second case 3 via the cable passage 5 can be wound around the winding core 6.

As described above, in the above-described first embodiment, the elastic member 7c having the spring property is provided on the surface of the flat cable 7 having the conductor 7a with an insulating coating having a circular cross section.
Since the flat cable 7 is formed, even if the elastic force of the flat cable 7 is remarkably reduced by use under high temperature, the elastic member 7c on the surface of the flat cable 7 pushes the flat cable 7 in an auxiliary manner. The flat cable 7 fed into the second case 3 via the winding wire 5 can be accurately wound around the winding core 6.

Next, the second embodiment will be described. It is to be noted that, in the drawing numbers of FIG. 5, parts having the same numbers as the drawing numbers of FIG. 4 are equivalent to those of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an example of a flat cable in the second embodiment.
In the flat cable 10 according to the second embodiment, two plate-like elastic members 11 having a spring property are arranged side by side in the arrangement direction of a plurality of conductors 7a with an insulating coating. Even with such a configuration, the elastic member 11 can push the flat cable 10 in an auxiliary manner, so that the same effect as that of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. It is to be noted that, in the drawing numbers of FIG. 6, the parts having the same numbers as the drawing numbers of FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an example of a flat cable in the third embodiment.
In the flat cable 12 of the third embodiment, a plate-like elastic member 13 having a spring property is provided on the surface of the insulator 7b, and the elastic member 13 is adhered and fixed so as to be covered with the insulator 13b. The elastic member 13 is provided with a hole 13a to improve the adhesiveness to the insulator 7b. The adhesive 13b is also provided in the hole 13a.
Are filled and adhered to the insulator 7b.

Even with this structure, the elastic member 13 can push the flat cable 12 in an auxiliary manner, so that the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. It should be noted that, in the drawing numbers of FIG. 7, the parts having the same numbers as the drawing numbers of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an example of a flat cable in the fourth embodiment. The flat cable 14 according to the fourth embodiment is formed by arranging a linear elastic member 15 having a spring property and a conductor 7a with an insulating coating mixedly arranged in one row. Even with such a configuration, the elastic member 15 can push the flat cable 7 in an auxiliary manner, so that the same effect as that of the above-described first embodiment can be obtained.

In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the example in which the flat cable around the winding member 1 and the winding core 6 is applied to the connector device 100 in which the rotating directions are different from each other has been described. As described above, the one embodiment may be applied to the connector device 101 in which the flat cables around the winding member 1 and the winding core 6 have the same rotation direction. It is to be noted that, in the drawing numbers of FIG. 8, the same parts as the drawing numbers of FIG. 1 indicate the parts equivalent to the drawing numbers of FIG.

[0032]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, in the present invention, even if it is repeatedly used under a high temperature use environment,
When the flexible cable is wound around the fixing member, the elastic member having elastic force can assist the loosening and spreading of the flexible cable, so that the rotating operation of the rotating member can be performed smoothly even at high temperature. It has an excellent effect that it can be performed on.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a state in which a flat cable is completely wound in a counterclockwise direction in a connector device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a state in which the flat cable is completely wound and loosened clockwise in the connector device.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which the connector device is mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example of a flat cable in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an example of a flat cable in a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an example of a flat cable in a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an example of a flat cable according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing another example of the connector device.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional connector device.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a conventional flat cable.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining how to wind a rectangular conductor on a bobbin in the conventional flat cable.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a flat cable previously filed by the applicant.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Winding member 2 1st case 3 2nd case 6 Winding core 7 Flat cable 7a Electric conductor with an insulating film 7c, 11, 13, 15 Elastic member

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Shoichi Yamanaka, 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi Prefecture, Nihon Denso Co., Ltd. (72) Innovator, Hidenobu Kajita, 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture Sozo Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connector device in which a flexible cable having one end fixed to a rotating member and the other end fixed to a fixing member is wound around the rotating member at least a plurality of times and housed in a case. The flexible cable has a plurality of conductive members each having an insulating coating on the outer periphery and each of which has a substantially circular cross section, and a holding member that joins and holds the plurality of conductive members in a juxtaposed state. A connector device comprising: a member; and an elastic member having an elastic force provided inside or outside the holding member.