JPH08162242A - Electrically connecting device for fixed body and rotating body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an electrically connecting device for a fixed body and a rotating body capable of preventing hammering sounds caused by vibration without use of a special shape, having high quality and high reliability at low cost. CONSTITUTION: A noise reduction tape 6 is stuck on the edge coming in contact with the upper surface and the lower surface of a cable housing room 7 formed by a fixed body 4 of a flexible flat cable 5 and rotating bodies 1, 2, 3. By forming the noise reducing tape 6 in multi-structure of an inner layer made of an adhesive material, a middle layer made of a buffering material such as rubber, and an outer layer made of a high lubricating material such as Teflon, sticking of the noise reducing tape is made easy, sliding noise is remarkably reduced by the high lubricating material, shock of the noise reducing tape 6 is absorbed by the buffering material and vibration of the flexible flat cable 5 is also damped.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device used in, for example, a steering device of an automobile and electrically connecting a fixed body and a rotating body with a flexible flat cable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among the electrical connecting devices for a fixed body and a rotating body, which electrically connect an electrical component mounted on an automobile and an electrical component operating portion provided on a steering wheel,
For example, JP-A-1-95476 and JP-A-3-105.
As disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 858 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-147363, when the middle portion of the flexible flat cable moves between the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion of the cable accommodating chamber as the rotating body rotates. It is known that an abnormal noise such as a sliding noise and a hammering noise caused by vibration during traveling is prevented.

Specifically, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-95476, a curved portion having a radius of curvature larger than the thickness of the flexible flat cable is provided at the end of the flexible flat cable, and the contact area of the flexible flat cable with the cable accommodating chamber is increased. Also, the contact area between the flexible flat cables is reduced.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-105858 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-147363, a sound insulating material such as polyethylene fiber fleece is provided on one or both of the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable accommodating chamber in the fixed body and the rotating body. The coating layer or the highly slippery sheet such as tetrafluoroethylene is provided to reduce the friction resistance with the flexible flat cable.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional electrical connection device between a fixed body and a rotary body, the curved portion, the coating layer and the highly slippery sheet must be formed in a special shape. Therefore, the material cost and the processing cost are high, and there is a limit to the cost reduction.

Therefore, the present invention provides a low-cost, high-quality, high-reliability electrical connection device between a fixed body and a rotating body without using a special shape.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a spiral flexible flat cable is housed in an annular cable housing chamber formed inside by combining a fixed body with a rotating body so as to be coaxially rotatable. , One end of this flexible flat cable is anchored to the fixed body and led out to the outside, and the other end of the flexible flat cable is anchored to the rotating body and led to the outside to rotate the middle part of the flexible flat cable. In the electrical connection device between the fixed body and the rotating body, which is rewound and wound so as not to be entangled with the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion of the cable accommodating chamber as the body rotates, the upper surface of the cable accommodating chamber of the flexible flat cable and The feature is that a sound deadening tape is attached to the end contacting the lower surface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the sound deadening tape according to the first aspect is attached so as to extend along the end portion of the flexible flat cable from the front surface of the end portion to the rear surface of the flexible flat cable. I am trying.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the sound deadening tape according to the first and second aspects has a multi-layer structure including an inner layer made of an adhesive, an intermediate layer made of a cushioning material and an outer layer made of a highly slippery material. Is characterized by.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the sound deadening tape is formed in a special shape by attaching the sound deadening tape to the ends of the flexible flat cable which come into contact with the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable housing chamber. There is no need, the cost of parts and processing is low, cost can be reduced, and when the flexible flat cable moves between the inner peripheral part and the outer peripheral part of the cable accommodating chamber as the rotating body rotates, the muffling tape accommodates the cable. Sliding by reducing the frictional resistance between the upper and lower surfaces of the chamber, the sliding noise is extremely low,
The slippage of the flexible flat cable is improved.

Moreover, when the flexible flat cable vibrates due to external vibration, the ends of the flexible flat cable do not directly collide with the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable housing chamber, but the flexible flat cables collide with each other. Without the sound deadening tape colliding with the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable storage chamber, or the sound deadening tapes colliding with each other, the sound deadening tape absorbs the impact and prevents tapping at that time, and is flexible. Attenuates vibration of flat cables.

According to the present invention, the sound deadening tape occupies the flexible flat cable by extending and adhering from the surface of the end portion of the flexible flat cable to the back surface through the end surface and along the end portion. The increase in the weight is suppressed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the sound deadening tape has a multi-layer structure including an inner layer made of an adhesive, an intermediate layer made of a cushioning material, and an outer layer made of a highly slippery material. Adheres easily to
The outer layer made of the highly slippery material of the sound deadening tape significantly reduces the sliding noise when moving between the inner and outer circumferences of the cable accommodation chamber of the flexible flat cable, and the middle layer made of the cushioning material of the sound deadening tape. Absorbs the impact when the noise absorbing tape collides with the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable accommodating chamber due to the vibration of the flexible flat cable or when the noise absorbing tapes collide with each other, and properly prevents the tapping sound at that time,
Attenuates vibration of flexible flat cable.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3, reference numeral 1 designates a rotator, which is located at the center, for example, a boss portion 1a and a boss portion 1a into which a handle shaft of a steering device (not shown) is rotatably inserted.
a large-diameter portion 1b located axially in the middle of the outer-peripheral surface of the a and bulging almost all around the outer peripheral surface; A step portion 1d annularly projecting at a connecting corner between the flange portion 1c and the large diameter portion 1b, a receiving recess 1e formed between the outer peripheral surface of the boss portion 1a and the large diameter portion 1b, and a boss portion of the large diameter portion 1b. It has a plurality of screw holes 1f formed in the side end surface.

Reference numeral 2 denotes an end support, which extends over a spiral-shaped strip main body 2a having a width substantially the same as that of the large diameter portion 1b of the rotator 1, one end of the strip main body 2a and an intermediate inner surface near the one end. It has a mooring portion 2b which bulges inward and a stopper lip 2c as the other end of the strip main body 2a, and a connecting portion of the strip main body 2a with the mooring portion 2b and the stopper lip 2
A slit 2e is formed between the base portion of c and the inner space 2d of the mooring portion 2b.

In this end support 2, the mooring portion 2b is inserted into the receiving recess 1e of the rotator 1 from above, and the strip plate body 2 is formed.
a is externally fitted to the large-diameter portion 1b of the rotator 1, and the strip plate main body 2
By mounting a on the step portion 1d of the rotator 1, the rotator 1 is mounted so as to be integrally rotatable.

Reference numeral 3 denotes an upper cover, which is, for example, a circular body 3a for integrally rotatably coupling a steering wheel of a steering device (not shown), a through hole 3b located at the center of the circular body 3a, and a position around the through hole 3b. A plurality of holes 3c for screw insertion formed in the circular main body 3a, a step portion 3d formed in a substantially annular shape on the inner surface of the circular main body 3a from the peripheral edge of the through hole 3b to the outside of the through hole arrangement portion, the through hole Three
A cutout portion 3e formed on the stepped portion 3d and the circular body 3a along the peripheral edge of b, and a circular body 3a along the outer peripheral edge of the cutout portion 3e.
A lock lip 3f protruding inwardly from the inner surface of the circular body 3a, a holder portion 3g located radially outward of the cutout portion 3e and integrally formed on the outer surface of the circular body 3a, and a circular body 3a located laterally of the holder portion 3g. Has a projection 3h projecting to the outer surface and a rim 3i projecting to the outer peripheral edge of the inner surface of the circular main body 3a.

The upper cover 3 accommodates the flexible flat cable 5 between the end support 2 and an under cover 4 which will be described later, and then the lock lip 3f is attached to the rotator 1 to form the inner space 2 of the end support 2.
d, insert the boss 1a of the rotator 1 into the through hole 3b, and superimpose the step 3d on the end face of the large diameter portion 1b of the rotator 1, and screw 8 into the screw of the rotator 1 through the through hole 3b. The upper cover 3 is integrally rotatably attached to the rotator 1 via the end support 2 by being fastened to the hole 1f, and the upper cover 3, the end support 2 and the rotator 1 constitute a rotating body.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an under cover, which forms an annular cable storage chamber 7 (see FIG. 1) inside with the upper cover 3, which is the upper cover 3.
A cylindrical outer cylinder 4a having a bottom and a circular opening 4b formed at the center of the bottom of the outer cylinder 4a, and an inner cylinder 4c coaxially arranged inside the outer cylinder 4a so as to be integrally rotatable. , Inner cylinder 4
4d formed between the outer cylinder 4a and the peripheral wall of the outer cylinder 4a, a slit 4e formed in the inner cylinder 4c, and a slit 4f formed in the peripheral wall of the outer cylinder 4a by shifting the position in one of the circumferential directions from the slit 4e. A holder portion 4g protruding outward from the peripheral wall of the outer cylinder 4a of the slit arrangement portion, and a mounting portion 4h interspersed on the bottom side of the outer cylinder 4a and protruding outward.
The boss portion 1 of the rotator 1 is provided in the opening 4b of the under cover 4.
By inserting a from below, the step portion 1d of the rotator 1 is rotatably inscribed, and the bottom portion of the outer cylinder 4a is superposed on the flange portion 1c of the rotator 1.

The undercover 4 is attached to the mounting portion 4h.
Is attached to a steering column of a steering device (not shown) to form a fixed body.

The holder portion 4g has a left side wall projecting radially outward of the outer cylinder 4a from a groove side edge of the slit 4f in the peripheral wall of the outer cylinder 4a, and a direction away from the slit 4f along the peripheral wall of the outer cylinder 4a from the left side wall. Along the peripheral wall of the outer cylinder 4a from the right side wall, which protrudes radially outward of the outer cylinder 4a from a position apart from the slit 4f in the peripheral wall of the outer cylinder 4a substantially parallel to the left outer wall and the left side wall. An inner space 4j that is formed by a right outer wall that extends in a direction approaching the slit 4f and that faces the right wall at a predetermined interval and a peripheral wall of an outer cylinder 4a that is located between the right wall and the slit 4f and that is continuous with the slit 4f. Is formed.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a spiral flexible flat cable, which has a bent portion 5a and a bent portion for bending the inner end as one end of the spiral to change the extension direction upward by approximately 90 degrees. External connection cable 5 connected to the upward end of 5a via a support block 5b
c, a connector 5d connected to the end of the external connection cable 5c, and a wire harness connection 5e connected to the outer end as the other end of the spiral shape.

At the end of the flexible flat cable 5 which comes into contact with the inner surface of the circular main body 3a of the upper cover 3 constituting the upper surface of the cable accommodation chamber 7 and the inner surface of the bottom of the under cover 4 constituting the lower surface of the cable accommodation chamber 7. Has a sound deadening tape 6 attached thereto.

The sound deadening tape 6 is, as shown in FIG.
The flexible flat cable 5 extends from the surface of the end portion of the flexible flat cable 5 to the back surface of the flexible flat cable 5, extends along the end portion, and is attached.

More specifically, the sound deadening tape 6 is composed of an inner layer 6a made of an adhesive material that is well compatible with the insulating coating of the flexible flat cable 5, an intermediate layer 6b made of a cushioning material such as rubber, and a highly slippery material such as Teflon. Outer layer 6 made of wood
c in the form of a strip having a multilayer structure, one half of which is attached to the surface of the end of the flexible flat cable 5 with the adhesive of the inner layer 6a as the inside, and the other half is the end of the flexible flat cable 5. Bending along the end face of the flexible flat cable 5 to the back side of the end face of the flexible flat cable 5 and sticking it to the back face, it becomes a U-shaped cross section and is stuck to the end part of the flexible flat cable 5. The outer layer 6c serves as Teflon as a highly slippery material having a low coefficient of dynamic friction with the materials forming the upper cover 3 and the under cover 4, and the intermediate layer 6b serves as a cushioning material for vibration damping and sound absorption.

According to the structure of the above embodiment, after the undercover is rotatably attached to the rotator 1 and the end support 2 is rotatably attached to the rotator 1,
The spiral intermediate portion of the flexible flat cable 5 is housed between the end support 2 and the inner cylinder 4c of the under cover, and the portion of the flexible flat cable 5 inside the wire harness connection portion 5e is slit 4 of the inner cylinder 4c.
e through the gap 4d and the slit 4f of the outer cylinder 4a, the outer end of the flexible flat cable 5 is moored to the under cover 4, and the wire harness connecting part 5e is inserted into the inner space 4j of the holder part 4g. On the other hand, the bent portion 5a of the flexible flat cable 5
Is inserted between the free end side of the stopper lip 2c of the end support 2 and the strip plate body 2a, and is inserted into the internal space 2d of the mooring portion 2b through the slit 2e.

After that, the flexible flat cable 5
Connector 5d, external connection cable 5c and support block 5b are passed through the through hole 3b of the upper cover 3 from the inner surface side to the outer surface side, and the lock lip 3f of the upper cover 3 is inserted.
Is inserted into the internal space 2d between the bent portion 5a of the flexible flat cable 5 and the mooring portion 2b, and the through hole 3b of the upper cover 3 is fitted into the boss portion 1a of the rotator 1,
Fasten the upper cover 3 to the rotator 1 with a screw 8 and pass the upper portion of the bent portion 5a through the cutout portion 3e of the upper cover 3,
The support block 5b is attached to the holder portion 3g of the upper cover 3.
As shown in FIG. 1, the rim 3i of the upper cover 3 is attached to the outer cylinder 4a of the under cover 4 as shown in FIG.
The upper and lower peripheral flat walls of the flexible flat cable 5 are housed in the cable housing chamber 7 formed by the upper cover 3 and the under cover 4, and the outer end of the flexible flat cable 5 serves as a fixed body. The flexible flat cable 5 is anchored to the under cover 5 and led out to the outside, and the inner end portion of the flexible flat cable 5 is anchored to the end support 2 and the upper cover 3 serving as a rotating body and led to the outside.

In this state, when the rotator 1 is rotated in one direction as the winding and spreading direction of the spiral intermediate portion of the flexible flat cable 5, the end support 2
Also, the upper cover 3 rotates in the same direction as the rotator 1, and the middle portion of the flexible flat cable 5 receives a force in the winding and spreading direction from the end support 2 with the bent portion 5a as a base point and gradually swirls according to the rotation of the rotator 1. When the diameter is increased and the number of turns is reduced, the number of turns of the flexible flat cable 5 becomes the minimum when the number of turns of the flexible flat cable 5 becomes close to the maximum allowable number of revolutions set in the same direction set in the rotator 1.
Reaches the inner cylinder 4c of the under cover 4 which forms the outer peripheral portion of the cable storage chamber 7.

When the rotator 1 is rotated in the other direction as the winding tightening direction of the spiral intermediate portion of the flexible flat cable 5 from the state in which the spiral intermediate portion of the flexible flat cable 5 is expanded, the end supports 2 and The upper cover 3 rotates together with the rotator 1 in the same direction, and the middle portion of the flexible flat cable 5 receives a force in the winding tightening direction from the end support 2 with the bent portion 5a as a base point and gradually rotates the rotator 1 in accordance with the rotation of the rotator 1. And the number of windings is increased while the number of windings is reduced, and when the rotation speed nears the maximum allowable number of rotations set in the rotator 1 in the same direction, the flexible flat cable 5
The maximum number of windings is reached, and the flexible flat cable 5 reaches the end support 2 forming the inner peripheral portion of the cable housing chamber 7.

When the flexible flat cable 5 is rewound and wound up, when the spiral middle portion of the flexible flat cable 5 moves to the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion of the cable accommodating chamber 7, the outer layer of the sound deadening tape 6 is formed. Since a highly slippery material such as Teflon that composes 6c slides on the inner surface of the upper cover 3 and the inner surface of the under cover 4, friction of the sound deadening tape 6 with the upper cover 3 and the under cover 4 is significantly reduced. Sliding noise is extremely low and sliding is improved.

Moreover, since the sound deadening tape 6 has the intermediate layer 6b formed of a cushioning material such as rubber, when mounted on, for example, a steering device of an automobile, the rotator 1, the upper cover 3, and the rotator 1 are run when the automobile travels. Even if the flexible flat cable 5 vibrates by the vibration of the under cover 4 and the like along the axial direction of the boss 1a, the end of the flexible flat cable 5 does not collide with the upper cover 3 and the under cover 4. , The adjacent flexible flat cables 5 do not collide with each other, and the sound deadening tape 6 is attached to the upper cover 3
And the noise-canceling tapes only collide with each other or the noise-canceling tapes collide with each other, and the impact of the noise-canceling tapes 6 is absorbed by the intermediate layer 6b of the noise-canceling tapes 6, so that the tapping sound at that time can be appropriately prevented. Thus, the vibration of the flexible flat cable 5 can be effectively damped.

Furthermore, since the sound deadening tape 6 is simply attached to the end of the flexible flat cable 5, it is not necessary to form the sound deadening tape 6 into a special shape.
The parts cost and the processing cost are low, and the cost can be reduced.

Moreover, since the sound deadening tape 6 extends from the front surface of the end of the flexible flat cable 5 to the back surface of the flexible flat cable 5 and extends along the end of the flexible flat cable 5, the flexible flat cable 5 is made of the sound deadening tape 6. It is possible to suppress the increase in weight.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the sound deadening tape 6 is extended along the end portion of the flexible flat cable 5 has been illustrated and described, but the present invention is also applicable to the configurations shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the sound deadening tape 6 extends from the surface of the end portion of the flexible flat cable 5 to the rear surface through the end surface and is partially attached to the end portion. In this case, the sound deadening tape 6 is used. The weight increase of the flexible flat cable 5 can be suppressed significantly.

FIG. 5 shows an inner layer 6a made of an adhesive, an intermediate layer 6b made of a cushioning material, and an outer layer 6 made of a highly slippery material.
The sound deadening tape 6A configured in the shape of a multi-layered band of c is formed wider than the flexible flat cable 5 as shown by the imaginary line, and both ends of the sound deadening tape 6A are projected from the flexible flat cable 5 to muffle the sound. The tape 6A is attached to the surface of the flexible flat cable 5, and both ends of the sound deadening tape 6A are bent along the ends of the flexible flat cable 5 as shown by the arrows to the back side of the flexible flat cable 5 to make the flexible flat cable 5 This is an example of being attached to the back surface. In this case, since the sound deadening tapes 6A are present in a plane between the adjacent flexible flat cables 5, the intermediate portions of the adjacent flexible flat cables 5 directly collide with each other. Flexible flat Also arrested accurately the occurrence of striking sound due to fluctuation of the intermediate portion of Buru 5, moreover, mute tape 6
The adhesive area with the flexible flat cable 5 of A is significantly increased, and the adhesive strength of the sound deadening tape 6A can be increased.

In the above embodiment, the flexible flat cable 5 is illustrated as a non-inverted type in which the spiral direction does not reverse in the middle of the spiral flat cable 5. However, although the illustration is omitted, the present invention is a flexible flat cable spiral. Even if it is applied to a type in which the direction of is reversed in the middle, the same effect is obtained.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the sound deadening tape is attached to the ends of the flexible flat cable which come into contact with the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable housing chamber, the sound deadening tape is formed into a special shape. There is no need, the cost of parts and processing can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. When the flexible flat cable moves between the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion of the cable storage chamber, the sound deadening tape is attached to the upper surface of the cable storage chamber. Also, the frictional resistance between the lower surface and the lower surface can be reduced, the sliding noise can be remarkably suppressed to the extent that it does not hinder practical use, and the sliding of the flexible flat cable can be improved.

Moreover, even if the flexible flat cable vibrates due to external vibration, the ends of the flexible flat cable do not directly collide with the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable storage chamber, but the flexible flat cables directly collide with each other. The sound-deadening tape can be properly absorbed by the sound-deadening tape when the sound-deadening tape collides with the upper surface and the lower surface of the cable accommodation chamber or the sound-deadening tapes collide with each other, and the occurrence of tapping at that time is prevented. Therefore, the vibration of the flexible flat cable can be damped.

According to the present invention, since the sound deadening tape extends from the front surface of the end portion of the flexible flat cable to the rear surface of the flexible flat cable and extends along the end portion, the sound deadening tape is attached to the flexible flat cable. It is possible to suppress the increase in weight.

According to the third aspect, since the sound deadening tape has a multi-layer structure of an inner layer made of an adhesive, a middle layer made of a cushioning material and an outer layer made of a highly slippery material, the sound deadening tape is a flexible flat. Not only can it be easily adhered to the cable, but the outer layer made of the highly slippery material of the sound deadening tape significantly reduces the sliding noise when moving between the inner and outer circumferences of the cable housing chamber of the flexible flat cable. Moreover, the intermediate layer made of the cushioning material of the sound deadening tape can absorb the shock of the sound deadening tape, prevent the tapping at that time, and damp the vibration of the flexible flat cable.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of the flexible flat cable of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another different example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Rotator (Rotating Body) 2 End Support (Rotating Body) 3 Upper Cover (Rotating Body) 4 Under Cover (Fixed Body) 5 Flexible Flat Cable 6, 6A Noise Reduction Tape 6a Inner Layer 6b Middle Layer 6c Outer Layer 7 Cable Storage Room

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 31, 1995

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The upper cover 3 accommodates the flexible flat cable 5 between the end support 2 and an under cover 4 which will be described later, and then the lock lip 3f is attached to the rotator 1 to form the inner space 2 of the end support 2.
the boss portion 1a of the rotator 1 is inscribed in the through hole 3b, the step portion 3d is superposed on the end face of the large diameter portion 1b of the rotator 1, and the screw 8 is inserted into the screw hole of the rotator 1 from the hole 3c. 1
Thus to conclude the f, the upper cover 3 is integrally rotatably mounted to the rotator 1 via the end support 2, the upper cover 3 and the end support 2 and rotator 1 constitutes a rotating body.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A spiral flexible flat cable is accommodated in an annular cable accommodating chamber formed inside by combining a rotating body with a fixed body so as to be coaxially rotatable,
One end of the flexible flat cable is anchored to the fixed body and led out to the outside, and the other end of the flexible flat cable is anchored to the rotor and led to the outside, and the middle portion of the flexible flat cable is locked to the rotor. In an electrical connection device between a fixed body and a rotating body, which is rewound and wound so as not to be entangled with the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion in the cable accommodating chamber due to rotation, the upper and lower surfaces of the cable accommodating chamber of the flexible flat cable An electrical connection device between a fixed body and a rotating body, characterized in that a sound deadening tape is attached to the contacting end. 2. The fixed body and the rotating body according to claim 1, wherein the sound deadening tape extends from the surface of the end portion of the flexible flat cable to the back surface of the flexible flat cable, extends along the end portion, and is attached. Electrical connection device with. 3. The fixed body according to claim 1, wherein the sound deadening tape has a multilayer structure including an inner layer made of an adhesive, an intermediate layer made of a cushioning material, and an outer layer made of a highly slippery material. And the electrical connection device between the rotating body.