JPH0920251A - Steering wheel for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering wheel for vehicle to improve precision of a relative position between a moving contact and a fixed contact. SOLUTION: A horn plate 18 inclinably arranged at a boss plate 15 through a spring 22 and flanges 17a and 18b screwed in a state to be overlapped with each other are formed at the horn plate 18 and the base plate 17, respectively, along the axial direction of a steering shaft. Locking means 17c, 17d, 18c, and 18f locked to the two flanges 17a and 18b and vertically and horizontally positioning are arranged. Further, a press tongue piece 18e to release the lock means 17c, 17d, 18c, and 18f by inclining the horn plate 18 in such a way to be pressed is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a steering wheel of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type, there is one shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for example (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-12).
No. 46). Reference numeral 1 in the drawing denotes a steering wheel main body, and a boss plate 1a located at the center of the main body 1 and fixed to a steering shaft (not shown) has a ring-shaped rim portion (not shown) through, for example, four spoke portions. It is connected.

Then, the steering wheel body 1
The airbag module 2 is attached to the.

That is, a mounting portion 1b is formed on the boss plate 1a of the steering wheel body 1, and a long plate-shaped horn plate 4 is disposed on the mounting portion 1b via bolts 3. The plate 4 is biased upward by a spring 5.

The horn plate 4 is provided with movable contacts 6 for horns at both ends thereof, and the movable contacts 6 are brought into contact with and separated from fixed contacts 7 provided on the boss plate 1a. . Positioning members 8 are provided at both ends of the horn plate 4 so as to be positioned between the horn plate 4 and the airbag module 2 for positioning the two. Further, the horn plate 4 is provided with a supporting piece portion 4a bent downward at an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction, and a nut body 4b is fixed to the supporting piece portion 4a.

On the other hand, a bracket 2a is fixed to the airbag module 2, and a mounting piece 2b bent downward is formed on the bracket 2a.
b is fixed to the support piece 4a of the horn plate 4 via a bolt 9. Further, a bending portion 2c is formed on the lower end side of the mounting piece 2b of the bracket 2a, and the bending portion 2c is engaged with the lower edge portion 4c of the supporting piece portion 4a for vertical positioning. It is supposed to be done.

Other types of this type are, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-64131 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-353071.
JP-A-6-6157 and JP-A-6-6157.

[0008]

However, in such a conventional one, the bent portion 2c of the bracket 2a of the airbag module 2 is locked to the support piece portion 4a of the horn plate 4, and The positioning member 8 is the bracket 2a of the airbag module 2 and the horn plate 4.
The vertical contact is made by intervening between the movable contact 6 and the fixed contact 7, but the movable contact 6 and the fixed contact 7 may be misaligned.

Further, the bracket 2a and the horn plate 4
There is a problem that the distance between the movable contact 6 provided on the horn plate 4 and the fixed contact 7 provided on the boss portion 1a varies due to the accuracy of parts.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle steering wheel capable of improving the relative positional accuracy between the movable contact and the fixed contact.

[0011]

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the invention described in claim 1 is for a horn having a base plate in a steering wheel main body having a boss plate fixed to a steering shaft. In a vehicle steering wheel in which a movable member is movably arranged with a horn plate interposed, the horn plate is tiltably provided on the boss plate via a spring, and the horn plate and the base plate are separated from each other. Flanges that are screwed onto each other along the axial direction of the steering shaft are formed on each of them, and locking means for locking the two flanges to position each other in the vertical and horizontal directions is provided, and pressing is performed. Is caused to tilt the horn plate to release the locking means. It is characterized in that a pressing tongue.

According to this structure, by providing the locking means for positioning in the vertical and horizontal directions, the positional relationship between the base plate and the horn plate can be maintained well, and by extension, the movable contact is provided on the base plate or the horn plate. When the fixed contacts are provided on the boss plate, the relative positional accuracy of both contacts can be improved.

Moreover, the locking means can be easily released by pressing the pressing tongue and tilting the horn plate.

The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that the base plate is provided with a movable contact and the boss plate is provided with a fixed contact.

According to this structure, by disposing the movable contact on the base plate, it is less likely to be affected by the molding accuracy of each flange of the horn plate and the base plate, so that the positional relationship between the fixed contact and the movable contact is predetermined. The value of can be maintained and stable contact can be made.

The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that the horn plate is provided with a biasing means for pushing up the base plate.

According to this structure, the biasing means can improve the locking force for positioning the locking means in the up-down direction, so that the up-down positioning can be made more reliable.

In the invention described in claim 4, a hole is formed in the horn plate, and an insulator is provided in the hole,
By inserting a bolt screwed into the boss plate into the through hole formed in the insulator, the bolt and the horn plate are set in an insulated state via the insulator, and the insulator is An upper ring portion located above the horn plate and a lower ring portion located below the horn plate are connected via a hinge portion, and the horn plate can be sandwiched from above and below by the both ring portions. It is characterized by

According to this structure, the insulator has the upper ring portion and the lower ring portion integrated with each other via the hinge portion, and the both ring portions are mounted so as to be sandwiched from the upper and lower sides of the horn plate. Therefore, it can be easily mounted.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

1 to 5 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the structure will be described. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 is a steering wheel.
1, a steering wheel body 12 is provided with an airbag module 13 as a "horn moving member".

As shown in FIG. 2, in this steering wheel body 12, the boss plate 15 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to an annular rim portion 14 by a total of four spoke portions 16,
The airbag module 13 is attached to the boss plate 15.

The boss plate 15 is fixed to a steering shaft of an automobile (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag module 13 is provided with a metal base plate 17, and a horn plate 18 is interposed between the base plate 17 and the boss plate 15. .

Specifically, the boss plate 15 has a structure shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a step portion 15a is formed at the end edge, and the step portion 15a is raised.
Is attached. A screw hole 15b is formed in the boss plate 15, and a bolt 20 for fixing the horn plate 18 is attached to the screw hole 15b.

The horn plate 18 has a long plate shape and has holes 18a formed at both ends thereof. An insulator 21 made of synthetic resin is fitted into the holes 18a, and a through hole formed in the insulator 21. 21a, the bolt 20 is inserted, and a first coil spring 22 as a spring is disposed between the insulator 21 and the boss plate 18, and the horn plate 18 is connected to the first coil spring 2a.
It is urged upward by 2. This allows
The horn plate 18 is tiltable with respect to the boss plate 15.

The insulator 21 is, as shown in FIG.
Upper ring portion 21 located above the horn plate 18
b and a lower ring portion 21c located below the horn plate 18 are connected via a hinge portion 21d, and the horn plate 18 is formed by the two ring portions 21b and 21c.
Can be clamped from above and below.

As shown in FIG. 1 or 3, etc., the horn plate 18 has a long plate shape, and a rising flange 18b as a flange bent upward is formed at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction. Around the rising flange 18b, a pair of first claws 18c are provided in a protruding manner, a bolt hole 18d is opened in the central portion, and a pressing tongue piece 18 is formed in the lower portion.
e is cut and raised. A first engagement recess 18f is formed between the pair of first claws 18c.

Further, the base plate 17 is formed with a bent flange 17a as a flange which is bent downward and is locked to the rising flange 18b. A bolt hole 17b is formed in the central portion of the bent flange 17a, and a pair of side edge portions are engaged with a pair of lower edge portions 18g of the pair of first claws 18c for vertical positioning. The second claw 17c is formed by being bent outward, and the third claw 17d, which is inserted and locked in the first engaging recess 18f and positioned in the left-right direction, is further bent outward at the upper part. It is bent and formed. Each of these claws 17c, 17
The "d, 18c" constitutes "locking means" which is one component of the present invention. Also, this base plate 1
7, a bent piece 17e is formed at the edge of the bent piece 17e, and a movable contact 23 for contacting the fixed contact 19 is arranged on the bent piece 17e.

Then, the bolt 2 is inserted into the bolt holes 18d and 17b of the rising flange 18b and the bending flange 17a.
4 is inserted from the lateral direction, and this bolt 24
Both flanges 17a and 18b are fixed by being screwed into.

Further, the horn plate 18 is provided with a second coil spring 26 as "biasing means" for pushing up the base plate 17. For more information,
The lower part of the second coil spring 26 is locked to a pair of cut and raised pieces 18h formed on the horn plate 18,
The upper plate 27 is attached to the upper part. Then, the upper plate 27 comes into contact with the base plate 17. The biasing force of the second coil spring 26 is set to be larger than the biasing force of the first coil spring 22.

Next, the operation will be described.

Base plate 17 and horn plate 18
The second coil spring 26 is disposed between the first and second claws 17c and 18c so as to urge them in a direction in which they are separated from each other.
By locking with a locking force secured to 8g,
The vertical positioning will be surely performed.

The third claw 17d is a pair of first claws 18c.
It is inserted and locked in the first engaging recessed portion 18f between them, and is positioned in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction of the horn plate 18).

As a result, the positioning accuracy of the base plate 17 and the horn plate 18 can be improved.

Moreover, the base plate 17 can be easily separated from the horn plate 18. That is, after removing the bolt 24 from the state shown in FIG. 4A, the pressing tongue piece 18e is pushed as shown in FIG. 4B to resist the biasing force of the first coil spring 22 and the horn plate 18e. By tilting the claws 17c, 17
The locked state of d, 18c, 18f can be released.

Further, the movable contact 23 is connected to the base plate 1
7, the horn plate 18 and the base plate 17 are less likely to be affected by the molding accuracy of the flanges 18b and 17a of the base plate 17, thereby maintaining the relative positional relationship between the fixed contact 19 and the movable contact 23 at a predetermined value. It is possible,
A stable contact can be made.

Furthermore, in the insulator 21, the upper ring portion 21b and the lower ring portion 21c are integrated via the hinge portion 21d so that both ring portions 21b and 21c are sandwiched from the upper and lower sides of the horn plate 18. Since it is attached to, it can be easily attached.

[0040]

As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, by providing the locking means for positioning in the vertical and horizontal directions, the positional relationship between the base plate and the horn plate is improved. Therefore, when the movable contact is provided on the base plate or the horn plate and the fixed contact is provided on the boss plate, the relative positional accuracy of both contacts can be improved.

Moreover, the locking means can be easily released by pressing the pressing tongue and tilting the horn plate.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, by disposing the movable contact on the base plate, the influence of the molding accuracy of the horn plate and each flange of the base plate is less likely to be exerted. The positional relationship with and can be maintained at a predetermined value, and stable contact contact can be performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by the biasing means, the locking force for positioning the locking means in the vertical direction is improved, and the vertical positioning is ensured. You can

According to the invention described in claim 4, in the insulator, the upper ring portion and the lower ring portion are integrated via the hinge portion, and both ring portions are sandwiched from the upper and lower sides of the horn plate. Since it is attached like this, it has a practical useful effect that it can be easily attached.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an A- of FIG. 2 showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.
It is sectional drawing which follows the A line.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a steering wheel showing the same example.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an airbag module, a horn plate and the like showing the same example.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the same example when releasing the locked state of the horn plate.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an insulator showing the same example.

FIG. 6 is a front view in which a part of a steering wheel showing a conventional example is sectioned.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a horn plate, a bracket and the like showing the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Steering wheel 12 Steering wheel body 13 Airbag module (movable member for horn) 15 Boss plate 17 Base plate 17a Bend flange (flange) 18 Horn plate 18a Hole 18b Start-up flange (flange) 18e Pressing tongue piece 19 Fixed contact 20 Bolt 21 Insulator 21a Through hole 21b Upper ring part 21c Lower ring part 21d Hinge part 22 First coil spring (spring) 23 Moving contact 26 Second coil spring (biasing means) Locking means 17c Second pawl 17d Third pawl 18c 1st claw 18f 1st engaging recess

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel for a vehicle, comprising a steering wheel body having a boss plate fixed to a steering shaft, and a movable member for a horn having a base plate movably arranged with the horn plate interposed therebetween. The horn plate is tiltably provided on the boss plate via a spring, and each of the horn plate and the base plate is formed along the axial direction of the steering shaft with a flange that is screwed to be overlapped with each other. Locking means for locking the two flanges to position each other in the vertical and horizontal directions are provided, and a pressing tongue for tilting the horn plate to release the locking means by being pressed is provided. A steering wheel for vehicles characterized by. 2. The base plate is provided with a movable contact, and the boss plate is provided with a fixed contact.
The vehicle steering wheel described. 3. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the horn plate is provided with a biasing means for pushing up the base plate. 4. A hole is formed in the horn plate,
An insulator is provided in the hole, and a bolt screwed into the boss plate is inserted into a through hole formed in the insulator to insulate the bolt from the horn plate via the insulator. The insulator is configured such that an upper ring portion located above the horn plate and a lower ring portion located below the horn plate are connected to each other via a hinge portion. The vehicle steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the horn plate can be clamped from above and below.