JPH09207693A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the constitution of a horn switch mechanism provided on a steering wheel. SOLUTION: A fixed contact 24 is provided on a boss plate 9 of a steering wheel main body 2, and front and rear locking parts 21, 21, 22 for locking a horn plate 41 are formed to be integrated therewith. The horn plate 41 is integrally formed like a V-shape in plane and slid to be engaged with locking parts 21, 21, 22, and supported to be movable vertically. The horn plate 41 is positioned by a positioning pin 11b projected from a lower cover 11. The horn plate 41 is energized by a horn spring 35 fitted to the horn plate 9 by engagement.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steering wheel provided with a horn switch mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-169357.
There is known a steering wheel described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-15095. This steering wheel includes a horn switch mechanism on the occupant side of the steering wheel body, and supports the airbag device via the horn switch mechanism. The horn switch mechanism includes a fixed contact provided on the steering wheel main body side and a pair of horn plates on both sides provided with a movable contact facing the fixed contact, and each horn plate includes a pair of front and rear bolts. The steering wheel body is elastically supported by the (screw) and the spring body so as to be able to move forward and backward. In this steering wheel, the movable contact is brought into contact with the fixed contact by pushing the airbag device, the horn switch is closed, and the horn is blown.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, since the horn switch mechanism is composed of a plurality of horn plates and a large number of bolts for supporting these horn plates, the number of parts increases and There is a problem that the assembly work becomes complicated and it becomes difficult to reduce the manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a steering wheel having a horn switch mechanism and capable of reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering wheel including a steering wheel main body, a fixed contact provided on the steering wheel main body side, and a movable contact that comes in contact with and separates from the fixed contact. A pushing portion capable of pushing the horn plate, a biasing means for biasing the horn plate in a direction in which the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact, and a movable portion provided on the steering wheel body side. And a horn plate locking portion that locks the horn plate movably in a direction in which the contact contacts the fixed contact.

In this structure, when the pushing portion is pushed, the horn plate moves against the urging force of the urging means, and when the movable contact provided on the horn plate comes into contact with the fixed contact, The horn switch is closed and the horn blows. Also, since the horn plate is supported by being locked to the horn plate locking portion provided on the steering wheel body side, the mounting work using bolts or the like is unnecessary or reduced, and the number of parts is reduced and the work is reduced. The manufacturing cost is reduced by facilitating the manufacturing process.

The steering wheel according to claim 2 is
The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the horn plate locking portion includes a locking surface portion that abuts and locks the horn plate, and the horn plate is slidably inserted into the fixed contact side of the locking surface portion. It is something.

In this structure, the work of attaching the horn plate is facilitated and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

The steering wheel according to claim 3 is
The steering wheel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the horn plate includes a base portion having a through hole and a pair of arm portions extending from the base portion, and the horn plate engaging member is provided in the through hole of each of the arm portions. The pin provided on the stopper is inserted, and the positioning pin attached to the steering wheel body is inserted into the through hole of the base.

In this structure, the horn plate is inserted into the through hole of the arm with the pin provided in the horn plate locking portion, and then the horn plate is aligned at a predetermined position. By inserting the positioning pin into the through hole of the base, the horn plate can be easily attached at a predetermined position, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

A steering wheel according to a fourth aspect is
In the steering wheel according to the third aspect, the positioning pin is integrally formed with a cover body that covers the steering wheel body.

In this structure, since the positioning pin for positioning the horn plate is formed integrally with the cover body that covers the steering wheel body, the number of parts is reduced and the horn plate mounting operation is facilitated. , The manufacturing cost is reduced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering wheel,
The steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: an insulating urging means holding member that is engaged with the steering wheel body and is attached to the urging means.

In this structure, the biasing means is easily attached to the steering wheel body by engagement,
Manufacturing costs are reduced.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a steering wheel according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a steering wheel of an automobile.
Is composed of a steering wheel main body 2, an airbag device (airbag module) 4 as a pushing portion mounted on the upper side of the steering wheel main body 2 on the occupant side, and the like.

The steering wheel body 2 is
A ring-shaped rim portion (ring portion) 5, a boss portion 6 located inside the rim portion 5, the rim portion 5 and the boss portion 6
It is composed of a plurality of, in the present embodiment, three spoke portions 7 for connecting the and. A boss 8 fitted to a steering shaft (not shown) is provided on the lower portion of the boss portion 6 on the vehicle body side.
Further, the boss plate 9 is fixed by welding or the like. Then, from the boss plate 9, the core metal 7a of the spoke portion 7 is formed.
Are integrally extended or fixed by welding or the like. Further, the core metal 5a of the rim portion 5 is fixed to the core metal 7a of the spoke portion 7 by welding or the like. A skin portion 10 made of a soft foamed polyurethane or the like is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the core metal 5a of the rim portion 5 and the outer peripheral portion of the core metal 7a of the spoke portion 7 on the rim portion 5 side. I have.

A lower cover 11 made of resin as a cover body is attached to the boss 6 to cover the lower side of the boss 6. The lower cover 11 is formed with an opening 11a through which the steering shaft is inserted, and a positioning pin 11b located on the rear side of the opening 11a and protruding upward is integrally provided. There is. Further, an electrical connection device 12 such as a clock spring for electrically connecting the vehicle body side and the steering wheel 1 side is attached to the lower side of the lower cover 11.

Further, the steering wheel body 2
Is provided with a horn switch mechanism, and the airbag device 4 is attached via the horn switch mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the airbag device 4 is provided with a base plate 14 made of a metal plate or the like, and from the upper side of the base plate 14, a bag-shaped airbag 15 and a resin cover body 17 are provided. While installing
An inflator 18 for injecting gas is attached from below the base plate 14. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the base plate 14 has a pair of mounting pieces on both sides.
19 are formed.

When an automobile collides, the inflator 18 rapidly injects an inert gas such as nitrogen gas into the inside of the airbag 15, so that the folded and stored airbag 15 suddenly moves. Expands. Then, due to the inflation pressure of the airbag 15, the cover body 17 is cleaved into a predetermined shape to form a protruding port of the airbag 15, and the airbag 15 projects from the protruding port and inflates and deploys to the front of the occupant. , Is designed to protect passengers.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the horn switch mechanism includes a pair of horns which are integrally formed on the boss plate 9 and have a substantially L-shaped cross section and which are located on both sides of the front portion. Front locking parts 21, 21 as plate locking parts
And a rear locking portion 22 located at the center of the rear portion, and fixed contacts 24 paired on the front and rear sides formed by driving a conductive member into the boss plate 9.
As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the front engaging portion 21 includes an upright portion 26 that is almost vertically raised from the boss plate 9,
A locking surface portion 27 is formed that extends substantially horizontally from the upright portion 26 toward the outside. Furthermore, each locking surface
From 27, a pin 28 is integrally or separately formed downward. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the rear locking portion 22 is provided with an upright portion 28 that is raised almost vertically from the boss plate 9 and a substantially horizontal extending from the upright portion 28 toward the front side. The locking surface portion 29 is formed, and the locking surface portion 29 is formed with a circular positioning hole 30.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 and the like, the boss plate 9 is provided with an insulator mounting portion 32 having a pair of front and rear fitting holes 32a formed between fixed contacts 24 forming a front and rear pair. A biasing means holding member 33 made of an insulating resin is fixed to the insulator mounting portion 32 by fitting the protruding portion 33a protruding downward to the fitting hole 32a. Has been done.

A spring fitting portion 33b having a plurality of protrusions is formed on the upper surface of the biasing means holding member 33.
A horn spring 35 as an urging means is engaged with each of the spring fitting portions 33b, positioned with respect to the boss plate 9 and attached in an insulated state. The horn spring 35 has a substrate portion 35a.
An arm piece portion 35b that extends upward from the board portion 35a, and a horizontal movable contact 35c formed at the tip of the arm piece portion 35b are formed. It is attached by engaging the spring fitting portion 33b of the biasing means holding member 33. Further, the board portion 35a and the spring fitting portion 33b are
Between it and the crimp terminal 37a of the horn cord 37 shown in FIG.
And the horn cord 37 and the horn spring 35 are electrically connected.

Further, 41 is a horn plate, and this horn plate 41 is formed by punching out a metal plate and bending it into a substantially planar V shape.
It is integrally formed in a U shape or a substantially U shape in a plane. That is, the horn plate 41 is formed with a base portion 42 whose both sides are in the longitudinal direction, and a pair of arm portions 43, 43 extending from both ends of the base portion 42 to the front side. The horn plate 41 is formed with an upright side portion 45 bent upward along the edge portion, and both side portions of the upright side portion 45 are extended upward to form a pair on both sides. Mounting piece of
46, 46 are formed. And these mounting piece parts 46,
The airbag device 4 is fixed to the horn plate 41 by fastening 46 to the mounting pieces 19, 19 of the base plate 14 of the airbag device 4 with bolts (not shown).

Further, each arm portion 43, 43 of the horn plate 41
In the vicinity of the tip end portion of the base, elongated through holes 51, 51 extending in the longitudinal direction are formed, and a circular through hole 52 is formed substantially in the center of the base 42. .

The horn plate 41 is located above the boss plate 9, and the horn springs 35 are in contact with the lower surfaces of the arm portions 43, 43 so as to be elastically movable up and down. The parts 43, 43 and the base part 42 are arranged in a state of being positioned below the locking surface part 27 of the front locking parts 21, 21 and the locking surface part 29 of the rear locking part 22, respectively. Further, in this state, through the through holes 51, 51 formed in the respective arm portions 43, 43, through the annular resin washers 54, 54 for reducing sliding noise, the front engaging portions 21, 21 are provided. Through which the pins 28, 28 provided in the
The positioning pin 11b protruding from the lower cover 11 is inserted into the 52 through the washer 54, and these pins 28, 28, 11 are inserted.
The horn plate 41 is positioned horizontally by b and is guided so as to be able to move back and forth in the vertical direction.

With the steering wheel 1 assembled in this way, the circuit of the horn switch is
The fixed contact 24 is connected (grounded) from the boss plate 9, the boss 8 and the steering shaft to the negative terminal of the battery via the vehicle body, and is in close contact with the lower surface of the horn plate 41 and integrally moves up and down. The movable contact 35c is formed by connecting the horn cord 37 to the horn device through the connecting device 12.

The steering wheel 1 assembled in this way is urged by the horn spring 35 when no force is applied to the airbag device 4.
The movable contact 35c that is in close contact with the lower surface of the horn plate 41 that supports the airbag device 4 is supported in a state of being separated from the fixed contact 24, and is pushed down together with the horn plate 41 while the airbag device 4 is being pushed. Moving contact
The 35c contacts the fixed contact 24, the circuit of the horn switch is closed, and the horn is blown.

When assembling this horn switch mechanism, when the horn plate 41 is assembled to the base plate 9, the horn plate 41 or the base plate 9 is preliminarily fixed with the washer 54, as shown in FIG. The plate 41 is tilted, and the horn plate 41 is moved from the tip of the arm 43 to the front locking portions 21, 21.
Inserted under the locking surface parts 27, 27 of. Then, while rotating the horn plate 41 to raise it horizontally, each arm
To the rear end side of the long hole-shaped through hole 51 of 43, through the washer 54,
The pin 28 protruding from each front locking portion 21 is inserted. Further, from this state, the horn plate 41 is slid toward the rear side so that the base portion 42 of the horn plate 41 is locked to the rear locking portion 22.
It is inserted under the locking surface portion 29 of. And in this state,
By attaching the lower cover 11 to the lower side of the steering wheel body 2, the positioning pin 11b projecting from the lower cover 11 is inserted into the through hole 52 of the base 42 of the horn plate 41.
Is inserted into the positioning hole 30 of the rear locking portion 22, and the horn plate 41 is positioned so as not to move in the front-rear direction.

As described above, according to the steering wheel 1 of the present embodiment, the horn plate 41 is slidably engaged with the boss plate 9 of the steering wheel body 2 without using screws or the like. Since they can be assembled, the number of parts can be reduced, the manufacturing process can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, as compared with a configuration using Torx bolts for mounting the horn plate.

Further, in contrast to the conventional use of a pair of horn plates on both sides, in the present embodiment, an integrated horn plate 41 is used and a positioning pin for positioning the horn plate 41. Since 11b is also formed integrally with the lower cover 11 that has been conventionally used, the number of parts can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Further, the horn spring 35 supporting the horn plate 41 can also be engaged and held in an insulated state by the biasing means holding member 33 made of resin, and the horn spring 35 can be connected to the boss plate 9 and the horn plate 41. Since it is sandwiched between the two, it is not necessary to use a fixing screw or the like, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the positioning pin 11b for finally positioning the horn plate 41.
Is formed in the lower cover 11, but this positioning pin may be made of another member, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, it is screwed and fixed in the positioning hole 30 of the rear locking portion 22. Screw 61
Etc. can also be used.

As the biasing means for supporting the horn plate 41, a plate-shaped horn spring 35 or a coil spring may be used. Further, the fixed contact and the movable contact can also be formed integrally with or separately from the boss plate and the horn plate, respectively.

[0036]

According to the steering wheel of the first aspect of the present invention, the horn plate is engaged with and supported by the horn plate engaging portion provided on the steering wheel main body side, so that mounting work using bolts or the like can be performed. The number of parts can be reduced by eliminating or eliminating them, the work can be facilitated, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the steering wheel of the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, the horn plate retaining portion is provided with a retaining surface portion for contacting and retaining the horn plate. By slidingly inserting the locking surface portion to the fixed contact side, the mounting work of the horn plate can be facilitated and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the steering wheel of the third aspect, in addition to the effect of the first or second aspect, the horn plate has a pin provided at the horn plate engaging portion inserted into the through hole of the arm portion. Then, with the horn plate aligned with a predetermined position, by inserting the positioning pin into the through hole of the base, the horn plate can be easily attached to the predetermined position, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. .

According to the steering wheel of the fourth aspect, in addition to the effect of the third aspect, the positioning pin for positioning the horn plate is formed integrally with the cover body that covers the steering wheel body, so the number of parts is reduced. In addition, the work of attaching the horn plate can be facilitated, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the steering wheel of the fifth aspect, in addition to the effect of any of the first to fourth aspects, the biasing means can be easily attached to the steering wheel body in an insulated state by engaging, and the manufacturing cost is reduced. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a steering wheel of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steering wheel.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the steering wheel, taken along the line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the steering wheel, taken along the line BB in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the steering wheel taken along line D-D in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 2 for explaining the assembling operation of the steering wheel.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the steering wheel of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Steering wheel 2 Steering wheel body 4 Air bag device as pusher 11 Lower cover as cover 11b Positioning pin 21 Front locking part as horn plate locking part 24 Fixed contact point 27 Locking surface part 28 Pin 33 Biasing means holding member 35 Horn spring 35c as a biasing means Movable contact 41 Horn plate 42 Base 43 Arms 51, 52 Through holes

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel main body, a fixed contact provided on the steering wheel main body side, a horn plate provided with a movable contact that comes in contact with and separated from the fixed contact, and a pusher unit capable of pushing the horn plate. An urging means for urging the horn plate in a direction in which the movable contact separates from the fixed contact; and the horn plate provided in the steering wheel body side in a direction in which the movable contact contacts the fixed contact. A steering wheel comprising: a horn plate locking portion for movably locking the vehicle. 2. The horn plate locking portion includes a locking surface portion that abuts and locks the horn plate, and the horn plate is slidably inserted into the fixed contact side of the locking surface portion. The steering wheel according to claim 1. 3. The horn plate includes a base portion having a through hole and a pair of arm portions extending from the base portion, and the horn plate locking portion is provided in the through hole of each of the arm portions. The steering wheel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a pin is inserted and a positioning pin attached to the steering wheel body is inserted into the through hole of the base portion. 4. The steering wheel according to claim 3, wherein the positioning pin is integrally formed with a cover body that covers the steering wheel body. 5. The insulative biasing means holding member which is engaged with the steering wheel body and is attached thereto, and which holds the biasing means by the engagement is provided. Steering wheel.