JPH09226595A - Steering wheel unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate a complicated process of visually confirming the positions of operation knobs arranged on a pad body for the manipulation thereof, and allow the operation of a desired knob via blind touch. SOLUTION: A pair of projected parts 3 are provided on the upper side of a pad body 2 integrated with the central part of a steering wheel 1, and formed like a smoothly curved hill for the convenience of a driver to place his/her palms thereon. Also, a plurality of operation knobs as push switch key tops are arranged on the curved surface of the projected parts 3, and contact parts corresponding to each operation knob 4 are provided within the projected parts 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel unit in which electric parts such as switches are incorporated and integrated into a pad body of a steering wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-270816, operation knobs for various switches such as an audio switch and an air conditioner switch are attached to a pad body attached to a central portion of a steering wheel. The one arranged is known. These operation knobs are arranged in a horizontal row on the flat surface on the front side of the pad body, and the driver selectively presses the operation knobs to turn on / off the switch corresponding to the pressed operation knobs. Is to be done.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the plurality of operation knobs are arranged in a horizontal row on the flat surface of the pad body, the driver visually selects the operation knob. In particular, there is a problem that it is difficult to select a desired operation knob during traveling.

[0004]

According to the present invention, a palm positioning projection is provided on a pad body integrated in the central portion of a steering wheel, and an operation knob for an electric component is arranged on or around the projection. It was decided to. In this manner, when the pad positioning body is provided with the palm positioning protrusion, the driver can operate a desired operation knob by so-called blind touch with his or her palm attached to the protrusion.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the handle unit of the present invention,
A steering wheel having a pad body in the center, and a palm positioning projection provided on the pad body,
An operation knob for an electric component is arranged on or around the convex portion.

The convex portion may be formed integrally with the pad body. However, if the convex portion is formed of a member different from the pad body, the convex portion and the electric component can be attached to the pad body in a united state. Workability is improved.

The position of the convex portion may be anywhere within the reach of the driver, but if it is provided on the upper side of the pad body in the rotation neutral state of the steering wheel, it can be placed on the palm of the driver who holds the steering wheel. The convex portions can be brought close to each other, and it is particularly effective that the pair of convex portions are provided at symmetrical positions on both left and right sides with respect to the center line of the pad body.

Further, in the case where an air bag module such as an inflator is housed inside the pad body and the upper surface of the pad body is opened when the inflator is operated, when the convex portion is provided on the back surface side of the pad body, A wide open portion of the pad body can be secured.

The electric parts may be anything having an operation knob operated by a driver's finger, but a push type or seesaw type switch is preferable, and a variable resistor is added to the switch according to the application. It is also possible.

[0010]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, a pad body 2 is integrated with a central portion of an annular steering wheel 1, and the steering wheel 1 is fixed to a steering shaft (not shown) on the back side of the pad body 2. The pad body 2 has a pair of convex portions 3
Are arranged at predetermined intervals, and these convex portions 3 are located on the upper side of the pad body 2 in the rotation neutral state of the steering wheel 1 and are symmetrical with respect to the center line of the pad body 2. . The convex portion 3 is formed in a hill shape with a smooth curved surface so that it is convenient for placing the palm of the driver, and a plurality of operation knobs 4 are arranged on the curved surface of the left and right convex portions 3. These operation knobs 4 form key tops of push switches for audio and air conditioners, etc., and inside the convex portion 3, contact portions (not shown) corresponding to the operation knobs 4 are provided. The convex portion 3 may be formed integrally with the pad body 2, but in the case of the present embodiment, the convex portion 3 is formed of a synthetic resin separate from the pad body 2, and the convex portion 3 includes a push knob including the operation knob 4. The unit body is attached to the pad body 2 after the switch components are assembled into a unit.

According to the embodiment thus constructed, the driver can put his or her own palm on the convex portion 3 without looking at the operating knob 4, so that the convex portion 3 is used as a positioning reference for an arbitrary operating knob. 4 can be surely pressed, and thus the desired operation knob 4 can be pressed by a blind touch even while traveling. Further, since the pair of protrusions 3 are provided apart from the upper side of the pad body 2 in the rotation neutral state of the steering wheel 1, the driver immediately puts his palm away from the steering wheel 1 on the protrusions 3.
It can be placed on the table and the operability can be improved. Further, since the components of the push switch including the operation knob 4 and the convex portion 3 can be attached to the pad body 2 in a unitized state in advance, not only the assembly workability is improved, but also it is advantageous during maintenance. .

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the convex portion 3
Since the stepped recessed groove 3a is formed on the curved surface of and the operation knob 4 is arranged in this groove 3a, the finger can be guided by the groove 3a, and the operation knob 4 is operated by a blind touch. Easier to do. Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
One of the operation knobs 4 is a knob portion of a switch called a seesaw switch or a lever switch, and by rotating the operation knob 4 in the direction of the arrow, a switching operation of a contact portion (not shown) built in the convex portion 3 is performed. Be seen. Since this switch has two contact parts that are operated by one operation knob 4, it has one contact part when all of the operation knob 4 is a knob of a seesaw switch or a lever switch having two contact parts. Compared with the case of a push switch key top, the number of contacts is doubled in the former case, and many devices can be controlled. Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, one of the operation knobs 4 is a knob portion of the rotary variable resistor, and the operation knob 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow so as to be incorporated in the convex portion 3 (not shown). The analog position such as the volume of audio is adjusted by changing the contact position of the resistor and the slider.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a small protrusion 4a is formed on the top surface of the operation knob 4, and the small protrusion 4a facilitates the operation of the operation knob 4 by blind touch.
The small protrusions 4a may be formed on all the operation knobs 4 in the same manner, but if the number and size of the small protrusions 4a are made different for each operation knob 4, it is only necessary to touch the small protrusions 4a with a finger. The function of the operating knob 4 can be identified. The same effect can be obtained by forming holes or grooves instead of the small protrusions 4a.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the convex portion 3 is provided on the back surface side of the pad body 2, and an air bag module such as an inflator (not shown) is housed inside the pad body 2. Therefore, even if the upper surface of the pad body 2 is opened and the bag is expanded when the inflator is operated, it is possible to prevent the electric parts including the operation knob 4 from scattering.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, each operation knob 4
Are arranged around the convex portion 3, and the convex portion 3 is simply raised as a curved surface. In this case as well, the driver can operate each operation knob 4 with his / her free finger while stably fixing his / her palm on the convex portion 3, so that the blind touch can be performed without looking at the operation knob 4. It can be pressed. Further, since the operation knob 4 is arranged around the convex portion 3,
There is also an additional effect that the arrangement space for the electric components including the operation knob 4 is expanded.

[0016]

The present invention is embodied in the form described above and has the following effects.

By providing a convex portion for positioning the palm on the pad body integrated in the central portion of the steering wheel and arranging the operation knob of the electric component on or around the convex portion, the driver can perform blind touch. A desired operation knob can be operated with certainty, and operability can be improved.

Further, if the convex portion is provided on the upper side of the pad body in the rotation neutral state of the steering wheel, the convex portion can be brought close to the palm of the driver who holds the steering wheel. The operability can be remarkably enhanced by providing them separately on the left and right sides of the body.

Further, when the convex portion is provided on the back surface side of the pad body, the open portion of the pad body can be widely ensured even when applied to the steering device in which the air bag module is housed inside the pad body.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handle unit according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a protrusion and an operation knob.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a protrusion and an operation knob.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a protrusion and an operation knob.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a modified example of the handle unit.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a modified example of the handle unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Steering wheel 2 Pad body 3 Convex part 3a Recessed groove 4 Operation knob 4a Small protrusion

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel having a pad body in a central portion, and a palm positioning convex portion provided on the pad body, and an operation knob for an electric component is arranged on or around the convex portion. Handle unit characterized by. 2. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion is provided on an upper side of the pad body in a rotation neutral state of the steering wheel. 3. The handle unit according to claim 2, wherein the convex portions are provided separately on both left and right sides of the pad body. 4. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion is provided on the back surface side of the pad body. 5. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the electric component is a switch. 6. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the electric component is a variable resistor.