JPH11180314A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a shock absorbing means to manage without using any gas generating means based on explosion of gunpowder. SOLUTION: A shock absorbing means 1 formed on the basis of a foaming body is furbished at a steering wheel 2. The means 1 is composed of a first chamber 11 which contains a foaming body 15 including open cell and whose end face is protruded toward the driver side farther than the surface of the ring part 11 of steering wheel 2, a second chamber 12 which is formed inside the first chamber 11 and is fed with at least either of a gas accumulated in the foaming body 15 in the first chamber 11 and a member to form the foaming body 15, and a communication hole 14 which generates communication between the two chambers 11 and 12 and exerts a damping function when the gas accumulated in the first chamber 11 or the member to form foaming body flows to the second chamber 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a built-in shock absorbing means, and more particularly, to a large-sized steering wheel having a cushioning material covering the entire central portion of the steering wheel. The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a shock absorbing means which has a shock absorbing ability equivalent to that of an airbag.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a steering wheel having an impact absorbing means such as an airbag device is often provided with a gap provided inside a ring portion of the steering wheel 10 as shown in FIG. The meter 30 can be seen on the instrument panel. Therefore, in such a conventional device, the impact absorbing means 20 is compactly arranged near the center of the steering wheel 10, as shown in FIG. In particular,
A horn button for operating the alarm device (horn) is provided around a horn pad that also serves as the horn button, or a small airbag device is installed inside such a horn pad. It is something like that.

[0003]

As described above, in the prior art, since the shock absorbing means is compactly arranged near the center of the steering wheel, a predetermined collision energy ( In order to absorb the secondary collision energy), it is necessary to take measures such as inflating (deploying) the airbag with the gas generated by the explosion of the explosive. Therefore, it is necessary to take various safety measures. In order to solve such problems, it is an object (problem) of the present invention to provide a steering wheel having shock absorbing means that does not require generation of gas based on explosion of explosive.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems To solve the above problems, the present invention takes the following measures. That is, regarding the steering wheel having the shock absorbing means for protecting the driver at the time of the secondary collision,
While having a foam consisting of open cells inside it,
A first chamber formed so that its end face protrudes toward the driver side from the surface of the steering wheel; and a first chamber formed in the first chamber, and accumulated in a foam provided in the first chamber. The second chamber formed so that at least one of the gas itself and the member itself forming the foam is introduced, and connecting between the first chamber and the second chamber A communication port formed so as to exhibit a damping function when the gas or foam-forming member accumulated in the first chamber flows into the second chamber,
And a structure in which a shock absorbing means is provided.

[0005] By adopting such a configuration, the present invention has the following effects.
In the present invention, the end surface of the first chamber made of a foam containing gas therein is in a state of traveling to the driver side from the surface (ring surface) of the ring portion of the steering wheel, and this portion is Will exhibit the first shock absorbing action at the time of the secondary collision. That is, when the driver's face or the like collides with the foam forming the first chamber, the cushion portion made of the foam deforms, thereby absorbing impact energy. At this time, since the open cells are formed innumerably in the foam, the gas accumulated in the open cells is compressed and flows with the deformation of the foam. Then, this gas finally flows to the second chamber through the communication port formed between the second chamber and the gas. When the gas flows through the communication port, a predetermined damping function is exerted, whereby an impact energy absorbing action is achieved. The flow of the gas between the first chamber and the second chamber is reversible. That is, when impact energy is applied to the foam on the first chamber side and the pressure in the first chamber increases, gas contained in the foam flows to the second chamber side through the communication port. However, when the impact energy is released and the pressure on the first chamber side decreases, the gas present on the second chamber side returns to the original first chamber side. Therefore,
The present shock absorbing means can be reused by the restoring action of the foam forming the first chamber.

In the present invention, a damping function is exerted by the foam provided in the first chamber passing through the communication port, and the shock absorbing function is also performed. It is something like that. That is, due to the input of impact energy to the foam forming the first chamber, the foam itself deforms and the communication port is squeezed from the first chamber side to the second chamber side. Will move like so. By the throttling action when moving through the communication port, an impact energy absorbing action is performed. The effect of absorbing the impact energy due to the passage of the foam itself through the communication port is one-way, and is not reversible. Therefore, the impact energy absorbing action by the passage of the foam itself forming the first chamber through the communication port is completed only once.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Although it relates to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the configuration is such that a steering wheel 2 provided at a distal end of a steering shaft (not shown) and an entire surface inside a ring portion 21 of the steering wheel 2 are provided. And a shock absorbing means 1 made of a foam 15 or the like formed so that its end face protrudes (travels) from the surface (ring surface) of the ring portion 21 to the driver side. It is based on that.

[0008] In such a basic structure, as shown in FIG.
5 and the like, and a second chamber 12 formed inside the first chamber 11 and having a predetermined space portion. The first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 are covered with a skin material 13 made of a plastic sheet material or the like so that airtightness is maintained. And furthermore, such a first room 1
The shock absorbing means 1 including the first chamber 1 and the second chamber 12 is provided with a bolt and a bolt at the boss 25 formed around the steering shaft mounting portion of the steering wheel 2.
It is designed to be mounted by fastening means such as nuts.

A foam 15 having open cells is provided in the first chamber 11 which forms a part of the shock absorbing means 1 having such a basic structure. . And, in the cells of the foam 15,
A gas such as air or a predetermined gas is sealed therein. And further, such a foam 1
5, a skin material 13 made of a plastic sheet material or the like having high airtightness and high flexibility is provided on the outside thereof. As described above, the second chamber 12 is provided through the communication port 14 inside the first chamber 11 in which the airtightness is secured to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 1, the communication port 14 basically has an orifice for allowing gas accumulated in the bubbles of the foam 15 forming the first chamber 11 to flow toward the second chamber 12. , And in many cases, a screen 121 made of a wire mesh or the like is provided. In addition, this communication port 14
Regarding the above, in addition to such a basic one, one having a simple opening as shown in FIG. 2 can be considered. As shown in FIG. 2, when impact energy is applied to the foam 15 forming the first chamber 11, the foam 15 existing in the first chamber 11 passes through the communication port 14. To the second chamber 12 side (squeezed out)
It is something like that. The impact energy absorbing action is performed by the squeezing deformation of the foam 15 itself.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the steering wheel 2 on which the shock absorbing means 1 having such a configuration is installed is provided with a boss 25 which is coupled to a tip of a steering shaft (not shown). A cone portion 22 extending in a cone shape based on the boss portion 25, a ring portion 21 formed at a tip end portion of the cone portion 22,
It is basically composed of Then, the shock absorbing means 1 is installed in the conical cone portion 22 having the above configuration, and the bottom surface of the shock absorbing means 1 is attached to the boss 25 by a predetermined fastening means. Is what it is. Further, the shock absorbing means 1 installed in the cone portion 22 of the steering wheel 2 is formed of the foam 15 provided in the first chamber 11 or the skin material 13 provided on the surface thereof. The end face 111 projects (travels) more toward the driver than the face (ring face) of the ring portion 21 of the steering wheel 2 as shown by the dashed line in FIGS. 1 and 2. Is what it is.

In this embodiment having such a configuration, the shock absorbing means 1 covers almost the entire surface of the ring portion 21 of the steering wheel 2 from the beginning, so that the conventional shock absorbing means 1 can be used. As in the case of (see FIG. 4), the meters on the instrument panel cannot be seen through the gap inside the ring. Further, a horn button or the like forming a horn switch cannot be provided around the shock absorbing means 1. Thus, in the present embodiment, for example, a horn switch as shown in FIG. 3 is provided. That is, there is a pressure-sensitive switching mechanism including the air bag 7 provided around the entire circumference of the ring portion 21 and a pressure sensor 77 that operates by compressing the air in the air bag 7.
The pressure sensor 77 is activated by the driver strongly gripping the air bag 7 having such a configuration, and the horn is sounded.

[0013] Further, regarding the instrument panel, a method of separately providing the instrument panel in a different place and within the field of view of the driver is conceivable, but in addition to this, a head-up display for displaying on the front windshield glass is also considered. A display type is also conceivable. In this case, the switching mechanism 8 for displaying the head-up display type meters is formed on the lower surface side of the ring portion 21 of the steering wheel 2 by, for example, a split ring as shown in FIG. There is a way to do this. By operating the switch formed of the split ring with a driver's finger or the like, meters and the like of a head-up display system can be displayed on the front windshield glass.

Next, the operation and the like of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described. That is, in this embodiment, the end face 111 of the first chamber 11 made of the foam 15 containing gas therein.
1 (dashed line in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) is in a state of traveling to the driver side from the surface (ring surface) of the ring portion 21 of the steering wheel 2, and this portion is the first in a secondary collision. It will exhibit a shock absorbing effect. Specifically, the foam 15 forming such a first chamber 11
When the driver's face collides with
The foam 15 is deformed, thereby absorbing the impact energy. At this time, the gas accumulated in the open cells is compressed and flows with the deformation of the present foam 15 due to the myriad of open cells provided in the foam 15. It will be. This gas finally flows into the second chamber 12 through the communication port 14 formed between the gas and the second chamber 12.
When the gas flows through the communication port 14, a predetermined damping function is exerted, whereby an impact energy absorbing action is achieved.

The gas flow between the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12 is reversible. That is, when impact energy is applied to the foam 15 on the first chamber 11 side and the pressure in the first chamber 11 increases, the gas contained in the foam 15 passes through the communication port 14 and passes through the communication port 14. Although it flows to the second chamber 12 side, when the impact energy is released and the pressure of the first chamber 11 decreases, the second chamber 12 is maintained at a high pressure by the gas flowing from the first chamber. Therefore, the gas existing on the second chamber 12 side is
It will return to 1 side. Therefore, the impact absorbing means 1
Can be reused by the restoring action of the foam 15 forming the first chamber 11. Further, in the present embodiment, the foam 15 provided in the first chamber 11 is allowed to pass through the communication port 14, thereby exhibiting a damping function and providing a shock absorbing action. Can be performed. That is, the foam 15 itself deforms due to the input of impact energy to the foam 15 forming the first chamber 11, and the communication port 14 is moved from the first chamber 11 side to the second chamber 12 side. Will be moved so as to be squeezed out. By the throttling action when moving through the communication port 14, an impact energy absorbing action is performed. The effect of absorbing the impact energy due to the passage of the foam 15 itself through the communication port is performed one-way, and is not reversible.

[0016]

According to the present invention, there is provided a steering wheel having shock absorbing means made of a cushion material.
The shock absorbing means provided over substantially the entire surface of the ring portion of the steering wheel has a foam made of open cells therein, and is formed so that its end face protrudes more toward the driver than the surface of the steering wheel. A first chamber and at least one of a gas formed in the first chamber and stored in the foam provided in the first chamber and a member itself forming the foam; And the second chamber formed so as to introduce the gas, and the gas or foam forming member that connects between the first chamber and the second chamber and is accumulated in the first chamber. Since it consists of a communication port formed so as to exhibit a damping function when flowing into the room,
At the time of the secondary collision, the part of the foam forming the first chamber came to exhibit the first shock absorbing action. That is,
When the driver's face or the like collides with the foam forming the first chamber, the foam deforms, thereby absorbing impact energy. And, at this time, since the foam is provided with an infinite number of open cells, the gas accumulated in the open cells is compressed and flows with the deformation of the present foam, Eventually, the fluid flows toward the second chamber through the communication port formed between the second chamber. By flowing the gas through the communication port, a predetermined damping function is exerted, whereby the collision energy is absorbed. In addition, since such a flow action of the gas is performed reversibly between the first chamber and the second chamber, the shock absorbing means according to the present invention may be used for reuse. Is now available.

In the present invention, the damping function is exerted by allowing the foam provided in the first chamber to pass through the communication port, thereby providing a shock absorbing function. You can now make it work. That is, due to the input of impact energy to the foam forming the first chamber, the foam itself deforms, and the communication port can be moved from the first chamber to the second chamber. As a result, the effect of absorbing impact energy has been achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the overall configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the overall configuration of another embodiment of the shock absorbing means according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a horn switch mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an entire configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Shock absorbing means 11 First chamber 111 End face 12 Second chamber 121 Screen 13 Skin material 14 Communication port 15 Foam 2 Steering wheel 21 Ring part 22 Cone part 25 Boss part 7 Air bag 77 Pressure sensor 8 Switching mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first chamber having a foam formed of open cells therein and having an end face formed so as to protrude more toward the driver than a surface of a steering wheel, and a first chamber formed in the first chamber. A gas accumulated in a foam provided in the first chamber and a member itself forming the foam, a second member formed so as to introduce at least one of the members. And a chamber for connecting between the first chamber and the second chamber, and exhibits a damping function when the gas or foam-forming member accumulated in the first chamber flows into the second chamber. And a communication port formed so as to perform shock absorbing means.