JPH11187556A - Rotary coupler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve connecting work of a rotary coupler which is installed, e.g. in a steering wheel attaching part of an automobile. SOLUTION: A rotary coupler 25 is provided with a fixed side member 10 and a rotation side member 11 which can be mutually and relatively rotated by using a rotation center axis as the center, and a cable accommodated in an annular space part formed between both of the members 10, 11. A connector 17 is fixed to the end portion of a cable via a flexible conductor for leading-out to the outside. Temporarily fixing of the connector 17 to the above member 11 of the leading-out side is enabled by using temporarily fixing parts 11a, 11b, 17b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary connection device most suitable for electrical connection between mutually rotating parts in an automobile, a home electric appliance, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A steering wheel mounting portion of an automobile has a steering shaft 2 rotatably supported in a bracket 1 fixed to a body, as shown in FIG. Device 3
And a rotary connection device 4. A steering wheel 6 is attached to a distal end portion of the steering shaft 2 that projects upward through the switch device 3 and the rotary connection device 4 so as to rotate integrally with the shaft 2. Also, the steering wheel 6 has
Electrical components 7, such as a horn switch and an airbag, are provided as needed. The switch device 3 is a device in which switches such as a turn signal lamp and a wiper are integrally assembled, and operation levers 8 and 9 for switching the switches are mounted on the left and right side surfaces, respectively.

[0003] The rotary connection device 4 is a device for electrically connecting the electric component 7 which rotates with the steering wheel 6 and a circuit on the body side. Had been used.

A rotary connection device 4 shown in FIG. 4 includes a fixed side member (lower case) 10 fixed to the body side, and a rotation side member (upper case) 1 that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 6.
A cable (flexible flat cable: FFC or flexible print circuit: FPC) 13 is spirally wound and stored in an annular space 12 formed between the cable 13 and the outside of the cable 13. The connector 15 attached to the end 13a is connected to the connector 16 of the bracket 1, and the inner end 13b of the cable 13 is connected.
Is connected to the connector 18 of the electrical component 7. Reference numeral 19 denotes a cover, and 20 denotes a C for rotatably fixing the rotating member 11 to the fixed member 10.
The ring 21 is a slippery sheet.

[0005] An inverted L-shaped terminal member 23 is provided on the outer end portion 13a of the cable 13, and as shown in FIG. A number of inverted L-shaped metal bodies 24 corresponding to the number of 13d are attached, and a perforated portion 13c of the outer end 13a of the cable 13 is provided above each metal body 24.
13d are connected by welding, and each metal body 24d
Is connected to the lower part of the connector 15 by welding or the like. Then, the terminal member 23 after the cover 23b is attached to the main body 23a,
Is inserted into and held by the external holder 10a.

The inner end 13b of the cable 13 has a conductor 13d connected to a metal member inside the terminal member 26 and the electric wire 27 of the connector 17 connected to the metal member in the same manner as the outer end portion 13a. Then, this terminal member 26
Is inserted into and held by the holder 11a outside the rotation-side member 11.

[0007]

By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, the connector 17 of the rotary member 11 in the rotary connection device 4 has a through hole 6 in the steering shaft 6.
After passing through a, it is connected to the connector 18 of the electrical component 7.

At this time, since the electric wire 27 has flexibility, the workability of connecting the connector 17 to the connector 18 of the electrical component 7 is good, but when the connector 17 is passed through the through hole 6a of the steering shaft 6, However, since it is necessary to hold the connector 17 by hand and pass it through the through hole 6a, there is a problem that the workability is poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to improve the connection work of a connector of a rotary connection device provided on a steering wheel mounting portion of an automobile, for example.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a fixed member and a rotating member which can rotate relative to each other about a rotation center axis, and is formed between these members. In a rotary connection device having a cable housed in an annular space, a connector is attached to an end of the cable via an external lead-out flexible conductor, and the connector is connected to any one of the members on the drawer side. And a rotary connection device that can be temporarily fixed by a temporary fixing portion.

According to the present invention, the connector can be temporarily fixed to either the fixed-side member or the rotating-side member by the temporary fixing portion, so that the connector does not fluctuate with the flexible conductor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the rotary connection device includes:
A rotating connection device for a steering wheel mounting portion of an automobile, wherein a holder portion for holding a terminal member connected to the flexible conductor is provided on an upper surface of the rotating side member, and a temporary fixing portion of the connector is provided on the holder portion. Is provided, the connector can be temporarily fixed without providing another component.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the present invention, the temporary fixing portion includes a projection formed on both sides of the holder portion, a support portion formed on both sides of the connector and fitted into the holder portion from above, The connector can be temporarily fixed with one touch by using a locking hole formed in the portion, and a structure in which the support portion of the connector is fitted into the holder portion from above and the locking hole is engaged with the projection to temporarily fix the connector. .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the connector is temporarily fixed to face the through hole of the steering wheel, workability through the through hole of the steering wheel is improved.

[0015]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components and operations as those of the prior art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, locking projections 11b are integrally formed on both sides of a semicircular shape of a holder portion 11a provided on the upper surface of the rotary member 11 of the rotary connection device.

The connector 17 connected to the electric wire 27 of the terminal member 26 held by the holder portion 11a is extended downward from both sides, and the flexible electric wire 27 is bent while being bent. On both sides, semicircular support portions 17a that can be fitted from above are integrally formed, and each of the support portions 17a engages with each of the locking projections 11b when fitted into the holder portion 11a, Holder part 1
A locking hole 17b for temporarily fixing the connector 17 is formed integrally with the connector 1a.

According to the above configuration, before the connector 17 is passed through the through hole 6a of the steering wheel 6, the connector 17 of the rotating member 11 is connected to the flexible electric wire 27.
The support part 17a is fitted into the holder part 11a of the rotating member 11 while bending the support hole 17a.
As shown in FIG. 1, the hook 7b is temporarily fixed to the holder 11a by being engaged with the locking projection 11b of the holder 11a. Therefore, the connector 17 does not fluctuate with the flexible electric wire 27.

In this state, the connector 17 can be passed through the through-hole 6a of the steering wheel 6, so that the connector 17 is held by hand as in the prior art.
Since it is not necessary to pass through, the workability is improved.

Then, after passing through the through hole 6a of the steering wheel 6, the connector 17 is pinched up with a finger and pulled up. When the support portion 17a of the connector 17 is slightly bent outward, the locking hole 17b is Since the connector 17 comes off from the locking projection 11b, the temporary fixing is automatically released, and the connector 17 can be extended straight together with the flexible electric wire 27. Thereby, the workability of connecting the connector 17 to the connector 18 of the electrical component 7 by the flexible electric wire 27 is also improved.

In the above configuration, the locking projection 11b is integrally formed on the holder 11a of the rotating member 11, and the support 17a of the connector 17 and the locking hole 17b are integrally formed. Therefore, the connector 17 can be temporarily fixed at a low cost.

The support 17a of the connector 17 can be temporarily fixed only by fitting it into the holder 11a of the rotating member 11, and the temporary fix can be released only by picking up the connector 17 with a finger. Temporary fixing and temporary fixing can be released.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above description, in the rotary connection device of the present invention, the connector can be temporarily fixed to either the fixed side member or the rotary side member by the temporary fixing portion. Since it does not fluctuate with the conductor, workability through a through hole or the like of the steering wheel is improved.

When the rotary connection device is a rotary connection device for a steering wheel mounting portion of an automobile, a holder for holding a terminal member connected to a flexible conductor is provided on the upper surface of the rotary side member. Since the holder can be provided with a temporary fixing portion of the connector, the connector can be temporarily fixed at low cost without providing a separate component.

Further, a temporary fixing portion is formed by a projection formed on both sides of the holder portion, a support portion formed on both sides of the connector,
With the locking hole formed in this support part, the connector can be temporarily fixed by one-touch because the locking hole can be engaged with the projection by simply fitting the support part of the connector into the holder part from above, so that it can be temporarily fixed. can do. Conversely, by simply picking up the connector with your finger, you can release the connector temporarily with one touch.

Further, if the connector is temporarily fixed to face the through hole of the steering wheel, the workability of passing the connector through the through hole of the steering wheel is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a connector of a rotary connection device of the present invention is temporarily fixed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a temporary fixing of a connector of the rotary connection device is released.

FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of a steering wheel mounting portion of the automobile.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional rotary connection device.

FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of a conventional rotary connection device.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional terminal member.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 6 Steering wheel 6a Through hole 10 Fixed side member 11 Rotating side member 11a Holder 11b Locking projection 12 Space 13 Cable 13b Inner end 17 Connector 17a Support 17b Locking hole 26 Terminal member 27 Electric wire

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A rotary connection device comprising: a fixed side member and a rotation side member rotatable relative to each other about a rotation center axis; and a cable housed in an annular space formed between the two members. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a connector is attached to an end portion of the cable via a flexible conductor for external drawing, and the connector can be temporarily fixed to any of the members on the drawing side with a temporary fixing portion. Connection device. 2. The rotation connection device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation connection device is a rotation connection device for a steering wheel mounting portion of an automobile, and a holder for holding a terminal member connected to the flexible conductor is provided on an upper surface of the rotation side member. 2. The rotary connection device according to claim 1, wherein said holder portion is provided with a temporary fixing portion of said connector. 3. The temporary fixing portion includes a projection formed on both sides of the holder portion, a support portion formed on both sides of the connector, and fitted into the holder portion from above, and formed on the support portion. 3. The rotary connection device according to claim 2, wherein the rotation connection device is a locking hole, the support portion of the connector is fitted into the holder portion from above, and the locking hole is engaged with the projection and temporarily fixed. 4. The rotary connection device according to claim 2, wherein the connector is temporarily fixed so as to face the through hole of the steering wheel.