JPH11306922A - Assembly structure of combination switch structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a combination switch and an air bag coil constituting an air bag system into a built-up structure further simple in structure and facilitating replacement of parts. SOLUTION: An air bag coil case 11 is fixed by screws to a projection 13 for fixing the air bag coil case 11 installed in a steering lock mechanism unit 12 and a combination switch structure 10 is installed in such a way as overlapped on the air bag coil case 11 and fixed by screws to a column 14 longer than the projection 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a combination switch which is constituted by combining switches for operating electric components disposed in various parts of a vehicle while penetrating a shaft of a steering wheel. The present invention relates to an assembling structure of a combination switch structure, in which an airbag coil constituting an obligatory airbag system has an assembling structure that has a simpler structure and allows easy replacement of parts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a steering shaft for holding a steering wheel of a vehicle is provided with a combination switch configured so that switches for operating electric components incorporated in various parts of the vehicle can be centrally operated at hand. The airbag coil constituting the airbag system which is required to be mounted is inserted and held together. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the combination switch structure 2 is mounted on the steering lock mechanism unit 1 and fixed by screws, and the airbag coil case housing the airbag connection cable on the combination switch structure 2. 3 are screwed together, and the steering shaft 4 is inserted from the steering lock mechanism unit 1 via the airbag coil case 3 and assembled.

[0003]

By the way, the mechanically movable parts and the contacts in the combination switch structure 2 are liable to be worn out due to long-term use.
It may cause poor contact or break down,
During maintenance, there is a need to repair and possibly replace. Therefore, in order to take out the combination switch structure 2, the airbag coil case 3 must first be removed. On the other hand, these structures are the steering lock mechanism unit 1 respectively.
Further, the combination switch structure 2 is configured such that the airbag coil case 3 is incorporated in the cases independently of each other, and these cases are connected by screws. For this reason, the installation space is large, the number of parts is large, the design is restricted, and the assembling process is complicated, while the maintenance and inspection work is troublesome and the production cost is difficult to suppress. . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in view of the above background. For example, a combination switch including a shaft of a steering wheel and a combination of switches for activating electrical components disposed in various parts of a vehicle is provided. To provide an assembly structure of a combination switch structure, in which an airbag coil constituting an airbag system, which has recently become mandatory, has an assembly structure that has a simpler structure and allows easy replacement of parts. With the goal.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a combination switch structure incorporating switches for operating electric components provided in a vehicle, and a steering shaft near a steering wheel. In order to assemble the airbag system near the periphery, the steering lock mechanism unit mounts the airbag coil case, which spirally houses the connection cable that electrically connects the fluid generating means for the airbag incorporated in the steering wheel, which constitutes the airbag system. Along with placing and fixing, the combination switch structure is disposed and fixed to the steering lock mechanism unit so as to overlap the airbag coil case from above,
In the steering lock mechanism unit, airbag coil case, and the combination switch structure,
The steering shaft is inserted and held near the periphery of the steering shaft near the steering wheel.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of an assembly structure of a combination switch structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a combination switch structure 1 incorporating switches for operating electric components provided in a vehicle.
0 and an airbag coil case 11 that spirally accommodates a connection cable for electrically connecting fluid generation means for an airbag incorporated in a steering wheel, which constitutes an airbag system. The combination switch structure 10 and the airbag coil case 11 are fixed to the projection 13 for fixing the airbag coil case 11 provided on the steering lock mechanism unit 12 by screwing and fixing the airbag coil case 11. The combination switch structure 10 is arranged so as to overlap the airbag coil case 11, and is fixed to the columnar member 14 which is longer than the protrusion 13 by screwing. Then, a steering shaft 15 is inserted through the combination switch structure 10,
Steering shaft 15 near the steering wheel
It is held at the upper end.

The steering lock mechanism unit 12
Is an insertion pipe 1 through which the steering shaft 15 is inserted.
6 and a lock mechanism case 17 having a built-in lock mechanism (not shown) for restraining the steering shaft 15 inserted through the insertion pipe 16. The insertion pipe 16 and the lock mechanism case 17 are integrally formed. In addition, a projection 13 for fixing the airbag coil case 11 and a columnar member 14 for attaching and holding the combination switch structure 10 are provided.

Next, the airbag coil case 11 will be described. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the airbag coil case 11 has a lid member 18 mounted so as to cover a stator (not shown) fixed to the columnar member 14, and a rotatable concentrically with the stator at the center of the stator. And a rotor 19 mounted on the motor. The rotor 19 of the airbag coil case 11 has, at the center, a space S through which the steering shaft 15 is to be inserted, and a cage type driven member 20 that rotates following the steering shaft 15 to be inserted is fitted. The cage type driven member 20 is protruded from the upper surface of the rotor 19 by a predetermined size, and the protruded portion is combined with the combination switch structure 1 described later.
0 is inserted into an insertion hole (described later) so as to overlap the alignment state. In the airbag coil case 11, the lower part of the outer peripheral side surface of the stator and the lid member 18 mounted on the stator is in contact with the top of the protrusion 13 and the protrusion 13 is screwed (not shown).
A protruding piece 21 is provided so as to be fixed to the base. Further, the cage type driven member 20 is rotated and returned together with the steering shaft 15 and the rotor 19, thereby engaging with a return lever (described later) formed in the insertion hole 15 of the combination switch structure 10, and automatically. Further, a cancel rib 22 for returning an operation lever (described later) of the combination switch structure 10 is formed. Also, the upper edge 20a of the cage type driven member 20
From above, a strip-shaped cable housed in the airbag coil case 11 and a connection cable (not shown) electrically connected to gas generating means of an airbag (not shown) constituting an airbag system provided on the steering wheel. Is protruded from the connector portion 23 for connection between the two.

[0008] The combination switch structure 10 disposed on the airbag coil case 11 has a casing 26 having a large number of contacts built-in in a single housing 24 with an insertion hole 25 formed in the center therebetween. Operation levers 28 and 29 for operating the contacts on the casings 26 and 27 are protruded from the casing 27.
The one operation lever 28 is for operating a mechanism such as an EXH & retarder, a wiper, a washer, a hazard, an int time, etc., and is provided to be operable in a specific direction and stroke, respectively. The other operation lever 29 has a function for operating a mechanism or function such as, for example, turn, lane change, cornering, dimmer & passing, lighting, auto cruise, and fog.

According to the structure for assembling the combination switch structure 10 as described above, the combination switch structure 10 is not directly connected to the airbag coil case 11, but is provided with a mechanically movable element. Since the combination switch structure 10 is attached to the upper portion of the airbag coil case 11 so as to be superimposed, if the combination switch structure 10 needs to be replaced after a long-term use, the combination switch structure 10 is replaced with a columnar member. The screw (not shown) fixed to 14 can be loosened by a driver or the like, and can be removed from the steering lock mechanism unit 12 without affecting the airbag coil case 11 at all. Therefore, the airbag coil case 11 is different from the conventional case.
However, it is not necessary to remove it, and it is possible to shorten and simplify the trouble of the replacement work. Further, the combination switch structure 10 and the airbag coil case 11
Are separately mounted on the steering lock mechanism unit 12, so that the mounting space can be reduced, the number of parts can be reduced, and the assembly and mounting process can be simplified. By bringing the combination switch structure 10 to the uppermost position, the operation levers 28, 2
9 does not hit the driver's foot without having a special shape (for example, a shape in which the distal ends of the operating levers 28 and 29 are jumped up extremely from the casings 26 and 27), and furthermore, the operating lever is provided on the steering wheel. 28,
Since 29 is inevitably close, an effect of good operability is also provided.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, as compared with the conventional structure, the combination switch and the airbag coil constituting the airbag system, which has recently become mandatory, can be combined with a simpler combination. The switch can be assembled so that there is no hindrance to replacing parts, the space for mounting around the steering shaft can be reduced, and the number of parts can be reduced, so that the assembly process and cost can be sufficiently suppressed. It becomes possible.

[0011]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective explanatory view showing one embodiment of an assembling structure of a combination switch structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an assembly structure of the combination switch structure shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of an assembling structure of a conventional combination switch structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Combination switch structure 11 Airbag coil case 12 Steering lock mechanism unit 13 Projection part 14 Column member 15 Steering shaft 16 Insertion pipe 17 Lock mechanism case 18 Cover member 19 Rotor 20 Cage type driven member 20a Upper edge 21 Projection piece 22 Cancel rib 23 Connector part 24 Housing 25 Insertion hole 26, 27 Casing 28, 29 Operation lever

Claims (1)

[Claims] When a combination switch structure incorporating switches for operating electrical components provided in a vehicle is assembled near a steering shaft near a steering wheel, the combination switch structure is incorporated into a steering wheel constituting an airbag system. An airbag coil case containing a connection cable electrically connected to the fluid generating means for the airbag in a spiral shape is placed and fixed on the steering lock mechanism unit, and is stacked on the airbag coil case from above, The combination switch structure is disposed and fixed to the steering lock mechanism unit, and a steering shaft is provided to the steering lock mechanism unit, the airbag coil case, and the combination switch structure. An assembling structure for a combination switch structure, wherein the combination switch structure is inserted and held near a steering shaft near a steering wheel.