JPS5842231Y2 - Shock absorber for steering wheel for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a shock absorbing device for a steering wheel for an automobile.

- In order to prevent the operator from hitting his chest with the steering wheel in the event of a collision with a car, various shock mitigation devices have been proposed in the middle of the steering wheel shaft or at the handle post. ing.

The present invention also relates to this type of shock absorbing device, which is housed in a narrow handle post portion with limited volume, so that it always operates effectively in response to the magnitude of impact force even with a relatively small stroke. It was designed so that it could be done.

To summarize the configuration of the present invention, a shock absorber is provided between the handle and the needle shaft.

This shock absorbing device holds the handle and the handle shaft at the upper and lower ends and includes an upper support ring, a lower support ring, and a plurality of support elements connected between the upper and lower support rings.

The upper and lower support rings and the support element are integrated into a substantially cylindrical unit, and the support element is bent radially inward and outward to form a pleat, which absorbs shocks that occur during vehicle operation. It is now possible to do so.

Preferred embodiments based on the above configuration will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handle equipped with a shock absorbing device according to the present invention.

A shock absorber 1 is attached between a handle shaft 2 and a handle 4.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the shock absorber 1.

As is clear from the figure, the lower end of the shock absorber 1 is fixed to a boss 3 at the top of the handle shaft 2.

Further, the upper end portion is fixed to the handle (which is integrated with the arm 5 of the handle 4).

At the upper end of the handle shaft 2 there is a stepped shoulder 1 of small diameter, which is provided with serrations.

The boss 3 is fitted into this shoulder l and tightened with a nut 8 at the upper end.

The boss 3 has a known structure having a small diameter protrusion at its lower end.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a circular column, and disk-shaped separation plates 10 are attached to the upper and lower ends of the column.

The shock absorber 1 has a lower support ring 11 forming its lower end, which is welded to the outer wall of the boss 3.

A plurality of support elements 12 extend up to an upper support ring 13 and form the upper end of the shock absorber 1 .

A flange 14 is welded to the outer wall of the upper support ring 13.

The flange 14 has screws 1 spaced from each other at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.
5, it is fixed to the hub 6.

A cover 16 protects the shock absorber 1 and is attached between the outer circumferential edge of the hub 6 and the outer circumferential edge of the separation plate 10.

The cover 16 is made of soft synthetic resin and has a truncated conical shape.

In FIG. 2, 17 is a cup-shaped fixing member that serves as a fixed contact portion of the horn switch.

The outer wall of the fixing member 1γ is fixed to the inner peripheral edge of the hub 6.

Horn button 18 is inserted into frame member 19 so as to be vertically movable.

This frame member 19 is also inserted into the opening of the hub 6 from above.

The frame member 19 is fixed to the bottom of the cup-shaped fixing member 11 with screws 20.

A conductive contact piece 21 is attached to the lower end surface of the horn button 18 and is biased upward by a coil spring 22.

Thus, when the horn button is pressed, the member 23 and the contact piece 21
contact each other and form the circuit of the horn.

The shock absorber 1 is made of one metal plate.

In this example, it is made by cutting a single steel plate and bending it.

The metal plate has a thickness of, for example, 1.6 to 2.6 V, x.

The shock absorber 1 is made from a flat plate 24 having a shape as shown in FIG.

The 240-wheel flat plate has the shape of an expanded inverted truncated conical wall.

This is because the diameter of the hole in the hub 6 into which the horn switch fits is larger than the diameter of the boss 3.

However, as the horn switch becomes smaller in diameter, it is possible to make the hole in the knob smaller in diameter.

In such a case, the unfolded steel plate 24 has a rectangular shape with the upper support ring 13 and the lower support ring 11 having the same diameter.

The developed steel plate 24 is press cut from one steel plate.

More specifically, the steel plate is cut along two circular arcs (25 and 26 in FIG. 3) of different radii with a common center.

Furthermore, five elongated holes 21 are formed in the steel plate 24 in the radial direction with equal spacing.

Half long holes 2γ' are formed at the left and right ends of the steel plate.

The slots 21 are cut so that the width of each support element 120 is equal from top to bottom.

The shape of the elongated hole 21 is deformed at the top and bottom while the support element 12 is being bent.

Therefore, the corner of the long hole 2γ has an arc shape.

In order to make the part corresponding to the upper support ring 13 a correct cylinder, the left and right ends of the upper and lower ends are made smaller than the radius drawn from the center.

On the other hand, the portion corresponding to the lower support ring 11 extends beyond the radius drawn from the center.

In the above-mentioned shock absorbing device, six supporting elements 12 are provided, but if it is desired to be able to bend in all directions, three supporting elements may be provided.

The developed steel plate 24 is bent as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, it is bent so that the cross-sectional shape becomes wavy or bellows-like.

A plan view of the female die of the punching machine is shown in FIG.

A pair of arcuate grooves perpendicular to the support element 12 are therefore formed in the female mold.

The male type has a shape that follows an arcuate groove.

Once the steel plate 24 is punched, it is formed into a cylindrical shape using a second forcepset and a bending jig.

In the second forcepset, two hammering devices are provided at both ends, each having an arcuate surface having a width equal to the width of the support rings 11, 13 and the same radius as the arcuate surface of the support rings.

The support rings 11, 13 are bent into a cylindrical shape by means of a bending jig while being successively slid on the normalizing stand.

Thereafter, both ends of the support rings ii and i3 are welded, and the outer wall of the upper support ring 13 is attached to the flange 14 as shown in FIG.
welded to the inner wall of the

Each corrugated support element 12 has a first portion and a second portion 29 and 29'.

This portion extends from the inner edge of the support rings 11, 130 and is bent outward.

The first and second parts 29, 29' are the third and fourth parts 30
．． 30' and the second and second portions 29, 29
' is bent inward at ends 31 and 32.

The third and fourth portions 30 and 30' are joined at 33 in FIG.

The connecting portion 33 is formed by a chain line 34 connecting the upper and lower ends of the support element 12.
radially outward.

Specifically, the chain line 34 and the first and second portions 29, 29'
The angle β formed by the chain line 34 and the third . Fourth part 30.30'
It is slightly larger than the angle α between

That is, when an impact load is applied, the first and second portions 29.2
9' is further bent outwards and conversely into the third and fourth portions 30.
30' is further bent inward to absorb shock.

Since the support elements 12 are bent as described above, the support elements 12 do not interfere with each other and the tension against the load does not increase.

When manufacturing the support element 12, it is not necessary to bend it excessively.

However, for the following reason, it is necessary to ensure that the joint portion 33 is not located radially inward from the chain line 34.

1st. This is because when the second portions 29,29' are bent radially outwardly of the relatively strong support ring, they tend to bend outwards so that each support element 12 as a whole is further outside the dashed line.

It goes without saying that the yield point of the support element can be varied by controlling its thickness, width and material.

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it can be accommodated even in a narrow space within the cover of the bundle post.
It can be equipped to operate effectively.

In addition, even if the impact force at the time of a collision differs in magnitude, the curved angles α and β of the chevron portions are provided with differences in magnitude, so the resistance to the crushing force due to the impact differs in each part, and the impact force is often can be absorbed and relaxed over a wide range.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the shock absorber according to the present invention installed between a wheel and the wheel axis, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the shock absorber, Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the shock absorber, and Fig. 4 is a support FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the element, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shock absorber. In the figure: 0...Buffer device, 2......
・Handle shaft, 3...Boss 4...Bundle 5...Arm 6...Bub, 7.
...(stepped) shoulder, 8...nut, 9.
... Column, 10 ... Separation plate, 11 ...
... lower support ring, 12 ... support element,
13...Top support ring, 14...Flange, 15...Screw, 16...Cover 17...Fixing member, 18... ...Ho;
Button 19...Frame member, 20...
...Screw, 21...Contact piece, 22...
・Coil spring, 23... Member, 24...
・Steel plate, 25, 26...Circular arc, 27...
Long hole, 2T/...Half long hole, 29...
1st part, 29ζ... 2nd part, 30...
・Third part, 30'...Fourth part, 31...
... End of the first part, 32 ... End of the third part,
33... (M3, fourth part) joint part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A lower support ring 11 fixed to a boss 3 fixed to the handle shaft 2, an upper support ring 13 connected to the hub 6 of the handle 4, and at least three rings extending between the upper and lower support rings 13, 11. The upper support ring 13, the lower support ring 11, and the support element 12 are unitized, and the support elements 12 are arranged parallel to each other in the axial direction of the shock absorber and spaced from each other at equal intervals. a first portion 29 bent outward from the lower support ring 11; a second portion 29' bent outward from the upper support ring 13; The third part 30 is bent inward from the second part, and the fourth part 30' is bent inward from the second part. The angle β between the first portion 29 and the second portion 29' and the line 34 connecting the upper and lower ends of the support element 12 is radially outward from the line 34 connecting the upper and lower ends of the support element 12. 3
4. A shock absorbing device for a steering wheel for an automobile, characterized in that the angle .alpha. between the portion 30' and the portion 30' in FIG.