JPS61196858A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To warm the rim section efficiently by arranging a heat radiating body fixed to the inner face of heat generating body at the rim section then fixing through a thermal insulator to the core metal of rim thereafter covering said heat radiating body and the core metal with synthetic resin coating to form a rim section. CONSTITUTION:The rim section 1 is formed by burrying a circular core metal 4 of rim into a synthetic resin coating member 5 where the core metal 4 is coupled through the spoke core metal 6 at respective spoke section 3 to the metal boss 7 at the boss section 2. A heat generating member 9 associated with a heat generating member 8 comprised of a positive characteristic thermistor is burried in the coating 5 at specific portion of the rim section 1. The heat generating member 9 is formed with metal into a hollow arch having fan-shaped cross-section along the core metal 4 to lay the outerface at the innercircumference along the upper section of the core metal 4 through an insulator 11. Furthermore, the negative electrode of the heat generating member 8 is integrated on the inner face at the outercircumference of the heat generating member 9 while the load wire 12 connected to the positive electrode is laid along the core metals 4, 6 when connected to the power source.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a steering wheel for an automobile or the like, and particularly to one in which a heating element is provided on a rim portion held by a driver to warm the steering wheel.

[Conventional technology]

As a steering wheel of this type, JP-A-58-18
The one shown in Japanese Patent No. 3348 is known.

This steering wheel uses a positive temperature coefficient thermistor (ceramic trade heating element) as a heating element, this heating element is attached around a rim core metal (core aggregate made of gold fibre), and these are attached to a synthetic resin covering ( It is buried in a synthetic resin skin material).

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the case of the above-mentioned steering wheel, the heating element is attached around the rim core metal, so the heat from the heating element is absorbed by the rim core metal, making it difficult for the warmth to be transmitted to the surface of the rim, resulting in poor efficiency. However, it is not effective unless the heating element is made larger, and the positive temperature coefficient thermistor itself is more expensive than other heating elements, which is a major factor in increasing costs.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and aims to efficiently transmit the heat of the heating element to the surface of the rim portion, and to use a small positive temperature coefficient thermistor for the heating element.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention relates to a steering wheel in which an annular rim part 1 is connected around a boss part 2 via spoke parts 3, and a heating element 8 made of a positive temperature coefficient thermistor is attached to the inner surface of a hollow heat radiating element 9. This heat radiator 9 is located at the gripped portion of the rim portion 1 and attached to the rim core metal 4 via a heat insulating material 11, and the heat radiator 9 and rim core metal 4 are covered with a synthetic resin covering 5. This embodiment is characterized in that the rim portion 1 is formed by using the same method.

[Effect]

The steering wheel of the present invention utilizes the heat efficiently by directly transmitting the heat of the heating element 8 to the heat radiating element 9 near the surface of the rim portion 1.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the steering wheel of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

In the figure, 1 is an annular rim part, and this rim part 1 is
It is connected to the periphery of the boss portion 2 via a pair of spoke portions 3.

The rim part 1 has an annular rim core metal 4 embedded in a covering 5 made of synthetic wood fH, and the rim core metal 4 is connected to the boss part 2 through the spoke core metal 6 of each spoke part 3. Gold B'lJ
It is integrally connected to the boss 7 by welding or the like. Incidentally, the spoke core metal 6 of each spoke portion 3 is also embedded within the covering body 5.

The rim portion 1 is often held by the driver 2.
A heat dissipating body 9 equipped with a heat generating body 8 made of a positive temperature coefficient thermistor is embedded in the covering body 5 at certain locations.

Each of the heat sinks 9 is made of synthetic material, and is formed into an arc-shaped hollow pipe having a fan-shaped cross section along the rim core metal 4.
The outer surface of the inner circumferential side of the fan-shaped cross section is placed along the upper part of the rim core metal 4 through the heat insulating material 11, and the claws 9a cut and raised integrally from the inner circumferential side of the fan-shaped cross section are conductive to the rim core metal 4. It is integrated into the rim core metal 4 by fixing with adhesive or welding.

Then, on the inner surface of the outer peripheral side of the fan-shaped cross section of each of the heat radiating elements 9, the negative pole of the heat generating element 8 is integrally bonded with a conductive adhesive, and a lead wire 12 is connected to the positive pole of each of the heat generating elements 8. Each lead wire 12 is led out from the end of the heat sink 9 and arranged along the rim core metal 4 and the spoke core metal 6, and is connected to the boss portion 2 via a switch 13. It is connected to a slip ring 14.

Note that the ends of each of the heat radiating bodies 9 are closed with lids 9b,
When the covering body 5 is then molded to cover each heat radiating body 9 with the covering body 5, the synthetic resin of the covering body 5 is prevented from entering the inside of the heat radiating body 9, and each of the lead wires 12 is are fixed to the rim core metal 4 and the spoke core metal 6 by a plurality of bands 15, and then when forming the covering body 5 to cover the rim core metal 4 and the spoke core metal 6 with the covering body 5, each lead wire 12 is not exposed to the outside.

Since the slip ring 14 is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery, the positive terminal of each heating element 8 is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery, and the boss 7 is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery. Since it is electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal, the negative electrode of each heating element 8 is electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal of the battery.

Therefore, when the switch 13 is turned on, each heating element 8 is energized, each heating element 8 generates heat, and each heat radiating element 9 is warmed.
When the temperature rises, the resistance of the positive temperature coefficient thermistor used in each heating element 8 increases and the amount of heat generated decreases, and at a predetermined temperature an equilibrium state □ is reached and that temperature is maintained.

At this time, each heating element 8 is not in contact with anything other than the heat radiating element 9, and there is a heat insulating material 11 between each heat radiating element 9 and the rim core bar 4.
Since there is a covering body 5 made of synthetic resin that generally has heat insulating properties, the heat is not easily absorbed by the rim core metal 4 and the heat can be used efficiently, so the temperature rises quickly at the beginning of use. A small positive temperature coefficient thermistor that consumes less power and is inexpensive can be used.

Since there is a space inside each heat sink 9, the material of the covering body 5 can be saved and its weight can also be reduced.

In addition, the positive temperature coefficient thermistor used for the heating element 8 is made of barium titanate ceramic, for example, and the resistance value increases rapidly at the desired temperature, so that the temperature rises quickly and equilibrium is quickly achieved. I'm trying to get into the state.

In the above-described embodiment, the heat sink 9 is fixed to the rim core bar 4 by the claws 9a cut and raised from the heat sink 9, but a separate fixing means may be used, and the ends of the heat sink 9 may be Although M9b is closed with a lid 9b to prevent the synthetic resin of the covering body 5 from entering the inside of the heat radiating body 9, M9b may be omitted.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the heat of the heating element is directly transmitted to the heat radiating element near the surface of the rim portion, and furthermore, there is a heat insulating material between the heat radiating element and the rim core metal. Therefore, the heat of the heating element can be used efficiently, and therefore, an inexpensive and small positive temperature coefficient thermistor can be used for the heating element.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 6 show an embodiment of the steering wheel of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line ■-■ of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the main parts thereof, and FIG. 6 is a side view of a part thereof. 1. Rim part, 2. Boss part, 3. Spoke part, 4.
- Rim core metal, 5... Covering body, 8... Heat generating element, 9... Heat sink, 11... Heat insulating material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a steering wheel in which an annular rim part is connected around a boss part through spoke parts, a heating element made of a positive temperature coefficient thermistor is attached to the inner surface of a hollow heat radiator, and this heat radiator is attached to the rim part. 1. A steering wheel characterized in that the rim portion is formed by being located at a portion to be gripped and attached to a rim core metal via a heat insulating material, and covering the heat dissipating body and the rim core metal with a synthetic resin covering.