JPS6250270A - Horn switch of steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operation feeling by permitting a horn pad to be pressed furthermore, even if contact points contact each other by supporting the plates in swingable ways through a fulcrum. CONSTITUTION:When a horn 11 is pressed and lowered, the rib 11a of a horn pad 11 lowers the rear edge side 12B of a spring plate 12 against the urging force of a coil spring 20. Then, the spring plate 12 raises its top edge side 12A around each fulcrum A, and the contact point 12a on the top edge side 12A is attached onto the contact point 13a of a contact plate 13, and the horn is operated. The distance L ranging from the fulcrum A of the spring plate 12 to the contact point 12a is set longer than the distance (l) ranging from the fulcrum A to the rib 11a contact position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Field of Application in Industry 1-> The present invention relates to a horn switch that is disposed on a boss portion or a spoke portion of a steering wheel of an automobile to operate a horn.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, there has been a horn switch of this type as shown in FIG. 5 (see Japanese Utility Model Application No. 59-185160).

This horn switch is disposed on the boss part of the steering wheel, and a contact plate 3 is fixed with screws 8 to a switch support plate 9-f made of insulating synthetic resin. A spring plate 2 made of a leaf spring is provided at the center with rivets 6 through insulating sheets 4 and 5.

This spring plate 2 is connected to the positive side of the horn operating circuit via a terminal 7 connected to a rivet 6, and has contacts 2a and 2a at both ends, and a switch on the upper surface near both ends. The rib 1aela of the horn pad 1, which engages the locking leg 1b with the first and second holes 9a of the support plate 9, was in contact with the rib 1aela.

Further, the contact plate 3 is connected to the spring plate 2.
Contacts 3a and 3a were arranged at positions corresponding to the contacts 2a and 2a, and were separately connected to the negative electrode side of the horn operating circuit.

Then, when operating the horn, use the horn pad 1.
This was done by pressing the contact points 2a, 2a of the stelling plate 1/-) 2 downward and contacting the contacts 2a, 2a of the plate 3 via the ribs 1a, 1a, respectively.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> Therefore, in the conventional horn switch, the rib la of the horn pad l is in contact with the vicinity of the contact point 2a of the spring plate 2, and the horn pad 1 is
The distance to lower the contact point 2a of the spring plate 2 is
The distance between the contact point 3a of the contact plate 3 and the contact point 3a of the contact plate 3 is approximately the same distance, and the horn cannot be operated unless the horn pad 1 is pressed by the distance separated from the contacts 2a and 3a.

In addition, in the conventional horn switch, when the horn pad l is lowered when the horn is activated, the contact 2a of the phase 11
・3a contacts 1. At the same time that the horn is activated, the contact plate 3 is brought into contact with the switch support plate 9, so that the lowering is stopped, resulting in a feeling of bottoming out, which gives a bad operating feeling.

This invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and allows the horn to be activated without pressing the horn pad by the distance that separates the contacts, and further presses the horn pad even if the contacts are in contact with each other. The present invention aims to provide a horn switch for a steering wheel that can be operated easily and has a good operating feeling.

Means for Solving the Problems> A horn switch for a steering wheel according to the present invention includes a plate having spring elasticity that is swingably supported via a fulcrum, and one end of the plate with the fulcrum in between. A spring member is brought into contact with the lower surface near the other end of the plate, and a rib extending downwardly of the horn pad is brought into contact with the upper surface near the other end of the plate. Face to face! By arranging contacts that actuate the horn by energizing when they contact f, and by configuring the plate so that the distance from the fulcrum to the contact point is longer than the distance from the fulcrum to the lip contact area, This solves the problems mentioned above.

<Operations and Effects of the Invention> In the steering wheel horn switch according to the present invention, when the horn is activated, when the horn pad is pressed and lowered, the plate is swingably supported via the fulcrum, so that the horn is activated. The ribs of the pad lower the vicinity of one end of the plate against the biasing force of the spring member, and raise the vicinity of the other end, causing the contact located near the other end of the plate to become negative. When it comes into contact with a contact placed on one side, the horn is activated.

In this case, in the steering wheel horn switch according to the present invention, the distance from the fulcrum to the contact point is longer than the distance from the fulcrum of the rocking motion on the plate to the part that abuts the rib of the horn pad, and the plate Since it operates like a lever, when the horn is activated, it is possible to activate the horn by pressing a short distance without pressing the horn pad by the distance between the contacts.

In addition, in the steering wheel horn switch according to the present invention, the plate has spring elasticity, and the rib of the horn pad abuts not on the fulcrum of the plate or the contact area, but near the end of the plate away from the fulcrum. Therefore, even if the horn pad is further pressed after the contact points have come into contact with each other, the plate does not bend and feel like it is bottoming out, resulting in a good operating feeling.

<Example> Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

The horn switch of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is disposed in a predetermined number on the boss portion of the steering wheel, and includes a contact plate 13 that is secured near both ends with screws 18 to predetermined positions of the boss plate 19. There is.

The contact plate 13 has opposing support protrusions 13b and 13c installed near both ends thereof, and a support rod 16 is inserted through each of these support protrusions 13b to 13C. Further, a bent protrusion 13d is formed at the center of the contact plate 113 and is bent in one direction, and a contact 13a made of a phosphor bronze plate is provided on the lower surface of the tip of the bent protrusion 13d. Note that this contact plate 13 is formed from a conductive sheet metal, and is connected to the negative electrode side of the horn operating circuit via a boss plate 19.

The support rods 16, which are inserted through the contact plate support protrusions 13b to 13c, are each provided with support metals 17 and 17 made of U-shaped sheet metal so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction of the support rod 16. A spring plate 12 consisting of a conductive plate spring is fixed to the metal fittings 17, 17, respectively, in substantially the same direction as the contact plate 13.

Therefore, these spring plays) 12 are connected to the support rod 16 via the support metal fittings 17, and are arranged so as to be movable about the support rod 16 as the fulcrum A.

Note that the support Jt17, the support rod 16, and the contact plate support protrusions 13b-13c are insulated by an annular sheet 14 made of synthetic resin (see FIG. 3).

Each spring plate 12 has a tip side 12A extending from the support JL17 to the center of the contact plate 13.
The width of the contact plate 13 is narrow so that it can be easily bent, and copper contacts 12a are provided at the tip of the tip side 12A below the contact 13a of the contact plate 13.

In addition, on the rear end side 12B extending from the support fitting 17 of each spring play (spring play) 12 to the vicinity of both ends of the contact play 1-13, one side of the contact sheet 13 is attached to the lower surface near the end via an insulating sheet 15. Coil springs 20 biasing the rear end side 12B are in contact with each other, and a boss plate 19 is provided on the -1- plane near the end of the rear end side 12B.
The ribs 11a*11a of the horn pad 11 which make the engagement +f and the holes 19a and the engagement 11-leg 11b are in contact with each other are brought into contact with each other.

In these spring plates 12, the distance from the fulcrum A to the contact point 12a on the tip side 12A is
It is formed to be longer than the distance Kl from the fulcrum A on the rear end side 12B to the abutment area of the rib lla of the horn pad 11.

Note that these spring plates 12 are arranged on the rear end side 12B.
Tongue pieces 12b are formed near the ends of each of the tongue pieces 12b, and lead wires 21 connected to the positive electrode side of the horn operating circuit are connected to these tongue pieces 12b with one rivet, respectively.

Next, the operating mode of this embodiment will be explained (the fourth
(see figure).

First, when the horn pad 11 is pressed and lowered, the rib lla of the horn pad 11 lowers the rear end side 12B of the spring plate 12 against the biasing force of the coil spring 2o. Then, each of the spring plates 12 raises the distal end 12A about the fulcrum A in this manner, and contacts the contact 12a of the distal end 12A with the contact 13a of the contact plate l3 to operate the horn. Become. At that time, in the horn switch of the embodiment, from the fulcrum A on the spring plate 12 to the contact point 12
Since the distance 1111L to a is longer than the distance from the fulcrum A to the contact point of the rib 11a, and the spring plate 12 is actuated like a lever, the pressing distance of the horn pad 11 when the horn is activated is the distance between the contact points 12a and 13a. The mutual separation distance can be shortened to /L.

Furthermore, even if the horn pad 11 is further pressed after the contacts 12a*13a come into contact with each other, since the spring plate 12 has spring elasticity, the front end side 12A and rear end side 12B of the spring plate 12 will bend. , it does not feel like it touches the bottom, and the operating feeling is good.

In the horn switch of the embodiment, the lead wire 21 is connected to the rear end side 12B of the spring plate 12, but the lead wire 21 may be connected directly to the contact 12a. In this case, the spring play 12 may be made of a synthetic resin or the like having spring elasticity.

Further, in the horn switch of the embodiment, the contact 12a of each of the two spring plates 12 is brought into contact with the contact 13a of one contact plate 13.
A large number of spring plays radially centering on a) 12
By arranging the contacts 12a and bringing the contacts 12a into contact with each other, costs can be reduced compared to the conventional case where contacts are provided correspondingly to each other.

Furthermore, although the horn switch of the embodiment is shown as being installed on the boss part of the steering wheel, it is of course possible to use it by installing it on the spoke part.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a horn switch showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same embodiment with the horn pad removed, and FIG. 3 is an end view taken along the line ■-■ of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operating mode of the same embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a conventional horn switch. 11111...Horn pad, 1 a * l l a-...-lip, 2, 12... Spring plate, 2a@12a... Contact, 3aI113a... Contact, 20... (spring member) coil Spring, A (16)...Fully point (support rod). Patent applicant Figure 1 Figure 3 1712 Figure 4 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plate having spring elasticity is swingably supported via a fulcrum, and a spring member that biases the plate upward is in contact with the lower surface near one end of the plate, with the fulcrum in between, and the upper surface A rib extending downwardly of the horn pad is in contact with the plate, and contacts are provided on the upper surface near the other end of the plate and above the upper surface, respectively, so that when they come into contact with each other, electricity is applied to operate the horn. A horn switch for a steering wheel, wherein a distance from the fulcrum of the plate to the contact point is longer than a distance from the fulcrum to the rib abutting portion.