KR20050048097A - A steering wheel with variable diameter - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel of a vehicle, in which a plurality of first rims 20 are formed in an arc shape and connected to each other to form an overall shape of the steering wheel 10, and spaces are formed inside both ends thereof. ), Both ends of the second rim 30 slidingly moved by an external force inside the first rim 20, one end of which is connected to the first rim 20 of the steering wheel 10, and the middle part of the hub 11. The spoke 40 is connected to the inner side of the rotating shaft and the other end of the fixed teeth 45 is formed, the wedge shape is formed in the wedge and fixed to the inner side of the hub 11 by the rotating shaft 50, the steering wheel The upper end portion includes an adjustment switch 60 which is installed on the rotation center axis and abuts the fixed link 50, and a restoring spring 70 installed at the lower end of the adjustment switch 60 to apply an elastic force. Steering with force When the wheel is to be operated, the diameter of the steering wheel can be extended by only pressing the steering wheel downward while pressing the knob of the adjustment switch, so that the steering wheel can be easily operated.

Description

A steering wheel with variable diameter}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel of a vehicle, and more particularly, to a steering wheel whose diameter can be adjusted according to whether a vehicle is driven or not.

A steering wheel is a device that a driver manipulates to change a driving direction of a vehicle.

When the driver manipulates the driving direction of the vehicle by manipulating the steering wheel, an auxiliary steering wheel is sometimes attached to one side of the rim of the steering wheel to simplify the steering wheel operation.

The use of an auxiliary handle makes it easier to steer, but it is included in specifications that are not recommended because the driver will be seriously injured if the driver collides with the auxiliary handle in the event of an accident.

On the other hand, if the diameter of the steering wheel is increased, the operation force becomes lighter. However, when the steering degree is small, the steering wheel operation degree must be increased, and the driver's seat space is required. Since it is fixed and produced at the time of manufacturing the car by selecting the appropriate size according to, there is a problem that the inconvenience of the steering wheel operation is present.

In order to solve the above problems, patent application 2003-77326 discloses 'a steering wheel having a variable diameter.'

Figure 1a is a view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a steering wheel variable in diameter according to the prior art, Figure 1b is a detailed view of a portion of Figure 1a, formed in an arc shape and connected to each other the overall shape of the steering wheel And a plurality of first rims 2 having spaces formed at both ends, second rims 3 and hubs formed in an arc shape and inserted into and fixed to both ends of the first rim 2. A first spoke 5 connected to the hub 4 and having a space formed on an opposite side thereof connected to the hub 4, the length of which is variable at an end of the first spoke 5 and the other end of the first rim 2 It is shown that it is composed of a second spoke (6) connected to.

In the above technique, in order to change the diameter of the steering wheel according to the needs of the driver, the first rim 2 and the second rim 3 need to be increased by the driver's operation, but the respective rims are firmly fixed to each other. The operation was not easy. In addition, when the fixed state is weakened to facilitate the operation, the steering wheel may vibrate while driving the vehicle, thereby making driving difficult.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, in the steering wheel to change the diameter so as to obtain the operating force required by the driver to install a variable diameter switch of the steering wheel on the rotation center axis of the steering wheel steering It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering wheel that facilitates variable diameter operation of the wheel and can provide safety even when driving a vehicle.

2 is a view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a steering wheel variable in diameter according to the present invention, in the steering wheel, formed in an arc shape and connected to each other to form the overall shape of the steering wheel 10 and both ends inside A plurality of first rims 20 having spaces formed therein, second rims 30 at both ends of which are slidably moved by an external force inside the first rim 20, and one end of the first rim of the steering wheel 10; Spokes 40, which are connected to the 20 and the middle part is connected to the inner side of the hub 11 by a rotating shaft, and the other end is formed in the spoke 40, the wedge shape is formed on the inner side of the hub 11 Fixed link 50 is fixed by the, the rotation axis of the steering wheel is installed on the upper end of the adjustment switch 60 abuts with the fixed link 50, the lower end of the adjustment switch 60 is restored to apply an elastic force Spring (70) It is shown that consists of.

Both ends of the second rim 30 are connected to the first rim 20 so that the elastic connection part 35 is applied to the first rim 20.

It is preferable that the auxiliary rim 25 made of an elastic material is disposed outside the first rim 20 to cover the rim of the steering wheel 10 as a whole.

One end of the fixed link 50 is configured to engage the fixed tooth 45 and the other end to abut the upper end of the adjustment switch 60.

The upper end of the adjustment switch 60 is formed in the form of a triangular pyramid, the side of the handle 65 is formed to be exposed to the outside of the hub (11).

When explaining the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above with reference to the drawings as follows.

When it is necessary to finely adjust the steering wheel when operating the driving direction of the vehicle using the steering wheel, the present invention is operated as follows.

First, the driver pushes the knob 65 of the adjustment switch 60 downward so that the upper end of the adjustment switch 60 is spaced apart from the fixed teeth 45. When the adjustment switch 60 is spaced apart from the fixed tooth 45, since the restraint force on the fixed tooth 45 is removed, the fixed tooth 45 can rotate freely about the rotation axis, and one end of the fixed tooth 45 is The interlocking spokes 40 also become freely rotatable.

At this time, when the driver applies force to the rim of the steering wheel 10 and the spoke 40 rotates about the rotation axis, the length of the second rim 30 constituting the rim of the steering wheel 10 is expanded. The diameter of the rim will increase. That is, when the spoke 40 is rotated about the rotation axis, the second rim 30 forming the rim slides from the inside of both ends of the first rim 20 to the outside, and thus the rim of the steering wheel 10. The diameter of is expanded.

When the diameter of the steering wheel 10 is increased to an appropriate state, the force applied to the handle 65 of the adjustment switch 60 is removed, and the adjustment switch 60 is returned to its original state by the elastic force of the restoring spring 70. As it returns, the stationary link 50 engages the stationary teeth 45 of the spokes 40 to maintain the increased rim diameter of the steering wheel 10.

At this time, the outside of the rim of the steering wheel 10 is surrounded by the auxiliary rim 25, so that the driver does not feel discomfort due to the step generated when the first rim 20 and the second rim 30 are connected. It is preferable.

When the diameter of the steering wheel 10 is to be reduced, a force is applied to the knob 65 of the adjustment switch 60 so that the end of the adjustment switch 60 is spaced apart from the fixed tooth 45. In this state, when the spoke 40 is lifted upward, the tensile force of the elastic connection part 35 installed on the second rim 30 acts on the first rim 20 so that the length of the second rim 30 is reduced. do.

The overall diameter of the steering wheel 10 is reduced by reducing the length of the second rim 30 respectively connected to the ends of the first rim 20, and the diameter of the steering wheel 10 is satisfied to the level satisfied by the driver. When it is contracted, the handle 65 of the adjustment switch 60 is returned to its original state, and the fixed link 50 is spoked 40 while the adjustment switch 60 is returned to the original state by the elastic force of the restoring spring 70. It is engaged with the fixed teeth 45 of the) to maintain the diameter of the steering wheel 10 is reduced.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the invention is not limited to these embodiments, and has been claimed by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. It includes all the various forms of embodiments that can be carried out without departing from the spirit.

According to the present invention configured as described above, when it is necessary to operate the vehicle steering wheel with a small force, the diameter of the steering wheel is variable to have an effect of facilitating the operation of the steering wheel.

In addition, since the diameter of the steering wheel can be changed only by pressing the steering wheel downward while the handle is pressed, it is easy to change the diameter of the steering wheel.

Figure 1a is a view showing the configuration of one embodiment of a steering wheel of variable diameter in the prior art.

1B is a detailed view of the portion a in FIG. 1A.

Figure 2a is a view showing the configuration of one embodiment of a steering wheel variable in diameter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 2A;

3 is a detailed view of part B of FIG. 2B;

4 is a perspective view showing the shape of a second rim used in the present invention.

-Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings-

10: steering wheel 20: first rim

30: second rim 40: spoke

50: fixed link 60: adjustment switch

70: restoring spring

Claims (4)

In the steering wheel, a plurality of first rims 20 are formed in an arc shape and connected to each other to form an overall shape of the steering wheel 10, and spaces are formed at both ends thereof, and both ends thereof are the first rim 20. The second rim 30 slidingly moved by an external force in the interior thereof, one end is connected to the first rim 20 of the steering wheel 10 and the middle part is connected by the rotation shaft to the inside of the hub 11 and fixed to the other end The spokes 45 are formed with spokes 40, a fixed link 50 formed in the shape of a wedge and fixed by a rotational shaft inside the hub 11, installed on a rotational central axis of the steering wheel, and an upper end of the fixed link. A steering wheel having a variable diameter, characterized in that it comprises an adjustment switch (60) in contact with (50), a restoring spring (70) installed at the lower end of the adjustment switch (60) to apply an elastic force. 2. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein an auxiliary rim (25) of elastic material is positioned outside the first rim (20) to cover the rim of the steering wheel (10) as a whole. According to claim 1, characterized in that on the central axis of the second rim (30) both ends are connected to the first rim 20 is composed of an elastic connection portion 35 for applying a tensile force to the first rim (20). Steering wheel which diameter changes to say. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein an upper end of the adjustment switch 60 is formed in a triangular pyramid shape, and a handle 65 is formed at a side thereof to be exposed to the outside of the hub 11. .