JPH02212236A - Electrically connecting device between handle and steering column - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To intend a shorter length of cable in an above mentioned connecting device using a spiral-type flat cable by housing an intermediate case member equipped with terminal blocks so as to be relatively rotated in a housing case equipped with a fixed case member and a movable case member. CONSTITUTION:On the outer face of the major dia. portion of a cylindrical boss 2b, provided with a pair of protrusions 2a to transmit the rotation of a handle, for a rotor member 2 as a movable case member, the second terminal block 6 with a cross section L-shaped is integrally provided. Also, in the periphery of the lower end the boss 2b, a stator member 1 as a fixed case member is arranged which is fixed on a steering column side, and at the upper part of the same member 1 a sub-stator member 3 is arranged via an insulating plate 7. Then, in a doughnut-like housing case 100 comprising respective members 1-3, above-memtioned, an intermediate member 4 on which the first terminal block 5 is installed is housed to connect the respective terminal blocks 5, 6 with the both ends of a spiral-type flat cable 14.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an electrical connection device between a steering wheel and a steering column in an automobile, and more particularly to an electrical connection device using a spiral flat cable.

[Conventional technology]

Traditionally, the handle side and steering wheel side of automobiles have been
Many connection devices for electrical signal lines on the column side have been proposed. These devices can be roughly divided into two types: ■ A type that uses a spirally wound cable to absorb the rotational movement of the handle by changing the spiral shape, and ■ A type that uses a combination of a slip ring and a sliding brush to absorb the rotational movement of the handle. It can be classified into types that absorb exercise. The above-mentioned type (2) is a device that suffers from abrasion of the sliding surface due to frequent handle operations, and has poor electrical reliability. On the other hand, the type (■) does not have the same problem with reliability in electrical connection, but requires a relatively large number of spiral turns, and the flat type has a high cost per unit length.
This is a device that requires a lot of cables. Furthermore, since the neutral position of the spiral must be detected and maintained in the vehicle, a neutral position detection mechanism is required, or complicated work is required to detect the neutral position. It takes a lot of man-hours.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Each of the above-mentioned types of electrical connection devices has advantages and disadvantages, and if a device is configured by extracting only the advantages of both, an electrical connection device that is close to the ideal can be provided. It will be possible. The inventor of the present invention studied the direction and number of steering wheel operations and their degree by analyzing actual automobile driving situations. In general, the steering wheel rotation situation during normal automobile driving is such that it is sufficient to operate the steering wheel within one rotation each on the left and right sides. Furthermore, this type of driving accounts for approximately 90% of all driving in a car. In other words, the reliability of the device is ensured by using the configuration of the type (■) above for driving conditions that account for most of the driving of a car, and the configuration of the type (■) above is used for driving in areas where the steering wheel is operated infrequently. It is also possible to maintain the reliability of the device using this configuration. Conventional equipment uses flat cables to handle all operating situations, resulting in high costs.On the other hand, in order to handle all operating situations, the configuration tends to cause problems from a durability perspective. This resulted in a decrease in reliability. The present invention has been made in view of the above points. In other words, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connection device between a steering wheel and a steering column that can shorten the length of the flat cable without reducing the reliability of the device, thereby realizing miniaturization of the entire device. The purpose is

[Means for Solving the Problems and Effects] (Means) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. That is, the electrical connection device between the steering wheel and the steering column of the present invention is: (1) installed between the steering wheel and the steering column;
A storage case comprising a fixed case member fixed to the steering column side and a movable case member that rotates together with the steering wheel; an intermediate case member slidably held by the fixed case member, and a conductive member located on either one of the facing surfaces of the intermediate case member and the fixed case member and provided concentrically with the movable case member. Ring member and ■
a conductive brush member provided on the other of the opposing surfaces and sliding in contact with the conductive ring member; The flat cable is held in the intermediate case member concentrically with the movable case member, and has one end held by the intermediate case member and the other end held by the movable case member. The intermediate case member is configured to rotate relative to the fixed case member when a load of a predetermined value or more is applied to the intermediate case member via the flat cable. (Function) According to the above configuration, the rotational movement of the handle is transmitted to the flat cable, and the flat cable follows the rotational movement and absorbs the movement displacement as a change in spiral shape. However, the number of turns of the spiral is finite, and when the spiral shape changes to an extreme value (for example, the maximum contraction state), the rotational force of the handle acts directly on the flat cable. However, one end of the flat cable slips against the fixed case member when a load exceeding a predetermined value is applied, that is, it slides along the circumferential direction relative to the fixed case member. Since it is held, the above-mentioned rotational movement of the handle is not hindered. Moreover,
Electrical continuity between the flat cable and the fixed case member continues via the conductive brush member and the conductive ring member. Therefore, electrical continuity between the steering wheel side and the steering column side is achieved throughout the steering wheel rotation range. Furthermore, if the flat cable cannot absorb the rotational movement of the handle, the entire flat cable will rotate with the rotation of the handle, and the spiral neutral position of the spiral flat cable will also move relatively. On the other hand, steering wheel operations in an automobile are performed approximately equally on the left and right sides with respect to the neutral position of the steering mechanism. Therefore, the neutral position of the flat cable, which has been relatively displaced, converges to the neutral position of the steering mechanism (steering wheel) as the steering wheel is operated while driving the vehicle. Therefore, from the neutral position of the handle, it is necessary to rotate within a predetermined rotation range to the left and right, for example, ±1.
Even if the number of spiral turns is set so that the flat cable absorbs the rotational movement of the handle only during rotation, reliability will not be reduced.

【Example】

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, based on FIGS. 1-4, one Example based on the electrical connection apparatus of this invention is demonstrated concretely. Figure 1.2 shows the electrical connection device of this embodiment, and the first
The figure is a front view of the device, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line ■--■ in FIG. 1. In the figure, the member located in the center is the rotor member 2, which is a movable case member, and as shown in FIG. It is integrally constructed with a lid body 2c having a shape. The boss 2b has a stepped shape including a large diameter portion connected to the lid 2C and a small diameter portion connected to the large diameter portion. A pair of projections 2a for transmitting rotation of the handle are provided inside the lower end of the boss 2b. Further, on the outer surface of the large diameter portion of the boss 2b of the rotor member 2, there is a second terminal having a cross-section shaped like a letter (see Fig. 3), which will be explained in detail later.
A block 6 is integrally provided. Reference numeral 8 indicates a connector outer shell that is integrally provided on the upper surface of the lid 2c of the rotor member 2 and serves as one terminal portion. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 32 indicates the second connector inserted directly below the connector outer shell 8.
A caulking pin for fixing the terminal block 6 to the rotor member 2 is shown. Furthermore, 6a is Terminal 2.
Connector pins fixed to block 6 and 6b
1 and 2 respectively show lead wires connected to a part of the electric signal wire on the handle side. A cancel cam assembly (not shown), which is rotatably driven by a handle, passes through the boss 2b, and the protrusion 2a engages with a predetermined member of the cancel cam assembly. There is. A stator member 1 is arranged around the lower end of the boss 2b of the rotor member 2, and is a bridge member of a fixed case member fixed to the steering column side. That is, the stator member 1 is loosely fitted around the outer periphery of the small diameter portion of the boss 2b and rotatably supports the rotor member 2 at the stepped portion of the boss 2b. It is integrally formed with a substantially disk-shaped base la that is perpendicular to b and connected to its lower end. As shown in FIG. 1, the stator member l has mounting through holes provided in four mounting seats 1e formed around the base la. screw 3 on d
1 and is fixed to the steering column side. Further, the base Ia is provided with a rectangular first terminal chamber 1c that projects outward in the radial direction. Furthermore, in the recess of the first terminal chamber 1c indicated by the reference numeral 20, a lead wire 13 shown in FIG. 2 for transmitting an electric signal to the steering column side is fixed to the stator member l. A lead wire holder 12 is housed therein. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 3 indicates a substator member, and the substator member 3 is a generally cylindrical member. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the external appearance of the base end of this substator member 3 is the same as that of the base la of the stator member 1 described above. The sub-stator member 3 is located above the stator member l, and an insulating plate 7, which will be described later (see FIG. 4), is interposed between both members. Substator member 3 and stator member l
are integrally fixed with screws 30 so as to sandwich the insulating plate 7. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3c indicates a substator member 3 corresponding to the mounting seat Ie.
It shows the female threaded hole for the screw 30 formed in the substator mounting seat 3a provided at a position corresponding to the circumference of the substator mounting seat 3a. still,
A through hole 3b corresponding to the through hole 1d of the stator member l is also formed in the substator mounting seat 3a. That is, the sub-stator member 3 is fixed to the stator member with the screws 30, and then tightened together with the stator member using the screws 31 to be fixed to the steering column side. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, a radial collar 3a is formed at the upper end of the substator member 3, and the collar 3a covers the peripheral end of the lid 2C of the rotor member 2. rapping. Incidentally, the stator member 1 and the sub-stator member 3 constitute a fixed case member. As explained above, the rotor member 2 is a movable case member, and the stator member I is a fixed case member.
The substator member 3 and the above-mentioned substator member 3 form a roughly donut-shaped storage case 100. A flat cable 14 and an intermediate case member 4 are housed in the annular storage space of the storage case 100. As best shown in FIG. 2, the storage case 100 houses an intermediate case member 4 that stores a spirally wound flat cable 14. As shown in FIG. The intermediate case member 4 is
A stator member is attached to a disc-shaped case bottom wall 4b, a cylindrical case side wall 4a standing upright near the outer periphery of the bottom wall 4b, and a peripheral end of the bottom wall 4b! It is integrally provided with a case support leg 4c that stands upright on the side of the base 1a. Note that the case support legs 4c are provided at three locations along the circumferential direction. A fitting hole into which the support boss tb of the stator member l fits is formed in the center of the bottom wall 4b. The degree of fitting between the support boss lb and the fitting hole formed in the bottom wall 4b is such that a sliding friction force is generated in the fitting portion. Further, a flat cable 14 wound spirally inside the side wall 4a is housed concentrically, and its outer end is integrally provided on the outer surface of the side wall 4a. It is fixed to a first terminal block 5 which has an angular cross section. Also, flat cable! The inner end of 4 is connected to the second terminal described above.
It is fixed to block 6. Reference numeral 11 indicates a vibration-proof sheet. By the way, as mentioned above, at both ends of the flat cable 14, as shown in FIG.
Block 5.6 is connected. Each block 5.6 is a resin molded member in which a conductive brush member IO, a connector pin 6a, and a lead wire 6b are integrally cast. A plurality of conductive wires are buried in the flat cable 14,
Conductive brush members l to which these conductive wires correspond, respectively.
The connector pin 6a is electrically connected to the connector pin 6a. Note that the flat cable 14 is spirally wound when stored in the storage case. As shown in the figure, the first terminal block 5 is a block having an angular cross-section and a fan-shaped bottom wall. This cross-sectional shape is the side wall 4a and bottom wall 4b of the intermediate case member 4.
This corresponds to the cross-sectional shape formed by A plurality of conductive brush members 10 protruding in the circumferential direction are provided on the bottom wall of the block 5.
10. ... are arranged in parallel along the radial direction. These conductive brush members 10 are made of a conductive material with spring properties, and are arranged and configured to come into contact with each conductive ring member 9 of the insulating plate 7, which will be described later. One end of the flat cable 14 is embedded in the side of the vertical wall of the block 5. To attach the first terminal block 5 to the intermediate case member 4, a part of the circumferential edge of the bottom wall 4b of the intermediate case member 4 is cut out, and the block 5 is fitted into the cutout. The bottom wall 4 of the intermediate case member 4 via 5a
It is caulked to b with a pin. Note that the fan-shaped bottom wall of the terminal block 5 is located between the space secured by the case support legs 4c of the intermediate case member 4, that is, the bottom wall 4b of the intermediate case member 4 and the insulating plate 7 on the base Ia of the stator member 1. It is designed to fit into the space formed between the On the other hand, the second terminal block 6, like the first terminal block 5, is a block with a cross-section shaped like a rectangle, and the other end of the flat cable 14 is embedded in the side of the vertical wall of the block 6. The connector pin 6a and lead wire 6b are electrically connected to the conductive wire of the flat cable. This block 6 is fitted into a notch formed in the lid 2C of the rotor member 2 so that the outer surface of the vertical wall is along the outer surface of the boss 2b on the large diameter side of the rotor member 2,
It is attached to the lid body 2c through the hole 6c by caulking with a pin 32. Multiple connector pins 6 protruding upwards
a and the lead wire 6b are cast in when the block 6 is molded. When the second terminal block 6 is fitted into the predetermined position, the connector pins 6a are located within the connector shell 8 formed integrally with the rotor member 2. As mentioned above, stator members! As shown in FIG. 4, the insulating plate 7 sandwiched between the substator member 3 and the substator member 3 is made of a roughly disc-shaped resin plate, and has a through hole in its center through which the support boss Ib of the stator member I passes. It will be done. Further, a rectangular portion (the shape corresponds to the recess 20 of the stator member!) is formed with a portion of the outer periphery protruding outward in the radial direction. A plurality of plate-shaped conductive ring members 9.9. ...is being laid in a sloppy manner. Then, on the back surface of the insulating plate 7, each of the above-mentioned conductive ring members 9 is provided.
Conductive lead plates 15 electrically connected to the insulating plate 7 are laid radially up to the rectangular portion of the insulating plate 7. These conductive lead plates 15 are connected to the aforementioned lead wires 13 corresponding to the steering column side. Furthermore, the first
The tip of each conductive brush member IO of the terminal block 5 is adapted to contact and slide on the conductive ring member 9, respectively. According to the above configuration, the rotation of the handle is transmitted to the protrusion 2a of the rotor member 2 via the cancel cam assembly (not shown), and the rotor member 2 rotates together with the handle. The inner end of a flat cable 14 is connected to the rotor member 2, while the outer end thereof is connected to the intermediate case member 4. Further, this intermediate case member 4 is slidably held by the stator member l. That is, if an external force of more than a predetermined value acts on the intermediate case member 4, the intermediate case member 4
is adapted to slide with respect to the stator member l. Therefore, while the spiral shape of the flat cable 14 is changing due to the rotation of the handle, the intermediate case member 4 remains stationary at that position. On the other hand, when the deformation of the spiral shape progresses and it becomes impossible to deform it any more, the rotational force of the handle becomes an external force on the intermediate case member 4.
As a result, slip occurs between the intermediate case member 4 and the stator member l. However, even in this state, electrical continuity between the handlebar side and the steering column side is maintained via the conductive ring member 9 and the conductive brush member IO. For example, if the number of turns of the spiral is set so that the rotational motion equivalent to two rotations of the handle can be absorbed by the spiral flat cable, after rotating the rotor member 2 for two or more rotations in one direction, the rotor member 2 in the opposite direction once, the spiral state of the flat cable 14 returns to its neutral state. If this device is installed in a car with the steering wheel adjusted to a neutral state in this state, the steering wheel operation range during normal car driving will be such that the rotational movement is flat.
This is within the range that can be absorbed by the shape deformation of the cable 14. Incidentally, approximately 90% of driving involves turning the steering wheel one turn in each direction. Furthermore, if the maximum number of handle rotations in either direction is, for example, 4 rotations, then after rotating the handle to the maximum in one direction from the handle rotation neutral position, turn the handle back and return it to the original neutral position. In this case, the neutral position of the flat cable 14 is one rotation of the handle before the original neutral position. That is, the neutral position of the spiral flat cable after the handle is rotated to the maximum allowable extent in both left and right directions is located at a position ±1 rotation from the initially set position. Furthermore, steering wheel operations during driving are generally performed to the same extent in both left and right directions. Therefore, even if the neutral position of the flat cable 14 is located one rotation to the right, if the handle is rotated to the left from the neutral position, the flat cable will be flat by the amount of rotation. - The neutral position of the cable moves toward the neutral position of the steering wheel, and the neutral position of the flat cable 14 converges to the original neutral position as the steering wheel is operated while driving the vehicle. This means that even if the device is installed in a car without centering, the centering adjustment of the flat cable 14 will be performed while driving the car. Approximately 90% of the entire range of steering wheel operation involved in driving a car, that is, the range of ±1 rotation of the steering wheel operation, is handled by the flat cable 14, and the remaining 10% range is handled by the above-mentioned slip mechanism. However, reliability regarding the durability of the slip mechanism is not impaired. In other words, the electrical reliability of the device does not deteriorate. Therefore, in the electrical connection device of this embodiment, even if the number of spiral turns of the flat cable 14 is reduced, the rotational movement of the handle can be absorbed by the device without reducing the reliability of the device. In other words, the length of the flat cable can be shortened and costs can be reduced. or,
Since the space for storing the flat cable is reduced, it is also possible to downsize the entire device. Furthermore, the work of adjusting the centering of the steering mechanism and the device when the device is installed, which was important in conventional electrical connection devices using a spiral flat cable, is no longer required, and therefore, it is no longer necessary to adjust the centering of the device to the steering mechanism when the device is installed. The neutral position display (or neutral position display mechanism) that was previously used is also no longer necessary.

【Effect of the invention】

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, in order to harmonize with the steering mechanism, the conventional centering work is unnecessary, and the electrical It is possible to provide a connecting device. Furthermore, the length of the flat cable can be shortened without reducing the reliability of its installation, which leads to the miniaturization of the entire device and contributes to reducing the cost of the device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the electrical connection device of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a front view of the electrical connection device of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the flat cable assembly used in this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. l... Fixed case member (stator member), 1a...
Base, lb...support boss, lc...terminal chamber, 2...movable case member (rotor member), 2a...protrusion, 2b...boss, 2c...lid, 3... Fixed case member (substator member), 3a... collar, 4...
- Intermediate case member, 4a...side wall, 4b...bottom wall,
4c... Case support leg, 5... First terminal block, 6... Second terminal block, 7... Disconnected wire plate,
8. Connector outer shell, 9. Conductive ring member, lO.
... Conductive brush member, 11... Vibration-proof sheet, 12...
- Lead wire holder, 13... Lead wire, 14... Flat cable, 15... Conductive lead plate, 100.
・Storage case.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed case member (1, 3) installed between the steering wheel and the steering column and fixed to the steering column side, and a movable case member (1, 3) that rotates together with the steering wheel.
a storage case (100) comprising the movable case member (2);
) and an intermediate case member (4) that is built in concentrically with the fixed case member (1) and is slidably held in the fixed case member (1) along the circumferential direction, and the intermediate case member (4) and the fixed case member (1).
The movable case member (2)
and a conductive brush member (10) that slides in contact with the conductive ring member (9) provided on the other of the opposing surfaces.
), which has flexibility, is wound spirally to follow the movement of the handle, and is housed in the intermediate case member (4) concentrically with the movable case member (2), and one end of which is wound spirally to follow the movement of the handle. The other end of the intermediate case member (4) is connected to the movable case member (2).
flat cables (14) held by the intermediate case member (14), and when a load of a predetermined value or more is applied to the intermediate case member (4) via the flat cable (14), the intermediate case member An electrical connection device between a steering wheel and a steering column, characterized in that (4) is configured to rotate with respect to the fixed case members (1, 3).