JPH04333472A - Cable reel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely draw out a flexible cable to an outer cylinder part or an inner cylinder part through the reversal part, and prevent generation of buckling of the flexible cable on the way to the reversal part. CONSTITUTION:An elastic ring 12 is arranged inside a U-like reversal part 3a of a flexible cable 3, and the elastic ring 12 is respectively pressed against the flexible cable 3 wound around an outer cylinder part 6 and the flexible cable 3 wound around an inner cylinder part 7 in the vicinity of both ends of the reversal part 3a by the elasticity to the outside. Consequently, the elastic body arranged inside the reversal part is rotated and revolved by friction force generated between the moving flexible cable and itself, and hence the elastic body can be followed to rotational movement of the reversal part.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cable reel that is applied to automobile steering devices and the like, and which makes electrical connection between a fixed body and a movable body using a flexible cable.

0002

[Prior Art] A cable reel is a device that connects a fixed body and a movable body movably attached to the fixed body with a flexible cable, and rotates like a steering device of an automobile. It is used as an electrical connection means between a finite number of movable bodies and fixed bodies.

[0003] In this type of cable reel, the proportion of the flexible cable in the total cost is high, and the cable reel is designed to reduce the cost by shortening the length of the required flexible cable. 1986-3990
This is proposed in Publication No. 7.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a schematic structure of the cable reel disclosed in the above publication. As shown in the figure, a movable body 101 is rotatably attached to a cylindrical fixed body 100, and a ring-shaped space is defined between the fixed body 100 and the movable body 101. A flexible cable 103 having a substantially band-like shape is housed within the cable 102 . This flexible cable 103 has a fixed body 100 and a movable body 10.
1 and are led out to the outside of the space 102 in a state in which the winding direction is reversed between the outer cylindrical part of the fixed body 100 and the inner cylindrical part of the movable body 101 within the space 102. A U-shaped reversal portion 103a is formed at the position where the winding direction is changed. In addition, the space 1
An auxiliary roller 104 is disposed inside the flexible cable 103, and the inverted portion 103a of the flexible cable 103 is connected to the auxiliary roller 10.
It is looped to 4. Although not shown, the auxiliary roller 104 is mounted on a planetary gear, and engages the planetary gear with internal teeth provided on the inner periphery of the fixed body 101, and external teeth provided on the outer periphery of the movable body 101. By meshing with the movable body 101, the movable body 101 rotates and revolves around the sun as the movable body 101 rotates.

In the cable reel configured in this way, for example, when the movable body 101 is rotated clockwise in FIG.
02 in the clockwise direction, the flexible cable 103 is wound in an unwound state in which the outer cylinder side of the fixed body 100 is larger. Conversely, when the movable body 101 is rotated counterclockwise, the inverted portion 103a of the flexible cable 103
also moves in the same direction, and the flexible cable 103 moves in the same direction as the movable body 10.
1 is in a tightly wound state with more windings on the inner cylinder side. Note that during such tightening and unwinding, the auxiliary roller 104 rotates and revolves with the rotation of the movable body 101, and the reversing portion 103
Follows the movement of a in the circumferential direction.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to the cable reel according to the conventional proposal described above, since the winding direction of the flexible cable is reversed between the inner cylindrical part and the outer cylindrical part, the flexible cable Compared to a cable reel in which the inner and outer cylinders are wound in the same direction (wound spirally), the required length of flexible cable can be significantly shortened, reducing costs. can be reduced. In addition, since the inverted part of the flexible cable is looped around an auxiliary roller that rotates on its own and revolves as the movable body rotates, the flexible cable wound around the outer or inner cylindrical part can be looped around the inverted part. It can be rolled out smoothly.

[0007] However, in order to make the auxiliary roller rotate and revolve to follow the rotational movement of the reversing part, internal teeth along the inner periphery of the fixed body, external teeth along the outer periphery of the movable body, and both internal and external teeth are required. This requires a complicated mechanism consisting of meshing planetary gears, which poses the problem of hindering cost reduction and miniaturization of the cable reel. In addition, the speed ratio between the movable body and the reversing section varies slightly depending on the winding state of the flexible cable, and since the variation is not linear,
It has always been difficult to loop the reversing section around the auxiliary roller.

The present invention has been made in view of the actual state of the prior art, and its purpose is to enable a flexible cable to be reliably paid out through its U-shaped reversal portion, and to provide an inexpensive and inexpensive method. Our goal is to provide highly reliable cable reels.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes disposing an elastic body inside a U-shaped inverted portion of a flexible cable to urge the inverted portion outward. is the most important feature.

0010

[Operation] When the movable body is rotated in one direction, the U-shaped inverted portion of the flexible cable moves in the same direction, so that the flexible cable is wound tightly around the inner cylinder or wound back into the outer cylinder. In this case, the elastic body placed inside the reversible section presses and biases the reversible section against the flexible cable wound around the inner cylinder and the flexible cable wound around the outer cylinder. However, the flexible cable rotates on its own axis and revolves due to the frictional force generated between it and the reversing part, so no matter whether the movable body is rotated in the unwinding direction or the winding direction, the flexible cable passes through the reversing part and exits. It is reliably fed out into the cylindrical part or the inner cylindrical part, and does not buckle on the way to the reversal part.

[0011]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a partially broken cable reel according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the upper case of the cable reel with a part of the upper case omitted, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG.

As shown in these figures, the cable reel according to this embodiment includes a lower case 1, an upper case 2 rotatably attached to the lower case 1, both cases 1,
2 and a flexible cable 3 housed between them.

The lower case 1 includes a bottom plate 5 having a center hole 4 in the center, and an outer cylindrical part 6 erected on the outer periphery of the bottom plate 5.
It has a cylindrical shape with a bottom as a whole. On the other hand, the upper case 2 has a top plate 8 with an inner cylindrical part 7 vertically disposed in the center, and the inner cylindrical part 7 is guided by the center hole 4 and the outer edge of the top plate 8 is guided by the outer cylindrical part 6. As a result, it is rotatably connected to the lower case 1, and the bottom plate 5 of the lower case 1
The outer cylindrical portion 6, the top plate 8 of the upper case 2, and the inner cylindrical portion 7 define a ring-shaped space 9 in plan view.

The flexible cable 3 is composed of what is called a flat cable in which conductors parallel to each other are laminated with a pair of insulating films, and in the case of this embodiment, a flat cable with five conductors buried is used. ing. As shown in FIG. 2, one end of the flexible cable 3 is connected to a first connector 10 fixed to the outer cylinder part 6, and led out to the outside of the lower case 1 via the first connector 10. ing. On the other hand, the other end of the flexible cable 3 is connected to a second connector 11 fixed to the inner cylindrical portion 7, and led out to the outside of the upper case 2 via the second connector 11. Further, the flexible cable 3 is wound counterclockwise from the first connector 10 to the inner wall of the outer cylindrical part 6, and is then reversed into a U-shape (hereinafter referred to as the reversed part 3a), and further It is housed in the space 9 so as to be wound clockwise around the outer wall of the inner cylindrical portion 7 and to reach the second connector 11 . An elastic ring 12 is disposed inside the inverted portion 3a so as to crush it, and the elastic ring 12 is caused to return to its original shape by an outward elastic force that causes the elastic ring 12 to move near both ends of the inverted portion 3a. are pressed so as to come into pressure contact with the flexible cable 3 wound around the outer cylindrical part 6 and the flexible cable 3 wound around the inner cylindrical part 7, respectively.

Next, the operation of the cable reel according to the above embodiment will be explained by taking as an example the case where the lower case 1 is used as a fixed body and the upper case 2 is used as a movable body. First, when the upper case 2 is rotated clockwise from the state shown in FIG.
The flexible cable 3 having a length equal to the amount of rotation is let out from the outer cylindrical portion 6 side and wound around the inner cylindrical portion 7 side. In this case, in the vicinity of both ends of the flexible cable 3, the flexible cable 3 wound around the outer cylindrical part 6 and the flexible cable 3 wound around the inner cylindrical part 7 receive elastic force from the elastic ring 12. Since the cables 3 and 3 are pressure-welded, the frictional force generated on these pressure-welding surfaces causes
The inverted part 3a moves clockwise in the space 9 while being fed out in the direction of arrow B in FIG. It is wrapped tightly. Further, the elastic ring 12 rotates in the direction of arrow B due to the frictional force generated between the elastic ring 12 and the vicinity of both ends of the reversible portion 3a, and moves clockwise within the space 9 following the reversible portion 3a.

Contrary to the above, when the upper case 2 is rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. and a flexible cable 3 with a length equal to the amount of movement.
is fed out from the inner cylinder part 7 side and rewound to the outer cylinder part 6 side. In this case, the inverted part 3a moves counterclockwise in the space 9 while being fed out in the direction of arrow C in FIG. The elastic ring 12 is smoothly wound back to the side, and moves counterclockwise within the space 9 while rotating in the direction of arrow C and following the reversing portion 3a.

In the cable reel according to the first embodiment, the flexible cable 3 is wound in opposite directions around the outer cylindrical part 6 and the inner cylindrical part 7 via the reversible part 3a. It is possible to shorten the length of the flexible cable 3, which is considered to be the same, and as a result, the total cost can be reduced and it is advantageous for downsizing. Further, the vicinity of the inverted portion 3a of the flexible cable 3 is connected to the flexible cable 3 wound around the outer cylinder part 6 and the flexible cable wound around the inner cylinder part 7 by the elastic force of the elastic ring 12. Since the reversing portion 3a is press-contacted to the flexible cable 3, the frictional force generated on these press-contact surfaces allows the reversing portion 3a to be rotated smoothly, and the winding or unwinding operation can be performed reliably. Furthermore, the elastic ring 12
Since the cable reel rotates on its own due to the frictional force generated between it and the vicinity of both ends of the reversing part 3a due to its own elastic force, a complicated drive mechanism is not required, and the cost and size of the cable reel can be reduced. Can be done.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cable reel according to another embodiment of the present invention, with a part of the upper case omitted, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing an elastic body provided on the cable reel. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that three rollers 13a, 13b, 13c are elastically biased outward as elastic bodies disposed inside the inverted portion 3a of the flexible cable 3. and each roller 13a, 13b,
13c and an endless belt 14 wound around the outer periphery of the belt 13c, the rest of the basic configuration is the same. The rollers 13a and 13b are pivotally supported at one end of the first and second links 15 and 16, respectively, and both of these links 15
, 16 is the first spring 17 stretched between them.
is elastically biased in the direction of expansion. Also, the first
and the other ends of the second links 15 and 16 and the third link 1
The roller 13c is connected to the roller 13c by a shaft 19 at equal intervals of about 120 degrees, and the roller 13c is connected to a second link 13c stretched between the support 20 that pivotally supports the roller 13c and the third link 18. It is urged outward by a spring 21. Therefore,
In the case of this embodiment, the endless belt 14 has its outer periphery in elastic contact with the vicinity of both ends of the reversing section 3a, so that it follows the rotational movement of the reversing section 3a and rotates on its own and revolves, similar to the above-mentioned first embodiment. You can expect good results. Also, endless belt 1
4 is each roller 13a, 13b, 13 arranged inside
Since an outward elastic biasing force is applied by c,
Slips between the flexible cable 3 and the endless belt 14 can be reliably prevented.

As a modification of the elastic body, it is also possible to use a spiral spring 22 as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, a case has been described in which the elastic body follows the rotational movement of the reversing section 3a only by its own elastic force. When the upper case 2 is rotated in either direction, the reversing portion 3a may come into contact with the interlocking body.

FIG. 7 shows a rolling contact roller 23 as the interlocking body.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment in which the rolling contact roller 23 is connected via an arm 24 to the center of a spiral spring 22 disposed inside the reversing portion 3a. In this case, even if a slip occurs between the flexible cable 3 and the spiral spring 22, since the spiral spring 22 is connected to the opposing rolling roller 23 via the reversing portion 3a, It is possible to reliably prevent the spiral spring 22 from separating from the reversing portion 3a. In addition, since the reversing portion 3a contacts the respective peripheral surfaces of the leaf spring 22 or the rolling contact roller 23 with small frictional resistance depending on the rotational direction of the upper case 2, the movement of the reversing portion 3a in the circumferential direction is smooth. become. Moreover, since the rolling contact roller 23 can swing in the radial direction of the space 9 by the arm 24, if the flexible cable 3 is tightly wound on the outer cylinder part 6 side, then the inner cylinder part 7 side If the inner cylinder part 7 side is tight, it swings and deviates toward the outer cylinder part 6 side, so that the reversible part 3a can be reliably guided.

FIG. 8 shows a concave peripheral surface 25 as the interlocking body.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment using a curved body 25 having a curved body 25, which is connected by an arm 24 so that its circumferential surface 25a faces a spiral spring 22 via an inverted portion 3a. ing. In this case, although the frictional resistance between the reversing portion 3a and the curved body 25 is somewhat larger than that of the rolling contact roller 23 shown in FIG.
5a, deformation of the reversing portion 3a can be reliably prevented.

In FIG. 9, a plurality of small rollers 26 are used as the interlocking body, and these small rollers 26 are pivotally supported on one end side of a swinging lever 27, and the other end of the swinging lever 27 is supported by a spiral spring 22. FIG. In this case, the small rollers 26 can be arranged so that the plotted trajectory of the circumferential surface of each small roller 26 forms a pseudo-concave circumferential surface, so the small rollers 26 have very low frictional resistance with the reversing portion 3a.
6 is used, the U-shape of the reversing portion 3a can be reliably maintained by each of the small rollers 26. In addition,
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a spiral spring is used as an example of the elastic body to which the interlocking body is connected. However, elastic bodies other than the spiral spring, such as those shown in FIGS. It is also possible to use

In each of the above embodiments, a flat cable is used as an example of the flexible cable 3, but instead, a flexible cable called a round wire cable in which a conducting wire is covered with an insulating tube may be used. In this case, a plurality of round cables may be integrated into a band shape depending on the number of circuits required.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the upper case 1 is used as a fixed body and the upper case 2 is used as a movable body. It is also possible to use 1 as a movable body.

[0026]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
Inside the U-shaped inverted portion of the flexible cable, the inverted portion is pressed against the flexible cable wound around the inner cylindrical portion and the flexible cable wound around the outer cylindrical portion, respectively. Because the elastic body is arranged, when the movable body rotates, the elastic body can be made to follow the reversing part while rotating and revolving around itself due to the frictional force generated between the movable body and the flexible cable.Therefore, it has a simple configuration. The flexible cable can be reliably fed out through the reversing section, and an inexpensive and highly reliable cable reel can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view, partially cut away, of a cable reel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view with a part of the upper case of the cable reel shown in FIG. 1 omitted;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, with a part omitted, of an upper case of a cable reel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a plan view showing an enlarged elastic body provided in the cable reel of FIG. 4; FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, with a part omitted, of an upper case of a cable reel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, with a part omitted, of an upper case of a cable reel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, with a part omitted, of an upper case of a cable reel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, with a part omitted, of an upper case of a cable reel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a cable reel according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Lower case (fixed body) 2 Upper case (movable body) 3 Flexible cable 3a Inversion part 6 Outer cylinder part 7 Inner cylinder part 9 Space 12 Elastic ring (elastic body) 13a, 13b, 13c Roller 14 Endless belt (elastic body) 15, 16, 18 Link 17, 21 Spring 22 Spiral spring (elastic body) 23 Contact roller 24 Arm 25 Curved body 25a Circumferential surface 26 Small roller 27 Swing lever

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fixed body, a movable body rotatably attached to the fixed body, and a flexible cable connecting the fixed body and the movable body, the flexible cable being , is housed between an inner cylinder part provided on either one of the fixed body and the movable body and an outer cylinder part provided on the other, and is connected to the inner cylinder through a U-shaped inverted part. A cable reel configured to be wound in opposite directions around a portion and an outer cylindrical portion, characterized in that an elastic body is disposed inside the inverted portion to urge the inverted portion outward. . 2. The cable reel according to claim 1, wherein an opposing interlocking body is connected to the elastic body via the reversing part.