JPH09267751A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the strength of a welding part between a main ring and a spoke, prevent the staying of deformation caused by heat, eliminate the sputter cleaning process and welding sub-materials and to shorten a welding work time. SOLUTION: In a steering wheel, projecting sections 36A and 38A are projectingly provided in the projection section 34 of a spoke section 24 as a core metal provided from a boss plate position in the center in a radial direction to be in parallel with each other along the axial direction of a main ring 28 as a ring-like core metal, pressure is applied and power is conducted while the outer peripheral surface section of the main ring 28 is in contact with the longitudinal directions of the projection sections 36A and 38A, and projection welding is performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel used in a vehicle steering system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A steering wheel used for a steering device of a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a circular ring-shaped main ring via spokes arranged in a radial direction at an end of a steering shaft interlocked with the steering device. Is configured. The free ends of the spokes and the joints with the main ring are conventionally joined by arc welding.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a main ring 10 of a steering wheel is formed by forming a metal pipe having an annular cross section into a ring shape as a whole. The spokes 12 that support the main ring 10 are long plate-shaped members arranged so as to extend radially around a steering shaft (not shown), and the free ends of the spokes 12 are the outer circumference of the main ring 10. The parts are brought into contact with predetermined positions, welded by carbon dioxide arc welding, and joined.

As shown in FIG. 6, in this carbon dioxide gas arc welding, the welding wire 16 extended from the tip of the welding torch 14 is blown with carbon dioxide gas from the tip of the welding torch 14 and the main ring 10 and the spokes. It is applied to the welded portion with 12 and arc welding is performed between them so as not to oxidize in carbon dioxide gas, and the main ring 10 and the spoke 12 are integrally connected as shown in FIG.

As described above, when the main ring 10 which is the core metal of the steering wheel and the spokes 12 are joined by carbon dioxide arc welding, thermal strain remains in this welded joint due to the arc heat during carbon dioxide arc welding. Sometimes. Further, after the welding, it was necessary to perform a cleaning operation to remove slag and spatter which are metal particles scattered around the welding portion during the welding. Also, when welding by this carbon dioxide arc welding, welding wire and shielding gas, etc. are required as welding auxiliary materials,
In the case of carbon dioxide arc welding, there is a problem that the welding work time becomes long.

[0006]

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention prevents heat distortion and the like from remaining in the welded portion between the main ring and the spokes, and eliminates a cleaning step for cleaning spatter after welding. It is an object of the present invention to newly provide a steering wheel which does not require welding auxiliary materials such as welding wire and shielding gas and can be manufactured by welding in a short time.

[0007]

A steering wheel according to claim 1 of the present invention has a cored bar in a projection portion of a spoke part which is a cored bar provided in a radial direction from a boss plate located in a central portion. A steering wheel integrally mounted by projection welding with a main ring, wherein an outer peripheral surface portion of the main ring is supported between ridges arranged in parallel along an axial direction of the main ring. And a projection portion for projection welding formed on the projection portion of the spoke portion.

With the above-described structure, projection welding is performed along the longitudinal direction of the ridge, so that the strength of this welded portion can be further improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the steering wheel according to the first aspect, the projections provided on the projections of the spokes are arranged in series at predetermined intervals along the axial direction of the main ring. Forming one of the protrusions arranged in parallel with each other, and forming the other protrusion that is arranged in series at a predetermined interval along the axial direction of the main ring so as to be in parallel with the one protrusion. It is characterized in that the outer peripheral surface portion of the main ring is supported between one protrusion and the other protrusion.

With the above construction, the outer peripheral surface of the main ring is sandwiched between the parallel protrusions, and the main ring is arranged in series along the axial direction of the main ring at a predetermined interval. Since the projections allow projection welding to be performed at a portion spaced apart in the axial direction of the main ring, the strength of the welded portion can be further improved.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the steering wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided at a free end portion of a steering shaft connected to a steering device (not shown). A boss plate 22 is attached to the boss 20, and a main ring 28 is supported via a pair of spoke portions 24 and a center spoke portion 26 that are integrally formed with the boss plate 22.

That is, the boss plate 22 has a through hole 30 formed in the center thereof, and the boss 20 for coupling with the steering shaft is fitted into the through hole 30 to form the boss 2.
The boss plate 22 is integrally attached to 0. The boss plate 22 has a pair of spoke portions 24 extending in the diametrical direction of the main ring 28.
Are integrally formed. A mounting plate portion 32 for mounting the center spoke portion 26 is integrally formed at an intermediate position of the pair of spoke portions 24 on the boss plate 22. Mounting plate portion 3 of this boss plate 22
A base end portion of the center spoke portion 26 is fixed to the second portion 2. As a result, the pair of spoke portions 24 and the center spoke portion 26 centering around the boss plate 22 are in a state of being extended in the radial direction.

The main ring 28 is attached to each free end of the pair of spokes 24 and the center spokes 26.
Are welded and attached. The main ring 28 serves as a core metal of the steering wheel, and is made of a metal material having an annular cross section in one ring shape having a predetermined large diameter.

The main ring 28 is welded and attached to each free end of the pair of spokes 24 and the free end of the center spoke 22 by projection welding. For this reason, projection portions 34 are formed at the free ends of the pair of spokes 24 and the center spokes 26, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the projection portion 34 includes four projection portions 36A, 36B, 38A, 3
8B and. And the main ring 28
The protrusions 36A and 36B are formed in series along the axis of the main ring 28, and the protrusions 38A and 38B are arranged in parallel with the protrusions 38A and 38B.
And are formed side by side in series. Further, a predetermined space is provided between the projections 36A and 36B, and a predetermined space is also provided between the projections 38A and 38B.

Each protrusion 36A, 36B, 38A, 38B
Are integrally projected from the plane of the projection portion 34 in a semicircular cross section. That is, each protrusion 3
Each of 6A, 36B, 38A, and 38B is formed by integrally providing a quarter spherical curved surface at the end portion on the side opposite to the outer peripheral surface obtained by halving the cylinder. The distance between the projections 36A, 36B arranged in series and the projections 38A, 38B arranged in parallel in series is such that the outer peripheral surface of the main ring 28 is linear at the same time with respect to these projections 36A, 36B, 38A, 38B. It is set to contact at the part of. Furthermore, the protrusion 36
Since B and 38B are separated from each other, the stability of the main ring 28 supported by them can be improved. In addition, four projections 36A, 36B,
By arranging 38A and 38B apart from each other,
The structural strength of this portion can be improved.

The main ring 28 is constructed so that it can be mounted on two projections 36A, 36B and projections 38A, 38B arranged in parallel.

These protrusions 36A, 36B, 38A,
38B is formed by means such as integrally forming with the spoke portions 24 or the center spoke portions 26 by press molding. When formed by press molding, the protrusions 36A, 36 of the projection portion 34 of each spoke portion 24 or the center spoke portion 26 are formed.
A concave portion 40 is formed at the time of press forming on the flat surface portion on the side where B, 38A and 38B are not provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, a part of the main ring 28 is projection welded to the projection portion 34 constructed as described above. That is, the spoke portion 24 or the center spoke portion 2 is provided on the trapezoidal electrode 42.
6 is placed by abutting the flat surface on the side where the protrusions 36A, 36B, 38A, 38B are not provided. Next, the projections 36A, 36B, 38 of the projection unit 34
The main ring 28 is placed on A and 38B. An electrode 44 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the main ring 28 such that its semicircular recess covers the outer peripheral surface of the main ring 28, and a projection portion is provided between the electrode 44 and the trapezoidal electrode 42. 34 and the main ring 28 are sandwiched, and with respect to each protrusion 36A, 36B, 38A, 38B,
The outer peripheral surface of the main ring 28 is brought into line contact with and pressurized. Next, in this state, from the welding power source 46 to each electrode 4
2 and 44 are energized, and electric current is concentrated in the line contact portion between the outer peripheral surface of the main ring 28 and each of the protrusions 36A, 36B, 38A, 38B to generate resistance heat in this portion. Then, they are heated, and both are integrally welded by the pressure at which they are pressed against each other. Even after welding, each spoke 24 or the center spoke 26
, The projections 36A of the projection unit 34,
The outer peripheral surface of the main ring 28 is welded to the flat portion at a position between 36B, 38A and 38B so as not to be welded.

As described above, the two protrusions 36A, 36B, 38A, at the outer peripheral portion of the main ring 28, which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, are arranged along the axial direction of the main ring.
Since 38B continuously welds linearly for a predetermined length,
The strength of the welded portion can be remarkably improved, the escape of the welded portion can be reduced, and the deformation of the main ring 28 can be reduced. Further, in the case of this projection welding, as compared with the case of arc welding, since the main ring 28 is not heated to a high temperature, it is possible to prevent distortion in the welded portion and reduce errors in the welding state and deformation after welding. it can.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the steering ring is constructed by integrally welding and attaching the main ring 28 to each spoke portion 24 and the center spoke portion 26 as described above, the welded portion is formed. Since the strength of the steering wheel is high, the structural strength of the steering wheel as a whole can be improved.

The above-mentioned projections 36A, shown in the figure,
36B, 38A, 38B are shown as being formed in a linear shape, respectively, but the shape is not limited to this, and the projections 36A, 36B, 38A are formed along the curved surface of the circumference of the main ring 28. , 38B may be formed in a curved shape. Further, each of the protrusions 36A and 36B and each of the protrusions 38A and 38B may be formed as a single ridge. An AC resistance welding device can be used as the welding machine, but other resistance welding devices can be used. Further, the main ring 28 and the protrusions 36A, 3
It is needless to say that resistance welding conditions (for example, electrode pressure, welding current, energizing time, projection shape, etc.) capable of welding 6B, 38A, and 38B can be appropriately set.

Moreover, since the resistance welding is performed, heat distortion and the like can be prevented from remaining in the welded portion between the main ring 28 and the spoke portion 24, and a cleaning step for cleaning spatter after welding is not required. No welding auxiliary materials such as shield gas are required, and welding can be performed in a short time.

[0024]

As described above, in the steering wheel according to the present invention, the strength of the welded portion between the main ring and the spokes can be improved, and the thermal strain and the like can be prevented so that the spatter can be cleaned after the welding. It has an excellent effect that it does not require a cleaning step for welding, does not require welding auxiliary materials such as welding wire and shield gas, and can be manufactured by welding in a short time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing, in a partial cross section, a welding state of a main ring and a protrusion of a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a state in which the main ring of the steering wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention and each projection portion are welded out.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of essential parts showing a projection in a projection portion of the steering wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional exploded perspective view showing a main part of the steering wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of the steering wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view of an essential part showing an example of a conventional manufacturing method of a steering wheel by carbon dioxide arc welding.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional surface view showing a state in which a spoke and a main ring in a conventional steering wheel are welded by carbon dioxide arc welding.

[Explanation of symbols]

 24 Spokes 26 Center Spokes 28 Main Ring 34 Projection 36A Projection 36B Projection 38A Projection 38B Projection

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel in which a main ring, which is a core metal, is integrally attached by projection welding to a projection portion of a spoke portion, which is a core metal, provided in a radial direction from a boss plate located in a central portion. There, the outer peripheral surface portion of the main ring is formed in the projection portion of the spoke portion so as to be supported between the protrusions arranged in parallel along the axial direction of the main ring, for projection welding. A steering wheel having a protrusion. 2. The projections provided on the projections of the spokes form one ridge lined in series at a predetermined interval along the axial direction of the main ring, and at the same time, Forming the other ridge that is arranged in series at a predetermined interval along the axial direction of the main ring so as to be parallel and parallel to the ridge, and between the one ridge and the other ridge. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is configured to support an outer peripheral surface portion of the main ring.