JP6599241B2 - Rotating connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a rotary connector for transmitting an electrical signal between a fixed housing and a movable housing, and more particularly to a rotary connector having a configuration for discharging water that has entered the rotary connector body to the outside. .

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an automobile, a rotary connector that electrically connects an electric device provided on the steering wheel side and an electric device provided on the vehicle body side is known.

  The rotary connector includes a fixed housing attached to the vehicle body, a movable housing assembled to the steering shaft so as to be rotatable with respect to the fixed housing, and an annular space formed between the housings. And a cable for electrically connecting the connector portions provided in each of the housings.

  The rotary connector having the above configuration is used as an electrical connection means such as an air bag system, a horn circuit, or various operation switches mounted on a steering wheel of an automobile.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a dustproof measure is taken on a rotary connector. This rotary connector is provided with a dust-proof ring plate in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotary cylinder attached to the rotary cover and the inner peripheral edge of the hole of the bottom cover attached to the fixed cover. The structure prevents dust, wear powder, grease, and the like from entering the inside of the rotary connector from between the rotary cylinder and the bottom cover.

JP 2007-220505 A

By the way, the rotary connector is used by being inserted through a movable steering-side housing through a metal steering shaft disposed in the vehicle interior.
When the engine is started to run the automobile in a cold region, the interior of the vehicle is warmed by heating, and the interior of the vehicle is shifted from a low temperature environment to a high temperature environment.
Condensation occurs on the steering shaft when the room is shifted from a low temperature environment to a high temperature environment. When dew condensation occurs on the steering shaft, the dew condensation water enters the rotary connector body from the contact portion of the steering shaft and the movable housing, for example,
There has been a problem that the condensed water may reach a connection portion between the cable and the connector portion incorporated in the rotary connector body, and the electric circuit may be short-circuited.

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to prevent dust, wear powder, grease, and the like from entering the rotary connector body, but it enters the rotary connector body from the gap of the rotary connector body by capillarity. It is possible. Once the condensed water has accumulated in the rotary connector body, the condensed water cannot be discharged to the outside of the rotary connector body.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to be able to discharge the water to the outside of the rotary connector body even when water enters the rotary connector body. An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary connector capable of preventing a short circuit of an electric circuit incorporated in the body.

In order to achieve the above object, a rotary connector according to the present invention includes an annular fixed-side housing, and an annular movable side in which a steering shaft is inserted through a central portion of the rotary connector. A rotary connector body having a housing, and a fixed connector portion provided in the fixed housing and the movable housing, which is incorporated in an annular space formed between the fixed housing and the movable housing. And a cable for electrically connecting the movable connector portion provided in the connector, and a discharge port for discharging water that has entered the rotary connector body to the outside is provided in a lower region of the rotary connector body. and has, the lower region, position the lower part of the rotary connector body when the steering shaft is inserted into the movable housing The fixed-side housing and the movable-side housing are slidably assembled, and the movable-side housing has a cylindrical rotor portion through which the steering shaft is inserted, and in the movable-side housing, The discharge port is provided at a position between a sliding portion between the fixed housing and the movable housing and the cylindrical rotor portion .

  According to this configuration, even when water enters the rotary connector main body, the water can be discharged to the outside of the rotary connector main body, a short circuit of an electric circuit incorporated in the rotary connector main body, etc. Can be prevented.

Further , according to this configuration, even if water enters the main body through the gap of the rotary connector main body, the water can be immediately discharged from the outlet to the outside of the connector main body.

Preferably, in the rotary connector body, a space portion is formed at a position facing the discharge port.
According to this configuration, accumulation of water that has entered the rotary connector main body can be prevented.

Preferably, the movable side lead block constituting the movable side connector portion is attached to the movable side housing so as to be slidable at the sliding portion.
According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent foreign matters such as dust from entering the rotary connector main body from the movable lead block into the rotary connector main body at the sliding portion.

Preferably, the movable-side lead block is attached integrally to the position facing the exhaust exit.

Preferably, the movable-side housing has a first rotor portion having the cylindrical rotor portion, and a second rotor portion assembled to the cylindrical rotor portion, and the fixed-side housing has the The first rotor portion and the second rotor portion are assembled so as to be slidably sandwiched, and the discharge port is provided in the second rotor portion.
According to this structure, even if water permeates into the rotary connector body from the assembly portion of each rotor part, the water can be discharged to the outside of the rotary connector body.

  According to the present invention, even when water enters the rotary connector body, the water can be discharged to the outside of the rotary connector body, and a short circuit of an electric circuit incorporated in the rotary connector body, etc. It is possible to provide a rotary connector that can prevent the above.

It is a front view of the rotation connector concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is one side view of a rotation connector. It is a partially exploded perspective view which shows the external appearance of a rotation connector. It is a perspective view of the movable side housing of a rotation connector. It is a disassembled perspective view of the movable side housing of a rotation connector. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the part of the discharge port of a rotation connector. It is the expansion perspective view which made the longitudinal cross section the part to which the movable-side lead block is attached in a rotation connector. It is the expansion perspective view which longitudinally crossed the part in which the movable side lead block is not attached in a rotation connector.

Hereinafter, a rotary connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a rotary connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the rotary connector 1 according to the present embodiment, and shows a state where the steering shaft 50 is inserted through the rotary connector 1. FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the appearance of the rotary connector 1 according to the present embodiment.

The rotary connector 1 is a connection device for transmitting an electrical signal between a steering shaft 50 side and a vehicle body side as a steering device for an automobile.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the rotary connector main body 1 </ b> A of the rotary connector 1 is attached to a steering column 51 fixed to the vehicle body side, and an annular fixed side housing 2 and is rotatably assembled to the fixed side housing 2. An annular movable housing 3 is provided through which a steering shaft 50 contained in the stearin column 51 is inserted.

  The fixed-side housing 2 includes an outer cylindrical portion 2A made of synthetic resin, an annular bottom plate portion 2B made of synthetic resin attached to the outer peripheral edge of the outer cylindrical portion 2A, and legs formed integrally with the annular bottom plate portion 2B. 2C. The fixed side housing 2 is fixed to the steering column 51 by attaching the leg portion 2C to the steering column 51 on the vehicle body side.

  The movable housing 3 includes a disc-shaped upper rotor portion 3A serving as a first rotor portion made of synthetic resin, and a disc serving as a second rotor portion made of synthetic resin facing the upper rotor portion 3A at a predetermined distance. Lower rotor portion 3B, and intermediate rotor portion 3C serving as a cylindrical rotor portion that is provided at the central portion of upper rotor portion 3A and lower rotor portion 3B and connects rotor portions 3A and 3B. The steering shaft 50 is inserted through the intermediate rotor portion 3C, and the movable housing 3 is assembled and fixed to the steering shaft 50 side. The movable housing 3 is rotated relative to the fixed housing 2 in both forward and reverse directions (in the directions of arrows A and B in FIG. 1) about the axis.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the intermediate rotor portion 3 </ b> C projects into the cylindrical first connecting portion 3 </ b> D projecting from the central portion of the upper rotor portion and the central portion of the lower rotor portion 3 </ b> B. It is configured by assembling the provided cylindrical second connecting portion 3E.
In the lower rotor portion 3B, a discharge port 20 for discharging condensed water that has entered the rotary connector main body 1A to the outside of the rotary connector main body 1A is provided in the vicinity of the inner periphery located in the lower region of the rotary connector main body 1A. ing. Five discharge ports 20 are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the lower rotor portion.
Incidentally, the lower region of the rotary connector main body 1A refers to a region located at the lower portion of the rotary connector main body 1A when the steering shaft 50 is made to pass through the intermediate rotor portion 3C. In the rotary connector 1A according to the present embodiment, the discharge port 20 is formed in the lower rotor portion 3B in the lower region when the steering handle is maintained at the neutral position (position where the automobile travels straight).

  When the fixed housing 2 and the movable housing 3 are assembled, an annular space 4 is formed inside the rotary connector 1 surrounded by the housings 2 and 3. A cable 5 for securing electrical continuity between the fixed housing 2 and the movable housing 3 is accommodated in the annular space 4. As the cable 5, for example, a flexible flat cable 5 is used. The flat cable 5 is spirally wound and accommodated in the annular space portion 4, and is operated in accordance with rotation of winding tightening or rewinding from an initial neutral position (position where the automobile is moved straight) according to the rotation of the movable housing 3. Is allowed.

A fixed-side connector portion 6 is provided on the outer cylinder portion 2A constituting the fixed-side housing 2 so as to protrude outward from the outer periphery of the outer cylinder portion 2A.
A movable-side lead block 7A constituting the movable-side connector portion 7 is attached to the back side of the upper rotor portion 3A constituting the movable-side housing 3.

One end of the flat cable 5 is electrically connected to a fixed-side lead block (not shown) constituting the fixed-side connector portion 6, and the other end of the flat cable 5 is connected to a movable-side lead block 7 </ b> A of the movable-side connector portion 7. Is electrically connected.
When the neutral steering shaft 50 is inserted through the intermediate rotor portion 3C of the movable housing 3, that is, when the steering handle is maintained in the neutral position (position where the vehicle travels straight), the upper rotor of the movable housing 3 An external connector fitting portion 8 constituting the movable connector portion 7 protrudes from the surface portion side located in the lower region of the portion 3A.
The external connector fitting portion 8 is fitted with a cable connecting connector portion (not shown) connected to an airbag system, a horn switch circuit, or the like. The external connector fitting portion 8 is divided into a first fitting portion 10 and a second fitting portion 11.

  On the upper surface of the upper rotor portion 3A of the movable housing 3, a positioning pin 9 is provided to project and fix the movable housing 3 at a predetermined position on the steering shaft 50 side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rotary connector 1 having such a configuration is attached to the steering column 51 so as to incline with a predetermined angle (θ) forward of the driver (leftward in FIG. 2).

In the upper rotor portion 3A of the movable housing 3, an opening 3a is formed in the vicinity of the second fitting portion 11 so that the movable lead block 7A is exposed. The opening 3 a can be opened and closed by the lid 12. The second fitting portion 11 includes a cover portion 13 formed integrally with the lid body 12.
The cover portion 13 is formed with an opening portion 13A that fits into the locking portion 11A that protrudes from the main body of the second fitting portion 11, and the lid body 12 is formed by fitting the locking portion 11A and the opening portion 13A. The cover portion 13 closes the opening 3a of the upper rotor portion 3A. Note that the opening 3a of the upper rotor portion 3A can be opened by releasing the engagement between the locking portion 11A and the opening 13A.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view in which a portion to which the movable lead block 7A is attached is a longitudinal section in a state in which the steering handle is maintained in a neutral position (position where the automobile travels straight). FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view in which a portion where the movable lead block 7A is not attached is a longitudinal section.
An annular bottom plate portion 2B constituting the fixed side housing 2 is attached to the inner peripheral portion of the lower end of the outer cylinder portion 2A constituting the fixed side housing 2 by concave and convex fitting. On the outer bottom surface side of the annular bottom plate portion 2B, a lower rotor portion 3B that constitutes a movable housing is disposed so as to be opposed.

  An annular first rib portion 2C and an annular second rib portion 2D project from the outer bottom surface of the annular bottom plate portion 2B at a predetermined interval in the radial direction of the annular bottom plate portion 2B. Each of the rib portions 2C and 2D is in contact with the upper surface of the lower rotor portion 3B so as to be slidable. When the movable housing 3 is rotated, the lower rotor portion 3B rotates while sliding with the rib portions 2C and 2D.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the steering handle is maintained in the neutral position (position where the vehicle travels straight), the inner wall of the first connecting portion 3D of the intermediate rotor portion 3C in the lower region of the rotary connector main body 1A has a movable side. A lead block 7A is integrally attached. The lower end of the movable lead block 7A is slidably in contact with the inner peripheral upper surface of the annular bottom plate 2B.
In the lower rotor portion 3B, a discharge port 20 is formed at a position between the sliding portion 22 between the annular bottom plate portion 2B and the movable lead block 7A and the first connecting portion 3D.
The mounting position of the movable lead block 7A is a position facing the discharge port 20 formed in the lower rotor portion 3B.

  In the first rib 2C of the annular bottom plate portion 2B, when the steering handle is maintained at the neutral position (position where the vehicle travels straight), condensed water accumulates at the position facing the discharge port 20 and adheres to peripheral components. In order to prevent this, the space portion 21 is notched and formed between peripheral components.

  As shown in FIG. 8, an annular block portion 3 </ b> F connected to the upper rotor portion 3 </ b> A is protruded inwardly on the inner wall of the first connecting portion 3 </ b> D of the intermediate rotor portion 3 </ b> C. An annular rotor-side rib portion 3G is formed at the lower end of the block portion 3F. The rotor-side rib portion 3G is slidably in contact with the upper surface of the annular bottom plate portion 2B. When the movable housing 3 is rotated, the rotor side rib portion 3G rotates while sliding on the annular bottom plate portion 2B. The sliding surface that becomes the sliding portion 23 between the rotor side rib portion 3G and the annular bottom plate portion 2B is the same surface as the sliding surface that becomes the sliding portion 22 between the movable lead block 7A and the annular bottom plate portion 2B. ing.

  When the steering handle is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 7, that is, from the neutral position (the position where the automobile travels straight) and the lower rotor portion 3B is rotated, the lower rotor portion 3B is the first of the annular bottom plate portion 2B. It slides on the rib portion 2C. If it does so, the discharge port 20 will leave | separate from the space part 21 currently formed in the 1st rib part 2C, and will be block | closed by the 1st rib part 2C. That is, communication between the space 21 and the outside of the rotary connector body 1A is blocked.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, a state in which the dew condensation water that has entered the rotary connector main body 1A is discharged to the outside of the rotary connector main body 1A will be described.
The rotary connector 1 is assembled to the steering shaft 50 side by inserting a metal steering shaft 50 disposed in the vehicle interior into the intermediate rotor portion 3C.
In the winter season when the temperature drops, when the engine is started to run the automobile, the vehicle interior is heated by heating, and the interior of the vehicle is shifted from a low temperature environment to a high temperature environment.
Condensation occurs on the steering shaft 50 when the interior of the vehicle shifts from a low temperature environment to a high temperature environment.
If dew condensation occurs on the steering shaft 50, the dew condensation water may enter the rotary connector main body 1A from the gap 24 between the first connecting portion 3D of the intermediate rotor portion 3C and the lower rotor portion 3B due to a capillary phenomenon or the like.

  According to the rotary connector 1 according to the present embodiment, even if condensed water enters the rotary connector body 1A, the condensed water is immediately discharged from the discharge port 20 to the outside of the rotary connector body 1A via the space portion 21. Is done. Therefore, the condensed water does not reach the movable lead block 7A incorporated in the rotary connector body 1A, and a short circuit of the electric circuit can be prevented.

In addition, since the movable lead block 7A is integrally attached to the first connecting portion 3D so as to face the discharge port 20, it is possible to reliably prevent dew condensation from adhering to the movable lead block 7A.
Further, since the rotor-side rib portion 3G is slidably in contact with the annular bottom plate portion 2B, even if foreign matter such as dust enters the space portion 21 from the discharge port 20, the foreign matter inside the rotary connector main body 1A. Can be prevented by the sliding portion 23 between the rotor-side rib portion 3G and the annular bottom plate portion 2B.
Further, the lower end of the movable lead block 7A is slidably brought into contact with the inner peripheral upper surface of the annular bottom plate portion 2B. Therefore, even if foreign matter such as dust enters the space 21 from the discharge port 20, entry of the foreign matter into the rotary connector main body 1A is prevented by the sliding portion 22 between the movable side lead block 7A and the annular bottom plate portion 2B. be able to.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. That is, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, combinations, subcombinations, and alternatives regarding the components of the above-described embodiments within the technical scope of the present invention or an equivalent scope thereof.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the space portion is formed at the position facing the discharge port 20 in the rotary connector main body 1A is exemplified, but the present invention is also applied to the case where the space portion is not formed. What is necessary is just to have the structure by which water is discharged | emitted from the rotation connector main body 1A from 20. FIG.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the movable side lead block 7A is attached to the first connecting portion 3D so as to be slidable on the annular bottom plate portion 2B is exemplified, but the present invention is directed to the movable side lead block 7A. Is also applied to those attached at positions that do not slide on the annular bottom plate portion 2B.

In the above embodiment, a case has been exemplified where the movable-side lead block 7A is provided in a position facing the exit 20 discharge, the present invention is movable lead block 7A does not face the discharge port 20 position It is also applied to those attached to.

  The present invention is applicable to in-vehicle electrical components that need to prevent electrical circuits from being short-circuited by condensed water.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rotary connector 1A ... Rotary connector main body 2 ... Fixed housing 3 ... Movable housing 3A: upper rotor portion 3B: lower rotor portion 3C: intermediate rotor portion 3D: first connecting portion 3E ... 2nd connecting part 4 ... Annular space 5 ... Flat cable 6 ... Fixed side connector Part 7 ········ Movable connector portion 7A ······ Movable lead block 20 ···································· 22, 23... Sliding portion 24... Clearance 50... Steering shaft 51.

Claims (6)

A rotary connector body comprising: an annular fixed housing; and an annular movable housing that is rotatably mounted relative to the fixed housing and through which a steering shaft is inserted in the center.
A fixed-side connector portion provided in the fixed-side housing and a movable-side connector portion provided in the movable-side housing, which is incorporated in an annular space formed between the fixed-side housing and the movable-side housing. A cable to electrically connect between,
Have
A discharge port for discharging water that has entered the rotary connector body to the outside is provided in a lower region of the rotary connector body ,
The lower region is a region located at a lower portion of the rotary connector body when the steering shaft is inserted into the movable housing.
The fixed housing and the movable housing are slidably assembled,
The movable housing has a cylindrical rotor portion through which the steering shaft is inserted,
In the movable housing, the discharge port is provided at a position between a sliding portion between the fixed housing and the movable housing and the cylindrical rotor portion.
A rotary connector characterized by that. The rotary connector according to claim 1 , wherein a space portion is formed at a position facing the discharge port in the rotary connector main body. To claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the movable side lead block constituting the movable connector part is attached to the movable housing so as to be slidable in the sliding part Rotating connector as described. The movable-side lead block, the rotation connector according to claim 3, characterized in that mounted integrally at a position opposite to the ejection exit. The movable-side housing has a first rotor portion having the cylindrical rotor portion, and a second rotor portion assembled to the cylindrical rotor portion, and the fixed-side housing has the first rotor portion. assembled so as to be sandwiched slidably between the second rotor portion and the rotor portion, claims 1, wherein the discharge port is characterized in that provided in the second rotor portion The rotary connector according to any one of 4 . A rotary connector body comprising: an annular fixed housing; and an annular movable housing that is rotatably mounted relative to the fixed housing and through which a steering shaft is inserted in the center.
A fixed-side connector portion provided in the fixed-side housing and a movable-side connector portion provided in the movable-side housing, which is incorporated in an annular space formed between the fixed-side housing and the movable-side housing. A cable to electrically connect between,
Have
A discharge port for discharging water that has entered the rotary connector body to the outside is provided in a lower region of the rotary connector body ,
The lower region is a region located at a lower portion of the rotary connector body when the steering shaft is inserted into the movable housing.
The movable-side housing has a first rotor portion having the cylindrical rotor portion, and a second rotor portion assembled to the cylindrical rotor portion, and the fixed-side housing has the first rotor portion. The rotor part and the second rotor part are assembled so as to be slidably sandwiched, and the discharge port is provided in the second rotor part.
A rotary connector characterized by that.

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