JPH05147537A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a steering wheel in which ring section formed surface does not move in normal use even if the formed surface of the ring section is positioned so that it nears horizontal and a part of the core metal is deformed plastically when an impulsive force is applied to the ring section from the horizontal to enable absorption of the impulsive force. CONSTITUTION:A spoke section core metal 4 is connected to a boss section core metal 8 through a deformed piece 6 capable of deforming plastically. The deformed piece 6 is provided with a connecting section 61 connected to the boss section core metal 8 and extending to a ring section R side in parallel with the spoke section core metal 4, a curved section 62 curved from the top end of a connecting end 61 and extending to the ring section R side, and a connecting section 63 curved from the top end of the curved section 62 and extending in parallel with the spoke section core metal 4. The curved section 62 is provided with a notched recess 64. The spoke section core metal 4 is inserted into the recess 64, made in contact with the connecting section 61, and fixed to the connecting section 63.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel mounted on a vehicle, and more particularly to a steering wheel capable of absorbing energy of impact force acting on a ring portion by plastically deforming a part of a cored bar. Regarding the wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a steering wheel having a self-aligning mechanism is known as a steering wheel which absorbs energy of impact force acting on a ring portion (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-9765, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9765/1990). Kaisho 63-301
170, etc.).

In these self-aligning mechanisms for steering wheels, when a horizontal impact force is applied to the ring portion, a part of the core metal is plastically deformed so that the ring surface is formed in a substantially vertical direction. Is moved to, receives the impact force on the entire circumference of the ring portion, and absorbs the energy of the impact force.

However, in a cabin-over type vehicle such as a commercial vehicle, the steering shaft is about 6 degrees from the horizontal direction.
Since it is arranged at an angle of 0 degrees (about 30 degrees in a passenger car type vehicle) and the ring forming surface is arranged so as to approach in the horizontal direction, it is difficult to provide the self-aligning mechanism. Was accompanied by.

That is, if the ring portion forming surface is configured to be easily deformed in a substantially vertical direction, in a normal state where the impact force does not act, for example, a part of the ring portion is grasped and the ring portion is lowered to a part thereof. Even when the user tries to get on the vehicle by applying a load to the ring portion, the ring portion forming surface is inclined. On the contrary, if the rigidity of the predetermined core metal of the steering wheel is increased so that it does not deform during normal use, even if an impact force acts on the ring part, the ring part forming surface can be smoothly moved in a substantially vertical direction. I can't do it.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems. Even when the ring portion forming surface is arranged so as to approach in the horizontal direction, the ring portion forming surface moves during normal use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering wheel that can absorb the energy of the impact force by plastically deforming a part of the core metal when the impact force is applied to the ring portion from the horizontal direction. And

[0007]

A steering wheel according to the present invention is a steering wheel in which a spoke mandrel is coupled to a boss mandrel with a deformable part capable of plastic deformation interposed therebetween. A connecting part that is connected to the boss core and extends to the ring side in parallel with the spoke core, a bent part that bends from the tip of the connecting part and extends to the ring side, A connecting portion that is bent from the tip and extends parallel to the spoke core metal, and a cutout recess is formed in the bent portion, and the spoke core metal is inserted into the recess to form the connection. It is characterized by being in contact with the portion and being fixed to the connecting portion.

[0008]

In the steering wheel according to the present invention, when a horizontal impact force is applied to the ring portion, the deformed portion for fixing the spoke core metal and the connecting portion is recessed in the bent portion. Since the rigidity of the periphery of the recess is reduced, the periphery of the recess is plastically deformed to absorb the energy of the impact force.

During normal use, for example, when the user tries to get on the vehicle by gripping a part of the ring part and applying a downward load to that part of the ring part, the deformed part bends. Even if the portion is provided with a concave portion, the end portion on the boss portion side of the spoke core bar is in contact with and supported by the surface of the connecting portion where the concave portion of the deformed portion is not formed with the connecting portion as a fulcrum. Since the concave portion is not formed in the contact support portion, plastic deformation of the deformed portion is suppressed, and movement of the ring portion forming surface is prevented.

Therefore, in the steering wheel according to the present invention, even if the ring portion forming surface is arranged so as to approach in the horizontal direction, the ring portion forming surface does not move during normal use. When an impact force from the horizontal direction acts on the ring portion, a part of the core metal is plastically deformed, and the energy of the impact force can be absorbed.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The steering wheel W of the embodiment is shown in FIG.
-As shown in 2, an annular ring portion R and a ring portion R
It is composed of a boss portion B arranged in the lower center part of the above, and two spoke portions S connecting the boss portion B and the ring portion R.

The ring portion R is provided with a steel rod-shaped ring core metal 2 of the steering wheel core metal 1, and
A coating layer 3 made of synthetic resin such as soft urethane is coated on the outer circumference of the ring core metal 2.

At each spoke S, a spoke core 4 and a reinforcing core 5 made of steel rods are arranged. Each reinforcing core metal 5 is optionally provided to reinforce the spoke core metal 4 when the ring portion R of the steering wheel W is operated in the circumferential direction. The ring portion R side of each spoke core metal 4 and the reinforcing core metal 5 is welded to the ring core metal 2 and is covered with a coating layer 7 made of the same material as the coating layer 3.

At the boss B, the steering shaft 10
There is provided a boss cored bar 8 including a steel boss 8a connected to the boss 8a and a steel plate boss plate 8b welded to the boss 8a. A pad 9 is provided on the upper portion of the boss core metal 8 so as to cover the upper portion of each spoke S with a horn switch mechanism and the like. Will be installed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, between the boss plate 8b of the boss cored bar 8 and each spoke cored bar 4, a deformation made of a steel plate or the like is a plastically deformable deformation part. A piece 6 is arranged. Each reinforcing core metal 5 is welded to the boss plate 8b.

Each deformable piece 6 includes a connecting portion 61 and a bent portion 62.
And a connecting portion 63. Connection part 6
1 is welded to and connected to the boss plate 8b of the boss core 8 and is formed so as to extend toward the ring R side in parallel with the spoke core 4. The bent portion 62 is formed to bend from the tip of the connecting portion 61 and extend toward the ring portion R side. The connecting portion 63 is formed so as to be bent from the tip of the bent portion 62 and extend parallel to the spoke core 4.

Further, a concave portion 64 is cut out from the bent portion 62 side of the connecting portion 61 to the connecting portion 63 side of the bent portion 62.
Are formed.

Then, each spoke core metal 4 has a recess 64.
Is contacted with the connecting portion 61, and is welded and fixed to the connecting portion 63.

The steering wheel W thus constructed is attached to the steering shaft 10 which is arranged at an angle θ of about 60 degrees from the horizontal direction by using the nut 11, and then is horizontally attached to the ring portion R. Impact force from direction F
As shown in FIG. 3, the deformable piece 6 that secures the spoke core metal 4 and the connecting portion 63 is provided with the recessed portion 64 cut out in the bent portion 62 to reduce the rigidity of the peripheral edge of the recessed portion 64. is doing. Therefore, the peripheral edge of the recess 64 is plastically deformed, and together with the plastic deformation of the ring core metal 2 and the reinforcing core metal 5,
The energy of the impact force F will be absorbed.

During normal use, for example, when a user tries to get on the vehicle by gripping a part of the ring part R and applying a downward load F to the part of the ring part R,
As shown in FIG. 1, the deformable piece 6 has a concave portion 6 near the bent portion 62.
4, even if equipped with the boss B in the spoke core 4
The end portion on the side is in contact with and supported by the surface 61a of the connecting portion 61 of the deformable piece 6 where the recess 64 is not formed, with the connecting portion 63 as a fulcrum.
Since the concave portion 64 is not formed in the above, the plastic deformation of the deformable piece 6 is suppressed, and the movement of the ring portion forming surface P is prevented.

Therefore, in the steering wheel W of the embodiment, the ring portion forming surface P is arranged so as to approach in the horizontal direction. When the impact force F from the horizontal direction acts on the ring portion R without moving, a part of the connecting piece 6 plastically deforms, and together with the plastic deformation of the other cores 2.5, the impact is generated. The energy of force F can be absorbed.

In the embodiment, the recess 64 of the connecting piece 6 is used.
Is formed from the bent portion 62 side of the connecting portion 61 to the connecting portion 63 side of the bent portion 62, and the recessed portion 64 is wider open to the boss core metal 8 side than the cross-sectional shape of the spoke core metal 4. As shown in FIG. 4, even if an impact force F along the axial direction of the spoke core metal 4 acts on the ring R, the peripheral edge of the recess 64, which has low rigidity, is plastic in a substantially Z shape. It can be deformed and absorb the energy of the impact force F.

As described above, in the steering wheel W of the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the impact force acting on the ring portion R from below, including the direction along the axial direction of the spoke core metal 4, is applied. This energy can be absorbed by the plastic deformation of the deformable piece 6 without any trouble.

Further, in the embodiment, the connecting piece 6 which is a separate body from the boss core metal 8 is shown as the connecting portion, but the boss plate 8b of the boss core metal 8 is extended to form the connecting portion. May be.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, in the connecting piece 6 as the connecting portion, the connecting portion 6 fixed to the spoke core metal 4 is connected.
3 is bent to the ring portion R side, but may be bent to the boss portion B side as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1 as long as it is parallel to the spoke core metal 4. In the case of such a configuration, the portion where the concave portion 64 is formed can be used as the connecting portion 63, and the material of the connecting piece 6 can be used without waste.

Further, in the embodiment, the through hole is shown as the concave portion 64 provided in the connecting piece 6 as the connecting portion.
Of course, if the spoke core metal bar 4 can be inserted and the rigidity of the peripheral edge is lowered, the recess may be formed by separating the peripheral edge of the through hole 64 of the embodiment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a core metal of a steering wheel showing an embodiment of the present invention, showing a II portion of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a horizontal impact force is applied to the ring portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an impact force along the axial direction of the spoke core metal is applied to the ring portion of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 ... Spoke core metal, 6 ... (deformation part) deformation piece, 8 ... Boss core metal, 8a ... Boss, 8b ... Boss plate, 61 ... Connection part, 62 ... Bend part, 63 ... Connection part, 64 ... Recessed part , W ... Steering wheel, R ... Ring portion, B ... Boss portion, S ... Spoke portion, P ... Ring portion forming surface, F ... Impact force / load.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel in which a spoke mandrel is connected to a boss mandrel with a plastically deformable deformed part interposed, wherein the deformed part is connected to the boss mandrel and a ring. Connecting portion extending in parallel to the spoke portion core bar, a bent portion that bends from the tip of the connecting portion and extends toward the ring portion, and a bent portion that bends from the tip of the bend portion and is parallel to the spoke portion core metal. And a connection part extending to the bending part, a recessed recess is formed in the bent part, the spoke core bar is inserted into the recess, contacts the connecting part, and is fixed to the connection part. Steering wheel.