JPH07246941A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the mounting work efficiency of a pad body by providing at least either a steering wheel body or a pad body with a engagement holder which positions and holds the pad body, in an object where the steering wheel body and the pad body are fixed using a fixer. CONSTITUTION:Through, in the steering wheel of an automobile, a pad body having an air back device 13, etc., is installed at the center, mounters 24 forming a pair on both sides are attached to the boss part of such a steering wheel, and each mounter 24 is provided with a bracket 28 where a through hole 29 is made, a clamp 31 which is transformed elastically, and an abutting part 27. On the other hand, the pad body is provided with a nut body 38 where a thread hole 38a is made. And, when the pad body is combined with the boss part, the nut body 38 is engaged and retained with the clamp 31, and the through hole 29 and the thread hole 38a are aligned, and in this condition, the threaded section 39a of the mounting screw 39 is inserted in the through hole 29 of the bracket 28 and is screwed and fixed with the nut body 38.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel in which a pad body having an airbag device or the like is mounted on a steering wheel body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a steering wheel for a vehicle such as an automobile, a pad body having an airbag device, a shock absorber, etc. is attached to a boss portion located substantially in the center of a steering wheel body. It has been known. In particular, since the pad body having the airbag device receives a shock when the airbag is deployed, it is necessary to firmly fix the pad body. Therefore, for example, a plurality of mounting parts are projected from the steering wheel body side, the mounting holes of the bracket projecting from the pad body are aligned with the screw holes of this mounting part, and the mounting screws are screwed from the side. The pad body is fixed to the steering wheel body by fixing them together.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, in the work process of mounting the pad body on the steering wheel main body, the screw hole of the mounting portion and the mounting hole of the bracket are formed in a state where the steering wheel main body and the pad body are combined. While aligning, it is necessary to screw the mounting screws from the side to fix them. However, the mounting structure parts are often made by metal pressing, and it is difficult to completely match the mounting surface and the mounting point due to the integration tolerance of each part. Therefore,
When aligning the screw hole of the mounting portion with the mounting hole of the bracket, it is necessary to work while strongly pressing the pad body against the steering wheel body, which causes a problem of poor workability. In particular, in a pad body having an airbag device, the pad body is inflated due to the reaction force of the airbag that is folded small, and it is difficult to push the pad body.

In this respect, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-193642
A steering wheel described in Japanese Patent Publication is known. In this steering wheel, a long hole is formed in the bracket of the pad body so as to face the screw hole formed in the mounting portion of the steering wheel main body, and it is located below the long hole and tilts downward to the outside. The guide portion is formed. Further, in this steering wheel, since the long hole is formed in the bracket, it is easy to align the screw hole of the mounting portion of the steering wheel main body with the long hole of the bracket of the pad body, and the mounting screw is attached from the outside of the long hole. The work of inserting and screwing into the screw hole can be facilitated. Further, when the mounting screw is tightened, the large-diameter flange portion provided on the head of the mounting screw slides on the guide portion of the bracket to push the bracket downward. Therefore, the pad body can be accurately positioned and fixed at a predetermined position.

[0005]

However, even in the configuration described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-193642,
When assembling the pad body and the steering wheel body, it is necessary to confirm that the slots and screw holes are aligned, and insert the mounting screws from the outside of the slots to screw them into the screw holes. Until the adjustment is completed, the pad body must be positioned and held while being pressed against the steering wheel body, and there is a problem that it is difficult to improve workability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a steering wheel in which a pad body can be mounted on a steering wheel body with good workability.

[0007]

A steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein a steering wheel body is combined with a pad body, and the steering wheel body and the pad body are fixed by a fixing tool. At least one of the steering wheel main body and the pad body is provided with an engagement holding portion for positioning and holding the pad body combined with the steering wheel main body.

According to another aspect of the steering wheel of the present invention,
A steering wheel in which a pad body provided with an airbag device is combined with a steering wheel body, and the steering wheel body and the pad body are fixed by using a mounting screw, wherein the steering wheel body or the pad body is attached to either one of the steering wheel body and the pad body. A nut body having a screw hole into which the mounting screw is screwed is provided, and a through hole into which the mounting screw is inserted is formed in the other of the steering wheel main body and the pad body, and is tightened and fixed by the mounting screw. A bracket and an engagement holding portion that elastically holds and holds the nut body.

[0009]

In the steering wheel according to the first aspect, when the pad body is mounted on the steering wheel body, the steering wheel body and the pad body are combined with each other, and the pad body is attached to the steering wheel body by the engagement holding portion. Positioned and held. In this state, the pad body is fixed to the steering wheel body by the fixing tool.

In the steering wheel according to the second aspect, when the pad body is mounted on the steering wheel body, the steering wheel body and the pad body are combined with each other, and the steering wheel body and the pad body are provided on either one of the steering wheel body and the pad body. The nut body is elastically engaged and held by an engagement holding portion provided on the other side, and the pad body is positioned and held on the steering wheel body. In this state, a mounting screw is inserted into the through hole of the bracket, screwed into the screw hole of the nut body and tightened and fixed, whereby the pad body is fixed to the steering wheel body.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of one embodiment of the steering wheel of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 11 denotes a steering wheel of an automobile.
Is configured such that a pad body 14 having an airbag device 13 and the like is mounted on an upper side of the steering wheel body 12 which is an occupant side.

The steering wheel body 12 is
The rim portion 15 has an annular shape, a boss portion 16 located inside the rim portion 15, and four spoke portions 17 connecting the rim portion 15 and the boss portion 16.

A metal boss 21 fitted to a steering shaft (not shown) is arranged below the boss portion 16 of the steering wheel body 12 on the vehicle body side, and the boss plate 22 is attached to the boss 21. It is fixed by welding. The core metal 17a of the spoke portion 17 is fixed to the boss plate 22, or the core metal 17a of the spoke portion 17 is formed integrally with the boss plate 22.

Further, a pair of left and right mounting bodies 24 are mounted on both sides of the boss plate 22 using fixing screws 25 and the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, these mounting bodies 24 are made of, for example, a conductive metal plate, and both side portions are bent upward with the front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction. In addition, each mounting body 24 and this mounting body 24
A spacer 26 made of a resin such as synthetic resin having an insulating property is sandwiched between a fixing screw 25 for fixing the boss plate 22 and the mounting body 24. Further, a contact portion 27 is integrally provided so as to project upward from each spacer 26. It should be noted that a horn switch can be incorporated in the mounting body 24 as required.

Further, a bracket 28 is bent from the outer side of each mounting body 24 toward the upper side to be integrally formed. Further, each bracket 28 is bent upward in a substantially vertical shape, and an upper end 28a thereof is slightly bent outward and upward. A circular hole-shaped through hole 29 is formed in each bracket 28. Each through hole 29
Are formed so as to face the intermediate portions of the spoke portions 17, respectively.

Further, a clamp 31 as an engaging and holding portion is attached to each of the mounting bodies 24, which is located inward of the bracket 28. This clamp 31 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, it is made of an elastically deformable leaf spring material (spring material) and is fixed to the bracket 28 by screws or welding (not shown). In addition, the clamp 31 is formed with a board portion 31a fixed to the bracket 28, and a pair of side plate portions 31b continuously bent in a dogleg shape at both ends of the board portion 31a. Has been formed. Further, a guide plate portion 31c, which is curved outward in an expanding manner, is formed continuously with the upper end portions of the side plate portions 31b. Although the through hole for screwing is formed in the substrate portion 31a, it can be fixed by rivet fixing or spot welding in addition to screwing.

The lower side of the boss 16 is covered with a lower cover 32 made of synthetic resin. The lower cover 32 has side openings 32a formed at both sides and a rear opening 32b formed at the rear. Further, these openings 32a and 32b are provided with a lid 32c that can be opened and closed.
, 32d.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the pad body 14 mounted on the boss portion 16 of the steering wheel body 12 has a base plate 33 having a substantially rectangular plane shape. The base plate 33 has an inflator mounting hole 34 formed in the central portion, and the peripheral portion is bent downward to form a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 35. Then, the mounting piece portions 36 extend downward from both side portions of the peripheral wall portion 35. Further, the lower end portion 36a of each mounting piece portion 36 is bent downward inward. Further, a hexagonal through hole 37 is formed in each mounting piece portion 36, and the inner surface of each mounting piece portion 36 is
A nut body 38, which is also called a caulking nut, is press-fitted into and fixed to the through hole 37 of the end portion 38b having a substantially hexagonal column shape.

The outer diameter of the end portion 38b of the nut body 38 is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 37.
The method for fixing the attachment pieces 36 and the nut body 38 to each other is not limited to press fitting, and they may be fixed by welding.

The nut body 38 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a screw hole 38a communicating with the through hole 37 formed inside, and the pad body 14 is combined with the boss portion 16 of the steering wheel body 12, The outer peripheral surface of this nut body 38 is clamped
It is adapted to be retained by engaging with 31. Further, in this state, the screw hole 38a of the nut body 38 and the through hole of the bracket 28
It is designed to be coaxially aligned with 29. Then, a mounting screw as a fixture having a screw portion 39a having a thread groove and a head portion 39b having a diameter larger than the screw portion 39a.
39, and attach the screw part 39a of this mounting screw 39 to the bracket 28
Through the through hole 29 of the nut body 38
The pad body 14 is fixed to the steering wheel body 12 by screwing it into a and tightening it.

A substantially columnar inflator 41 is fitted into the inflator mounting hole 34 of the base plate 33 from below, and the upper side of the base plate 33 covers the upper side of the inflator 41. And then
A bag-shaped airbag 42 is folded and stored.

Further, an igniter, a propellant and the like are housed inside the inflator 41, and by burning the propellant, nitrogen gas and the like are rapidly discharged from the gas injection holes 41a formed in the upper peripheral surface. The folded airbag 42 is jetted to rapidly inflate and deploy. Further, at an intermediate position in the height direction of the inflator 41, a flange portion 41b having a substantially rectangular plane shape is provided. The base plate 33 and the airbag 42 are sandwiched between the retainer 44 and the flange portion 41b of the inflator 41, and the inflator 41 and the airbag 42 are fixed to the base plate 33.

The base plate 33 also includes an air bag.
A cover body 45 that covers the upper side of 42 is attached. The cover body 45 is integrally formed of a synthetic resin, and an upper plate portion 46 that covers a part of the boss portion 16 and the spoke portion 17 of the steering wheel body 12, and a projecting portion on the lower surface side of the upper plate portion 46. And a mounting wall portion 47 having a substantially rectangular tube shape.

Then, the mounting wall portion 47 is fixed to the base plate 33 by a plurality of rivets 48 while being fitted to the outer side of the peripheral wall portion 35 of the base plate 33.

Further, the upper plate portion 46 covering the airbag 42 is
The lower surface side of the upper plate portion 46 is thinly recessed to form a tear line 49 as a breaking line which is weaker than other portions of the cover body 45. And this tear line 49
Is formed in a substantially H-shaped plane by a central rupture line whose longitudinal direction is on both sides and a lateral rupture line which is continuous with both ends of the central rupture line whose longitudinal direction is the front-rear direction.

The inflator 41 is connected to an impact sensor (not shown) installed on the front portion of the vehicle body or the steering wheel main body 12 to form an airbag device 13.

When a vehicle collides, the inflator 41 is activated by a signal from an impact sensor (not shown), and nitrogen gas or the like is rapidly injected into the inside of the airbag 42 to fold the folded airbag 42. Expands rapidly. Then, due to the inflation pressure of the airbag 42, the upper plate portion 46 of the cover body 45 is torn along the tear line 49, and a pair of front and rear door pieces are formed. When deployed, the protruding port of the airbag 42 is formed. Then, the airbag 42 is inflated and deployed to the front of the occupant through the projecting opening to protect the occupant from an impact.

Next, a work process of mounting the pad body 14 on the steering wheel body 12 will be described.

First, in the process of assembling an automobile, the boss 21 is fitted to a steering shaft (not shown), and a nut is screwed onto the tip end of the steering shaft to fasten the steering wheel body 12 to the steering shaft. It

And, this steering wheel body 12
The pad body 14 is almost aligned with the boss portion 16 and the pad body 14 is pushed in the axial direction of the steering shaft to be assembled.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the nut bodies 38 on both sides fixed to the pad body 14 are pushed down toward the clamps 31 on both sides attached to the steering wheel body 12. Then, the nut body 38 abuts on the guide plate portion 31c provided in an expanded shape on the clamp 31, and is inserted between the side plate portions 31b while pushing the clamp 31 apart, as shown in FIG. 5 (b). The side plate portions 31b are elastically engaged and temporarily fixed. This time, this clamp
The nut body 38 is pulled downward due to the elastic force of the return deformation of 31. At the same time, for example, the base plate 33 of the pad body 14 contacts the contact portion 27 provided on the steering wheel body 12. In this state, the pad body 14 is pressed against the four abutting portions 27 provided on the steering wheel body 12 by the elastic force of the clamp 31, and is accurately positioned and held without tilting.

When the pad body 14 is pushed in the axial direction of the steering shaft, the inclined lower end portion 36a of the mounting piece portion 36 of the pad body 14 and the inclined upper end portion 28a of the bracket 28 of the steering wheel main body 12 are Slidably contact each other, the mounting piece 36 is guided between the bracket 28 and the clamp 31,
The pad body 14 is guided to a predetermined position.

Further, with the pad body 14 positioned and held by the steering wheel body 12, the pad body 14 is
The screw hole 38a of the nut body 38 and the through hole 29 of the bracket 28 of the steering wheel body 12 are aligned and communicate with each other. Then, through the side opening 32a of the lower cover 32, into the through hole 29 of the bracket 28,
Insert the screw part 39a of 39 and insert the screw part 39a into the nut body 38.
Is screwed into the screw hole 38a. Further, by tightening the nut body 38, the bracket 28 of the mount body 24 is held between the mounting piece portion 36 of the base plate 33 to which the nut body 38 is fixed and the head portion 39b of the mounting screw 39. Becomes
The pad body 14 is fixed to the steering wheel body 12.

As described above, according to the steering wheel 11 of this embodiment, when the pad body 14 is mounted on the steering wheel body 12, the pad body 14 is formed by combining the steering wheel body 12 and the pad body 14. The nut body 38 provided on the steering wheel body 12 is elastically engaged and held by the clamp 31 provided on the steering wheel body 12, and the pad body 14 can be positioned and held on the steering wheel body 12. Therefore, the mounting screw 39 is inserted in the through hole 29 of the bracket 28.
Insert the, and screw it into the screw hole 38a of the nut body 38 and tighten it to fix the steering wheel body 12 and the pad body 14 by pressing the pad body 14 by hand as in the past. There is no need, and even when the steering wheel body 12 is attached to an inclined steering shaft, in particular, the pad body 14 can be easily fixed to the steering wheel body 12 with good workability. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the automobile can be reduced.

When the pad body 14 is assembled to the steering wheel main body 12, it is not necessary to strictly align the steering wheel main body 12 and the pad body 14 with each other.
The sliding contact between the guide plate 31c of 31 and the nut body 38, and the bracket 28
The pad body 14 can be accurately positioned by guiding the pad body 14 by sliding contact between the upper end portion 28a and the lower end portion 36a of the mounting piece portion 36.

Further, since the clamp 31 directly engages with the outer peripheral portion of the nut body 38 in which the screw hole 38a required to be aligned with the through hole 29 of the bracket 28 is formed, the clamp hole 31 and the screw hole 38a are Can be aligned easily and accurately.

When the pad body 14 is fixed, the pad body 14 is elastically engaged and held by the clamp 31.
Since the pad body 14 is pulled downward to the base plate 33 side, the pad body 14 is pressed against the four abutting portions 27 of the steering wheel body 12. So the pad body
Accurately position and hold 14 to improve product quality.

As described above, since the pad body 14 can be accurately positioned and held, the pad body 14 can be positioned on both sides of the boss portion as in this embodiment.
In the configuration where only two places are screwed in each,
For example, even if the mounting screws 39 are tightened on each side, the pad body 14 is unlikely to tilt, and the pad body 14 can be mounted at an accurate position to improve the quality of the product.

When the steering wheel body 12 and the pad body 14 are combined, the mounting piece 36 of the pad body 14 is
Is inserted between the bracket 28 and the clamp 31 of the steering wheel body 12, so that the pad body 14 is prevented from being displaced in the left-right direction even in the step of assembling the pad body 14 and the usage state of the steering wheel 11. be able to.

Further, since it is not necessary to form a long hole or the like in the bracket 28 and the like and the circular through hole 29 may be formed, the manufacturing cost of the steering wheel 11 can be reduced.

The shape of the engaging and holding portion is not limited to that of the clamp 31 described above, and the clamp 51 shown in FIG. 6A can be used. This clamp 51 forms side plate parts 51b continuously on both ends of the base plate part 51a.
A guide plate portion 51c is formed continuously in an expanded shape on 51b, and a holding portion having a substantially arcuate shape that substantially matches the outer shape of the nut body 38 is formed at the longitudinal middle portion of each side plate portion 51b. Forming 51d. Further, in this clamp 51, the holding portion 51d which is made to substantially match the outer shape of the nut body 38.
Since the above is formed, the nut body 38 of the pad body 14 can be accurately positioned and held, and the height position can be regulated without using the contact portion 27.

Further, in the above embodiment, the mounting body 24 is mounted on the steering wheel body 12, the bracket 28 having the through hole 29 is formed on the mounting body 24, and the clamp is formed.
Although 31 is fixed, for example, the clamp 31 can be formed integrally with the mounting body 24. Then, the nut body 38 having the screw hole 38a is fixed to the mounting piece portion 36 of the base plate 33 of the pad body 14, but, for example, the nut body 38 engaged with and held by the clamp 31 is integrated with the base plate 33 of the pad body 14. It can also be formed in a desired manner.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the bracket 28 having the through hole 29 is provided on the steering wheel body 12 side, and the nut body 38 is provided on the pad body 14 side. It is also possible to fix 38 and provide the pad body 14 with the bracket 28 having the through hole 29.

Further, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the air bag device 13 is provided on the pad body 14.
A shock absorber can be built in.

[0046]

According to the steering wheel of the first aspect, when the pad body is mounted on the steering wheel body, if the steering wheel body and the pad body are combined with each other, the engagement holding portion enables the steering wheel body. It is possible to position and hold the pad body. Therefore, when fixing the steering wheel main body and the pad body with the fixing tool, it is not necessary to hold the pad body by hand, and the pad body can be easily fixed to the steering wheel main body with good workability.

According to the steering wheel of the second aspect, when the pad body is mounted on the steering wheel main body, if the steering wheel main body and the pad body are combined with each other, the steering wheel main body or the pad body is mounted on either one of the steering wheel main body and the pad body. The provided nut body is elastically engaged and held by the engagement holding portion provided on either side, and the pad body can be positioned and held on the steering wheel body. Therefore, when inserting the mounting screw into the through hole of the bracket, screwing it into the screw hole of the nut body and tightening it, and fixing the steering wheel body and the pad body, there is no need to press the pad body by hand, The pad body can be easily fixed to the steering wheel body with good workability. Further, when the pad body is fixed, the pad body is elastically engaged and held by the engagement holding portion, so that the pad body is accurately positioned and held, and the quality of the product can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a steering wheel of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a part of the above steering wheel.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the above steering wheel.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the above steering wheel.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a clamp and a nut body of the same steering wheel.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a clamp and a nut body showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Steering wheel 12 Steering wheel body 13 Airbag device 14 Pad body 28 Bracket 29 Through hole 31 Clamp as an engagement holding part 38 Nut body 38a Screw hole 39 Mounting screw as a fixture

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel in which a pad body is combined with a steering wheel main body, and the steering wheel main body and the pad body are fixed using a fixture, wherein at least one of the steering wheel main body and the pad body has the steering wheel. A steering wheel having an engagement holding portion for positioning and holding the pad body combined with a wheel body. 2. A steering wheel, comprising: a steering wheel body and a pad body provided with an airbag device; and fixing the steering wheel body and the pad body using mounting screws. A nut body having a screw hole into which the mounting screw is screwed is provided on either one of the above, and a through hole through which the mounting screw is inserted is formed on the other of the steering wheel body and the pad body. A steering wheel comprising: a bracket that is fastened and fixed by a screw; and an engagement holding portion that elastically engages and holds the nut body.