JP3316981B2 - Automotive steering wheel structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel structure for an automobile in which another member such as an airbag is mounted on a steering wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some automobiles are equipped with airbags for protecting occupants. This airbag is normally mounted on the driver's seat side so as to be deployable at the center of the steering wheel.

The attachment of the airbag module to a steering wheel will be described with reference to FIGS. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a steering wheel, and reference numeral 2 denotes an airbag module attached to a central portion of the steering wheel 1.

[0004] The airbag module 2 is roughly composed of an airbag cover 3 which covers an airbag (not shown) from above and an airbag housing 4 which surrounds the airbag from the side.

To attach the airbag module 2 to the steering wheel 1, two mounting brackets 5 protruding from the airbag module 2 are attached to two wheel brackets 7 provided on a steering wheel plate 6 by bolts 8 and nuts 9. It was done by tightening. In FIG. 16, what is indicated by reference numeral 10 is a steering undercover.

An example in which a gas bag unit corresponding to the airbag module 2 of the present invention is mounted on a steering wheel is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-118852. In this publication, a pair of mounting pieces protruding from the gas bag unit are screw-fixed to a pair of supporting pieces vertically set up on the horn plate, and an engaging portion for preventing mutual rotation when fixed is provided. It is provided between the support piece and the mounting piece.

[0007]

In the prior art described above, when the airbag module 2 is mounted on the steering wheel 1, the mounting brackets 5 provided at two places of the airbag module 2 are attached to the steering wheel plate 6. Since it was engaged with the wheel bracket 7 provided at two places and the bolt 8 was tightened by the air gun,
While the bolt 8 is being tightened, the airbag module 2 is hung at the mounting portion and rotated rightward (see the arrow in FIG. 15), and the airbag module 2 and the steering wheel 1, or the airbag housing 4 and the steering undercover of the airbag module 2, are provided. There is a gap in 10 (see A in FIG. 13 and B in FIG. 16), which impairs aesthetic appearance, and there is a problem that needs to be corrected later.

[0008] This is because the wheel brackets 7 provided on the left and right two places of the steering wheel 1 and the mounting brackets 5 provided on the airbag module 2 are combined.
Because they face each other on the same line (see FIG. 17) or face each other on a parallel line (see FIG. 18), when the bolt is tightened, the airbag module 2 rotates with the tightening torque. It is because.

The steering wheel disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-118852 has a structure in which a support piece provided on a horn plate of the steering wheel and a mounting piece provided on a gas bag unit rotate mutually. However, there is a problem that the structure is slightly complicated.

[0010] Such a problem is not limited to the air bag as a member mounted at the center of the steering wheel, and the same applies to a case where another member such as a horn device is mounted.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an automobile having a steering wheel plate provided at a center portion of a steering wheel and other members attached to the steering wheel plate. A plurality of wheel brackets are erected on the wheel plate, and a plurality of mounting brackets engaged with the wheel bracket and fixed by bolts are projected from a lower portion of another member mounted on the upper portion of the steering wheel plate, The mounting bracket and the wheel bracket are each provided with an angle in an upright direction.

Further, in an automobile having an airbag mounted on a steering wheel, a plurality of wheel brackets are erected on a steering wheel plate provided at a central portion of the steering wheel, and are bolted by engaging with the wheel bracket. A plurality of mounting brackets protruding from a lower portion of an airbag module mounted on an upper portion of the steering wheel plate, and each of the mounting bracket and the wheel bracket is angled in an upright direction. Is what you do.

[0013] The present invention also provides an airbag module that includes a plurality of wheel brackets erected on a steering wheel and a plurality of mounting brackets protruding from an airbag module, which resist bolt tightening torque. The angle of the direction for preventing the rotation of.

[0014] Further, the present invention provides that at least one of a wheel bracket erected on a steering wheel and a mounting bracket projecting from an airbag module is provided.
A flange is formed to engage with each other to prevent rotation.

[0015]

According to the present invention, a plurality of wheel brackets are provided on the steering plate of the steering wheel and a plurality of mounting brackets are provided on other members such as the airbag. So
When one wheel bracket and the mounting bracket are engaged with each other and bolted, the other wheel bracket and the mounting bracket come into contact with each other, so that rotation of other members can be prevented. .

Further, the present invention provides an airbag module which includes a plurality of wheel brackets erected on a steering wheel and a plurality of mounting brackets projecting from an airbag module, which resist bolt tightening torque. Since the angle is set so as to prevent the rotation of the wheel bracket, when one wheel bracket and the mounting bracket are engaged and bolted, the other mounting bracket and the wheel bracket come into contact with each other. This makes it possible to reliably prevent the rotation of the airbag module.

Further, the present invention provides that at least one of a wheel bracket erected on a steering wheel and a mounting bracket projecting from an airbag module is provided.
Since the flanges that engage with each other and prevent rotation are formed, when one of the wheel brackets and the mounting bracket are engaged and the bolt is tightened, the flange is provided on at least one of the wheel bracket and the mounting bracket. The flange abuts against another wheel bracket or mounting bracket to prevent rotation of the airbag module.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 in which the same members as those in FIGS. In the figure, what is indicated by reference numeral 1 is a steering wheel. At the center of the steering wheel 1, a steering wheel plate 6 for mounting the airbag module 2 (see FIG. 4) is provided.

On the steering wheel plate 6, two wheel brackets 7 for mounting the airbag module 2 are provided upright. The wheel brackets 7 are attached to the steering wheel plate 6 at substantially the center, right and left on the same horizontal line, and are angled in an upright direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the wheel bracket 7 is attached with the front side facing the inside at an angle θ.

When the mounting bracket 5 (see FIG. 4) of the airbag module 2 is engaged with the wheel bracket 7 and fixed by the bolts 8, the angle of the airbag module 2 is reduced by resisting the tightening torque of the bolts 8. The angle is such that the rotation is prevented (see FIG. 7).

Another example of the mounting position of the wheel bracket 7 is as shown in FIG. This is one in which the wheel bracket 7 is attached at an angle θ to the front of the lateral center line of the steering wheel plate 6 and to the left and right on the same line.

The airbag module 2 is composed of an airbag cover 3 and an airbag housing 4 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and the airbag housing 4 is engaged with the wheel bracket 7. Two mounting brackets 5 project downward. An airbag (not shown) is housed inside the airbag housing 4.

The mounting brackets 5 are mounted on the left and right sides of the same line in the lateral direction of the airbag housing 4 so as to be able to engage with a wheel bracket 7 provided on a wheel plate 6 in an eight-shape. In FIG. 6, the reference numeral 10 indicates a steering wheel under cover which is attached to a lower portion of the steering wheel 1.

As described above, when the mounting bracket 5 is engaged with the wheel bracket 7 provided on the steering wheel plate 6 and fixed with the bolts 8 and the nuts 9, the airbag module 2 is connected to the steering wheel 1.
It can be attached to

When the bolt 8 is tightened, the airbag module 2 tries to rotate clockwise on the center line C of the bolt 8 due to the tightening torque, as shown in FIG. However, at this time, since the mounting bracket 5 opposite to the tightening side of the bolt 8 is fixed at an angle so as to contact the outside of the wheel bracket 7, the mounting bracket 5 is centered on the center line C of the airbag module 2. Will be restricted.

The wheel brackets 7 are mounted on the left and right sides of the steering wheel plate 6 in an eight-shape, and the mounting brackets 5 provided on the airbag module 2 are fixed to the wheel brackets 7 by engaging from outside. In the case where the mounting bracket 5 is set inside the wheel bracket 7, the wheel bracket 7 may be formed in an inverted eight-shape as shown in FIG.

In this way, even if the bolt 8 is tightened, that is, even if the bolt 8 is rotated clockwise, the mounting bracket 5 comes into contact with the wheel bracket 7 and the rotation of the airbag module 2 is restrained. Becomes possible.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The explanation is based on 12. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 11 denotes a wheel bracket protruding from the steering wheel plate 6, and reference numeral 12 denotes a mounting bracket protruding from the airbag housing 4 of the airbag module 2.

At one edge of the mounting bracket 12, a flange 13 perpendicular to the surface of the mounting bracket 12 is provided (see FIG. 10). This flange 13 is a wheel bracket
When the mounting bracket 12 is engaged with the bolt 11, the bolt 8 is screwed into the bolt hole 14 formed on both of them, and serves as a stopper against rotation of the airbag module 2 when tightened.

FIG. 11 shows a wheel bracket 11 in which a flange 15 is formed by bending the upper end of the wheel bracket 11 to one side.
At one edge, a flange 13 perpendicular to the surface is provided, and a flange 13 extending horizontally on the surface of the mounting bracket 12 is also provided.
Is formed by notching.

Mounting bracket 12 and wheel bracket 11
When engaging with the flanges 15 and 16
When the flange 13 is brought into close contact with the side of the wheel bracket 11 and tightened with a bolt, the flanges 15 and 16 and the flange 13 serve as a first stopper for stopping the rotation of the airbag module 12. Serves as a second stopper for vertical positioning.

Further, in FIG. 12, a concave portion 17 is formed at the upper end of the wheel bracket 11, and a convex portion 18 which engages with the concave portion 17 is formed on the mounting bracket 12.
This allows the mounting bracket 12 to be
It is possible to prevent the rotation of the airbag module 2 when the bolt is tightened to 11.

In the embodiment described above, an airbag module is assumed as another member attached to the center of the steering wheel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to mounting as it is.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of wheel brackets standing on a steering wheel plate and a plurality of mounting brackets projecting from other members such as an airbag module have respective angles. I attached it,
Even if one wheel bracket and the mounting bracket are engaged with each other and bolted, the other wheel bracket and the mounting bracket come into contact with each other, so that rotation of the mounted other member can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between another member and the steering wheel, or between the housing of the other member and the steering undercover, thereby improving the appearance.

Further, according to the present invention, a plurality of wheel brackets standing upright on a steering wheel plate and a plurality of mounting brackets projecting from an airbag module are provided with resistance to bolt tightening torque. Since the angle is set so as to prevent rotation, even if one wheel bracket and the mounting bracket are engaged and bolted, the other module bracket will come into contact with the wheel bracket, and the airbag module Rotation can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a gap between the airbag module and the steering wheel, or between the airbag housing and the steering undercover, as described above, thereby improving the appearance.

Further, according to the present invention, at least one of the wheel bracket provided on the steering wheel and the mounting bracket provided on the airbag module is provided with a flange for preventing rotation, so that one wheel bracket and the mounting bracket can be connected. In addition, even if the bolts are tightened, the flange provided on at least one of the wheel bracket and the mounting bracket comes into contact with the other wheel bracket or the mounting bracket, so that the rotation of the airbag module can be prevented. This also prevents the generation of a gap as described above, and improves the appearance.

Further, when the airbag module is mounted on the steering wheel, the number of bolts for tightening is smaller than in the prior art, which has the effect of shortening the time required for mounting and reducing costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view showing a state where the wheel bracket shown in FIG. 1 is attached in an eight-shape.

FIG. 3 is a top view showing a state where the wheel bracket of FIG. 2 is attached to another position.

4 is a perspective view of an airbag module attached to the steering wheel shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of FIG. 4 viewed from below.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a steering undercover that covers the lower side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the orientation of a bracket when the one in FIG. 4 is attached to the one in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a top view showing a state where the wheel bracket shown in FIG. 1 is attached in an inverted figure-eight shape.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another example of the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of FIG. 9 viewed from the back side.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing still another example of the present embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing still another example of the present embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a top view of an airbag module provided in a conventional steering wheel.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of that of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing a connection portion between the airbag module and the steering undercover.

FIG. 17 is a top view showing attachment of a conventional airbag module.

FIG. 18 is a top view showing another attachment of the conventional airbag module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 steering wheel 2 airbag module 5 mounting bracket 6 steering wheel plate 7 wheel bracket 11 wheel bracket 12 mounting bracket

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60R 21/16-21/32 B62D 1/04-1/11

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automobile in which a steering wheel plate is provided at a central portion of a steering wheel, and other members are attached to the steering wheel plate, and a plurality of wheel brackets are erected on the steering wheel plate and engaged with the wheel bracket. A plurality of mounting brackets to be bolted are projected from a lower portion of another member mounted on the upper portion of the steering wheel plate, and the mounting bracket and the wheel bracket are angled in a standing direction. A steering wheel structure for an automobile. 2. An automobile in which an airbag is mounted on a steering wheel, a plurality of wheel brackets are erected on a steering wheel plate provided at a central portion of the steering wheel, and the wheel bracket is fixed by bolts by engaging with the wheel bracket. A plurality of mounting brackets protruding from a lower portion of an airbag module mounted on an upper portion of the steering wheel plate, and each of the mounting bracket and the wheel bracket is angled in an upright direction. Car steering wheel structure. 3. A plurality of wheel brackets erected on the steering wheel and a plurality of mounting brackets projecting from the airbag module resist rotation of the airbag module by resisting bolt tightening torque. 3. The steering wheel structure for a motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein an angle of the direction is set. 4. A flange that engages with each other to prevent rotation and is formed on at least one of a wheel bracket erected on a steering wheel and a mounting bracket projecting from an airbag module. 3. The steering wheel structure for an automobile according to claim 2, wherein