JP5243903B2 - Steering wheel with heating function - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering wheel that constitutes a grip portion in a steering device for steering a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly to a steering wheel having a heating function.

  A steering wheel as a grip for steering a vehicle is desired to warm a rim, which is a grip, in order to allow a driver to perform a comfortable steering when used in a cold place such as in a cold region. It is rare.

  For this reason, it is known that a planar sheet-like heater body is built in the steering wheel by using electric power generated by the engine.

Such a steering wheel includes, for example, a steering device body having a gripping part (rim part), a net-like heating part (heater body) woven with a heater wire that generates heat when energized, as described in Patent Document 1. A heater device that includes a power feeding body electrically and mechanically connected to an end portion of the heat generating portion and covers the gripping portion, and a deformable protection disposed along the power feeding body and the heat generating portion in the vicinity of the power feeding body A covering portion and a covering member that covers the gripping portion and the heater device are provided.
JP 2002-104200 A

  However, when the gripping part and the power supply body of the heater device covering the gripping part are covered with the covering member, the thickness dimension of the portion where the power supply body exists is larger than the gripping part general part and can be deformed. Since the protective coating part is arranged along the power feeder and the heat generating part in the vicinity of the power feeder, depending on the driver, a feeling of unevenness may be felt between the end general part and the grip feeling of the grip part may be uncomfortable. It may cause it.

  In addition, when the heat generating portion is arranged in the gripping portion, the heat generating portion is formed in a net shape, so that the heat generating portion expands and contracts, and the position of the power feeding body connected to the heat generating portion is arranged at the gripping portion. This is not constant, and manpower is required for wiring work to the power supply unit.

Therefore, the present invention prevents the driver's grip feeling from being uncomfortable between the portion of the rim core member where the power supply body of the heater device is disposed and the general portion, and is connected to the heater body (heat generating portion). An object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel that can be easily disposed at a predetermined position in the rim even if the position of the power feeding body is slightly deviated from the predetermined position.

The steering wheel according to the present invention forms a rim portion by covering the outer periphery of the rim core material with a cover, and a planar sheet is formed between the inner periphery of the cover and the outer periphery of the rim core material. the heater member is interposed, a steering wheel which is constructed by providing each feeder to both ends of said heater body, forming a recess on the outer periphery of the rim core, the recess, a pair of large The power supply body and the heater body in the vicinity of the power supply body are disposed in the recess, and the both power supplies are configured by a diameter step part and a small diameter step part continuously existing between the large diameter step part. The heater body in the vicinity of the body and the power feeding body is covered with a cover member, and the outer peripheral portion of the cover member is covered with the covering body together with the rim core material.

  According to the present invention, a recess is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the rim core member, and both power feeding bodies and a heater body in the vicinity of the power feeding body are disposed in the recess together with the fixed cover member, and the outer circumference of the cover member Since the cover is covered with a cover, there is no unevenness due to the presence of a power supply body, etc. on the outer periphery of the cover, and there is no sense of incongruity to the gripping driver. By covering the body and the heater body in the vicinity of both feeders with a regular cover member, even if the position of the two feeders in the recess is slightly displaced in the axial direction of the rim core material, the cover member ensures Therefore, the wiring work to the power source can be easily performed without specially adjusting the extension of the heater body.

  In the steering wheel according to the present invention, the outer peripheral wall surface of the cover member and the outer peripheral surface of the rim core material are configured to be flush with each other so that the rim core material is covered with a covering. The overall thickness of the rim portion can be made substantially uniform, so that the driver who holds the vehicle does not completely feel uncomfortable, and the design can be improved.

  Further, the steering wheel according to the present invention is formed by forming a protrusion on the inner peripheral wall of the cover member so that the power feeders are spaced apart from each other. By interposing the strips, mutual electrical insulation is ensured and the quality assurance function can be improved.

  According to the present invention, a recess is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the rim core material, and both power feeding bodies and a heater body in the vicinity of the power feeding body are arranged together with a shaped cover member in the recess, and the outer peripheral portion of the cover member is Since it is configured by covering with a covering body, there is no unevenness due to the presence of a power feeding body or the like on the outer peripheral portion of the covering body, and it does not cause a sense of incongruity to the gripping driver. By covering the heater body in the vicinity of both power feeding bodies with the cover member, even if the positions of the two power feeding bodies in the recesses are slightly shifted in the axial direction of the rim core material, they are surely brought into the predetermined positions on the rim core material. Arrangement work in the rim portion can be simplified without specially adjusting the extension of the heater body.

  Next, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a steering wheel employing an embodiment according to the present invention, in which a part of a covering is broken and a heater device is omitted, and FIG. 2 is a line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view in which the heater device is omitted from the vicinity of the recess in the rim core member.

  First, in FIG. 1, a steering wheel 1 that transmits a steering force to a wheel includes a rim part 2, a spoke part 3, and a boss part 4, and the back side of the spoke part 3 and the boss part 4 is formed by a lower cover 5. The surface side of the boss part 4 and the spoke part 3 is covered with a pad body (not shown) in a state where the boss part and the airbag device (not shown) are disposed on the boss part. .

  The rim portion 2 is formed, for example, in an annular shape, and is configured by covering the outer periphery of the rim core member 6 with a covering 7 made of a leather material or a resin material, as shown in FIG.

Rim core 6 is constructed by covering the cushion body 6b having a urethane resin comprising electrical insulating from the outer periphery of the center core metal 6a a metal core 6a.

  The covering body 7 is configured by joining a heater body 8 having a surface shape by previously weaving heating wires in a net shape on the back surface thereof, and both ends of the heater body 8 are connected to a power supply section via a harness. A power supply body 9 which is a terminal electrode plate for supplying power to the heater body 8 is connected and installed by adhesion or the like, and has a power supply body 9 and a heater body 8 to constitute the same heater. 9 and the heater body 8 constitute a heater device.

  The covering body 7 covers the entire outer periphery of the cushion body 6b to enhance the design of the steering wheel 1. The covering body 7 covers the cushion body 6b so that the heater body 8 It exists between the back surface and the outer peripheral portion of the cushion body 6b, so that the heater body 8 is heated by the electricity applied from the power supply section through the power feeding body 9, and the steering wheel 1 is heated. Yes.

  A recess 10 is formed in the cushion body 6b by engraving a part of the cushion body 6b. As shown in FIG. 3, the recess 10 exists between a pair of large-diameter step portions 10a that are spaced apart from the side close to the base end side of the cushion body 6b, and both large-diameter step portions 10a. The large-diameter step portion 10a is composed of a small-diameter step portion 10b that makes the large-diameter step portions 10a continuous.

  In the recess 10, the heater body 8 and the power supply body 9 that are provided from the base end side of the cushion body 6 b are disposed. However, both end portions of the heater body 8 disposed in the recess 10 are The large-diameter step portion 10a and the small-diameter step portion 10b are arranged in the recess 10 so as not to cause a sudden change in diameter so that the heater body 8 folded in a net shape is not deformed excessively. ing.

  Further, the power feeding body 9 disposed in the recess 10 and the heater body 8 existing in the vicinity of the power feeding body 9 are covered with a cover member 11.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the cover member 11 is formed with a fixed shape with an insulating material such as a cylindrical resin having a split groove 11 a, and the large-diameter step portion 10 a of the recess 10 has an inner hole. In addition, a large-diameter inner hole 11b is arranged at both ends of the inner hole so as to be adapted to the small-diameter step portion 10b, and a small-diameter inner hole 11c is arranged therebetween, and the small-diameter inner hole 11c has a substantially center in the axial direction. A protruding portion 11d extending on the periphery is formed in the portion, and the cover member 11 is made the same as the urethane foam constituting the general rim portion 2, whereby a good grip feeling can be obtained.

  Further, after the cover member 11 is disposed in the recess 10 with the split groove 11a being expanded, the cover member 11 is restored to the original fixed shape by an elastic return force, and the power feeder 9 and the power feeder in the recess 10 The heater body 8 existing in the vicinity of 9 is covered.

  At this time, the two power feeding bodies 9 are disposed in the recess 10 in an electrically insulated state while being spaced apart from each other with the protrusion 11d interposed therebetween.

  A harness disposition groove 12 is formed on the large diameter step portion 10a and the base end side of the cushion body 6b so as to be connected to the split groove 11a of the cover member 11, and the harness disposition groove 12 includes A harness (not shown) having one end connected to both power feeders 9 is inserted and installed, and then the other end of the harness is connected to a power supply unit (not shown).

  Then, when the outer periphery of the cushion body 6 b is covered with the covering body 7, the covering body 7 also covers the outer peripheral portion of the cover member 11 at the same time.

  At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the cushion body 6b and the outer peripheral surface of the cover member 11 are formed so as to be flush with each other, so that when the steering wheel 1 is manufactured by being covered with the cushion body 6b, the rim of the steering wheel 1 is formed. Since the power supply body 9 or the heater body 8 existing in the vicinity thereof is inserted into the recess 10 together with the cover member 11, the portion 2 is configured to be a gentle annular shape with no irregularities in the entire outer peripheral portion. Become.

  In the embodiment according to the present invention configured as described above, the recess 10 is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the cushion body 6b configuring the rim core member 6, and both the power feeder 9 and the power feeder 9 are formed in the recess 10. Since the adjacent heater body 8 is arranged together with a cover member 11 having spring properties but having a fixed shape, and the outer peripheral portion of the cover member 11 is covered with the cover body 7, the outer peripheral portion of the cover body 7 is formed. As a result, there is no unevenness due to the presence of the power supply body 9 and the like, the driver who grips it does not feel uncomfortable, and the heater body 8 in the vicinity of both the power supply bodies 9 and the both power supply bodies 9 can be shaped. As a result of covering with the cover member 11, the cushion member 6 b of the rim core material 6 can be reliably secured by the cover member 11, even if the arrangement position of the power feeders 9 in the recesses is slightly shifted in the axial direction of the cushion body 6 b of the rim core material 6. To be placed in Can easily be disposed at a predetermined position on the rim portion 2 without special decompression adjust the data body 8.

  Further, the steering wheel 1 is configured such that the outer peripheral wall surface of the cover member 11 and the outer peripheral surface of the rim core material cushion body 6b are flush with each other, so that the cushion body 6b of the rim core material 6 is covered with the covering body. When the cover 7 is covered, the overall thickness of the rim portion 2 can be made substantially uniform, so that the driver who holds the vehicle does not completely feel uncomfortable, and the design can be improved.

  In addition, the steering wheel 1 is formed by forming a protrusion 11d that is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the cover member 11 so as to be spaced apart from each other. By interposing the part 11d, mutual electrical insulation is ensured and the quality assurance function can be improved.

  As described above, the present invention does not cause unevenness due to the presence of the power feeding body or the like on the outer peripheral portion of the covering body, does not cause a driver to feel a sense of incongruity, and goes to the recesses of both power feeding bodies. Even if the arrangement position of the rim is slightly shifted in the axial direction of the rim core material, the cover member surely arranges it on the rim core material, so that the heater body can be kept at a predetermined position in the rim portion without special stretching adjustment. Since it can be easily arranged, it can be said that it is suitable for a steering wheel constituting a grip portion in a steering device for steering a vehicle, for example, an automobile, particularly a steering wheel having a heating function.

1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a steering wheel employing an embodiment according to the present invention, in which a part of a covering is broken and a heater device is omitted. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view drawn by omitting a part of the configuration along line AA in FIG. 1. It is the expansion disassembled perspective view which abbreviate | omitted the heater apparatus similarly and drew the vicinity of the recess in a rim core material.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering wheel 2 Rim part 2b Recess 3 Spoke part 4 Boss part 4-1 Center horizontal linear groove part 6 Rim core material 6a Core material 6b Cushion body 7 Cover body 8 Heater body 9 Feed body 10 Recess 11 Cover member 11d Projection Part

Claims (3)

A rim portion is formed by covering the outer periphery of the rim core material with a covering, and a planar heater body is interposed between the inner periphery of the covering and the outer periphery of the rim core material. a steering wheel constituted respectively by the feeding member at both ends of the body, forming a recess on the outer periphery of the rim core, the recess, a pair of larger diameter section portion and the large diameter section A small-diameter step portion continuously between the portions, the power supply body and the heater body in the vicinity of the power supply body are disposed in the recess, and both the power supply bodies and the heater in the vicinity of the power supply body A steering wheel having a heating function, wherein a body is covered with a cover member, and an outer peripheral portion of the cover member is covered with the covering body together with the rim core material.
  The steering wheel having a heating function according to claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral wall surface of the cover member and an outer peripheral surface of the rim core member are configured to be flush with each other.   The steering wheel having a heating function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a protruding portion for separating the power feeding bodies from each other is formed on an inner peripheral wall of the cover member.