JP7738457B2 - handle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a handle equipped with a control device for functional components.

Conventionally, a sheet, which is a covering member with wiring that forms a heater, is attached to the underside of the surface of the rim, which is the gripping part, of the steering wheel of an automobile. A heater control device, i.e., a thermocontroller, is also attached to this steering wheel. The thermocontroller is located, for example, between the core metal of the spokes of the steering wheel body and the lower cover that covers the back side of the steering wheel body, and is held between ribs protruding from the lower cover (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-162330 A (page 6, FIG. 7)

In recent years, there has been a demand for steering wheels in vehicles other than passenger cars, such as trucks, to be fitted with switches for operating navigation systems and other systems, as well as heaters for warming the rim. In these types of vehicles, steering wheels are made thinner overall than those found in passenger cars in order to ensure sufficient interior space while still maintaining the required rim diameter. This has reduced the space available in passenger car steering wheels, making it difficult to secure space for the wiring and control devices related to functional components. Furthermore, installing components must be careful not to interfere with the function or behavior of surrounding structures, resulting in increased design man-hours and manufacturing costs.

The present invention has been developed in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a handle that allows the control device to be placed in a space-saving manner.

The handle described in claim 1 comprises a handle body having a core wire , a cover covering at least a portion of the rear side of the handle body, a retaining portion formed on the handle body opposite the cover, and a control device for functional components attached to the rear side of the retaining portion , wherein the core wire has a plurality of spoke core wire portions, at least one of the spoke core wire portions has a pair of legs positioned apart from each other, and the retaining portion is positioned between the pair of legs and apart from the pair of legs, and is independent of the spoke core wire portions .

The handle described in claim 2 is the handle described in claim 1, further comprising a support portion formed on the cover with at least a portion facing the holding portion, and the control device is supported by the support portion while attached to the holding portion.

The handle described in claim 3 is the handle described in claim 2, in which the support portion is formed in a rib shape.

The handle described in claim 4 is the handle described in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the holding portion is formed to protrude in a direction intersecting the direction in which the handle body and the cover face each other.

The handle of claim 5 is the handle of claim 4, wherein the handle body has a core metal, the core metal has a boss core metal portion that is connected to the steering shaft, and the retaining portion is protruded from the boss core metal portion .

According to the handle described in claim 1, the space formed between the pair of legs can be effectively utilized without restricting the layout range of the spoke core portion, and the retaining portion can be positioned independently from the spoke core portion, making it possible to position the control device in a space-saving manner without sacrificing the performance of the handle .

In addition to the effects of the handle described in claim 1, the handle described in claim 2 stably holds the control device by sandwiching it between the holding part and the support part, preventing the control device from shifting position relative to the holding part.

The handle described in claim 3 not only achieves the effect of the handle described in claim 2, but also creates space behind the control device, making it easier to dissipate heat generated by the control device.

The handle described in claim 4 achieves the effects of the handle described in any one of claims 1 to 3, and also allows the holding portion to be formed without expanding the handle in the direction in which the handle body and cover face each other.

According to the handle of claim 5, in addition to the effect of the handle of claim 4, the space on the side of the boss core can be effectively utilized, and the strength of the core can stably hold the control device in the holding part .

4A is a cross-sectional view of the handle of the first embodiment of the present invention taken along the line II in FIG. 3, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the handle from the rear side. FIG. 4A is a front view showing the handle, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the handle from the rear side. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a part of a cover of a steering wheel according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a handle according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In Figures 4(a) and 4(b), reference numeral 1 denotes a steering wheel, which is a steering wheel for a vehicle. The steering wheel 1 of this embodiment is used, for example, in medium- to large-sized vehicles other than passenger cars, such as trucks and buses. The steering wheel 1 includes a steering wheel body 2, which is the handle itself. A module 3, such as an airbag device constituting a supplemental restraint system (SRS) that restrains and protects the occupant, is attached to the occupant's side of the steering wheel body 2, and a cover 4 is attached to the rear side of the steering wheel body 2, thereby forming the steering wheel 1. In this embodiment, the steering wheel 1 also includes an operable unit 5, such as a switch for operating a navigation system, attached to the side of the module 3. Note that the steering wheel 1 is typically mounted on a steering shaft provided in the vehicle at a predetermined angle of approximately 30° to 60° with respect to the horizontal plane. In the following description, the occupant's side, i.e., the front side, is referred to as the upper side (arrow U direction), and the opposite rear side, i.e., the lower side (arrow D direction). Additionally, the front, back, left and right directions will be explained based on the perspective of a seated occupant.

The steering wheel body 2 is composed of a boss 6 that connects to the steering shaft, multiple spokes (arms) 7 (two, left and right in this embodiment) that connect to the boss 6, and a rim (ring) 8 that serves as an arc-shaped or annular grip that connects to the spokes 7. In other words, the steering wheel body 2 is composed of the rim 8 and the boss 6 located inside the rim 8, connected by the spokes 7. The backs of the boss 6 to the spokes 7 are covered by a cover 4.

The main body of the boss portion 6, spoke portion 7, and rim portion 8 is each composed of a metal core 10. That is, the steering wheel body 2 has a core 10, which is set with a boss portion core 11 that constitutes the boss portion 6, a spoke portion core 12 that constitutes the spoke portion 7, and a rim portion core 13 that constitutes the rim portion 8. The core 10 has an arc-shaped or annular rim portion core 13 that surrounds at least a portion of the boss portion core 11 that connects to the steering shaft, and the boss portion core 11 and rim portion core 13 are integrally connected by the spoke portion core 12.

As shown in Figures 3, 4(a), and 4(b), the boss core metal portion 11, which forms at least a part of the boss portion 6, is configured by integrally fixing a boss plate 16, which forms a core body that holds the module 3, to a cylindrical boss 15 having a serration structure that meshes with the steering shaft.

The spoke core metal portions 12 are integrally connected to the boss plate 16. Here, the spoke portions 7 including the spoke core metal portions 12 require high durability in steering wheels 1 with a large diameter (radius of curvature) of the rim portion 8, such as steering wheels 1 for medium- to large-sized vehicles. Because a high moment of inertia is required and the weight around the rim portion 8 is heavy, the spoke portions 7 are required to have high durability. However, steering wheels 1 with a large diameter (radius of curvature) of the rim portion 8 are thinner than steering wheels for passenger cars to ensure sufficient interior space. Therefore, when positioning the operated element 5 at the spoke portion 7 so that it can be operated by the occupant's hand while gripping the rim portion 8, it is difficult to achieve a layout in which the spoke core metal portions 12 pass under the operated element 5. Furthermore, in steering wheels 1 for medium- to large-sized vehicles, the module 3 is relatively large compared to steering wheels for passenger cars, limiting the space available for accommodating the operated element 5 and its wiring. Moreover, the width and thickness of the spokes 7 on which the operated part 5 is located cannot be excessively increased from the standpoint of operability (internal operation) of the steering wheel 1 or design. Furthermore, for medium- to large-sized vehicles with a steep steering wheel 1, it is difficult to make the cover 4 covering the back of the spokes 7 excessively large so as not to interfere with the occupant, and the space between the spoke core 12 and the cover 4 is not sufficient. Therefore, the spoke core 12 of this embodiment is configured with a pair of legs 18 that sandwich the operated part 5, thereby ensuring the strength of the spoke core 12 (spokes 7) while providing space for the operated part 5. That is, the operated part 5 is located between the pair of legs 18. The pair of legs 18 are positioned apart from each other. It is preferable that the legs 18 be positioned as far apart as possible from the standpoint of durability of the spoke core 12 (spokes 7). In this embodiment, the legs 18 are formed in an elongated shape and extend from the boss core 11 to the rim core 13. Because the spoke core 12 is composed of a pair of legs 18 that are spaced apart from each other, the fixing portion (hook fixing portion) of the cover 4 to the core 10 is set between these legs 18.

A rim core 13 is integrally connected to the end of the spoke core 12 (leg 18) opposite the boss core 11. In the case of a steering wheel 1 for a medium- to large-sized vehicle, the rim 8 equipped with the rim core 13 has a diameter of, for example, 380 mm or more (a radius of curvature of 760 mm or more). As shown in FIG. 1(a), a coating layer 20 is formed on the rim 8, covering the rim core 13. The coating layer 20 is made of a synthetic resin such as urethane foam. Preferably, the coating layer 20 covers not only the rim core 13 but also the connecting portion between the rim core 13 and the spoke core 12. A functional component 21 is disposed covering or embedded in the coating layer 20.

The functional component 21 is a sheet-shaped electronic component, and in this embodiment, it is, for example, a wiring mat. The wiring mat constitutes a heater unit that adjusts the temperature of the rim portion 8 and/or a sensor (HOD) such as a capacitance sensor or pressure sensor that detects whether the rim portion 8 is being gripped by an occupant. The functional component 21 is electrically connected to the control device 23 via wiring 22. The wiring 22 is arranged to start at the connection point between the rim portion 8 and the spoke portion 7, extend below the spoke portion 7, and toward the boss portion core portion 11. In other words, the functional component 21 located on the rim portion 8 side and the control device 23 located on the boss portion 6 side are electrically connected via the spoke portion 7. The control device 23 controls the functional component 21. The control device 23 constitutes, for example, a thermostat. The control device 23 is formed in a block shape, for example, from synthetic resin. As an example, the control device 23 is formed to a thickness of approximately 8 mm. In this embodiment, the control device 23 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is flat in the thickness direction. The control device 23 is electrically connected to a power supply unit arranged on the vehicle body side. In this embodiment, the surface of the coating layer 20 is covered with a skin 24, which forms the surface of the rim portion 8, but this skin 24 is not an essential component.

The control device 23 is held in a space in the steering wheel body 2 that does not interfere with other components. As mentioned above, steering wheels 1 for medium- to large-sized vehicles are shallower than steering wheels for passenger cars, making it difficult to leave sufficient space below the spokes 7. Furthermore, because two spokes 7 are the mainstream design, it is not possible to leave space for placement at the 6 o'clock position on an analog clock when viewing the steering wheel 1 from the front. Therefore, as shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), in this embodiment, the control device 23 is held on the lower, rear side of the retaining portion 26 formed on the boss core metal portion 11. In the illustrated example, the control device 23 is fixed and held behind, i.e., below, the retaining portion 26 formed on the boss plate 16 in the thickness direction.

The retaining portion 26 is formed as a segment protruding from one side of the boss core metal portion 11 so as to face the cover 4. That is, the retaining portion 26 protrudes in a direction intersecting the vertical direction in which the boss core metal portion 11 and the cover 4 face each other, i.e., in the left-right direction in this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the retaining portion 26 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. That is, the retaining portion 26 is arranged parallel or approximately parallel to the plane formed by the rim portion 8 or the boss core metal portion 11 of the steering wheel 1. The retaining portion 26 is also formed in a stepped or staircase-like shape that protrudes from the boss plate 16 toward the front side, i.e., upward. That is, the retaining portion 26 is located above the boss plate 16, closer to the occupant, relative to the cover 4. Therefore, an accommodation space 28 for accommodating the control device 23 is formed between the retaining portion 26 and the cover 4 in the vertical and left-right directions. In the accommodation space 28, the control device 23 is accommodated within the height H of the step of the retaining portion 26 relative to the boss plate 16. Furthermore, the retaining portion 26 is formed longitudinally along one side of the boss core metal portion 11.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the retaining portion 26 is formed independently of the spoke core metal portion 12. In this embodiment, the retaining portion 26 is located between the pair of legs 18 of the spoke core metal portion 12. In the illustrated example, the retaining portion 26 is disposed in the small space formed between the pair of legs 18 and the boss core metal portion 11 and the operated portion 5. The retaining portion 26 is also positioned to avoid the fixing portion of the cover 4 to the core metal 10 located between the pair of legs 18. Preferably, the retaining portion 26 is positioned in an area that does not interfere with the attachment of the module 3 (Figure 4) to the boss core metal portion 11 or with the movement of the module 3 (Figure 4) during operation, which functions as a horn pad for operating the horn device.

As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), in this embodiment, the control device 23 is fixed to the holding portion 26 by a fixing member 30. As an example, the fixing member 30 is an attachment member such as adhesive tape that attaches the control device 23 to the holding portion 26. The fixing member 30 fixes the control device 23 to the holding portion 26, i.e., the boss portion core portion 11 (core 10), while insulating it from the holding portion 26. Preferably, the fixing member 30 is interposed between the holding portion 26 and a covering 31 that encases the control device 23. The covering 31 is, for example, a nonwoven fabric.

Preferably, the control device 23 is supported by the cover 4. The cover 4 is also called the back cover, lower cover, or body cover. The cover 4 is made of synthetic resin or the like. As shown in Figure 4(b), the cover 4 integrally includes a cover main body 34 that covers the underside of the boss 6 (boss core metal portion 11), and an extension 35 that extends from the cover main body 34 and covers the underside of a portion of the spoke 7 (spoke core metal portion 12 (Figure 2)).

The cover main body 34 is integrally formed with a bottom plate 37, which is a flat plate facing the underside of the boss 6 (boss core metal portion 11), and a side plate 38 rising from the outer edge of the bottom plate 37, and is formed into a bottomed, cylindrical shape with an open front side. The bottom plate 37 is formed in a flat plate shape. The bottom plate 37 has an outer shape that is slightly larger than the outer shape of the boss core metal portion 11. An opening 39 is formed in the bottom plate 37. The opening 39 is located in the center of the bottom plate 37. A portion of the boss plate 16 of the boss core metal portion 11 is exposed through the opening 39, and the boss 15 protrudes below the cover 4. The side plate 38 faces the outer edge of the boss core metal portion 11.

Extending portions 35 are formed continuous with the side plate portions 38. In this embodiment, the extending portions 35 protrude from both the left and right sides of the side plate portions 38. The extending portions 35 integrally comprise an extending bottom plate portion 41, which is a flat plate portion facing the underside of the spoke portion 7 (spoke portion core portion 12 (Figure 2)), and an extending side plate portion 42 rising from the outer edge of the extending bottom plate portion 41, and are formed with an open front side.

As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), in the cover 4, a support portion 44 for supporting the control device 23 is formed on the bottom plate portion 37 of the cover main body portion 34 and/or the extended bottom plate portion 41 of the extension portion 35. The support portion 44 is formed so that at least a portion thereof faces the retaining portion 26 formed on the rim core metal portion 13. The support portion 44 supports the control device 23 held by the retaining portion 26 from below. In this embodiment, the support portion 44 is formed in a rib shape. In the example shown, the support portion 44 is rib-shaped and protrudes from the bottom plate portion 37 of the cover main body portion 34 and the extended bottom plate portion 41 of the extension portion 35. The support portion 44 is formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b). Multiple support portions 44 are formed and positioned separately in the left-right direction.

When manufacturing the steering wheel 1, the pre-formed core metal 10 is set in a mold, the coating layer 20 is formed to cover the rim core metal portion 13, and the functional parts 21 are wrapped around the formed coating layer 20. Note that the functional parts 21 may be set in the mold and embedded in the coating layer 20 when the coating layer 20 is formed.

Next, the control device 23, which is electrically connected to the functional components 21 via wiring 22, is wrapped in a covering 31 and attached and fixed to the back side of the holding portion 26 of the core 10 using a fixing member 30. At this point, the sub-assembly of the temperature control mechanism and sensor mechanism, consisting of the functional components 21 and control device 23, is completed. For the rim portion 8, a skin 24 is attached, covering the covering layer 20 and functional components 21 as needed. This completes the steering wheel body 2.

The steering wheel 1 is then completed by attaching the operated unit 5 and module 3 to the front side of the steering wheel body 2, attaching a decorative element (finisher) if necessary, and attaching the cover 4 to the rear side. At this time, the tip of the support portion 44 of the cover 4, which faces the control device 23 located behind the holding portion 26 at a distance below the holding portion 26, comes into contact with the control device 23, which is located behind the holding portion 26, and the control device 23 is sandwiched between the holding portion 26 and the support portion 44 and firmly fixed in place.

In this way, by attaching and holding the control device 23 behind the holding portion 26 formed on the steering wheel body 2 opposite the cover 4, it is possible to position the control device 23 in a space-saving manner without unnecessarily expanding the design of the steering wheel 1. Therefore, even for steering wheels 1 for medium to large vehicles where sufficient placement space is difficult and layout restrictions are significant, the space can be effectively utilized without the need for additional parts such as brackets, and the control device 23 can be positioned without unnecessarily expanding the design or increasing costs.

Furthermore, by supporting the control device 23 while it is attached to the holding part 26 using a support part 44 formed on the cover 4 with at least a portion facing the holding part 26, the control device 23 is sandwiched between the holding part 26 and the support part 44, stably holding the control device 23 and preventing the control device 23 from shifting position or peeling off from the holding part 26. This prevents the generation of low-pitched noise that would occur if the control device 23 came off the holding part 26 and struck the holding part 26 due to vehicle vibrations, etc., and also stabilizing the attachment state of the control device 23 reduces variations in temperature sensitivity and the effects thereof, for example, if the control device 23 functions as a thermostat.

By forming the support portion 44 in a rib shape, the control device 23 is spaced upward relative to flat portions such as the bottom plate portion 37 and extended bottom plate portion 41 of the cover 4, creating a space below and behind the control device 23, making it easier to release heat generated by the control device 23. This allows for efficient support of the control device 23 while also dissipating heat.

By forming the retaining portion 26 so that it protrudes in a direction that intersects the vertical direction in which the steering wheel body 2 and cover 4 face each other, the retaining portion 26 can be formed without expanding the steering wheel 1 in the vertical direction.

By providing a protruding retaining portion 26 on the boss core portion 11 of the core 10 of the steering wheel body 2, the space on the side of the boss core portion 11 can be effectively utilized, and the strength of the core 10 allows the control device 23 to be stably held in the retaining portion 26.

In particular, if the control device 23 is a block body made of synthetic resin, attaching the control device 23 to the cover 4 will result in the control device 23 not conforming to the shape of the cover 4, resulting in significant restrictions on the attachment position and resulting in design changes or enlargement. However, by attaching the control device 23 to the retaining portion 26 formed on the boss core portion 11 of the core 10, the control device 23 can be affixed stably without the need for design changes or enlargement.

Furthermore, the assembly of the mechanism consisting of the functional parts 21 and the control device 23 is completed when the control device 23 is attached to the holding portion 26. Therefore, even in vehicles with limited space, there is no need for unnecessary wiring work when the steering wheel 1 is in its completed state with the cover 4 attached, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

By locating the retaining portion 26 between a pair of spaced-apart legs 18 of the spoke core portion 12 of the core 10, the space formed between the pair of legs 18 can be effectively utilized without restricting the layout range of the spoke core portion 12 (spoke portion 7), and the retaining portion 26 can be located independently from the spoke core portion 12, allowing the control device 23 to be located without sacrificing the performance of the steering wheel 1. Therefore, for example, in a configuration in which deformation of the core 10 is used to mitigate impact during a collision, the control device 23 held by the retaining portion 26 does not interfere with the deformation of the spoke core portion 12 or the bending performance of the spoke core portion 12, allowing the steering wheel to perform as designed, and the location of the control device 23 does not interfere with the installation of the module 3 or the operation of the horn of the module 3.

In particular, when the operated part 5 is set on the spoke part 7, the small space formed between the operated part 5 and the boss core part 11 between a pair of legs 18 set to avoid the operated part 5 can be effectively utilized to set the holding part 26 and position the control device 23.

Furthermore, the mechanism consisting of the functional parts 21 and control device 23 can be arranged in a straight line from the rim portion 8 via the spoke portion 7 to the boss portion 6, eliminating the need to make a large detour to access an open space, for example, and minimizing the expansion of the functional parts 21 and mechanism, thereby preventing increases in costs.

In the first embodiment described above, if the shape of the support portion 44 is restricted by the mold structure used when molding the cover 4, the orientation of the shape of the support portion 44 may be changed as appropriate. For example, as in the second embodiment shown in Figure 5, the support portion 44 may be ribbed and extend in the left-right direction, and the number of ribs may be set as desired.

Furthermore, if the retaining portion 26 cannot be formed parallel or approximately parallel to the plane formed by the rim portion 8 or boss core portion 11 of the steering wheel 1, it may be formed so as to slope upward toward the tip, as in the third embodiment shown in Figure 6. In this case, by appropriately setting the position and shape of the support portion 44 according to the slope of the retaining portion 26, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the above embodiments.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the number of spokes 7 is not limited to two, and similar applications are possible with three or more spokes.

Furthermore, while the steering wheel 1 for a medium- to large-sized vehicle has been used as an example, a similar configuration can be used for steering wheels 1 for other vehicles, allowing the control device 23 to be placed in a space-saving manner, without unnecessarily expanding the design of the steering wheel 1, and the control device 23 is less likely to obstruct the space for placing other parts, etc.

The present invention can be suitably used, for example, as a steering wheel for an automobile.

1 Steering wheel as a handle 2 Steering wheel body as a handle body 4 Cover 10 Core metal 11 Boss core metal portion 12 Spoke core metal portion
18 Leg portion 21 Functional component 23 Control device 26 Holding portion 44 Support portion

Claims (5)

a handle body having a core metal ;
a cover that covers at least a portion of the rear side of the handle body;
a holding portion formed on the handle body opposite the cover;
a control device for a functional component attached to the rear side of the holding portion ,
the core metal includes a plurality of spoke core metal portions,
At least one of the spoke cores has a pair of legs spaced apart from each other,
The holding portion is located between the pair of legs and spaced apart from the pair of legs, and is independent from the spoke core portion.
A handle characterized by: a support portion formed on the cover, at least a portion of which faces the holding portion;
The handle according to claim 1, wherein the control device is supported by the support portion while being attached to the holding portion. The handle according to claim 2, wherein the support portion is formed in a rib shape. 4. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is formed so as to protrude in a direction intersecting the direction in which the handle body and the cover face each other. the core metal includes a boss core metal portion connected to the steering shaft,
The handle according to claim 4, wherein the holding portion is provided to protrude from the core metal portion of the boss portion .