JPH06502B2 - Method for manufacturing energy absorbing plate of steering wheel - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an energy absorption of a steering wheel for manufacturing an energy absorption plate that connects a boss and a spoke and absorbs energy acting on a steering wheel by deformation of itself. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a plate.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of steering wheels provided with this type of energy absorbing plate are known. As an example thereof, as shown in FIG. 6, the central portion of the metallic energy absorbing plate 21 is connected to the boss 22 of the steering shaft 23.
The spokes 24, 24 to the outer end portion of the energy absorbing plate 21, and the cross section U around the boss mounting portion.
It is known that the character-shaped curved portion 21a is formed, and the driver can move the boss 22 and the spokes 24 by the movement of the driver.
Even if it hits a wheel ring (not shown) or the like, the spokes 24, 24 connected to the wheel ring move at the same time as the wheel ring moves in the direction in which the force acts.
The energy absorption plate 21 is deformed through the energy absorption plate 21, and the energy is converted into deformation energy of the energy absorption plate 21 to absorb the energy, and the reaction force acting in reaction to the driver via the wheel ring is mitigated. There is one that has been done in this way (Actual No. 60-20456).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the structure described above, since the curved portion becomes large by forming the curved portion in a complete annular shape, the energy absorbing plate becomes large and the energy absorbing plate itself There was a problem that the weight increased.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and to provide a most productive manufacturing method of an energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel, which can be sufficiently reduced in size and weight. .

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an energy absorbing plate that connects a boss and a spoke from a substantially T-shaped flat plate integrally formed with a protrusion at one end of a main body. A method for manufacturing an energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel, wherein a cross section is approximately U in the vicinity of the protrusion of the flat plate excluding the spoke fixing surface for fixing the spokes in the main body.
A drawing step of forming a curved portion curved in a letter shape by pulling the protruding portion together, and forming a boss fitting hole for forming a boss fitting hole for fitting the boss on the protruding portion side with respect to the curved portion And the process is performed.

Effect of the Invention In the above-mentioned configuration, the substantially T-shaped flat plate in which the protruding portion is integrally formed at one end of the main body portion is used, and the material from the protruding portion is provided in the vicinity of the protruding portion of the main body portion of the flat plate. A curved portion having a U-shaped cross-section is drawn to form a curved portion, and the remaining flat surface of the main body is used as a spoke fixing surface for fixing the spoke, and the boss is provided on the protruding portion side with respect to the curved portion. Boss fitting hole is formed to fit the boss to the boss fitting hole and the spoke is fixed to the spoke fixing surface, and a large force is applied from the wheel ring to the spoke fixing surface via the spoke. When acted, the curved portion of the energy absorbing plate bends to absorb the energy of the large force.

Example Hereinafter, an example according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

The energy absorbing plate manufacturing method according to the present embodiment is a method for manufacturing the energy absorbing plate 1 by forming a curved portion, a boss fitting hole, and a spoke fixing surface from a flat plate having a predetermined shape. When forming the sheet, the material is drawn mainly from a certain portion of the flat plate and the material is not drawn so much from other portions, so that the spoke fixing surface can be reliably formed on the other portions. . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, this energy absorbing plate 1 has a boss 2 fitted in a central boss fitting hole 1a and fixed thereto, and a pair of spokes near the part where the boss 2 is fitted. Fix each end of 3,3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the energy absorbing plate 1 has a semi-annular protrusion 1e formed at the center of one end edge of a rectangular plate and is bent upward at the other end edge of the rectangular plate. The curved portion 1c is formed. A circular boss fitting hole 1a is formed at one end of the energy absorbing plate 1 by combining the inner semi-circular hole of the semi-annular protruding portion 1e with the semi-circular hole of the rectangular plate, and the boss fitting hole is formed. Center of boss fitting hole O around hole 1a
A semi-circular curved portion 1b centered on is formed. The curved portion 1b is formed to have a U-shaped cross section and is curved toward the back surface side. When a large force is applied, the curved portion 1b is deformed so that energy can be absorbed. Also, the energy absorption plate 1
When the spoke 3 is welded and fixed to the energy absorbing plate 1, one end of the spoke 3 is brought into contact with both sides of the spoke fixing surface 1d of the energy absorbing plate 1 and the bent portion 1c. The welding strength of the spokes 3 and the energy absorbing plate 1 is improved by welding them.

The energy absorbing plate 1 is manufactured as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a T-shaped flat plate 5 formed by integrally forming a projecting portion 5c at a central portion of one end edge of the main body portion 5d is used, and the projecting portion of the main body portion 5d of the flat plate 5 is used. The material is mainly drawn from the protruding portion 5c to the semi-annular portion 5b indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure around the center O of the boss fitting hole forming portion 5a which is in the vicinity of 5c and straddles the main body portion 5d and the protruding portion 5c. To form a curved portion 1b having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the material is not pulled so much from the remaining flat surface of the main body portion 5d, and this portion is used as a spoke fixing surface 1d for fixing the spoke 3 described above. At the same time, the boss fitting hole 1a for fitting the boss 2 is formed in the boss fitting hole forming portion 5a near the curved portion 1b to manufacture the energy absorbing plate 1. This energy absorbing plate 1 has a boss 2 at its center, as shown in FIGS.
And fix each one end of the pair of spokes 3, 3 near the part where the boss 2 is fitted.
And the bent portion 1c are brought into contact with each other and then fixed. On the other hand, the other end of each of the spokes 3 is fixed to the wheel ring 4 to generally form a steering wheel.

According to the above configuration, when the driver hits the wheel ring due to the movement of the driver or the like, a large force acts on the wheel ring and the wheel ring tries to move upward in FIG. At the spoke fixing surface 1d of the energy absorbing plate 1 through the wheel ring and the spokes 3
The above large force acts on the curved portion of the energy absorbing plate 1.
1b is deformed by the force with respect to the boss 2 and the energy of the force is converted into the deformation energy of the curved portion 1b to absorb the energy of the force.

According to the above-described embodiment, the protruding portion 5c of the T-shaped flat plate 5 is mainly pulled toward the main body portion side to form the semicircular curved portion 1b around the boss fitting hole 1a. The spoke fixing surface 1d can be reliably formed on the body portion 5d on the side opposite to the boss fitting hole 1a, the boss plate is not required, the number of parts is reduced, and the joining process such as welding is not required.
Further, the bending portion 1b can be formed by bending it into an arbitrary shape, and the amount of energy absorbed can be easily adjusted.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
It can be implemented in various other modes. For example, by forming a through hole in the spoke fixing surface 1d of the energy absorbing plate 1 or by forming a through hole 1f and a through hole 1g in the curved portion 1b as shown in FIG. 2, the curved portion 1b has a large force. It may be easier to deform. In this embodiment, a so-called puller screw that serves as an aid for removing the steering wheel from the vehicle is also used as the through hole 1f. Further, the flat plate 5 for manufacturing the energy absorbing plate 1 is not limited to a polygonal plate as shown in FIG.
It may be a shape composed of a set of letter-shaped arcs. Further, the boss fitting hole 1a is not limited to being formed over the main body portion 5d and the protruding portion 5c of the flat plate 5, but may be formed only in the protruding portion 5c.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the above configuration, since the protruding portion of the T-shaped flat plate is pulled toward the main body portion to form the curved portion around the boss fitting hole, the boss fitting hole is formed in the curved portion. Can reliably form a flat and distortion-free spoke fixing surface on the opposite side of the main body, eliminating the need for a boss plate to fix the spoke, reducing the number of parts, and making the curved portion the spoke fixing surface. It can be formed by bending into an arbitrary shape regardless of, and the amount of energy absorption can be easily adjusted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a steering wheel using an energy absorbing plate manufactured by a method for manufacturing an energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention. The left side of the chain line is a rear view of the steering wheel, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the energy absorbing plate, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the energy absorbing plate, and FIG. 4 is IV of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a flat plate for manufacturing the energy absorbing plate, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional energy absorbing plate. 1 ... Energy absorbing plate, 1a ... Boss fitting hole, 1b ... Curved part,
1c ... Bent portion, 1d ... Spoke fixing surface, 2 ... Boss, 3 ... Spoke, 4 ... Wheel ring, 5 ... Flat plate, 5a ... Boss fitting hole, 5b ... Curved portion, 5c ... Projection portion, 5d ... Main body portion .

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A boss (2) and a spoke from a substantially T-shaped flat plate (5) integrally formed with a protrusion (5c) at one end of a main body (5d).
A method for manufacturing an energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel for manufacturing an energy absorbing plate (1) for connecting (3), the spoke fixing surface (1d) for fixing the spokes (3) in the main body (5d). Except for the protrusion (5c) of the flat plate (5)
A drawing step of forming a curved portion (1b) having a substantially U-shaped cross section in the vicinity thereof by pulling the protruding portion (5c), and the protruding portion (5c) side with respect to the curved portion (1b). To the boss above
A method of manufacturing an energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel, comprising: a boss fitting hole forming step of forming a boss fitting hole (1a) for fitting (2). 2. The method of manufacturing an energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the through hole (1f, 1g) is formed in the curved portion (1b). 3. The method for manufacturing an energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein a through hole is formed in the spoke fixing surface (1d).