JPH07117612A - Steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an air bag from deviating to a front glass side at collision. CONSTITUTION:A support plate 13 is interposed between a left/right-side spoke part core bar 11 and a pad mounting plate 12 so as to regulate deformation of the upper part of the left/right-side spoke part core bar 11 to the front glass side and the deformation of the lower part to the driver's side and allow deformation of the upper part of the left/right-side spoke core bar 11 to the driver's side and deformation of the lower part to the front glass side.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel, and more particularly to a steering wheel with an air bag having a structure for restricting the movement of the lower end of the ring portion toward the driver in the event of a collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional steering wheel of this type, there is a technique shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a neutral position of a four-core type steering wheel. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the periphery of a boss portion of a conventional steering wheel.

In FIG. 8, the steering wheel is
A boss portion 52 fixed to the steering shaft 51,
And a ring portion 53 arranged around the boss portion 52. The boss portion 52 and the ring portion 53 are the spoke core metal 5
They are connected by 4,55. The steering wheel shown is of the so-called four-core type, and the boss 5
2 and the ring part 53 are connected by two left and right spoke part cores 54 extending on both left and right sides, and
The lower half of the ring part divided vertically by the left and right spoke cores 54
Two lower spoke cores 5 arranged so as to skew
5 are connected.

As shown in FIG. 8, triangular ribs 56 are integrally formed on the upper edges of the inner ends (ends on the boss portion 52 side) of the left and right spoke cores 54, respectively, and at the center in the width direction. Linear ribs 57 extending in the longitudinal direction are integrally formed, and in particular, the torsional rigidity of the upper half of the right and left spoke cores 54 toward the windshield F is increased. As a result, the upper half of the ring portion 53 is
With respect to the left and right spoke portion core metal 54, movement in a direction closer to the windshield F side is restricted. The boss 52 is provided with a pad (not shown) in which the airbag 58 is installed.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the present specification, 1R is the upper half of the ring portion 53 (on the windshield F side), and 2R is the right half of the lower half of the ring portion 53. Left and right spoke cores 54 and lower spoke cores 5
The portion between 5 is 3R, and the portion between both lower spoke cores 55 (driver D side) is the portion between 4R and the left and right spoke cores 54 and lower spoke cores 55. It means a part.

Next, the operation of the conventional steering wheel configured as described above at the time of collision will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the deployment of an airbag in a conventional steering wheel.

When a car crashes, the air bag 58
It expands and expands in the space between the steering wheel and the driver D, and elastically supports the head and chest of the driver D that is urged forward by the impact to protect the driver D from a secondary collision. To do. At this time, in the steering wheel, the left and right spoke cores 54 are reinforced by the triangular ribs 56 and the linear ribs 57, so that the ring portion 53 has the upper half of the left and right spoke cores 54 as the center. Twisting in a direction closer to the F side, that is, a direction in which the windshield F side is tilted further than the normal tilted state is restricted.

[0010]

The conventional steering wheel is constructed as described above, and the deformation of the upper half of the ring portion 53 toward the windshield F centering on the left and right spoke cores 54 is restricted. However, as in the normal state, the upper end of the ring portion 53 is inclined toward the windshield F side and the lower end toward the driver D, so that the airbag is inflated and deployed as shown in FIG. 58 may escape to the 1R side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel that prevents the escape of the airbag toward the windshield during a collision.

[0012]

A steering wheel according to the present invention includes a spoke portion connecting a boss portion and a ring portion, and at least a fixed position holding means immovably fixed to the boss portion. Deformation constraint that restricts the deformation of the upper part of the spoke part to the windshield side and the deformation of the lower part to the driver side, and allows the deformation of the upper part of the spoke part to the driver side and the deformation to the lower windshield side. It is through a means.

[0013]

According to the present invention, when a load is applied to the ring portion at the time of a vehicle collision, the load is transmitted from the ring portion to the spoke portion. At this time, the deformation restraint means restricts the deformation of the upper portion of the spoke portion toward the windshield side and the lower portion of the spoke portion toward the driver side through the fixed position holding means fixed to the boss portion. The upper half part of the ring part does not move to the windshield side around the spoke part, and the lower half part does not move to the driver side. On the other hand, since the deformation restraint means allows the upper portion of the spoke portion to be deformed toward the driver and the lower portion of the spoke portion toward the windshield, the upper half of the ring portion is centered around the spoke portion. Side, and the lower half moves to the windshield side. As a result, the ring part moves the upper half part thereof closer to the driver side from the normal inclined state, and separates the lower half part thereof from the driver side,
It is in a substantially upright state facing the driver's chest and the like in a substantially parallel manner.
As a result, for example, the airbag does not escape to the windshield side along the ring portion when deployed.

[0014]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the periphery of a boss portion of a steering wheel according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a pad mounting plate is fixed to the boss portion of a steering wheel according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a mounting state of a support plate of a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an end view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the time of deployment of the airbag in FIG.

In the figure, the same reference numerals and symbols as those of the conventional example indicate the same or corresponding parts as those of the conventional example, and therefore, redundant description will be omitted.

In the figure, this embodiment is similar to the conventional example.
Left and right spoke cores 11 that are embodied in a 4-core type steering wheel and extend in the left-right direction at their neutral positions
Also, the boss portion 52 and the ring portion 53 are connected by the lower spoke portion core metal 55. On the other hand, unlike the conventional example, the left and right spoke cores 11 of the present embodiment are not provided with the reinforcing triangular ribs 56 and the linear ribs 57, and their torsional rigidity is 1R side or 3R side. The torsional rigidity as a whole is smaller than that of the conventional example.

A pad mounting plate 12 as a fixed position holding means is placed and fixed on the boss portion 52 at a predetermined interval. In this embodiment, the pad mounting plate 12
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the screw 52b is screwed into a plurality of (three in this embodiment) screw holes 52a provided at predetermined positions of the boss portion 52 to fix the ring portion. Even when a load is applied from 53, a pad (not shown), or the like, the boss portion 52 is not displaced and is maintained at a fixed position. The mounting position of the pad mounting plate 12 is
The position is set so as not to be displaced due to the influence of torsional deformation of the left and right spoke cores 11 due to an external load.

A pair of support plates 13 as deformation restraining means are interposed between the pad mounting plate 12 and the lower edges of the spoke cores 11 on the left and right sides. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each support plate 13
Are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the inner ends of the left and right spoke cores 11 and have a bent cross-section corresponding to the space between the left and right spoke cores 11 and the pad mounting plate 12. I am doing it. The upper end of the support plate 13 is welded and fixed to the pad mounting plate 12, and the upper half of the lower surface of the support plate 13 is in contact with the upper surfaces of the left and right spoke cores 11. As a result, the support plate 13 is twisted and deformed to the windshield side F (1R side) of the upper part of the left and right spoke cores 11, and twisted and deformed to the driver D side (3R side) of the lower part, that is, the figure. 4 While restricting the deformation in the direction of the solid arrow X, the twisting deformation of the upper portion of the left and right spoke cores 11 toward the driver D and the twisting deformation of the lower windshield side F, that is, in FIG. The two-dot chain line arrow Y is allowed to deform.

Next, the operation at the time of collision of the steering wheel of this embodiment constructed as described above will be described.

When a car crashes, the air bag 58
It expands and expands in the space between the steering wheel and the driver D, and elastically supports the head and chest of the driver D that is urged forward by the impact to protect the driver D from a secondary collision. To do. At this time, the load is transmitted from the airbag 58 to the ring portion 53, and the load applied to the upper half of the ring portion 53 is such that the upper portion of the left and right spoke cores 11 is directed to the windshield F side and the lower portion thereof. Is urged toward the driver D, that is, in the direction of arrow X. However, since the steering wheel has the support plate 13 interposed between the pad mounting plate 12 and the lower edge of the left and right spoke cores 11, the left and right spoke cores 11 are not supported by the support plate 13. It will be twisted and deformed in the direction toward which it interferes with the support plate 13. Therefore, the deformation of the left and right spoke portion core bars 11 in the arrow X direction is restricted by the pad mounting plate 12 via the support plate 13. Therefore, the left and right spoke cores 11 are not twisted and deformed in the direction of the arrow X, and the ring portion 53 has a direction in which the upper half portion of the left and right spoke cores 11 is closer to the windshield F side. That is, the movement in the direction inclined further to the windshield F side than the normal inclined state is restricted.

On the other hand, of the loads transmitted from the air bag 58 to the ring portion 53, the load transmitted to the lower half of the ring portion 53 is in the direction opposite to that in the above-mentioned case when the left and right spoke cores 11 are loaded. That is, it is urged to be twisted and deformed in the arrow Y direction. At this time, contrary to the above case, since the lower portions of the left and right spoke cores 11 are deformed in the direction away from the support plate 13, they do not interfere with the support plate 13. Therefore, the left and right spoke cores 11
Is not restricted by the support plate 13 and is freely twisted and deformed in the direction of the arrow Y, and the ring portion 53 drives the upper half portion around the left and right spoke cores 11 as shown in FIG. The lower half portion is separated from the person D side while being brought closer to the person D side, and is brought into a substantially vertical state in which the driver's D chest and the like are substantially horizontally opposed from the normal inclination state. This allows the airbag 5
8 does not escape and uniformly expands and deploys with respect to the ring portion 53.

As described above, in the steering wheel of the above-described embodiment, the boss portion 52, the ring portion 53 arranged around the boss portion 52, and the boss portion 52 that extends at least substantially in the left-right direction at the neutral position. Left and right spoke part cores 11 as spoke parts connecting with the ring part 53
A pad mounting plate 12 as a fixed position holding means that is immovably fixed to at least the boss portion 52 with a screw 52b; an inner end lower edge of the pad mounting plate 12 and the left and right spoke portion core bars 11; And the upper end is welded to the pad mounting plate 12 and the lower surface is brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the left and right spoke cores 11 and The deformation to the windshield F side and the deformation to the lower driver D side are restricted, and the upper portion of the left and right spoke cores 11 to the driver D side and the lower deformation to the windshield F side. Plate 1 as deformation restraint means for allowing
3 is included.

Therefore, in the above embodiment, when a load is applied to the ring portion 53 at the time of a vehicle collision, the load is transmitted from the ring portion 53 to the left and right spoke portion core bars 11. At this time, the left and right spoke cores 11 are deformed to the windshield F side at the upper part and to the driver D side at the lower part through the pad mounting plate 12 fixed to the boss 52 by the support plate 13. The upper half of the ring portion 53 is restricted by the deformation of the
No. 1 moves to the windshield F side, and the lower half does not move to the driver D side. On the other hand, the left and right spoke cores 11 are deformed by the support plate 13 to the driver D side at the upper part and the windshield F at the lower part.
Since the deformation to the side is allowed, the upper half of the ring portion 53 moves to the driver D side around the left and right spoke cores 11 and the lower half moves to the windshield F side. . As a result, the ring portion 53 moves the upper half portion thereof closer to the driver D side and the lower half portion thereof apart from the driver D side from the normal tilted state, and the ring portion 53 becomes the chest of the driver D and the like. It is in a substantially vertical state in which they face each other substantially in parallel.

As a result, the airbag 58 installed in the pad portion does not escape to the 1R side (the windshield F side) along the ring portion 53 when the airbag 58 is deployed.

By the way, the deformation restraint means of the above embodiment is
The upper end is welded to the pad mounting plate 12, and the lower face is configured as a pair of support plates 13 that abut on the upper faces of the inner edge lower edges of the left and right spoke cores 11, but in the case of carrying out the present invention, Is not limited to this,
The deformation of the upper portion of the spoke portion toward the windshield F and the deformation of the lower portion toward the driver D side are restricted, and the deformation of the upper portion of the spoke portion toward the driver D side and the lower portion toward the windshield F side are prevented. Anything that works to allow it will do.
For example, the deformation restraining means may be configured such that the lower end is fixed to the left and right spoke cores 11 by welding or the like and the upper surface is brought into contact with the lower surface of the pad mounting plate 12. Or
The deformation restraint means may be hook-shaped, the upper end may be fixed to the pad mounting plate 12, and the hook-shaped portion at the lower end may be hooked on the lower surface of the upper edge of the left and right spoke cores 11. Furthermore, the deformation restraint means may be provided only on either the left or the right.

The fixed position holding means of the above embodiment is
The screw 5 is inserted into the screw holes 52a at three predetermined positions of the boss portion 52.
The pad mounting plate 12 fixes the 2b by screwing, but is not displaced with respect to the boss portion 52 due to the influence of the torsional deformation of the left and right spoke cores 11 due to an external load. It may be fixed to any position of the boss portion 52 or a portion other than the boss portion 52 as long as the fixed position is maintained. Further, the fixed position holding means of the present invention is provided separately from the pad mounting plate 12 as long as it functions to receive and prevent the deformation of the lower portion of the spoke portion toward the driver side through the deformation restraining means. May be.

[0028]

As described above, the steering wheel of the present invention is fixed immovably with respect to at least the spoke portion connecting the boss portion and the ring portion so as to extend at least substantially in the left-right direction at the neutral position. Between the fixed position holding means and the fixed position holding means, the deformation of the upper part of the spoke part toward the windshield and the lower part of the spoke part are restricted, and the upper part of the spoke part is deformed toward the driver side and the lower part of the front part. It is provided with a deformation restraint means that allows the deformation to the glass side.

Therefore, when a load is applied to the ring portion at the time of collision of the automobile, the load is transmitted from the ring portion to the spoke portion. At this time, the spoke portion is deformed and restrained by the fixed position holding means fixed to the boss portion,
Since the deformation of the upper part toward the windshield side and the deformation of the lower part toward the driver side are restricted, the upper half of the ring part moves to the windshield side around the spoke part, and the lower half part It does not move to the driver side. On the other hand, since the deformation restraint means allows the upper portion of the spoke portion to be deformed toward the driver and the lower portion of the spoke portion toward the windshield, the upper half of the ring portion is centered around the spoke portion. Side, and the lower half moves to the windshield side. As a result, the ring portion moves the upper half portion thereof closer to the driver side and the lower half portion thereof away from the driver side from the normal tilted state, and opposes the chest portion and the like of the driver substantially in parallel. It becomes almost vertical.

As a result, for example, when the airbag is deployed, it will not escape to the windshield side along the ring portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the periphery of a boss portion of a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a pad mounting plate is fixed to a boss portion of a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a mounting state of a support plate of a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an end view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the airbag is deployed on the steering wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a neutral position of a four-core type steering wheel.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a conventional steering wheel when an airbag is deployed.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the periphery of a boss portion of a conventional steering wheel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Left and Right Spokes Core Bar (Spokes) 12 Pad Mounting Plate (Position Holding Means) 13 Support Plate (Deformation Restraining Means) 52 Boss 53 Ring Part D Driver F Windshield

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A boss portion connected to a steering shaft, a ring portion arranged around the boss portion, a spoke portion connecting the boss portion and the ring portion, and moving at least with respect to the boss portion. The fixed position holding means fixed incapable of being fixed, and interposed between the fixed position holding means and the spoke portion to prevent deformation of the upper portion of the spoke portion toward the windshield and deformation of the lower portion toward the driver. A steering wheel, comprising: a deformation restraint means for restricting the deformation of the upper portion of the spoke portion toward the driver and the lower portion of the spoke portion toward the windshield.