Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – Multiple windings
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-10
2004-04-06
Jillions, John M. (Department: 3654)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
Multiple windings
C439S015000, C439S164000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715707
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable reel incorporated into a steering device of an automobile. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cable reel, the thickness of which is small, capable of rotating smoothly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there has been provided a cable reel in which a flat cable accommodating chamber formed as an annular hollow section is disposed. The annular hollow section is formed between a stationary body fixed onto a steering column side and a movable body fixed onto a steering shaft side. A flat cable is movably accommodated and inverted in the flat cable accommodating chamber, and a plurality of rollers are arranged in the annular hollow section as rotary guide members to guide the flat cable.
For example, as shown in
FIG. 45
, a stationary body
1
, which serves as an outer cylinder and includes an outer frame
1
a
and a bottom plate
1
b
, and a movable body
2
, which serves as an inner cylinder, are relatively rotatably connected with each other. A base plate
4
is rotatably set on the bottom plate
1
b
in the annular hollow portion
8
that is formed between the stationary body
1
and the movable body
2
. A group of rollers
5
are supported by pins
4
b
protruded from the base plate
4
. The flat cable
3
is wound around the inner circumferential passage
6
formed between the rollers
5
and the inner cylinder
2
a
of the movable body
2
, and is also wound around the outer circumferential passage
7
formed between the rollers
5
and the outer frame
1
a
of the stationary body
1
, while the flat cable
3
is inverted and formed into a U-shape. One end of the flat cable
3
is fixed at the stationary body
1
, and the other end of the flat cable
3
is fixed at the movable body
2
.
In the above cable reel, when the movable body
2
is rotated in one direction, the flat cable
3
, which is inverted and formed into a U-shape, passes an inversion section formed between the rollers
5
, and the flat cable
3
is wound into the inner circumferential passage
6
. On the other hand, when the movable body
2
is rotated in the opposite direction, the flat cable
3
is wound back and sent out to the outer circumferential passage
7
.
Compared with a cable reel in which a flat cable is spirally wound in an accommodating space, the aforementioned inversion type cable reel is advantageous in that the length of the flat cable can be reduced.
However, the following problems may be encountered in the above cable reel. In order to support the rollers
5
accommodated in the annular hollow portion
8
while leaving a space between the rollers, the base plate
4
is set being engaged with a groove
1
c
formed on the bottom plate
1
b.
Therefore, thickness of the bottom plate
1
b
is increased. Accordingly, the overall height H of the cable reel is increased, which makes the cable reel size large.
Further, since the pins
4
b
for holding rollers
5
are protruded from the base plate
4
at predetermined positions, the structure becomes complicated and the size of the cable reel is increased, and further the material cost is raised. Furthermore, in the case where a bolt rotatably penetrates the axial center of each roller so as to prevent the roller from coming out, the number of parts and the number of working steps are increased corresponding to the number of rollers.
Also, the following problems may be encountered. Since gap S exists between an upper end of the rollers
5
and a roof face
1
a
-
1
of the outer frame
1
a
, the roller
5
rattles and vibrates in the vertical direction. At the same time, the roller collides with the roof face
1
a
-
1
and noise is generated.
In order to prevent an increase of the collision sound, it is preferable that gap S is decreased. Therefore, the height of the roller
5
cannot be reduced too low compared with the height of the annular hollow portion
8
. Accordingly, it is impossible to reduce the size and weight of the roller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a cable reel having an improved roller supporting mechanism so as to reduce the costs of parts and the number of working steps. The cable reel has a small thickness and lower rotating torque.
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a cable reel comprising: a cylindrical stationary body and a movable body combined with each other to define an outer cylindrical section, inner cylindrical section, bottom plate section and roof plate section surrounding an annular hollow section; a guide member disposed in the annular hollow section, the guide member including a C-shaped ring and a plurality of rollers spaced apart from each other and rotatably supported by the ring; a flat cable having one end fixed at the movable body and the other end fixed at the stationary body, the flat cable wound round an inner circumferential passage formed between the inner cylindrical section and the rollers and wound round an outer circumferential passage formed between the outer cylindrical section and the rollers, wherein a winding direction of the flat cable in the inner circumferential passage is inverted to that of the flat cable in the outer circumferential passage; an intermediate portion of each roller is rotatably held by the ring under the condition that a roller axis is tilted; and at least one portion of each roller on the inner cylindrical section side comes into contact with the flat cable passing through the inner circumferential passage and at least one portion of each roller on the outer cylindrical section side comes into contact with the bottom plate section of the stationary body.
When the cable reel is composed as described above, the ring for holding the rollers is not arranged in a lower portion of the rollers but arranged in an intermediate portion of the rollers, which is unlike the conventional structure. Therefore, thickness of the guide member for guiding the flat cable becomes the same thickness as the thickness (height) of the rollers. Accordingly, the thickness of a product can be reduced.
When each roller is tilted, the inner cylindrical section side of the roller comes into contact with the flat cable which is a rotating object, and the outer cylindrical section side of the roller comes into contact with the stationary body which is a fixed object. Therefore, the above two contact positions are symmetrical to each other with respect to the rotary axis. Accordingly, the roller can be smoothly, stably rotated, and it becomes possible to reduce frictional resistance caused between the stationary body and the rollers. At the same time, irregular fluctuation of torque can be reduced.
The present invention provides a cable reel in which the ring has bearing holes arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, the roller is formed into a bobbin-shape in which an annular recess portion at an intermediate portion in the axial direction of the roller is interposed between an upper and a lower large diameter portion, the annular recess portion of the roller is rotatably engaged in the bearing hole of the ring, a lower end portion of the roller on the outer cylindrical section side comes into contact with the bottom plate section under the condition that the inner cylindrical section side of the roller is raised from the bottom plate section, and the inner cylindrical section side of the roller comes into contact with the flat cable.
When the shape of each roller and the shape of the ring for holding the rollers are formed as described above, the rollers can be attached to the ring only by inserting the annular recess portion of each roller into the bearing hole of the ring. Due to the above structure, it becomes unnecessary to provide pins, which are conventionally used and protruded to hold the rollers. Further, it becomes unnecessary for the rollers to be fastened by bolts. Accordingly, the number of
Autonetworks Technologies Ltd.
Jillions John M.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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