Electrical connectors – With relatively guided members and intermediate pliable... – Relatively movable about axis
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-22
2002-11-05
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With relatively guided members and intermediate pliable...
Relatively movable about axis
Reexamination Certificate
active
06475006
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary connector which establishes electrical connection using a flexible cable between a pair of housings coupled in a freely rotational relation and, more specifically, to a rotary connector having a lock mechanism for retaining both housings in their neutral rotational position until the rotary connector is mounted on the steering device of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A rotary connector generally comprises a pair of housings coupled in a freely rotational relation, and a flexible cable coiled within an annular container defined between the both housings, with both ends of the flexible cable supported respectively at the both housings to be connected to external electrical connections. As the rotating housing rotates relative to the stationary housing, the flexible cable is coiled tightly or loosely within the container depending on the rotation direction of the rotating housing. In either movement, electrical connection between both housings is maintained via the flexible cable.
The rotary connector thus constructed, is used as electrical connection means for an air bag inflator, a horn switch and the like mounted on a steering wheel, with the stationary housing mounted on a combination switch as a stator member of a steering device of a vehicle while the rotating housing mounted on a steering wheel as a rotor member of the steering device. In this case, the rotary connector is required to rotate in a balanced fashion from the neutral rotational position of the steering wheel with a range of travel in clockwise rotation and a range of travel in counterclockwise rotation being equal. For this reason, a known rotary connector is provided with a lock mechanism which retains both housings in the neutral rotational position by a lock member mounted on the rotary connector until the rotary connector is mounted onto the steering device.
The prior art of such a rotary connector with a lock mechanism is described in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 11-97141.
The conventional rotary connector will be explained with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 5
is a perspective view showing a conventional rotary connector and a lock member.
FIG. 6
is a cross-sectional view showing a major portion of the lock member of
FIG. 5
when it is in a locking engagement.
As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a rotary connector B comprises a stationary housing
21
, a rotating housing
22
, and a flexible cable
23
contained and coiled in both housings
21
,
22
. A lock member
24
is detachably mounted onto such rotary connector B.
The stationary housing
21
is of a closed-end structure having an outer cylindrical portion
25
. A holder wall
26
and a direct connector
27
are integrally formed with the circumference of the outer cylindrical portion
25
. The holder wall
26
has a slot
26
a
as a locking portion.
The rotating housing
22
is coupled to the stationary housing
21
in a freely rotational relation so that the rotating housing
22
closes the aperture of the stationary housing
21
. A projection
28
a
as a rotation restraint portion and a direct connector
29
are integrally formed with a top surface
28
of the rotating housing
22
. An inner cylindrical portion
30
extends vertically in the center of the top surface
28
.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, the flexible cable
23
mentioned above is coiled, for example, in a spiral fashion, within an annular container defined by both housings
21
,
22
. Both ends of the flexible cable
23
are respectively supported at both housings
21
,
22
and then electrically routed outwardly via the direct connectors
27
,
29
, respectively.
The lock member
24
is integrally formed of a horizontally extending arm portion
24
a,
an annular finger-hook portion
24
b
continuously extending to one end of the arm portion
24
a,
a thin portion
24
d
provided in the other end of the arm portion
24
a,
and a fixing remaining portion
24
c
extending downwardly via the thin portion
24
d.
The arm portion
24
a
continuously extends to the fixing remaining portion
24
c
in a direction approximately orthogonal to the fixing remaining portion
24
c.
A V-shaped notch
31
is formed on the border between both portions and constitutes the thin portion
24
d.
The finger-hook portion
24
b
and the fixing remaining portion
24
c
are protruded from the arm portion
24
a
in a direction of approximately 180° apart, respectively.
The arm portion
24
a
is provided with a coupling hole
32
, and a reinforcing rib
24
e
extends from the top surface of the arm portion
24
a
to the finger-hook portion
24
b.
The fixing remaining portion
24
c
is provided with a bifurcated snap piece
33
.
During the manufacturing stage of the rotary connector B, the neutral rotational position of the rotating housing
22
is aligned with the stationary housing
21
and then the fixing remaining portion
24
c
of the lock member
24
is inserted into the slot
26
a
of the stationary housing
21
, as shown in FIG.
6
. The projection
28
a
of the rotating housing
22
is inserted into the coupling hole
32
of the arm portion
24
a.
The free rotation of both housings
21
,
22
is locked by the lock member
24
.
At this time, the finger-hook portion
24
b
of the lock member
24
is disposed on the top surface
28
of the rotating housing
22
.
Such a locked state is maintained until the mounting of the rotary connector onto the steering device.
In the lock member
4
, before the rotary connector B is mounted on the steering device, the finger-hook portion
24
b
is drawn using a finger or a jig (in the direction of arrow D of FIG.
6
), and then the arm portion
24
a
and the finger-hook portion
24
b
are broken at the thin portion
24
d
away from both housings
21
,
22
. The lock operation of both housings by means of the lock member
4
is released. In this unlocked state, the fixing remaining portion
24
c
broken at the thin portion
24
d
away from the lock member
4
remains in the coupling hole of one of the housings, and thus an unintentional removal of the lock member can be checked by the presence of the fixing remaining portion.
The lock member
4
is broken, and in the unlocked state, the rotary connector B is mounted onto the steering device.
In the above-described rotary connector B, the lock operation of both housings
21
,
22
by the lock member
24
is released before the rotary connector B is mounted onto the steering device. The finger-hook portion
24
b
of the lock member
24
is disposed on the top surface
28
, and thus, when the rotary connector B is mounted onto the steering device, the finger-hook portion
24
b
will be an obstacle component due to limitations of the mounting space. The lock operation is released before the mounting, so as to remove the finger-hook portion
24
b
from the top surface
28
.
The rotary connector B in which the lock operation is released is mounted onto the steering device. In this mounting, the neutral rotational positions of both housings are sometimes shifted to each other, resulting in wrong mounting in which the neutral rotational positions are not aligned with each other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the foregoing conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a rotary connector which can be reliably mounted onto a steering device when the neutral rotational positions of both housings are maintained.
A rotary connector of the present invention comprises a first housing having at least an inner cylinder, a second housing having an outer cylinder for forming a containing space together with the first housing while being engaged rotatably with the first housing, a top surface provided in at least one of the first and second housings, a flexible cable contained in the containing space for establishing electrical connection between the first and second housings, and a lock member which is detachably mounted onto the first and second housings and whi
Alps Electric., Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Paumen Gary F.
LandOfFree
Rotary connector having mechanism for locking pair of... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Rotary connector having mechanism for locking pair of..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Rotary connector having mechanism for locking pair of... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2973128