Communications: electrical – Audible indication – Diaphragm
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-02
2001-11-13
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Audible indication
Diaphragm
C340S384730, C381S389000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317033
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a horn for a vehicle, and specifically to a horn that is mounted on a vehicle, such as an automobile or a motorcycle.
2. Description of Related Art
Some horns for vehicles have a structure in which a vibration generating member that includes an electromagnet is accommodated in a cylindrical case having a bottom, and sound is produced by vibrating a diaphragm formed integrally with the opening of the case in accordance with the vibration of the vibration generating part. In this type of horn for a vehicle, since the coil bobbin around which a coil is wound to form an electromagnet produces the vibration of the diaphragm, it is necessary to securely fix the coil bobbin to the bottom surface of the case. To achieve this, a conventional horn fixes the coil bobbin to the case by providing a plate fixed to the case at the surface on the case opening side of the coil bobbin as a bridge between the coil bobbin and the case. However, this creates a problem in that there is a need for a plate and for fixing members for fixing the coil bobbin to the case in at least two places, which results not only in an increase in the number of components, but also an increase in the number of operations necessary for assembly.
One proposed solution is to directly fix the coil bobbin to the case by caulking as proposed in, for example, JP-U-6-73799, which discloses a horn for a vehicle wherein a tightening part protrudes from a coil bobbin formed of a thermoplastic resin material, and wherein the tightening part is inserted into a through hole formed in the cylinder bottom part of the case so that the penetrating tip end thereof is heat-caulked outside the case, whereby members such as a plate and the like are unnecessary.
In the above-described conventional horn, the heat-caulked part of the coil bobbin is exposed. However, since the coil bobbin is formed of a resin material, the heat-caulked part can be damaged when hit by stones and the like. In order to avoid this, it is necessary for the horn to have a structure so as to protect the heat-caulked part by a stay for supporting and fixing the horn on a car frame (car body). If this is done, however, a problem arises in that the surface-to-surface contact structure between the case bottom part and the stay becomes inadequate, resulting in a decrease in strength of the horn. Furthermore, in this case, it is necessary to increase the strength of the flange part of the protruding tightening part side to strongly fix the bobbin itself to the case. In order to do this, the flange part where the tightening part is formed should be thick-walled. However, this creates a problem in that the coil winding part of the coil bobbin would shift toward the opening side by the increment of the thickness of wall, whereby the horn would increase in thickness, leading to an overall increase in the size thereof. This is one of the problems that the present invention aims to solve.
Also, such a horn for a vehicle produces sound by forcing a diaphragm to vibrate, and since, if a difference in pressure occurs between the inside and outside of the case, the smooth vibration of the diaphragm is impaired, producing a unstable production of sound. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to add a ventilation hole to equalize the pressure between the interior and the exterior. This raises another issue of complicating manufacturing, which is another of the problems that the present invention aims to solve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems and to provide a horn for a vehicle comprising a cylindrical case and a coil bobbin for generating a diaphragm vibration, said case having an opening covered by a diaphragm and a bottom in which the coil bobbin is mounted, wherein a tubular through hole is formed at the case bottom so as to protrude toward the case opening, said tubular through hole being fitted by and penetrating a corresponding mounting hole formed in the coil bobbin and the penetrated tip portion of said tubular through hole being expandingly folded onto the hole edge of the mounting hole so as to hold the coil bobbin between the case bottom and said folded tip portion.
By the above-described structure of the present invention, the fixing member for fixing the coil bobbin to the cylinder bottom can be prevented from being exposed on the bottom side.
The tubular through hole of the present invention may be structured so as to also serve as a ventilation hole for the case, which permits a reduction in the number of components and simplification of the production process.
Furthermore, at the bent portion of the tubular through hole of the present invention, a filter which is not only air-permeable but which is also waterproof may be provided so as to seal the tubular through hole, which permits the case to be waterproof.
Moreover, the mounting hole of the present invention may be formed in the mounting piece protruding through the coil bobbin in the direction of the outer diameter, and a larger diameter hole portion engaged by the folded tip portion is formed at the end portion of said mounting hole on the side of the case opening.
Furthermore, the filter of the present invention may be provided so as to extend to the mounting piece past the folded tip portion, which allows improved waterproofing.
In addition, the surface of the mounting piece on the side of the case opening is substantially either flush with or greater in height than that of the folded tip portion on the side of the case opening.
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patent: 4149153 (1979-04-01), Shigemori et al.
patent: 5218337 (1993-06-01), Peter
patent: 5715324 (1998-02-01), Tanabe et al.
patent: 5933508 (1999-08-01), Fuke et al.
patent: 58162197-A (1983-09-01), None
patent: 61109288-A (1986-05-01), None
patent: 09135495-A (1997-05-01), None
Igarashi Kazuo
Kobayashi Yoshikazu
Nakayama Kiyofumi
Mitsuba Corporation
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Wu Daniel J.
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