JP2013237310A - Method and apparatus for manufacturing steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a steering wheel, capable of securing preferable appearance of the steering wheel while a heater wire is easily incorporated into the steering wheel and improving productivity of the steering wheel.SOLUTION: A sleeve needle 36 which retains a heater wire 22 is inserted into a covering part 20 of a preformed rim 15. The heater wire 22 is pressed and embedded into the covering part 20 of the rim 15 by a push rod 37 while the retention of the heater wire 22 is released by means of the sleeve needle 36. The heater wire 22 is easily embedded into the covering part 20 of the rim 15 with a simple structure and, as the result, a line of the heater wire 22 becomes hardly embossed on a skin covering the covering part 20 of the rim 15.

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a handle provided with a heater wire that generates heat when energized.

  Conventionally, when starting and driving an automobile, which was a vehicle parked outdoors in winter, the steering wheel rim is used to reduce the difficulty of operation and discomfort caused by the cold steering wheel. A configuration is known in which a heater wire is incorporated and the comfort is improved by warming the steering wheel even when various engines have not yet warmed up shortly after starting.

  As such a configuration, for example, a material (preliminarily molded body) knitted with a heater wire is used, and this material is attached (connected) to a covering material such as leather, which is an outer skin, and this covering material is attached to the rim portion together with the material. Thus, the configuration in which the outline of the heater wire portion is not lifted (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or the configuration in which a net-like heater wire having elasticity is wound around the rim portion (for example, see Patent Document 2). .) Etc. are known.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-15162 (page 4-6, FIG. 2) JP 2002-96739 A (page 3-6, FIG. 1)

  In the above-described configuration, it is preferable to use a flexible and thin heater wire so that the heater wire line does not float on the surface of the steering wheel. For this reason, there is a problem that productivity cannot be easily improved without adapting to automation and the use of labor-saving jigs, such as requiring careful work so as not to cause disconnection in the assembly process.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a method and apparatus for manufacturing a handle that can ensure a good appearance of the handle and can improve the productivity of the handle while easily incorporating a heater wire into the handle. The purpose is to provide.

  The method for manufacturing a handle according to claim 1 includes a rim portion for operation, a heater wire that is at least partially embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion along the longitudinal direction, and generates heat when energized, the heater wire, and the heater wire. A method of manufacturing a handle having a skin portion covering a surface of a rim portion, wherein a holding member that holds a heater wire is used, the heater wire is held by the holding member, and a surface portion of the rim portion that is formed in advance In contrast, the holding member holding the heater wire is inserted, the holding of the heater wire by the holding member is released, and at least a part of the heater wire is press-fitted and embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion. is there.

  The method for manufacturing a handle according to claim 2 is the method for manufacturing a handle according to claim 1, wherein the holding members are arranged in pairs so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, and hold the heater wire in a state of being close to each other. And a holding piece portion for releasing the holding of the heater wire in a state of being separated, holding the heater wire between the holding piece portions of the holding member, and with respect to the surface portion of the rim portion formed in advance, The holding member holding the heater wire is inserted, the holding piece portion is separated to release the holding of the heater wire, and at least a part of the heater wire is press-fitted and embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion. is there.

  The handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, a rim portion for operation, a heater wire that is at least partially embedded in a surface portion of the rim portion in the longitudinal direction, and generates heat when energized, the heater wire, and the heater wire An apparatus for manufacturing a handle having a skin portion covering a surface of a rim portion, wherein the heater wire is detachably held and moved relative to the rim portion to thereby move the surface portion of the rim portion. And moving at least a part of the heater wire held by the holding member inserted into the surface portion of the rim portion relative to the holding member. A press-fitting member that is press-fitted into the surface portion and embedded.

  The handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 is the handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the holding members are arranged in pairs so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, and hold the heater wire in a state of being close to each other. In addition, a holding piece portion for releasing the holding of the heater wire in a separated state is provided, and the holding of the heater wire is released by separating the holding piece portion in a state of being inserted into the surface portion of the rim portion.

  The handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5 is the handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the press-fitting member is disposed so as to be capable of approaching and separating from a surface portion of the rim portion, and the rim portion with respect to the holding member. The holding piece of the holding member is separated to move away from the heater wire by moving relatively to the side closer to the surface of the heater.

  The handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6 is the handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the holding member has a sharp portion that can be pierced into the surface portion of the rim portion outside the distal end side. It is.

  According to the method for manufacturing a handle according to claim 1, at least a part of the heater wire is inserted while the holding member holding the heater wire is inserted into the surface portion of the rim portion formed in advance, and the holding of the heater wire by the holding member is released. By pressing and embedding in the surface part of the rim part, at least a part of the heater wire is easily embedded in the surface part of the rim part with a simple configuration, and the heater wire line is covered in the skin part covering the surface part of the rim part. Becomes difficult to stand out. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a good appearance of the handle while easily incorporating the heater wire into the handle, and to improve the productivity of the handle.

  According to the method for manufacturing the handle according to claim 2, in addition to the effect of the method for manufacturing the handle according to claim 1, the holding member held by holding the heater wire between the holding pieces is inserted into the surface of the rim. By releasing the holding of the heater wire by separating the holding piece and embedding at least a part of the heater wire into the surface of the rim, the heater wire is placed on the surface of the rim by separating the holding piece. A space for press-fitting can be secured, and at least a part of the heater wire can be embedded in this space more easily.

  According to the handle manufacturing apparatus of claim 3, the holding member holding the heater wire is inserted into the surface portion of the rim portion formed in advance, and at least a part of the heater wire is released while releasing the holding of the heater wire by the holding member. As a result of the press-fitting member moving relative to the holding member, the press-fitting member is press-fitted and embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion, so that at least a part of the heater wire can be easily formed on the surface portion of the rim portion with a simple configuration. The heater wire is not easily raised in the skin portion that is embedded and covers the surface portion of the rim portion. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a good appearance of the handle while easily incorporating the heater wire into the handle, and to improve the productivity of the handle.

  According to the handle manufacturing apparatus of claim 4, in addition to the effect of the handle manufacturing apparatus of claim 3, the holding member holds the heater wire between the holding pieces and holds the surface portion of the rim portion. The holding piece portion is inserted into the surface portion of the rim portion by a press-fitting member and embedded while releasing the holding of the heater wire by separating the holding piece portion in this inserted state and releasing the holding of the heater wire. A space for press-fitting the heater wire into the surface portion of the rim portion can be secured by the separation, and at least a part of the heater wire can be embedded in this space more easily.

  According to the handle manufacturing apparatus of claim 5, in addition to the effect of the handle manufacturing apparatus of claim 4, the press-fitting member is moved relative to the side closer to the surface portion of the rim portion with respect to the holding member. Thus, the holding piece portion of the holding member is separated by the press-fitting member and the holding of the heater wire is released, so that the holding of the heater wire by the holding member can be released only by the operation of press-fitting the heater wire by the press-fitting member. Therefore, the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus can be further simplified.

  According to the handle manufacturing apparatus of the sixth aspect, in addition to the effect of the handle manufacturing apparatus of the fourth or fifth aspect, the sharp portion that can be pierced into the surface portion of the rim portion is provided outside the front end side of the holding member. By having it, the frictional resistance when inserting the holding member into the surface part of the rim part can be reduced by the sharp part, and the holding member can be more easily inserted into the surface part of the rim part, thus improving the productivity. it can.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the manufacturing method of the handle of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the process following FIG. 1 of the manufacturing method of a handle same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the process of following the manufacturing method of a handle same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows a part of manufacturing apparatus of a handle same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the manufacturing apparatus of a handle same as the above. (A) is a front view showing a part of the handle, (b) is a perspective cross-sectional view showing a part thereof, (c) is a cross-sectional view at a position corresponding to II in (a). It is explanatory drawing which shows the manufacturing method of the handle of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the process of following the manufacturing method of a handle same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the process following FIG. 8 of the manufacturing method of a handle same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the process of following the manufacturing method of a handle same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the manufacturing method of the handle | steering_wheel of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the process following FIG. 11 of the manufacturing method of a handle same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the process following FIG. 12 of the manufacturing method of a handle same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows a part of manufacturing apparatus of a handle same as the above. A part of holding | maintenance piece part of the holding member of the manufacturing apparatus of a handle | steering_wheel is shown, (a) is the front view, (b) is the bottom view, (c) is sectional drawing of II-II equivalent position of (a). It is. It is a front view which shows a part of press-fit member of the manufacturing apparatus of a handle same as the above. It is a top view which shows a part of manufacturing method of a handle same as the above in order of (a) and (b). It is a perspective view which shows a part of press fit member of the manufacturing apparatus of the handle of the 4th Embodiment of this invention. A part of manufacturing apparatus of the handle | steering_wheel of the 5th Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a side view which shows the process of cutting a groove part by a cutting member, (b) is sectional drawing of a groove part, (c) is It is a partial front view of a groove part. It is a side view which shows a part of manufacturing apparatus of the handle of the 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows a part of manufacturing apparatus of the handle of the 7th Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a handle manufacturing method and a handle manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In FIG. 1 to FIG. 6, reference numeral 10 denotes a steering wheel which is a steering wheel of an automobile as a vehicle, for example. The steering wheel 10 is attached to a steering wheel main body 11 which is a steering wheel main body and an occupant side of the steering wheel main body 11. An airbag device (airbag module) that is a center pad as a pad body that is not connected, a switch module (not shown), and the like are provided. The steering wheel 10 is normally mounted on a steering shaft provided in the vehicle in an inclined state. Hereinafter, the passenger side of the airbag device, that is, the front side is the upper side, and the steering shaft side, that is, the rear side is the lower side. The front side of the vehicle, that is, the windshield side above the front side will be described as the front side, and the rear side of the vehicle, that is, the lower side of the rear side will be described as the rear side or the front side.

  The steering wheel body 11 is formed at least partially along the circumference. In this embodiment, the steering wheel body 11 is a rim portion (ring portion) 15 serving as an annular gripping portion, and an inner side of the rim portion 15. The boss portion 16 is positioned, and a plurality of spoke portions 17 are connected in the present embodiment to connect the rim portion 15 and the boss portion 16. In addition, a substantially cylindrical boss 18 having a serration structure that meshes with the steering shaft is provided at a lower portion on the vehicle body side of the boss portion 16, and a core body also called a hub core is formed on the boss 18 The boss plate 19 is integrally fixed by molding, for example, a magnesium alloy by a gravity casting method, an injection molding method, or the like. Further, a resin lower cover (not shown) called a back cover or a body cover is attached to the boss portion 16 to cover the lower side portion of the boss portion 16. Then, the metal core 17a of the spoke portion 17 is integrally extended from the boss plate 19 or fixed by welding or the like. Further, the core metal 15a of the rim part 15 is fixed to the core metal 17a of the spoke part 17 by welding or the like.

  The rim portion 15 includes a cored bar 15a and a covering unit 20 that covers the entire surface side of the cored bar 15a. In addition, heater wires 22 that generate heat by energization are embedded in a plurality of locations on the outer periphery 20a of the surface portion of the covering portion 20. Further, the covering portion 20 and the heater wire 22 are covered with a thin skin portion 23.

  In the present embodiment, for example, the covering portion 20 is formed by finely foaming a soft foamed polyurethane resin that is an elastic body. And this coating | coated part 20 is shape | molded, for example by inserting the metal core 15a and the metal core 17a in the shaping | molding die opened and closed in an up-down direction.

  The heater wire 22 is a single wire having an outer diameter (wire diameter) of about 0.75 mm, for example, in which an insulating film made of, for example, fluororesin (PTFE or the like) is provided on the surface of the core wire that generates heat when energized. The position of the outer periphery 20a which is the center part of the vertical direction of 20, that is, the position corresponding to the parting line generated by the mold for molding the covering part 20, in other words, intersects (orthogonally) the opening and closing direction of the mold. In the direction, it is continuously arranged in an annular shape over the entire circumference of the rim portion 15. Furthermore, the heater wire 22 is positioned in the circumferential direction of the rim portion 15 along the surface of the plurality of embedded portions 22a embedded in the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20 and the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15. A plurality of non-embedded portions 22b are alternately formed. The heater wire 22 is connected to a control circuit (thermo controller) including a power source and a thermistor (not shown) inside the airbag device and the lower cover, and generates heat when energized by the control circuit. It is configured.

  Further, the skin portion 23 is insert-molded (overmolded) on the surface of the covering portion 20 so as to cover the covering portion 20 and the heater wire 22. As the material of the skin portion 23, in the present embodiment, for example, a soft non-foamed (solid) polyurethane resin that is not discolored by ultraviolet rays or the like can be used. That is, the skin portion 23 does not mean only leather, but means any thin member (including leather) covering the covering portion 20 and the heater wire 22. The skin portion 23 is inserted, for example, into a molding die (not shown) with a base body (covering portion 20) in a state where the heater wire 22 is arranged, and a reaction mixture that reacts to become polyurethane is injected into the molding die (RIM type). Are molded.

  The airbag device also includes a bag-shaped airbag, a resin cover that covers the folded airbag, an inflator that injects gas, and the like. The airbag is rapidly inflated, folded and stored in an air bag, the cover body is rapidly inflated, the air bag is inflated and deployed on the front side of the occupant, and the occupant is protected. The airbag device may be integrated with a horn switch mechanism as a switch device.

  Next, the manufacturing apparatus 31 for the steering wheel 10 will be described.

  The manufacturing apparatus 31 includes an outer periphery of the intermediate body 32 (the outer periphery of the covering portion 20) formed by covering the core metal 15a integrated with the boss portion 16 by the core metal 17a of the spoke portion 17 with the covering portion 20 to form the rim portion 15. 20a), a heater wire 22 is arranged, and a rotating device 33 for rotating the intermediate body 32 and an embedding device 34 provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the intermediate body 32 attached to the rotating device 33. I have.

  The rotating device 33 includes a motor (not shown) and the like, and fixes the intermediate body 32 so that, for example, the axial direction is along the horizontal direction, and rotates the intermediate body 32 at a constant speed along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 15. Is.

  In addition, the embedding device 34 includes a sleeve needle 36 that is a long holding member, a push rod 37 that is a long and press-fitting member that press-fits the heater wire 22, and tension (tension) ) And a tension pulley (not shown) that is a tension applying member for adding the), and is disposed on one side (upper side) with respect to the rotating device 33. The heater wire 22 is provided in a long length, and is wound around, for example, a rotatable drum (yarn winding) (not shown). The heater wire 22 can be sequentially fed from the drum to the sleeve needle 36 via a tension pulley. Yes. The embedding device 34 detects the relative position with the rim portion 15 or performs NC control so that the sleeve needle 36 and the push rod 37 are attached to the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15. It is possible to advance and retreat.

  The sleeve needle 36 holds the heater wire 22 in a detachable manner. The sleeve needle 36 is integrally formed of, for example, a hard member such as metal, and has a distal end facing an intermediate position in the vertical direction of the rim portion 15 of the intermediate body 32 fixed to the rotating device 33. The rim portion 15) can be advanced and retracted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction. The sleeve needle 36 includes, for example, a cylindrical main body portion 36a and a substantially conical sharp portion that is continuous with the distal end of the main body portion 36a and is gradually reduced in diameter toward the distal end, and the distal end portion is sharply pointed. 36b is integrally provided. The sharp portion 36b is vertically divided into holding piece portions 36d and 36d facing each other by a notch portion 36c provided along the axial direction of the sleeve needle 36. In addition, a circular end opening 36e serving as a base end portion of the holding piece portions 36d and 36d is provided at an end portion of the cut portion 36c, and at a position between both ends of the cut portion 36c. In the holding piece portions 36d and 36d, for example, semicircular cutout portions 36f and 36f for holding the heater wire 22 are set.

  The holding piece portions 36d and 36d are portions that sandwich and fix the outer periphery of the heater wire 22, and can be approached and separated from each other, approached in a normal state, and contacted or slightly separated from each other. It is in a state.

  Further, the notches 36f and 36f are circles whose inner peripheral edge is substantially equal to the outer diameter (wire diameter) of the heater wire 22, for example, with the holding piece portions 36d and 36d approaching to the maximum (natural state). The holding pieces 36d and 36d are arranged along the circumference.

  The push rod 37 press-fits the heater wire 22 into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 and is integrally formed in a cylindrical shape by a hard member such as metal, for example. Along the needle 36, the sleeve needle 36 is disposed so as to be relatively movable. Further, the push rod 37 is gradually reduced in diameter from the cylindrical main body portion 37a having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner surface of the main body portion 36a of the sleeve needle 36 to the front end side of the main body portion 37a. The truncated cone-shaped reduced diameter portion 37b and a cylindrical pressing portion 37c that is continuous with the distal end portion of the main body portion 37b and has a larger outer diameter than the inner surface of the sharp portion 36b of the sleeve needle 36 are integrally provided. Thus, the tip of the pressing portion 37c is a flat pressing surface 37d that presses the heater wire 22. The pressing surface 37d is positioned on a side farther from the rim portion 15 than the notches 36f and 36f of the sleeve needle 36 in a normal state.

  When manufacturing the steering wheel 10, first, the intermediate body 32 is formed in advance.

  In the formation of the intermediate body 32, a two-component liquid containing a surface modifying paint for improving the bonding strength between the covering portion 20 and the skin portion 23, for example, a polyol and a polyisocyanate, is formed on the cavity surface of the mold. A urethane-based paint is applied in advance to a predetermined coating thickness (for example, 5 to 25 μm, preferably 5 to 15 μm, for example, 10 μm or more) by spray spraying, and the core metal 15a and the core metal 17a are inserted into the mold. The mold is closed and the polyurethane foam resin is injected into the mold and molded. At this time, since the surface-modified coating is cured by the reaction heat of the molding resin, it is in an unreacted state immediately after application, and in contact with the reacting resin in a good affinity state to form a surface integrally. . In this state, the covering portion 20 of the intermediate body 32 has a wettability of, for example, about 45 to 50, and a primer (adhesive) for forming the skin portion 23 in a subsequent process is familiar, and the interface with the skin portion 23 Bonding strength is improved.

  Next, the formed intermediate body 32 is attached and fixed to the rotating device 33, and the rim portion 15 is rotated at a low speed in the circumferential direction by the rotating device 33.

  Further, the heater wire 22 is held by the holding piece portions 36d and 36d between the notches 36f and 36f of the sleeve needle 36, and in the embedding device 34, the sleeve needle 36 is moved to the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15. Pierce (Figure 1). In this state, for example, a circular concave portion 42 is opened on the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 by the sharp portion 36b of the sleeve needle 36.

  From this state, by moving the push rod 37 toward the distal end side of the sleeve needle 36, the outer diameter of the pressing portion 37c of the push rod 37 is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the sharp portion 36b, so that the holding piece 36d , 36d are elastically split apart from the end opening 36e, which is the end of the notch 36c, and the heater wire 22 is held by the sleeve needle 36 while forcibly expanding the recess 42. While being released, a part of the heater wire 22 is press-fitted by the pressing surface 37d into the recessed portion 42 expanded by the holding piece portions 36d, 36d to form the embedded portion 22a (FIG. 2).

  Next, the heater wire 22 continuing to the embedded portion 22a is brought into contact with the pressing surface 37d of the push rod 37, and the sleeve needle 36 and the push rod 37 are separated from the rim portion 15 (FIG. 3). At this time, by moving the push rod 37 to the proximal end side relative to the sleeve needle 36, the holding piece portions 36d and 36d return and deform and approach each other, and the heater wire between the notches 36f and 36f. 22 is retained.

  By repeating this operation as appropriate, the heater wires 22 are sequentially embedded in the recessed portions 42 of the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 at a plurality of embedded portions 22a at predetermined intervals, and the covering portions are interposed between these embedded portions 22a. A non-embedded portion 22b is formed along the surface (outer periphery) of the heater 20, and the heater wire 22 is embedded in the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 in a so-called perforated manner. In this state, each non-embedded portion 22b of the heater wire 22 is pulled between the embedded portions 22a and 22a and slightly bites into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15.

  Then, after the heater wire 22 having a required size is arranged on the rim portion 15, the heater wire 22 is cut. Note that the drum-side heater wire 22 is used for the next manufacturing of the steering wheel 10, and no waste occurs.

  Thereafter, the rotating device 33 is stopped, the intermediate body 32 is removed, the intermediate body 32 is inserted into the mold, and the heater wire 22 and the covering portion 20 are collectively covered with the skin portion 23. Specifically, a mold coat is applied to the cavity surface of the mold for molding the skin portion 23 with a predetermined coating thickness (for example, 5 to 25 μm, preferably 5 to 15 μm, for example 10 μm for maintaining the appearance and performance). In this case, an intermediate body 32 in which, for example, an isocyanate group-containing primer is applied to the surface of the covering portion 20 is inserted into the molding die, the molding die is closed, and a polyurethane resin is injected into the molding die to cover the skin portion. For example, 23 is formed to a thickness of 2 mm or less. At this time, the covering portion 20 of the intermediate 32 whose surface wettability has been modified by the surface-modified paint during molding has good affinity with the primer, and the intermolecular force between the surface-modified paint and the primer is good. Acts to strongly bond the skin portion 23 and the covering portion 20 together. In addition, since the heater wire 22 does not protrude or dent greatly from the covering portion 20, the resin portion for urethane molding of the skin portion 23 is maintained in a laminar flow state, and the skin portion 23 is formed so as to be uniform and free of bubbles (voids). it can.

  Next, the gate, overflow portion, flash, etc. that are formed along with the molding of the skin portion 23 are removed as appropriate, and terminals for connecting to the control circuit are connected to both ends of the heater wire 22 extending beyond the spoke portion 17. Install with connectors.

  And, by attaching the airbag device, back cover, switch module, finisher, etc., the heater wire 22 is completely hidden, and it is not possible to distinguish whether the heater wire 22 is built in or not at first glance. Is completed.

  In the steering wheel 10 manufactured in this way, even if the heater wire 22 having a relatively large outer diameter that is hard to be disconnected is used, the heater wire 22 is difficult to be raised on the skin portion 23 with a simple configuration. In addition, since the heater wire 22 is disposed along the outer periphery of the rim portion 15, it is possible to effectively obtain a heating effect on the palm of the occupant holding the rim portion 15.

  Then, the manufacturing apparatus 31 inserts (pierces) the sleeve needle 36 holding the heater wire 22 into the covering portion 20 which is the surface portion of the rim portion 15 formed in advance, and releases the holding of the heater wire 22 by the sleeve needle 36. Meanwhile, a part of the heater wire 22 is press-fitted and embedded in the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 by moving the push rod 37 relative to the sleeve needle 36. Therefore, a part of the heater wire 22 is easily embedded in the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 with a simple configuration, and the line of the heater wire 22 is not easily raised on the skin portion 23 covering the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15. Therefore, the heater wire 22 can be easily incorporated into the steering wheel 10, the good appearance of the steering wheel 10 can be secured, and the productivity of the steering wheel 10 can be improved.

  That is, the rim portion 15 does not require special processing when the covering portion 20 is molded with a mold using polyurethane, and can be formed in the same manner as a general rim portion. The covering portion 20 can be formed with high accuracy without causing molding defects.

  Further, specifically, the sleeve needle 36 is inserted into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 while holding the heater wire 22 between the holding piece portions 36d, 36d, and in this inserted state, the holding piece portion 36d, A part of the heater wire 22 is pressed into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 by the push rod 37 and embedded while releasing the holding of the heater wire 22 by separating the 36d, and thereby the rim is separated by the separation of the holding piece portions 36d and 36d. A space for press-fitting the heater wire 22 into the covering portion 20 of the portion 15, that is, a recess 42 is secured, and a part of the heater wire 22 can be embedded in the recess 42 more easily.

  That is, the sleeve needle 36 can forcibly expand the recess 42 by the operation of releasing the holding of the heater wire 22 and easily embed the heater wire 22 with the push rod 37. Can be simultaneously performed in one operation (process). Therefore, the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 31 can be further simplified as compared with a configuration in which these operations are separately performed.

  Further, by moving the push rod 37 relative to the sleeve needle 36 toward the side closer to the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15, the holding piece portion 36d of the sleeve needle 36 is brought into contact with the push rod 37. , 36d are forcibly separated to release the holding of the heater wire 22, so that the holding of the heater wire 22 by the sleeve needle 36 can be released only by the operation (step) of press-fitting the heater wire 22 with the push rod 37. Therefore, a separate configuration for separating the holding piece portions 36d and 36d of the sleeve needle 36 is unnecessary, and the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 31 can be further simplified. In addition, the holding piece portions 36d and 36d separated from each other can be automatically returned and deformed by separating the push rod 37 from the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 by the elasticity of the material constituting the sleeve needle 36. A separate configuration for bringing the holding pieces 36d, 36d of the sleeve needle 36 close to each other is not necessary, and the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 31 can be further simplified.

  Further, by providing a sharp portion 36b that can be inserted into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 outside the distal end side of the sleeve needle 36, the friction resistance when the sleeve needle 36 is inserted into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 is sharpened. This can be reduced by the portion 36b, and the sleeve needle 36 can be more easily inserted into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15, so that the productivity can be further improved.

  Further, since the heater wire 22 only needs to be embedded in the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 by the sleeve needle 36 and the push rod 37, it is suitable for automation using the embedding device 34.

  Furthermore, since the heater wire 22 having a considerable outer diameter (wire diameter) can be used, the heat generation function can be exhibited without arranging a large number of heater wires 22, and the risk of disconnection is small. The steering wheel 10 can be easily handled in the manufacturing process, the productivity and the yield can be improved, the manufacturing cost and the part cost can be reduced, and the manufacturing can be performed with high efficiency.

  In general, urethane foam has a tendency of heat insulation, and non-foamed urethane has a tendency of heat transfer. Therefore, the covering portion 20 in which the heater wire 22 is embedded is made of foamed urethane, and the skin portion 23 covering the covering portion 20 is formed. By molding with non-foamed urethane, when the heater wire 22 is energized, the skin portion 23 is heated, and not only the position corresponding to the heater wire 22 but also its peripheral portion can be warmed. Therefore, warmth can be felt in a wider range than the outer diameter dimension (wire diameter) of the heater wire 22.

  The heater wire 22 can be positioned by press-fitting the embedded portions 22a into the plurality of recesses 42, so there is no need to bond over the entire length, for example, partial bonding or non-bonding This makes it possible to reduce the number of bonding steps or eliminate the bonding process, further improve productivity, and because the heater wire 22 can be reliably positioned and mounted with a simple structure, it is excellent in workability and performance. There is little variation.

  Moreover, since the heater wire 22 is embedded in the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 using the embedding device 34 (sleeve needle 36 and push rod 37), it is not necessary to form a net beforehand by the heater wire 22, and the process is simplified. In addition, it is possible to use a heater wire 22 having a relatively thick outer diameter that is hard to break, so that the heater wire 22 can be wound around a drum and used while being fed out as much as necessary. There is no waste of the material of the heater wire 22 as occurs.

  And, when forming the coating part 20, by improving the wettability using a surface-modified paint, the primer becomes easy to adapt, and the adhesive strength when molding the skin part 23 covering the coating part 20 is improved. To do. In addition, since it is only necessary to apply the surface-modified coating material to the mold, it is possible to perform modification within the molding process, and it is not necessary to increase the number of facilities and the number of processes and workability is good.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, about the structure and effect | action similar to said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, in addition to the first embodiment described above, a groove portion 44 is formed in the covering portion 20 which is the surface portion of the rim portion 15, and the heater wire 22 is continuously embedded in the groove portion 44. is there.

  The groove 44 is located at the position of the outer periphery 20a, which is the center in the vertical direction of the covering portion 20, that is, the position corresponding to the parting line generated by the forming mold for forming the covering portion 20, in other words, with respect to the opening / closing direction of the forming die. In this way, it is a shallow linear groove that is annularly continuous over the entire circumference of the rim portion 15 in a direction intersecting (orthogonal). The shape of the groove 44 can be any shape that can accommodate and hold the heater wire 22, but in the present embodiment, for example, a bottom surface 44a along the circumferential direction of the rim portion 15 (covering portion 20), Side surfaces 44b and 44b are provided which continue from the upper and lower portions of the bottom surface portion 44a to the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20. That is, an opening 44c that communicates the groove 44 with the outside of the rim 15 is formed between the side surfaces 44b and 44b. Further, the distance (for example, 0.5 mm) between the side surface portions 44b and 44b, which is the width dimension of the groove portion 44, is set to be equal to or less than the outer diameter size of the heater wire 22, and the opening portion 44c that is the depth dimension of the groove portion 44. The distance (for example, 0.7 mm) from the bottom surface 44a to the bottom surface 44a is set to a substantially constant value that is larger than the width dimension and substantially equal to the outer diameter dimension (for example, 0.75 mm) of the heater wire 22. Therefore, the heater wire 22 accommodated in the groove 44 is sandwiched from above and below by the side surfaces 44b and 44b and does not protrude outside the covering portion 20.

  The manufacturing apparatus 31 further includes a cutting device 45 that forms the groove 44. The cutting device 45 includes a motor (not shown) and a rotary blade 46 that is a cutting member that is rotationally driven by the motor. The cutting device 45 is, for example, on the other side, that is, on the side opposite to the embedding device 34 ( (Lower). As the rotary blade 46, it is possible to use any one corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the groove portion 44 to be formed.For example, in the present embodiment, the rotary blade 46 has, for example, a disk shape and a tooth portion on the outer periphery, and A shaft having a rotating shaft 46a penetrating in the thickness direction at the center position in plan view is used, and the rotating shaft 46a is arranged in a direction parallel to the intermediate body 32 fixed to the rotating device 33. The cutting device 45 detects the relative position with the rim portion 15 or performs NC control so that the outer periphery of the rotary blade 46 is brought into contact with and separated from the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15. Can be milled.

  Then, the cutting device 45 is brought into pressure contact with the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 while rotating the rotary blade 46 at a high speed against the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 that has been previously formed. Thus, the rotary blade 46 continuously cuts the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20 along the circumferential direction to form the groove portion 44 (FIG. 7). In this cutting device 45, the groove 44 is formed over a necessary length, for example, the entire circumference of the rim portion 15, and then the rotary blade 46 is separated from the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15.

  Next, the heater wire 22 is held in the holding pieces 36d and 36d between the notches 36f and 36f of the sleeve needle 36, and in the embedding device 34, the sleeve needle 36 is inserted into the groove 44 from the opening 44c, and the tip thereof The sharp portion 36b is brought into contact with the bottom surface portion 44a (FIG. 8).

  Further, from this state, by moving the push rod 37 toward the distal end side of the sleeve needle 36, the outer diameter of the pressing portion 37c of the push rod 37 is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the sharp portion 36b, so that the holding piece The portions 36d, 36d are elastically split open so as to be separated from the end opening 36e, which is the end of the notch 36c, and the holding pieces 36d, 36d force the side portions 44b, 44b of the groove 44 The heater wire 22 is released from being held by the sleeve needle 36 while being separated so as to be spaced apart from each other, and a part of the heater wire 22 is expanded to the groove portion 44 opened by the holding piece portions 36d and 36d by the pressing surface 37d. Press-fitted (FIG. 9).

  Next, the heater wire 22 is continuously embedded in the groove 44 by maintaining this state for the length of the groove 44, for example, until the intermediate body 32 (rim 15) in the present embodiment makes one round. Stored.

  Then, after the heater wire 22 having a required dimension is arranged on the rim portion 15, the heater wire 22 is cut. For example, the heater wire 22 cut from the heater wire 22 arranged on the rim portion 15 is applied to the pressing surface 37d of the push rod 37. At the same time, the sleeve needle 36 and the push rod 37 are separated from the rim portion 15 (FIG. 10). At this time, since the distance between the side surfaces 44b, 44b of the groove portion 44, that is, the opening 44c is smaller than the outer diameter of the heater wire 22, the heater wire 22 press-fitted into the groove portion 44 is covered with the covering portion 20 (groove portion 44). ) Is deformed between the side surfaces 44b and 44b and is stored and held in the groove 44. Further, the heater wire 22 abuts on the bottom surface portion 44a of the groove portion 44 and is not buried in the covering portion 20 any more. In this state, the outer periphery of the heater wire 22 and the surface on the outer periphery 20a side of the covering portion 20 are substantially flush with each other along a virtual plane. Further, by moving the push rod 37 toward the proximal end side relative to the sleeve needle 36, the holding piece portions 36d and 36d return and deform and approach each other, and the heater wire 22 is formed between the notches 36f and 36f. Is retained.

  Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, the rotating device 33 is stopped, the intermediate body 32 is removed, the intermediate body 32 is inserted into the molding die, and the heater wire 22 and the covering portion 20 are collectively collected. Covered with skin part 23.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, by providing the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 with the groove portion 44 that holds the heater wire 22 along at least the longitudinal direction of the rim portion 15, that is, along a part of the arc, By simply press-fitting the heater wire 22 into the groove 44, the heater wire 22 can be assembled more easily, which is suitable for automation and can improve productivity.

  Moreover, since the heater wire 22 is housed in the groove portion 44 and hardly protrudes outside the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15, even if the heater wire 22 having a relatively thick outer diameter that is difficult to be disconnected is used, a simple configuration is possible. As a result, the heater wire 22 does not easily protrude from the skin portion 23, and a better appearance of the steering wheel 10 can be secured.

  In addition, the groove portion 44 and the opening portion 44c communicating with at least the outside of the rim portion 15 are smaller than the outer diameter size of the heater wire 22 in the covering portion 20 which is a surface portion of the rim portion 15 provided by polyurethane which is an elastic body. By providing as described above, the heater wire 22 accommodated in the groove 44 can be elastically held by the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15, the housing operation of the heater wire 22 becomes easier, and the productivity can be further improved.

  Furthermore, since the covering portion 20 can be wrapped so as to correct the cross-sectional shape of the heater wire 22, it is easy to obtain a flat surface (or a surface approximate to a flat surface) at the position where the heater wire 22 is incorporated. Therefore, the line of the heater wire 22 is less likely to appear (not easily noticeable) on the skin portion 23 that covers the covering portion 20, and the flow is disturbed even when a polyurethane reaction liquid is used to form the skin portion 23. Since it is difficult, the quality of the skin portion 23 formed by the reaction solution, that is, the appearance becomes better.

  And since the position of the heater wire 22 can be determined by press-fitting into the groove portion 44, it is not necessary to bond over the entire length, for example, it can be partially bonded or non-bonded, and the number of bonding steps can be reduced. Alternatively, the bonding process can be eliminated, the productivity can be further improved, and the heater wire 22 can be reliably positioned and attached with a simple structure, so that the workability is excellent and the variation in performance is small.

  Further, by setting the depth dimension of the groove portion 44 so that the heater wire 22 accommodated in the groove portion 44 is substantially flush with the outer peripheral side of the covering portion 20, the heater wire 22 is brought into contact with the bottom surface portion 44a. The heater wire 22 can be easily made substantially flush with the outer peripheral side of the covering portion 20 simply by press-fitting.

  Further, the manufacturing apparatus 31 uses the rotary blade 46 to form the groove portion 44 after forming the covering portion 20, so that, for example, the groove portion is coated as compared with the case where the groove portion is formed by a mold when the covering portion 20 is formed. It is possible to prevent the material from flowing or filling poorly when the portion 20 is molded, and the groove 44 can be easily formed.

  That is, when molding the covering portion 20 with a mold using polyurethane, a slide structure is required to form the groove at a position other than the mold opening / closing direction (a position other than the upper side or the lower side of the rim 15). Thus, when this slide structure is used, raw materials may enter between the slide structure and the mold so that the slide structure may not be movable, which is not suitable for mass production. In addition, if a groove is formed during molding of polyurethane, the polyurethane resin material sticks in the vicinity of the opening of the groove, and it is not easy to maintain stable quality. It is not easy to fix securely. Therefore, in the present embodiment, after forming the covering portion 20, by cutting the groove portion 44 using the rotary blade 46, it is possible to accurately form the groove portion 44 while reliably preventing molding failure of the covering portion 20 and the like. .

  Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, about the structure and effect | action similar to said each embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the manufacturing apparatus 31 according to the present embodiment, the embedding apparatus 34 according to the second embodiment includes a plurality of, for example, a pair (two) of chucks 51, 51 as a holding member, and a gap between the chucks 51, 51. And a push rod 52 which is a press-fitting member located at the position.

  The chucks 51 and 51 hold a plurality of positions in the longitudinal direction of the heater wire 22 in a detachable manner. Each chuck 51 is provided with a pair of holding piece portions 51a and 51a formed in a plate shape, for example, and these holding piece portions 51a and 51a are movable in directions toward and away from each other. Further, for example, semicircular cutouts 51b and 51b for holding the heater wire 22 are set at positions facing each other on the front end side of the holding piece portions 51a and 51a. Further, the distal end sides of the holding piece portions 51a and 51a are provided such that the outer side gradually approaches the inner side toward the distal end side. That is, the holding piece portions 51a and 51a are sharply sharpened gradually toward the distal end side, and the outsides are sharp portions 51c and 51c.

  The notches 51b and 51b are held so that the inner peripheral edge is substantially equal to the outer diameter (wire diameter) of the heater wire 22, for example, with the holding pieces 51a and 51a approaching the maximum. It arrange | positions at the piece parts 51a and 51a.

  The sharp portions 51c and 51c are provided so that the outer sides of the holding piece portions 51a and 51a are sharpened so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the outer edge portions (FIGS. 15A to 15C). ). In the present embodiment, the sharp portions 51c, 51c are formed in a double-edged shape in which the front and back surfaces in the thickness direction of the holding pieces 51a, 51a are gradually inclined toward the outer edge, respectively. Only one of the front side and the back side may be a single-edged blade that is gradually inclined toward the outer edge.

  Further, the push rod 52 press-fits the heater wire 22 into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 and is formed in a cylindrical shape by a hard member such as metal, for example, and relatively to the chucks 51 and 51. It is arranged to be movable. Further, the tip of the push rod 52 is, for example, a pressing portion 52a cut out in an arc shape along a circumference having a size substantially equal to the outer diameter (wire diameter) of the heater wire 22 (see FIG. 16). The pressing portion 52a comes into contact with the outer periphery of the heater wire 22, and the heater wire 22 can be press-fitted into the covering portion 20 (groove portion 44) of the rim portion 15.

  When the steering wheel 10 is manufactured, first, the preformed intermediate body 32 is attached and fixed to the rotating device 33, and the rotating device 33 rotates the rim portion 15 in the circumferential direction at a low speed, so that the cutting device 45 ( A groove 44 is formed in a necessary length on the outer periphery 20a of the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 by the rotary blade 46).

  Next, the heater wire 22 is held by the holding pieces 51a and 51a between the respective notches 51b and 51b of each chuck 51, and the pressing portion 52a of the push rod 52 is brought into contact with the held heater wire 22 In this state, the chucks 51 and 51 are inserted into the groove portion 44, and their tip portions are brought into contact with the bottom surface portion 44a (FIG. 11).

  Further, from this state, the holding pieces 51a and 51a of the chucks 51 are separated from each other, so that the holding of the heater wire 22 is released and the side surfaces 44b and 44b of the groove 44 are forcibly separated. When the push rod 52 is further moved to the tip side of the chucks 51, 51, a part of the heater wire 22 released from being held is pressed into the groove 44 expanded by the chucks 51, 51. (FIG. 12). At this time, since the outside of each holding piece part 51a is a sharp part 51c, each holding piece part 51a easily bites into each side part 44b of the groove part 44, and the covering part 20 of the rim part 15 Is reduced (FIGS. 13 and 17B).

  Next, the heater wire 22 is continuously embedded in the groove 44 by maintaining this state for the length of the groove 44, for example, until the intermediate body 32 (rim 15) in the present embodiment makes one round. Stored.

  Then, after the heater wire 22 having a required dimension is arranged on the rim portion 15, the heater wire 22 is cut, the chucks 51 and 51 are separated from the rim portion 15, and the push rod 52 is further separated from the heater wire 22 and the rim portion 15. (FIG. 13).

  Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, the rotating device 33 is stopped, the intermediate body 32 is removed, the intermediate body 32 is inserted into the molding die, and the heater wire 22 and the covering portion 20 are collectively collected. Covered with skin part 23.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the chucks 51 and 51 holding the heater wire 22 are inserted into the covering portion 20 (the groove portion 44 formed in the covering portion 20) which is the surface portion of the rim portion 15 formed in advance. , 51 while releasing the holding of the heater wire 22, the push rod 52 is moved relative to the chucks 51, 51 so as to be press-fitted into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 and embedded, By having a configuration similar to that of each of the above embodiments, the same effects as those of these embodiments can be achieved.

  Furthermore, by having sharp portions 51c and 51c that can be inserted into the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15 outside the front end sides of the holding piece portions 51a and 51a, the chucks 51 and 51 are grooved in the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15. The frictional resistance when inserting into the groove 44 and the frictional resistance when separating the holding pieces 51a and 51a with the chucks 51 and 51 inserted into the groove 44 of the covering portion 20 of the rim part 15 are respectively sharpened portions 51c, This can be reduced by 51c, and the chucks 51 and 51 can be operated more smoothly, so that productivity can be further improved.

  The heater wire 22 can be stably held by holding the heater wire 22 at a plurality of locations by the chucks 51, 51, and the heater wire 22 can be more securely accommodated in the groove portion 44 by the push rod 52 so that the rim portion 15 It can be embedded in the covering portion 20.

  Furthermore, the processed surface of the covering portion 20 cut by the rotary blade 46 has fine irregularities on the surface compared to the non-processed surface of the covering portion 20 that forms a smooth surface along the mold surface. That is, at the time of molding the covering portion 20, after a smooth surface is formed as a transfer of the mold surface, with respect to the processed surface, the smooth blade is cut by the rotary blade 46, and internal bubbles of the polyurethane foam are cut off. The air bubbles that have been cut on the surface side are in a state where the remaining portion is opened as a concave portion, so when the smooth surface comes into contact with the heater wire 22, it will be in close contact, but when it comes into contact with many open bubbles by cutting Is a sparse contact with a smooth surface. Therefore, there is more heat insulation and heat transfer to the inside can be reduced.

  In the third embodiment, as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 18, the pressing portion 52a of the push rod 52 has two plane portions 52b and 52b having different surface directions, which are continuous with each other. It may be cut into a square shape.

  In the second to fourth embodiments, for example, a single or a plurality of intersecting grooves that intersect the groove 44 may be formed. In this case, a part of the heater wire 22 accommodated in the groove 44 can be routed by the intersecting groove so that the heater wire 22 that makes almost one turn in the circumferential direction of the rim portion 15 is close and not in contact with each other, The end can be pulled out to the inner peripheral side of the rim 15 and the heater wire 22 can be easily connected by a power source and the like, and the heater wire 22 can be reliably routed and pulled out with a simple structure. Excellent workability with 22 arrangements and little performance variation.

  Further, a plurality of groove portions 44 may be formed, and a connecting groove portion that connects these groove portions 44 to each other may be formed. In this case, it is possible to continuously store one heater wire 22 across the plurality of groove portions 44 using the connecting groove portion, and the heater wire over a wider area of the covering portion 20 of the rim portion 15. 22 can be easily arranged.

  Furthermore, in the second to fourth embodiments described above, instead of the disk-shaped rotary blade 46 of the cutting device 45, as in the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. You may use the rotary blade 61 which is a cutting member inclined so as to expand in the radial direction from the proximal end side to the distal end side. In this case, the position of the cutting start of the rotary blade 61 is a circular circular portion 62 when viewed from the front, but the groove portion 44 is formed continuously with the circular portion 62. The groove 44 is inclined so that the side surfaces 44b and 44b gradually approach the opening 44c, and the opening 44c of the formed groove 44 is narrower than the inside of the groove 44. In other words, the groove portion 44 is formed so that the opening portion 44c is the narrowest and gradually widens toward the bottom surface portion 44a so as to be a narrow width portion smaller than the outer diameter dimension. For this reason, the heater wire 22 accommodated in the groove portion 44 can be more effectively sandwiched by the side surface portions 44b and 44b, and can be more reliably held in the groove portion 44.

  Furthermore, in the second to fourth embodiments described above, instead of the disk-shaped rotary blade 46 of the cutting device 45, as in the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. You may use the rotary blade 63 which is a cutting member which protrudes circularly (semicircle shape) to radial direction. In this case, the cross-section of the groove 44 to be formed is circular, and the opening 44c becomes a narrow narrow portion with respect to the inside of the groove 44, so that the heater wire 22 housed in the groove 44 is more reliably connected to the groove 44. And the cross-sectional shape of the groove 44 can be made complementary to the heater wire 22 by making the outer diameter of the rotary blade 63 substantially coincide with the outer diameter of the heater wire 22. Can be held in the groove 44 more reliably.

  Further, in the second to fourth embodiments described above, instead of the disk-shaped rotary blade 46 of the cutting device 45 as in the seventh embodiment shown in FIG. In other words, it is a so-called semi-cylindrical cutting member in which one relatively small-diameter arc part 64b located on the base end side and the other relatively large-diameter arc part 64c located on the distal end side are connected. A rotary blade 64 may be used. In this case, the cross-section of the groove 44 to be formed is circular with the other arc portion 64c, and the chamfered portion 44d in which the edge of the opening 44c is gradually expanded outward by the one arc portion 64b. It becomes. Therefore, the heater wire 22 can be more easily press-fitted and stored in the groove 44 by the chamfered portion 44d, and the workability of this storage is further improved.

  Further, the rotary blades 46, 61, 63, 64 of the second to seventh embodiments may be used when forming the intersecting groove portion and the connecting groove portion, respectively.

  In the second to seventh embodiments described above, in the state where the heater wire 22 is fitted in the groove portion 44 without a step, not only the structure of overmolding the synthetic resin as the skin portion 23 but also, for example, wrapping leather It is good also as a structure.

  Further, the groove 44 may be formed in a plurality of spirals on the outer periphery of the rim portion 15. In this case, since the groove portion 44 is formed in a single stroke, the groove portion 44 can be more easily formed by the rotary blades 46, 61, 63, 64 and the like.

  Also, the depth from the surface of the heater wire 22 may be changed by making the groove 44 partially deeper or shallower. In the portion where the groove 44 is deepened, the heat generated by the heater wire 22 can be dispersed over a wide range, and the temperature rise on the surface immediately above can be moderated. In the portion where the groove portion 44 is shallow, the heater wire 22 conversely causes a sharp temperature rise in a relatively narrow range immediately above. The heater wire 22 is positioned, for example, at a depth half of the outer diameter of the heater wire 22 in the groove 44, and is press-fitted at a position corresponding to a depth substantially equivalent to the outer diameter of the heater wire 22 near both sides of this portion. By being held, it is possible to adjust so as to exhibit more preferable temperature rise characteristics for different parts of the steering wheel 10.

  Further, the groove portion 44 can be formed not only on the outer periphery of the rim portion 15 but also on the inner periphery of the rim portion 15. For example, the rotary blades 46, 61, 63, 64 are attached to the tip of an arm of a multi-axis robot controlled by NC, and the rotary blade 46 is formed in an arc shape on the inner peripheral portion of the rim portion 15 between two adjacent spoke portions 17. , 61, 63, 64 may be moved to form a groove 44 into which the heater wire 22 can be press-fitted. An intersecting groove portion may be formed by drawing a three-dimensional curve on the spoke portion 17 from the rim portion 15 of the connecting portion of the spoke portion 17, and may be connected to the groove portion 44 provided on the outer periphery of the rim portion 15. If the rotary blade is an end mill, the multi-axis robot can dig into the groove 44 by drawing a freely changing curve on a complicated three-dimensional surface such as the inner peripheral portion of the steering wheel 10.

  Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the steering wheel 10 is not limited to the configuration including the three spoke portions 17 and can be applied to a configuration including the four spoke portions 17, for example.

  And it can replace with an airbag apparatus and can also use the pad body which accommodated the impact-absorbing body, for example.

  The present invention can be suitably used, for example, as a method and apparatus for manufacturing a steering wheel of an automobile.

10 Steering wheel that is a steering wheel
15 Rim part
22 Heater wire
23 Skin
31 Production equipment
36 Sleeve needle as holding member
36b, 51c Sharp part
36d, 51a Holding piece
37, 52 Push rod as a press-fit member
51 Chuck as a holding member

Claims (6)

An rim portion for operation, a heater wire that is at least partially embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion along the longitudinal direction and generates heat when energized, and a skin portion that covers the surface of the heater wire and the rim portion are provided. A method of manufacturing a handle,
Using a holding member that holds the heater wire,
Holding the heater wire on the holding member;
For the surface portion of the rim portion formed in advance, the holding member holding the heater wire is inserted,
A method of manufacturing a handle, wherein the holding of the heater wire by the holding member is released and at least a part of the heater wire is press-fitted and embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion. The holding members are arranged in pairs so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, and are provided with holding pieces that hold the heater wire in a close state and release the holding of the heater wire in a separated state,
Holding the heater wire between the holding pieces of the holding member,
For the surface portion of the rim portion formed in advance, the holding member holding the heater wire is inserted,
2. The method of manufacturing a handle according to claim 1, wherein the holding piece portion is separated to release the holding of the heater wire, and at least a part of the heater wire is press-fitted and embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion. . An rim portion for operation, a heater wire that is at least partially embedded in the surface portion of the rim portion along the longitudinal direction and generates heat when energized, and a skin portion that covers the surface of the heater wire and the rim portion are provided. A handle manufacturing apparatus,
Holding the heater wire in a detachable manner, and a holding member that can be inserted into the surface portion of the rim portion by moving relative to the rim portion;
Press-fitting at least a part of the heater wire held by the holding member inserted into the surface portion of the rim portion into the surface portion of the rim portion by being moved relative to the holding member. A handle manufacturing apparatus comprising: a member; The holding members are arranged in pairs so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, and each holding member includes a holding piece portion that holds the heater wire in a close state and releases the holding of the heater wire in a separated state. The handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the holding of the heater wire is released by separating the holding piece portion while being inserted into the surface portion. The press-fitting member is disposed so as to be able to approach and separate from the surface portion of the rim portion, and moves relative to the holding member toward the side approaching the surface portion of the rim portion, whereby the holding piece of the holding member The apparatus for manufacturing a handle according to claim 4, wherein the holding of the heater wire is released by separating a portion. The handle manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the holding piece portion has a sharp portion that can be pierced into the surface portion of the rim portion outside the tip end side.

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