Clock spring and automobile

Abstract

The invention discloses a clock spring and an automobile, and relates to the technical field of automobile accessories, the clock spring comprises a stator and a rotor, the rotor is rotatably arranged in the stator, a containing cavity is formed between the rotor and the stator, the clock spring further comprises at least two signal wire harnesses and an adjusting wire belt arranged between the at least two signal wire harnesses, the two ends of each signal wire harness are connected with the stator and the rotor respectively to achieve signal transmission between the stator and the rotor, each signal wire harness comprises a signal wire set and grounding wires arranged on the two sides of the signal wire set, the adjusting wire belt and the at least two signal wire harnesses are wound in the containing cavity in a U shape, and the two ends of the adjusting wire belt are connected with the stator and the rotor respectively. And the adjusting wire belt is used for reliably and stably transmitting signals of the signal wire harnesses and adjusting the balance of the movement of the at least two signal wire harnesses. According to the clock spring, the problem that reliable and stable transmission cannot be ensured when a signal with a preset high transmission rate passes through the clock spring is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of automobile accessories, and in particular to a clock spring and an automobile. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of intelligent and networked automobiles, the requirements for communication and interaction speed between automobile-related electronic components are becoming increasingly higher.

[0003] In the related art, a rotatable electrical connection is required between the rotatable steering wheel of a car and the stationary wiring, so that functions on the car steering wheel, such as airbags, control switches, hand-off detection, steering wheel heating, screen display, etc., can interact with other electronic components on the car body. For this purpose, the function of rotational interaction is established through the corresponding clock spring. However, the clock springs of cars currently on the market can only meet the reliable transmission of signals at a lower transmission rate. If a higher signal transmission rate is required, the clock spring cannot guarantee the reliable transmission of signals.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary for those skilled in the art to provide a clock spring capable of meeting the requirements of reliable signal transmission at a high transmission rate and a car having the clock spring in a timely manner. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide a clock spring and a car, which solve the problem that reliable transmission of signals with high transmission rates cannot be guaranteed when passing through the clock spring.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present application provides a clock spring, comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein the rotor is rotatably disposed in the stator, and an accommodating chamber is formed between the rotor and the stator. The clock spring also comprises:

[0007] At least two signal wire harnesses, two ends of which are respectively connected to the stator and the rotor to achieve signal transmission between the stator and the rotor, and the signal wire harnesses include a signal wire group and ground wires arranged on both sides of the signal wire group;

[0008] An adjustment wire belt is arranged between at least two signal wire harnesses, and at least two signal wire harnesses are both wound in a U-shape in the accommodating chamber, and two ends of the adjustment wire belt are respectively connected to the stator and the rotor. The adjustment wire belt is used to ensure reliable and stable transmission of the signals of the signal wire harnesses, and to adjust the balance of the movement of at least two signal wire harnesses.

[0009] In some embodiments, the adjustment tape is a metal tape or a plastic tape, and the adjustment tape is flat or tape-shaped. The adjustment tape is used to adjust the characteristic impedance of the signal harness so that the signal of the signal harness can be transmitted reliably and stably.

[0010] In some embodiments, the metal strap is grounded.

[0011] In some embodiments, the adjustment strap includes a flexible body and a metal layer attached to the outside of the flexible body.

[0012] In some embodiments, the number of the adjustment straps is at least two, and the at least two adjustment straps are disposed adjacent to each other between at least two signal harnesses.

[0013] In some embodiments, all adjustment straps and all signal harnesses include U-shaped bends, and all U-shaped bends are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ground line is a single-ended ground line.

[0015] In some embodiments, the ground line is a double-ended ground line.

[0016] In some embodiments, one end of any signal harness is mechanically connected to the rotor and electrically connected to a first socket positioned on the rotor, and the other end of any signal harness is mechanically connected to the stator and electrically connected to a second socket positioned on the stator.

[0017] The present application also provides an automobile, comprising a steering wheel and a steering column, and comprising any one of the clock springs described above, wherein the stator of the clock spring is fixed to the steering column, and the rotor of the clock spring is used to rotate with the steering wheel.

[0018] With respect to the above-mentioned background technology, the clock spring provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is rotatably arranged in the stator, and a accommodating chamber is formed between the rotor and the stator. The clock spring also includes at least two signal wire bundles and an adjustment wire belt arranged between the at least two signal wire bundles, wherein two ends of the signal wire bundle are respectively connected to the stator and the rotor to realize signal transmission between the stator and the rotor, the signal wire bundle includes a signal wire group and a ground wire arranged on both sides of the signal wire group, the adjustment wire belt and at least two signal wire bundles are both U-shaped and wound in the accommodating chamber, the two ends of the adjustment wire belt are respectively connected to the stator and the rotor, the adjustment wire belt is used to ensure reliable and stable transmission of the signal of the signal wire bundle, and is used to adjust the balance of movement of at least two signal wire bundles.

[0019] The clock spring thus arranged has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] Firstly, the present application sets at least one adjustment tape between at least two signal harnesses. On the one hand, setting at least one adjustment tape between at least two signal harnesses can adjust the characteristic impedance required for signal transmission of the signal harness itself so that the signal can be transmitted reliably and stably through the signal harness. On the other hand, the adjustment tape is also used to ensure that the harnesses wound on the rotor in the accommodating chamber are cooperatively wound or unwound following the rotor during the rotation of the rotor relative to the stator, thereby ensuring the movement balance of the harnesses in the accommodating chamber.

[0021] Secondly, the present application grounds the wires on both sides of the signal wire group in the signal wire harness. The grounding wires on both sides of the signal wire group are used to shield and reduce the impact of external electromagnetic interference. At the same time, they are also used to adjust the characteristic impedance required for signal transmission of the signal wire harness itself, thereby further improving the reliability and stability of signal transmission.

[0022] In summary, the clock spring provided in the embodiment of the present application can adjust the characteristic impedance required for the signal transmission of the signal harness itself, and can also play a shielding role to improve the anti-interference ability of the signal harness, thereby ensuring that the signal is transmitted reliably and stably while meeting the preset high transmission rate, solving the problem that the signal with a preset high transmission rate cannot be transmitted reliably and stably when passing through the clock spring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the related technical descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0024] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the disassembly of a clock spring in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the clock spring shown in FIG1 ;

[0026] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the first type of wiring harness distribution in the clock spring shown in FIG1 ;

[0027] FIG4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the wiring harness shown in FIG3 ;

[0028] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a second wiring harness distribution in the clock spring shown in FIG1 ;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the wire harness shown in FIG. 5 .

[0030] in:

[0031] 10- rotor;

[0032] 20 - wiring harness structure, 21 - signal wiring harness, 211 - signal wire group, 212 - ground wire, 22 - adjustment wire belt, 221 - U-shaped bending part.

[0033] 30-Stator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0035] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0036] It should be noted that the directional words such as "upper end, lower end, left side, right side" described below are all defined based on the drawings in the specification.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The clock spring provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a rotor 10 and a stator 30. The rotor 10 is rotatably disposed in the stator 30. A accommodating chamber is formed between the rotor 10 and the stator 30. The clock spring also includes a wiring harness structure 20. The two ends of the wiring harness structure 20 are respectively connected to the rotor 10 and the stator 30.

[0038] It should be noted that the clock spring in the present application is used to establish an electrical connection between the rotatable steering wheel of the car and the stationary wiring. The rotor 10 and the stator 30 cooperate to define a housing chamber for accommodating the wiring harness structure 20. One end of the wiring harness structure 20 is connected to the rotor 10 and the other end is connected to the stationary wiring of the car. The wiring harness structure 20 is wound on the rotor 10, and when the rotor 10 rotates with the steering wheel, the wiring harness structure 20 is unwound or wound. In addition, the wiring harness structure 20 is long enough to allow the steering wheel to rotate within a preset range of travel.

[0039] Please refer to Figures 3 to 6. In the present application, the wiring harness structure 20 includes at least two signal wiring harnesses 21 and an adjustment wire belt 22 arranged between the at least two signal wiring harnesses 21, wherein the two ends of the signal wiring harness 21 are respectively connected to the stator 30 and the rotor 10 to realize signal transmission between the stator 30 and the rotor 10, the signal wiring harness 21 includes a signal wire group 211 and a ground wire 212 arranged on both sides of the signal wire group 211, the adjustment wire belt 22 and at least two signal wiring harnesses 21 are both U-shaped and wound in the accommodating chamber, the two ends of the adjustment wire belt 22 are respectively connected to the stator 30 and the rotor 10, the adjustment wire belt 22 is used to ensure reliable and stable transmission of the signal of the signal wiring harness 21, and is used to adjust the balance of movement of at least two signal wiring harnesses 21.

[0040] It should be emphasized that in order to meet the rapid response of signal interaction between components in intelligent and networked automobiles, some components will use high-speed CAN-FD (full name: CAN with Flexible Data-Rate, a serial communication protocol), FlexRay (a high-speed, real-time, distributed automotive network communication system) or internet bus for communication, and the rate will reach 10Mbit / s or even higher. Similarly, some functions on the steering wheel will also use such signals for communication. Therefore, in order to achieve reliable and stable transmission of signals through the signal harness 21 of the clock spring, the present application arranges at least one adjustment wire band 22 between at least two signal harnesses 21, and grounds the wires on both sides of the signal wire group 211 in the signal harness 21.

[0041] In this way, the present application sets at least one adjustment tape 22 between at least two signal harnesses 21. On the one hand, by setting at least one adjustment tape 22 between at least two signal harnesses 21, the characteristic impedance required for the signal transmission of the signal harness 21 itself can be adjusted so that the signal can be reliably and stably transmitted through the signal harness 21. On the other hand, the adjustment tape 22 is also used to ensure that the harnesses wound on the rotor 10 in the accommodating chamber are cooperatively wound or unwound following the rotor 10 during the rotation of the rotor 10 relative to the stator 30, thereby ensuring the movement balance of the harnesses in the accommodating chamber.

[0042] At the same time, the present application grounds the wires on both sides of the signal wire group 211 in the signal wire harness 21. The ground wires 212 on both sides of the signal wire group 211 are used to shield and reduce the impact of external electromagnetic interference. At the same time, they are also used to adjust the characteristic impedance required for the signal transmission of the signal wire harness 21 itself, thereby further improving the reliability and stability of signal transmission.

[0043] In summary, compared with the traditional clock spring that can only meet the reliable transmission of signals with a rate lower than 500 kbit / s, the clock spring provided in the embodiment of the present application can adjust the characteristic impedance required for the signal transmission of the signal harness 21 itself, and can also play a shielding role to improve the anti-interference ability of the signal harness 21, thereby ensuring that the signal is transmitted reliably and stably while meeting the preset high transmission rate (generally greater than 500 kbit / s and less than 2 Mbit / s), solving the problem that the signal with a preset high transmission rate cannot be transmitted reliably and stably when passing through the clock spring.

[0044] In some embodiments, the adjustment line belt 22 is a metal line belt or a plastic line belt, and the metal line belt or the plastic line belt is flat or strip-shaped. The metal line belt means that the entire line belt width is made of metal material, and a line belt structure with metal material as one piece can be adopted, such as copper, aluminum and other materials. The plastic line belt means that the entire line belt width is made of plastic material, and a line belt structure with plastic material as one piece can be adopted, such as nylon, polyvinyl chloride and other materials. The metal line belt or the plastic line belt is used to adjust the characteristic impedance of the signal harness 21, so that the signal of the signal harness 21 can be transmitted reliably and stably.

[0045] It should be noted that the characteristic impedance refers to the inherent impedance of the signal harness 21 itself, which is usually a constant value and is related to factors such as the geometric shape of the signal harness 21, the medium characteristics, and the signal propagation speed. In signal integrity, the characteristic impedance determines the reflection and impedance matching of the signal on the signal harness 21. In this application, by increasing the characteristic impedance, the reflection and transmission loss can be reduced, thereby improving the transmission rate and efficiency of the signal.

[0046] In this embodiment, by adding a metal wire strip between the signal wire bundles 21, the electromagnetic field distribution of the signal wire bundle 21 can be controlled, thereby affecting its characteristic impedance. This is particularly important for high-speed signal transmission applicable to the present application, and can reduce signal reflection and attenuation, and improve the reliability and stability of signal transmission at a preset high transmission rate. By adding a plastic wire strip between the signal wire bundles 21, the spacing between the two signal wire bundles 21 is increased, thereby affecting their characteristic impedance.

[0047] Furthermore, the metal wire strip used above is grounded.

[0048] In this way, the above-mentioned metal wire strip is configured as a ground wire or a shielding wire. The metal wire strip can not only improve the characteristic impedance of the signal wire harness 21 so that the signal of the signal wire harness 21 can be transmitted reliably and stably, but also provide a reference ground for the signal, play a shielding role, and reduce interference between signals, especially the impact of external signals on the signal transmission of the signal wire harness 21.

[0049] In some embodiments, the adjustment strap 22 includes a flexible body and a metal layer attached to the outside of the flexible body.

[0050] In this embodiment, the flexible body may be a body made of plastic material, and its flexible property is to ensure that the wire bundles wound on the rotor 10 in the accommodating chamber are wound or unwound cooperatively with the rotor 10 during the rotation of the rotor 10 relative to the stator 30, thereby ensuring the movement balance of the wire bundles in the accommodating chamber.

[0051] It should be noted that if the rate at which the signal harness 21 transmits signals has a significant impact on the surrounding environment, the adjustment strap 22 may be made of non-metallic (mainly plastic) materials, but usually metal materials with good electrical conductivity, such as copper wire, may also be used. A layer of metal material may also be attached to the plastic material through different processes.

[0052] The above-mentioned setting method mainly plays a shielding role (both external influences and external influences can play a shielding role), reduces the influence of electromagnetic interference, improves the anti-interference ability of the signal harness 21, and ensures that the signal is transmitted reliably and stably at a rate less than 2Mbit / s.

[0053] In some embodiments, the number of the adjustment straps 22 is at least two, and at least two adjustment straps 22 are disposed adjacent to each other between at least two signal harnesses 21 .

[0054] Taking the example of setting two adjustment strips 22 between two signal harnesses 21, the two signal harnesses 21 serve as channels for signal transmission between the rotating rotor 10 and the fixed stator 30. The two adjustment strips 22 are adjacent to each other between the two signal harnesses 21. Compared with setting one adjustment strip 22 between the two signal harnesses 21, setting two adjustment strips 22 between the two signal harnesses 21 can further increase the characteristic impedance required for signal transmission of the signal harness 21 itself by increasing the number of adjustment strips 22 between the two signal harnesses 21, so that the signal can be transmitted more reliably and stably at a rate less than 2 Mbit / s.

[0055] In some embodiments, all adjustment straps 22 and all signal harnesses 21 include a U-shaped bending portion 221 , and all U-shaped bending portions 221 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction.

[0056] For example, please refer to Figures 3 and 4 together. The number of signal harnesses 21 and adjustment harnesses 22 are both set to two, wherein the four U-shaped bends 221 are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, that is, the spacing between two adjacent U-shaped bends 221 in the circumferential direction is equal. In this way, during the rotation of the rotor 10 relative to the stator 30, the four harnesses wound on the rotor 10 are cooperatively wound or unwound with the rotor 10, thereby ensuring the balance and stability of the winding or unwinding movement of the rotor 10 and the harnesses.

[0057] For another example, please refer to Figures 5 and 6 together. The number of signal harnesses 21 is set to two, and the number of adjustment straps 22 is set to three, wherein two adjacent adjustment straps 22 are set between the two signal harnesses 21, and the five U-shaped bends 221 are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, that is, the spacing between two adjacent U-shaped bends 221 in the circumferential direction is equal. In this way, during the rotation of the rotor 10 relative to the stator 30, the five harnesses wound on the rotor 10 are cooperatively wound or unwound with the rotor 10, thereby ensuring the balance and stability of the winding or unwinding movement of the rotor 10 and the individual harnesses.

[0058] In some embodiments, the ground line 212 is a single-ended ground line.

[0059] In this embodiment, the metal shielding layer (i.e., the grounding wire 212) is directly grounded at one end of the signal harness 21, and the other end is not grounded or is grounded through protection. An induced voltage exists between the metal shielding layer at the non-grounded end and the ground, and the induced voltage is proportional to the length of the signal harness 21. However, no potential circulation passes through the shielding layer. Single-ended grounding utilizes the suppression of potential difference to achieve the purpose of eliminating electromagnetic interference, and is suitable for signal harnesses 21 with shorter lengths.

[0060] In some embodiments, the ground line 212 is a double-ended ground line.

[0061] In this embodiment, both ends of the ground wire 212 of the signal harness 21 are grounded, and the ground wire 212 does not generate an induced voltage, but the ground wire 212 will generate a shielding loop current under the influence of the interference magnetic flux. Double-ended grounding is suitable for digital signals or differential signals, but excessive ground current may also affect the signal, and double-ended grounding can provide a better shielding effect.

[0062] In summary, since the single-ended grounding wire 212 can reduce potential circulation and ground interference, the single-ended grounding signal wire bundle 21 is suitable for shorter signal wire bundles 21 and analog signals. The double-ended grounding wire 212 can provide better shielding effect and is suitable for digital signals or differential signals.

[0063] The actual grounding method to be selected needs to be determined based on the specific application scenario and interference conditions.

[0064] In addition, the signal wire harness 21 includes a plurality of metal wires, which are arranged in parallel and sandwiched in the middle by plastic films on both sides. The metal wires have a line width set according to their functions. The metal wires can be made of conductive materials such as copper and aluminum. The plurality of metal wires are used to transmit signals (signal wire group 211) or connect power (power line), ground (ground line 212), etc. The signal wire group 211 is CAN_H and CAN_L signal wires, wherein the CAN_H and CAN_L signal wires are a group of signal wires in the controller area network (CAN) bus, and CAN_H and CAN_L (CAN Low) together constitute two differential signal wires of the CAN bus.

[0065] In some embodiments, both ends of any signal harness 21 are connected to wiring terminals, one end of any signal harness 21 is mechanically connected to the rotor 10 and electrically connected to a first socket positioned on the rotor 10, and the other end of any signal harness 21 is mechanically connected to the stator 30 and electrically connected to a second socket positioned on the stator 30, thereby establishing a reliable electrical connection between the rotatable rotor 10 and the stationary stator 30, so that various functions on the rotating steering wheel can interact reliably and stably with other electronic components on the vehicle body.

[0066] In some embodiments, a limit shell can also be provided in the accommodating chamber, and the structure of the limit shell is adapted to the structure of the wiring harness corresponding to the accommodating chamber. Accordingly, each wiring harness is limitedly provided in the limit shell one by one, or in other words, the limit shell divides the accommodating chamber into chambers with multiple limit cavities. On the one hand, the limit shell can limit the corresponding wiring harness to ensure that the wiring harness rotates within a preset stroke when the rotor 10 rotates, and ensure the smooth movement of each wiring harness. On the other hand, the setting of the limit shell can also play a shielding role to avoid signal / electrical interference between the signal wiring harnesses 21, and isolate and protect the electrical connection of each wiring harness to improve safety.

[0067] In summary, the clock spring is used, and at least one adjustment line belt 22 is set between at least two signal harnesses 21, which plays a role in adjusting the characteristic impedance of the signal line group 211 in the signal harness 21 to meet the stable transmission of the relevant rate signal. At the same time, the wires on both sides of the signal line group 211 in the signal harness 21 are grounded, which plays a certain shielding role, so that the transmitted signal does not affect the outside, and is also as unaffected by the outside as possible. In this way, some functional parts on the steering wheel can use a higher-speed transmission signal protocol, and some more advanced functions can be used on the steering wheel, shortening the response time of the function, thereby improving the safety characteristics of the entire vehicle and enhancing the experience of the end user.

[0068] The present application provides a car, including a steering wheel and a steering column, and a clock spring as described in the above specific embodiment. The stator 30 of the clock spring is fixed to the steering column, and the rotor 10 of the clock spring is used to rotate with the steering wheel.

[0069] It should be noted that, in this specification, relational terms such as first and second are merely used to distinguish one entity from other entities, but do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities.

[0070] The clock spring and the automobile provided by the present application are introduced in detail above. The principle and implementation method of the present application are described in detail using specific examples. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the scheme and core idea of ​​the present application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made to the present application without departing from the principle of the present application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A clock spring, comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein the rotor is rotatably disposed in the stator, and a receiving chamber is formed between the rotor and the stator, wherein: The clock spring also includes: at least two signal wire harnesses, two ends of which are respectively connected to the stator and the rotor to achieve signal transmission between the stator and the rotor, and the signal wire harnesses include a signal wire group and ground wires arranged on both sides of the signal wire group; An adjustment belt is arranged between at least two of the signal harnesses, and at least two of the signal harnesses are wound in a U-shape in the accommodating chamber, two ends of the adjustment belt are respectively connected to the stator and the rotor, and the adjustment belt is used to ensure reliable and stable transmission of the signals of the signal harnesses, and to adjust the balance of the movement of at least two of the signal harnesses.

2. The clock spring according to claim 1, characterized in that The adjustment wire belt is a metal wire belt or a plastic wire belt, and the adjustment wire belt is flat or belt-shaped. The adjustment wire belt is used to adjust the characteristic impedance of the signal wire harness so that the signal of the signal wire harness can be transmitted reliably and stably.

3. The clock spring according to claim 2, characterized in that The metal wire strip is grounded.

4. The clock spring according to claim 1, characterized in that The adjustment cord includes a flexible body and a metal layer attached to the outside of the flexible body.

5. The clock spring according to claim 1, characterized in that The number of the adjustment wire bands is at least two, and at least two of the adjustment wire bands are disposed adjacent to each other between at least two of the signal wire bundles.

6. The clock spring according to claim 5, characterized in that All of the adjustment wires and all of the signal wire harnesses include U-shaped bending portions, and all of the U-shaped bending portions are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction.

7. The clock spring according to claim 1, characterized in that The grounding wire is a single-ended grounding wire.

8. The clock spring according to claim 1, wherein: The grounding wire is a double-ended grounding wire.

9. The clock spring according to claim 1, wherein: One end of any signal harness is mechanically connected to the rotor and electrically connected to a first socket located on the rotor, and the other end of any signal harness is mechanically connected to the stator and electrically connected to a second socket located on the stator.

10. An automobile, comprising a steering wheel and a steering column, characterized in that: It comprises the clock spring as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the stator of the clock spring is fixed to the steering column, and the rotor of the clock spring is used to rotate with the steering wheel.

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