Rotary Connector Guide Protrusion for Cable Noise Reduction
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary connector devices for vehicles produce annoying sounds due to flat cables scraping against the cable housing when the steering wheel rotates, and the cables can be damaged by abrasion from repeated contact.
Innovation Solution
A rotary connector device with a guide protruding piece on the stator's outer peripheral tube portion that guides the flat cables from above, featuring a tapered lower surface to minimize contact area and prevent abrasion, ensuring quiet operation even during vehicle vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the flat cable is accommodated in the accommodating space without a guide structure, then the device structure is simple, but the flat cable contacts and scrapes against the rotator causing annoying sounds and cable damage
Solution Approach 1:
A guide protruding piece is introduced as an intermediary component between the flat cable and the accommodating space. This guide structure mediates the interaction by providing a controlled contact surface that directs the cable's movement path, preventing direct contact between the cable and the rotator, thereby eliminating noise and abrasion while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The guide protruding piece extends in the radial direction from the accommodating space, creating a new spatial dimension for cable guidance. This radial extension provides a surface that the cable contacts from above, changing the contact geometry from lateral scraping to controlled radial guidance, which prevents harmful friction and noise
2Ease of operation
If the guide protruding piece has a large contact surface, then the cable is well guided, but the contact area increases causing more noise and abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
The guide protruding piece features a localized contact surface with specific geometric properties - a tapered lower surface that provides just enough contact area to guide the cable effectively. This local quality optimization ensures the cable is guided precisely at the critical point where it enters the accommodating space, while minimizing the overall contact area to reduce noise and abrasion
3Adaptability or versatility
If the flat cable is allowed to move freely in the accommodating space, then the cable has flexibility, but the cable bends upward and contacts the rotator causing noise during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The guide protruding piece performs preliminary action by guiding the cable's position and orientation before it enters the accommodating space. This preliminary guidance ensures the cable is properly positioned and constrained in the radial direction, preventing upward bending and contact with the rotator during rotation, while still allowing the cable to move freely within the accommodating space for electrical adaptability
Data Source
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AI summary
An objective of the present invention is to provide a rotary connector device which can achieve quiet and comfort running with no annoying sound being made even when a flat cable collides or scrape against a cable housing caused by a vehicle vibrating while it is running or the like, and which can further prevent the flat cable from being damaged by abrasion. A rotary connector device 10 in which a stator 12 and a rotator 13 which relatively rotate with respect to each other are formed, and an accommodating space S for accommodating cables C for electrically connecting the rotator 13 and the stator 12 in a state wound in a circle is formed inside the stator 12 and the rotator 13 is formed, and in which, a guide protruding piece 16 which protrudes toward the accommodating space S above the cables C wound in a circle and which guides the cables C from above is formed on an upper portion of an outer peripheral tube portion 15 provided in the stator 12, and a lower surface 16u of the guide protruding piece 16 is formed into a shape which is deformed upward gradually toward a tip.