JP3557111B2 - Shift knob structure of shift lever - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-manufacture shift knob structure of a shift lever having a superior design and stable quality. SOLUTION: A knob main body 22 comprising an insert A member 16, an insert B member 18 and a cushion material 20 is provided with an ornament 12. A top end side of the ornament 12 is formed with a slot 28. An upper side 12a of a wall surface of the slot 28 has a nearly same wall thickness as the other parts of the ornament 12 to eliminate 'sink' of a resin at the time of injection molding. A spacer 30 is inserted in the slot 28, and then, the ornament 12 and the knob main body 22 are joined with a screw member 26. At that time, a required wall thickness and junction strength are secured.

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shift knob structure of a shift lever, and particularly to a shift lever structure of a shift lever which can easily provide a shift knob having excellent design and stable quality.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a shift knob for gripping and performing a shift operation by an operator is mounted on a tip end of a shift lever for performing a shift operation of an automobile transmission. The shift knob is required to be easy to grip and to have a design that matches the atmosphere in the vehicle. In a general shift knob, a design plate (ornament) for displaying a shift position or the like is fixed on an upper surface or the like of a resin knob body, and the other surface portion is covered with genuine leather or synthetic leather. The ornament is made of an easy-to-mold and inexpensive resin molded product in order to display the shift position, match with the atmosphere inside the vehicle, and obtain a shape that does not hinder the knob operation.
[0003]
Conventionally, the ornament has been fixed to the knob body using a means such as bonding, but the temperature difference is severe in the vehicle interior, the adhesive deteriorates rapidly, and the shift knob is frequently gripped during the operation of the vehicle. As a result, there is a problem that the ornament is peeled off. Thus, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-180018 discloses a structure in which a screw is erected on the back surface of an ornament and fixed to a knob body. According to this configuration, since the ornament can be mechanically and firmly fixed to the knob main body, the ornament can be prevented from peeling off.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when resin molding (injection molding) is performed on the ornament in which the screw is integrated, the thickness of the resin is different between the screw molded portion and the other portions. Dents, so-called "sinks" tend to occur. Usually, since the screw is formed near the center of the ornament, the dent is generated in a portion for displaying the shift position or the like, and there is a problem that the display is distorted and the quality is significantly reduced.
[0005]
In addition, while reducing the mold temperature and the resin temperature under the molding conditions, the injection pressure is increased, and the holding time of the injection pressure can be extended to prevent "sinking" to some extent, but the production efficiency is preferably reduced. Absent.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to easily provide a shift knob structure of a shift lever which is excellent in design and has stable quality.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a first invention is a shift knob structure mounted on an upper end portion of a shift lever of a vehicle, wherein the knob body engages with the shift lever, and a knob body includes A skin member that exposes and covers a portion, and a resin member that covers an exposed portion of the knob body and partially has an operation design, and has a substantially uniform thickness and a part of a spacer for supplementing the thickness. And a connection member for fixing the knob body and the ornament member with screws via the spacer.
[0008]
According to this configuration, the thickness of the fixed portion can be complemented by the spacer while maintaining the thickness of the resin-made ornament at the time of molding, so that the ornament is not formed on the surface of the ornament and the operation can be performed. The quality can be improved without giving distortion to the design, and the ornament and the knob body can be firmly fixed. In addition, since sink marks caused by the difference in wall thickness can be eliminated, the injection molding conditions of the ornament can be relaxed, and the production efficiency can be improved.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the screw member is a tapping screw, and the spacer has a flat plate shape having an opening smaller than a screw diameter of the tapping screw. The tapping screw is screwed together with the spacer while forming a female screw portion, thereby joining the knob body and the ornament member.
[0010]
According to this configuration, since the screw portion necessary for fixing the spacer is formed at the time of assembling the shift knob, it is not necessary to form a screw portion in the spacer in advance, and the production efficiency of the spacer can be improved.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a top view showing an upper design surface of a shift knob 10 of a shift lever according to an embodiment of the present invention. An ornament 12 formed by printing or engraving a design indicating the moving direction of the shift lever, that is, the shift position (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, R) is mounted on the upper surface of the shift knob 10. ing. In addition, a skin member (for example, genuine leather or synthetic leather) 14 that covers the periphery of the ornament 12 and a knob body described later is mounted so as to be sandwiched between the ornament 12 and the knob body described later.
[0013]
FIG. 2A shows a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B shows a cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the shift knob 10 includes a hollow insert A member 16, a hollow insert B member 18 disposed inside the insert A member 16, and a hollow insert A member 16. The knob body 22 includes the cushion member 20 disposed on the outside, and the skin member 14 and the ornament 12 that cover the surface of the knob body 22 as described above. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2B, the ornament 12 has a substantially spoon-shaped cross section that extends in the axial direction of a shift lever insertion portion 24 into which a shift lever (not shown) is inserted on one surface side of the knob body 22. Present. The ornament 12 is fixed to the knob main body 22, more precisely, to the insert B member 18 by a screw member 26. The ornament 12 is made of ABS resin, nylon, or the like, and is preferably made of a crystalline resin containing glass fiber. The insert A member 16 and the insert B member 18 are made of polycarbonate or the like.
[0014]
A characteristic feature of the present embodiment liquid is that the ornament 12 formed of resin has a threaded portion for firmly fastening the knob body 22 with the screw member 26 while maintaining the thickness at the time of molding substantially uniform. In order to secure the thickness of the ornament 12, a slot for accommodating a spacer for supplementing the thickness of the ornament 12 is provided, and the thickness of the ornament 12 is substantially increased at the time of fastening with the knob body 22.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a slot 28 is formed on the top end side of the ornament 12. The thickness of the upper side 12a of the wall surface forming the slot 28 is substantially the same as the thickness (for example, about 4 mm) of another part of the ornament 12, for example, the extension 12b extending along the shift lever insertion part 24. It is formed equally. The thickness of the lower side 12c of the slot 28 is arbitrary. As described above, by forming the slots 28 to make the thickness of the ornament 12 substantially uniform, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of “sink” caused by the uneven thickness when the ornament 12 is injection-molded. . In addition, since there is no sink mark due to the difference in wall thickness during molding, injection conditions such as mold and resin temperature, injection pressure, and injection pressure holding time can be relaxed, and ornaments can be efficiently used. Twelve injection moldings can be performed.
[0016]
In the slot 28, a spacer 30 for supplementing the thickness for obtaining the fastening strength of the screw member 26 when the ornament 12 is fixed to the knob main body 22 is inserted. The spacer 30 is a plate-like member made of polyacryl resin or the like, and has a hole having a diameter smaller than the screw diameter of the screw member 26 (for example, a hole of φ3 mm when the screw member 26 is M4). I have. In this case, as the screw member 26 for fixing the ornament 12 to the knob main body 22, a tapping screw inserted while forming a screw portion on the other side (hole of the spacer) at the time of screwing is used. By inserting the spacer 30 into the slot 28, it is possible to substantially increase the thickness of the fastening portion of the ornament 12 with the screw member 26, without increasing the thickness of the ornament 12 at the time of molding. By increasing the threaded length of the screw member 26, the strong ornament 12 and the knob body 22 can be connected.
[0017]
Next, a procedure for assembling the shift knob 10 will be described. First, the insert A member 16 and the insert B member 18 formed by resin molding (injection molding) are combined. Note that the insert A member 16 and the insert B member 18 may be integrally formed. However, since this insert member is a member serving as a base of the shift knob 10 directly gripped by the vehicle driver, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of "sink". It is preferable to have a double structure. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2B, a plurality of slits 16a are formed in order to completely eliminate the "sink" of the insert A member 16. Subsequently, a cushion material 20 made of a foamable resin is mounted on the surface of the insert A member 16 including the insert B member 18, and the surface of the cushion material 20 is covered except for the part where the ornament 12 is arranged. Is wound.
[0018]
Next, the ornament 12 in which the spacer 30 is inserted into the slot 28 is attached to the knob main body 22 by hooking the hook-shaped portion 12 d at the lower end of the ornament 12 to the lower end of the shift lever insertion portion 24. At this time, the skin member 14 wound earlier is sandwiched between the knob body 22 and the edge portion of the ornament 12. In this state, a screw member (tapping screw) 26 is inserted from the side of the shift lever insertion portion 24 of the knob main body 22 to form a female screw portion in the spacer 30, and the insert B member 18 of the knob main body 22 and the ornament 12 are tightened. The knob body 22 and the ornament 12 are firmly connected. Thereafter, the female screw 22a formed on the inner wall of the insert B member 18 and the male screw formed at the tip of the shift lever (not shown) are screwed together, and the shift knob 10 is fixed to the shift lever.
[0019]
As described above, by forming the slots 28 in the ornament 12 and inserting the spacers 30, the thickness of the ornament 12 during molding is made substantially uniform, and the “insertion” during injection molding can be avoided while the insertion into the slot 28. With the spacer 30 formed, the thickness of the substantial ornament 12 is increased, the threaded portion of the screw member 26 is increased, and the ornament 12 and the knob main body 22 can be firmly joined.
[0020]
The thickness of the spacer 30 and the thickness of the upper side 12a of the slot 28 can be appropriately selected. At this time, it is preferable that the shadow of the screw member 26 is not reflected on the surface of the ornament 12. By making the above selection, the design can be maintained even when a screw member or the like is used. Further, in the present embodiment, the shape of the ornament 12 has been described with an example having a substantially spoon-shaped cross section, but the shape of the ornament is arbitrary. In addition, since the ornament is molded with resin, the color of the resin itself can be arbitrarily selected, and it is possible to easily match the image of the interior of the vehicle with other interior parts.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the thickness of the fixed portion can be complemented by the spacers while maintaining the thickness of the resin-made ornament at the time of the injection molding uniformly, so that the ornament is not formed on the surface of the ornament, and The quality can be improved without giving distortion to the design. Moreover, since the thickness of the fixing portion is supplemented by the spacer, the ornament and the knob body can be firmly fixed. Furthermore, since "sink" caused by the difference in wall thickness can be eliminated, the molding conditions of the ornament can be relaxed and the production efficiency can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a top view of a shift knob according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the shift knob of FIG. 1 taken along the line AA and the line BB.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 shift knob, 12 ornaments, 12a upper side, 14 skin member, 16 insert A member, 18 insert B member, 20 cushion material, 22 knob main body, 24 shift lever insertion portion, 26 screw member, 28 slot, 30 spacer.

Claims (2)

A shift knob structure attached to an upper end of a shift lever of a vehicle,
A knob body engaged with the shift lever;
A skin member that exposes and covers a part of the knob body,
An ornament member that covers an exposed portion of the knob main body and has an operation design in a part, and has a slot for inserting a spacer for thickness complementation in a part having a substantially uniform thickness and a part,
A screw member for connecting and fixing the knob body and the ornament member via the spacer,
And a shift knob structure of the shift lever. The knob structure according to claim 1,
The screw member is a tapping screw, the spacer has a flat plate shape having an opening smaller than the screw diameter of the tapping screw,
The tapping screw is
A shift knob structure for a shift lever, wherein the spacer is screwed together while forming a female screw portion to join the knob body and the ornament member.

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