JP3201700B2 - switch - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch having a moderation mechanism for giving moderation to switch operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of push switch is used as a switch for turning on a rear fog lamp of an automobile. This will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the switch 100 is installed on an instrument panel in a driver's seat of an automobile, and includes a holder 110 that slides integrally with an operation knob 106 in a holder chamber 104 in a case 102. . A movable contact 112 is mounted on the holder 110, and the movable contact 112
It is constituted by a leaf spring supported by the mounting recess 114 of the holder 110 and is urged toward the fixed contact 120.

The outer wall of the holder 110 and the case 10
A moderation mechanism 130 shown in FIG. This moderation mechanism 130 gives moderation to the operation of the switch 100. The moderation mechanism 130 stores a coil spring 134 and a ball 136 in a storage recess 132 formed on a side wall surface of the holder 110, and Is engaged with the engagement recess 138 formed in the above.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Such a switch 1
To assemble 00, the storage recess 132 of the holder 110
It is necessary to house the coil spring 134 and the ball 136 in the holder chamber 104 of the case 102. The work of assembling the coil spring 134 and the ball 136 has a problem that it is a complicated work and is troublesome. Further, the switch 100 has been required to further reduce the number of parts, to simplify the configuration, and to reduce the cost.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a switch which is easy to assemble, reduces the number of parts and realizes cost reduction.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems According to the first aspect of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is substantially box-shaped.
A holder (13) having a side wall connecting the front side and the rear wall (13a), and a holder (13) provided on the front side of the holder (13).
Is an operation knob for performing a pressing operation (14), the upper
It has a holder room (12s) for storing the holder (13)
Case (12) and the upper part in the holder chamber (12s)
To the case (12) and the holder (13)
The side wall of the guide is guided by the pressing operation of the operation knob (14).
And a rear wall of the holder (13).
(13a) Guide side projecting with a gap
A guide member (26) having a support portion (26a) ;
The rear wall (13a) of the holder (13) and the guide side
And the holder (1)
3) Apply an urging force against the operation force of the operation knob (14).
A coil spring 15 that includes a a detent mechanism (30) for providing tactile feedback to the movement of the holder (13), said detent mechanism (30) is integrally elastically deformable in the holder (13) And an elastic tongue (32) having an engaging portion (32a) and a guide member (26).
The holder (13) associated with the operation of the operation knob (14)
The moderation recess (34) which elastically deforms the elastic tongue piece (32) according to the movement of the engaging part (32a) to disengage with the engaging part (32a ).
And characterized in that:

[0007]

[0008]

In the switch according to the present invention, when an operation force is applied to the operation knob, the holder integrated with the operation knob is moved to the guide portion.
It moves against the urging force of the coil spring while being supported by the material . The switch is provided with a moderation mechanism that straddles the holder or the guide member, and the switch is operated with a moderation feeling by the moderation mechanism. That is,
The elastic tongue that constitutes the moderation mechanism is elastically deformed in accordance with the movement of the holder, and the engagement portion of the elastic tongue engages with the moderation recess, giving a moderation feeling. Since the elastic tongue piece constituting the moderation mechanism is formed by branching off from a part of the holder, the number of parts does not increase.

[0009]

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In order to further clarify the structure and operation of the present invention described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a switch 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
0, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. As shown in these figures, a switch 10 is a switch for turning on a rear fog lamp of an automobile, and includes a case 12 having a holder chamber 12s, a holder 13 sliding in the holder chamber 12s, and a holder 13. An operation knob 14 that is integrally assembled and pressed, and the holder 1
3, a coil spring 15 for urging the operation knob 14 in the direction of the arrow a, a movable contact 22 mounted on the holder 13, a fixed contact 24 which comes into contact with and separates from the movable contact 22, and is arranged on the printed circuit board PC; Is the main component.

The operation of the switch 10 will be outlined. In the normal OFF state, the operation knob 14 and the holder 13
Is at the position shown in FIG. 2 by the urging force of the coil spring 15. At this time, the movable contact 22 attached to the holder 13
Are in a non-contact state with respect to the fixed contact 24. When the operation knob 14 is pushed in the direction of the arrow b from the off state, the operation knob 14 and the holder 13 move against the urging force of the coil spring 15. As a result, the movable contact 22 becomes the fixed contact 2
4 and the signal generated at this time is printed circuit board PC
The input processing is performed by the upper electronic circuit EC. When the operating force on the operating knob 14 is released, the holder 13 and the operating knob 14 return to their original positions by the urging force of the coil spring 15.

Next, the configuration and operation of each part of the switch 10 will be described in more detail. The case 12 that constitutes the switch 10 includes a holder chamber 12 having an opening 12a.
s, and a guide member 26 is fixed to an upper portion thereof. The guide member 26 is a plate-shaped member that contacts and supports the upper surface of the holder 13 and guides the spring member 26a.
It has become.

The holder 13 slidably held in the holder chamber 12s has a box shape with an open lower side, and an operation knob 14 is fixedly engaged with a claw (not shown) on the front side thereof by a recess. The rear wall 1 is provided on the rear side of the holder 13.
The coil spring 15 is supported between the rear wall 13a and the spring supporting portion 26a of the guide member 26.

On the other hand, the movable contact 22 is formed of a substantially L-shaped leaf spring, and one end of the movable contact 22 is provided in the support recess 13 b of the holder 13.
And the other end is a contact portion 22b provided so as to be able to contact and separate from the fixed contact 24 mounted on the holder 13.

A printed circuit board PC fixed to the case 12 is disposed below the holder chamber 12s. On the printed circuit board PC, an electronic circuit EC that is turned on and off by being toggled by a signal generated when the movable contact 22 contacts the fixed contact 24 is mounted.

Further, the holder 13 and the guide member 26
A moderation mechanism 30 is formed between the two. As shown in FIG. 4 which is an enlarged view of FIG. 3, the moderation mechanism 30 is cut into a U-shape at the upper portion of the holder 13 and has an engaging portion 3 at its front end.
An elastic tongue piece 32 having 2a (see FIG. 6) and a moderating recess 34 formed on the lower surface of the guide member 26 and engaged with the engaging portion 32a. The elastic tongue piece 32
As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the base 32
It is elastically deformed so as to move up and down around b.
The elastic tongue piece 32 can be integrally formed by resin injection molding when the holder 13 is manufactured.

Next, the operation of the switch 10 will be described. Now, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
Is in the off state. At this time, the engaging portion 32a of the elastic tongue piece 32 on the upper part of the case 12 is engaged with the moderation recess 34 on the case 12 side. From this state, the operation knob 14
When an operation force in the direction of the arrow b is applied to, as shown in FIG.
The holder 13 moves integrally with the operation knob 14 to the rear side inside the holder chamber 12s against the urging force of the coil spring 15. At this time, the engaging portion 32a of the elastic tongue piece 32 formed on the upper portion of the holder 13 follows the inclined surface 34b of the moderation recess 34, and is elastically deformed so that the elastic tongue piece 32 is pushed downward. The engagement from the moderation recess 34 is released.

Further, when the operation knob 14 moves and the movable contact 22 comes into contact with the fixed contact 24, a signal is output and the electronic circuit EC on the printed circuit board PC is turned on. When the operation force on the operation knob 14 in the direction of the arrow b is released, the holder 13 and the operation knob 14 return to their original positions by the urging force of the coil spring 15. At this time, the moderation mechanism 30
The engaging portion 32a of the elastic tongue piece 32 is engaged with the moderation recess 34.

Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, the moderation mechanism 30 for giving a sense of moderation to the operation of the operation knob 14 is formed by the elastic tongue 32 having the engaging portion 32a. By branching integrally with the holder 13 and molding the resin, the elastic tongue 32 itself becomes the holder 1.
It is not a separate part from 3 mag. Therefore, the moderating mechanism 30 does not use a coil spring, a ball, or the like as described in the related art, can reduce the number of parts, has a simple configuration, is easy to assemble, and realizes cost reduction. can do.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented in various modes without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the following modifications are possible.

(1) In the above embodiment, the elastic tongue 3
Moderation recess 3 as an engaged portion to be engaged with the second engaging portion 32a.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any configuration may be used as long as the engaging portions 32a of the elastic tongues 32 are engaged to give a sense of moderation.
For example, a mountain-shaped engaging projection over which the engaging portion 32a can ride may be used.

(2) In the above embodiment, the elastic tongue piece 32 is formed in a shape in which a part of the case 12 is cut out in a U-shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The elastic tongue may be used, and in any case, the configuration is not particularly limited as long as it is formed integrally with the case.

(3) In the above embodiment, the push-type switch 10 is described as having one moderation recess 34. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of engaged portions (for example, three locations) are provided. May be applied to a slide-type or rotary-type switch in which the engaging portion is selectively engaged with one of the plurality of engaged portions by moving the holder.

[0025]

As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention
According to the switch section 1, a detent mechanism for providing tactile feedback to the operation of the operation knob, and the elastic tongue piece having a branching vital engaging portion a part of the holder, and formed in the guide member and the elastic By using the moderation recesses to be engaged with the engagement portions of the tongue pieces, many components such as coil springs and balls are not used in the conventional moderation mechanism.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a switch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the periphery of the moderation mechanism of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the electronic device is turned on from FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an elastic tongue of the moderation mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional switch.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a moderation mechanism of a conventional switch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Switch 12 ... Case 12s ... Holder chamber 12a ... Opening 13 ... Holder 13a ... Rear wall 13b ... Support recess 14 ... Operation knob 15 ... Coil spring 22 ... Movable contact 22a ... Base end 22b ... Contact part 24 ... Fixed Contact 26: Guide member 26a: Spring support 30: Moderation mechanism 32: Elastic tongue 32a: Engagement portion 32b: Base 34: Moderation recess 34b: Inclined surface EC: Electronic circuit PC: Printed circuit board

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A substantially box-shaped front and rear wall.
(13a) Holder (1) having a side wall connecting with (13a)
3) is provided on the front side of the holder (13) and performs a pressing operation.
An operation knob (14) for holding the holder and a holder chamber (12s) for accommodating the holder (13) are provided.
(12) and the case (1) in the upper part of the holder chamber (12s).
2) Fixing to the side wall of the holder (13) with the operation knob
(14) A plate-like member that guides according to the pressing operation
With respect to the rear wall (13a) of the holder (13).
Guide-side spring support portions (26
a), a rear wall (13a) of the holder (13) and the guide side.
The holder (1) is interposed between the spring (26a) and the holder (1).
3) Apply a biasing force against the operating force of the operating knob (14).
And a moderation mechanism (30) for giving a sense of moderation to the movement of the holder (13) . The moderation mechanism (30) can be elastically deformed integrally with the holder (13). Resilient tongue piece (32) branching off and having an engagement portion (32a )
And an operation knob (14) formed on the guide member (26).
Above according to the movement of the holder (13) accompanying the operation of
The elastic tongue (32) is elastically deformed so that the engaging portion (32
a) and a moderation recess (34) engaging and disengaging.