JPH09259701A - Operation panel and switch equipped with operation panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect the front face of a sheet-like switch from damage and the contact portion from mechanical damage, and prevent the falling-out of components at an assembling work time and a transportation time. SOLUTION: In a state where no operation force acts on an operation member 2, a magnet 6 is magnetically attracted to a magnetic plate 4 positioning on the upper side of a frame body 3, and a rubber sheet 5 is positioned below a portion fixing the magnet 6 of the operation member 2 in this state via a gap. The bottom face of the rubber sheet 5 is brought into close contact with the top face of a membrane switch 13. When a downward operation acts on the operation member 2, as taking the one side 2a of the operation member 2 as a fulcrum, the other side 2b fixing the magnet 6 rocks downward so as to press the membrane switch 13 via the rubber sheet 5. The operation member 2 is not allowed to abut the front face of the membrane switch 13 directly, and has no chance to give the front face damage of the membrane switch 13 or the mechanical damage of a contact portion.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation panel mounted on the surface of a sheet-like switch and a switch including the sheet-like switch and the operation panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A sheet-like switch such as a resistance film type touch switch provided on the front surface of a display screen of a display such as an LCD or a CRT, or a membrane switch provided on an operation panel of a control device has a sufficient stroke feeling during operation. There is a drawback that it is difficult to judge whether or not the operation could be performed correctly without the click feeling. Further, in the conventional sheet-like switch, there is no barrier between the switches, and each switch reacts with an extremely weak pressing force, so that there is a drawback that an unnecessary switch is operated by mistake.

In order to eliminate such drawbacks, the applicant has
Japanese Patent Application No. 7-255651 proposes an operation panel to be mounted on the operation surface of a sheet-shaped switch. As shown in FIG. 6, this operation panel includes a rectangular resin thin plate operation member 61.
Is supported by a frame 62 on one side of the rectangle, the magnet 63 is fixed to a part of the operating member 61, and a magnetic body 64 facing the magnet is provided on the frame 62. In this operation panel, the magnetic attraction of the magnet 63 to the magnetic body 64 causes the operation member 61 to return to a position parallel to the sheet-like switch 65, and to obtain a stroke feeling and a click feeling when pressing the operation member 61. I have to. Further, even when a plurality of operation members 61 are assembled, each operation member 61 can be separated by the frame 62 to prevent erroneous operation.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned operation panel, since the sheet-like switch is operated through the operation member of the rectangular resin thin plate, the operation surface of the sheet-like switch is not contacted by the contact with the operation member. There was a problem that the contact point was easily damaged or mechanically damaged. In addition, in the state before being attached to the operation surface of the sheet-shaped switch, there is nothing on the back side of the operation member, and the operation member is likely to fall off during the assembly work of the operation panel or during transportation, which requires careful handling. was there.

An object of the present invention is to provide an operation panel and a switch which can protect the operation surface of a sheet-like switch from damage and mechanical damage to a contact portion, and can prevent parts from falling off during assembly work or transportation. To provide.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation member having a magnet partially fixed thereto, a frame body for rotatably supporting the operation member with one side thereof as a fulcrum, and a frame body. In an operation panel provided with a magnetic body that is located above and on which a magnet fixed to the operation member is magnetically attracted, a thin plate-shaped cushioning body facing below at least the other side of the operation member parallel to the one side. And is attached to the lower surface of the frame body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an operating member having a magnet partially fixed thereto, a frame member for rotatably supporting the operating member with one side thereof as a fulcrum, and an operating member located above the frame member for operation. A magnetic body to which a magnet fixed to the member is magnetically attracted, and a thin plate-shaped cushioning body that is attached to the lower surface of the frame body and faces below at least the other side of the operating member that is parallel to the one side, and the bottom surface of the cushioning body. And a sheet-shaped switch which is in close contact with each other.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a translucent operating member having a magnet partially fixed thereto, a frame body for rotatably supporting the operating member with one side thereof as a fulcrum, and a frame above the frame body. A magnetic body that is located and is fixed to the operating member by magnetic attraction, and a thin plate-shaped cushioning body that is attached to the lower surface of the frame and faces below at least the other side of the operating member that is parallel to the one side.
A translucent sheet-like switch with which the bottom surface of the buffer body adheres,
And a display arranged below the sheet-like switch.

[0009]

1 is an external view of an operation panel showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention. The operation panel 1 is
The screw holes 12 formed in the decorative cover 11 are attached to the operation surface of the sheet-like switch (not shown). The operation panel 1 of this embodiment includes, for example, 24 operation members 2
It has. The operating member 2 is composed of a rectangular resin thin plate. The operation members 2 are arranged in 4 rows and 6 columns in the makeup cover 11. A horizontal rail 11a of the decorative cover 11 is located between the upper and lower operation members 2, and a vertical rail 3a of the frame body 3 described later is located between the left and right operation members 2.

Therefore, each operating member 2 is separated from the adjacent operating member 2 by the horizontal rail 11a of the decorative cover 11 and the vertical rail 3a of the frame 3, and the horizontal rail 11a of the decorative cover 11 and the frame 3 are separated from each other. It is possible to prevent the adjacent operation member 2 from being erroneously operated by using the vertical bar 3a as a barrier.

FIG. 2 is an assembly view of the operation panel.
The operation panel 1 includes an operation member 2, a frame 3, a magnetic plate 4, a rubber sheet 5, and a decorative cover 11. Twenty-four windows 3c are formed on the frame body 3 by the vertical rails 3a and the horizontal rails 3b. The operation member 2 is held in each of the windows 3c. The magnetic plate 4 covers the upper surface of the frame body 3. The magnetic plate 4 has four windows 4b formed by the horizontal rails 4a. The decorative cover 11 covers the upper surface of the magnetic plate 4. The horizontal rails 3b of the frame body 3, the horizontal rails 4a of the magnetic plate 4, and the horizontal rails 11a of the decorative cover 11 are formed at positions facing each other.
It is exposed to the window 11a of the makeup cover 11 through the window 4a. On the lower surface of the frame body 3, a rubber sheet 5 which is a buffer body of the present invention is attached. The rubber sheet 5 has a horizontal rail 5a
The window portion 5b is formed by. The rubber sheet 5 can be attached to the lower surface of the frame body 3 by a method other than sticking, for example, by pressing a part of the periphery of the rubber sheet 5 into a locking portion formed on the lower surface of the frame body 3. Further, the rubber sheet 5 can be formed by using a resin elastic body such as silicon rubber or polyurethane rubber as a material.

A projection 14 is projected on at least the lower surface of the horizontal rail 11a of the decorative cover 11. This protrusion 14
A hole 4c formed on the horizontal bar 4a of the magnetic plate 4, a hole 3d formed at an intersection of the vertical bar 3a and the horizontal bar 3b of the frame body 3,
And a hole 5c formed in the horizontal rail 5a of the rubber sheet 5.
To penetrate in this order. The protrusion 14 has holes 4c, 3d and 5
By penetrating c, the magnetic plate 4, the frame 3 and the rubber sheet 5 are positioned with respect to the decorative cover 11.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an essential part showing a usage state of the operation panel. The operation member 2 is rotatable on the frame 3 with one side 2a as a fulcrum.
A magnet 6 is fixed to the other side 2b parallel to the. FIG.
As shown in (A), when the operating force is not applied to the operating member 2, the magnet 6 is magnetically attracted to the magnetic plate 4 located above the frame body 3. Magnet 6
A rubber sheet 5 is located below the portion to which is fixed with a gap. The lower surface of the rubber sheet 5 is in close contact with the upper surface of the membrane switch 13. The membrane switch 13 includes an upper sheet 13a and a lower sheet 13
A spacer 13c is interposed between b and a contact portion is constituted by an upper contact 13e attached to the upper sheet 13a and a lower contact 13d provided on the lower sheet 13b.

As shown in FIG. 3 (B), when a downward operating force is applied to the operating member 2, the operating member 2 has the other side 2b, to which the magnet 6 is fixed, pivoting downward with one side 2a as a fulcrum, and the rubber is moved. By pressing the membrane switch 13 via the sheet 5, the upper contact 13e comes into contact with the lower contact 13d.
Therefore, the operating member 2 is directly connected to the membrane switch 13
Membrane switch 13 without touching the upper surface of
No damage to the upper surface or mechanical damage to the contacts. Further, a part of the rubber sheet 5 attached to the lower surface of the frame body 3 supporting the operation member 2 is the magnet 6 of the operation member 2.
The operation member 2 is located below the portion to which the operation panel 1 is fixed, and can prevent the operation member 2 from dropping from the frame 3 when the operation panel 1 is assembled or transported.

Further, as is clear from the relationship between the operating force and the operating stroke shown in FIG. 4, the provision of the rubber sheet 5 does not impair the clear click feeling and stroke feeling. That is, when the pressing force (operating force) of the operating member 2 exceeds the magnetic attraction force between the magnet 6 fixed to the operating member 2 and the magnetic plate 4, if the magnet 6 is separated from the magnetic plate 4 by a little, both A click feeling can be obtained by abruptly reducing the magnetic attraction force and abruptly reducing the pressing feeling. Further, when the operating member 2 is in the horizontal state, the other side 2b is brought into contact with the upper surface of the rubber sheet 5 and the membrane switch 13
It is possible to obtain a sufficient stroke feeling in the rotation range until is turned on.

By using a transparent body or a translucent body as the operation member 2, the L switch is used instead of the membrane switch 13.
Even when the operation panel 1 is mounted on the transparent or translucent touch switch 13 arranged on the front surface of a display such as a CD, the display contents of the display can be sufficiently viewed from the upper portion of the operation panel 1. it can. In this case, if the rubber sheet 5 is a transparent body or a translucent body, it is not necessary to form the window portion 5b in the rubber sheet 5. on the other hand,
When the operation panel 1 is attached to an opaque sheet-like switch that is not arranged on the front surface of the display like the membrane switch 13, the rubber sheet 5 does not need to be a transparent body or a light-transmitting body, and the window portion 5b is not necessary. There is no need to provide it.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of a switch having an operation panel showing an example of the embodiment of the present invention. The switch 21 is, for example, the LCD 17 and the backlight 18.
The operation panel 1 having the above-described configuration is integrally formed with a display consisting of It is a thing. In this case, the operation panel 2 is a transparent body or a translucent body, the rubber sheet 5 is a transparent body or a translucent body, or the window portion 5b is formed in the rubber sheet 5, so that the display is displayed from the front of the switch 21. The displayed contents of can be visually confirmed. The LCD 17 and the backlight 18 are replaced by C
Other displays such as RT can also be used.

[0018]

According to the present invention, it is possible to protect the operating surface of the sheet-like switch from mechanical damage to the contact portion and prevent parts from falling off during assembly work or transportation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an operation panel showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an assembly view of the operation panel.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing a usage state of the operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between an operation force of the operation panel and an operation stroke.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a switch including an operation panel showing an example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an essential part showing a configuration of a conventional operation panel which is a premise of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-Operation panel 2-Operation member 3-Frame body 4-Magnetic plate 5-Rubber sheet 6-Magnet 11-Decorative cover 13-Touch switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An operating member, a part of which is fixed to a magnet, and a frame body which rotatably supports the operating member with one side thereof as a fulcrum.
An operation panel provided with a magnetic body that is located above the frame body and is magnetized by a magnet fixed to the operation member, wherein the operation member has a thin plate-like shape that faces below at least the other side parallel to the one side. An operation panel characterized in that a cushioning body is attached to a lower surface of the frame body. 2. An operating member having a magnet partially fixed thereto, and a frame body for rotatably supporting the operating member with one side thereof as a fulcrum.
A magnetic body that is located above the frame body and to which a magnet fixed to the operation member is magnetically attracted, and a thin plate-like member that is attached to the lower surface of the frame body and faces below at least the other side of the operation member that is parallel to the one side. A switch having an operation panel, characterized in that the switch and the sheet-like switch to which the bottom surface of the buffer closely adheres. 3. A translucent operating member having a magnet partially fixed thereto, a frame body for rotatably supporting the operating member with one side thereof as a fulcrum, and a frame located above the frame body and fixed to the operating member. The attached magnet is attached to the magnetic body that magnetically attracts and the lower surface of the frame,
A thin plate-shaped cushioning body facing at least below the other side of the operating member parallel to the one side, a translucent sheet-like switch with which the bottom surface of the cushioning body is in close contact, and a display arranged below the sheet-like switch. A switch equipped with an operation panel, which is characterized by comprising