JP2599929Y2 - Multi-directional switch - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation switch for adjusting a door mirror of an audio device, a game machine, or an automobile, a so-called joystick controller, and to a multidirectional switch having a structure suitable for use in nighttime illumination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as this kind of multidirectional switch, there is one having a structure disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 2-31038, in which a support is provided on a printed circuit board, and four push switches are provided at the outer peripheral position of the support. The switches are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and a casing and a cover member are provided to cover the columns and the respective push switches.

The lower end of the operating lever is supported by the upper end of the support column in a fitting manner, and the upper portion of the operating lever projects upward from an opening formed in a casing or a cover member. By tilting the upper part of the lever in a desired direction, four pushers integrally provided at the lower end of the operating lever selectively press each push switch.

[0004]

However, in the structure of the conventional multidirectional switch, the lower end base of the operation lever is supported by the upper end of a support provided on the printed circuit board side in a fitting manner. In addition, the casing is slidably held in contact with the inner surface of the cover member on the casing side formed separately from the printed circuit board. When the casing is mounted on the printed circuit board, the upper end of the support post and the cover member slide. The structure is such that it is difficult to obtain the dimensional accuracy of the mutual distance between the moving surface and the moving surface.

Therefore, when the distance between the upper end of the support and the sliding surface of the cover member is smaller than a predetermined distance, or when the upper end of the support and the sliding surface of the cover member are displaced from each other, the lower end of the operating lever is not moved. The frictional resistance between the base, the upper end of the column, and the sliding surface of the cover member is increased, and the durability life is shortened. In some cases, the operation lever may become inoperable.

On the other hand, if the distance between the upper end of the column and the sliding surface of the cover member is larger than a predetermined distance, the play of the operation lever with respect to the cover member becomes large, and the operation feeling is deteriorated. In the case of (1), there is also a problem that rattling sound is generated by vibration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-directional switch which can ensure good dimensional accuracy, prolong the service life, and effectively prevent rattling due to vibration.

[0008]

Technical means for achieving the above object include a substrate on which a plurality of switch portions are arranged, a cover case for covering the plurality of switch portions, and a projecting shape from an insertion hole of the cover case. And a multi-directional switch comprising an operation lever supported to be able to return to a neutral position and an operation body capable of selectively operating the plurality of switch portions in conjunction with a tilt operation of the operation lever. A ring-shaped swing support is swingably supported around a first axis on a support portion provided on the inner surface side of the cover case;
The operating body is swingably supported by the swing support around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis , and the first axis is
Where the intersection between the axis and the second axis is the fulcrum of the tilting operation of the operating lever
Preferably, the operating body is provided with an operating lever ,
In each switch section, each of the
When supported on the substrate side so that it can reciprocate in the contact direction of the contact
In both cases, the separation of the contacts by the elastic restoring force of each switch section.
The operation lever is returned to the neutral position and held by the remote direction movement
It is provided with a respective interlocking operation body to be operated .

In addition, a light source is provided on the substrate, and the plurality of switch portions are arranged at predetermined circumferential intervals at an outer peripheral position of the light source, and the operating body is made of a light-transmissive resin in a disk shape. It may be a structure formed in

[0010]

According to the present invention, an operation body provided with an operation lever for selectively operating a plurality of switch portions is supported on a cover case side so as to be tiltable, and a structure requiring dimensional accuracy is required. Is provided on the cover case side, so that good dimensional accuracy at the time of assembly can be easily secured compared to the case where the structure is supported over both the printed circuit board and the cover member as shown in the conventional example. , The tilting operation of the operating lever does not cause excessive force, extending the service life of the multi-directional switch and the elastic restoring force of each switch.
To return and hold the operating lever to the neutral position
, And the backlash can be effectively prevented due to vibration.

[0011] Further, members such as columns as in the conventional example for supporting the operating body on the substrate side are not required, and the respective switch portions can be gathered at the center portion, and the space occupied on the substrate side here. Can be made smaller.

Further, a light source can be arranged at the center of each switch section, and the vicinity of the operation section can be uniformly illuminated from the center of the multi-directional switch through a disk-shaped operation body made of a light-transmitting resin, so that night visibility is improved. Can be improved.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a multidirectional switch 1 comprises a printed circuit board 2 on which a wiring pattern is appropriately formed.
A rubber contact switch sheet 4 provided with an elastically deformable contact switch section 3, an interlocking operation body 5 for directly operating the contact switch section 3, a guide case 6 for guiding the interlocking operation body 5, and an interlocking operation body The main structure includes an operating body 7 for operating the operating member 5, a ring-shaped swinging support 8, a cover case 9, and an operating lever 10.

The rubber contact switch sheet 4 is provided with contact switch portions 3 at four positions at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of a circle having a desired diameter in a swelling manner. As shown in (1), the contact switch sections 3 are arranged in an overlapping manner on the printed circuit board 2 so as to project upward.

The fixed electrodes 2a and 2b as the contacts on the printed circuit board 2 and the movable contact 3a provided on the contact switch section 3 are arranged so as to face each other at an appropriate distance in the vertical direction. Here, each fixed electrode 2a,
A plurality of switch units that can be freely connected and disconnected by the contact and separation of the movable contact 2b and the movable contact 3a are configured.

A light source 11 composed of a lamp, an LED or the like is provided at a central portion of each contact switch section 3 so as to be lighted.

The interlocking operation body 5 includes a disk-shaped operation section 5a which is in contact with the upper surface of the contact switch section 3, and an operation section 5
The guide shaft 5b has a guide shaft portion 5b projecting upward from the center of a, and the upper end portion of the guide shaft portion 5b is formed in a hemispherical shape.

Each interlocking operation body 5 is provided on each of the contact switch sections 3, and a guide case 6 is attached by adhesive or the like so as to cover each of the contact switch sections 3. The guide case 6 is provided with a circular hole 6a for guiding the operation portion 5a of each interlocking operation body 5 in the up-down direction, and is provided with an insertion hole 6b on the upper surface side in which the guide shaft portion 5b is inserted. Have been. Here, each interlocking operation body 5 is
Reciprocating in the contact / separation direction between the fixed electrodes 2a, 2b and the movable contact 3a
It is movably supported. Further, an opening 6c for guiding the light of the light source 11 upward is formed in a portion located at the center of each insertion hole 6b.

The cover case 9 is formed of a light-shielding resin, and a pair of one-sided support portions 9a are provided on the inner surface side of the cover case 9 so as to protrude downward, and each support portion 9a has the same axial center. Is formed in the horizontal first bearing hole 9b. A lever insertion hole 9c is formed in the upper surface of the cover case 9 located between the two support portions 9a. The lever insertion hole 9c is located at an outer peripheral position of the lever insertion hole 9c and is located above each contact switch portion 3. The illumination unit 12 is provided in each part.

The illumination section 12 is made of a light-transmitting resin filled and fixed in a hole 9d formed in the cover case 9, and is formed by potting, two-color molding, or the like.

The oscillating support 8 is formed in a circular ring shape, and has a first rotating shaft 8a protruding from a radially outer peripheral side surface. Each of the first rotating shafts 8a is supported by being fitted into a first bearing hole 9b of the supporting portion 9a by elastic deformation or the like. Here, the swing support 8 is a first shaft center as a first shaft center. It is supported by the support part 9a side so as to be swingable about the axis of the rotation shaft 8a. In addition, second bearing holes 8b are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the swing support member 8 located in a radial direction orthogonal to the axis of the first rotation shaft 8a.

The operating body 7 is formed in a disk shape.
An operation lever 10 is provided so as to protrude upward from the center. The operating body 7 and the operating lever 10 are integrally formed of a light transmitting resin such as an acrylic resin.
A second rotating shaft 7a is provided in a protruding shape on a radially outer peripheral surface of the operating body 7, and each of the second rotating shafts 7a is provided in a second bearing hole 8b of the swing support body 8. The operating body 7 is fitted and supported by elastic deformation or the like, and is supported on the side of the swing support body 8 so as to be swingable around the axis of the second rotation shaft 7a as the second axis. And the axis of the first rotating shaft 8a.
The intersection of the center and the second rotation shaft 7a causes the operation lever 10 to tilt.
It is configured as a fulcrum of operation.

The operating lever 10 projects upward from the lever insertion hole 9c of the cover case 9, and the operating portion 13 is fitted to the upper end of the operating lever 10 in a press-fitting manner or is fixed by bonding or the like.

The operation section 13 is formed of a light-transmissive resin such as a milky white acrylic resin, and as shown in FIG.
is formed, a part of the coating film 13a on the upper surface is removed by a laser beam or the like, and a mark 13b for operation identification is displayed.

When the cover case 9 is mounted on the printed circuit board 2 in a state where the operating body 7 is supported by the cover case 9 via the swinging support member 8, as shown in FIG.
Due to the elastic restoring force of each contact switch section 3, the operating body 7 is held at the upper end of the guide shaft 5b of each interlocking operating body 5 in a substantially horizontal state as a neutral position .

Next, when operating the multi-directional switch 1,
When the operation lever 13 is tilted around the axis of the first rotation shaft 8a by the operation unit 13, the operation body 7 and the swing support 8 swing integrally about the axis of the first rotation shaft 8a. Then, the interlocking operation body 5 located on the front side in the swinging direction is pushed downward by the operation body 7, and the contact switch unit 3 is pressed by the interlocking operation body 5 to elastically deform the contact switch unit 3. The fixed electrodes 2a and 2b and the movable contact 3a are in contact with each other, and the contact switch unit 3 is connected. And the operation unit 13
Is released, the operating body 7 is returned to the initial state by the elastic restoring force of the elastically deformed contact switch section 3.

If the operating lever 10 is tilted around the axis of the second rotating shaft 7a by the operating section 13, the operating body 7
Is swung about the axis of the second rotation shaft 7a with respect to the swing support member 8, and the corresponding contact switch unit 3 is connected in the same manner as described above, and the operating force on the operating unit 13 is released. It returns to the initial state.

The embodiment of the present invention is constructed as described above, and has a structure in which the integrally formed operating body 7 and operating lever 10 are tiltably supported on the cover case 9 side via the swing support 8. Since all the structures requiring dimensional accuracy are provided on the cover case 9 side, the structure is supported over both the printed circuit board and the cover member as shown in the conventional example. In comparison, good dimensional accuracy at the time of assembly can be easily ensured, no excessive force occurs when the operation lever 10 is tilted, the life of the multidirectional switch 1 can be extended, and each contact switch can be used.
The operation lever 10 is moved to the neutral position by the elastic restoring force of the portion 3.
In this method, the state is restored and the state is maintained, and rattling due to vibration can be effectively prevented.

Further, a member for supporting the operating body 7 on the printed circuit board 2 side is not required, and the contact switch sections 3 can be gathered at a more central portion. Can be configured small. Further
In addition, when the connection operation of each contact switch unit 3 is performed, a tilt operation is performed.
Each contact is directly made by the operating body 7 integrated with the operating lever 10 to be operated.
Instead of pushing the switch part 3, each fixed electrode 2
a, 2b and movable contact 3a can reciprocate in the direction of contact and separation.
Each contact switch unit 3 is supported via the supported interlocking operation body 5.
This is a push operation method.
The pressing direction is the contact between the fixed electrodes 2a and 2b and the movable contact 3a.
It is obtained stably along the separation direction, and the direction of operation feeling is
Advantages of improved switch operation and improved reliability
There is also.

In the above embodiment, the light source 11 is disposed by utilizing the space at the center of each contact switch section 3 and can be illuminated from below the center of the operating body 7. And the like can be uniformly illuminated in the vicinity of the operation unit 13, and the visibility at night can be improved. In addition, light can be guided to the operation unit 13 through the operation lever 10,
The operation unit 13 itself can be illuminated, and night visibility can be improved from this point as well.

In the above embodiment, the operating body 7 is shown as having a disk-like structure, but the operating piece is radiated from the lower end of the operating lever 10 in the direction corresponding to each contact switch section 3. May be a projecting structure, and is not limited to the shape of the embodiment. In addition, the shape of the swing support 8 may be configured to a shape corresponding to the operation body 7. Further, the shape of the cover case 9 may be appropriately formed. Further, the number of the contact switch sections 3 is not limited to the number of the embodiments, and may be determined as appropriate.

[0032]

As described above, according to the multidirectional switch of the present invention, the ring-shaped swing support swings around the first axis on the support provided on the inner surface side of the cover case. is rotatably supported, is supported second swingably about an axial center of the operating body to swing the support is perpendicular to the first axis, before
The intersection between the first axis and the second axis is tilted of the operation lever.
An operating lever is provided on the operating body so as to be a fulcrum of a moving operation, and the operating members are separated from each other and opposed to each other.
Reciprocally movable in the direction of contact and separation of each arranged contact on the substrate side
Supported by the elastic restoring force of each switch
The operation lever is set to the neutral position by moving each contact in the separation direction.
There is no interlocking operation body for returning and holding
That it is intended, since there is provided a structure in which dimensional accuracy is required for all the cover case side, as compared with the case of being supported across both the printed circuit board and the cover member as shown in the prior art structure , Good dimensional accuracy can be easily secured at the time of assembling, and there is no difficulty in tilting the operation lever, extending the service life of the multi-directional switch and neutralizing the operation lever by the elastic restoring force of each switch.
This is a method of returning to the position and holding it, and has the advantage that rattling due to vibration can be effectively prevented.

Further, members such as columns, etc. for supporting the operation body on the substrate side as in the conventional example are not required, and the respective switch portions can be gathered at the center portion, and the space occupied on the substrate side here There is an advantage that can be made smaller. Sa
In addition, when operating each switch, the operating lever
Press each switch directly with the operating body that is tilted with
Instead of moving operation, they are spaced apart and opposed to each other
Interlocking operation supported to be able to reciprocate in the contact direction of each contact
This is a method that pushes and operates each switch unit through the body.
The pushing direction against the switch is along the contact / separation direction of each contact.
And obtain a stable and improved operation feeling
Both have the advantage that the reliability of the switch operation is improved.

In addition, a light source is provided on the substrate, a plurality of switches are arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction at an outer peripheral position of the light source, and the operating body is formed in a disk shape with a light transmitting resin. Then, the vicinity of the operation unit can be uniformly illuminated from the center of the multi-directional switch through a disk-shaped operation body made of a light-transmitting resin, and there is an advantage that visibility at night can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a contact switch unit.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an operation unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multi-directional switch 2 Printed circuit board 3 Contact switch part 4 Rubber contact switch sheet 5 Interlocking operation body 6 Guide case 7 Operation body 7a Second rotation axis 8 Swing support 8a First rotation axis 8b Bearing hole 9 Cover case 9a Support part 9b Bearing hole 9c Lever insertion hole 10 Operation lever 11 Light source 12 Illumination part 13 Operation part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2- 197031 (JP, A) JP-A-2-31038 (JP, U) JP-A-61-33345 (JP, U) JP-A-63 61724 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 57-18236 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 1-65105 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 2-22545 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 4-119925 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01H 25/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A substrate on which a plurality of switch units are arranged;
A cover case for covering the plurality of switch portions, an operation lever projecting from an insertion hole of the cover case and supported to be able to return to a neutral position, and the plurality of switch portions interlocked with a tilt operation of the operation lever. A multi-directional switch comprising an operation body capable of selectively operating a ring-shaped swinging support around a first axis on a support provided on the inner surface side of the cover case. The operating body is swingably supported by the swing support around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis ;
The intersection between the axis and the second axis is the tilt of the operating lever.
Fulcrum as possible, the operating body is operated lever provided, it is opposed spaced apart from each other in the respective switch portions
Supported on the board side so that it can reciprocate in the direction of contact and separation of each contact.
And the respective contacts due to the elastic restoring force of each switch section
The operation lever returns to the neutral position by moving the
A multidirectional switch characterized by being provided with an interlocking operation body to be held . 2. A light source is provided on the substrate, and the plurality of switch parts are arranged at predetermined circumferential intervals at an outer peripheral position of the light source, and the operating body is made of a light-transmissive resin in a disk shape. 2. The multi-directional switch according to claim 1, wherein the switch is formed as follows.