JP2015022799A - Switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch device of simple structure in which the whole display surface of a switch knob can be illuminated uniformly.SOLUTION: Switches 22, 24a-24d and light sources 23, 25a-25d are juxtaposed on a circuit board 20. Between these switches 22, 24a-24d and light sources 23, 25a-25d and switch knobs 10, 11a-11d, transmission/light guide members 17, 18a-18d for transmitting the push operation of the switch knobs 10, 11a-11d and guiding the incident light from the light sources 23, 25a-25d, while diffusing, are disposed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch case having a knob hole in a ceiling wall, a translucent switch knob disposed in the knob hole and having an upper surface as a display surface, and a circuit board attached to the switch case below the switch knob And a switch device provided on the circuit board and operated by a push operation of the switch knob, and a light source that is also provided on the circuit board and illuminates the switch knob.

  Such a switching device is already known as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-139331

  In the switch device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the switch knob is illuminated, the light from the light source is directly applied to the back surface of the switch knob. In such a case, it is difficult to uniformly illuminate the entire display surface of the switch knob, which is detrimental to aesthetics.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide the switch device having a simple structure that can uniformly illuminate the entire display surface of the switch knob.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a switch case having a knob hole in a ceiling wall, a translucent switch knob disposed in the knob hole and having an upper surface as a display surface, and a lower part of the switch knob. A switch device comprising: a circuit board attached to the switch case; a switch provided on the circuit board and operated by a push operation of the switch knob; and a light source provided on the circuit board and illuminating the switch knob. The switch and the light source are arranged in parallel on the circuit board, and the push operation of the switch knob is transmitted to the switch between the switch and the light source and the switch knob, and the incident light from the light source is diffused. The first feature is that a transmission / light guiding member for guiding the switch knob is provided.

  In addition to the first feature, the present invention has a second feature in that a convex portion for light diffusion is formed on the upper surface of the transmission / light guide member facing the switch knob.

  Furthermore, in addition to the first or second feature, the present invention further includes forming a film that blocks or reduces light emitted from the light source on a portion of the lower surface of the transmission / light guide member facing the light source. Is the third feature.

  Furthermore, the present invention, in addition to any one of the first to third features, a support wall sandwiched and fixed between the switch case and the circuit board on the transmission / light guide member, A fourth feature is that the transmission / light guide members are connected together and an elastic arm for urging the transmission / light guide members toward the switch knob is integrally provided.

  According to the first feature of the present invention, the transmission / light guiding member has a function of transmitting the push operation of the switch knob to the switch and a function of guiding incident light from the light source to the switch knob while diffusing it. Therefore, the structure of the switch device can be simplified. In addition, since the transmission / light guiding member diffuses the incident light from the light source and guides it to the switch knob, the entire display surface of the switch knob can be illuminated uniformly, which can contribute to the improvement of aesthetics.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the light diffusion convex portion is formed on the upper surface of the transmission / light guiding member facing the switch knob, the convex portion corresponds to the light source corresponding to the transmission / light guiding member. The incident light from can be effectively diffused to achieve more uniform illumination of the entire display surface of each switch knob.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the film that blocks or reduces the light emitted from the light source is formed on the lower surface of the transmission / light guide member facing the light source, the transmission / light guide member from the light source is formed. The light that goes straight to the screen is blocked or dimmed by the above film, so that indirect light is guided to the switch knob while being diffused by each transmission / light guiding member, and uniform illumination of the entire display surface of the switch knob is achieved. It can be performed more effectively.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the transmission / light guide member is connected to the support wall sandwiched and fixed between the switch case and the circuit board, and the support wall and the transmission / light guide member are connected to each other. Since the elastic arm that biases the optical member toward the switch knob is integrally connected, the elastic support of the transmission / light guide member can be performed easily and reliably.

The top view of the switch apparatus which concerns on this invention. The top view of the said switch apparatus shown in the state which removed the upper case and the diaphragm. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. The perspective view which looked at the transmission and light guide member in the said switch apparatus from the upper surface side. The perspective view which looked at the same transmission and light guide member from the lower surface side.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 to 4, the switch case 1 of the switch device includes a lower case 2 and an upper case 3 fitted to the outer periphery thereof. And a locking hole 5 is provided in the peripheral wall of the upper case 3, and the lower case 2 and the upper case 3 are coupled to each other by the engagement of the locking claw 4 and the locking hole 5.

  A central knob hole 6 and first to fourth knob holes 7a to 7d arranged at equal intervals so as to surround the central knob hole 6 are opened in the ceiling wall 3a of the upper case 3, and each first to fourth knob hole 7a is opened. An annular recess 8 is formed on the periphery of each lower end of ˜7d.

  A central switch knob 10 is disposed in the central knob hole 6, and first to fourth switch knobs 11a to 11d are disposed in the first to fourth knob holes 7a to 7d so as to be movable up and down, and each switch knob 11a. A flange 12 formed on the outer periphery of the lower end of ˜11d is housed in the annular recess 8.

  The central switch knob 10 and the first to fourth switch knobs 11 a to 11 d are bonded to a waterproof and dustproof diaphragm 13 that is sandwiched and fixed between the lower case 2 and the upper case 3.

  The ceiling wall 2b of the lower case 2 is provided with a central opening 15 and first to fourth openings 16a to 16d corresponding to the central knob hole 6 and the first to fourth knob holes 7a to 7d, A central transmission / light guide member 17 is disposed in the central opening 15, and first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18 a to 18 d are disposed in the first to fourth openings 16 a to 16 d to be movable up and down.

  A circuit board 20 is attached to the lower end surface of the lower case 2 with screws 21. The circuit board 20 has a central switch 22 and a central light source 23 arranged facing the lower surface of the central transmission / light guide member 17, and The first to fourth switches 24a to 24d and the first to fourth light sources 25a to 25d are arranged so as to face the lower surfaces of the first to fourth transmission / light guiding members 18a to 18d, respectively. For example, tact switches are used for the switches 22 and 24a to 24d, and LEDs are used for the light sources 23 and 25a to 25d, for example.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18 a to 18 d are connected to each other via a support wall 26 and an elastic arm 27. The support wall 26 is positioned on both sides of the four radial walls 26a, 26a,... Disposed between the first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18a to 18d and the first transmission / light guide member 18a. An arcuate wall 26b that integrally connects the inner ends of the two radial walls 26a, 26a and an inner end of the radial walls 26a, 26a located on both sides of the third transmission / light guide member 18c are integrated. Each transmission / light guide member 17, 18 a to 18 d and each adjacent radial wall 26 a are integrally connected via an elastic arm 27. A positioning projection 28 is integrally formed on the upper end surface of each radial wall 26a.

  The first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18a to 18d, the support wall 26, and the elastic arm 27 are integrally formed using a light-transmitting synthetic resin as a material. The lower case 2 is integrally formed with an arc-shaped reinforcing wall 2 b that extends downward from the inner peripheral edge of the central opening 15 and contacts the circuit board 20.

  Thus, the support wall 26 is sandwiched and fixed between the ceiling wall 2a of the lower case 2 and the circuit board 20, and the positioning projections 28 of the radial walls 26a are provided on the ceiling wall 2a of the lower case 2. It fits in the positioning hole 29. Each elastic arm 27 is provided with a spring force that urges the transmission / light guiding members 17 and 18a to 18d connected to the elastic arm 27 toward the diaphragm 13 side. Thus, the central transmission / light guide member 17 and the first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18 a to 18 d are elastically supported by the switch case 1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, light diffusion convex portions 30 and the convex portions 30 are surrounded on the upper end surfaces of the central transmission / light guide member 17 and the first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18 a to 18 d. The pressure receiving protrusions 31 that are arranged in such a manner and are in contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm 13 are integrally formed. Each convex portion 30 includes a top surface 30a that faces the lower surface of the corresponding central switch knob 10 and first to fourth switch knobs 11a to 11d via the diaphragm 13, and a conical surface that descends from the top surface 30a toward the periphery. 30b.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the central transmission / light guide member 17 and the first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18a to 18d have respective central switches 22 and first to fourth switches 24a to 24d on the lower end surfaces thereof. A pressing projection 32 is formed integrally with the actuator 24d. Further, a light-shielding or light-reducing film 33 is formed on the lower end surfaces of the central transmission / light guide member 17 and the first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18a to 18d immediately above the light sources 23 and 25a to 25d. Printed.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  When the user pushes one of the central switch knob 10 and the first to fourth switch knobs 11 a to 11 d, for example, the first switch knob 11 a, the first switch knob 11 a performs the first transmission / conduction while bending the diaphragm 13. Since the pressure receiving projection 31 of the optical member 18a is pressed, the first transmission / light guide member 18a descends against the urging force of the elastic arm 27, and the pressing projection 32 presses the actuator of the first switch 24a. The first switch 24a can be turned on.

  When the other switch knobs 10, 11b to 11d are pushed, the corresponding switches 22, 24b to 24d can be turned on by the same operation.

  When the first to fourth light sources 25a to 25d are turned on, the irradiation light is diffused and guided by the corresponding central transmission / light guide member 17 and first to fourth transmission / light guide members 18a to 18d, and the diaphragm 13 , The central switch knob 10 and the first to fourth switch knobs 11a to 11d are irradiated, so that the upper surfaces of the switch knobs 10, 11a to 14d, that is, the entire display surface are uniformly illuminated.

  In particular, each transmission / light guide member 17, 18 a to 18 d has, on its upper end surface, a convex portion 30 having a top surface 30 a and a conical surface 30 b that descends from the top surface 30 a toward the periphery. This convex part 30 diffuses incident light effectively, and can perform more uniform illumination of the whole display surface of each switch knob 10, 11a-14d.

  Further, a film 33 that blocks or reduces the light emitted from the light sources 23 and 25a to 25d is printed on a portion of the lower surface of each transmission / light guide member 17 and 18a to 18d facing the corresponding light sources 23 and 25a to 25d. Therefore, the light directing from the light sources 23, 25a to 25d to the transmission / light guide members 17, 18a to 18d is blocked or dimmed by the film 33, so that indirect light is transmitted to each transmission / light guide member. Since it is guided to each switch knob 10, 11a-14d while being diffused by 17, 18a-18d, uniform illumination of the entire display surface of each switch knob 10, 11a-14d can be performed more effectively.

  As described above, each transmission / light guide member 17, 18a-18d has a function of transmitting the push operation of each switch knob 10, 11a-14d to each switch 22, 24a-24d, and each light source 23, 25a-25d. It is possible to contribute to simplification of the structure of the switch device since it also has the function of diffusing the irradiated light to the switch knobs 10, 11a to 11d.

  Each transmission / light guide member 17, 18 a to 18 d includes a support wall 26 that is sandwiched and fixed between the ceiling wall 2 a of the lower case 2 and the circuit board 20, and the support wall 26 and each transmission / light guide member 17. , 18a to 18d and the transmission / light guide members 17, 18a to 18d are integrally formed with the elastic arms 27 for urging the switch knobs 10 and 11a to 14d to each transmission / light guide member. The elastic support of 17, 18a-18d can be performed easily and reliably.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various design changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the present invention can be applied to a switch device having a single switch or a switch device in which a plurality of switches are arranged in a straight line.

1 .... Switch case 3a ... Ceiling wall 6 ... Knob hole (central knob hole) 7a-7d ... Knob hole (first to fourth knob holes)
10... Central switch knobs 11 a to 11 d... 1 to 4 switch knobs 17... Transmission / light guide member (central transmission / light guide member)
18a to 18d · · transmission · light guide member (first to fourth central transmission · light guide member)
20 ... Circuit board 22 ... Switch (central switch)
23... Central light source 24a-24d..switch (first to fourth switches)
25a to 25d..Light source (first to fourth light sources)
26... Support wall 27... Elastic arm 30.

Claims (4)

A switch case (1) having a knob hole (6, 7a to 7d) in the ceiling wall (3a), and a translucent switch knob disposed in the knob hole (6, 7a to 7d) and having an upper surface as a display surface (10, 11a to 11d), a circuit board (20) attached to the switch case (1) below the switch knob (10, 11a to 11d), and the circuit board (20). Similarly to the switches (22, 24a to 24d) operated by pushing the knobs (10, 11a to 11d), the light source is provided on the circuit board (20) and illuminates the switch knobs (10, 11a to 11d). (23, 25a to 25d)
The switch (22, 24a to 24d) and the light source (23, 25a to 25d) are arranged in parallel on the circuit board (20), and the switch (22, 24a to 24d) and the light source (23, 25a to 25d) The push operation of the switch knob (10, 11a to 11d) is transmitted to the switch (22, 24a to 24d) between the switch knob (10, 11a to 11d) and the light source (23, 25a to 25d). And a light guide member (17, 18a to 18d) for guiding the incident light from the switch knob (10, 11a to 11d) while diffusing the incident light. The switch device according to claim 1,
A switch device characterized in that a light diffusion convex portion (30) is formed on an upper surface of the transmission / light guiding member (17, 18a to 18d) facing the switch knob (10, 11a to 11d). The switch device according to claim 1 or 2,
The irradiation light of the light source (23, 25a to 25d) is blocked or dimmed on the portion of the lower surface of the transmission / light guiding member (17, 18a to 18d) facing the light source (23, 25a to 25d). A switch device comprising a film (33). In the switch apparatus in any one of Claims 1-3,
A support wall (26) sandwiched and fixed between the switch case (1) and the circuit board (20) by the transmission / light guide member (17, 18a to 18d), the support wall (26) and the support wall (26) An elastic arm (27) for connecting the transmission / light guide members (17, 18a to 18d) and urging the transmission / light guide members (17, 18a to 18d) toward the switch knob (10, 11a to 11d) ) In an integrated manner.

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