EP1710823A2

EP1710823A2 - Multi-directional input device

Info

Publication number: EP1710823A2
Application number: EP20060007139
Authority: EP
Inventors: Shinichi Mizobuchi; Hideyasu Hayashi
Original assignee: Alps Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Alps Alpine Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-04-06
Filing date: 2006-04-04
Publication date: 2006-10-11
Also published as: JP2006294303A

Abstract

A biasing device for biasing to return an operating lever (10) toward a neutral direction is provided outside a housing (20). The biasing device includes a coil spring (14) through which the operating lever (10) is inserted, a first spring bearing (11a) which is provided to the operating lever (10) to receive one end of the coil spring (14), and a second spring bearing (29b) which includes a circular plate portion (29b) forming an upper surface of the housing (20) to receive the other end of the coil spring (14).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multi-directional input device including a housing, an operating lever protruding from the housing and operable in a tilted state, and a biasing device for biasing to return the operating lever toward a neutral direction.

2. Description of the Related Art

A known multi-directional input device is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-243187 , for example. The multi-directional input device according to the related art includes a housing, an operating lever protruding from the housing and operable in a tilted state, and a biasing device provided inside the housing and biasing the operating lever toward a neutral direction by using resilience of a coil spring.
According to the related art described above, actuating force required for tilting the operating lever depends on the coil spring. Therefore, the actuating force can be changed by replacing the coil spring with another coil spring having a different spring constant. However, if the housing is downsized and thus the size of the coil spring provided in the housing is limited, it becomes difficult to change and increase the actuating force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-directional input device capable of easily changing force required for tilting an operating lever.
To achieve the above-described object, a multi-directional input device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a housing, an operating lever protruding from the housing and operable in a tilted state, a first biasing device provided inside the housing for biasing to return the operating lever toward a neutral direction, and a second biasing device provided outside the housing for biasing to return the operating lever toward the neutral direction.
In the thus configured multi-directional input device according to the one aspect of the present invention, actuating force required for tilting the operating lever can be changed by changing biasing force applied to the operating lever by the second biasing device. Further, the second biasing device is provided in a space outside the housing in which a dimensional restriction is smaller than inside the housing. Therefore, the second biasing device can be easily changed. Accordingly, the actuating force can be easily changed.
In the multi-directional input device of the present invention, the second biasing device may include a coil spring through which the operating lever is inserted, a first spring bearing provided to the operating lever for receiving one end of the coil spring, and a second spring bearing provided at a side of the housing for receiving the other end of the coil spring. Further, the coil spring may be compressed as the operating lever is operated in the tilted state.
In the thus configured multi-directional input device according to the one aspect of the present invention, the actuating force can be changed by replacing the coil spring with another coil spring having a different spring constant. Further, the operating lever and the housing may be common parts. Accordingly, easy response to a request for the change of the actuating force is enabled. Furthermore, resilience of the coil spring, which is caused as the operating lever is operated in the tilted state and the coil spring is compressed, works on the operating lever and the housing. Therefore, rattling of the operating lever with respect to the housing can be reduced.
In the multi-directional input device of the present invention, the first spring bearing may be formed on a spring bearing member that is separate from the operating lever and be formed with a through-hole through which the operating lever is inserted. Further, the operating lever may include a male screw portion which protrudes from the through-hole to be screwed into a nut.
In the thus configured multi-directional input device according to the one aspect of the present invention, the first spring bearing can be easily and securely provided to the operating lever.
In the multi-directional input device of the present invention, a grip may be attached to the spring bearing member.
In the thus configured multi-directional input device according to the one aspect of the present invention, the grip is provided to the spring bearing member which is larger than the operating lever in the size in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the operating lever. Accordingly, stability of the grip with respect to the operating lever can be improved.
In the multi-directional input device of the present invention, the operating lever may be provided so as to be openable in a pressed state in the axial direction thereof. Further, a switch for detecting a pressing operation of the operating lever may be provided inside the housing.
The thus configured multi-directional input device according to the one aspect of the present invention can be used also as a multi-directional input device having a push switch. Further, by replacing the coil spring of the second biasing device is replaced with another coil spring having a different spring constant, the actuating force required for moving the operating lever toward the axial direction thereof, i.e., the actuating force of the push switch can also be changed.
In the multi-directional input device according to the one aspect of the present invention, the actuating force required for tilting the operating lever can be changed by changing biasing force applied to the operating lever by the second biasing device. Further, the second biasing device is provided in the space outside the housing in which the dimensional restriction is smaller than inside the housing. Therefore, the second biasing device can be easily changed. Accordingly, the actuating force can be easily changed. In particular, the actuating force can be easily increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a multi-directional input device according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of a principal part of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a top view of the input device illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the interior of the input device illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a top view of the housing (i.e., the case) included in the input device illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 is a top view of a movable contact plate and the guide member illustrated in Fig. 4;
Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a cover and fixed contacts illustrated in Fig. 4;
Fig. 8 is a top view of a pressing member illustrated in Fig. 4;
Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the pressing member illustrated in Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the pressing member illustrated in Fig. 8;
Fig. 11 is a top view of the rubber member illustrated in Fig. 4;
Fig. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rubber member illustrated in Fig. 11;
Fig. 13 is a bottom view of the rubber member illustrated in Fig. 11;
Fig. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an example state of the principal part illustrated in Fig. 2 in a tilted-state operation; and
Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating an example state of the interior of the input device illustrated in Fig. 4 in the tilted-state operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of a multi-directional input device according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the-present embodiment includes a housing 20, an input device 15 including an operating lever 10 which is formed of a metal and protrudes from the housing 20, a spring bearing member 11 to which a grip 1 is attached that is used by an operator in applying control force, and so forth.
As illustrated in Fig. 3, the housing 20 is formed in the shape of a regular octagon, as viewed from above. Further, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the housing 20 includes a case 21 which has a bottom surface and an upper opening, and a cover 27 which covers the case 21. The case 21 and the cover 27 form a housing space 28. Each of the case 21 and the cover 27 is formed of a synthetic resin. The housing 20 further includes a fixing member 29 which is formed of a metal and fixes the cover 27 and the case 21 to each other. The fixing member 29 is formed with a through-hole 29a through which the operating lever 10 is inserted. Further, the fixing member 29 includes a circular plate portion 29b which is placed above the cover 27, and four leg portions 29c which extend downward from a periphery of the circular plate portion 29b and are fixed to the case 21.
The present embodiment further includes a first biasing device (later described) which is provided inside the housing 20 and biases to return the operating lever 10 toward a neutral direction, and a second biasing device which is provided outside the housing 20 and forms the substantial part of the present embodiment.
As illustrated in Fig. 2, the second biasing device is provided outside the housing 20 of the input device 15, for example, between an upper surface of the housing 20 and the grip 1. Further, the second biasing device includes a coil spring 14, a first spring bearing 11a provided to the operating lever 10 for receiving one end of the coil spring 14, and a second spring bearing provided at a side of the housing 20 for receiving the other end of the coil spring 14, such as the circular plate portion 29b of the fixing member 29.
The first spring bearing 11a is formed on, for example, the spring bearing member 11 attached to the operating lever 10. The spring bearing member 11 is formed of a synthetic resin, and includes an inner cylindrical portion 11b provided on an inner circumference of the first spring bearing 11a to form a through-hole through which the operating lever 10 is inserted, and an outer cylindrical portion 11c located on an outer circumference of the first spring bearing 11a to form an outer circumference surface of the spring bearing member 11.
The operating lever 10 includes blocking portions 10a and 10b which prevent the spring bearing member 11 from moving toward the housing 20 in a state in which the operating lever 10 is inserted through the inner cylindrical portion 11b of the spring bearing member 11. An inner circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion 11b of the spring bearing member 11 is formed with contact regions 11d and 11e which contact the blocking portions 10a and 10b, respectively. The operating lever 10 further includes a male screw portion 10c which protrudes from the inner cylindrical portion 11b and is screwed into a nut 13. In a state in which the male screw portion 10c is screwed into the nut 13, biasing force of the coil spring 14 prevents the spring bearing member 11 from moving in an axial direction of the operating lever 10.
As illustrated in Fig. 3, an outer circumferential surface of the operating lever 10 is formed with a flat surface 10d which extends parallel to the axial direction of the operating lever 10. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion 11b is formed with a flat surface 11f which contacts the flat surface 10d. The flat surfaces 10d and 11f prevent the operating lever 10 and the spring bearing member 11 from rotating relatively to each other.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the grip 1 is formed with a fitting hole 1a which is of a noncircular shape and in which the spring bearing member 11 is fit. The inner circumferential surface of the fitting hole 1a is formed with a flat surface 1b which extends parallel to the axial direction of the operating lever 10. The outer circumferential surface of the spring bearing member 11 is formed with a flat surface 11g which contacts the flat surface 1b. The flat surfaces 1b and 11g prevent the grip 1 and the spring bearing member 11 from rotating relatively to each other.
As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, a fixed contact 22 is provided at the center of the inner bottom surface of the case 21. The fixed contact 22 is integrally formed with a terminal 22a which extends downward from the case 21. Further, the fixed contact 22 is surrounded by two common contacts 23 which face each other across the fixed contact 22. The common contacts 23 are integrally formed with three terminals 23a which extend downward from the case 21, via a conductive portion 23b. In Fig. 5, hatching indicates the terminals 22a and 23a, and portions of the fixed contact 22 and the common contacts 23 embedded in the case 21 and exposed from the inner bottom surface of the case 21.
As illustrated in Fig. 4, the inner bottom surface of the case 21 is provided with a dome-shaped conductive member 24 which is conductive and is formed by a metal plate or the like for covering the fixed contact 22 and the common contacts 23. That is, the fixed contact 22, the common contacts 23, and the conductive member 24 form a switch which detects a pressing operation of the operating lever 10 (hereinafter referred to as the "press detecting switch"). Further, a part of the inner bottom surface of the case 21 located outside the outer circumferential surface of the conductive member 24 is provided with a projection 21a. The projection 21a is formed in the shape of a circular arc, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and positions the conductive member 24, as illustrated in Fig. 4.
The operating lever 10 is disposed above the conductive member 24 which functions as a moving contact. A pressing member 25 and a rubber member 26 are provided between the conductive member 24 and the operating lever 10. The pressing member 25 is pressed by a lower end of the operating lever 10, and the rubber member 26 is fit inside the projection 21a and contacts the conductive member 24 from above.
As illustrated in Fig. 8, the pressing member 25 is formed into a circular shape, as viewed from above. As illustrated in Figs. 4, 8, and 9, a spherical receiving portion 25a which receives the lower end of the operating lever 10 is formed at the center of an upper surface of the pressing member 25. As illustrated in Figs. 4, 9, and 10, a protrusion 25b is formed at the center of a lower surface of the pressing member 25.
As illustrated in Fig. 11, the rubber member 26 is formed into a circular shape, as viewed from above. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 12, a fitting hole 26a in which the protrusion 25b of the pressing member 25 fits is formed at the center of the rubber member 26.
Further, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the cover 27 is formed with a guide hole 27a having the inner circumferential surface which is inclined such that an inner diameter of an upper opening of the guide hole 27a is smaller than an inner diameter of a lower opening of the guide hole 27a. A guide member 33 is inserted in the guide hole 27a. The guide member 33 has a guide surface 33c which is an inclined surface substantially parallel to the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole 27a. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, a through-hole 33a is formed at the center of the guide member 33, and the operating lever 10 is inserted through the through-hole 33a.
A lower end portion of the outer circumferential surface of the operating lever 10 is formed with a flat surface 10e which is parallel to the axial direction of the operating lever 10. A lower end portion of an inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 33a of the guide member 33 is formed with a flat surface 33d which contacts the flat surface 10e of the operating lever 10. That is, the flat surfaces 10e and 33d prevent the operating lever 10 and the guide member 33 from rotating relatively to each other. The operating lever 10 can slidingly move downward in the axial direction thereof with respect to the guide member 33.
As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, a movable contact plate 31 is fixed to (embedded in) the guide member 33 by insert molding such that the movable contact plate 31 faces the cover 27. The movable contact plate 31 is a conductive member formed into a square shape, as viewed from above. Four corners of the movable contact plate 31 are respectively formed with contact regions 31a which protrude toward the outside and contact corresponding fixed contacts 30 (later described). The inner surface of the case 21 is formed with cutouts 21c which allow the contact regions 31a to move in accordance with the operation of the operating lever 10.
As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7, the four fixed contacts 30 corresponding to the four contact regions 31a of the movable contact plate 31 are provided on the lower surface of the cover 27. That is, the movable contact plate 31 and the four fixed contacts 30 form four switches which enables detection of tilted-state operations of the operating lever 10 in eight tilting directions (i.e., directions indicated by arrows A to H) as illustrated in Fig. 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "tilt detecting switches"). Each of the fixed contacts 30 has a terminal 30a which is provided along an outer surface of the case 21, and a contact region 30b which protrudes from the lower surface of the cover 27 toward the movable contact plate 31 and contacts the corresponding contact region 31a of the movable contact plate 31 when the moving contact plate 31 is tilted. The terminal 30a of the individual fixed contact 30 is inserted through a corresponding frame portion 21b which protrudes from a lower end portion of the outer surface of the case 21.
Further, as illustrated in Fig. 4, a conductive coil spring 32 is disposed between the movable contact plate 31 and the bottom surface of the case 21. That is, the biasing device provided inside the housing 20 includes the coil spring 32, a spring bearing which forms a lower surface of the movable contact plate 31 and receives one end of the coil spring 32, and a spring bearing which forms the bottom surface of the case 21 and receives the other end of the coil spring 32.
The coil spring 32 is placed around the outer circumference of the protrusion 21a to be fit around the protrusion 21a. Further, the conductive portion 23b, which is of the circular arc shape and located outside the outer circumference of the protrusion 21a and the movable contact plate 31 are always electrically connected via the coil spring 32. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, the guide member 33 is provided with four spacers 33b, each of which maintains a distance between the corresponding contact region 31a of the movable contact plate 31 and the contact region 30b of the corresponding fixed contact 30 at a predetermined value in a state in which the operating lever 10 is no operated. The spacers 33b are disposed on lines connecting the respective contact regions 31a of the movable contact plate 31 to the center of the through-hole 33a of the guide member 33.
Operations of the present embodiment thus configured will now be described.

(In a neutral state)

The coil spring 14 constantly biases the operating lever 10 via the spring bearing member 11 such that the operating lever 10 returns to the neutral direction. Further, the coil spring 32 constantly biases the operating lever 10 via the movable contact plate 31 and the guide member 33 such that the operating lever 10 returns to the neutral direction. Therefore, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the operating lever 10 is held at a neutral position in a state in which the operating lever 10 is not applied with control force.
In the state in which the operating lever 10 is held at the neutral position, the operating lever 10 is lifted upward with respect to the case 21 by the coil springs 14 and 32 in Fig. 2. Therefore, the operating lever 10 does not press the pressing member 25 downward, and thus the conductive member 24 is separate from the fixed contact 22. That is, the push detecting switch is in the OFF state.
In the state in which the operating lever 10 is held at the neutral position, the respective spacers 33b of the guide member 33 are sandwiched by the movable contact plate 31 and the lower surface of the cover 27. Thus, each of the spacers 33b maintains the distance between the contact region 30a of the corresponding fixed contact 30 and the corresponding contact region 31a of the movable contact plate 31 at the predetermined value. That is, all of the four tilt detecting switches are in the OFF state.

(In the tilted-state operation)

In the state in which the operating lever 10 is held at the neutral position, an operator manually operates the grip 1 and applies the control force toward a direction indicted by the arrow A, for example, out of the arrows A to H shown in Fig. 3. Then, as illustrated in Fig. 15, the operating lever 10 is tilted toward the direction of the arrow A, with a contact point between the lower surface of the cover 27 and the spacer 33b of the guide member 33 located at a position opposite to the direction of the arrow A functioning as a fulcrum, and with the coil springs 14 and 32 deformed and compressed as illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15.
Tilting of the operating lever 10 is guided by sliding movement of the guide surface 33c of the guide member 33 with respect to the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole 27a, and by sliding movement of the lower end of the operating lever 10 with respect to the receiving portion 25a of the pushing member 25. Further, as the operating lever 10 is tilted, the respective contact regions 31a of the movable contact plate 31 are allowed to move by the cutouts 21c of the case 21. Then, among the four contact regions 31a of the movable contact plate 31, the contact region 31a located at a position opposite to the tilting direction of the operating lever 10 (i.e., the direction of the arrow A), i.e., the contact region 31a on the right side in Fig. 15 contacts the contact regions 30b of the corresponding fixed contact 30, i.e., the contact region 30b on the right side in Fig. 15.
Similarly, in a case in which the operating lever 10 is tilted toward a direction indicated by any one of the arrows B to D shown in Fig. 3, the contact region 31a of the moving contact plate 31 and the contact region 30b of the fixed contact 30, which are located at the positions opposite to the tilting direction of the operating lever 10, contact each other. Meanwhile, in a case in which the operating lever 10 is tilted toward a direction indicated by any one of the arrow E which is between the arrows A and B, the arrow F which is between the arrows B and C, the arrow G which is between the arrows C and D, and the arrow H which is between the arrows D and A, two of the contact regions 31a of the movable contact plate 31 and the contact regions 30b of two of the fixed contacts 30, which are located at the positions opposite to the tilting direction of the operating lever 10, contact each other. That is, any one of the four tilt detecting switches corresponding to the tilting direction of the operating lever 10 is turned on. This allows the fixed contact 30 (i.e., the contact region 30b) on the right side in Fig. 15 and the corresponding common contact 23 (i.e., the terminal 23a) to be electrically connected via the movable contact plate 31, the coil spring 32, and the conductive portion 23b.
If the operator releases the grip 1 and stops applying the control force to the operating lever 10, the coil springs 14 and 32 restore their shapes, and the operating lever 10 is returned to the neutral position. Accordingly, all of the contact regions 31a of the moving contact plate 31 are separated again from the contact regions 30b of the fixed contacts 30. That is, all of the four tilt detecting switches are turned off.

(In the pressing operation)

If the operator manually presses the grip 1 and applies the control force to the operating lever 10 in a downward direction, the operating lever 10 is moved in the downward direction against resilience of the coil springs 14 and 32, the rubber member 26, and the like. Thus, the conductive member 24 is pressed in the downward direction via the pressing member 25. Thereby, the conductive member 24, which is the moving contact, is deformed and contacts the fixed contact 22. That is, the press detecting switch is turned on.
If the operator releases the grip 1 and stops applying the control force to the operating lever 10, the coil springs 14 and 32, the rubber member 26, and the conductive member 24 restore their shapes, and the operating lever 10 is pressed up to the original position (i.e., the position shown in Fig. 4). Accordingly, the conductive member 24 restores its shape while pressing back the pressing member 25, and separates from the fixed contact 22. That is, the press detecting switch is turned off.
According to the present embodiment, the following advantages can be obtained.
In the present embodiment, if the coil spring 14 of the second biasing device is replaced by another coil spring having a different spring constant, the actuating force required for tilting the operating lever 10 can be changed. Further, the coil spring 14 and the first spring bearing 11a, which form the second biasing device, are provided in a space outside the housing 20, in which a dimensional restriction is smaller than inside the housing 20. Therefore, the sizes of the coil spring 14 and the first spring bearing 11a can be easily changed. Accordingly, the actuating force can be easily changed. In particular, the actuating force can be easily increased by increasing the size of the coil spring 14.
Further, the operating lever 10 and the housing 20 may be common parts. Accordingly, easy response to a request for the change of the actuating force is enabled.
Further, in the present embodiment, the resilience of the coil spring 14 works on the operating lever 10 and the housing 20. Therefore, rattling of the operating lever 10 with respect to the housing 20 can be reduced.
Further, in the present embodiment, the operating lever 10 is inserted through the inner cylindrical portion 11b of the spring bearing member 11, and the male screw portion 10c of the operating lever 10 is screwed into the nut 13. Thereby, the spring bearing member 11 is fastened between the nut 13 and the blocking portions 10a and 10b. This allows the first spring bearing 11a to be easily and securely provided to the operating lever 10. Further, the blocking portions 10a and 10b enable the spring bearing member 11 (i.e., the first spring bearing 11a) to be positioned with high accuracy. Accordingly, variation in the actuating force of the operating lever 10 can be reduced.
Further, in the present embodiment, the grip 1 is attached to the spring bearing member 11. That is, the grip 1 is attached to the spring bearing member 11 which is larger than the operating lever 10 in the size in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the operating lever 10. Accordingly, stability of the grip 1 with respect to the operating lever 10 can be improved.
Further, in the present embodiment, the operating lever 10 is configured to be pressed in the axial direction thereof. Furthermore, the switch for detecting the pressing operation of the operating lever 10, which includes the conductive member 24, the fixed contact 22, and the common contacts 23, is provided inside the housing 20. Accordingly, the present embodiment can be used also as a multi-directional input device having a push switch.
Further, in the present embodiment, by changing the coil spring 14, which forms the second biasing device, is replaced by another coil spring having a different spring constant, the actuating force required for moving the operating lever 10 in the axial direction thereof, i.e., the actuating force of the push switch can be changed.
Further, in the present embodiment, the coil spring 14 is formed into such a size that the coil spring 14 can be placed on the upper surface of the housing 20, i.e., on the circular plate portion 29b of the fixing member 29. Therefore, the circular plate portion 29b is used as the spring bearing of the coil spring 14, for example. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. For example, the housing 20 may be provided within the coil spring 14 so that a base plate (not illustrated) to which the housing 20 is provided is used as the spring bearing. Alternatively, a spacer or the like formed of a synthetic resin may be placed on the fixing member 29 (i.e., the housing 20) formed by a metal plate so that the lower end (i.e., the other end) of the coil spring 14 is received by the spacer or the like provided at the side of the housing 20.
Further, in the present embodiment, the device for detecting the tilting direction of the operating lever 10 is the switch including the movable contact plate 31 and the four fixed contacts 30. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. For example, the tilting direction of the operating lever 10 may be detected by the change of electric resistance.

Claims

A multi-directional input device comprising:
a housing;

an operating lever protruding from the housing and operable in a tilted state;

first biasing means provided inside the housing for biasing to return the operating lever toward a neutral direction; and

second biasing means provided outside the housing for biasing to return the operating lever toward the neutral direction.
The multi-directional input device according to Claim 1, wherein the second biasing means includes
a coil spring through which the operating lever is inserted,

a first spring bearing provided to the operating lever for receiving one end of the coil spring, and

a second spring bearing provided at a side of the housing for receiving the other end of the coil spring, and

wherein the coil spring is compressed as the operating lever is operated in the tilted state.
The multi-directional input device according to Claim 2, wherein the first spring bearing is formed on a spring bearing member that is separate from the operating lever and is formed with a through-hole through which the operating lever is inserted, and
wherein the operating lever includes a male screw portion which protrudes from the through-hole to be screwed into a nut.
The multi-directional input device according to Claim 3, wherein a grip is attached to the spring bearing member.
The multi-directional input device according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the operating lever is supported to be openable in a pressed state in an axial direction thereof, and
wherein a switch for detecting a pressing operation of the operating lever is provided inside the housing.