FR2731552A1 - Electric switch for controlling motor vehicle radio - Google Patents

Abstract

The switch is box mounted (100) and has a command lever (200). The command lever operates an actioner (220). The actioner depresses microswitches on an electrical switching circuit (300) connected to input cabling (350). The switching circuit is made up of a three-dimensional switching circuit, made by folding over electrically conducting bands separated by plastic isolating zones. The micro-switches are lodged in a plastic housing and connected to the conducting bands. End tabs make input connections.

Description

 The present invention relates to the field of electrical switching.

 The present invention applies in particular to electrical switch systems for motor vehicles, in particular to electrical switches used for controlling car radios.

 However, the invention is not limited to this particular application.

 Many electrical switch systems, in particular for controlling car radios on motor vehicles have already been proposed.

 There is shown in Figure 1 attached, a typical example of such a known system of electrical switch for car radio.

 the system illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises - a housing 10 formed by assembling two shells 12, 14, - a lever 20 mounted to move on the housing 10, - electrical switching means 30, formed in this case of five blades 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 and positioned in the housing 10 to be activated by the movement of the lever 20.

 The present invention now aims to improve the known electrical switches.

 This object is achieved according to the present invention by an electrical switch system comprising - a housing which carries: - a control lever mounted to move on the housing, and - electrical switching means actuated by the movement of the lever, characterized by the fact that the electrical switching means comprise a sub-assembly consisting of a network of strips of electrically conductive material, blocks of electrically insulating plastic material overmolded on the network of strips, and electrical transducers placed on said blocks and connected to said strips, which sub-assembly is arched at the level of certain zones of the strips in order to present said transducers in different planes opposite an actuating means linked to the lever.

 The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the above-mentioned electrical switch.

 Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, and with reference to the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting example and in which - FIG. 1 previously described represents a view schematic exploded perspective view of an electrical switch system according to the state of the art, - Figure 2 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of an electrical switch system according to the present invention, - Figure 3 shows a network of strips of electrically conductive material according to the present invention before overmolding of the aforementioned plastic blocks, - Figure 4 shows a schematic perspective view of the same network of strips after overmolding of said blocks, - Figure 5 shows a schematic view of perspective of the sub-assembly according to the present invention after bending of the ba ndes of electrically conductive material, and - Figure 6 shows an end view of the same sub-assembly.

 The electrical switch according to the present invention shown in the appended figures essentially comprises: a housing 100, a control lever 200 associated with an actuating means 220 and electrical switching means 300.

 The housing 100 is preferably formed by assembling two plastic shells 110, 112.

 The shells 110, 112 can be fixed by any suitable means, for example by snap-fastening, screwing, riveting using means 120, or even by any equivalent means.

 The shells 110, 112 define in combination, in the assembled state, a central chamber 130 provided with structures, grooves, ribs or the like, adapted to move the lever 200 and the associated actuating member 220 and to accommodate the electrical switching means 300.

 The housing 100, and in particular the central chamber 130, can be the subject of numerous variant embodiments. They will therefore not be described in detail below.

 The lever 200 can also be the subject of numerous variants. It is preferably in the form of an elongated body centered on a longitudinal axis 202.

 Preferably, the lever 200 is mounted to move on the housing 100 in at least two different planes.

 More precisely still, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lever 200 is pivotally guided on the housing 100 in two orthogonal planes therebetween referenced 210 and 212 in FIG. 2.

 These two pivot planes 210 and 212 correspond to pivoting of the lever 200 around respective axes 211, 213 orthogonal to each other and transverse to the longitudinal axis 202 of the lever.

 The lever 200 can be the subject of numerous variants in its structure and in its movement.

 For example, the lever 200 can be mounted in translation on the housing 100 and not pivot point. The lever 200 can also be pivotally guided in non-orthogonal planes.

 According to yet another variant, the lever 200 can be pivotally guided not around axes 211, 213 transverse to its longitudinal axis 202, but rotatably mounted around this longitudinal axis 202 and associated with a cam structure capable of controlling the electrical switching means 300.

 The lever 200 can also be designed to control other functions.

 For example, a part, such as a central rod, of the lever 200, can be guided in translation along the longitudinal axis 202 to control accessory electrical functions.

 As indicated above, the lever 200 is associated with an actuating means 220 designed to act on the transducers 330. This actuating means 220 can be formed from a separate piece attached to the end of the lever 200 as shown in the Figure 2, and related to movement with this lever 200 by any suitable means. Alternatively, the actuating means 220 may be formed from the end of the lever 200, internal to the housing 100, itself.

 We will now describe the structure of the electrical switching means 300 in accordance with the present invention.

 As indicated above, these electrical switching means 300 in accordance with the present invention comprise a sub-assembly consisting of a network 310 of strips of electrically conductive material, of blocks 320 of electrically insulating plastic material molded locally on the network 310 of strips, and electrical transducers 330 placed on said blocks 320 and connected to said strips 310.

 In addition, according to the invention, the aforementioned sub-assembly 300 is arched at the level of certain zones of the bands 310 to present said transducers 330 in different planes opposite the lever 200.

 Preferably, the strips 310 are formed by cutting from a sheet of metal, for example brass, copper or equivalent, if necessary provided with a protective coating.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the strips 310 are all connected together, by non-electrically operated bridges, to form a unitary component, before overmolding of the blocks 320. However, the strips or blades 310 are then separated, individually, after overmolding of the blocks 320, so that said strips 310 can serve as means of interconnection between the outputs of transducers 330 and the peripheral members to be controlled accordingly.

 The strips 310 can be the subject of numerous variant embodiments as a function of the number and of the configuration of the transducers 330, as a function of the movement of the lever 200, and as a function of the configuration of the peripheral members to be checked. For this reason, the geometry of the bands 310 shown in the appended figures will not be described in more detail below.

 The blocks 320 can be formed from any suitable plastic material.

 It will be noted that the blocks 320 are separated to define between them zones 312 at the level of which only the strips 310 are accessible.

These zones 312 can be used to ensure the individualization of the different bands 310 by breaking the aforementioned non-electrically operated bridges. Zones 312 are also used to ensure the arching of the sub-assembly.

 Preferably, the blocks 320 have a cross section in an isosceles trapezoid, or at least one beveled edge 322.

 Each block 320 further preferably defines at least one housing 324 adapted to receive and protect the associated transducer 330.

 This transducer 330 can be the subject of numerous variant embodiments. They are preferably electrical micro-switches suitable for surface mounting.

 According to a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the transducers 330 can be formed by micro-switches adapted for surface mounting and welding by infrared reflow or double wave, such as for example the micro-switches sold by the Company lTF CANNON.

 On examination of FIG. 4 and of FIG. 6, it will be noted that preferably the housings 321 provided in the blocks 322 are adapted to house and therefore completely protect the body of the transducers 330, the actuating pushers 332 of these however projecting from the outside of the blocks 320 to be actuated by the lever 200.

 The invention is not limited to the use of transducers formed by electric microswitches.

 For example, the invention can use electrical transducers formed by Hall effect probes carried by the blocks 320 and actuated by magnets linked to the lever 200.

 In addition, the invention can be applied to any equivalent means.

 In addition, the blocks 320 of electrically insulating plastic material can be adapted to support other components, such as components of a signal processing circuit coming from the transducers 330.

 As mentioned previously, the present invention also relates to the method of manufacturing the above-mentioned electrical switches.

 This process essentially comprises the steps which consist in: - cutting the strips 310 of electrically conductive material, - overmolding the blocks 320 on the strips 310, - depositing the transducers 330 in the housings 324 of the blocks 320, - welding the transducers 330 on the bands 310, for example by infrared reflow, - individualize the bands 310 by breaking the non-functional bridges, and - arching of the assembly 300 obtained as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 before: - placing the sub-assembly 300 in housing 100.

 As seen in Figure 2, the housing 100 must of course be adapted to allow the passage of connecting son 350 connected to the strips 310 to ensure the connection of the electrical switch with the external peripheral members.

 According to the particular embodiment shown in the appended figures, the sub-assembly 300 in the arched state has four parallel and orthogonal walls two by two each provided with an electric transducer 330. Thus, these sub-assemblies have four orthogonal surfaces and parallel to each other, two by two, each provided with a transducer 330 opposite the lever 200. The end of the lever 200 internal to the housing 100, more precisely the actuation means 220 linked to it, is engaged in the central chamber formed between these four walls of the transducer 300 for actuating one of the transducers 330 respectively during the movement of the lever 200.

 For this, preferably, the aforementioned walls making up the subassembly 300 after bending are respectively parallel and perpendicular to the pivot axes 211 and 213 previously defined.

 According to other variants, the subassembly 300 may have transducers on only three surfaces orthogonal to one another, or only two surfaces orthogonal to each other, or else on two parallel surfaces between them disposed respectively on either side of the lever 200 , and not point transducers on four orthogonal surfaces two by two.

 In addition, the subassembly 300 may have several electrical transducers, for example several microswitches on each of these faces placed opposite the lever 200.

 Of course the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment which has just been described but extends to any variant in accordance with its spirit.

 Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the invention makes it possible to replace, using a unitary subassembly 300 at low cost, the five strips 31 to 35 of switches conforming to the state of the art.

 The invention also makes it possible to simplify assembly since it requires only the installation of a single subassembly 300; it also improves the positioning accuracy of the switching means 300 and generally the reliability.

Claims (15)

 1. Electric switch, in particular for controlling a car radio on a motor vehicle, comprising - a housing (100), - a control lever (200) mounted to move on the housing, and - actuated electrical switching means (300) by the movement of the lever (200), characterized in that the electrical switching means (300) comprise a sub-assembly consisting of a network (310) of strips of electrically conductive material, of blocks (320) of plastic material electrically insulating locally overmolded on the network of strips (310) and electrical transducers (330) placed on said blocks (320) and connected to said strips (310), which sub-assembly (300) is bent at certain zones of the strips (310) to present said transducers (330) in different planes opposite an actuating means (220) linked to the lever (200).  2. Switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the lever (200) is adapted to pivot in two different planes (210, 212) about axes orthogonal to its longitudinal axis (202).  3. Switch according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the lever (200) is adapted to pivot in two planes (210, 212) orthogonal to each other.  4. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lever (200) is adapted for rotation about its longitudinal axis (202) and that it is associated with a cam system capable of actuating electrical means (300).  5. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transducers (330) consist of electrical microswitches.  6. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transducers (330) are formed of components suitable for surface mounting.  7. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the blocks (320) have housings (324) adapted to protect the transducers (330).  8. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 4, 6 and 7, characterized in that the transducers (330) comprise Hall effect probes.  9. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the blocks (320) support signal processing components in addition to the electrical transducers (330).  10. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housing (100) is defined by assembly of two shells (110, 112) defining in combination a central chamber capable of supporting the lever (200) to moving and housing the electrical switching means (300).  11. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the sub-assembly (300) has transducers (330) on at least two surfaces orthogonal to each other, facing the lever (200).  12. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the sub-assembly (300) has transducers (330) on at least three surfaces orthogonal to each other, facing the lever (200).  13. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the subassembly (300) has transducers (330) on at least four surfaces orthogonal to each other, facing the lever (200).  14. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the sub-assembly (300) has electrical transducers (330) on at least two surfaces generally parallel to each other, opposite the lever (200), which surfaces are substantially diametrically opposite with respect to said lever (200).  15. A method of manufacturing an electrical switch according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises the steps which consist in: - cutting the strips (310) from electrically conductive material, - overmolding blocks (320) of electrically insulating material on said strips (310), - deposit the transducers (330) on the strips (310) accessible at the level of the blocks (320), - weld the transducers (330) on said strips (310) , for example by infrared reflow, - individualize the bands (310) by breaking non-functional bridges, and - arch the sub-assembly thus obtained before: - placing the sub-assembly (300) in a box (100) .