JP2000003635A - Switch structure of operation panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize satisfactory push-button operation while keeping a gap around a switch button small, and to secure an enough operation margin. SOLUTION: A switch button 30 capable of being turningly operated is provided in an opening part 21 provided in an operation panel 20, and a surrounding wall 22 for surrounding the switch button 30 is formed in the operation panel 20. A recessed part 24 is formed in an inner surface of the surrounding wall on the deeper side than an upper surface of the panel, or a part of the surrounding wall 22 is cut off, and thereby an interference of the switch button 30 with the operation panel 20 is prevented when the switch button 30 is turningly operated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch structure of an operation panel provided in a vehicle interior or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the following is known as a switch structure provided on the surface of an operation panel.

A) Slide operation type switch structure (FIG. 4)
(A)) In the figure, an opening 81 penetrating the front and back of the operation panel 80 is provided in a part of the operation panel 80, and a surrounding wall 82 projecting from the peripheral edge to the rear side (left side in the figure) is formed over the entire circumference of the opening. The switch button 8 is provided inside the surrounding wall 82.
4 is fitted from the back side. This switch button 8
4 is slidable to the back side by the guide of the surrounding wall 82. On the other hand, a circuit board 86 is provided on the back side of the operation panel 80, and a switch device 88 having an operated portion 87 and a light emitting element 90 are provided on the surface of the circuit board 86.

[0004] When the switch button 84 is pressed from the front side, the switch button 84 slides to the rear side, and the operation part 89 protruding from the back surface of the lower end 85 of the switch button 84 is covered by the switch device 88. The operation unit 87 is pressed. In addition, by driving the light emitting unit 90, the switch button 84 is illuminated from the back side, the arrangement position is clarified, and the surrounding wall 82 surrounds the switch button 84, so that a gap around the switch button 84 is formed. And the light of the light emitting section 90 is prevented from leaking from the gap to the panel surface side.

B) Rotating operation type switch structure (FIG. 4)
(B)) In this structure, the upper end of the switch button 84 is fixed so as not to be displaced. Specifically, while a plurality of cylindrical portions 92 are formed at the upper end of the switch button 84,
A pin 91 projects from the rear surface of the operation panel 80, and the cylinder 92 is sandwiched and fixed between the operation panel 80 and the circuit board 86 in a state where the pin 91 is fitted into the cylinder 92. . The switch button 84 is rotatable with this fixed portion as a fulcrum, with its bending deformation. With this rotation, the operating portion 89 of the lower end portion 85 of the switch button is operated by the operated portion of the switch device 88. 87 is pressed.

[0006]

The slide operation type structure A) slides and guides the switch button 84 using the inner surface of the surrounding wall 82 as a guide surface. Can be made sufficiently small. However, when the place where the switch button 84 is pressed with a finger is deviated from the center of the button, the switch button 84 is inclined and so-called stiffness occurs between the switch button 84 and the surrounding wall 82, and there is a disadvantage that the operation is likely to malfunction. As a means for preventing such a malfunction, it is conceivable to install a spring or to arrange the switch device 88 at a plurality of places. However, if such a measure is taken, the number of parts increases and the cost increases. Increase is inevitable.

On the other hand, in the rotating operation type structure B), the above-mentioned stiffness is unlikely to occur, but the lower end portion of the switch button 84 sinks down with the rotating operation (FIG. 4).
The two-dot chain line in (b)) requires that the clearance dimension δ between the lower surface of the switch button 84 and the upper surface of the surrounding wall 82 be as large as the sinking. When the gap dimension δ is increased, the gap becomes more conspicuous, and the illumination from the back surface of the switch button 84 is weakened by the amount of the light from the light emitting unit 90 leaking from the gap to the panel surface. Conversely, if the clearance dimension δ is set small in the structure B), the switch button 84
Becomes extremely small, so that a so-called operation margin cannot be sufficiently secured.

It is effective to increase the depth L of the switch button 84 and the surrounding wall 82 as a means of making the gap inconspicuous and preventing light leakage from the gap. Even if the switch button 84 is slightly rotated, the lower end thereof is largely displaced downward, so that the clearance dimension δ must be increased accordingly. As a result, the light leakage and the like cannot be effectively prevented. .

In view of such circumstances, the present invention can perform a good push button operation while keeping a small gap around the switch button as viewed from the operation panel surface side, and can sufficiently operate the push button. An object of the present invention is to provide a switch structure of an operation panel that can be secured.

[0010]

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an operation panel in which an opening is provided, and a switch button is provided in the opening so as to be rotatable about one end as a fulcrum. Is provided, and in the switch structure of the operation panel in which the surrounding wall surrounding the switch button is formed on the operating panel, the switch associated with the turning operation of the switch button is provided on the inner surface of the surrounding wall deeper than the panel surface. A concave portion for avoiding interference with the button is formed, and the surrounding portion of the surrounding wall deeper than the panel surface is partially cut off, so that the switch button and the operation associated with the turning operation of the switch button are operated. This is to avoid interference with the panel.

[0011] According to these configurations, the rotatable range of the switch button is increased by forming the recess and partially cutting off the surrounding wall, so that a so-called operation margin is sufficiently secured, and the switch button is viewed from the panel surface. The surrounding gap can be kept small. Therefore, the gap can be made inconspicuous to enhance the aesthetic appearance. Further, when a light emitting unit that irradiates light toward the switch button is provided on the back side of the switch button, the light emitted from the light emitting unit is provided. It is possible to more reliably prevent light from leaking to the panel surface side. In particular, in the case where the above interference is avoided by forming a concave portion on the inner surface of the surrounding wall, since the surrounding wall is left over the entire circumference, the gap is made more inconspicuous than that where a part of the surrounding wall is cut off. And light leakage from the light emitting section can be more reliably prevented.

Moreover, since the switch structure is of a rotary operation type, stiffness is less likely to occur as compared with the slide operation type shown in FIG.

[0013]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
A description will be given based on FIG.

In each of the drawings, an operation panel 20 is provided at a predetermined interval in front of the circuit board 10 (right side in FIG. 1A). A switch button 30 is provided between them.

On the front side (the right side in FIG. 1A) of the circuit board 10, a switch device 12 having an operated portion 14 is provided.
And the light emitting element 16 are mounted. Switch device 1
Numeral 2 has an operated portion 14 that receives a pressing operation, and is configured to be turned on / off by the pressing operation of the operated portion 14. The light-emitting element 16 is disposed at a position where the switch button 30 is irradiated with light from the rear surface side in a driven state.

The operation panel 20 has an opening 21 formed therethrough. Around the periphery of the opening 21, an surrounding wall 22 protruding from the rear surface of the panel toward the circuit board 10 is formed over the entire periphery of the opening.

The switch button 30 has a hollow button body 32 that opens to the back side. The outer shape of the body 32 is slightly smaller than the inner shape of the opening 21 on the panel surface side. Therefore, when viewed from the panel surface side,
A substantially uniform gap is secured between the outer peripheral surface of the button body 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the opening 21 over the entire circumference.

A plate-like fixing portion 33 extends upward from the upper rear end of the button body 32. This fixing part 3
3, a pair of left and right cylindrical portions 36 is formed, and each cylindrical portion 36 has a shape protruding toward the circuit board 10 from the back surface of the fixing portion 33. On the other hand, a pair of left and right ribs 26 having a substantially cross-shaped cross section are formed on the back surface of the upper edge of the opening of the operation panel 20, and pins 28 project from each rib 26 toward the circuit board 10. Then, the circuit board 10 and the rib 2 are fitted in a state where these pins 28 are fitted into the respective cylindrical portions 36.
6, a cylindrical portion 36 is sandwiched and fixed. Therefore, the cylindrical portion 36 is provided between the circuit board 10 and the operation panel 20.
A role as a fixed portion fixed so that it cannot be displaced between
It plays a role as a spacer for keeping a space between the circuit board 10 and the operation panel 20.

On the other hand, an operation plate 34 is extended downward from the rear end of the lower end of the button body 32, and this operation plate 34 comes into contact with the end surface of the surrounding wall 22 in a normal state. On the back surface of the operation plate 34, a pressing portion 38 is protruded,
When the button main body 32 is pressed by a finger or the like from the panel surface side, the switch button 30 is rotationally displaced with the bending deformation of the switch button 30 around the position immediately below the cylindrical portion 36 as a fulcrum ( In FIG. 1A, a pressing portion 38 of the operation plate 34 at the lower end thereof presses the operated portion 14 of the switch device 12.

Further, as a feature of this structure, a clearance dimension δ between the lower peripheral portion 23 of the opening on the front surface side of the operation panel 20 and the lower surface of the panel body 32 is set to be sufficiently small. A recess 24 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the surrounding wall 22 at the back side. When the switch button 30 is rotated, the outer periphery of the button body 32 enters the recess 24 so that interference between the button body 32 and the surrounding wall 22 can be avoided.

According to such a structure, the rotatable range of the button body 32 can be made sufficiently large by the formation of the concave portion 24, so that the so-called operating margin of the switch button 30 can be secured large. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a malfunction when the switch button 30 is accidentally lightly touched. In addition, the gap dimension δ between the lower surface of the button body 32 and the lower edge portion 23 of the opening can be suppressed sufficiently small while the depth dimension L of the button body 32 and the surrounding wall 22 is kept large, so that this gap is inconspicuous and good. Beauty can be secured,
It is possible to effectively prevent the light from the light emitting element 16 from leaking to the surface of the operation panel 20 through the gap.

FIG. 3 (a) shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
(B). In this embodiment, an open space 25 is formed by cutting off a lower part of the surrounding wall 22 and a part deeper than the panel surface side part, whereby the lower part of the button main body 32 and the operation panel 20 are separated. Try to avoid interference. With such a structure, the first
Similarly to the above embodiment, it is possible to secure a sufficiently large rotatable range of the switch button 30 while keeping the clearance dimension δ between the lower end of the button body 32 and the lower edge 23 of the opening small. However, in the first embodiment, since the surrounding wall 22 surrounding the button body 32 is left over the entire circumference, the gap can be made less noticeable than in the structure according to the second embodiment. Also, there is an advantage that light leakage from the gap can be more reliably prevented.

In the above embodiment, the upper end of the switch button 30 is fixed so that the lower end of the button 30 can be rotated.
The lower end of the button 30 may be fixed so that the upper end of the button 30 can rotate. In this case, a recess 24 or a notch 25 may be formed in the upper inner peripheral surface of the surrounding wall 22.

The present invention can also be applied to a structure in which no light emitting portion such as the light emitting element 16 is provided on the back side of the switch button 30.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the switch structure in which the operation panel is formed with the surrounding wall surrounding the switch button in the opening thereof, a recess is formed on the inner surface of the surrounding wall deeper than the panel surface. By partially cutting off the surrounding wall portion on the back side of the panel surface to avoid interference with the switch button due to the turning operation of the switch button, the twisting with less twisting is performed. With the structure of the dynamic operation type, there is an effect that the operation margin can be sufficiently secured while keeping the gap around the switch button as viewed from the operation panel surface side small.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1B is a sectional front view showing a switch structure of an operation panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the switch structure.

3A is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3B is a sectional front view showing a switch structure of an operation panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional side views showing an example of a switch structure of a conventional operation panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Circuit board 12 Switching device 16 Light emitting element (light emitting part) 20 Operation panel 21 Opening 22 Surrounding wall 23 Opening lower edge 24 Depression 30 Switch button 32 Button main body

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Yoshihiko Goto 1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture Inside Harness Research Institute, Inc. (72) Hiroki Kinoshita 1-Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture No. 7-10 Harness Research Institute, Inc. F-term (reference) 5G019 AM55 CP19 CP21 JJ02 JJ08 SK20

Claims (3)

[Claims] An opening is provided in the operation panel, a switch button is provided in the opening so as to be rotatable about one end as a fulcrum, and an enclosing wall surrounding the switch button is formed in the operation panel. In the switch structure of the operation panel, a concave portion is formed on the inner surface of the surrounding wall deeper than the panel surface to avoid interference between the switch button and the surrounding wall due to the turning operation of the switch button. Features a switch structure of the operation panel. 2. An opening is provided in the operation panel, a switch button is provided in the opening so as to be rotatable around one end as a fulcrum, and an enclosing wall surrounding the switch button is formed in the operation panel. In the switch structure of the operation panel, the surrounding wall portion on the back side of the panel surface is partially cut away to avoid interference between the switch button and the operation panel due to the turning operation of the switch button. The switch structure of the operation panel, characterized by that. 3. The operation panel according to claim 1, wherein a light-emitting portion for irradiating light to the switch button is provided on a back side of the switch button. Switch structure.