JP2000082351A - Panel mounting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a panel mounting structure which allows a design panel mounted on a switch body case to be removed easily using a removing tool of simple configuration, has no risk of damaging the fitting part for mounting and design components around the fitting part, and permits easy checking that the mounting and removal are conducted certainly. SOLUTION: In the condition that a design panel 1 is mounted on a case 13, the spring return part 10a of the case 13 abuts to the decoration panel 1 to energize it in the direction of removal, and at the same time, a hook 18 on the panel 1 is engaged with an engagement part 10b of the case 13 to generate the locked condition. At removal, a removing tool is inserted from a slit 12 in the panel 1, and thereby a pressure part 10c is deformed so that the disengaged condition is generated, and the panel 1 is moved in the direction of removal with the energizing force of the spring return part 10a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a design panel of an operation switch for a vehicle or other equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a design panel is generally detachably mounted on a front surface of an operation switch case of a vehicle-mounted air conditioner or the like. In this design panel mounting structure,
There is known a type in which a switch body is fixed to a vehicle body from the front side of an instrument panel, and thereafter, a design panel is inserted from the front side into a front surface of the switch body case. FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show the mounting structure of this type of design panel. The switch body 5 fixed to the vehicle body faces the opening of the instrument panel 2 to which the design panel 1 made of resin is attached. In the structure shown in FIG.
In the structure shown in FIG. 11, the fitting fitting 10 attached to the peripheral wall of the design panel 1 is formed.
Is fitted into the hole of the switch body 5 to attach the design panel 1.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned mounting structure, there are the following problems when the design panel 1 is removed. (1) Since it is necessary to pry open using a driver DR or a removal tool (jig) to remove it, if it is forcibly opened, there is no durability, and the fitting part is loose after two or three removals. Or have to replace parts. In addition, there is a possibility that surrounding design parts may be damaged during removal. (2) When viewed from the surface, the fitting portion is difficult to understand, the driver DR and the tip of the jig do not catch well, and it takes time to remove. (3) It is difficult to know whether or not removal has been performed reliably.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and a design panel attached to a switch body case can be easily removed using a removal tool having a simple structure. It is another object of the present invention to provide a panel mounting structure that does not damage the mounting fitting portion and surrounding design parts, and furthermore, makes it easy to confirm that the mounting and dismounting are reliably performed.

[0005]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a panel mounting structure including a case and a panel detachable from the case. And an insertion portion into which a removal tool can be inserted. The case is provided with a spring return portion that abuts on the panel in a state where the panel is attached and urges the panel in a direction to remove the panel, and the panel is removed by the spring return portion. In the state of being urged in the direction, the hook portion of the panel engages to perform a locking function, and the engaging state of the hook portion and the engaging portion is pressed by the removal tool inserted from the insertion portion. And a pressing portion for deforming so as to release the pressure.

In the above configuration, when the panel is attached to the case, the spring return portion of the case comes into contact with the panel and is urged in the direction of removing the panel, and the hook of the panel engages with the case. The engaging portion is engaged to be in a locked state. At the time of removal, by inserting the removal tool from the insertion part of the panel, the removal tool deforms the pressing part so that the engagement state between the hook part and the engagement part is released, and the engagement with the hook part The panel can be released from the engagement state, and at this time, the panel is moved in the removing direction by the biasing force of the spring return portion that biases the panel in the removing direction. Thereby, the release of the engagement state between the hook portion and the engagement portion can be confirmed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the panel mounting structure according to the first aspect, the mounting member, in which the spring return portion, the engaging portion, and the pressing portion are formed as one member, is attached to the case. It is attached. In this configuration, since the spring return portion, the engaging portion, and the pressing portion are formed as one member and attached to the case, the number of parts of the case can be reduced, and the assembly to the case is facilitated.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the panel mounting structure according to the first or second aspect, a removal tool is inserted at one position of a lock function configuration including a hook portion and an engagement portion. Lined up with a possible gap 2
One hook part and an engaging part with which they are engaged are provided. In this configuration, since the panel is removed by inserting the removal tool into the gap between the two hooks, even if the case is made of resin and the hooks are provided integrally with the case, the panel is removed. Has good durability against attachment and detachment.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the panel mounting structure according to any one of the first to third aspects, a spring return portion is provided side by side, and the removal tool is sandwiched from both sides. Is what it is. In this configuration, when the removal tool is inserted into the insertion portion and the panel is removed, the removal tool does not shift to the side and does not come off.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a mounting structure of a design panel for a vehicle. Design panel 1
Is detachably attached to a front surface of a switch body 5 having operation buttons 4 arranged so as to face the opening 3 of the instrument panel 2. The detailed structure of the attachment is shown in FIG. The switch body 5 is fixed to a vehicle body frame 7 via a mounting arm 6 with screws 8.

FIG. 2 shows a design panel 1 and a switch body 5.
FIG. 3 shows the front configuration of the switch body 5 before the design panel 1 is mounted. The design panel 1 is made of resin and is attached to the switch body 5 via a fitting 10 (attachment member). The design panel 1 has an opening 11 through which a plurality of various operation buttons and the like can be seen, and a plurality of slits 12 (insertion portions) for inserting a removal tool 21 (FIG. 7) to be described later when the panel is removed (four corners in this example). ). The switch body 5 includes a case 13, operation buttons 4, a board (not shown) on which switches and the like are mounted from the rear side of the case 13. The case 13 has a portion to which the fitting 10 is fixed, an opening through which the mounting arm 6 and various operation buttons 4 are inserted to be able to move back and forth or tilt by operation, and a display window 14 of a liquid crystal display (not shown). The display window 14 is provided with a display window cover 15. The fitting 10 of the case 13
A guide groove 16 into which the insertion guide pin 19 (FIG. 4) of the design panel 1 is inserted when the design panel 1 is attached is formed near the fixing portion.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of a fitting 10 for detachably attaching the design panel 1 and the case 13. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the inner surface and a side cross section of a corner portion of the design panel 1. A hook portion 18 and a positioning insertion guide pin 19 made of resin are integrally provided on the inner surface of the design panel 1 so as to correspond to the fitting fitting 10 and the guide groove 16 provided in the case 13. The hook portion 18 is connected to the fitting 10.
A lock function configuration is formed in combination with the engaging portion 10b. One pair is provided on both sides of the slit 12 with a gap in which the removal tool 21 can be inserted. It comprises a width portion 18a, a narrow reinforcing portion 18b orthogonal to the large width portion, and an engaging projection 18c. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 a denotes a rib-like edge of the opening 11.

The fitting fitting 10 is such that the design panel 1 is a case 1
3 attached to the design panel 1 (the hook portion 18).
A part of the design panel 1, which urges the design panel 1 in the direction of removing the design panel 1, and the hook portion 18 of the design panel 1, which is urged in the direction of removing the design panel 1 by the spring return part 10 a. The T-shaped engaging portion 10b which engages with the (engaging protrusion 18c) to perform a locking function, and the edge of the removal tool 21 inserted from the slit 12 is pressed to form the hook portion 18 and the engaging portion 10b. A pressing portion 10c (which is also a column portion of the T-shaped engaging portion 10b) for deforming so as to release the engagement state, an insertion piece 10d for fixing to the case 13, and a retaining piece 10e are provided. Have been. The fixing fitting 10 is fixed to the case 13 by the positioning boss 20. Spring return part 1
Oa is bent and arranged in a forked shape so as to sandwich the inserted removal tool 21 from both sides.

FIG. 7 shows the removal tool 21. The removal tool 21 is made of a relatively stiff metal or resin spatula, and when inserted into the slit 12, in order to avoid interference with the reinforcing rib 13a inside the case 13, one end edge of the tip is formed. The shape is cut off diagonally.
The slit 12 is sized to allow the removal tool 21 to be inserted with some degree of freedom.

FIGS. 8 (a), 8 (b) and 8 (c) show the operation when the design panel is attached. When attaching the design panel 1 to the case 13, the design panel 1 is positioned while the insertion guide pins 19 thereof are aligned with the guide grooves 16 of the case 13.
Push it into the case 13. At this time, the hook portion 18 has its engaging projection 18c connected to the engaging portion 1 of the fitting 10.
0b, while sliding down, further depressing the spring return portion 10a, and finally engaging with the engaging portion 10b, a lock state is established. In this state, the spring return portion 10a of the case 13 comes into contact with the hook portion 18 of the design panel 1 and is urged in the direction of removing the design panel 1.

FIGS. 9 (a), 9 (b) and 9 (c) show the operation when the design panel is removed. The panel removal operation is performed by inserting the removal tool 21 from the slit 12 of the design panel 1 into the gap between the two hook portions 18. When the removal tool 21 comes into contact with the pressing portion 10c of the fitting 10 and presses it, the hook portion 18 (the engaging projection 18) is pressed.
c) and the engagement part 10b of the fitting 10 are deformed so as to release the engagement state, whereby the engagement state between the hook part 18 and the engagement part 10b can be released. At this time, the design panel 1 is pushed in the removal direction by the biasing force of the spring return portion 10a that biases the design panel 1 in the removal direction. Thereby, the release of the engaged state between the hook portion 18 and the engaging portion 10b can be confirmed. That is, it can be easily confirmed that the design panel 1 has come off. In addition, the lock function components can be sequentially removed using one removal tool 21.

In this embodiment, the removal tool 21 can be used without damaging the design panel 1 and its surrounding parts.
Since the design panel 1 can be removed using the design panel, the durability of the design panel 1 can be improved. Since the spring return portions 10a of the fitting 10 are arranged in a bifurcated manner and arranged side by side, when the removal tool 21 is inserted into the slit 12 and the design panel 1 is removed, the inserted removal tool 21 is removed. Can be sandwiched from both sides, so that the removal tool 21 does not shift sideways and cannot be removed. Further, the case 13 is made of resin, and the hook portion 18 provided integrally therewith.
Are provided side by side, so that the durability against attachment and detachment of the design panel 1 is good. Further, by providing the slit 12 for inserting the removal tool 21 on the surface or the end face of the design panel 1, the tool insertion position can be immediately recognized, and workability is good.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the design panel 1 is provided with the hook portions 18 and the case 13 is provided with the fitting fittings 10, but these may be provided in a relatively opposite relationship. That is, the fitting panel 10 may be provided on the design panel 1 and the hook portion 18 may be provided on the case 13, and the technical scope of the first embodiment includes such a form. Further, the configuration of the present invention can be similarly applied to a structure in which a panel is directly attached to the vehicle body frame 7 or to a panel in a case of forming a housing.

Furthermore, the hook portion 18 of the design panel 1
May be metal fittings instead of resin. In addition, the fitting 10
(Spring return portion 10a, engagement portion 10b, pressing portion 10c
Etc.) may be a resin molded product instead of a metal fitting.
Also, a slit 1 for inserting the removal tool 21 is provided.
2 is the outer peripheral edge of the design panel 1 (gap with the instrument panel 2)
The removal tool 21 may be in the shape of a rod, in which case the slit 12
Is not a long groove but a round hole, which is preferable in design.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the design panel is removed, the removal tool inserted from the insertion portion comes into contact with the pressing portion, and the engagement between the hook portion and the engagement portion is released. Therefore, the engagement state between the hook portion and the engagement portion can be easily released only by inserting the removal tool into the insertion portion of the design panel, and the design panel can be easily removed from the case. In addition, since the design panel is engaged with the engagement portion of the case with the hook portion of the design panel being urged in the removing direction by the urging force of the spring return portion, the engagement between the hook portion and the engagement portion is achieved. When the engagement state is released, the design panel is pushed out, whereby the release of the engagement state between the hook portion and the engagement portion can be easily confirmed, and the design panel can be more easily removed from the case.

Further, by forming the spring return portion, the engaging portion, and the pressing portion as one member and attaching the same to the case, the number of parts of the case can be reduced and the case can be assembled. It will be easier. Also, by inserting a removal tool into the gap between the two hook portions provided on the case so that the design panel can be removed, the case is made of resin and the hook portion is provided integrally therewith. However, the durability against the attachment and detachment of the design panel is improved. In addition, when the removal tool is inserted into the insertion portion, the tool is sandwiched from both sides by the spring return portions provided side by side, so that the removal tool is prevented from being displaced sideways and not coming off during work. You.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a design panel mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a design panel and a switch body.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the switch main body before a design panel is attached.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a detachable mounting structure between a design panel and a case.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are a side view, a front view, a bottom view, and a perspective view of a fitting, respectively.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are an inner view and a side sectional view of a corner portion of the design panel.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are a front view and a side view of a removal tool.

FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are diagrams showing an operation when a design panel is attached.

FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C are views showing the operation when the design panel is removed.

FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional design panel mounting structure.

FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view showing another example of a conventional design panel mounting structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Design panel 5 Switch main body 10 Fitting fitting (attachment member) 10a Spring return part 10b Engaging part 10c Pressing part 12 Slit (insertion part) 13 Case 18 Hook part 21 Removal tool

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A panel mounting structure comprising a case and a panel detachable from the case, wherein the panel is provided with a hook portion and an insertion portion into which a removal tool can be inserted. A spring return portion that comes into contact with the panel in a state where the panel is attached and urges the panel in a direction to remove the panel; and a hook portion of the panel in a state where the panel is urged in the direction to remove the panel by the spring return portion. An engaging portion that engages to provide a locking function, and a pressing portion that is pressed against a removal tool inserted from the insertion portion and deforms so as to release the engaged state between the hook portion and the engaging portion. A panel mounting structure characterized by being provided. 2. The panel mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein a mounting member in which the spring return portion, the engaging portion, and the pressing portion are formed as one member is mounted on the case. 3. A lock function configuration comprising said hook portion and said engaging portion, wherein two hook portions are arranged with a gap in which said removal tool can be inserted, and an engaging portion with which they are engaged. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Or the panel mounting structure according to claim 2. 4. The panel mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein said spring return portions are provided side by side, and are configured so as to sandwich said removal tool from both sides. .