JP2002008472A - Switch device and electronic equipment based thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely prevent a switch misoperation by differentiating between the switch closing and opening operations, and to improve the switch-closing operability. SOLUTION: The switch device of this invention comprises a cabinet 1 provided with a switch-housing hollow part 11 having an opening on the outside wall surface, a switch 12 which, provided with an operator 22 which is displaced between the on- and off-operation positions around the operation axis line O taken as a center while facing to the opening of the hollow part, is placed in the hollow part of the cabinet with the operation axis line of the operator kept in a horizontal position, and a cover 13 which, supported by and hanging down from the horizontal axis of rotation 14 while the hollow part is opened, is normally in a position of closing the opening and is rotatable between the position of displacing the switch operator inside the hollow part and the position of opening the hollow opening outside the hollow part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch device and an electronic apparatus using the switch device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In electronic equipment, a power switch is provided on an outer surface of a housing, and when the equipment is started to be used, the power switch is turned on, and when the use is finished, the power switch is opened.
And since recent electronic devices, especially office devices, are often used by being incorporated into a computer network,
If the power switch once turned on at the start of use of a device is easily opened while the device is in use, serious damage may be caused not only to the device but also to the entire computer network. For this reason, a power switch device has been used in which a power switch that has been conventionally used while the device is in use cannot be easily opened.

This switch device has a housing provided with a concave portion for storing a switch which is opened on an outer wall surface, and an operation member which is displaced between a position where the switch is turned on and a position where the switch is turned off about an operation axis. And a switch provided in the recess of the housing with the operation element facing the opening of the recess and the operation axis of the operation vertical, and a horizontal rotation axis (rotation) at the opening of the recess in the housing. Axis) and is always in a position to close the opening and between the position for displacing the switch operator to the ON position inside the recess and the position for opening the opening outside the recess. And a possible cover.

That is, in this switch device, when the switch is turned on, the user manually turns the cover toward the outside of the housing recess to open the opening of the recess, and the user opens the recess from the opening. The operator inserts a finger into the inside of the switch to turn on the switch (power insertion operation), then pulls out the finger from the concave portion, and rotates the cover about its operating axis to the hanging position covering the opening by its own weight. As a result, the cover always hangs down at a position where the cover closes the opening by its own weight and stops. In this state, the cover does not allow the user's finger to directly touch the switch operator inside the housing recess, so that careless opening operation of the switch can be prevented, and erroneous operation can be prevented. After the use of the device is completed, the user turns the cover in the hanging position by hand toward the outside of the housing recess to open the opening of the recess in the same manner as the closing operation, and the user opens the recess from the opening. Inserting a finger inside the switch and touching the switch operator to open (power release operation)

[0005]

In such a conventional switch device, when the switch is opened, the cover is turned outward to open the recess. However, the cover and the switch are provided so that the operation axis of the cover and the operation axis of the operation body of the switch are orthogonal to each other.
Therefore, even if the cover is pushed and turned to the inside of the housing concave portion, the operation body of the switch cannot be operated. For this reason, when the switch is turned on, it is necessary to turn the cover outward to open the opening of the housing recess and operate the switch as in the case of the opening operation. Operation was troublesome.

[0006] Since both the operation of turning on the switch and the operation of opening the switch are the same in that the operation is performed with the cover opened, there is also a problem that the malfunction is not sufficiently prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a switch device in which a switch-on operation and a switch-off operation are different from each other so that a switch erroneous operation can be reliably prevented and operability of a switch-on operation is improved. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device using the above switch device.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switch device having a housing provided with a recess for storing a switch which is opened on an outer wall surface, and a position where an ON operation is performed about an operation axis and an OFF operation. A switch provided in the concave portion of the housing, the control device having an operating member displaced between the operating position and the operating member facing the opening of the concave portion and the operating axis of the operating member being horizontal. At the opening of the body recess, it is suspended by a horizontal support shaft and is always in a position to close the opening, and inside the recess, the position for displacing the switch operator to the ON operation state and at the outside of the recess A cover rotatable between a position where the opening is opened.

[0010] According to the structure of the present invention, since the cover is rotated to the inside of the housing recess to displace the operation body of the switch to the closing position, the operation of turning on the switch can be easily performed. Is rotated to the outside of the housing concave portion to open the concave portion and displace the operating body of the switch to the open position, so that the operation method is different from the closing operation, and erroneous operation can be prevented.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the switch device according to the first aspect, the switch has an ON projection and an OFF projection, and has a position where the switch is turned on and a position where the switch is turned off about an operation axis. And an operating element for performing a seesaw operation between the operating element and the operating element. The operating element is provided with its orientation set so that the position where the operating element is turned on is located below the operation axis.

According to the configuration of the present invention, the invention of claim 1 can be applied by skillfully utilizing the configuration of the operating element in a generally and widely used seesaw-type switch.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the switch device according to the first aspect, the switch includes a lever operation member that tilts between a position where the switch is turned on and a position where the switch is turned off about the operation axis. The direction is set so that the position where the lever operator is turned on is located above the operation axis.

According to the configuration of the present invention, the configuration of the operator in the toggle type switch is skillfully used, and the first aspect of the present invention is provided.
Can be applied.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus connected to the switch device according to the first aspect and a network.

According to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the switching device used as the power switch from being easily opened when the electronic device is used, thereby preventing a large damage to the entire network.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a switch having a seesaw-type operator is used as a switch.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a facsimile machine as an example of an electronic apparatus having a switch device. An image forming mechanism is mounted inside a housing 1 of the facsimile apparatus, and an operation panel 2 and a paper discharge unit 3 for discharging a recording paper on which an image is recorded are provided on an upper surface portion. A switch device 4 which is a power switch to which the present invention is applied is provided at the front of one side surface of the housing 1. The housing 1 of the facsimile apparatus is provided with an interface (not shown), and is connected to an external network so that data can be exchanged with the outside.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing the switch device, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the switch device when an ON operation is performed, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the switch device when an OFF operation is performed, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the operation is performed from the outside of the cover in the case of FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the switch is turned on by opening the cover.

The switch device 4 of the present invention comprises a housing 1 provided with a recess 11 for switch storage which is open on the outer wall surface;
The housing 1 includes a switch 12 of a seesaw type operator provided inside the concave portion 11 of the housing 1, and a cover 13 which is suspended and supported by an opening of the concave portion 11 of the housing 1.

The recess 11 is formed in the wall of the side surface of the housing 1 and accommodates the switch 12 in the up-down direction as described later.
Considering that the operator 22 is operated, the casing 1 has a predetermined depth in a rectangular shape along the vertical direction.
The side is open outward.

The switch 12 has a switch body 21 and a seesaw-type operator 22.
Are provided with a pair of contacts that can be separated from each other. The operation element 22 has an ON projection 22a and an OFF projection 22b at both ends.
The switch is configured such that each of the projections 22a and 22b can alternately immerse and protrude with respect to the switch body 21 with respect to an operation axis (rotation axis) O set at an intermediate portion sandwiched between the switch body 21 and the switch body 21. It is incorporated inside the main body 21. That is, when the operating body 22 is operated by a seesaw operation so as to push the ON projection 22a with a finger of a human hand (in this case, the OFF projection 22b protrudes), the switch body 2 is pressed.
One pair of contacts is contact closed and energized. Also,
The operating body 22 is pressed so that the ON projection 22a is pressed by a human hand.
Of the switch body 21 (in this case, the ON projection 22a protrudes), the contacts forming the pair of the switch main body 21 are separated and opened, and the power is cut off. The operating element 2 is held at the ON position A and the OFF position B by elastic members (not shown) provided on the switch body, respectively. The switch 12 makes the operation axis O of the operation element 22 horizontal (a state in which the operation element 22 is oriented vertically) and sets the ON projection (ON position A) of the operation element 22 to the operation axis line. The operator 22 is located inside the recess 11 so as to face the opening 11 a of the recess 11.

The cover 13 is made of one sheet material.
It has a rectangular shape having a width corresponding to the width of the opening 11a of the recess 11 provided in the housing 1 and a length slightly shorter than the length of the opening. The cover 13 is disposed so as to fit into the opening 11a of the concave portion 11, and the upper edge of the cover 13 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 14 provided horizontally at the upper edge of the opening. As a result, the cover 13 is suspended from the support shaft 14 as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 3, and is always at a position where the cover 13 covers the opening surface of the opening 11 a of the recess 11 by its own weight and shields the recess 11 from the outside. The cover 13 can rotate between the inside and the outside of the recess 11 of the housing 1 about the support shaft 14, and the position where the operator 12 of the switch 11 is displaced inside the recess 11 (this embodiment). In the embodiment, when the operating element 22 is in the OFF operation state and the ON projection 22a protrudes from the switch body 21, the cover 13 is brought into contact with the ON projection 22a and pushed into the switch body 21 to be in the ON operation state. C) and the opening 11 outside the recess 11
It is possible to rotate between a position D where a is opened.

Here, looking at the relationship between the switch 12 and the cover 13, the operation axis O of the operator 22 of the switch 12 and the support axis (operation axis) 14 of the cover 13 are both horizontal and parallel. . The position A of the switch 12 where the ON projection 22a of the operator 22 is formed is located farther from the support shaft (operation axis) 14 of the cover 13 than the position B where the OFF projection 22b is formed. .

A description will be given of a case where the switch 12 in the off state is turned on in the switch device 4 configured as described above. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the operating element 22 of the switch 12 is in the OFF operation state, the ON projection 22a protrudes from the switch main body 21, and the OFF projection 22b is immersed inside the switch main body 21. . In the case of the ON operation, as shown in FIG. 3, a finger of a human hand pushes the cover 13 which is in a hanging position into the inside of the concave portion 11 through the opening 11a of the concave portion 11 as shown by the phantom line, and About the center. Then,
The lower end of the cover 13 that has turned toward the inside of the recess 11 abuts on the ON projection 22 a of the operation element 22 that is located far from the rotation fulcrum of the cover 13 and protrudes from the switch body 21. Further, when the cover 13 rotates inward and pushes the ON projection 22a into the switch main body 21, the operation element 22 performs a seesaw operation from the OFF operation state and is rotationally displaced to the ON operation state. As a result, the operator 22 closes a pair of contacts provided on the switch body 21.

Therefore, when the switch 21 is turned on, it is not necessary to perform the two-step operation of pulling the cover 13 outward and then operating the operation member 22 of the switch 21. At the same time as the operation of pushing the inside of the concave portion 11 is performed,
Since the switch 2 is turned on, the switch 12 can be turned on by one-stage operation.

A case where the switch 12 in the on state is turned off will be described. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the operation element 22 of the switch 12 is in the ON operation state, and the OFF projection 22 b protrudes from the switch main body 21, and the ON projection 22 a sinks into the switch main body 21. I have. In the case of the turning-off operation, as shown in FIG. 4, a finger of a person raises the cover 13 in the hanging position through the opening 11a of the recess 11 to the outside of the recess 11 and rotates the cover 13 about the support shaft 14 at the upper end. The opening 11a of the recess 11 is opened. Then, the finger of the hand is inserted from the opening 11a into the inside of the concave portion 11, and comes into contact with the OFF projection 22b of the operation element 22 which is located near the support shaft 14 of the cover 13 and protrudes from the switch body 21, This off projection 22
b is pushed toward the inside of the switch body 21. As a result, the operating element 22 is displaced from the on-operation state to the seesaw operation and is turned to the off-operation state to separate and open a pair of contacts provided on the switch body 21.

Therefore, when the switch 21 is turned off, it is necessary to perform a two-stage operation of operating the operation member 22 of the switch 21 after pulling the cover 13 outward and thus turning the switch 12 on. An erroneous operation of turning on the switch 12 when the switch 12 is turned off can be reliably prevented because the operation process is different from the operation process.

FIG. 5 shows a case where the cover 13 is pushed toward the inside of the recess 11 when the switch 12 is in the ON state. In this case, the lower end of the cover 13 rotated inside the recess 11 abuts on the ON projection 22 a of the operation element 22 immersed inside the switch main body 21. Since the switch 12 does not rotate any more even when pressed, the switch 12 can be kept on.

FIG. 6 shows a case in which the cover 13 is turned outward to open the opening 11a of the concave portion 11 and the switch 11 in the off state is turned on. In this case, there is no problem in operation, not erroneous operation.

As described above, by using the switch device 4 as a power switch of an electronic device, it is possible to prevent an erroneous operation of opening the power switch when the electronic device is used. The facsimile device 1 as an example of the electronic device includes the switch device 4 described above,
Since the facsimile apparatus 1 is connected to the network, the switch apparatus 4 used as a power switch when the facsimile apparatus 1 is used is not easily opened, so that it is possible to prevent a large damage to the entire network.

The configuration of the switch device 4 is economical because most of the conventional switch devices can be used.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a second embodiment.
This will be described with reference to FIG. This embodiment uses a switch provided with a toggle-type operator. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the switch device when the switch is turned on, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the switch device when the switch is turned off.

7 and 8, the same parts as those in FIGS. 2 to 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals. 1 in the figure
Denotes a housing, 11 denotes a recess, 13 denotes a cover, and 14 denotes a support shaft. Reference numeral 15 denotes a toggle switch. This switch 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes a switch main body 31 having a pair of contacts that can be relatively contacted and separated, and a switch main body 31 provided on the switch main body 31 to be tilted over an on-axis position and an off-position around an operation axis O to form the switch main body 31. And a lever operator 32 for contacting closing and separating and opening the provided pair of contacts. Then, the switch 15 is connected to the lever operator 3
The second operation axis O is horizontal, and the lever operation member 32 is provided in the concave portion 11 of the housing 1 with its orientation set so that the on position A of the lever operator 32 is located above the operation axis O. The cover 13 is suspended from the opening 11 a of the recess 11 by a support shaft 14, and an operation assisting member 33 is supported by a pin 34 so as to swing up and down on the inner surface facing the recess 11 a. The movement assisting member 33 is provided with the cover 13 in the concave portion 11.
When the switch 15 is turned inward, the lever-type operator 32 of the switch 15 is operated to tilt from the off position to the on position. FIG. 7 shows the switch 15 in the off state.
Is turned on. In this case, the operating element 32 of the switch 15 is tilted to the lower off position B. In the case of the ON operation, the finger of a human hand pushes the cover 13 in the hanging position into the inside of the concave portion 11 through the opening 11a of the concave portion 11 and rotates around the support shaft 14 at the upper end toward the inside of the concave portion 11. Let it. Then, the operation assisting member 33 provided on the inner side surface of the cover 13 is moved downward to the off position B.
Abuts on the lever-type operator 32 that is tilted toward.
When the cover 13 rotates toward the inside of the recess 11, the operation assisting member 33 pushes the lever-type operation member 32 upward and inclines to the ON position A beyond the operation axis O.

Therefore, when the switch 15 is turned on, there is no need to perform a two-stage operation of pulling up the cover 13 outward and then operating the operating element 32 of the switch 15. The operation of pushing the switch 3 into the recess 11
Since the switch 2 is turned on, the switch can be turned on by one operation.

FIG. 8 shows a case where the switch 15 in the on state is turned off. In this case, the lever-type operator 32 of the switch 15 is tilted to the ON position A above the operation axis O. In the case of the turning-off operation, the finger of a person raises the cover 13 in the hanging position from the opening 11a of the recess 11 to the outside of the recess 11 and rotates about the support shaft 14 at the upper end to rotate the cover 11 at the opening 11a. To release. In this case, the motion assisting member 3 provided on the inner surface of the cover 13 with a finger
Swing up 3 to make operation easier. Open fingers 11a
, The operator 32 of the switch 15 tilted to the upper ON position A is tilted to the lower OFF position B.

Therefore, when the switch 21 is turned off, it is necessary to perform a two-stage operation of raising the cover 13 outward and then operating the operating element 32 of the switch 15. Since the operation process is different from the ON operation, an erroneous operation in which the switch 12 is turned OFF when the switch 12 is turned OFF can be reliably prevented.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be implemented in various modifications.

[0039]

According to the switch device of the first aspect of the present invention, when the switch is turned on, the cover for rotating the cover to the inside of the housing recess displaces the switch operation body to the closing position. , The operation to turn on the switch can be easily performed, and when the switch is turned off,
Since the cover is rotated to the outside of the housing concave portion to open the concave portion and displace the operating body of the switch to the open position, the operation method is different from the closing operation, and erroneous operation can be reliably prevented.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the first aspect of the present invention can be applied by skillfully utilizing the configuration of an operation element of a seesaw type switch which is generally and widely used.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the configuration of the operator in the toggle type switch is skillfully used to achieve the first aspect.
Can be applied.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a switch device used as a power switch when an electronic device is used is not easily opened, thereby improving the reliability of the network and causing a great damage to the entire network. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing an electronic apparatus equipped with a switch device according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view showing the appearance of the switch device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the switch device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the switch device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the switch device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the switch device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a switch device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the switch device according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... housing | casing, 11 ... recessed part, 11a ... opening, 12 ... switch 13 ... cover, 14 ... support shaft, 15 ... switch, 21 ... switch body, 22 ... operator, 31 ... switch body, 33 ... movement auxiliary member, O: Operation axis.

Claims (4)

[Claims] A housing provided with a recess for storing a switch, which is opened on an outer wall surface, and an operation member which is displaced between a position where an ON operation is performed and a position where an OFF operation is performed about an operation axis; The switch is provided in the recess of the housing with the operation element facing the opening of the recess and the operation axis of the operation element is horizontal, and is suspended and supported by a horizontal support shaft in the opening of the recess of the housing. Is always in a position to close the opening and is rotatable between a position for displacing the switch operator to an ON operation state inside the concave portion and a position for opening the opening outside the concave portion. A switch device comprising a cover. 2. The switch has an ON projection and an OFF projection, and includes an operation element that performs a seesaw operation between a position where the operation is turned on and a position where the operation is turned off about the operation axis, and the operation element 2. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the switch device is provided so as to be oriented such that a position where the switch is turned on is located below the operation axis. 3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the switch includes a lever operating member that tilts between a position where the switch is turned on and a position where the switch is turned off about the operation axis, and a position where the lever is turned on is above the operation axis. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the switch device is provided so as to be positioned at a position. 4. An electronic apparatus, wherein the electronic apparatus is connected to the switch device according to claim 1 and a network.