JP2002175747A - Changeover structure of lever switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lever switch changeover structure including a slide switch to be slid through an operating lever, in which the stroke amount of the slider of slide switch is increased. SOLUTION: Switches, etc., to operate electrical components of an automobile are installed in a unit body 3, in which the operating lever 5 to actuate a washer is borne by an actuating shaft 24. A cylinder hole 12 is formed at the base end of the lever 5, and in the hole 12 a push bar 14 is energized toward a slope 23 by a coil spring 22. An engaging shaft 29 located at the tip of an actuator arm part 19 of push bar 14 is engaged with a slant groove 28 in the slider 26. The slider 26 works interlocking with the turn of the lever 5 and makes advance and retreat so that the switch contacts are changed over.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lever switch switching structure used for a slide switch that switches contacts by turning an operation lever.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A combination switch unit provided with a plurality of switches for operating a turn signal, a wiper, and the like is provided around a steering shaft supporting a steering handle of an automobile, and these switches are operated. For this purpose, an operation lever is provided.
7 and 8 show an example of a changeover switch conventionally used. A lever support 51 is rotatably held on the body 50 of the switch.
A cylindrical boss 52 formed on the lower side of 1 is fitted in a fitting hole 53 formed on the upper surface of the body 50.

A swing arm 56 is provided on an operation lever 55.
Is provided, and the swing arm 56 is
It is rotatably supported by a lever support 51. Also,
At the tip of the operation lever 55, an action pin 59 is elastically engaged with an uneven surface 58 formed on the lever support body 51, is urged in a projecting direction by a spring 60, and is provided so as to be able to expand and contract in the axial direction. I have. A sliding body 63 is provided on a substrate 61 attached to the body 50,
The sliding body 63 holds a movable contact 62 that contacts a fixed contact (not shown), and the swing arm 56
Move up. With such a configuration, when the operation lever 55 is rotated with the fulcrum shaft 57 as a fulcrum, the action pin 59 slides on the uneven surface 58, and the arm 65 also rotates with the operation lever 55. The sliding body 63 that engages with the distal end of the portion 65 moves to switch the contact point on the substrate 61, and a switch operation is performed.

[0004]

In turn switches and washer switches for vehicles, particularly when used as a combination switch for small vehicles, downsizing of the switches is required due to reduction in mounting space and weight. . For this reason, the lever ratio becomes smaller with respect to the operation angle of the operation lever, and the stroke of the sliding body as the slide switch cannot be sufficiently taken. In this case, the switching stroke of the contacts cannot be secured, the margin in the ON state of the contacts is reduced, and the insulation distance between the contacts cannot be secured, resulting in a problem that the contact is defective or the durability of the contact is reduced. There is a risk. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lever switch device capable of increasing a stroke amount of a slide body of a slide switch that slides via an operation lever.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a switching structure of a lever switch according to the present invention comprises a switch body incorporating switches for operating electric components mounted on a vehicle, and a shaft mounted on the switch body. An operation lever to be supported, a push bar disposed at an end of the operation lever, and sliding on a switching surface provided on the switch body by operation of the operation lever, and a switch body interlocked with the push bar. A slider provided with a movable contact for switching a fixed contact provided on the push bar, wherein the push bar has an operating arm protruding toward the slider, and the slider engages with the operating arm. A guide portion is provided for assisting the movement of the slider in the switching direction. The invention is more effective when the guide portion is an inclined surface formed so as to face a fulcrum axis of the operation lever.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a lever switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a pair of left and right switch combination units 1 and 2 disposed around a steering shaft that supports a steering handle for steering a vehicle. The switch combination units 1 and 2 are attached to a steering lock 7 for locking a steering handle. One switch combination unit 2 operates a wiper and a washer switch, and the other switch combination unit 1 turns on a turn signal lamp, a headlight, and the like.

The switch combination units 1 and 2 have unit bodies 3 and 4 and operation levers 5 and 6, respectively. The switch combination unit 1 on the left side will be described. In the switch combination unit 1, the operation lever 5 can rotate up and down around the support shaft 8 as shown by an arrow a. Switch combination unit 1
The unit body 3 has a switch body 10 inside a unit case 9 as shown in FIG. The unit case 9 is fixed to the steering lock 7, and the switch body 10 is configured to rotate around the support shaft 8 together with the operation lever 5 when the operation lever 5 rotates in the direction of arrow a.

The switch body 10 is divided into an operating portion 16 and a switch portion 17 with a partition wall 20 interposed therebetween. The operating portion 16 has a protruding end portion 13 protruding from the support end side of the operation lever 5. Have been. The protruding end 13 is rotatably supported by an operating shaft 24 attached to the switch body 10. A cylindrical portion 11 having an open end is formed on the distal end side of the protruding end portion 13, and a cylinder hole 12 having a circular cross section and the same diameter from the bottom to the open end is formed inside the cylindrical portion 11. I have. The sectional shape of the cylinder hole 12 may be other than circular. A cutout 15 extending in the axial direction of the cylinder hole 12 is formed in a peripheral portion of the distal end of the cylindrical portion 11.

A push bar 14 is provided inside the cylinder hole 12. The push bar 14 is the operating unit 1
6 and an operating arm 19 provided on the switch 17 side.
The cross-sectional shape is circular corresponding to the shape of No. 2 and is fitted into the cylinder hole 12. A coil spring 22 is disposed in a compressed state between the bottom of the cylinder hole 12 and the end of the body 18. An operating arm 19 is provided integrally with the body 18 at an intermediate position on the outer periphery of the body 18, and the operating arm 19 extends through the notch 15 of the It protrudes in the radial direction of the hole 12 and toward the switch unit 17. In the present embodiment, the operating arm 19 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the body 18,
It is inserted into the switch section 17 side.

The switch body 10 includes a push bar 1
4, the inclined surface 23 is formed. The push bar 14 has a coil spring 22 disposed between the bottom of the cylinder hole 12 and the body 18 in a compressed state.
The push bar 14 is urged toward the concave portion 25 forming the inclined surface 23. The inclined surface 23 is provided toward the operating shaft 24, and is formed such that the inclined surface 23 becomes closer to the operating shaft 24 toward the lower side of the inclined surface 23 in the drawing. With such a structure, when the protruding end portion 13 rotates to the switch portion 17 side, the push bar 14
2 retreats inward. Inside the switch portion 17, a slider 26 is slidably disposed on a substrate 27 in the same direction as the axial direction of the cylinder hole 12. An inclined groove 28 is formed in the slider 26 and the push bar 14
A locking shaft 29 provided at the distal end of the operating arm 19 is inserted into the entrance of the inclined groove 28. The inclined groove 28 is formed so that an extension of the inclined groove 28 intersects with an extension of the inclined surface 23.

Next, the operation of the lever switch according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the operation lever 5 of the washer shown in FIG. 1 is not operated, as shown in FIG.
The axis of the body 18 of the push bar 14 is parallel to the direction in which the slider 26 extends, the slider 26 is at the most advanced position, and the washer switch is in the OFF state. In this state, when the driver of the automobile pulls the operation lever 5 toward the user, as shown in FIG. 3, the protruding end portion 13 has the operating shaft 24 as a center axis and the cylindrical portion 11 at the tip end thereof in a clockwise direction. Rotate. Then, the tip of the push bar 14 provided in the cylinder hole 12 slides on the inclined surface 23 toward the side for retracting the push bar 14 while being urged by the coil spring 22 toward the inclined surface 23. . Therefore,
The push bar 14 retreats slightly from the cylinder hole 12 to the inner side of the cylinder hole 12, and the operation arm 19 integrally attached to the body 18 of the slider 26 also retreats. Since the operating arm 19 and the slider 26 are engaged via the inclined groove 28, the slider 26 is also retracted, and further, the operating arm 19 is moved by the rotation of the protruding end 13.
By turning to the side, the engagement shaft 29 of the operating arm 19 is inserted deeper into the inclined groove 28. This operating arm 19
Is inserted into the inclined groove 28, the operating arm 19 has the inclined groove 2
8 will be guided to assist the slider 26 in retreating. S1 in FIG. 3 indicates the amount of movement of the slider 26 with respect to the initial state. In this state, the washer switch is still in the OFF state.

When the operation lever 5 is further pulled forward from this state, as shown in FIG.
With the center axis as the central axis, the cylindrical portion 11 on the tip side is rotated more clockwise. Then, by the same operation as described above, the push bar 14 disposed in the cylinder hole 12 further retracts from the cylinder hole 12 to the inner side of the cylinder hole 12 as compared with the state shown in FIG. 26 also retreats. At the same time, the engagement shaft 29 of the operating arm 19
Is inserted deeper into the inclined groove 28, and the retraction of the slider 26 is further assisted. That is, the movement of the slider 26 is assisted by the horizontal component of the inclined groove 28 in the portion inserted into the downward (vertical direction) side of the inclined groove 28. S2 in FIG. 4 indicates the amount of movement of the slider 26 with respect to the initial state. In this state, the washer switch is turned on.

When the operating lever 5 is further pulled forward by the full stroke of the operating lever 5, as shown in FIG. 5, the protruding end portion 13 has the operating shaft 24 as a central axis and the cylindrical portion 11 at the distal end thereof. Is rotated more clockwise. Then, by the same operation as described above, the push bar 14 disposed in the cylinder hole 12 further retracts the cylinder hole 12 further inward from the state shown in FIG. At the same time, the engagement shaft 29 of the operating arm 19 is inserted deeper into the inclined groove 28, and the slider 26 is at the full stroke position where the slider 26 is most retracted. S3 in FIG.
This indicates the amount of movement of the slider 26 with respect to the initial state. In this state, the ON state of the washer switch is maintained. When the driver releases the operation lever 5, the members return to their original positions by performing reverse operations in the order shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. That is, the push bar 14 is
With the urging force described above, the cylinder hole 12 advances by sliding on the inclined surface 23, and the operating arm 19 rotates counterclockwise, thereby returning the slider 26 to the initial state.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even in a small space in the unit body 3 of the switch combination unit 1, since the inclined groove 28 is formed in the slider 26, the stroke amount of the slider 26 can be ensured. it can. By increasing this stroke amount,
The contact switching stroke can be secured, and the extra width in the ON state of the contact increases. Further, the insulation distance between the contacts can be ensured, the contact failure can be eliminated, and the durability of the contacts can be improved. Since the action function of the lever is formed by sliding the engagement shaft 29 of the operating arm 19 of the bush bar in the inclined groove 28 of the slider 26, the number of parts of the conventional product is increased. The stroke amount of the slider 26 can be secured. Further, since the push bar 14 moves to the rotation center of the operation lever 5, a smooth operation force can be obtained.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is, of course, not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes can be made based on the technical concept of the present invention.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, according to the present invention, a switch body incorporating switches for operating electric components mounted on a vehicle, an operation lever pivotally supported by the switch body, A push bar disposed at an end of a lever and sliding on a switching surface provided on the switch body by operating the operation lever; and a movable switch for switching a fixed contact provided on the switch body in conjunction with the push bar. A slider provided with a contact, wherein the push bar has an operating arm protruding toward the slider, and the slider has a guide portion for assisting the slider to move in a switching direction. Since the arm portion is engaged with the guide portion, the operating arm portion is guided by the guide portion, and the movement of the slider in the switching direction is assisted. Therefore, by increasing the stroke amount of the slider, the switching stroke width of the contact can be secured, and the extra width in the ON state of the contact increases. Further, the insulation distance between the contacts can be ensured, the contact failure can be eliminated, and the durability of the contacts can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a switch combination unit provided with a switching structure of a lever switch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the switch combination unit of FIG. 1 in a non-operating state of a washer switch;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which the washer switch of FIG. 2 is operated and the slider is slightly retracted.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the slider of the washer switch of FIG. 3 is retracted from the state of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the rearmost position of the slider of the washer switch.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the inside of the switch body of the switch combination unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a push bar and a slider of a dimmer switch provided in a conventional switch combination unit.

8 is an exploded perspective view of the dimmer switch shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 Switch combination unit 3, 4 Unit body 5, 6 Operation lever 10 Switch body 12 Cylinder hole 13 Projecting end 14 Push bar 15 Notch 19 Working arm 23 Slope 24 Working axis 26 Slider 28 Inclined groove

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A switch body incorporating switches for operating electrical components mounted on a vehicle, an operation lever pivotally supported by the switch body, and the switch body provided at an end of the operation lever. A push bar that slides on a switching surface provided by the operation lever by an operation of the operation lever; and a slider that has a movable contact that switches a fixed contact provided on a switch body in conjunction with the push bar. Has an operating arm protruding toward the slider, while the slider is provided with a guide portion that assists movement of the slider in the switching direction by engaging with the operating arm. Switching structure of lever switch. 2. The lever switch switching structure according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is an inclined surface formed so as to face a fulcrum axis of the operation lever.