JP2002343183A - Switch-operation structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize operational characteristics by improving a supporting structure of an operation button in a switch-operation structure constituted so that the operation button installed at an opening of a cover is supported in the inner face side of the cover and the switch arranged in the inner side of the cover is press operated by push-in displacement of the operation button. SOLUTION: This is constituted so that a button supporting member 21 is coupled and fixed in the inner face of the cover 2, one end part of the operation button 16 is pinched and supported between the cover 2 and the button supporting member 21, an elastically deformable hinge arm 25 is successively installed at the button supporting member 21 in a cantilever, the operation button 16 is received and supported at the free end part of this hinge arm 25, and the hinge arm 25 is elastically deformed following the push-in displacement of the operation button 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch operation structure, and more particularly to a switch operation structure suitable for, for example, operating a switch mounted in a thin case such as a wall-mounted remote controller by pressing a front operation button. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional plan view showing an example of a conventional switch operation structure used for a wall-mounted remote controller. In this example, an opening 42 is formed in a cover 41 as a front panel that can be fixed or opened and closed, and an operation button 43 is provided so as to face the opening 42. A thin supporting portion 43a is continuously provided at one end of the operation button 43, and the support portion 43a is ultrasonically welded directly to the inner surface side of the cover 41.
Is operated by being pressed from above as indicated by an arrow B, thereby elastically displacing the operation button 43 with the welding portion a as a fulcrum, and pressing the switch 45 on the built-in circuit board 44. Have been.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional structure, the button posture varies due to a manufacturing error when the support portion 43a is welded to the cover 41, and the initial clearance and the operation resistance are different. This has been one of the factors that hinders stabilization of operation characteristics.

In an illuminated switch that displays the operation status of a switch to be operated by a lamp, a light transmitting portion for guiding light from a monitor lamp such as an LED mounted on a circuit board to the front side is provided on the operation button itself. The operation buttons are in-molded with a resin material different from that of the cover in order to form a single unit, and the color of the operation buttons and the cover are different, which is an obstacle to improving the appearance. Was.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its main object to stabilize operation characteristics by improving the support structure of operation buttons. .

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

That is, in the switch operation structure according to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation button provided at the opening of the panel is supported on the inner surface of the panel, and the switch arranged inside the panel by the pushing displacement of the operation button. In a switch operation structure configured to perform a pressing operation, a button support member is connected and fixed to an inner surface of the panel, and an operation button is sandwiched and supported between the panel and the button support member.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation button is only supported by being sandwiched between the panel and the button support member, and is not directly connected to and supported by the panel.
The operation button support posture does not change due to the mounting error of the button support member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the operation button is sandwiched and supported at one end, and an elastically deformable hinge arm is cantilevered on the button support member. The operation button is received and supported at the free end of the hinge arm.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the hinge arm is elastically deformed in accordance with the pushing displacement of the operation button whose one end is sandwiched and supported, the operation button is displaced by the elastic restoring force of the hinge arm. Can be done. In this case, the length and shape of the hinge arm can be arbitrarily set regardless of the shape of the operation button.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the hinge arm has an operation projection facing the switch.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is not necessary to provide an operation projection on the back surface of the operation button, and there is no occurrence of so-called "sink" of the resin on the button surface side due to the formation of the operation projection.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the operation button has a contact portion acting on the hinge arm.

According to the present invention, the hinge arm is elastically deformed regardless of the operation position of the operation button, and the switch is operated via the operation projection provided on the hinge arm.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, a through hole is formed in the operation button, and the button support member is made of a light transmitting material. A projection that fits into the through hole is formed, and guides light from a light source that illuminates and displays the operation state of the switch to an outer surface of the panel via a button support member.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the button support member provided on the back side of the operation button is sufficiently close to the light source provided therein and efficiently guides the generated light to the surface of the operation button. it can.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a remote controller for a water heater for floor heating will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a remote controller A of a floor heating water heater as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the remote controller A with its front face opened.

The remote controller A is used by being mounted on a wall surface of a room or the like. A panel 1 made of, for example, ABS resin is provided at an upper and lower middle portion of a front surface of a case 1 formed in a rectangular box shape having a small depth. The cover 2 is pivotally connected so as to swing open and close about a fulcrum p. When the cover 2 is opened, the plate surface 3 for operation and display is exposed.

In the right half of the plate surface 3, a switch operation unit 4 for turning on and off the operation, a switch operation unit 5 for turning on and off the timer, a pair of switch operation units 6 and 7 for temperature adjustment,
A group of switch operation units such as switch operation units 8 and 9 for capacity switching, various switch operation units 10 for timer setting, etc., a monitor unit 11 for displaying the operation status with a lamp, and a monitor unit for displaying the timer operation status with a lamp In addition to the liquid crystal display unit 12, a liquid crystal display unit 13 is provided in the left half of the plate surface 3 to display various conditions by numerical values and characters. Further, a slit 14 for ventilation is provided in the lower part of the surface of the case 1 so as to communicate with the room temperature sensor provided therein.

As shown in FIG. 3 showing the main part of the inner surface of the cover, hemispherical fulcrum projections 2a are formed at the upper and lower ends of the base end of the cover 2 and formed at the right end of the case 1. It is engaged with a pair of upper and lower fulcrum holes (not shown)
The cover 2 is pivotally connected so as to swing open and close around a vertical fulcrum p.

As shown in FIG. 4, a rectangular opening 15 is formed on the base end side of the cover 2, and a rectangular plate-like operation button 16 made of, for example, ABS resin is formed in the opening 15. Even when the cover 2 is closed and the plate surface 3 is hidden, the operation buttons 16
By pressing down, the switch operation unit 4 for turning on and off the driving can be pressed, and the lighting status of the monitor unit 11 for displaying the driving status and the monitoring unit 12 for the timer driving status can be controlled by the operation buttons 16 and Cover 2
The structure can be visually recognized from the outside through the device, and its detailed structure will be described below with reference to FIGS.

A button support member 21 is fixed to the upper part of the back surface of the cover 2 by heat caulking. That is, the connection holes 22 formed on the left and right of the upper part of the button support member 21.
A pair of connecting pins 23 projecting from the back of the cover 2 are inserted through the cover 2, and the protruding ends thereof are caulked to fix the button support member 21 to the back of the cover 2. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a downwardly opened gap c is formed between the fixed button support member 21 and the back surface of the cover 2, and the operation button 16 is opened.
The tongue-shaped fulcrum 24 projecting from the upper left and right sides of the back surface of the backrest is engaged with the gap c from below, and this fulcrum 2
The operation button 16 is set with a contact point between the edge portion 24a slightly raised at the tip of the button 4 and the button support member 21 as a fulcrum.
However, it is configured to swing inward and outward.

The button support member 21 is formed by molding a light-transmissive material, in this embodiment, a translucent acrylic resin mixed with a light diffusing agent. A hinge arm 25 extends in a cantilever manner, and an arm 26 extends in a cantilever manner downward from the left end (as viewed from the front) of the upper side thereof. An oval head 25a is formed at the free end of the hinge arm 25, and the head 25a
Is formed with a horizontally long protrusion 27 on the front surface. A round pin-shaped projection 28 is also formed on the front surface of the other arm 26.

On the other hand, in the vicinity of the center of the operation button 16, there is formed a horizontally long hole-shaped through hole 29 facing the monitor section 11, and on the back of the operation button 16, the head of the free end of the hinge arm is provided. A guide portion 30 for engaging the portion 25a is protruded, and the projection 27 is fitted into the through hole 29 of the operation button 16 with the head portion 25a engaged with the guide portion 30. Also, the projection 28 of the other arm 26
Is fitted into a round through hole 31 formed in the cover 2.

An operation protrusion 32 for pressing a switch is provided on the rear surface of the operation button 16. A cover sheet 35 is provided on the operation-on / off switch 34 mounted on the front surface of a circuit board 33 provided in the case 1. Facing each other.

As described above, the operation button 16 is swingably supported inward and outward through the fulcrum 24 at the upper end thereof, and is also received and supported by the free end of the hinge arm 25, as shown in FIG. As shown, in a normal state where no operation is performed,
The operation button 16 is held at a restoration position flush with the front surface of the cover 2, and at this time, the operation button 16 is
Slightly away from 5. In addition, a flange portion 36 is protrudingly provided at the left and right ends of the operation button 16, and as shown in FIG.
The engagement of the flanges 36 with the edges of the opening 15 prevents the operation button 16 from projecting forward and outward.

When the operation button 16 is pushed in with the cover 2 closed, as shown in FIG. 8, the operation button 16 causes the hinge arm 25 to be elastically deformed while the tip of the fulcrum 24 at the upper end. , The operation projection 32 pushes the operation on / off switch 34, and the operation is entered or turned off. Then, when the pressing operation of the operation button 16 is released, the hinge arm 25 is elastically restored, whereby the operation button 16 returns to the original posture and swings. A stopper 37 is provided at the lower edge of the opening 15 in the cover 2 so that the pushing limit of the pushed operation button 16 is limited.

Here, when the operation for entering the operation is performed, the LED 38 as a light source (monitor lamp) for indicating the operation is displayed on the circuit board 33 is turned on, and the generated light is emitted from the head 25 a of the hinge arm 25. Collected protrusions 2
7, the lighting state of the LED 38 can be easily viewed from outside the operation button 16. In addition, the through hole 31 of the cover 2 is provided with a L as a monitor lamp for turning on and off the timer operation mounted on the circuit board 33.
The light from this LED is collected by a converging projection 26a formed on the back surface of the arm 26 and guided to the projection 28, and the timer operation is performed even when the cover 2 is closed. The state can be easily visually recognized from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 5, a small projection 17 is formed on the front surface of the operation button 16 so that a visually impaired person can recognize the operation position by touch.

The present invention can be carried out in the following modes.

(1) The hinge arm 25 of the button support member 21 can also extend laterally from the tip of the other arm 26, as shown in FIG. In this case, in order to fix the base position of the hinge arm 25,
It is desirable that the connecting hole 22 is also formed at the distal end side of the arm 26 and that it is caulked and fixed to a connecting pin projecting from the back of the case 1. Also, as shown in FIG.
The free ends of the pair of hinge arms 25 are connected to the head 25a.
In this case, the torsion deformation of the hinge arm 25 is suppressed and the head 25a
Thus, the attitude of the operation button 16 supported by the operation is further stabilized.

(2) As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the hinge arm 25 may be formed with an operation projection 32 for the switch 34. In this case, operation button 1
Since the large operation projection is not provided on 6, the sink mark of the resin material caused by the projection molding is not formed on the button surface. Further, by forming a small projection 39 on the back surface of the operation button 16 and pressing the intermediate portion of the hinge arm 25, the hinge arm 25 is deformed even when the upper part of the operation button 16 is pressed. It will be easier.

(3) As a means for fixing the button support member 21 to the back surface of the cover 2, the connection pin 23
In addition to the heat caulking through, the button support member 21 can be fixed to the back surface of the cover 2 by ultrasonic welding. In addition, it is also possible to use adhesive fixing with an adhesive or fastening and fixing means with screws.

(4) In the above embodiment, the case where the cover 2 is opened and closed with respect to the case 1 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to a case where an operation button is provided on a fixed case cover which is not opened and closed.

[0036]

As is clear from the above description, the following effects can be expected according to the present invention.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation button which is not directly connected to and supported by the panel has a stable assembling posture, does not elastically deform the operation button itself, and stabilizes the operation characteristics. The quality can be made uniform.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the elasticity of the hinge arm extending from the button support member for supporting the operation button is used for the return bias of the operation button, the length and shape of the hinge arm can be selected. Thereby, it is easy to arbitrarily set the return biasing characteristic, and it is easy to obtain a convenient button operation characteristic.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the operation switch exposed on the front surface of the panel is provided on the surface of the panel at the time of molding.
Can be eliminated, which is effective in improving the appearance.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the hinge arm can be reliably bent and deformed regardless of the pressing position of the operation button, and the operability is improved.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the operation button and the button support member as the light guide member can be individually formed of an arbitrary resin material. It is effective in taking.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a remote control having a switch operation structure according to the present invention as viewed from the front side.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a remote control with a cover as a panel opened.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a main part of the inner surface of the cover.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of a cover.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the operation button and the button support member as viewed from the front side.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the operation button and the button support member viewed from the back side.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a switch operation structure.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an operation state of the switch operation structure.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a main part of the inner surface of the cover.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the button support member.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a switch operation structure using a button support member of still another embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a button support member and an operation button according to another embodiment viewed from the front side.

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a button support member and an operation button according to another embodiment as viewed from the rear side.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional plan view showing an example of a conventional switch operation structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Cover (panel) 15 Opening 16 Operation button 21 Button support member 25 Hinge arm 27 Projection 29 Through hole 32 Operation projection 34 Switch 38 Monitor lamp (light source)

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H01H 21/00 330 H01H 21/00 330A

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A switch operation structure in which an operation button provided at an opening of a panel is supported on an inner surface side of the panel, and a switch disposed inside the panel is pressed by a pushing displacement of the operation button. A button support member connected to and fixed to an inner surface of the switch, and an operation button sandwiched between the panel and the button support member to support the switch. 2. The switch operation structure according to claim 1, wherein one end of the operation button is sandwiched and supported, and an elastically deformable hinge arm is connected to the button support member in a cantilever manner. A switch operation structure in which the operation button is received and supported at the free end of the hinge arm. 3. The switch operation structure according to claim 2, wherein an operation projection facing the switch is formed on the hinge arm. 4. The switch operation structure according to claim 3, wherein the operation button has a contact portion acting on the hinge arm. 5. The switch operation structure according to claim 1, wherein a through hole is formed in the operation button, the button support member is made of a light transmitting material, and the through hole is formed. A switch operation structure for guiding light from a light source, which illuminates and displays an operation state of the switch, to a panel outer surface side via a button support member.