JP2003297190A - Operation key - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operating key with a structure which can withstand the strong press load by reducing the number of parts and improving the assembling property. <P>SOLUTION: Top and bottom keys 40 supported to be freely swung in the vertical direction are supported to be freely swung in a state where swinging shafts 46 and 46 are crimped in between a pair of bearings formed on a pair of shaft supporting parts 48 and 48 formed integrally to a base body 42 and an exterior body. A neutral state is maintained by a spring part 52 formed integrally in between the pair of shaft supporting parts 48 and 48. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation key, and more particularly to an operation key operated in two directions, up and down or left and right.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a lens-integrated camera such as a compact camera, generally, a zoom operation of a photographing lens is performed by a zoom key provided on a camera body. This zoom key is supported swingably in two directions, up and down or left and right, since it is necessary to operate the taking lens toward the tele side or the wide side.

Conventionally, this zoom key has a bearing hole formed in a resin cabinet provided inside an exterior body of a camera body, and a shaft is swingably supported through a shaft in the bearing hole and the hole formed in the zoom key. I am trying to do it.
The torsion spring inserted through the shaft is configured to maintain the neutral state.

[0004]

However, the conventional zoom key support structure using the shaft and the torsion spring has a drawback that the assembly is troublesome. Further, since the bearing hole for supporting the shaft has to be formed in the inner cabinet, there is also a drawback that the mold structure of the inner cabinet becomes complicated.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-59762 discloses that
As a structure of a seesaw key that is operated in two directions as described above, there is disclosed a technique in which the seesaw key is formed integrally with the base body via a support shaft portion formed of a torsion spring. Since the zoom key is continuously pressed, if such a structure is adopted for the zoom key, a strong load is applied to the support shaft each time it is operated, and the support shaft may be damaged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an operation key having a structure capable of reducing the number of parts and improving the assembling property and capable of withstanding a strong pressing load. To do.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in an operation key that is arranged to project from a surface of an exterior body and is operated up and down or left and right, an operation key body, a shaft formed on the operation key body, and the exterior body. Molded in a state of being integrally connected between a pair of shaft support members that pivotally support the operation key body with the shaft sandwiched between a pair of body-side bearing portions, and the pair of shaft support members. A spring member for urging the operation key body to keep it in a neutral state, which is a spring member that operates in response to an operation of the operation key body and turns ON / OFF the switch arranged in opposition. And a spring member having the operation key.

In order to achieve the above object, the shaft support member is molded in a state of being integrally connected to a base body, and the base body is provided with a connecting portion having a spring property. The operation key according to claim 1, wherein the other operation button is molded integrally with the other operation button.

According to the present invention, by constructing the shaft support member and the spring member separately, it is possible to have a structure capable of withstanding a continuous pressing load. Further, by integrally forming the spring member on the shaft support member, a separate neutral spring is unnecessary, and the number of parts can be reduced. Further, the shaft of the operation key is sandwiched between the bearing portion on the exterior body side and the shaft support member so as to be swingably supported, so that the mold structure at the time of molding can be simplified and the assembly can be performed easily. be able to.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of an operation key according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are a front view and a rear view of a digital camera to which the operation keys according to the present invention are applied, respectively. The digital camera 10 has functions of shooting and playing, shooting a still image in the shooting mode, and playing back the still image shot in the playing mode.

As shown in FIG. 1, this digital camera 1
On the front surface of the camera body 12 of 0, the taking lens 14, the finder window 16, the strobe 18, etc. are provided.
The mode lever 20 and the shutter button 2 are on the upper surface.
2 etc. are provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, on the rear surface of the camera body 12, an LCD monitor 24, a finder 26, a display button 28, a menu / OK button 30,
A cancel / return button 32, a power button 34, a right button 36, a left button 38, an up / down lever 40, etc. are provided.

The mode lever 20 is formed in a ring shape and is rotatably provided around the shutter button 22. The photographer rotates the mode lever 20 to switch between the photographing mode and the reproduction mode.

The liquid crystal monitor 24 is used as an electronic viewfinder for confirming the angle of view in the shooting mode, and as a playback screen for the shot image in the playback mode. Also,
Also used as a menu display screen, this LCD monitor 2
Various settings are made according to the display of 4.

The display button 28 is used to turn on / off the display of the liquid crystal monitor 24 in the photographing mode. Further, the menu / OK button 30 is used for switching to a menu screen, confirming selection contents, executing (confirming) processing, and the like,
The cancel / return button 32 is used to cancel (cancel) the selected content or return to the previous operation state. The power button 34 is used to turn on / off the power of the digital camera 10.

The right button 36, the left button 38, and the up / down lever 40 respectively correspond to four directions (right, left, up, down).
You can enter the instructions of, and use it to select menus and various setting items in the menu mode. Further, the right button 36 and the left button 38 function as a forward frame advance button and a reverse frame advance button in the reproduction mode, and the up / down lever 4
0 functions as a zoom lever of the photographing lens 14 in the photographing mode.

These operation buttons are provided with openings 28C to 4C formed in the exterior body 60 of the camera body 12, respectively.
It is provided so as to project from 0C.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the support structure of each operation button and the upper / lower lever arranged on the back surface of the camera body 12.

As shown in the figure, a display button 28, a menu / OK button 30, a cancel / return button 32,
The operation buttons such as the power button 34, the right button 36, and the left button 38 are connected to the base 42 made of synthetic resin and the connecting portion 2 respectively.
8A to 38A are integrally formed. Each of the connecting portions 28A to 38A has a mounting portion 42 formed on the base body 42.
The base 42 is attached to the substrate 44 by screwing the mounting portions 42A, 42A, ... To the substrate 44 with screws (not shown). Then, the operation buttons 28 to 38 attached to the substrate 44 via the base body 42 are always restored to the normal positions even if they are pressed by the elastic restoring action of the connecting portions 28A to 38A.

The operation buttons 28 are provided on the board 44.
The switches 28B to 38B are attached to the positions corresponding to the buttons 38 to 38, and when the operation buttons 28 to 38 are pressed, the not-shown pressing portions formed on the back surfaces of the operation buttons 28 to 38 are attached to the switches 28B to 38B. Upon contact, the switches 28B to 38B are turned ON / OFF.

The upper / lower lever 40 is formed as a single body, and is made of a synthetic resin material in a block shape having a semicircular cross section (so-called kamaboko shape). Swing shafts 46, 46 are formed so as to project from both side surfaces of the upper / lower lever 40, and the swing shafts 46, 46 are formed in a cabinet 62 to form a pair of bearings 50, 50 and a base body. The upper / lower lever 40 is swingably supported by being sandwiched between and supported by a pair of shaft support portions 48, 48 formed on the shaft 42.

4 and 5 are a plan view and a side view showing the structure of the support portion of the upper / lower lever 40. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, a cabinet 62 is attached to the inside of the exterior body 60, and a pair of bearings 50, 50 are formed in the cabinet 62 with an opening 40C (not shown) interposed therebetween. There is. This pair of bearings 50,
U-shaped grooves 50A and 50A are formed in the respective 50, and the swing shafts 46 and 46 of the upper / lower lever 40 are fitted into the grooves 50A and 50A.

On the other hand, the base 42 has base portions 48A, 48
A pair of shaft support portions 48, 48 are integrally formed via A. The shaft support parts 48, 48 are provided with bearing parts 50, 5
They are formed with the same spacing as 0, and when the exterior body 60 is attached, they contact the bearing portions 50, 50 and close the openings of the grooves 50A, 50A. Thereby, the groove 50
The swing shafts 46, 46 fitted in A, 50A are swingably supported by being sandwiched between the bearing portions 50, 50 and the shaft support portions 48, 48.

A spring portion 52 is integrally formed between the pair of shaft support portions 48, 48. The spring portion 52 is composed of an upper spring portion 52A and a lower spring portion 52B which are vertically symmetrical. The upper spring portion 52A and the lower spring portion 52B are, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of support portions 5 each formed in a U shape.
4A, 54B and T-shaped arm portions 56A, 56B formed between the pair of support portions 54A, 54B. The arm portions 56A, 56B are elastically deformable to be bent in a spring shape. Has been formed.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper / lower lever 40 has a pair of upper and lower legs 58A and 58B formed on the back surface thereof.
When pivotally supported by 8, the leg portions 58A and 58B are brought into contact with the arm portions 56A of the upper spring portion 52A and the arm portions of the lower spring portion 52B, respectively. As a result, the up / down lever 40
Is swung upward, the upper leg portion 58A presses the tip of the arm portion 56A of the upper spring portion 52A, and when swung downward, the lower leg portion 58B moves to the lower spring portion 52B. The tip of the arm portion 56B is pressed. When the arm portions 56A and 56B are pressed in this way, the upper / lower lever 40
Is urged to return to its original position by the spring force (elastic restoring force) of the arm portions 56A and 56B, and as a result,
The neutral state of the up / down lever 40 is maintained.

On the substrate 44, the arm portion 56A of the upper spring portion 52A and the arm portions 56A and 56B of the lower spring portion 52B are provided.
The switches 40A and 40B are attached to the positions corresponding to, and when the arm portions 56A and 56B are pressed according to the swing operation of the up / down lever 40, the arm portions 56A and 56B are
Pressing portions 56a and 56 formed on the back side of the tips of A and 56B
b contacts each switch 40A, 40B, and each switch 40A, 40B is turned ON / OFF.

According to the digital camera 10 of the present embodiment constructed as described above, the shaft support portion 48 in which the up / down lever 40 which is swingably operated in the two vertical directions is integrally formed with the base body 42. , 48 and bearing portions 50, 50 formed on the cabinet 62, and are urged by a spring portion 52 integrally formed on the base body 42 to maintain a neutral state. In this way, by integrally forming the spring portion 52 on the base body 42, it is not necessary to separately prepare a spring material for the neutral structure, and the number of parts can be reduced. In particular, in the digital camera 10 of the present embodiment, the other operation buttons 28 to 38 are also integrally formed, so that it is possible to further reduce the number of parts and improve the assembling property.

Further, the swing shafts 46, 4 of the upper / lower lever 40 are
6, shaft support portions 48, 48 integrally formed with the base body 42.
By axially supporting the bearings 50 formed in the cabinet 62 so as to be sandwiched between the bearings 50, 50, the assembly is simplified and the mold structure at the time of molding is also simplified.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the shaft support portions 48, 48 for supporting the swing shaft 46 and the spring portion 52 for the neutral structure are formed separately, the upper / lower lever 40 continues. Even if a specific pressing force is applied, the structure can sufficiently withstand the pressing force. In particular, since the upper / lower lever 40 of the present embodiment also functions as a zoom key, it is important that the upper / lower lever 40 has a structure capable of withstanding such continuous pressing force.

In the present embodiment, the spring portion 52 is composed of an upper spring portion 52A and a lower spring portion 52B which are vertically symmetrical, and each of which has a pair of U-shaped supports. 54A, 54B and T-shaped arm portion 56
Although it is composed of A and 56B, the structure of the spring portion 52 is
It is not limited to this. Any configuration may be adopted as long as the upper / lower lever 40, which is integrally molded between the shaft supporting portions 48 and 48 and is swingably supported, can be biased to the neutral state.

Further, in the present embodiment, the cabinet 6
U-shaped groove 50A in the bearing portion 50, 50 formed on the second side,
50A is formed, and the swing shaft 46,
Although the construction is such that 46 is fitted, U-shaped grooves may be formed in the shaft support portions 48, 48 formed on the base body 42 side, and the swing shafts 46, 46 may be fitted in these grooves. Alternatively, semicircular grooves may be formed in both the bearing portion 50 and the shaft support portion 48, and the swing shafts 46, 46 may be fitted into both of these grooves.

In the present embodiment, the operation key according to the present invention is applied to the upper / lower lever 40 of the digital camera 10, but the application of the present invention is not limited to this. , Can be applied to all operation keys that are rocked.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By integrally molding the spring material on the shaft support member, it is not necessary to separately prepare a spring material for the neutral structure, and the number of parts can be reduced. Further, the shaft of the operation key is supported by being sandwiched between the bearing portion and the shaft support portion formed on the exterior body, which simplifies assembly and
The mold structure during molding becomes simple. Furthermore, by constructing the shaft support member that supports the operation key and the spring member for the neutral structure as separate bodies, it is possible to provide a structure that can sufficiently withstand a continuous pressing load applied to the operation key. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a digital camera to which an operation key according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the digital camera to which the operation key according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a support structure for each operation button and an upper / lower lever.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the structure of the upper / lower lever support portion.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the structure of the upper / lower lever support portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Digital camera, 12 ... Camera body, 14 ... Shooting lens, 16 ... Viewfinder window, 18 ... Strobe, 2
0 ... Mode lever, 22 ... Shutter button, 24 ... LCD monitor, 26 ... Finder, 28 ... Display button, 2
8A to 38A ... connecting portion, 28B to 38B ... switch, 2
8C to 38C ... Opening part, 30 ... Menu / OK button,
32 ... Cancel / return button, 34 ... Power button, 3
6 ... right button, 38 ... left button, 40 ... up / down lever,
40A, 40B ... Switch, 40C ... Opening part, 42 ... Base, 42A ... Mounting part, 44 ... Board, 46 ... Oscillation shaft, 48
... Shaft support part, 48A ... Base part, 50 ... Bearing part, 50A
... groove, 52 ... spring part, 52A ... upper spring part, 52B ... lower spring part, 54A, 54B ... support part, 56A, 56B ... arm part, 56a, 56b ... pressing part, 58A, 58B ... leg part, 60 ... Exterior body, 62 ... Cabinet

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An operation key that is arranged to project from a surface of an exterior body and is operated up and down or left and right. An operation key body, a shaft formed on the operation key body, and a pair on the exterior body side. A pair of shaft support members that swingably support the operation key body with the shaft sandwiched between the pair of shaft support members, and the pair of shaft support members. A spring member for urging the operation key body so as to keep it in a neutral state. The spring member operates in response to an operation of the operation key body, and turns on / off a switch arranged oppositely.
An operation key comprising: a spring member having a pressing portion for FF. 2. The shaft support member is formed in a state of being integrally connected to a base body, and is formed in a state of being integrally connected to the base body through another connecting portion having a spring property. The operation key according to claim 1, wherein the operation key is performed.