JP2003305295A - Operation button device for washing machine or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience and visibility by allowing characters printed on the rear surface of each button part to seem to be stereoscopic, and identifying the respective button parts, and also to reduce a defect ratio in printing concerning the operation button device of a washing machine, etc., which is arranged in the operation display part of a panel, etc., and by which a switch for inputting the operation setting of equipment, etc., is operated. <P>SOLUTION: A button support part 29 is formed so as to be freely vertically movable in the operation display part 28 which is arranged in the panel 21, etc., the button part 32 is disposed in the attachment space part 31 of the button support part 29, and the switch 40 is operated by the button part 32 via the button support part 29. The button part 32 includes: substantially spherical parts 33 and 34 on the front and rear surfaces; and a substantially ring shape plane part 35 at an outer peripheral edge. Thus, the characters are printed on the rear surface. <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 button device for a washing machine or the like, which is provided on an operation display section such as a panel and operates a switch for inputting operation settings of equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an operation button device of this type of washing machine has been constructed as shown in FIGS. The configuration will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 6, the panel 1 is provided with a lid 2 for opening and closing a washing tub (not shown),
A panel sheet 3 is provided on the panel 1. The panel sheet 3 is provided with operation button portions 4, 5a to 5e, a course display lamp 6 and the like. The operation button section 4 is operated when starting the washing operation, and is operated by the operation button section 5a.
5e are to be operated when selecting a predetermined driving course. The course display lamp 6 includes operation button portions 5a to 5
It lights up when a predetermined driving course is selected by e. The power switch 7 turns on / off the power of the washing machine body.

The operation button sections 4, 5a to 5e are constructed as shown in FIG. 7, and a control unit 9 is mounted below the operation display section 8 of the panel 1, and a switch 10 is attached to the control unit 9.
Is provided. The switch 10 is pressed by a pressing portion 12 provided on a button portion 11 of the operation display portion 8 to turn on,
It is configured so that it can be turned off. Here, the button portion 11
Are supported on the operation display unit 8 by the button support unit 13 so as to be vertically movable.

An elastic panel sheet 3 is attached to the upper surface of the operation display section 8 so that the switch 10 can be pressed through the button section 11 by the sheet button section 14 provided on the panel sheet 3.

To explain the operation in the above configuration, when the power switch 7 is turned on and the operation button portion to be selected, for example 5a, of the operation button portions 5a to 5e is pressed, the switch is made by the pressing portion 12 provided in the button portion 11. Press 10 to turn it on and select a predetermined course. Then, the course display lamp 6 of the selected course lights up. Here, when the operation button section 4 is pressed, the switch 10 is pressed by the pressing section 12 provided on the button section 11 to be turned on, and the washing operation is started. Each of the operation button portions 4, 5a to 5e presses the sheet button portion 14 while looking at the characters printed on the surface of the panel sheet 3.

[0007]

With such a conventional configuration, when the operation of the washing machine or the like is started, the panel sheet 3 is used.
There is no difference in appearance from the other seat button portions 14 just by looking at them, and it is difficult for the user to determine an important seat button portion or a characteristic seat button portion, which is not convenient.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems. The characters printed on the back surface of the button portion are made to appear three-dimensionally so that each button portion can be identified, and the usability and visibility are improved and the printing is performed. The purpose is to reduce the time defective rate.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention forms a button support part in an operation display part provided on a panel or the like so as to be movable up and down, and installs a button in a mounting space part of the button support part. The button portion is configured to operate the switch through the button support portion, and the button portion is provided with a substantially spherical portion on at least one of the front surface and the back surface and has a substantially ring-shaped outer peripheral edge. A flat portion is provided and characters are printed on the back surface.

As a result, the characters printed on the back surface of the button portion can be seen three-dimensionally, each button portion can be identified, the usability and the visibility can be improved, and defects at the time of printing can be obtained. The rate can be reduced.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a button support portion formed vertically movable on an operation display portion provided on a panel and the like, and disposed in a mounting space portion of the button support portion. And a switch operated by the button portion via the button support portion. The button portion is provided with a substantially spherical portion on at least one of a front surface and a back surface, and has a substantially ring-shaped outer peripheral edge. This is because the flat part of the button is provided and the character is printed on the back side.By providing the substantially ring-shaped flat part on the outer peripheral edge of the button part, when printing the character and the background of the character on the back side of the button part Since blurring and blurring tend to occur on the end surface during printing, the user can see the substantially spherical portion, and the substantially ring-shaped flat portion of the outer peripheral edge cannot be seen.
The visibility can be improved. Further, the defective rate at the time of printing can be reduced. Further, the substantially spherical portion provided on at least one of the front surface and the back surface of the button portion makes it possible to make the characters printed on the back surface of the button portion look three-dimensional,
Each button part can be identified, and usability and visibility can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the above first aspect of the invention, a standing wall is provided on the outer periphery of the button supporting portion, and the substantially ring-shaped flat portion of the outer peripheral edge of the button portion is the button supporting portion. It is located on the standing wall of the outer periphery of the button support part, and is located in the mounting space of the button support part.The button can be positioned, and the assemblability can be improved easily and surely. It is possible to prevent displacement even when pressed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the above first aspect of the invention, a cutout is provided in a part of the substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion of the outer peripheral edge of the button portion, and the outer circumference of the button support portion is raised. A linear part is provided on a part of the wall, and the notch of the outer peripheral edge of the button part is opposed to the linear part of the outer periphery of the button support part,
The button supporting portion is located in the mounting space portion, and the button portion is attached to the button supporting portion by the notch of the outer peripheral edge of the button portion and the straight portion of the standing wall on the outer periphery of the button supporting portion. Since the position is easily determined, it is possible to assemble without making a mistake in the direction of the button portion, and it is possible to improve the assemblability.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the panel 21 is provided with a lid 22 for opening and closing a washing tub (not shown), and a panel sheet 23 is provided on the panel 21.
Sheet buttons 24, 25a-2 are provided on the panel sheet 23.
5e is provided. The seat button 24 is operated to start / pause the washing operation, and the seat buttons 25a to 25e are used for a predetermined operation course such as washing only, drying only, washing / drying, short-time drying, small amount washing / drying. This is to be operated when selecting. The power-on switch 26 turns on the power of the washing machine body, and the power-off switch 27 turns off the power of the washing machine body.

As shown in FIG. 3, the panel 21 is provided with an operation display section 28, and a button support section 29 is provided at a position corresponding to the seat buttons 24, 25a to 25e of the operation display section 28. It is provided so that it can move up and down. That is, the panel 21 is formed of polypropylene resin, and as shown in FIG. 1, a thin wall portion 30 is provided between the operation display portion 28 and the button support portion 29 to provide the button support portion 29.
Can be moved up and down.

As shown in FIG. 1, a mounting space portion 31 is formed on the upper surface of the button support portion 29, and a button portion 32 is arranged in the mounting space portion 31. The button portion 32 is made of a transparent resin such as acrylic resin, and has substantially spherical portions 33 and 34 provided on the front and back surfaces thereof, and a substantially ring-shaped flat portion 35 provided on the outer peripheral edge of the button portion 32. As shown in FIG. 4, the notch 3 is formed in a part of the substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion 35.
6 is provided. The button portion 32 shown in FIG. 4 is provided at a position corresponding to the sheet buttons 25a to 25e. Five pieces having the same size are used, and the button portion provided at a position corresponding to the sheet button 24 has a size. Use the same configuration but only different.

On the back surface of the button portion 32, including the substantially ring-shaped flat portion 35 at the outer peripheral edge, the "start / start" shown in FIG.
"Pause", "Washing", "Drying", "Washing / Drying",
Characters such as "dry for a short time" and "wash / dry a small amount" are printed. Further, in order to make the characters float when the printed characters are viewed from the surface of the button portion 32, for example, a white background is applied after the characters are printed. The substantially spherical portion provided on the button portion 32 is the same as the button portion 32.
It may be provided only on either the front surface or the back surface.

On the other hand, a standing wall 37 is provided on the outer periphery of the button support portion 29 as shown in FIGS.
The substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion 35 at the outer peripheral edge of the button support portion 2
The standing wall 37 on the outer periphery of the button support portion 9 is provided with a linear portion 38 on a part of the standing wall 37.
And is located in the mounting space 31 of the button support 29.

A control device 39 is mounted below the operation display portion 28 of the panel 21, and a switch 40 is provided on the control device 39. The switch 40 is operated by the button portion 32 via the button support portion 29.

The panel sheet 23 has elasticity and is attached to a pressing member 41 provided above the operation display section 28, and the sheet buttons 24, 25a to 25e are formed above the button section 32 of the panel sheet 23. The sheet buttons 24, 25a to 25e are made transparent. If the pressing member 41 is not provided above the operation display unit 28, the panel sheet 23 is provided on the upper surface of the operation display unit 28.
Affix.

The operation of the above structure will be described. The power-on switch 26 is turned on and the seat buttons 25a to 25a.
When a sheet button to be selected in e, for example, 25a is pressed, the button support portion 29 causes the thin portion 3 to be pressed as shown in FIG.
Bending around 0 as a fulcrum, button portion 32, button support portion 2
The switch 40 can be turned on via 9 and a predetermined driving course can be selected. Then, when the seat button 24 is pressed, similarly, the switch is switched via the button portion 32 and the button support portion 29. 40 can be turned on and the operation is started.

At this time, since the substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion 35 is provided on the outer peripheral edge of the button portion 32, when characters are printed on the back surface of the button portion 32 and background painting is performed, misalignment or blurring occurs during printing. Although it is likely to occur on the end surface of the above, the substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion 35 corresponding to the end surface cannot be seen from the substantially spherical portions 33 and 34 which are visible to the user, so that usability and visibility can be improved. Further, the defective rate at the time of printing can be reduced.

Also, during the assembling work, the button portion 3
A substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion 35 is provided on the outer peripheral edge of 2, and a notch 36 is provided in a part of the substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion 35, while a standing wall 37 is provided on the outer periphery of the button support portion 29. A linear portion 38 is provided on a part of the standing wall 37, and the notch 36 on the outer peripheral edge of the button portion 32 is made to face the linear portion 38 on the outer periphery of the button supporting portion 29 to attach the button supporting portion 29. Since it is located at 31, the mounting position between the standing wall 37 on the outer periphery of the button support portion 29 and the substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion 35 at the outer peripheral edge of the button portion 32 can be easily determined. You can assemble without making a mistake and you can improve the assemblability.

[0025]

As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention, the button supporting portion formed on the operation display portion provided on the panel or the like so as to be vertically movable, and the mounting space of the button supporting portion. And a switch operated by the button portion via the button support portion. The button portion has a substantially spherical portion on at least one of a front surface and a back surface, and an outer peripheral edge. Since a substantially ring-shaped flat part is provided on the back and characters are printed on the back side, when printing characters and the background of the characters on the back side of the button part, print misalignment and blurring are likely to occur on the end face at the time of printing and the user Since the substantially spherical portion can be seen, and the substantially ring-shaped flat portion at the outer peripheral edge cannot be seen, the visibility can be improved. Further, the defective rate at the time of printing can be reduced. Further, the substantially spherical portion provided on at least one of the front surface and the back surface of the button portion makes it possible to make the characters printed on the back surface of the button portion look three-dimensional, to identify each button portion, and The visibility can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a standing wall is provided on the outer periphery of the button supporting portion, and a substantially ring-shaped flat portion of the outer peripheral edge of the button portion is formed on the standing wall on the outer periphery of the button supporting portion. Since it is located in the mounting space of the button support, the button can be positioned easily, and
It is possible to surely improve the assembling property, and it is possible to prevent the displacement even if the user presses it.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a notch is provided in a part of the substantially ring-shaped flat surface of the outer peripheral edge of the button part, and a straight line is formed in a part of the standing wall on the outer periphery of the button support part. Since the notch of the outer peripheral edge of the button portion is opposed to the linear portion of the outer periphery of the button supporting portion so as to be located in the mounting space of the button supporting portion, the outer peripheral edge of the button portion is cut. Since the mounting position of the button part to the button support part is easily determined by the notch and the straight part of the standing wall on the outer periphery of the button support part, it is possible to assemble without making a mistake in the direction of the button part, improving the ease of assembly. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an operation button device for a washing machine or the like according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a main part of a washing machine including an operation button device of the washing machine and the like.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a main part of a panel of a washing machine including an operation button device of the washing machine and the like.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a button portion of the operation button device of the washing machine or the like.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a state where the button portion of the operation button device of the washing machine or the like is pressed.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a main part of a washing machine including an operation button device of a conventional washing machine and the like.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of main parts of an operation button device of the washing machine and the like.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 panels 28 Operation display 29 Button support 31 mounting space 32 button 33 substantially spherical portion 34 Substantially spherical portion 35 Substantially ring-shaped flat surface 40 switch

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3B155 AA10 BB02 JA12 JA13 JA14                       MA02 MA10                 5G006 DD05 JA01 JF01

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A button support part formed on an operation display part provided on a panel or the like so as to be movable up and down, a button part provided in a mounting space part of the button support part, and the button via the button support part. A washing machine in which a button is provided with a substantially spherical portion on at least one of a front surface and a back surface, a substantially ring-shaped flat portion is provided on an outer peripheral edge, and characters are printed on the back surface. Operation button device such as. 2. A standing wall is provided on the outer periphery of the button supporting portion, and a substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion of the outer peripheral edge of the button portion is located on the standing wall on the outer periphery of the button supporting portion, and a mounting space portion of the button supporting portion is provided. The operation button device for a washing machine or the like according to claim 1, wherein the operation button device is located at the position. 3. A notch is provided in a part of a substantially ring-shaped flat surface portion of the outer peripheral edge of the button portion, and a linear portion is provided in a part of a standing wall on the outer periphery of the button support portion, and the outer peripheral edge of the button portion is formed. The notch is made to face a straight line portion on the outer periphery of the button support portion so as to be located in the mounting space portion of the button support portion.
Operation button device for the washing machine described.