JP2005129467A - Two-step switch mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a two-step switch mechanism enabled to be downsized and made thinner. <P>SOLUTION: The two-step switch mechanism is so structured that an operation mold 50 having a pushing part 55 pushing a first switch 48a is arranged on a first switch base plate part 49a equipped with the first switch 48a, furthermore, a second switch base plate part 49b providing a second switch 48b is loaded on an upper surface of the operation mold 50, and a keytop 20 having a pushing part 25 pushing the second switch 48b is arranged on the second switch base plate part 49b. The operation mold 50 is stored in a storing part 23 provided on an underside of the keytop 20. And also, a guide mechanism guiding outer side walls 54 of the operation mold 50 is provided on inner side walls 24 of the storing part 23, so that the operation mold 50 is made to be guided in free vertical movement in the storing part 23. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a two-stage switch mechanism having a structure in which a first-stage switch is turned on by pressing a key top, and a second-stage switch is also turned on by pressing the key top.

  Conventionally, as a two-stage switch mechanism used for various electronic components, there is one having a configuration as shown in FIG. In this two-stage switch mechanism, an operation type object having a pressing part for pressing the first switch is arranged on the first switch board part provided with the first switch, and the second type switch mechanism is further provided on the operation type object. The second switch board part provided with the switch is placed, and a knob (key top) having a pressing part for pressing the second switch is arranged on the second switch board part. In this two-stage switch mechanism, the pressing force required for reversing the click plates respectively placed on the first switch and the second switch is made different, so if the key top is pressed, The arranged first switch and second switch are turned on in a predetermined order.

  However, in the configuration of the conventional two-stage switch mechanism, the thickness is at least the thickness of the key top, the actuated object, and the thicknesses of the first and second switch board portions, and the two-stage switch mechanism is more than that. There was a problem that the thickness could not be reduced and the demand for further thickness reduction could not be met.

  On the other hand, in the above two-stage switch mechanism, when the pressing portion of the actuating object presses the first switch, the actuating object moves downward. Therefore, in order to ensure the pressing operation with respect to the first switch, it is necessary to guide the movement of the actuation type object in the vertical direction. Therefore, in this conventional two-stage switch mechanism, a case for the operation type object guide is provided between the cover case and the operation type object, in addition to the cover case covering the entire two-stage switch mechanism.

  However, if a separate case for the operation-type object guide is provided separately from the cover case, the two-stage switch mechanism cannot be reduced in size, and the guide case increases in thickness and cannot be reduced in thickness. there were.

In order to reduce the number of parts, a guide case can be integrally formed with the cover case, but this makes the shape of the cover case complicated. Even in such a case, the outer shape of the two-stage switch mechanism is increased by the amount of the guide case, which hinders downsizing.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-197068

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a two-stage switch mechanism that has a simple structure and can be reduced in size and thickness.

  The invention according to claim 1 of the present application includes a first switch, an operation type object provided with a pressing portion for pressing the first switch, a second switch disposed on the upper surface of the operation type object, A two-stage switch mechanism comprising a key top provided with a pressing part for pressing the switch of the two, wherein the actuating type is disposed in a storage part provided in the key top. There is a two-stage switch mechanism.

  The invention according to claim 2 of the present application includes a first switch, an operation type object installed on the first switch, and a key which is installed on the operation type object and has the second switch attached to the lower surface thereof. A two-stage switch mechanism comprising a pressing portion at a position facing the first switch and the second switch of the actuating type object, wherein the actuating type is the key top The two-stage switch mechanism is characterized in that it is disposed in a storage portion provided in the storage device.

  Invention of Claim 3 of this application is the two-stage switch mechanism of Claim 1 or 2, Comprising: The guide mechanism which guides the said action | operation type thing to the key top so that it can move up and down freely in the said accommodating part. Is provided in a two-stage switch mechanism.

  Invention of Claim 4 of this application is a two-stage switch mechanism of Claim 3, Comprising: The said guide mechanism is the structure which guides the outer side wall of the said action | operation type thing with the inner wall of the said accommodating part. The two-stage switch mechanism is characterized in that.

  According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, since the actuating object is disposed in the storage portion provided on the key top, the thickness of the two-stage switch mechanism can be reduced.

  According to the invention described in claim 3 of the present application, since the key top is provided with the guide mechanism that guides the actuating object so as to move up and down within the storage portion, the movement of the actuating object in the vertical direction is caused by the key top. Guided, the first and second switches can be reliably pressed. In addition, since the key top is provided with a guide mechanism, there is no need to separately provide a guide member or the like for guiding the operation type object, the number of parts can be reduced, and the two-stage switch mechanism can be reduced in size and thickness. it can.

  According to the invention described in claim 4 of the present application, since the guide mechanism is configured to guide the outer wall of the actuating object with the inner wall of the storage portion, the actuating object can easily and reliably move in the vertical direction. Therefore, the pressing operation of the first and second switches can be reliably performed. Further, the structure of the guide mechanism is simplified.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a two-stage switch mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the two-stage switch mechanism, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the case 10, the key top 20, and the actuated object 50 as seen from the lower surface side. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two-stage switch mechanism includes a switch member 30 in which an actuated object 50 is mounted on a mounting member 60 and a resilient means (hereinafter referred to as “coil spring” in this embodiment) 70. And the key top 20 are attached and covered with a case 10. Each component will be described below.

  The case 10 is made of a molded resin, and is formed in a shape that covers the upper side surface of the two-stage switch mechanism in a state where the circular opening portion 11 provided in the center is filled with the operation portion 21 of the key top 20. A cylindrical guide portion 12 that guides the movement of the key top 20 in the vertical direction is provided upright around the opening 11 on the upper surface of the case 10. On the inner peripheral surface of the guide portion 12, there is provided a step-like ring-shaped locking portion 12 b that locks a collar portion 22 of the key top 20 described below so as not to move further upward. Further, around the opening 11 on the lower surface of the case 10, four protrusion-shaped fixing portions 13 are provided, and a concave portion 14 having a shape for accommodating a switch member 30 and an attachment member 60 described below is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the key top 20 is a substantially disc-shaped molded resin body, and is configured by providing a collar portion 22 on the outer periphery of the lower portion of the disc-shaped operation portion 21. Further, on the lower surface side, there is provided a concave storage portion 23 for storing an operation type object 50 described below therein. The storage portion 23 is formed in a circular recess having a depth dimension substantially equal to the thickness dimension of the actuating object 50, and an inner wall 24 thereof guides an outer wall 54 of the actuating object 50 described below in a vertically movable manner. The inner diameter of the storage part 23 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the actuating mold 50. Further, a projection-like pressing portion 25 is provided at the center of the bottom of the storage portion 23. A spring receiving portion 27 protruding in a ring shape is provided around the pressing portion 25.

  FIG. 4 is a development view of the switch member 30. The switch member 30 includes a flexible substrate 47 made of a synthetic resin film, a click plate 46 made of a dome-shaped elastic metal plate, and an operation type object 50. In this figure, the actuating object 50 and the click plate 46 are shown with their lower surfaces facing upward.

  The flexible substrate 47 includes a pair of rectangular substrate portions 31 and 32 and a pair of circular substrate portions 33 and 34, and connecting portions 36, 37, 38, and 34 between these substrate portions 31, 32, 33, and 34. The connection is made at 39, and the drawing portion 35 is drawn from the substrate portion 31. Contact patterns 40, 41, 42, and 43 are formed in the center of each of the substrate portions 31, 32, 33, and 34 by printing and forming a conductive paste. A spacer layer 47a is provided on the periphery of the flexible substrate 47 except for the contact patterns 40, 41, 42, and 43 by printing with an insulating paint thicker than the conductive paste. In addition, a circuit pattern (not shown) is drawn from each contact pattern 40, 41, 42, 43 and led to the lead portion 35. Further, fixing portions 44 and 45 made of holes are provided at the four corners of the substrate portion 31 and the substrate portion 32. These fixing portions 44 and 45 are provided at positions corresponding to the respective fixing portions 13 of the case 10.

  The actuating mold 50 is a substantially disc-shaped molded resin body. A pressing portion 55 is provided at the center of the lower surface, and the second switch substrate portion 49b (substrate portions 33 and 34) described below is accommodated on the upper surface. A circular recess 51 to be fixed is provided (see FIG. 2). On the outer peripheral side wall of the recess 51, there are provided a locking portion 52 (see FIG. 3) consisting of a notch-like groove for inserting the connecting portion 38 and a locking portion 53 consisting of a slit-like hole for fixing the connecting portion 39. ing. The outer peripheral side wall of the recess 51 constitutes the spring receiving portion 57.

  Here, a method for assembling the switch member 30 will be described. First, an inversion plate (hereinafter referred to as “click” in this embodiment) is formed by forming an elastic metal plate in the shape of a dome on the back side of the surface of the substrate portion 32 provided with the contact pattern 41. 46), and then the substrate portion 32 is folded back at the connection portions 36 and 37 and overlapped on the substrate portion 31, and the first switch substrate portion is composed of the overlapped substrate portion 31 and substrate portion 32. 49a (see FIG. 1). At this time, the contact pattern 40 and the contact pattern 41 are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap depending on the thickness of the spacer layer 47a, thereby constituting the first switch 48a (see FIG. 1). Next, the substrate portion 33 is folded back at the connection portion 39 and overlapped on the substrate portion 34, and the overlapped substrate portion 33 and the substrate portion 34 constitute a second switch substrate portion 49b (see FIG. 1). Also in this case, the contact pattern 42 and the contact pattern 43 are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap depending on the thickness of the spacer layer 47a, thereby constituting the second switch 48b (see FIG. 1).

  Next, the recessed part 51 of the operation type object 50 is covered on the board | substrate part 33 of the 2nd switch board | substrate part 49b, and the 2nd switch board | substrate part 49b is accommodated. At this time, the folded connection portion 39 is inserted into the locking portion 53, and the other connection portion 38 is inserted into the locking portion 52 and locked. Then, the second switch board portion 49b to which the operation type object 50 is attached is folded back at the connection part 38, and is superposed on the first switch board part 49a so that the concave portion 51 of the operation type object 50 faces upward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the operation type object 50 is placed on the first switch board portion 49 a, and the second switch board portion 49 b is further placed on the operation type object 50. Become. At this time, the pressing portion 55 is disposed at the center of the upper surface of the click plate 46 attached to the upper surface of the first switch 48a. Thus, the assembly of the switch member 30 is completed.

  The coil spring 70 is formed by being wound in a coil shape so that the diameter of the elastic metal wire becomes smaller as it goes upward, and the inner diameter of the upper end portion of the coil shape is the outer periphery of the spring receiving portion 27 of the key top 20. Further, the outer diameter of the lower end portion thereof is formed so as to fit within the inner periphery of the spring receiving portion 57 of the actuating mold 50.

  The mounting member 60 is made of a metal plate having an outer shape substantially the same as the outer dimension of the first switch board portion 49a, and fixing portions 61 each having a hole are provided at positions corresponding to the fixing portions 44 and 45 at the four corners. .

  Next, the assembly procedure of this two-stage switch mechanism will be described. First, in FIG. 2, the operation portion 21 of the key top 20 is inserted into the opening 11 of the case 10, and then the spring receiving portion on the lower side of the key top 20 27, the upper end portion of the coil spring 70 is locked, the lower end portion of the coil spring 70 is locked to the spring receiving portion 57 of the actuated object 50 of the switch member 30 assembled earlier, and the mounting plate 60 is placed below the lower end portion. Is installed. At this time, the fixing portion 13 of the case 10 penetrates the fixing portions 44 and 45 of the first switch board portion 49a and the fixing portions 61 of the mounting plate 60, so that the tips thereof are heat-caulked. This completes the two-stage switch mechanism. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the completed two-stage switch mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 1, the coil spring 70 and the actuated object 50 are housed in the housing portion 23 of the key top 20, and the first switch board portion 49 a and the mounting member 60 are connected to the case 10. It is stored in the recess 14 (see FIG. 3).

  As shown in FIG. 1, this two-stage switch mechanism is in a state in which the actuated object 50 is housed in the housing portion 23 of the key top 20 so as to be movable up and down. Therefore, the thickness of the two-stage switch mechanism can be reduced. In addition, the key top 20 is inserted into the opening 11 of the case 10, and the outer wall 21 a of the key top 20 is guided by the inner wall 12 a of the guide 12 so as to be movable up and down. Further, the actuating object 50 is guided in the accommodating part 23 so as to move up and down by a guide mechanism in which the outer wall 54 of the actuating object 50 is guided by the inner wall 24 of the accommodating part 23. Note that the key top 20 cannot move upward from this locking position because its collar portion 22 is locked to the locking portion 12 b of the case 10.

  Next, the operation of this two-stage switch mechanism will be described with reference to FIG. When the operating portion 21 of the key top 20 is pressed from the state shown in FIG. 5A, the key top 20 moves downward due to the coil spring 70 contracting. Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the pressing portion 25 presses the second switch 48b to turn it on. When the key top 20 is further pressed from this state, the key top 20 and the actuating object 50 move downward together. Then, as shown in FIG. 5C, the pressing portion 55 presses the click plate 46 to reverse it, and the first switch 48a below it is pressed and turned on. In this series of pressing operations, the key top 20 is translated in the vertical direction accurately because the vertical movement of the key top 20 is guided by the inner wall 12a of the case 10, and the second switch 48b is reliably moved by the pressing portion 25. Can be pressed. Then, the outer wall 54 of the actuated object 50 is guided by the inner wall 24 of the key top 20 that is guided so as to move accurately in the vertical direction, so that the actuated object 50 is located with respect to the key top 20 and the case 10. Therefore, the first switch 48a can be reliably pressed by the pressing portion 55. In other words, the vertical movement of the actuating object 50 is guided without providing a guide member other than the case 10, and the first switch 48a is reliably pressed. In particular, in this embodiment, the structure is such that the inner wall 24 of the storage portion 23 guides the outer wall 54 of the actuating mold 50, so that the structure of the guide mechanism is simple, and the actuating mold 50 can be reliably guided. There is no backlash caused by the movement, and smooth vertical movement (parallel movement) can be realized.

  When the pressing of the key top 20 is released, the actuating object 50 and the key top 20 are simultaneously moved upward by the reversing force of the click plate 46, the first switch 48a is turned off, and then the elasticity of the coil spring 70 As a result, the key top 20 moves upward and the second switch 48b is also turned off.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing a two-stage switch mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, parts common to the two-stage switch mechanism shown in FIG. The two-stage switch mechanism shown in FIG. 7 differs from that shown in FIG. 1 in that a reversing plate (hereinafter referred to as “click plate” in this embodiment) 80 is mounted on the second switch 48b instead of the coil spring 70. It is a point. Accordingly, like the first switch 48a, the second switch 48b is also turned on by pressing and inverting the click plate 80. Therefore, the first and second switches 48a and 48b can be turned on in order by changing the pressing force when the click plates 46 and 80 are reversed.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing a two-stage switch mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to the portions common to the two-stage switch mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. The difference between the two-stage switch mechanism shown in FIG. 8 and the two-stage switch mechanism shown in FIG. 7 is that the second switch board portion 49b forming the second switch 48b is attached to the lower surface of the key top 20, and the actuating object 50 is provided. The point is that a protruding pressing portion 56 is provided at a position facing the second switch 48b on the upper surface. Also in this case, the actuating object 50 is accommodated in the accommodating part 23 provided in the key top 20 so as to be movable up and down, and at this time, an outer wall 54 of the actuating object 50 is guided to the inner wall 24 of the accommodating part 23. Is configured.

  That is, this two-stage switch mechanism includes a first switch 48a, an operation type object 50 installed on the first switch 48a, and a second switch 48b installed on the lower surface of the operation type object 50. And press portions 55 and 56 are respectively provided at positions facing the first switch 48a and the second switch 48b of the actuated object 50, and the actuated object 50 is further connected to the key top 20. It arrange | positions and is comprised in the storage part 23 provided in. The first and second switches 48a and 48b can be turned on in order when the key top 20 is pressed by making the pressing forces when the click plates 46 and 80 are reversed differ.

  In the case of this two-stage switch mechanism, it is not necessary for the actuating type object 50 to have the strength to place and support the second switch board portion 49b, so that the thickness can be reduced. The overall thickness of the step switch mechanism can be reduced.

  Further, although not shown in the drawings, as a fourth embodiment, the reversing plate 80 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is omitted as it is, and instead of the operation type object 50 and the key top 20 in the state shown in FIG. There is also one in which the key top 20 is bulleted upward with respect to the actuating object 50 by installing a bullet means (coil spring) between them. In this case, for example, a cylindrical coil spring is used as the coil spring, and the upper and lower ends of the coil spring are engaged with the outer periphery of the upper surface of the actuating object 50 and the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the recess 23 of the key top 20.

  When the key top 20 is pressed, the key spring 20 is lowered due to contraction of the coil spring, the pressing portion 56 of the actuating mold 50 turns on the second switch 48b installed on the key top 20, and the key top 20 is If it presses and descends, the press part 55 of the action | operation type | mold object 50 will turn ON the 1st switch 48a. When the pressure on the key top 20 is released, the first and second switches 48a and 48b are sequentially turned off by the elastic force of the click plate 46 and the elastic force of the coil spring.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims and the specification and drawings. Is possible. It should be noted that any shape, structure, and material not directly described in the specification and drawings are within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention as long as the effects and advantages of the present invention are exhibited. For example, as described above, the configuration of the first switch 48a and the second switch 48b is limited to a switch structure in which a pair of contact patterns provided on two synthetic resin films are opposed to each other with a predetermined interval. A dome-shaped elastic metal plate provided with a contact pattern at the center of a portion to be a switch on the surface of a single synthetic resin film, a connection pattern on the outer periphery thereof, and the outer periphery in contact with the connection pattern The switch of the structure formed by attaching the inversion board (movable contact plate) which consists of may be sufficient. A switch provided on a hard substrate may also be used. In short, any switch may be used as long as the switch is turned on when pressed.

  Further, the configuration of the guide mechanism for guiding the operation type object 50 is not limited to the above embodiment, and any configuration is possible as long as the operation type object 50 is guided to move up and down in the storage portion 23. There may be. As an example, a guide protrusion is provided on one of the actuated object 50 and the key top 20, and an engaging part including a hole or a groove is provided on the other side so that the guide protrusion can be moved up and down. You can also.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of the two-stage switch mechanism concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the two step switch mechanism concerning this invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the case 10, the key top 20, and the action | operation type | mold thing 50 from the lower surface side. 4 is a development view of the switch member 30. FIG. It is a perspective view of the two step switch mechanism concerning this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the two step switch mechanism concerning this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the two step switch mechanism concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the two step switch mechanism concerning the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Case 11 Opening part 12 Guide part 12a Inner side wall 13 Fixed part 14 Recess 20 Key top 21 Operation part 21a Outer side wall 22 Collar part 23 Storage part 24 Inner side wall 25 Press part 30 Switch member 31 Substrate part 32 Substrate part 33 Substrate part 34 Substrate part 35 Lead part 36 Connection part 37 Connection part 38 Connection part 39 Connection part 40 Contact pattern 41 Contact pattern 42 Contact pattern 43 Contact pattern 44 Fixing part 45 Fixing part 46 Reversing plate (click plate)
47 flexible substrate 47a spacer layer 48a first switch 48b second switch 49a first switch substrate portion 49b second switch substrate portion 50 actuated object 51 concave portion 52 engaging portion 53 engaging portion 54 outer side wall 55 pressing portion 60 Mounting member 61 Fixed portion 70 Bounce means (coil spring)
80 Inversion plate (click plate)

Claims (4)

A first switch, an actuating object provided with a pressing part for pressing the first switch, a second switch disposed on the upper surface of the actuating object, and a pressing part for pressing the second switch are provided. A two-stage switch mechanism comprising a key top,
The two-stage switch mechanism is characterized in that the actuated object is disposed in a storage portion provided on the key top. A first switch; an actuating object installed on the first switch; and a key top installed on the actuating object and having a second switch attached to a lower surface thereof. A two-stage switch mechanism configured by providing a pressing portion at a position facing the first switch and the second switch,
The two-stage switch mechanism is characterized in that the actuated object is disposed in a storage portion provided on the key top. The two-stage switch mechanism according to claim 1 or 2,
A two-stage switch mechanism, wherein the key top is provided with a guide mechanism for guiding the actuated object so as to move up and down within the storage portion. The two-stage switch mechanism according to claim 3,
The two-stage switch mechanism is characterized in that the guide mechanism is configured to guide an outer wall of the actuating object with an inner wall of the storage portion.

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