JP2005267918A - Tilt switch and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tilt switch, initial investment in a mold for which can be reduced, and cost-reduction in which can be performed by a production system using an aggregate substrate; and to provide a method for manufacturing the tilt switch. <P>SOLUTION: A tilt switch 10 has a conduction ball 6 which is housed in an inner space 1a inside a case 5 formed by laminating/bonding a lid 3, a connector 4, a body 1, a connector 4, and a lid 2 in order. The body 1 is made of a double-sided printed circuit board, and cut parts 1c separates four sides of the inner wall surface of a through-hole 1b from each other to form space parts 1a. When the tilt switch 10 is tilted, the conduction ball 6 rolls in the direction of an arrow A, bridges between adjacent inner terminals 1d and 1e of four parts into which the through-hole 1b is divided, and stops. The inner terminals 1d, 1e conduct with through-holes 1h, 1j respectively, and conduct also with through-holes 3d, 3e of the lid 3 and their electrode surfaces, respectively. Therefore, this makes a detection switch (not shown) which is connected between external terminals as the electrode surfaces of the through-holes 3d, 3e, ON, and can detect the tilt toward the direction of the arrow A . <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a tilt switch used for detecting a tilt of an electronic device or the like and a method for manufacturing the tilt switch.

  Conventionally, among the tilt switches used to detect the tilt of an electronic device or the like, a particularly representative structure is a mechanical contact system (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). There are many types capable of detecting tilt in two or four directions, and an example of a tilt switch for detecting four directions will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a plan view of a conventional tilt switch, and FIG. 9 is a front view of the tilt switch as viewed from the direction B of FIG.

  8 and 9, reference numeral 30 denotes a conventional tilt switch. Reference numeral 51 denotes a body made of a resin such as glass epoxy and having a substantially cubic internal space 51a. Reference numerals 52 and 53 denote lids joined to the upper and lower surfaces of the body 51 by bonding or welding. Reference numeral 54 denotes a casing of the tilt switch including the body 51 and the lid bodies 52 and 53. Reference numerals 61, 62, 63 and 64 are lead frames made of SUS, Cu or the like, which are independently insert-molded in the body 51.

  One end of each of the lead frames 61, 62, 63, and 64 is an internal terminal 61a, 62a, 63a, and 64a exposed on the inner wall surface 51b of the trunk portion 51, and the other end is from the vicinity of the bottom surface of the housing 54 to both outer sides. The external terminals 61b, 62b, 63b and 64b are extended horizontally. Reference numeral 71 denotes a conduction ball made of a conductor that can enter the internal space 51a of the housing 54 and can move freely according to gravity.

  When the electronic device equipped with the tilt switch 30 is tilted and the tilt switch 30 is largely tilted in the direction of arrow A in FIG. A, the conduction ball 71 rolls in the A direction and contacts the internal terminals 61a and 62a at the same time. By the way, calm down. Therefore, since the external terminals 61b and 62b are brought into conduction, an A direction detection switch (not shown) connected between the external terminals 61b and 62b is energized and turned ON to recognize the inclination in the A direction.

  When the tilt switch 30 is greatly tilted in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8, the internal terminals 62a and 63a are brought into conduction, and the external terminals 62b and 63 are brought into conduction. Therefore, a B direction detection switch (not shown) connected between the external terminals 62b and 63b is turned on to recognize the inclination in the B direction. Similarly, since the inclination in the C direction and the D direction can be recognized, the inclination switch 30 detects the inclinations in the four directions of arrows A, B, C, and D (actually, directions within ± 45 ° with respect to each direction). it can.

  The lid members 52 and 53 of the tilt switch 30 have recesses 52a and 53a smaller than the diameter of the conduction ball 71 at the center. Do not detect sensitive directions. The tilt switch 30 has a substantially vertical symmetrical structure, and can be used on both the front and back sides when mounted on an electronic device.

Alps Electric Co., Ltd. “4-direction tilt sensor” 1998, catalog, outline drawing

  However, depending on the type and size of the tilt switch, a lead frame that constitutes the terminal and a mold for the housing are required, resulting in a large initial investment. In addition, since the production system is a lead frame, it is a single product or processing in a progressive process, and there is a limit to the production capacity.

  The above-described invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the invention is to provide a tilt switch that can reduce the initial investment of the mold and can reduce the cost by the production system using the collective substrate, and the same. It is to provide a manufacturing method.

  Means of the present invention for achieving the above object includes: a housing made of a substantially cubic resin; a central space portion; a plurality of external terminals exposed outside the housing; and an inner wall of the space portion. And an internal terminal that is electrically connected to each of the external terminals, and a conductor that freely moves according to gravity is stored in the space portion, and the conductor is in accordance with the inclination of the casing. In the tilt switch configured to detect the tilt direction by connecting between the two external terminals corresponding to the two internal terminals by contacting between the two adjacent internal terminals, the housing includes A body portion comprising a double-sided printed circuit board having a substantially square planar shape and having a through-hole formed at the center and each corner of the body portion; Up and down The center through-hole and the electrode surface at the periphery of the mouth of the through-hole toward the outer wall surface of the housing from the center through-hole in a planar direction. The internal terminal is divided by a cylindrical cutting portion projecting into the body, and the electrode surface of the lid that is connected to the through hole formed in the corner of the trunk and the lid serves as the external terminal. It is characterized by.

  In addition, a dummy electrode that is electrically connected to the internal terminal is provided on a side surface of the body portion.

  The material of the double-sided printed wiring board constituting the body and the lid is either glass epoxy, BT resin, or paper phenol.

  An anisotropic conductive film having the same planar shape as that of the body portion is sandwiched between the body portion and the lid body.

  The body portion and the lid body are electrically connected and joined with an anisotropic conductive paste or a conductive adhesive and an adhesive sheet.

  Further, another means of the present invention for achieving the above object is that a casing made of a double-sided printed wiring board having a substantially square planar shape has a trunk portion having through holes in the center and corners, and the trunk portion. And a lid body having the same planar shape and bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the body portion via an anisotropic conductive film, and the electrode surface of the central through hole and the peripheral edge of the through hole is formed on the body portion. It is divided by a cylindrical cutting portion protruding in a plane direction from the central through hole toward the outer wall surface to become an internal terminal, and is conducted to the through hole formed at the corner of the trunk portion and the lid body. In the manufacturing method of the tilt switch in which the electrode surface of the lid body is an external terminal, and the conductor that moves freely according to gravity is accommodated in the central through hole, Forming a collective body portion that is a collective substrate in which central through-holes and corner through-holes corresponding to each other are arranged, and a collective substrate in which corner through-holes corresponding to a large number of the lids are arranged on a double-sided printed wiring board A step of forming a collective cover, a step of forming a collective connector which is a collective substrate in which a large number of connectors are arranged on an anisotropic conductive film, and the collective trunk portion of the collective cover via the collective connector Joining the collective lid through the collective connector after housing the conductor in the central through hole, and cutting the collective tilt switch. And a single step for obtaining a single tilt switch.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the case of the substantially cubic tilt switch is formed of a double-sided printed wiring board having a substantially square planar shape, and has a through hole formed in the center and each corner. And a lid body having the same planar shape as that of the body part and joined to the upper and lower surfaces of the body part. The central through hole and the electrode surface at the periphery of the mouth of the through hole are outside of the casing. The internal terminal is divided by a cylindrical cutting portion protruding in a plane direction from the central through hole toward the wall surface, and is electrically connected to the through hole formed at the corner of the trunk portion and the lid body. Since the electrode surface of the lid is an external terminal, a tilt switch that can eliminate the initial investment of the mold is obtained.

  In addition, the inclination direction can be detected by the same type of inclination switch in the four directions as well as in any two directions.

  Since it can be manufactured by the collective substrate method, the number of processing steps can be reduced, and the cost of the tilt switch can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a plan view of a tilt switch according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the tilt switch.

  First, the configuration of the tilt switch according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 to 3, reference numeral 10 denotes a substantially cubic tilt switch that detects the tilts of arrows A, B, C, and D in four directions. Reference numeral 1 denotes a substantially square body made of a double-sided printed circuit board made of glass epoxy, BT resin, paper phenol resin, or the like. The electrode surface is divided into four by a cut portion 1c protruding in a cylindrical shape in the directions of arrows A, B, C and D, and an internal space 1a is formed.

  The electrode surface of the through hole 1b is divided into four to be internal terminals 1d, 1e, 1f, and 1g that are electrically connected to the through hole 1b. Through holes 1h, 1j, 1k, and 1m are formed in a connecting portion between adjacent side surfaces of the body portion 1, and through holes 1q and 1r are formed in a front surface. The through hole 1k is electrically connected to the internal terminal 1f. The through hole 1h is electrically connected to the internal terminal 1d and the through hole 1q, and the through hole 1k is electrically connected to the internal terminal 1f. The wiring pattern of the body portion 1 is reversed on the front and back sides, the through hole 1m is electrically connected to the internal terminal 1g and the through hole 1r, and the through hole 1j is electrically connected to the internal terminal 1e.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a lid made of a double-sided printed circuit board having the same planar shape as that of the body part 1 and covering the upper part of the body part 1, and 3 is a cover body symmetrical to the cover body 2 which also covers the lower part. The lid body 2 and the lid body 3 each have a recess 2a and 3a at the center on the body 1 side. Through holes 2d and 3d, 2e and 3e, 2f and 3f, 2g and 3g are formed at the four corners of the lid 2 and the lid 3. A wiring pattern that conducts the through holes 3e and 3g is divided by the recess 3a to form wiring patterns 3b and 3c. A similar wiring is also formed on the lid 2. External terminals that are electrically connected to the respective through holes are formed at the four corners of the surfaces of the lid body 2 and the lid body 3 opposite to the body portion 1.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes a connector made of an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) that conducts only in the thickness direction sandwiched between the body 1 and the lid 2 and between the body 1 and the lid 3. Similarly, a central hole 4a having substantially the same diameter as the through hole 1b is provided at the center, and relief portions 4b are provided at four corners. Reference numeral 5 denotes a housing in which the body 1, the lid 2, the lid 3, and the connector 4 are stacked and joined. Reference numeral 6 denotes a conduction ball that is a conductor that is accommodated in the internal space 1a and moves freely according to gravity. Here, the connector 4 may use an anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) instead of the anisotropic conductive film, and an adhesive or an adhesive sheet is used for joining the body 1 to the lid 2 and the lid 3. Conduction may be performed using a conductive adhesive such as silver paste on the electrode surfaces at the four corners.

  Accordingly, the internal terminal 1d is electrically connected to the through hole 2d and its external terminal through the connector 4. The internal terminal 1e is electrically connected to the through holes 3e, 1j, 2e and its external terminals through the connector 4 and the wiring pattern 3b. The internal terminal 1f is electrically connected to the through hole 2f and its external terminal through the connector 4. The internal terminal 1g is electrically connected to the through holes 3g, 1m, 2g and its external terminals through the connector 4 and the wiring pattern 3c.

  Next, the operation of the tilt switch 10 will be described. When the tilt switch 10 disposed by soldering the terminal portion of the lid 3 to the mother board of the electronic device is greatly tilted in the direction of the arrow A ± 45 ° as shown in FIG. It comes off from 3a, rolls according to gravity, and stops when it straddles the internal terminals 1d and 1e. The internal terminal 1d is electrically connected to the external terminal of the through hole 3d, and the terminal portion 1e is electrically connected to the external terminal of the through hole 3e. Therefore, an A direction detection switch (not shown) connected between the through holes 3d and 3e is turned on, and the inclination in the A direction can be detected.

  When the tilt switch 10 is greatly tilted in the direction within the arrow B ± 45 ° of FIG. 1, the conduction ball 6 stops when it contacts the internal terminals 1e and 1f. The internal terminal 1f is electrically connected to the through hole 3f. Therefore, a B direction detection switch (not shown) connected between the through holes 3e and 3f is turned on, and the inclination in the B direction can be detected.

  Similarly, when the tilt switch 10 is tilted in the C direction, the C direction detection switch (not shown) connected between the through holes 3f and 3g is turned on by the movement of the conduction ball 6, and the tilt in the C direction can be detected. Further, as for the inclination in the D direction, a D direction detection switch (not shown) connected between the through holes 3g and 3d is turned ON, and the inclination in the D direction can be detected. When the inclination in each direction is slight, the conduction ball 6 is engaged with the recess 3a and does not move, so that the detection switch in any direction remains OFF. In this case, the wiring patterns 3b and 3c (thus, the through holes 3e and 3g) are conducted.

  In addition, since the wiring pattern similar to the lid 3 is formed on the surface of the lid 2 on the body 1 side, even if the tilt switch 10 is disposed on the motherboard with the lid 2 facing down, It is possible to detect the inclination in each direction in exactly the same way. Furthermore, the side surface through holes 1q and 1r are dummy electrodes that are electrically connected to the internal terminals 1d and 1f, respectively, and the side surface mounting of the tilt switch 10 can be performed using these.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the tilt switch 10 will be described. FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the collective trunk portion. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 11 denotes a collective body portion which is a collective substrate in which a large number of body portions 1 are arranged. First, in order to manufacture the collective body 11, central through holes 1b, 1q and 1r and corner through holes 1h, 1j, 1k and 1m are formed on a double-sided printed circuit board by an NC processing machine.

  Next, a catalyst for facilitating electroless Cu plating is applied to the wall surfaces of these through holes 1b, 1h, 1j, 1k, 1m, 1q and 1r. Then, a cutting part 1c is formed on a part of the wall surface of the through hole 1b by an NC processing machine, and a part of the catalyst once applied is removed to form a space part 1a.

  Next, electroless Cu plating is applied to the collective substrate, electrolytic Ni plating, Au plating, and the like are further performed, and unnecessary portions are removed by etching to form terminal portions connected to the through holes on both surfaces of the collective substrate. Thus, the collective trunk portion 11 is formed. Reference numeral 21 denotes a cutting line for separating the barrel portion 1 from the collective barrel portion 11 in a later step, which is shown here for convenience.

  FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of the collective lid. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 12 denotes a collective lid that is a collective substrate for taking a large number of lids 2 and 3. The collective lid 12 forms through holes, wiring patterns, and electrode surfaces from the double-sided printed circuit board in the same manner as the collective body 11.

  FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of the collective connector. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 14 denotes a collective lid that is a collective substrate for taking a large number of connectors 4 and 3. The collective lid body 14 is formed by pressing a central hole 4a and relief portions 4b at four corners for forming the connector 4 from an anisotropic conductive film as a connector material.

  After manufacturing each collective substrate, the tilt switch 10 is assembled. The collective connector 14 is laminated on the collective lid 12, an adhesive is applied to the relief portion 4 b of the collective connector 14, the collective trunk portion 11 is further laminated, and the opposing electrode surfaces are joined together. Next, after the conducting balls 6 are stored in the internal space 1a of the collective trunk 11, the collective connector 14 is laminated on the collective trunk 11 and an adhesive is applied to the relief part 4b. 12 are laminated | stacked and the electrode surfaces which oppose are joined. The above aggregate substrates are joined to form the tilt switch 10 in the aggregate substrate state. Finally, this is cut along the cutting line 21 by dicing or the like to obtain a single tilt switch 10.

  The effect of this embodiment will be described. Since the trunk | drum 1, the cover bodies 2 and 3 can be formed with a double-sided printed circuit board, the initial investment of a metal mold | die can be eliminated. In addition, since a large number of units can be manufactured simultaneously by the collective substrate method, the number of processing steps can be reduced and the cost of the tilt switch 10 can be reduced. Since the tilt switch 10 is formed symmetrically in the vertical direction, it can be surface-mounted on the mother board, and there is no need to discriminate the upper and lower sides. The tilt direction can be detected by the same type of tilt switch 10 in the four directions indicated by the arrows A, B, C, and D as well as in any two directions.

 In the embodiment described above, the conduction ball 6 is one large ball. However, the present invention may be replaced with a plurality of small-diameter conduction balls, or a liquid metal such as mercury, It can also be replaced with metal powder such as iron sand.

  The present invention is applied to a tilt switch for easily detecting the direction of an electronic device or the like.

It is a top view of the 6 direction inclination switch which is an embodiment of the invention. It is a center longitudinal cross-sectional view of the inclination switch which is embodiment of this invention. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a tilt switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing explaining operation | movement of the inclination switch which is embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary top view of the collective trunk part which manufactures the inclination switch which is embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary top view of the collective cover which manufactures the inclination switch which is embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary top view of the collective connector which manufactures the inclination switch which is embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the conventional 4 direction inclination switch. It is a front view of the conventional 4 direction inclination switch.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Body part 2, 3 Lid 4 Connector 5 Case 6 Conduction ball 1a Internal space 1b, 1h, 1j, 1k, 1m, 1q, 1r, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g Through hole 1c Cutting part 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g Internal terminal 10 Inclination switch 11 Collecting body part 12 Collecting lid body 14 Collecting connector

Claims (6)

  A housing made of a substantially cubic resin has a space in the center, a plurality of external terminals exposed to the outside of the housing, and an interior exposed to the inner wall of the space and electrically connected to each of the external terminals. A conductor that freely moves in accordance with gravity is accommodated in the space, and the conductor contacts the two adjacent internal terminals according to the inclination of the housing. Thus, in the tilt switch in which the tilt direction is detected by conducting between the two external terminals corresponding to the two internal terminals, the casing is formed of a double-sided printed wiring board having a substantially square planar shape. A body having a through-hole formed at the center and each corner of the body, and a double-sided printed wiring board having the same planar shape as the body and bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the body. The center through-hole and the electrode surface at the periphery of the mouth of the through-hole are divided by a cylindrical cutting portion protruding in a plane direction from the central through-hole toward the outer wall surface of the housing. The tilt switch is characterized in that the external terminal is an electrode surface of the lid body that is the internal terminal and is electrically connected to a through hole formed in a corner of the trunk portion and the lid body.   The tilt switch according to claim 1, wherein a dummy electrode that is electrically connected to the internal terminal is provided on a side surface of the body portion.   The tilt switch according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a material of the double-sided printed wiring board constituting the body and the lid is either glass epoxy, BT resin, or paper phenol.   The tilt switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an anisotropic conductive film having the same planar shape as that of the body portion is sandwiched between the body portion and the lid body.   The tilt switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the body portion and the lid body are electrically connected and joined by an anisotropic conductive paste or a conductive adhesive and an adhesive sheet. A casing made of a double-sided printed wiring board having a substantially square planar shape has a trunk portion with through holes in the center and corners, and the trunk portion has the same planar shape as that of the trunk portion. A cylindrical body projecting in a planar direction from the central through hole toward the outer wall surface of the body portion, the central through hole and the electrode surface at the periphery of the mouth of the through hole. The inner surface is divided by the cut portion of the lid, and the electrode surface of the lid that is electrically connected to the through hole formed at the corner of the body and the lid is an external terminal, and the central through hole In a manufacturing method of a tilt switch containing a conductor that freely moves according to gravity, a central through hole and a corner through hole corresponding to a plurality of the body portions on a double-sided printed wiring board Different from a step of forming a collective body portion that is a collective substrate in which a plurality of lids are arranged on a double-sided printed wiring board. Forming a collective connector, which is a collective substrate in which a plurality of connectors are arranged on an isotropic conductive film, joining the collective trunk portion to the collective lid via the collective connector, and A step of forming a collective tilt switch by joining the collective cover via the collective connector after housing the conductor, and a unitizing step of cutting the collective tilt switch to obtain a single tilt switch. A method of manufacturing a tilt switch, comprising:

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