JP2006244885A - Dial operating tool - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate operation failure such as operation force and a click-stop sense due to mechanical contact of a notch device of a dial operating tool or need for another mechanism to reduce the operation force, and to facilitate assembling and maintenance, and to downsize it into a relatively small size. <P>SOLUTION: The dial operating tool comprises an annular component 4 made of magnetic material and having a plurality of internal teeth projected to the inside of the radial direction at predetermined intervals on the inner circumference, a rotator 10 prepared rotatably around the center of the radial direction of the internal teeth of this annular component 4, and an operating knob 12 for rotating the rotator 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a dial operating tool for operating a device such as a dial switch.

A dial operating tool for rotating a device such as a dial switch includes notch means for imparting a sense of moderation to the operation. A representative example of the notch means includes a leaf spring 20 and a wave gear 22 shown in FIG. 4A, or a ball 26 pressed by the spring 24 shown in FIG. 4B and a plurality of depressions into which the ball 26 fits. A rotating plate 30 having 28 is provided. The dial operation tool is rotated by the operation knob 32 in the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction indicated by arrows.

The conventional dial operation tool of the form as described above has the following problems that are desired to be improved.

That is, these notch means of the dial operating tool are
(1) Operability defects such as operating force and moderation are likely to occur due to wear, rust, etc. of the mechanically contacting portions.
(2) In order to reduce the operating force, it is necessary to provide another structure such as a winding spring on the rotating shaft.
(3) Assembly and maintenance are difficult.
(4) Since it is relatively large, the installation space is large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned facts, and its technical problem is to eliminate operational troubles such as operational force and moderation caused by mechanical contact of the notch means of the dial operation tool, and to reduce the operational force. It is to eliminate the need for a separate mechanism to make it easy, to facilitate assembly and maintenance, and to make the size relatively small and compact.

According to the present invention, as a dial operating tool for solving the above technical problem, an annular body formed of a magnetic body having a plurality of internal teeth projecting radially inward at a predetermined interval on the inner peripheral surface, Formed by a magnetic body having a pair of external teeth protruding outward in the radial direction facing each other with a gap in each of a pair of adjacent internal teeth provided to freely rotate at the radial center of the internal teeth of the annular body There is provided a dial operation tool comprising: a rotating body and an operation knob for rotating the rotating body, wherein one of a pair of external teeth is excited to the N pole and the other is excited to the S pole. Is done.

Preferably, a magnet for exciting the external teeth is provided between the pair of external teeth. Further, a magnet for exciting the annular body is provided at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction of the annular body.

A dial operating tool constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises an annular body formed of a magnetic body having a plurality of internal teeth, and a rotation having a pair of excited external teeth facing each of the pair of internal teeth of the annular body. A body and an operation knob for rotating the rotating body. Therefore, the "attraction force" due to the magnetic force between the inner teeth and the outer teeth is maintained in a state where the inner teeth and the outer teeth face each other, and the "attraction force" rotates when the rotating body is rotated. Acting as a “resistance force” in the opposite direction, and when further rotated, the “suction force” between the outer tooth and the next inner tooth acts as an “assist force” that helps the rotation in the rotation direction, The “operating force” changes due to a change in the relative positions of the inner and outer teeth. That is, by changing the “resistance force” and “assist force” of the operation by magnetic force, it is possible to change the notch feeling (moderation feeling) when the operation knob is operated.

Therefore, since there is no mechanical contact, there is no operation failure caused by it, there is no need for a separate mechanism for reducing the operation force, the structure is simple, assembly and maintenance are easy, and the size is relatively small It can be summarized in a compact.

Further, by providing a magnet at a predetermined position of the annular body, the “resisting force” and “assist force” of the turning operation by the turning position can be inclined, so that, for example, “assist force” is gradually increased. It is possible to adjust the operating force.

Hereinafter, a dial operating tool configured according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments.

A description will be given with reference to FIG. The dial operating tool generally indicated by numeral 2 is an annular body formed of a magnetic body having a plurality of internal teeth 6 (six in the drawing) projecting radially inwardly at predetermined intervals on the inner peripheral surface 4a. A certain inner tooth fixing plate 4 and a radially outer side facing each other with a gap in each of a pair of adjacent inner teeth 6, 6 rotatably provided at a radial center 7 of the inner teeth 6 of the inner tooth fixing plate 4 An external tooth fixing plate 10 which is a rotating body formed of a magnetic body having a pair of external teeth 8 and 8 protruding in the direction, and an operation knob which is attached to the external tooth fixing plate 10 and rotates the external tooth fixing plate 10 12 and a pair of external teeth 8 and 8 are excited by a permanent magnet 16 provided therebetween.

The internal tooth fixing plate 4 is formed in a flat annular shape. The external tooth rotating plate 10 is formed in a disk shape having substantially the same thickness as the internal tooth fixing plate 4. An electromagnet 14 is provided at a predetermined position on the outer peripheral portion of the internal tooth fixing plate 4.

The operation knob 12 is formed of plastic, has a knob protrusion 12b extending in the diameter direction on one surface of the disk 12a, and a shaft body 10a that stands integrally with the center 7 of the external tooth rotating plate 10 on the other surface. The tip of is attached. The shaft body 10a is rotatably attached to a member (not shown) that supports the internal tooth fixing plate 4.

The external tooth fixing plate 10 of the dial operation tool 2 is connected to a member to be rotated, such as a dial device, for example, an electric switch, a lock, a radio, a telephone, a safe, a surveying instrument, and a dial.

Further details will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 together with FIG. 2 and 3, for the convenience of explanation, the plurality of internal teeth 6 are sequentially identified by 6a to 6e, and the pair of external teeth 8 are identified by 8a and 8b from the side of the internal teeth 6a.

The inner teeth 6 (6a to 6e) are formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the radially inner end is defined by the radius R from the center 7. The electromagnet 14 (FIG. 3) has an outer peripheral side of “S pole” as a predetermined position of the outer peripheral portion and a side protruding from the outer peripheral portion “N pole” between the inner teeth 6 a and the inner teeth 6 b in the circumferential direction. Is provided.

The outer teeth 8 a and 8 b are formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as the inner teeth 6, and a predetermined “gap L” is provided between the outer teeth 8 a and 8 b in the radial direction. The permanent magnet 16 excites one external tooth 8 a to “N pole” and the other external tooth 8 b to “S pole”.

Regarding the operation of the dial operation tool 2 as described above, first, the case where the electromagnet 14 is not operated (not provided) will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2A shows a “holding state” in which the external tooth fixing plate 10 is not rotated. The attracted external teeth 8a and 8b and the magnetic internal teeth 6c and 6d that face each other are attracted to each other, and are attracted to each other and maintained in this "holding state". The internal teeth 6c facing the "N pole" external teeth 8a are excited to the "S pole", and the internal teeth 6d facing the "S pole" external teeth 8b are excited to the "N pole".

FIG. 2B shows a state in which the external tooth fixing plate 10 is started to rotate in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow Z. In this state, the sum of the “suction force” of the external teeth 8a and the internal teeth 6c and the external teeth 8b and the internal teeth 6d acts counterclockwise as the “resistance force” of the rotation operation in the Z direction. Therefore, this “resistance force” acts as “notch feeling, resistance feeling” in the turning operation.

FIG. 2C shows a state in which the external tooth fixing plate 10 is further rotated in the Z direction against the “resistance force”. In this state, the distance between the external teeth 8b and the internal teeth 6d is increased and the distance between the external teeth 8b and the next internal teeth 6e is shortened, and the distance between the external teeth 8a and the internal teeth 6c is increased and the external teeth 8a and the next teeth are next. The distance between the inner teeth 6d of the inner teeth 6d becomes shorter, the inner teeth 6d close to the "N pole" outer teeth 8a are switched to "S poles", and the "S pole" of the inner teeth 6c far from the outer teeth 8a disappears. The inner teeth 6e close to the outer teeth 8b of the “S pole” are excited to the “N pole”.

Therefore, the “suction force” between the teeth whose distances have become shorter than the “suction force” between the teeth whose distances have become wider than each other, and the total force is rotated in the Z direction. Acts as an “assist force” for

Further, when the external tooth fixing plate 10 is rotated in the clockwise direction Z, the external teeth 8a and 8b face the internal teeth 6d and 6e, respectively, and are maintained in the “holding state” described above.

As described above, the “resistance force” and the “assist force” are reversed when the external tooth fixing plate 10 is rotated counterclockwise opposite to the arrow Z direction. “Resistance” also acts as “assist force” on the contrary.

Next, the operation of the operation tool 2 when the electromagnet 14 is operated will be described with reference to FIG. The electromagnet 14 acts as a torque adjustment bias that makes the above-described “resistance force” or “assist force” uneven.

That is, as shown in the “holding state” in which the external tooth fixing plate 10 is not rotated, the “S pole” of the electromagnet 14 is compared with the case where the electromagnet 14 is not applied (FIG. 2A). The inner teeth 6a and 6b close to are excited by the “S pole”.

In the state where the external tooth fixing plate 10 shown in FIG. 3B is started to rotate in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow Z, it is affected by the “S pole” of the electromagnet 14 as compared with the case where the electromagnet 14 is not operated. Due to the internal teeth 6a, 6b, 6c, a larger “resistance force” acts counterclockwise.

In the state where the external tooth fixing plate 10 shown in FIG. 3C is further rotated in the clockwise direction Z, the “S pole” disappears in the internal teeth 6c by the electromagnet 14 compared to the case where the electromagnet 14 is not applied. This further acts as a “resistance force” of the turning operation. Therefore, a greater “resistance” acts.

By changing the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 16, the tooth profile of the internal teeth 6 and the external teeth 8, and the radial gap L between the internal teeth 6 and the external teeth 8, The action position and action switching position of these forces in the rotation direction can be adjusted by the installation position of the electromagnet 14 and the magnitude of the magnetic force.

According to the dial operating tool 2 as described above, the “suction force” of the opposing internal teeth 6 and external teeth 8 changes when the operating knob 12 is operated and the rotating body 10 is rotated with respect to the annular body 4. As a result, it acts as a “resistance force” or “assist force” of the rotation operation, so that a notch feeling (moderation feeling), resistance feeling, and assist feeling can be obtained when the operation knob 12 is rotated.

Therefore, since there is no mechanical contact, there is no operation failure caused by it, there is no need for a separate mechanism to reduce the operation force, assembly and maintenance are easy, and the size is also made relatively small and compact. A dial operation tool can be provided.

The dial operation tool 2 includes a permanent magnet 16 between the external teeth 8 a and 8 b as a magnet for exciting the external teeth 8. Therefore, the rotary body 10 and the dial operation tool 2 can be collected in a compact manner.

The dial operating tool 2 also includes an electromagnet 14 as a magnet for exciting the annular body 4 at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction of the annular body 4. Therefore, the electromagnet 14 changes the exciting force with respect to each of the plurality of inner teeth 6 (6a to 6e) to make the "attraction force" between the inner teeth 8 non-uniform, and the electromagnet 14 becomes "resisting force" against the rotation operation or It can act as a bias for torque adjustment that makes the “assist force” uneven.

The present invention has been described in detail based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified or modified within the scope of the present invention, for example, as described below. is there.

In this embodiment, the electromagnet 14 is provided on the internal tooth fixing plate 4 which is an annular body in order to make the “resistance force” or “assist force” of the turning operation uneven. However, these forces are unevenly distributed. If you do not need to do this, you do not have to prepare.

In the present embodiment, the permanent magnet 16 is used as means for exciting the external tooth fixing plate 10 that is a rotating body, but an electromagnet may be used. The electromagnet 14 as a means for exciting the internal tooth fixing plate 4 which is an annular body may be a permanent magnet set so as to obtain a desired magnetic force.

The perspective view which shows one form of the dial operation tool comprised according to this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the effect | action of the state which does not act the detail of a structure of the dial operating tool shown in FIG. 1, and the magnet which excites an annular body. Explanatory drawing which shows the effect | action of the state which acted the magnet which excites an annular body in FIG. The perspective view of the typical example (a) (b) of the conventional dial operation tool.

Explanation of symbols

2: Dial operation tool 4: Internal tooth fixing plate (annular body)
4a: Inner peripheral surface 6 (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e): Internal tooth 8 (8a, 8b): External tooth 10: External tooth fixing plate (rotating body)
12: Operation knob 14: Electromagnet 16: Permanent magnet

Claims (3)

An annular body formed of a magnetic body having a plurality of internal teeth protruding radially inward at predetermined intervals on the inner peripheral surface;
A magnetic body having a pair of external teeth protruding outward in the radial direction facing each other with a gap in each of a pair of adjacent internal teeth, which is rotatably provided at the radial center of the internal teeth of the annular body. A formed rotating body;
An operation knob for rotating the rotating body,
One of the pair of external teeth is excited to the N pole and the other is excited to the S pole.
A dial operating tool characterized by that. A magnet for exciting the external teeth is provided between the pair of external teeth.
The dial operation tool according to claim 1. A magnet for exciting the annular body at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction of the annular body;
The dial operation tool according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

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