JP2007048536A - Switch structure and electric apparatus using this switch structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch structure having an operation button with direction of appearance tilted to a circuit board having a switch, in which an actuation piece is certainly pressed and wear of the actuation piece is prevented, thereby improving reliability of the switch. <P>SOLUTION: A circuit board 5 arranged almost horizontally and a switch 3 provided on the circuit board 5 and having an actuation piece 30 and pressedly operated in a cabinet 1. An operation button 2 pressing the actuation piece 30 is provided on the cabinet 1 so as to appear. The appearing direction of the operation button 2 is tilted to the pressing direction of the actuation piece 30 and the circuit board 5. A lever 4 contacting both of the actuation piece 30 and the operation button 2 is rockably against the circuit board 5 provided between the actuation piece 30 of the switch 3 and the operation button 2. The lever 4 is pressed by the pressing operation of the button 2 to press the actuation piece 30 in the direction almost perpendicular to the circuit board 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric device including a switch to be pressed.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are cross-sectional views of a conventional electric device (see Patent Document 1). A circuit board (5) is provided substantially horizontally in the cabinet (1), and a switch (3) is provided on the circuit board (5). The switch (3) is provided on the upper surface of the switch body (31) so that an operating piece (30) can be projected and retracted, and the operating piece (30) is directed upward by a spring (not shown) built in the switch body (31). It is energized.
An operation button (2) pushed by the user is provided in the through hole (10) opened on the cabinet (1) so as to be able to appear and retract, and the lower end of the operation button (2) pushes the operating piece (30). A pressing surface (25) is formed. The direction in which the operation button (2) protrudes and tilts with respect to the circuit board (5), and the pressing surface (25) is substantially parallel to the circuit board (5).
When the user presses the operation button (2) downward from the state shown in FIG. 5 (a), as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the pressing surface (25) of the operation button (2) is moved to the operating piece (30). ) And push the working piece (30) downward. Since the pressing surface (25) is inclined with respect to the direction in which the operation button (2) appears and is positioned in the horizontal plane, the operating piece (30) is accurately pressed downward. When the user releases the operation button (2), the operating piece (30) is restored by the spring in the switch body (31) and is pushed by the operating piece (30). Return to the position shown in 5 (a).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-82728

5 (a) and 5 (b), the pressing surface (25) of the operation button (2) slides on the upper surface of the operating piece (30) each time the operation button (2) is pressed. Accordingly, if the operation button (2) is frequently pressed, the upper surface of the operating piece (30) may be worn, and the reliability of the switch (3) may be impaired.
Some switches (3) have the upper surface of the operating piece (30) positioned in the same plane as the upper surface of the switch body (31). Such a switch (3) is shown in FIG. A configuration that slides on the upper surface of the operating piece (30) as shown in (b) cannot be used.
An object of the present invention is to push the operating piece (30) with certainty in a switch structure in which the protruding and retracting direction of the operation button (2) is inclined with respect to the circuit board (5) provided with the switch (3). This is to prevent the operating piece (30) from being worn and to improve the reliability of the switch (3).

The cabinet (1) includes a switch (3) having a circuit board (5) arranged substantially horizontally and an operating piece (30) provided on the circuit board (5) to be pressed.
On the cabinet (1), an operation button (2) for pressing the operating piece (30) is provided so as to be able to appear and retract, and the direction of the operation button (2) is determined depending on the pressed direction of the operating piece (30) and the circuit board. (5)
Between the operating piece (30) of the switch (3) and the operation button (2), there is a lever (4) contacting both the operating piece (30) and the operation button (2) with respect to the circuit board (5). It is provided so that it can swing,
The lever (4) receives the pushing operation of the operation button (2) and pushes the operating piece (30) in a direction substantially orthogonal to the circuit board (5).
On the lower surface of the lever (4), the pressing operation location of the operating piece (30) is formed on the spherical surface (40).

The direction of the operation button (2) is inclined with respect to the pressed direction of the operating piece (30) and the circuit board (5), that is, inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.
When the operation button (2) is pushed in, the lever (4) is swung by the operation button (2), and the lever (4) presses the operating piece (30). The lever (4) receives the pushing operation of the operation button (2) and pushes the operating piece (30) in a direction substantially orthogonal to the circuit board (5). The operating piece (30) is pressed in the correct direction. That is, the switch (3) on the circuit board (5) can be correctly pressed even if the direction of the operation button (2) is inclined with respect to the circuit board (5).
In the present invention, since the operating piece (30) is pushed in via the lever (4), the operation button (2) does not slide directly on the operating piece (30) as in the prior art. The wear of the operating piece (30) can be prevented, and the reliability of the switch (3) can be improved. In particular, the contact area between the lever (4) and the actuating piece (30) can be reduced by forming the pressing portion of the actuating piece (30) on the spherical surface (40) on the lower surface of the lever (4). (30) wear can be prevented.
Further, since the operating piece (30) is surely pushed by the lever (4), the configuration of the present invention is such that the upper surface of the operating piece (30) is located on the same plane as the upper surface of the switch body (31). ).

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric apparatus, specifically a digital camera, in which the switch structure according to this example is used, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 cut along a plane including line AA. . As is well known, a hand dial (12) is provided on the top surface of the cabinet (1), and an objective lens (13) is provided on the front surface of the cabinet (1). The upper end of the cabinet (1) has an inclined surface (11) inclined with respect to the front surface and the top surface for design reasons, and an operation button (2) which is a shutter button on the inclined surface (11). ) Is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation button (2) is fitted into a through-hole (10) opened in the cabinet (1) and a guide tube (14) provided integrally with the cabinet (1). 1) It is provided so that it can be moved up and down. The operation button (2) is provided with a housing (21) that contacts the inner surface of the cabinet (1) and a shaft body (20) that fits into the guide tube (14), and the guide tube (14) and the inner surface of the cabinet (1). In between, a spring (22) for urging the operation button (2) to the outside of the cabinet (1) is provided. When the operation button (2) is not operated, the operation button (2) is biased by the spring (22), and the housing (21) comes into contact with the back surface of the cabinet (1) and comes out of the through hole (10). It is preventing.

Inside the cabinet (1), a circuit board (5) is arranged substantially horizontally, and a mother board (50) which is another board is connected to the circuit board (5) by a connector (51). The circuit board (5) and the mother board (50) are substantially orthogonal.
On the circuit board (5), a switch (3) is provided substantially opposite to the tip of the shaft body (20). The switch (3) has the same configuration as that of the prior art in which the operating piece (30) is provided in the switch body (31) so as to be able to protrude and retract, and the direction in which the operating piece (30) is pressed, that is, the pressed direction is downward. Thus, it is substantially perpendicular to the circuit board (5).
On the circuit board (5), between the switch (3) and the shaft body (20) of the operation button (2), a lever (4) pushed downward by the shaft body (20) is provided. The tip of the shaft body (20) in contact with the lever (4) is rounded. The tip of the lever (4) is located between the tip of the shaft (20) and the operating piece (30) of the switch (3).

A wall piece (43) for preventing the tip of the shaft body (20) from sliding on the lever (4) is provided in the vicinity of the contact point with the operation button (2) on the lever (4). ing. If the wall piece (43) is not provided, the tip of the shaft body (20) may slide on the lever (4) and the click feeling when the switch (3) is pressed may vary. By providing (43), variation in click feeling is suppressed.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lever (4). The lever (4) has a proximal end portion (41) fixed on the circuit board (5) and a distal end portion (42) provided to be swingable with respect to the circuit board (5). The lever (4) is made of a synthetic resin, and even if the tip (42) is pushed by the shaft (20), if the shaft (20) is separated from the tip (42), the lever (4) returns to bend. On the lower surface of the lever (4), the pressing operation portion of the operating piece (30) is formed on the spherical surface (40), and the contact area between the lever (4) and the operating piece (30) is reduced.

(During operation)
4A is a cross-sectional view showing the operation button 2 before being pressed, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing the operation button 2 being pressed. As shown in FIG. 4 (b), when the user presses the operation button (2) downward with a finger against the spring (22), the tip of the shaft body (20) becomes the tip of the lever (4). Press (42) to bend and deform. Since the tip of the shaft body (20) is rounded, the lever (4) is hardly damaged. As described above, the pressing direction of the shaft body (20) is inclined with respect to the pressed direction (that is, the downward direction) of the circuit board (5) and the operating piece (30). The tip of the shaft body (20) contacts the wall piece (43) and is prevented from sliding on the lever (4).
The spherical surface (40) provided on the lower surface of the lever (4) pushes the operating piece (30) of the switch (3) and turns on the switch (3). At this time, the distal end portion (42) of the lever (4) swings downward about the proximal end portion (41). That is, the lever (4) is actuated by receiving the pushing operation of the operation button (2). The piece (30) is pushed downward substantially perpendicular to the circuit board (5). In other words, even when the operation button (2) is pushed obliquely into the circuit board (5), the operating piece (30) of the switch (3) is pushed straight downward. Since the operation button (2) is a shutter button, an image is picked up when the switch (3) is turned on.
When the user releases the finger from the operation button (2), the operation button (2) is returned to the lower position by the spring (22). The lever (4) is flexed and returned, and the switch (3) is turned off.

As described above, for the design reasons, the direction in which the operation button (2) protrudes and inclines is inclined with respect to the pressed direction of the circuit board (5) and the operating piece (30).
When the operation button (2) is pushed in, the lever (4) is swung by the operation button (2), and the lever (4) presses the operating piece (30). The lever (4) receives the pushing operation of the operation button (2) and pushes the operating piece (30) in a direction substantially orthogonal to the circuit board (5). The operating piece (30) is pressed in the correct direction. That is, the switch (3) on the circuit board (5) can be correctly pressed even if the direction of the operation button (2) is inclined with respect to the circuit board (5).
In this example, since the operating piece (30) is pushed through the lever (4), the operation button (2) is directly operated like the conventional example shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). (30) It does not slide on, the wear of the operating piece (30) can be prevented, and the reliability of the switch (3) can be improved.
In particular, the contact area between the lever (4) and the actuating piece (30) can be reduced by forming the pressing portion of the actuating piece (30) on the spherical surface (40) on the lower surface of the lever (4). (30) wear can be prevented.
Further, since the operating piece (30) is surely pushed by the lever (4), the configuration of the present invention is such that the upper surface of the operating piece (30) is located on the same plane as the upper surface of the switch body (31). ).

Further, by providing a wall piece (43) in the vicinity of the contact point with the operation button (2) on the lever (4), the tip of the shaft body (20) is placed on the lever (4). It prevents slipping and suppresses the variation in click feeling when the switch (3) is pressed.
Further, since the circuit board (5) is horizontal, the mother board (50) can be orthogonal to the circuit board (5) and can be attached by so-called board to board connection. In other words, in an electrical device in which the operation button (2) has a protruding and protruding direction inclined with respect to the circuit board (5), the circuit board (5) and the mother board (50) can be connected without using a flexible board or the like. it can. Thereby, cost reduction can also be achieved.

The above description of the embodiments is for explaining the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention described in the claims or reducing the scope thereof. In addition, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims.
In the above example, a digital camera is shown as an electric device, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to a digital camera.

It is a perspective view of a digital camera. It is sectional drawing which fractured | ruptured FIG. 1 in the surface containing an AA line. It is a perspective view of a lever. (a) is a cross-sectional view showing an operation button before being pressed, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the operation button after being pressed. It is sectional drawing of the conventional electric equipment.

Explanation of symbols

(1) Cabinet
(2) Operation buttons
(3) Switch
(4) Lever
(5) Circuit board
(30) Actuator
(40) Spherical surface
(43) Wall piece

Claims (4)

The cabinet (1) includes a switch (3) having a circuit board (5) arranged substantially horizontally and an operating piece (30) provided on the circuit board (5) to be pressed.
On the cabinet (1), an operation button (2) for pressing the operating piece (30) is provided so as to be able to appear and retract, and the direction of the operation button (2) is determined depending on the pressed direction of the operating piece (30) and the circuit board. (5)
Between the operating piece (30) of the switch (3) and the operation button (2), there is a lever (4) contacting both the operating piece (30) and the operation button (2) with respect to the circuit board (5). It is provided so that it can swing,
The lever (4) receives the pushing operation of the operation button (2) and pushes the operating piece (30) in a direction substantially orthogonal to the circuit board (5). 2. The switch structure according to claim 1, wherein a pressing operation portion of the operating piece (30) is formed on a spherical surface (40) on the lower surface of the lever (4). A wall piece (43) for preventing the operation button (2) from sliding on the lever (4) is provided in the vicinity of the contact point with the operation button (2) on the lever (4). Item 3. The switch structure according to Item 1 or 2. An electric device using the switch structure according to claim 1.

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