JP2008218256A - Sliding structure of push type switch - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sliding structure of a push type switch capable of suppressing an unpleasant feeling of scratching from being generated by a stress concentration when a slider is tilted to a switch case, and capable of preventing the slider from being locked when an external force acts on the switch case. <P>SOLUTION: The sliding structure of the push type switch is equipped with the switch case 20 and the slider 30. The switch case 20 is equipped with a rail 21b (guide part) on the inside wall. The slider 30 has an engaging part 32b which is housed in the switch case 20 and slid and fitted to the rail 21b at the outside wall. When the slider 30 is tilted against the switch case 20, the engaging part 32b has at least a curved surface 32b1 at a site in the vicinity of both ends coming into contact with the rail part 21b. Moreover, when an external force acts on the switch case 20, the engaging part 32b has a base end 32b2 (bent part) formed so as to be elastically bent at an intermediate part in contact with the rail 21b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sliding structure of a push-type switch, and more particularly to a sliding structure of a push-type switch used for a vehicle operation panel.

As a sliding structure of this type of push-type switch, a switch case provided with a ridge (rail part) on the inner side wall and a slide case that is housed in the switch case and is fitted on the ridge part on the outer side wall And a slider provided with a sliding portion (engagement portion) that is configured such that the slider moves in a substantially linear direction with respect to the switch case according to the movement of the sliding portion along the protrusion. For example, it is described in Patent Document 1 below. Usually, when the sliding part is formed in a rectangular shape, stress concentration occurs due to the edges of both ends of the sliding part coming into contact with the projecting part while the slider is tilted with respect to the switch case. The operation feeling is likely to be deteriorated. Incidentally, in the sliding structure of the push-type switch described in Patent Document 1, the sliding portion is formed in a circular shape. For this reason, it is possible to alleviate the stress concentration that occurs when the sliding portion and the ridge portion contact each other, to suppress the occurrence of catching due to the stress concentration, and to improve the operation feeling. is there.
JP 2000-123682 A

  However, in the sliding structure of the push-type switch described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, only two sliding portions are arranged near each end of the ridge portion. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the switch case, There is a problem in that the middle portion of the strip is greatly bent, and the movement of the slider relative to the switch case is prevented (locked). In particular, when the sliding structure of the push-type switch is adopted for the operation panel of the vehicle, the above-mentioned problems occur due to the operation panel mounted on the vehicle being pressed by the instrument panel or the instrument cluster. Easy to do.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a push-type switch capable of suppressing the occurrence of an unpleasant catching feeling due to stress concentration when the slider is tilted with respect to the switch case and preventing the slider from being locked when an external force is applied to the switch case. To provide a sliding structure.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the sliding structure of the push-type switch according to the present invention includes a switch case having a guide portion provided on an inner wall, and a guide case that is accommodated in the switch case and that is accommodated in the outer wall. And a slider provided with an engagement portion to be slidably fitted. The slider is configured to move in a substantially linear direction with respect to the switch case according to the movement of the engagement portion along the guide portion. In the sliding structure of the push-type switch, any one of the engaging portion and the guide portion is any of the engaging portion and the guide portion when the slider is tilted with respect to the switch case. At least a curved surface portion in the vicinity of both end portions in contact with the other, and either one of the engaging portion and the guide portion has an external force applied to the switch case. When, characterized in that it includes a deflection portion formed to flex elastically at an intermediate portion in contact with the other one of said engaging portion and the guide portion.

  In this sliding structure of the push-type switch, when the slider is tilted with respect to the switch case, the engagement portion and the guide portion come into contact with each other through the curved surface portion. Concentration is relaxed, and the occurrence of unpleasant catching feeling can be suppressed. In addition, when an external force is applied to the switch case, any one of the intermediate portion of the engaging portion and the guide portion is excessively caused by the bending of the bending portion provided in one of the engaging portion and the guide portion. It is possible to prevent elastic deformation and prevent the slider from being locked during movement.

  In carrying out the present invention, any one of the engagement portion and the guide portion can be implemented so as to be formed in a continuous wavy shape in front view, and the engagement portion Also, any one of the guide portions can be implemented as a plurality of protrusions arranged linearly at a predetermined interval in a front view. According to this, the engaging part or rail part which was integrally provided with the curved surface part and the bending part can be comprised simply.

  In carrying out the present invention, any one of the engagement portion and the guide portion is provided on a wall surface of the slider or the switch case serving as a base end of one of the engagement portion and the guide portion. It is also possible to implement such that a slit for promoting the bending of one of the base end portions is formed. According to this, the bending condition of the base end part can be further improved.

a. First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an operation panel SP of an automotive air conditioner that employs a sliding structure of push-type switches according to the first embodiment, and this operation panel SP includes a plurality of push-type switches SW.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the push-type switch SW pushes an electric switch 11 (tact switch) fixed to the substrate 10, thereby operating an air conditioning device (not shown) and a light emitting unit such as an LED. 12 is an illumination type that turns ON and OFF (turns on and off) 12, and includes a switch case 20, a slider 30 housed inside the switch case 20, and a knob 41 attached to the slider 30.

  The switch case 20 has a rectangular tube portion 21 whose cross section is rectangular, and is integrally provided with a rectangular flange portion 22 at the upper end of the rectangular tube portion 21. On the inner peripheral wall surface of the rectangular tube portion 21, a stopper portion 21a that restricts the upward movement of the slider 30 at the intermediate portion is formed in the circumferential direction. Moreover, the rail part 21b is extended in the up-down direction at the inner peripheral wall surface of the three side walls which comprise the square cylinder part 21, respectively. The rail part 21b (guide part) is comprised by a pair of parallel protrusions, respectively, and is integrated with the lower surface of the stopper part 21a at its upper end.

  The slider 30 has a stepped rectangular tube shape including a small tube portion 31 and a large tube portion 32, and is urged upward by a spring (not shown) so that the upper end surface of the large tube portion 32 contacts the lower surface of the stopper portion 21a. The small cylinder part 31 is in a state of protruding upward from the stopper part 21a. A locking piece 31 a is formed on the outer peripheral wall surface of the small tube portion 31 and is locked in a locking hole 41 a formed in the knob 41.

  A pressing portion 32 a protruding downward is integrally formed on one side wall constituting the large cylinder portion 32. The pressing part 32 a presses the electric switch 11 as the slider 30 moves downward. Further, on the outer peripheral wall surfaces of the three side walls constituting the large cylindrical portion 32, engaging portions 32b that are slidably fitted to the rail portion 21b of the switch case 20 are respectively extended in the vertical direction. The engaging portion 32b will be described later.

  The knob 41 has a rectangular container shape, and is formed of, for example, a light-transmitting polymer material. The knob 41 is attached to the small cylindrical portion 31 of the slider 30 and slightly from the upper end surface of the flange portion 22 in the switch case 20. It is arranged to protrude.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the engaging portion 32 b of the slider 30 is provided with a curved surface portion 32 b 1 that extends in the vertical direction in the figure and that is gently continuous in a wavy (meandering) shape. The curved surface portion 32b1 has such a width that a very small gap S (for example, several hundredths of mm) is formed between the curved portion 32b1 and the rail portion 21b in a state where the engaging portion 32b is slidably fitted to the rail portion 21b. The length (for example, about 1.0 mm) is set. In FIG. 5, the gap S is exaggerated.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a slit 32 c is formed on the wall surface of the large cylindrical portion 32 that is the base end of the engaging portion 32 b. The slit 32c is intermittently formed at a plurality of locations along the base end of the engaging portion 32b. Thereby, the base end part 32b2 (flexure part) of the engaging part 32b becomes easy to bend in the illustration left-right direction.

  In the first embodiment configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 7, when the slider 30 tilts with respect to the switch case 20, the curved surface portion 32b1 of the engaging portion 32b contacts the rail portion 21b. Thereby, the stress concentration produced at the time of contact between the engaging portion 32b and the rail portion 21b is relaxed, and the occurrence of an unpleasant catching feeling is suppressed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, when an external force in the illustrated left-right direction is applied to the switch case 20, the base end portion 32b2 is elastically bent in accordance with the pressing of the rail portion 21b against the engaging portion 32b. Thereby, since the curved surface part 32b1 suppresses the bending of the intermediate part of the rail part 21b, the excessive elastic deformation in the rail part 21b is suppressed. Further, since the curved surface portion 32b1 comes into contact with the rail portion 21b and the contact area between the engaging portion 32b and the rail portion 21b decreases, the sliding force of the slider 30 can be prevented from being locked well by reducing the frictional force during sliding. Is done.

  Moreover, in this 1st Embodiment, the clearance gap S can be set to very slight space | interval, and the operation feeling at the time of pressing operation of the knob 41 can also be improved.

b. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the engaging portion 32b is configured to include the curved surface portion 32b1 that is gently continuous in a wavy line, but instead, for example, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. The engaging portion 32b may be configured by a plurality of protrusions 32b3. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same members and the same functions as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The plurality of protrusions 32b3 each have a columnar shape or a cylindrical shape, and are linearly arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction in FIG. Slits 32d are formed on the wall surface of the large cylindrical portion 32 serving as the base end of the protrusion 32b3. The slits 32d are arranged symmetrically around the protrusion 32b3 in the horizontal direction in the figure. Thereby, the base end part 32b4 (flexure part) of the engaging part 32b becomes easy to bend in the illustration left-right direction.

  In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, when the slider 30 tilts with respect to the switch case 20, the curved surface of the protrusion 32b3 in the engaging portion 32b comes into contact with the rail portion 21b. Thereby, the stress concentration produced at the time of contact between the engaging portion 32b and the rail portion 21b is relaxed, and the occurrence of an unpleasant catching feeling is suppressed.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when an external force in the horizontal direction shown in the figure acts on the switch case 20, the base end portion 32b4 is elastically bent in accordance with the pressing force of the rail portion 21b against the engaging portion 32b. Thereby, since protrusion 32b3 suppresses the bending of the intermediate part of rail part 21b, the excessive elastic deformation in rail part 21b is suppressed. Further, since the protrusion 32b3 comes into contact with the rail portion 21b and the contact area between the engaging portion 32b and the rail portion 21b is reduced, the sliding force of the slider 30 can be prevented from being locked by reducing the frictional force during sliding. The

  Also in the second embodiment, the gap S can be set to an extremely small interval, and the operation feeling when the knob 41 is pressed can be improved.

c. Third Embodiment In the first embodiment, the engaging portion 32b is configured to include the curved surface portion 32b1 that is gently continuous in a wavy line. Instead, for example, as shown in FIG. The engaging part 132b provided in the large cylinder part 132 may be formed in a rectangular protrusion, and the rail part 121b may be configured to include a curved surface part 121b1 that is gently continuous in a wavy line shape. In this case, a slit 121c is formed in the wall surface of the rectangular tube portion 121 of the switch case 120 serving as the base end of the rail portion 121b, and the base end portion 121b2 of the rail portion 121b is easily elastically bent. Yes.

  Also in the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, occurrence of a feeling of catching between the engaging portion 132b and the rail portion 121b is suppressed, and the slider 130 is moved by the elastic deflection of the base end portion 121b2. The lock is prevented well.

d. Fourth Embodiment In the second embodiment, the engaging portion 32b is composed of a plurality of protrusions 32b3. Instead, for example, as shown in FIG. The engaging portion 132b thus formed may be formed in a rectangular ridge, and the rail portion 121b may be composed of a plurality of protrusions 121b3. In this case, a slit 121d is formed on the wall surface of the rectangular tube portion 121 of the switch case 120 serving as the base end of the protrusion 121b3, and the base end portion 121b4 of the rail portion 121b is easily elastically bent.

  Also in the fourth embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the occurrence of a feeling of catching between the engaging portion 132b and the rail portion 121b is suppressed, and the slider 130 is moved by the elastic deflection of the base end portion 121b4. The lock is prevented well.

Schematic which shows the operation panel of the air conditioner for motor vehicles which employ | adopted the sliding structure of the push type switch which concerns on the 1st-4th embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the push-type switch shown in FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The longitudinal cross-sectional view in the assembly state (except a board | substrate) of the push type switch shown in FIG. The bottom view in the assembly | attachment state (except a board | substrate) of the push type switch shown in FIG. The front view of the switch case and slider shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of the switch case and slider shown in FIG. 5. The schematic diagram which shows the state which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention and the slider tilted with respect to the switch case. The schematic diagram which shows the state which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention and the external force acted on the switch case. The front view of the switch case and slider which employ | adopted the sliding structure of the push type switch which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 10 is a plan sectional view of the switch case and slider shown in FIG. 9. The schematic diagram which shows the state which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention and the slider tilted with respect to the switch case. The schematic diagram which shows the state which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention and the external force acted on the switch case. The front view of the switch case and slider which employ | adopted the sliding structure of the push-type switch which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the switch case and slider which employ | adopted the sliding structure of the push-type switch which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

SP Operation panel SW Push type switch 10 Substrate 11 Electric switch 12 Light emitting part 20, 120 Switch case 21b, 121b Rail part (guide part)
30, 130 Slider 32b, 132b Engagement part 32b1, 121b1 Curved part 32b2, 32b4, 121b2, 121b4 Base end part (flexible part)
32b3, 121b3 Projection 32c, 32d, 121c, 121d Slit 41 Knob

Claims (4)

A switch case provided with a guide portion at an inner wall; and a slider provided with an engagement portion that is accommodated in the switch case and is slidably fitted to the guide portion at an outer wall. In the sliding structure of the push-type switch configured so that the slider moves in a substantially linear direction with respect to the switch case according to the movement of the engagement portion along
Either one of the engaging portion and the guide portion is located near both end portions that come into contact with the other of the engaging portion and the guide portion when the slider is tilted with respect to the switch case. And at least one of the engaging portion and the guide portion when the external force is applied to the switch case and the other of the engaging portion and the guide portion. A sliding structure of a push-type switch, comprising a bending portion formed so as to be elastically bent at an intermediate portion in contact therewith.   2. The sliding structure of the push-type switch according to claim 1, wherein any one of the engaging portion and the guide portion is formed in a continuous wavy shape in a front view.   2. The sliding structure of the push-type switch according to claim 1, wherein any one of the engaging portion and the guide portion is formed by a plurality of protrusions arranged linearly at a predetermined interval in a front view. .   On the wall surface of the slider or the switch case, which is the base end of one of the engagement portion and the guide portion, the base end portion of either the engagement portion or the guide portion is bent. The sliding structure of the push type switch according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a slit for promoting the above is formed.

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