JP2010021116A - Switch structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch structure can perform various operations in a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: The switch structure includes a pair of jog switches 13A, 13B having operational shafts 22A, 22B freely inclinable in various directions, juxtaposed on a base plate 11, and a knob 15 having a shaft 63 bridged between operational shafts 22A, 22B of the jig switches 13A, 13B and for turning in relation to a base board 11, and the shaft 63 of the knob 15 is constructed disengageably on the base board 11. The switch structure is formed to execute a sliding operation for inclining the operational shafts 22A, 22B in the same direction by separating the shaft 63 from the base board 11 and by sliding the knob 15 against the base board 11, and a turning operation for inclining the operational shafts 22A, 22B in different directions by making the shaft 63 engage with the base board 11 and by turning the knob 15 against the base board 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch structure for operating an electronic device mounted on a vehicle such as a navigation device.

In recent years, various electronic devices such as an air conditioner, an audio device, and a navigation device are mounted on an automobile. In general, this type of electronic apparatus is provided with individual controls.
By the way, in recent years, navigation devices that perform route guidance to a destination tend to be multifunctional. For this reason, this type of device is known in which a large number of icons for each function are displayed on the map of the display unit and a large number of switches are provided on the operation panel unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-122876

However, the conventional system is inconvenient because it is necessary to check the positions of icons and switches each time the user executes each function. Furthermore, providing a large number of switches on the operation panel has a problem that the number of parts increases and the switch configuration of the operation panel becomes complicated.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a switch structure capable of performing a large number of operations with a simple configuration.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pair of jog switches that are arranged side by side on a base plate and have operation shafts that can be tilted in multiple directions, and are spanned between the operation shafts of these jog switches. And a knob configured to execute a first operation for tilting the operation axis in the same direction and a second operation for tilting the operation axis in different directions.
According to this configuration, the first operation for tilting the operation shaft in the same direction and the second operation for tilting the operation shaft in different directions can be executed via the knob. By assigning each operation command to each combination, it is possible to realize output of a large number of operation commands with one switch. Therefore, it is possible to realize a switch that performs a large number of operations with a simple configuration.

  In this configuration, the knob includes a rotation shaft for rotating with respect to the base plate, and the rotation shaft can be freely engaged with and disengaged from the base plate. A slide operation in which a shaft is detached from the base plate and the knob is slid with respect to the base plate, and the second operation is to engage the rotation shaft with the base plate and move the rotation shaft. It is good also as a structure which is the rotation operation which rotates the said knob to the center. According to this configuration, the knob can be easily slid and rotated by engaging and disengaging the rotation shaft, and the tilting direction of the operation shaft corresponding to the slide operation and the rotation operation can be reduced. By assigning each operation command to each combination, it is possible to realize output of a large number of operation commands with one switch.

  Further, the rotation shaft may be configured to be provided substantially at the center between the pair of jog sticks. According to this configuration, since the operation shaft of the jog switch is provided on a straight line with the rotation shaft interposed therebetween and at a substantially equal distance from the rotation shaft, the knob is centered on the rotation shaft. When the is rotated, the same magnitude of force acts on the operation shaft, so that erroneous detection with the jog switch can be prevented.

  According to the present invention, the first operation for tilting the operation shaft in the same direction and the second operation for tilting the operation shaft in different directions can be executed via the knob. By assigning each operation command to each combination, it is possible to realize output of a large number of operation commands with one switch. Therefore, it is possible to realize a switch that performs a large number of operations with a simple configuration.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the switch according to the present embodiment is attached to the dashboard. The switch 1 performs various operations on the navigation device 3 mounted on the automobile. The navigation device 3 is disposed between the driver's seat and the passenger seat of the dashboard 5, a display portion 3 </ b> A exposed from the dashboard 5 to the vehicle interior, and a main body (not shown) housed in the dashboard 5. Is provided.
A box-like console 7 extending from the dashboard 5 to the rear of the vehicle body is provided below the navigation device 3, and the switch 1 is provided on the upper surface portion 7 A of the console 7. This switch 1 is provided close to the display unit 3A of the navigation device 3, and the navigation device 3 is operated with one hand (left hand in the present embodiment) while looking at the display unit 3A while the driver is seated in the driver's seat. It can be operated.

Next, the configuration of the switch will be described.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the switch 1, and FIG. 3 is a right side view of the switch 1.
As shown in FIG. 3, the switch 1 includes a base plate 11, a pair of jog switches 13 </ b> A and 13 </ b> B arranged below the base plate 11, and a jog switch 13 </ b> A disposed above the base plate 11. And a knob 15 for operating 13B at the same time.
The base plate 11 is a support member for supporting the knob 15, and as shown in FIG. 2, screw holes 11A for fastening the base plate 11 to the upper surface portion 7A of the console 7 are provided at the four corners, respectively. It has been.
As shown in FIG. 2, the knob 15 can freely rotate with respect to the base plate 11 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2 and has eight directions (forward, backward, Left, right, diagonally forward right, diagonally right backward, diagonally forward left and diagonally backward left) are supported by the base plate 11 so as to be freely slidable. A structure for supporting the knob 15 will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 3, the jog switches 13A and 13B include switch main bodies 21A and 21B and operation shafts 22A and 22B extending upward from the upper surfaces of the switch main bodies 21A and 21B, respectively. It is held by a holding member (not shown). In the present embodiment, the jog switches 13A and 13B can tilt the operation shafts 22A and 22B in eight directions (forward, backward, leftward, rightward, diagonally forward right, diagonally backward right, diagonally forward left and diagonally backward left). In addition, the switch bodies 21A and 21B are provided with contacts (not shown) corresponding to the above directions. As a result, when the jog switches 13A and 13B are tilted in the direction in which the operation shafts 22A and 22B are tilted, the contact of the operation shafts 22A and 22B is closed by the operation of the operation shafts 22A and 22B. Can be detected.
The jog switches 13A and 13B include output terminals 23A and 23B on the side surfaces of the switch main bodies 21A and 21B, and these output terminals 23A and 23B are input formed on the main body of the navigation device 3 via signal cables (not shown). It is connected to a terminal (not shown).
In this configuration, the knob 15 described above is bridged between the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B. For this reason, since the operation shafts 22A and 22B are tilted in a predetermined direction in accordance with the operation of the knob 15, the tilt directions of the operation shafts 22A and 22B are detected, and output signals corresponding to the tilt directions are combined. Thus, the switch 1 can output a plurality of patterns of signals.

Next, the internal configuration of the switch 1 will be described.
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the base plate 11 has a two-layer structure in which an upper plate 31 and a lower plate 32 are overlapped. A circular opening 31 </ b> A is formed at a substantially central portion of the upper plate 31. On the other hand, a circular recess 32A formed larger than the opening 31A is formed in the substantially central portion of the lower plate 32, and the height of the recess 32A is between the recess 32A and the upper plate 31. A corresponding gap 11B is formed.

The knob 15 includes a slide plate 41 interposed in the gap 11 </ b> B provided in the base plate 11, a knob main body 43 provided on the top of the slide plate 41, and the knob main body 43 fixed to the slide plate 41. A pair of penetrating pillars 45A and 45B that pass through, and a connecting body 47 that connects the lower ends of the pillars 45A and 45B and extends below the lower plate 32 of the base plate 11 are provided.
The slide plate 41 is a plate member that slides in the gap 11B integrally with the knob body 43 via the support posts 45A and 45B. The slide plate 41 is larger than the opening 31A of the upper plate 31 and from the recess 32A of the lower plate 32. Is also formed in a small disk shape. The slide plate 41 is formed so that the thickness of the slide plate 41 is smaller than the height of the gap 11B, and is provided with annular protrusions 41A on the outer peripheral portions of the upper surface and the lower surface of the slide plate 41, respectively. For this reason, the contact area between the base plate 11 and the slide plate 41 can be reduced, and the resistance when the slide plate 41 slides can be reduced. The slide plate 41 is provided with a hole 41B through which the columns 45A and 45B pass, and a guide hole 41C is provided above the hole 41B to guide the columns 45A and 45B slidably.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the knob main body 43 includes a substantially cylindrical body 51 and a lid 53 that covers an upper portion of the body 51. The lid 53 is formed to have a size that can be wrapped with a palm (in this embodiment, a diameter of about 80 mm). When the lid body 53 is operated by wrapping the knob main body 43 with a palm at opposite positions on the outer periphery. Grip portions 53A and 53A functioning as grips are formed.
A plurality of holes 51A (FIG. 3) are formed at predetermined intervals on the peripheral surface of the body 51, and LED elements (not shown) are arranged in the holes 51A. This LED element is configured to change the color in accordance with the operation of the knob body 43, and allows the user to visually recognize the operation.

As shown in FIG. 4, the body 51 includes fixing portions 55 and 55 that are fixed to the upper ends of the columns 45 </ b> A and 45 </ b> B. The adhering portions 55 and 55 are a pair of fitting hole portions into which the upper end portions of the support columns 45A and 45B are inserted and fitted to the upper end portions of the support columns 45A and 45B, respectively. The support 45A and 45B and the knob main body 43 are fixed by the fixing portions 55 and 55, so that the knob main body 43 can slide up and down with respect to the slide plate 41. In the present embodiment, the knob main body 43 is provided with a push switch (not shown) that is activated by an operation of pressing the knob main body 43 in the body 51.
In addition, the body 51 includes a columnar operating portion 57 that extends to a substantially central portion in the body 51, and a rubber spring body is provided at a substantially central portion on the slide plate 41 below the operating portion 57. (Biasing means) 59 is provided. The spring body 59 is disposed so as to contact the lower surface of the operating portion 57 of the knob main body 43. When the knob main body 43 is pressed, the spring body 59 is elastically deformed by the operating portion 57, and the knob The main body 43 slides downward. On the other hand, when the hand is released from the knob body 43, the knob body 43 is slid upward by the restoring force of the spring body 59. When the spring body 59 is restored, the knob body 43 is moved to the position by the biasing force of the spring body 59. Hold the stopped state.

The connecting body 47 is a horizontally long plate material, and fitting holes 61 and 61 are formed at both ends thereof to be fixed to the lower ends of the support columns 45A and 45B. Thereby, the connecting body 47 can slide up and down with respect to the slide plate 41 together with the knob body 43.
Further, the connecting body 47 has a hemispherical shaft body (rotating shaft) 63 protruding upward at a substantially central portion of the fitting hole portions 61 and 61.
On the other hand, the lower surface 32 of the lower plate 32 of the base plate 11 is formed with a bearing 32B that can be engaged with the shaft 63 and through holes 32C and 32C through which the support columns 45A and 45B pass. These through holes 32C and 32C are formed sufficiently larger than the diameters of the columns 45A and 45B. The bearing 32B has a mortar shape that opens downward. When the knob main body 43 slides upward by the biasing force of the spring body 59, the shaft body 63 of the coupling body 47 engages with the bearing 32B. As a result, the knob 15 is restricted from sliding in the horizontal direction with respect to the base plate 11, and the columns 45A and 45B move in the through holes 32C and 32C with the shaft body 63 fitted in the bearing 32B as the rotation axis. It is possible to perform a rotation operation as shown by an arrow in FIG.
When the knob main body 43 is pressed, the spring body 59 is elastically deformed by the operating portion 57 of the knob main body 43, and the knob main body 43 and the connecting body 47 slide downward. Is detached from the bearing 32B. Thereby, the knob 15 can perform a slide operation as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2 within a range in which the support columns 45A and 45B can move in the through holes 32C and 32C.

Next, a connection structure between the knob 15 and the jog switches 13A and 13B will be described. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. In FIG. 5, the description of the lower plate 32 of the base plate 11 and the body 51 of the knob main body 43 is omitted.
As shown in FIG. 5, the jog switches 13A and 13B include heads 24A and 24B having diameters larger than the operation shafts 22A and 22B at the upper ends of the operation shafts 22A and 22B. Are connected to a pair of cylindrical bodies 71, 71. The cylinders 71, 71 pass through a lower plate (not shown) and the slide plate 41, and are fixed to a body (not shown) of the knob main body 43. Thereby, when the knob main body 43 is operated, the cylinders 71 and 71 tilt the operation shafts 22A and 22B in a predetermined direction in accordance with this operation, so that a signal corresponding to the operation is output. Can do.
The cylinder 71 is connected to the heads 24A and 24B of the operation shafts 22A and 22B with a gap. In this configuration, by providing this gap, there is an effect that the vibration of the automobile is not picked up during driving of the automobile and the load of each mechanism of the switch 1 is not applied. Further, it is preferable to provide the gap so that the operation shafts 22A and 22B can tilt when the knob body 43 is operated.
Further, in the present embodiment, a bearing 32 </ b> B into which the shaft body 63 of the connecting body 47 is fitted is provided at the approximate center of the cylindrical bodies 71, 71. That is, the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B are provided on a straight line across the bearing 32B and at a substantially equidistant position from the bearing 32B. For this reason, when the knob body 43 is rotated around the shaft body 63 fitted to the bearing 32B, the same magnitude of force acts on the operation shafts 22A and 22B, so that an error in the jog switches 13A and 13B occurs. Detection can be prevented.

Next, the operation of the switch 1 will be described.
When the knob body 43 is pressed, the spring body 59 is elastically deformed by the operating portion 57 of the knob body 43, and the knob body 43 and the connecting body 47 slide downward, so that the shaft body 63 of the connecting body 47 is a bearing. Leave 32B. As a result, the knob body 43 can be slid in the horizontal direction with respect to the base plate 11.
When this slide operation is executed, the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B are tilted in the same direction by the slide operation of the knob body 43. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, when the knob body 43 is slid upward in the figure, the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B are tilted in the upward arrow X direction shown in FIG. .
As shown in FIG. 2, when the knob body 43 is slid to the left in the figure, the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B tilt in the direction of the arrow Y to the left shown in FIG.

When the knob body 43 is stopped being pressed, the knob body 43 slides upward by the biasing force of the spring body 59, and the shaft body 63 of the connecting body 47 engages with the bearing 32B. As a result, the knob body 43 can be rotated with respect to the base plate 11 with the shaft body 63 fitted in the bearing 32B as a rotation axis.
When this rotation operation is executed, the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B are tilted in different directions by the rotation operation of the knob body 43. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, when the knob body 43 is rotated to the right, the operation shaft 22A of the jog switch 13A tilts in the direction of the arrow Z to the right shown in FIG. The operation shaft 22B is tilted in the direction of the arrow Y to the left in the drawing. As shown in FIG. 2, when the knob main body 43 is turned to the left, the operation shaft 22A of the jog switch 13A tilts in the direction of the arrow Y to the left shown in FIG. 6, and the operation shaft of the jog switch 13B. 22B tilts in the direction of arrow Y to the right in the figure.

As described above, the switch 1 according to the present embodiment is configured to slide the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the pair of jog switches 13A and 13B in the same direction and to rotate the operation shafts 22A and 22B in different directions. Since the operation can be performed, the switch 1 outputs a plurality of patterns of signals corresponding to various operations by detecting the tilt directions of the operation shafts 22A and 22B and combining output signals corresponding to the tilt directions. can do.
In the navigation device 3 that receives these various signals, it is possible to simplify the switch configuration of the operation panel of the navigation device 3 by designating commands for the various signals.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, when a slide operation is performed while the map screen is displayed, scrolling is performed in the direction in which the slide operation is performed, and a rotation operation is performed while the map screen is displayed. In the case of the map, the map is rotated and displayed in the direction in which the rotation operation is performed. In addition, when a turning operation is performed while the menu screen is displayed, an operation for changing the selection item may be performed at any time.
In particular, in this configuration, the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B are configured to be tiltable in eight directions, so the combination of the tilt directions of these operation shafts 22A and 22B is (8 × 8 =) 64. If a state in which one operating axis does not tilt (8 × 2 = 16) is included, a total of 80 combinations can be realized theoretically. For this reason, by assigning an operation command to each of these combinations, it is possible to realize output of a large number of operation commands with one switch.

  According to the present embodiment, a pair of jog switches 13A and 13B having operation shafts 22A and 22B that are arranged in parallel on the base plate 11 and can be tilted in multiple directions, and between the operation shafts 22A and 22B of these jog switches 13A and 13B. And a knob 15 provided with a shaft body 63 for rotating with respect to the base plate 11, and the shaft body 63 of the knob 15 is configured to be detachable from the bearing 32B of the base plate 11, The shaft body 63 is detached from the bearing 32B of the base plate 11 and the knob 15 is slid relative to the base plate 11 to slide the operation shafts 22A and 22B in the same direction, and the shaft body 63 is moved to the base plate. 11 is engaged with the bearing 32B, and the knob 15 is rotated with respect to the base plate 11 so that the operation of tilting the operation shafts 22A and 22B in different directions can be performed. Because, by disengaging the shaft 63 to the bearing 32B of the base plate 11, it is possible to easily perform the sliding operation and rotating operation of the knob 15. Therefore, by assigning operation commands to combinations of tilt directions of the operation shafts 22A and 22B corresponding to the slide operation and the rotation operation, it is possible to realize output of a large number of operation commands with one switch.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this. In the present embodiment, the knob 15 is configured to be able to execute a slide operation and a rotation operation with respect to the base plate 11, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the operation shafts 22A and 22B of the jog switches 13A and 13B are tilted in different directions. As long as it can be configured, a pressing operation can be adopted. According to this, it is possible to increase the combination pattern of the tilt directions of the operation shafts 22A and 22B based on the operation of the switch, and it is possible to realize output of more operation commands with one switch.

It is a perspective view which shows the attachment state to the dashboard of the switch concerning this embodiment. It is a top view of a switch. It is a right view of a switch. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is VV sectional drawing of FIG. It is a schematic diagram of a switch. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a switch.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Switch 3 Navigation apparatus 3A Display part 5 Dashboard 7 Console 7A Upper surface part 11 Base board 11B Gap 13A, 13B Jog switch 15 Knob 22A, 22B Operation shaft 31 Upper board 31A Opening part 32 Lower board 32A Recessed part 32B Bearing 41 Slide board 41A Projection 41C Guide hole 43 Knob body 45A Post 47 Connected body 51 Body 53 Cover body 55 Adhering section 57 Actuating section 59 Spring body (biasing means)
63 Shaft (Rotating shaft)
63 Shaft 71 Tube

Claims (3)

  A pair of jog switches that are arranged side by side on the base plate and have operation shafts that can be tilted in multiple directions, and a first jog switch that spans between the operation shafts of the jog switches and tilts the operation shafts in the same direction. A switch structure comprising: a knob configured to execute an operation and a second operation for tilting the operation axis in different directions.   The knob includes a rotation shaft for rotating with respect to the base plate, and the rotation shaft is detachable from the base plate. The first operation uses the rotation shaft as the base plate. It is a slide operation in which the knob is detached from the plate and the knob is slid with respect to the base plate. The second operation is to engage the rotating shaft with the base plate and to rotate the knob around the rotating shaft. The switch structure according to claim 1, wherein the switch structure is a rotation operation for rotating the switch.   The switch structure according to claim 2, wherein the rotation shaft is provided at a substantially center between the pair of jog sticks.

Images