JP2010218786A - Switching device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switching device, capable of securing suitable operation feeling and suitable reliability by producing a sensation of suitable moderation, at operation, while restraining a stroke of a slider at a suitable position range and easily attaining practical use. <P>SOLUTION: The slider 16 is assembled in a first case 11, by inserting in a pushed-operation direction so as to move in a designated direction only, a stopper section 17b for regulating the stroke of the slider 16 is formed on a lower plate 17, arranged below the slider 16 by mounting on the first case 11 from a lower part of the first case 11. Only the lower plate 17 can be made detachable, while the slider 16 is assembled in the first case 11, and the sensation of moderation produced by a production mechanism 21 that produces moderation sensation at operation is arranged between the lower plate 17 and the slider 16. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch device suitable for starting an engine of a vehicle, for example.

In recent years, in vehicles such as four-wheeled vehicles, a user who has an appropriate electronic key in the driver's seat is assumed to be equipped with an authentication system such as an immobilizer instead of the conventional operation of inserting a key into a key cylinder and turning it. Vehicle types in which an engine is started simply by pressing a push button of a provided engine start switch device are becoming popular.
In addition, although the patent document disclosed about the switch apparatus for engine starting as mentioned above is not found, there exist some which are seen by patent document 1 and patent document 2 as a switch apparatus similar to this.

Among these, in Patent Document 1, two micro switches (module type switch bodies) are arranged vertically on the back side in the front-rear direction in which the push button moves, and a pair formed so as to protrude in a bifurcated manner on the back side of the push button. Disclosed is a switch device having a structure in which each micro switch is operated by pressing a pressing operation portion of each micro switch (a portion in which the contact inside the switch is turned on or turned off when pressed) by the pressing portion. ing. In the switch device of Patent Document 1, the front wall (front panel 5a) of the case 5 functions as a stopper that restricts the movement of the push button 14 in the spring return direction, and the bifurcated pressing portion 15a, The push button 14 including 15 b is mounted in the case 5 so as to move laterally from the opening on the side surface of the case 5.
Further, in Patent Document 2, a rod bar slidably held by a guide fitting, a switch part (module type switch main body) fixed below the rod stick in the guide fitting, and one end of which can be rotated to the switch part. A switch device is disclosed that includes a lever that is held on the other end and that contacts the one side surface of the rod rod (which swings up and down to turn on or off a contact in the switch unit). In the switch device of Patent Document 2, in a non-operating state, a roller attached to the other end of the lever is positioned in a notch formed on one side surface of the rod rod, and the contact of the switch portion is turned off. When the bar is pushed into the operating state by a door or the like, the roller moves down the notch while being pushed down to the notch, the lever swings downward, and the contact of the switch part is turned on.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-262871 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-138483

By the way, a switch device such as the engine start switch device described above is required to have high reliability and high-quality feeling as a switch. For this reason, such a switch device needs to be provided with a case that covers the periphery so that dust and foreign matter do not enter inside, and a slider (a portion that moves integrally with the push button) that operates the switch body is reliable and It needs to be mounted in the case so that it can be smoothly moved only in a predetermined direction.
Further, the switch device needs to have a good operation feeling when the user presses the push button to start the engine. For this purpose, the stroke (movement distance) of the push button and the slider is set to a good position range. While regulating, it is necessary to generate a good moderation feeling during operation.
Here, “moderation feeling” is a so-called click feeling, and the operating force required to press the push button increases at a specific operating position (peak position) to form a peak of operating force. After that, when the operation force is reduced to a predetermined end position, it is a feeling of touch given to the user who pushes the push button, and the user feels that the operation has been executed, and at the time of the push button operation. This stabilizes the operation of the apparatus and thereby ensures the certainty of the operation.

However, only the technical idea of the conventional switching device as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot practically satisfy the above-described requirements.
This is because in Patent Document 2, there is no description about a case that covers the periphery or a stopper that regulates the stroke in the return direction of the push button.
Moreover, although the switch apparatus of patent document 1 has the case 5, the push button 14 and the slider (flange part 13 and press part 15a, 15b) integrated with this are inserted along the front-back direction which push-operates a push button. Rather than being mounted, it is inserted and mounted in the case 5 while being moved laterally (in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction in which the push button is pressed) from the opening on the side surface of the case 5.
For this reason, the switch device of Patent Document 1 cannot provide a sufficiently long guide mechanism (for example, a mechanism such as a rail that guides linear movement) between the slider and the case, and the slider is reliable and It cannot be configured to be mounted in the case so as to be smoothly movable only in a predetermined direction. Since the switch device of Patent Document 1 has a considerable backlash (degree of freedom of movement due to a gap) between the slider and the case 5, it will prevent the slider from being displaced with respect to the guide plate 11 to cause an operation failure. As described above, the step portion 13a is formed in the flange portion 13, and the guide plate 11 is made slightly longer by that amount. However, if the guide plate 11 is made too long, it becomes difficult to assemble the push button and the slider from the lateral direction due to interference with the guide plate 11, so that even if such a step portion 13a is provided, the guide plate 11 is made long. Only a few can be made, and the length in which the sliders (pressing portions 15a and 15b) are engaged with the guide plate 11 in the non-operating state is almost zero (see FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1). Therefore, in the switch device of Patent Document 1, not only a smooth operation of the slider cannot be expected, but also the possibility of causing an operation failure cannot be sufficiently reduced. For example, the pressing portions 15a and 15b may be caught on the guide plate 11 to cause an operation failure such that the push button 14 cannot be pushed.

In the switch device of Patent Document 1, the front wall (front panel 5a) of the case 5 functions as a stopper that restricts the movement of the slider in the return direction (left side in FIG. 2). In other words, the non-operating position of the slider (the position in the neutral state where the push button 14 is not pressed) is the position where the flange portion 13 is in contact with the front panel 5 a of the case 5. On the other hand, at the time of operation (when the push button 14 is pressed and the switch is operated), the position where the slider is most pressed is the position where the pressing portions 15a and 15b are most pressed the pressing operation portion of the micro switch 12. The switch 12 itself functions as a stopper that restricts the movement of the slider in the operation direction (rightward in FIG. 2).
Therefore, when the stroke of the slider is to be adjusted to the optimum position range (for example, when the non-operation position of the slider is to be finely adjusted with respect to the mounting position of the microswitch 12), the design of the entire case 5 is changed. It is necessary to replace parts of the entire case 5 and it is very inconvenient in practice.

In addition, although Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not have a description of the moderation generating mechanism, if the moderation generating mechanism is provided in the switch device as in Patent Document 1, the inner surface of the case 5 and the slider are arranged. It may be provided between the outer periphery of the flange portion 13 to be configured. For example, the moderation feeling spring and the moderation feeling ball mounted on the outer periphery of the flange portion 13 and a ball contact portion formed on the inner surface of the case 5, the moderation feeling ball is attached to the moderation feeling spring. It is always pressed against and pressed against the surface of the ball contact portion by force, and the surface of the ball contact portion has a raised shape in a mountain shape, and in the neutral state where the slider is in the non-operation position, the moderation sensation ball Is pressed slightly forward of the most raised top position on the surface of the ball contact portion, and when the slider moves in the operation direction from the non-operation position, the top position of the ball contact portion is positioned by the moderation sensation ball. It is conceivable to provide a moderation feeling generating mechanism for generating a moderation feeling by adopting a configuration that overcomes the moderation feeling spring while pressing and contracting.
However, this case has the following disadvantages. That is, when trying to fine-tune the moderation characteristics and changing the shape, position, or size of the mountain-shaped portion of the ball contact portion, the design of the entire case 5 is changed or the entire case 5 is changed to a part. It is necessary to exchange, and it is very inconvenient in practice. In addition, the original purpose of the case 5 is to store each part, and the material of the case 5 is made as inexpensive as possible on the premise that it has the minimum performance required for the original purpose. Should be specialized. However, as described above, when a part of the case 5 is configured to function as the ball contact portion of the moderation generating mechanism, the material of the case 5 is different in performance (for example, high wear resistance) required as the ball contact portion. ) Also has to be satisfied, and there is a disadvantage that a material more expensive than the original purpose must be used for the entire case 5.
Therefore, the present invention provides a switch that can easily realize practically easy operation by generating a good feeling of moderation while restricting the slider stroke to a good position range and ensuring good operation feeling and reliability. The object is to provide a device.

The switch device of the present application has a pressing operation unit that can move forward and backward and is biased in the forward direction, and a switch body that has a switch contact that is switched on and off by the forward and backward movement of the pressing operation unit;
A slider that is movable in a predetermined direction in order to move the pressing operation part forward and backward,
A biasing member that biases the slider in a return direction toward the non-operation position;
The switch body, the urging member, and the slider are assembled inside, and the slider is inserted along the predetermined direction in a pressing operation direction opposite to the return direction, and can move only in the predetermined direction. And a case that can be assembled to
A push button provided integrally with the slider;
A stopper that is fixed to the case and engages with the slider when the slider is at least in a non-operating position, and at least prevents the slider from moving further in the return direction beyond the non-operating position; ,
A moderation sensation generating mechanism for generating a moderation sensation when the pushbutton is pressed in the pressing operation direction and the slider moves beyond a predetermined operation position from a non-operation position, and
In the operation, the switch device is configured to switch the on / off state of the switch contact by contacting the pressing operation portion of the switch body and moving the pressing operation portion back and forth.
The stopper is formed on a plate that is attached to the case from the outside of the case and disposed on one side of the slider, and only the plate is attached and detached with the biasing member and the slider assembled to the case. Further, the moderation generating mechanism is provided between the plate and the slider.

For this reason, in the switch apparatus of this application, the following effects are obtained.
That is, it is possible to prevent dust and foreign matter from entering the inside by the case.
Further, since the slider is inserted in the pressing operation direction along a predetermined direction (the moving direction of the slider after assembly) and assembled to the case, a sufficiently long guide mechanism (for example, between the slider and the case) It is possible to mount the slider without interference even if a mechanism such as a rail for guiding the linear movement of the slider) is provided. By providing such a guide mechanism, the slider can be surely and smoothly moved in a predetermined direction. It can be in a state where it can be moved only in the case.
In addition, the stopper is formed on a plate that is a separate part from the case, and only the plate can be attached and detached while the biasing member and slider are assembled to the case. There is no need to change the design of the entire case, or to disassemble the entire device and replace the entire case. Since it is only necessary to change the design of the plate on which the plate is formed or to replace only the plate with the plate removed, this is extremely advantageous in practice.
In addition, since the moderation generation mechanism is provided between the plate and the slider, the specifications of the moderation generation mechanism (for example, the shape of the mountain-shaped portion of the ball contact portion described later) are used to fine-tune the moderation characteristics. When it is desired to change the position and size), it is also very convenient in practice because it is only necessary to change the design of the plate or to replace the part by removing only the plate.
Further, since the stopper and the moderation generating mechanism are configured by a plate that is a component different from the case, the material of the case can be specialized to a material that meets the original purpose. On the other hand, the material of the plate can be specialized in a material suitable as a member constituting the stopper or the moderation generating mechanism.
Therefore, in the case of the switch device of the present invention, it is practically possible to generate a good sense of moderation during operation and to ensure good operation feeling and reliability while restricting the slider stroke to a good position range. It can be easily realized.

  In addition, as a stopper in the switch apparatus of this application, there may specifically be the following modes, for example. That is, the stopper is constituted by a protruding stopper portion that protrudes from the plate and is inserted into a stopper opening formed in the slider. When the slider is at least in the non-operation position, the stopper portion is the stopper. By contacting the inner end face of the opening, the stopper is engaged with the slider, and the slider is prevented from moving in the return direction beyond the non-operation position. With such an aspect, the movement of the slider can be reliably controlled. In principle, it is possible to cause a portion provided as a part of the case, such as an engaging portion for temporary fixing described later, to function as a stopper. However, since the engaging portion such as the temporary fixing engaging portion enables the slider to be mounted in the predetermined direction described above, the size of the engaging portion cannot be sufficiently large. For this reason, there is a possibility that the engagement portion is worn away by wear due to repeated use, and there is a possibility that poor engagement occurs, and it cannot be practically used as a stopper. However, as described above, the protrusion portion protruding from the plate and inserted into the stopper opening formed in the slider can secure a sufficiently large size of the engaging portion. The slider movement can be regulated with high reliability.

  Further, the moderation generation mechanism in the switch device of the present application may specifically have the following modes, for example. That is, the moderation feeling generating mechanism includes a moderation feeling spring and a moderation feeling ball mounted on the slider, and a ball contact portion formed on the plate, and the moderation feeling ball is formed by the moderation feeling spring. The surface of the ball contact portion is always pressed and pressed by the urging force, the surface of the ball contact portion is raised in a mountain shape, and in the neutral state where the slider is in the non-operation position, The ball is pressed to a position ahead of the most raised top position on the surface of the ball contact portion, and when the slider moves from a non-operation position beyond a predetermined operation position, the top position of the ball contact portion is adjusted to the moderation. A feeling of moderation is generated by adopting a structure in which the sensitivity ball gets over while pushing and shrinking the moderation feeling spring. With such an aspect, the moderation characteristic can be easily adjusted by changing the shape, position and size of the mountain-shaped portion of the ball contact portion of the plate.

In a preferred aspect of the switch device of the present application, the urging member and the slider are assembled to the case, but the slider is urged while the plate is not attached to the case. A temporary fixing engaging portion that engages with the slider and prevents the slider from moving in the return direction is formed in the case so as not to be separated from the case by the urging force of the member. The temporary fixing engaging portion is elastically deformed when the slider is assembled to the case, and does not engage the slider, and allows the slider to be assembled to the case. In this mode, it is necessary to hold the slider against the biasing force of the biasing member so that the slider does not jump out of the case after the slider is mounted and before the plate (that is, the stopper) is mounted. This will make assembly work easier.
In another preferred embodiment of the switch device of the present application, the other surface side of the slider has a circuit board disposed along the predetermined direction and fixed in the case, and the switch is mounted on the circuit board. The main body is mounted. In this case, since the circuit board on which the switch body is mounted is along the predetermined direction, it is possible to reduce the size in the width direction orthogonal to the pressing operation direction of the push button (that is, the predetermined direction in which the slider moves).

  According to the switch device of the present application, it is practically easy to secure a good operation feeling and reliability by generating a good sense of moderation during operation while restricting the stroke of the slider to a good position range. realizable.

(A) is a front view of a switch apparatus, (b) is a horizontal sectional view (AA sectional view in (a)). (A) is a horizontal sectional view (BB sectional view in FIG. 1 (a)) of the switch device, (b) is a partial side sectional view (E sectional view in FIG. 1 (a)). It is a sectional side view (CC sectional view in Drawing 1 (a)) of a switch device, and is a figure showing a neutral state (non-operation state). It is a sectional side view (CC sectional view in Drawing 1 (a)) of a switch device, and is a figure showing a full stroke state. It is a sectional side view (DD sectional view in Drawing 1 (a)) of a switch device. It is a figure which shows a lower plate, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view. It is a bottom view of a switch device in the state where the 2nd case was removed, (a) shows the state where a lower plate was attached, and (b) shows the state where a lower plate was removed. (A), (b) is a figure which shows the structure and operation | movement of another form example, (c) is a figure which shows the example of the contact structure of a switch main body.

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1-7 is a figure for demonstrating the structure and components of the switch apparatus 10 of this example. Among these, Fig.1 (a) is a front view, FIG.1 (b) is a horizontal sectional view (AA sectional drawing in Fig.1 (a)). Fig.2 (a) is a horizontal sectional view (BB sectional drawing in Fig.1 (a)). FIG. 2B is a partial side sectional view (E sectional view in FIG. 1A). 3 and 4 are side sectional views (CC sectional view in FIG. 1 (a)), FIG. 3 shows a neutral state (non-operating state), and FIG. 4 shows a full stroke state (the push button is pushed to the maximum). Operation state). FIG. 5 is a side sectional view (DD sectional view in FIG. 1A). FIG. 6 is a view showing a lower plate 17 described later, FIG. 6A is a top view, and FIG. 6B is a side view. 7 is a bottom view of the switch device 10 with a second case 12 to be described later removed. FIG. 7A shows a state where the lower plate 17 is attached, and FIG. 7B shows a state where the lower plate 17 is removed. Shows the state.
In the following, the direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1A is referred to as the front-rear direction, the left-right direction in FIG. 1A is referred to as the left-right direction, and the up-down direction in FIG. For this reason, for example, the vertical direction in FIG. In the following, the lower side in FIG. 1B is referred to as the front, and the left side in FIG. 1B is referred to as the left side.

As shown in FIG. 5, the switch device 10 is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, and includes a first case 11, a second case 12, a push button 13, a front constituent member 14, a front outer peripheral member 15, a slider 16, and a lower portion. A plate 17, a return spring 18, a moderation spring 19, a moderation ball 20, a connector 31, a coil antenna 32, a circuit board 40, and switch bodies 41 and 42 are provided. Here, the moderation feeling spring 19 and the moderation feeling ball 20 constitute a moderation feeling generating mechanism 21.
In addition, what is shown with the code | symbol P in FIG.1 (b) is the wall of the panel of the driver's seat of the vehicle to which the switch apparatus 10 is attached. As shown in FIG. 1B, the switch device 10 is disposed almost entirely inside the panel wall P with only the front side of the push button 13 or the like exposed on the front surface.

  The first case 11 is a molded product of synthetic resin, and is a member that covers the lower surface of the switch device 10 and the lower half of the side surface (mainly the portion below the height of the circuit board 40), and the upper surface is open. is doing. At the front end of the first case 11, a lower half 11 a of a flange (saddle-shaped portion) for mounting the front outer peripheral member 15 is formed. A locking piece 11b for attaching the switch device 10 to the driver's seat panel of the vehicle is formed on the front lower surface of the first case 11 so as to extend forward. In addition, a total of two drain outlets 11c (shown in FIG. 3) are provided at the front bottom portion of the first case 11 and on the left and right sides of the locking piece 11b. In addition, an opening 11d is formed at the center bottom of the first case 11 so that the ball contact portion 17a of the lower plate 17 is mounted from below and exposed to the inside (upward). Further, on both the left and right sides of the rear bottom portion of the first case 11, there are left and right openings 11e (shown in FIG. 3) for mounting the stopper portions 17b of the lower plate 17 in a penetrating state from the lower side to the inner side (upper side). A total of two places are formed. A partition wall 11f to which the front end surface of the connector 31 is joined is formed on the rear bottom surface of the first case 11 so as to extend upward. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a projection 11g is formed on the lower front surface of the partition wall 11f. The projection 11g is inserted into the rear end of the return spring 18 to position and hold the rear end of the return spring 18. Further, a step portion 11h for joining the lower portion of the front end surface of the second case 12 is formed at a predetermined position on the outer periphery of the first case 11 (a position on the rear side of the base of the locking piece 11b).

  The first case 11 is a case in which the return spring 18 that is an urging member and the slider 16 are assembled inside. The first case 11 is sufficiently long between the slider 16 to smoothly guide the slider 16 so that it can only move back and forth. A guide mechanism is provided. In this example, as shown in FIG. 1B, guide grooves 16m in the front-rear direction are formed on substantially the entire length of the plate-like portion 16b on the left and right side surfaces of the plate-like portion 16b described later of the slider 16. ing. On the other hand, on the inner side surface of the first case 11 facing the side surface of the plate-like portion 16b, guide protrusions 11t that are slidably fitted in the guide groove 16m are provided at two positions on the front and rear sides. The guide protrusion 11t and the guide groove 16m constitute the guide mechanism. Although not shown, a similar guide mechanism is also provided between the lower surface of the slider 16 and the bottom surface of the first case 11. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, a temporary fixing engagement protrusion 11 k is formed at a relatively front right position at the bottom of the first case 11. The temporary fixing engaging protrusion 11k is formed so that the slider 16 does not jump out of the first case 11 by the urging force of the return spring 18 and is not detached when the lower plate 17 is not attached to the first case 11. The slider 16 is engaged with a temporary fixing engagement protrusion 16k described later to prevent the slider 16 from moving in the return direction (in this case, forward).

  The second case 12 is a molded product of synthetic resin, and is a member that covers almost the entire surface except the front surface of the switch device 10 and the like. In addition, the second case 12 is mounted so as to cover the entire outer surface of the first case 11 except for the lower half of the portion on the front side of the step portion 11 h of the first case 11. The second case 12 is attached to the first case 11 by a locking portion (not shown) and is integrated with the first case 11. As shown in FIG. 5, an upper half 12 a of a flange for mounting the front outer peripheral member 15 is formed at the front end of the second case 12. On the front upper surface of the second case 12, a locking piece 12b (which is paired with the locking piece 11b) for attaching the switch device 10 to the driver's seat panel of the vehicle is formed to extend forward. Yes. In addition, an opening 12c is formed in the rear end wall of the second case 12 so that the rear portion of the connector 31 protrudes rearward. As shown in FIG. 5, since the second case 12 is provided so as to cover the lower surface side of the lower plate 17 with a slight gap in the assembled state, the lower plate 17 is removed unless the second case 12 is removed. The function of preventing the lower plate 17 from falling off is also exhibited.

  The push button 13 is a molded product of a synthetic resin, and is a cap-like member in which an inner cylinder part 13b and an outer cylinder part 13c are formed on the rear side of the front wall 13a. It is arranged and attached to the tip of the slider 16 and moves back and forth integrally with the slider 16. The front wall 13a of the push button 13 faces the center of the front surface of the switch device 10 as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 1 (a) so that the user (for example, a driver of the vehicle) can press it with a finger. Here, a letter clearly indicating that the button is for starting (and stopping) the engine is formed on the front surface.

The front structural member 14 is a molded product of synthetic resin, and an outer cylindrical portion 14a concentrically disposed on the outer cylindrical portion 13c of the push button 13 along the outer periphery of the push button 13, and the outer cylindrical portion 14a. After the front wall portion 14b is formed so as to extend radially outward from the outer periphery of the front end, and after being formed so as to extend radially from the outer periphery of the rear end side of the outer cylinder portion 14a. It has a wall part 14c and an inner cylinder part 14d formed so as to extend inward from the rear end of the outer cylinder part 14a in a U-shaped cross section. The front component member 14 is attached to the first case 11 by a locking portion (not shown) and is integrated with the first case 11.
The inner cylinder part 13b and the outer cylinder part 13c of the push button 13 and the outer cylinder part 14a and the inner cylinder part 14d of the front component member 14 are all concentrically arranged with respect to one center line in the front-rear direction. Is done. In the radial direction with respect to the center line, the inner cylindrical portion 13b of the push button 13 is located on the inner side of the inner cylindrical portion 14d of the front component member 14, and the outer cylindrical portion 13c of the push button 13 is configured as a front portion. It is located between the outer cylinder part 14a and the inner cylinder part 14d of the member 14, and the push button 13 can slide back and forth with respect to the front part component member 14.

  In addition, coil terminal support portions 14e (shown in FIG. 2A) are formed on the left and right side portions of the rear end of the inner cylinder portion 14d of the front component member 14 so as to protrude rearward. A metal coil terminal 33 is fixedly supported on the coil terminal support portion 14e by insert molding. The coil terminal 33 has one end extending upward from the coil terminal support portion 14e and connected to the circuit board 40, and the other end extending rearward from the coil terminal support portion 14e and connected to the coil antenna 32, as viewed from the side. As a whole, it is L-shaped. In addition, the coil wire which comprises the coil antenna 32 is wound around the outer periphery (between the front wall part 14b and the rear wall part 14c) of the outer cylinder part 14a of the front part structural member 14. FIG. Further, each wire end (not shown) of the coil wire constituting the coil antenna 32 is indicated by a half line in the coil wire lead-out groove 14f (FIG. 2A) formed on both sides of the rear end of the front component member 14. ) And the other ends of the coil terminals 33 on both the left and right sides. Note that one end (upper end) of the coil terminal 33 is connected to a predetermined circuit conductor of the circuit board 40 by being inserted into a predetermined through hole of the circuit board 40 and soldered.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, water that has entered from the gap between the outer cylinder portion 13 c of the push button 13 and the outer cylinder portion 14 a of the front component member 14 is rearwardly disposed at the rear end lower portion of the front component member 14. A substantially vertical drainage channel 14g is formed for draining downward at the end. The drainage channel 14g includes a lower end of the rear wall portion 14c, a drainage channel rear wall portion 14h extending downward from the lower end of the inner cylinder portion 14d, and a drainage channel side wall portion extending rearward from both sides of the lower end of the rear wall portion 14c. (Not shown) surrounds the entire front, rear, left, and right, and is isolated from a region where the coil antenna 32 is located (between the front wall portion 14b and the rear wall portion 14c). And as shown in FIG. 3, the upper end side of this drainage channel 14g is formed so that it may penetrate the rear end side connection part of the outer cylinder part 14a and the inner cylinder part 14d, and the outer cylinder part 14a and the inner cylinder part 14d It communicates with the lower part of the space between, and the water that has entered here flows down to the drainage channel 14g. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end side of the drainage channel 14g communicates with a drainage port 11c (see FIG. 7) formed side by side at the lower part of the first case 11, and flows down to the drainage channel 14g. The water is configured to drop and drain from either one of the drain ports 11c downward.

  The front outer peripheral member 15 is a molded product of a synthetic resin and is a ring-shaped member that decorates the front outer periphery of the switch device 10. The front outer peripheral member 15, the outer peripheral portion of the front wall portion 14 b of the front component member 14, the first case 11, The second case 12 is mounted so as to cover the front and outer peripheral surfaces of the flanges 11a, 12a formed on the outer periphery of the front end. The front outer peripheral member 15 is attached to the outer periphery of the rear wall portion 14c of the front constituent member 14 by a locking piece extending rearward, not shown, and is integrated with the front constituent member 14.

The slider 16 is a molded product of synthetic resin, and extends rearwardly from a cylindrical portion 16a in which the front end portion is mounted in the inner cylindrical portion 13b of the push button 13 and from the lower rear end of the cylindrical portion 16a. And a plate-like portion 16b formed on the surface. As shown in FIG. 1B, the plate-like portion 16 b of the slider 16 has a generally rectangular outer shape when viewed from above, and is mounted on the bottom surface in the first case 11 to the first case 11. It is possible to slide in the front-rear direction.
On both the left and right sides of the rear end portion of the plate-like portion 16b of the slider 16, stopper openings 16c into which the upper end portions of the stopper portions 17b of the lower plate 17 are inserted are formed in a vertically penetrating manner. In the assembled state of the switch device 10, the range of movement of the slider 16 and the push button 13 integrated therewith is a predetermined range by the contact between the front and rear inner end surfaces of the stopper opening 16c and the upper end of the stopper portion 17b. Is regulated. The predetermined range is a range from the position in the neutral state (non-operating state) shown in FIG. 3 to the position in the full stroke state shown in FIG.

  In addition, a pressing operation unit, which will be described later, is inclined with respect to a predetermined direction (in this case, the front-rear direction) in which the slider 16 moves to a left position (a front position of the left stopper opening 16c) on the upper surface of the plate-like portion 16b. Inclined surfaces 35 and 36 that can contact 41a and 42a are formed (see FIG. 3). The inclined surfaces 35, 36 are formed side by side, the front inclined surface 35 contacts the pressing operation portion 41 a of the front switch body 41, and the rear inclined surface 36 is the pressing operation portion of the rear switch body 42. It is the structure which contacts 42b. Here, the inclined surface 35 is a forward inclined surface that is inclined downward toward the rear and is inclined in a direction in which the pressing operation portion 41 a is retracted when the switch device 10 is operated. On the other hand, the inclined surface 36 is an upwardly inclined surface that is inclined upward and is inclined in the direction in which the pressing operation portion 42a is advanced when the switch device 10 is operated.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 5, a concave chamber 16 d in which the return spring 18 is disposed is formed on the lower surface side of the center position in the left-right direction at the rear end portion of the plate-like portion 16 b of the slider 16. Yes. A protrusion 16e (shown in FIG. 5, omitted in FIG. 1 and the like) protruding rearward is formed on the inner end surface in front of the concave chamber 16d. The tip of the return spring 18 is positioned and held by being mounted on the outer periphery of the protrusion 16e.
As shown in FIG. 5, a boss portion 16 f that protrudes upward is formed at the center position in the left-right direction on the relatively front side of the plate-like portion 16 b of the slider 16. A cylindrical concave chamber 16g that opens to the lower surface side is formed in the boss portion 16f. As shown in FIG. 5, a moderation feeling spring 19 and a moderation feeling ball 20 are sequentially placed in the cylindrical concave chamber 16g. It is loaded.

As described above, the guide grooves 16m are formed on the left and right side surfaces of the plate-like portion 16b of the slider 16 over almost the entire length of the plate-like portion 16b (see FIG. 1B). 11 is provided with guide protrusions 11t slidably fitted into the guide grooves 16m at two positions in the front and rear, and the guide protrusions 11t and the guide grooves 16m constitute a guide mechanism. Although not shown, a similar guide mechanism is also provided between the lower surface of the slider 16 and the bottom surface of the first case 11. Here, it goes without saying that the guide groove 16m has a rear end opened rearward so that the slider 16 can be mounted.
Then, after the return spring 18 is mounted, the slider 16 resists the urging force of the return spring 18 while fitting the guide protrusion 11t corresponding to each guide groove 16m from the front of the first case 11 (left side in FIG. 5). Then, it is inserted into the first case 11 by being inserted in the pressing operation direction (rightward in FIG. 5), and is assembled in the first case 11 so as to be movable only in the front-rear direction. Since the long rail-shaped guide mechanism as described above is provided, the slider 10 must adopt such an assembly structure (a structure that is inserted along the movement direction from the front), and conversely. By adopting such an assembly structure, the guide mechanism as described above can be provided.

In order to avoid interference with the stopper portion 17b of the lower plate 17, the slider 16 is attached to the first case 11 with the assembly structure described above before the lower plate 17 is attached to the first case 11.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, a temporary fixing engagement projection 16k is formed at a relatively front right position on the lower surface of the plate-like portion 16b of the slider 16. As described above, the temporary fixing engaging protrusion 16k is separated from the first case 11 when the slider 16 protrudes from the first case 11 by the urging force of the return spring 18 when the lower plate 17 is not attached to the first case 11. In this case, the slider 16 is prevented from moving in the return direction (in this case, forward) by engaging with the temporarily fixing engaging protrusion 11k of the first case 11.

However, the temporary fixing engaging protrusion 11k and the temporary fixing engaging protrusion 16k are not elastically deformed and engaged with each other when the slider 16 is assembled to the first case 11, and the slider 16 described above is assembled. Is possible. For this reason, the temporarily engaging engagement protrusions 11k and the temporary fixing engagement protrusions 16k are inclined surfaces as shown in FIG. 2B when the slider 16 is assembled, and the slider 16 is assembled. It is a small protrusion that can get over each other with some deformation (including deformation of each protrusion itself and bending of the peripheral portion). That is, these temporary fixing engagement protrusions 11k and temporary fixing engagement protrusions 16k allow the movement of the slider 16 from the front to the rear to be assembled in the first case 11, but once the slider 16 is assembled. Then, the slider 16 has a function of preventing the slider 16 from jumping forward by the urging force of the return spring 18 and detaching from the first case 11.
In the state where the slider 16 is assembled as described above (the lower plate 17 is not attached), the provisional stop of the slider 16 engaged with the provisional engagement projection 11k and the provisional engagement projection 16k is temporarily stopped. The position is different from the non-operating position after final assembly (in a state where the lower plate 17 is mounted) determined by the engagement of the stopper portion 17b and the stopper opening 16c, and is positioned forward by a predetermined margin from the non-operating position. It has become.

  The lower plate 17 is a molded product of synthetic resin, and is a member that is attached to the lower surface of the first case 11 from below and integrated with the first case 11 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The lower plate 17 can be attached to and detached from the first case 11 only when the return spring 18 and the slider 16 are assembled to the first case 11 (however, the second case 12 is removed). It is a simple configuration. Further, when viewed from the upper surface, the lower plate 17 has a substantially T-shaped outer shape as shown in FIG. 6A, with the center portion in the left-right direction extending elongated forward and the rear end portion extending left and right. belongs to. The upper surface side of the front end portion extending forward of the lower plate 17 is fitted into the opening 11d of the first case 11 described above, and the upper surface constitutes a ball contact portion 17a that contacts the moderation sensation ball 20. Moreover, as shown in FIG.3 and FIG.6, the stopper part 17b fitted in the opening 11e of the 1st case 11 mentioned above is formed in two places on both right and left in the right and left both ends of the rear end part of the lower plate 17.

  Here, the stopper portion 17 b constitutes the stopper of the present invention, protrudes upward from the left and right ends of the rear end portion of the lower plate 17, and is inserted into the stopper opening 16 c formed in the slider 16. It is a protruding shape. When the slider 16 is in the non-operation position, the stopper portion 17b comes into contact with the rear inner end surface of the stopper opening 16c, so that the stopper portion 17b engages with the slider 16 and the slider 16 exceeds the non-operation position. To prevent further movement in the return direction (in this case, forward). In this example, the stopper portion 17b also restricts the stroke of the slider 16 in the pressing operation direction (backward in this case). That is, in the full stroke state in which the push button 13 is pushed and the slider 16 is moved full stroke backward, as shown in FIG. 4, the stopper portion 17b comes into contact with the inner end surface on the front side of the stopper opening 16c. The portion 17b is engaged with the slider 16, and the slider 16 is further prevented from moving beyond the position of the full stroke state in the pressing operation direction (in this case, rearward). However, the rear side stroke restriction may be performed in a portion different from the stopper portion 17b. For example, the rear end surface of the slider 16 may come into contact with the front surface of the partition wall 11f, so that the stroke restriction on the rear side of the slider 16 is performed. In the case of this example, the stopper portion 17b is in contact with the inner end surface on the front side of the stopper opening 16c before the rear end surface of the slider 16 contacts the partition wall 11f. The rear side stroke restriction is performed. For this reason, position adjustment in the full stroke state can be easily performed by changing the lower plate 17 (design change or parts replacement).

  As described above, the return spring 18 is a coil spring mounted between the rear portion of the slider 16 and the partition wall 11f of the first case 11, and moves the slider 16 toward the non-operation position (in this case, forward). It functions as a biasing member that biases.

  The moderation sensation generating mechanism 21 includes the moderation sensation spring 19, the moderation sensation ball 20, and the ball contact portion 17a. The moderation sensation ball 20 is always pressed downward by the urging force of the moderation sensation spring 19 and is pressed against the upper surface of the ball contact portion 17a. The moderation sensation ball 20 moves in the front-rear direction together with the slider 16, but the ball contact portion 17a is integrated with the first case 11 and does not move. Further, although the upper surface of the ball contact portion 17a has a generally ridge-like shape, in the neutral state in which the push button 13 and the slider 16 are in the non-operating position (shown in FIGS. 3 and 5), a moderation sensation is provided. The ball 20 is in pressure contact with a position slightly ahead of the most raised top position on the upper surface of the ball contact portion 17a (see FIG. 5). When the slider 16 moves from a non-operating position beyond a predetermined operating position (for example, a position pushed 1.2 mm from the non-operating position), the top position of the ball contact portion 17a is set to the moderation sensation ball 20. However, it is necessary to overcome the moderation feeling spring 19 while pressing it. At this time, a resistance force is generated in the slider 16 as much as the moderation feeling spring 19 needs to be compressed, and this resistance force causes a moderation feeling. Then, the upper surface of the ball contact portion 17a is such that the magnitude of the resistance force reaches a peak (maximum) at, for example, a position slightly before the above-described operating position (for example, a position pushed 1.0 mm from the non-operation position). The shape is set.

  The connector 31 is a connector for electrically connecting the switch device 10 and an external device (for example, a vehicle engine control controller or an immobilizer vehicle-mounted controller). The connector 31 and a predetermined circuit conductor on the circuit board 40 are connected to each other with L-shaped terminals (extending from the front end of the connector 31 with the tip extending through the circuit board 40) as indicated by reference numerals 31a and 31b in FIG. Is inserted into the hole and soldered).

  As described above, the coil antenna 32 has a coil wire (conductive wire whose surface is insulated) on the outer periphery (between the front wall portion 14b and the rear wall portion 14c) of the outer cylindrical portion 14a of the front component member 14. It is configured by winding, and is connected to a predetermined circuit conductor of the circuit board 40 via the coil terminal 33 described above. This coil antenna 32 is used when normal wireless communication for verification check between the electronic key and the antenna of the immobilizer in-vehicle controller cannot be performed because the battery of the immobilizer electronic key is exhausted. This is an emergency antenna. That is, when the user brings the electronic key near the push button 13 (that is, near the coil antenna 32), the electronic key is activated by the power transfer by the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the coil antenna 32. Wireless communication for collation confirmation is executed with the coil antenna 32. If the collation result is affirmative, engine start is permitted.

The circuit board 40 is mounted with the switch main bodies 41 and 42 and the like, and a drive circuit for the coil antenna 32 and the like may be formed on the board 40. The circuit board 40 is disposed so as to close the upper surface of the first case 11 in a posture in which the substrate surface is parallel to the front-rear direction and orthogonal to the up-down direction. It is fixed to the connector 31.
In addition, what is shown with the code | symbol 37 in FIG. 5 etc. is the light emission part which consists of a light emitting element mounted in the front lower surface side of the circuit board 40. FIG. The light emitting unit 37 is for illuminating the push button 13 by irradiating the push button 13 with light from the back side and notifying the user of information such as the position of the push button 13.

Each of the switch bodies 41 and 42 has pressing operation portions 41a and 42a (shown in FIG. 3) that can move forward and backward so as to appear and that are urged in a forward direction (in this case, a downward projecting direction). This is a module type switch having a built-in switch contact that is switched on and off by the forward and backward movement of the pressing operation parts 41a and 42a, and is called a so-called detection switch (or may be called a micro switch). These switch bodies 41 and 42 have, for example, three contact terminals A, B and C as shown in FIG. 8 (c), and normally close with the common terminal C when the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a are not pushed in. When the terminal B is in a non-operating state and the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a are pushed in a predetermined amount or more, the common terminal C and the normally open terminal A are in an operating state. In this case, the vehicle engine start controller or the like connected to the switch device 10 via the connector 31 reads such a contact switching operation of the switch bodies 41 and 42 and determines that the engine start or stop has been commanded. To do.
In this case, the switch bodies 41 and 42 are mounted on the lower surface side of the circuit board 40 as shown in FIG. 3, and are installed so that the forward and backward directions of the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a are in the vertical direction intersecting the front-rear direction. Is done.

Here, in the neutral state in which the push button 13 and the slider 16 are in the non-operation position (shown in FIG. 3), the pressing operation portion 41 a of the switch body 41 is in a state of being advanced to the maximum without being pressed against the inclined surface 35 described above. (In other words, when the push button 13 or the slider 16 is pushed rearward from the non-operation position, the push button 13 or the slider 16 is pressed backward to move backward. When the push button 13 or the slider 16 is pushed to the operating position, the contact state of the switch body 41 is retracted to a position where the switch body 41 switches from the non-operating state to the operating state. It is the composition to do.
Further, in the neutral state described above, the pressing operation portion 42a of the switch body 42 is in a state of being maximally retracted by being pressed against the above-described inclined surface 36 (that is, a state in which the pressing operation portion 42a is pushed upward to the maximum, and a contact is in an operating state). When the push button 13 or the slider 16 is pushed backward from the non-operation position, the forward movement is started while being pressed against the inclined surface 36 (that is, the forward movement starts to protrude downward), and the push button is started. When the slider 13 or the slider 16 is pushed to the operating position, the contact state of the switch body 42 is advanced to a position where the operating state is switched from the operating state to the non-operating state.

In the switch device 10 described above, in the neutral state where the user does not press the push button 13, the slider 16 is moved to the non-operating position (the upper end portion of the stopper portion 17b is the stopper) as shown in FIG. Since the switch body 41 is inactive and the switch body 42 is in operation, the vehicle engine start or stop command is not output. (That is, the controller does not determine that such a command has been output).
When the user performs an operation of pushing the push button 13 backward against the urging force of the return spring 18 or the resistance force of the moderation generating mechanism 21, and the push button 13 or the slider 16 is pushed after the operating position, each inclined surface 35 and 36 are in contact with the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a of the switch bodies 41 and 42 to move the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a forward and backward as described above, and the switch contacts of the switch bodies 41 and 42 are turned on and off. Are switched (in this case, the switch main body 41 is in an operating state and the switch main body 42 is in an inactive state), so that a command for starting or stopping the engine of the vehicle is output (that is, such a command is output). The controller side will determine).

Note that when the user performs an operation of pushing the push button 13 backward, normally, the push button 13 or the slider 16 temporarily moves to the full stroke. In this full stroke state, the upper end portion of the stopper portion 17b comes into contact with the front inner end surface of the stopper opening 16c, thereby preventing the push button 13 and the slider 16 from moving further rearward.
On the in-vehicle controller side, the command may be determined based on the AND condition of the contact operation of each switch body 41, 42, or may be determined based on the OR condition. That is, it may be determined that a command has been issued when the state of both the contacts of each switch body 41, 42 (specifically, the state of a signal such as a voltage corresponding to the state of the contact) has changed appropriately. Alternatively, it may be determined that a command has been issued when the state of the contact of either one of the switch bodies 41 and 42 has changed appropriately. However, when one of the switch main bodies 41 and 42 fails, in order to ensure that the engine start can be commanded reliably, when the contact state of either one of the switch main bodies 41 or 42 changes appropriately. In other words, in this case, it is desirable to determine that there is a command when the contact of the switch body 41 is changed from the non-operation state to the operation state, or when the contact of the switch body 42 is changed from the operation state to the non-operation state.
As described above, according to the switch device 10, an engine start or stop command can be output with high reliability by the two switch bodies 41 and 42.

Moreover, in the switch device of this example, the following operational effects can be obtained.
In other words, the first case 11 and the second case 12 (hereinafter simply referred to as cases 11 and 12) can prevent dust and foreign matter from entering the inside.
Further, since the slider 16 is inserted in the pressing operation direction (rear) from the front along the predetermined direction (the front-rear direction, which is the moving direction of the slider after assembly), and assembled to the case 11, the slider 16 and the case 11 are assembled. Even if a sufficiently long guide mechanism (in this case, a mechanism such as a rail that includes the guide groove 16m and the guide protrusion 11t and guides the linear movement of the slider 16) is provided, the slider 16 does not cause interference. By providing such a guide mechanism, the slider 16 can be mounted in the case 11 so that the slider 16 can be reliably and smoothly moved only in the front-rear direction.
A stopper (stopper portion 17 b) is formed on a lower plate 17 (hereinafter simply referred to as a plate 17) that is a separate component from the case 11, and the plate is mounted with the return spring 18 and the slider 16 assembled to the case 11. Since only 17 is detachable from the case 11, when the stroke of the slider 16 is to be adjusted to an optimum position range (for example, when the non-operation position of the slider 16 is to be finely adjusted), the case 11 There is no need to change the design of the entire device, or to disassemble the entire device and replace the entire case 11, so that only the plate 17 on which the stopper is formed can be redesigned or only this plate 17 can be removed and replaced. This is extremely advantageous in practice.
Further, since the moderation feeling generation mechanism 21 is provided between the plate 17 and the slider 16, the specification of the moderation feeling generation mechanism 21 (for example, a ball contact portion 17a described later) is tried to finely adjust the characteristics of the moderation feeling. When trying to change the shape, position, and size of the mountain-shaped portion, it is also very convenient in practice because it is only necessary to change the design of the plate 17 or replace only the plate 17 and replace the parts.
Since the plate 17 is much smaller than the case 11, it is possible to easily and inexpensively change the molding die, and the specifications of the stopper portion 17 b and the ball contact portion are used for adjusting the stroke and moderation feeling. It is also easy to prepare a plurality of items having different specifications of 17a in advance.
Further, since the stopper and the moderation generating mechanism 21 are configured by the plate 17 which is a component different from the case 11, the material of the case 11 can be specialized to a material suitable for the original purpose. On the other hand, the material of the plate 17 has an advantage that it can be specialized in a material suitable as a member constituting the stopper and the moderation generating mechanism 21.
Therefore, in the switch device 10 of this example, while restricting the stroke of the slider 16 to a good position range, it is possible to generate a good moderation feeling during operation, and to ensure a good operation feeling and reliability. It can be easily realized in practice.

  The stopper in this example is constituted by a protruding stopper portion 17b that protrudes from the plate 17 and is inserted into a stopper opening 16c formed in the slider 16. When the slider 16 is at least in the non-operation position, the stopper The portion 17b abuts against the inner end face of the stopper opening 16c, thereby preventing the slider 16 from moving further in the return direction beyond the non-operation position. For this reason, the movement of the slider 16 can be controlled reliably. In principle, it is possible to cause a portion provided as a part of the case 11 such as the temporary fixing engaging portion 11k to function as a stopper. However, the engaging portion such as the temporary fixing engaging portion 11k has a sufficiently large size of the engaging portion in order to allow the slider to be mounted in the moving direction (in this example, the front-rear direction). It cannot be secured. For this reason, there is a possibility that the engagement portion is worn away by wear due to repeated use, and there is a possibility that poor engagement occurs, and it cannot be practically used as a stopper. However, as described above, the protrusion-shaped stopper portion 17b that protrudes from the plate 17 and is inserted into the stopper opening 16c formed in the slider 16 can secure a sufficiently large size of the engaging portion. There is no fear of such a malfunction, and the movement of the slider 16 can be regulated with high reliability.

  Further, the moderation generation mechanism of this example is configured by the moderation spring 19 and the moderation ball 20 as described above, and the ball contact portion 17 a formed on the plate 17. For this reason, the characteristic of moderation can be easily adjusted by changing the shape, position, and size of the mountain-shaped portion of the ball contact portion 17a of the plate 17.

Further, in the switch device of the present example, the temporary fixing engaging portion 11 k described above is formed in the case 11. Therefore, the slider 16 is pressed against the urging force of the return spring 18 so that the slider 16 does not jump out of the case 11 until the plate 17 (that is, the stopper) is mounted after the slider 16 is mounted. It is no longer necessary to keep the assembly work.
Further, the switch device of this example has a circuit board 40 disposed along the front-rear direction (moving direction of the slider 16) on the other surface side of the slider 16 and fixed in the cases 11 and 12, and this circuit. Switch bodies 41 and 42 are mounted on a substrate 40. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the size in the width direction orthogonal to the pressing operation direction of the push button 13 (that is, the front-rear direction in which the slider moves).

Further, in the switch device of the present example, as the inclined surface of the slider 16 that moves the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a of the switch main bodies 41 and 42 forward and backward during operation, the forward inclined surface 35 that is inclined in the direction in which the pressing operation portion 41a is moved backward is provided. A reverse direction inclined surface 36 that is inclined in the direction in which the pressing operation portion 42a is advanced is provided.
Therefore, during operation, the biasing force of the pressing operation portion 41a becomes a resistance force against the movement of the slider 16 on the forward-direction inclined surface 35, while the biasing force of the pressing operation portion 42a is reversed on the reverse-direction inclined surface 36. As a driving force against the 16 movements (that is, a negative resistance force). For this reason, the influence of the urging force of the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a of the switch bodies 41 and 42 (that is, the resistance force generated by the urging means inside the switch bodies 41 and 42 out of the resistance force against the operation of pushing the push button 13). Effect) is offset, it becomes easy to set a good moderation feeling, and a good operation feeling can be obtained. In particular, in the case of this example, since the same number of the forward-direction inclined surfaces 35 and the reverse-direction inclined surfaces 36 are provided, the influence of the urging force of the pressing operation portions 41a and 42a is completely offset, so that a good moderation feeling is achieved. Is easier to set up.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and applications are possible.
For example, in the embodiment described above, the stopper (stopper portion 17b) is configured to restrict the stroke in the rear (pressing operation direction). Good.
Further, the guide mechanism for guiding the slider 16 is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment (the guide groove 16m and the guide protrusion 11t). For example, the side surface and the lower surface of the slider 16 slidably contact the inner surface of the first case 11 over a sufficient length in the front-rear direction, and the slider 16 can move only in the front-rear direction by contact between these surfaces. It may be a guided mode.
Further, according to the present invention, as in Patent Document 1 described above, the switch main body is disposed on the back side in the front-rear direction in which the slider moves with the pressing operation portion facing forward, and the switch main body is located on the back end surface of the slider, for example. It can also be applied to a configuration in which the pressing operation portion is pressed (a configuration in which the moving direction of the pressing operation portion of the switch body is the same as the moving direction of the slider). However, in this case, the ratio of the stroke of the slider and the stroke of the pressing operation portion of the switch body is 1: 1, and the slider stroke cannot be secured sufficiently large, or the circuit board on which the switch body is mounted can be made in a small space. There are disadvantages such as difficulty in placement. Therefore, in that sense, as in the above-described embodiment, the movement direction of the pressing operation portion of the switch body intersects the movement direction of the slider (that is, a non-parallel positional relationship such as, for example, a right angle). The aspect which moves the press operation part of a switch main body with the inclined surface of a slider is excellent. As in the above-described embodiment, if the pressing operation portion of the switch body is moved by the inclined surface of the slider, the slider stroke is made smaller than the stroke of the pressing operation portion of the switch body by reducing the inclination angle of the inclined surface. It is possible to increase the size, and it is also easy to reduce the size by arranging the circuit board along the moving direction of the slider as described above.

Moreover, although the case where there are two inclined surfaces of the switch main body and the slider is illustrated in the above-described embodiment, there may be three or more or one.
In the embodiment, the direction in which the switch main bodies are arranged side by side is the front-rear direction (that is, the moving direction of the push button or slider), but is not limited thereto. For example, the switch main body may be provided side by side in the left-right direction, or a plurality of switch main bodies (for example, two in total in the front-rear and left-right directions) may be arranged. However, if they are installed side by side in the front-rear direction, downsizing in the left-right direction can be achieved.
Moreover, as shown to Fig.8 (a) and FIG.8 (b), the aspect whose all inclined surfaces 35 and 36 are positive direction inclined surfaces may be sufficient. Here, FIG. 8A shows a neutral state, and FIG. 8B shows an operating state. Alternatively, the inclined surfaces 35 and 36 may all be reversely inclined surfaces.
In the above-described embodiment, the switch body has a configuration having both a normally open contact and a normally closed contact as the contact configuration of the switch body, but may have either one of the contacts.

10 switch device 11 first case (case)
11t guide protrusion (guide mechanism)
11k Temporary fastening engagement protrusion (temporary fastening engagement part)
12 Second case (case)
13 Push Button 16 Slider 16c Stopper Opening 16m Guide Groove (Guide Mechanism)
16k Temporary locking engagement protrusion 17 Lower plate (plate)
17a Ball contact portion 17b Stopper portion 18 Return spring (biasing member)
19 Moderation feeling spring 20 Moderation feeling ball 21 Moderation feeling generation mechanism 40 Circuit boards 41, 42 Switch bodies 41a, 42a Press operation unit

Claims (5)

A switch main body having a pressing operation part that is movable forward and backward and biased in the forward direction, and having a switch contact that is switched on and off by the forward and backward movement of the pressing operation part,
A slider that is movable in a predetermined direction in order to move the pressing operation part forward and backward,
A biasing member that biases the slider in a return direction toward the non-operation position;
The switch body, the urging member, and the slider are assembled inside, and the slider is inserted along the predetermined direction in a pressing operation direction opposite to the return direction, and can move only in the predetermined direction. And a case that can be assembled to
A push button provided integrally with the slider;
A stopper that is fixed to the case and engages with the slider when the slider is at least in a non-operating position, and at least prevents the slider from moving further in the return direction beyond the non-operating position; ,
A moderation sensation generating mechanism for generating a moderation sensation when the pushbutton is pressed in the pressing operation direction and the slider moves beyond a predetermined operation position from a non-operation position, and
In the operation, the switch device is configured to switch the on / off state of the switch contact by contacting the pressing operation portion of the switch body and moving the pressing operation portion back and forth.
The stopper is formed on a plate that is attached to the case from the outside of the case and disposed on one side of the slider, and only the plate is attached and detached with the biasing member and the slider assembled to the case. A switch device characterized in that the moderation generating mechanism is further provided between the plate and the slider. The stopper is constituted by a protruding stopper portion that protrudes from the plate and is inserted into a stopper opening formed in the slider,
When the slider is at least in the non-operating position, the stopper portion comes into contact with the inner end surface of the stopper opening, so that the stopper engages with the slider, and the slider moves beyond the non-operating position and further returns. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the switch device is prevented from moving to.   The moderation feeling generating mechanism includes a moderation feeling spring and a moderation feeling ball mounted on the slider, and a ball contact portion formed on the plate, and the moderation feeling ball is attached to the moderation feeling spring. It is always pressed against and pressed against the surface of the ball contact portion by force, and the surface of the ball contact portion has a raised shape in a mountain shape, and in the neutral state where the slider is in the non-operation position, the moderation sensation ball Is in pressure contact with a position ahead of the most raised top position on the surface of the ball contact portion, and when the slider moves beyond a predetermined operation position from the non-operation position, the top position of the ball contact portion is sensed by the moderation. 3. A moderation feeling is produced by the structure in which the ball is moved over while pressing and contracting the moderation feeling spring. Mounting of the switch device. The urging member and the slider are assembled to the case, but the slider is prevented from being detached from the case by the urging force of the urging member when the plate is not attached to the case. In addition, the case is formed with an engaging portion for temporary fixing that engages with the slider and prevents the slider from moving in the return direction.
The temporary fixing engaging portion is elastically deformed when the slider is assembled to the case and does not engage with the slider, so that the slider can be assembled to the case. The switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The switch has a circuit board disposed along the predetermined direction and fixed in the case on the other surface side of the slider, and the switch body is mounted on the circuit board. The switch device according to any one of 1 to 4.

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