JP2014116171A - Operation switch for on-vehicle equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation switch for on-vehicle equipment that is resistant to flaws and damage and that has an operation button not deteriorating humidity resistance or a click feeling.SOLUTION: A operation switch for on-vehicle equipment comprises: a resin case 2 having an opening 2a on one surface and housing a press-button type switching operation part 4 therein; and an operation button 6 attached to the case 2. The operation button 6 comprises: a base material 61 containing elastomer; a coating material 62 containing an EPDM covering a surface of the base material 61; and a pressing part 63 assembled to the case 2 so as to cover the opening 2a of the case 2, and that can press the switching operation part 4 by being contacted with the switching operation part 4 when a pressing operation is performed.

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation switch for in-vehicle devices such as a request switch in a key-free system mounted on a vehicle.

  The user possesses a request signal when one of the request switches as an in-vehicle device operation switch provided on the driver's seat door, front passenger seat door or back door is pressed by the vehicle user. An answer signal transmitted from the portable device to the vehicle in response to the request signal is received, the unique code included in the received answer signal is collated, and the collated unique code is registered in advance. A key-free system is known that locks or unlocks a door whose request switch is pressed when the code matches the code (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-207138 A (paragraphs 0031 to 0036, FIG. 1, etc.)

  By the way, in the case of the request switch (operation switch for in-vehicle equipment) in the key-free system described above, an operation button containing an elastomer is generally adopted from the viewpoint of moisture resistance and a click feeling, but a sharp tip portion such as a key is used. When the operation button is operated, the surface of the operation button is easily damaged or broken, and some countermeasure is desired. In addition, as a countermeasure, there is a demand for a means that can suppress the cost and lead time as much as possible without impairing the moisture resistance and the click feeling.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an operation switch for in-vehicle devices that includes an operation button that is resistant to scratches and breakage and does not impair moisture resistance or a click feeling.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, an on-vehicle device operation switch includes a resin case having an opening on one surface and accommodating a pressing-type switching operation portion inside, and an operation button attached to the case. In the in-vehicle device operation switch operated for operation control of the in-vehicle device, the operation button includes a base material containing an elastomer, a covering material containing ethylene propylene diene rubber covering the surface of the base material, And a pressing portion that is assembled to the case so as to close the opening of the case and is capable of pressing the switching operation portion by contacting the switching operation portion when pressed. Item 1).

  Moreover, the said operation button is good in the thickness of the said base material in a longitudinal cross-section being larger than the thickness of the said coating | covering material (Claim 2).

  Further, the covering material is formed so as to cover not only the surface of the base material but also a part of the back surface of the case, a protrusion is provided on the back surface side of the case, and the back surface of the base material of the covering material On the side, a notch portion that can lock the covering material by fitting the protrusion may be formed (Claim 3).

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the base material containing the elastomer is coated with the coating material containing the ethylene propylene diene rubber (hereinafter referred to as EPDM) having moisture permeability and high tensile strength. Even if the operation button is operated with a sharp tip, the outermost coating material is resistant to scratches and breakage, so that it is possible to prevent damage and breakage of the operation button surface as in the prior art. Moreover, since the base material of the lower layer of the coating material contains an elastomer and this elastomer is excellent in moisture resistance, it is possible to cover the disadvantage of the coating material on the surface layer called moisture permeability. Thus, by utilizing the advantages of both the base material (elastomer) and the covering material (EPDM), it is possible to obtain an operation switch that does not impair the click feeling of the internal pressing portion while maintaining good moisture resistance. It becomes possible.

  Furthermore, since the operation buttons can be formed simply by coating the base material containing the elastomer with a coating material containing EPDM, there is no need to newly develop and redesign the operation buttons, thereby reducing the cost and lead time. Can be suppressed.

  In the case of the invention according to claim 2, since EPDM is more flexible than the elastomer, the click feeling of the operation button may be impaired if the thickness of the base material is made thinner than the covering material. As in the present invention, by making the thickness of the base material (elastomer) in the longitudinal section larger than the thickness of the covering material (EPDM), it becomes difficult to break as an operation button, while leaving an appropriate click feeling of the pressing portion. It becomes possible to ensure good moisture resistance.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 3, since a coating | covering material is latched by the base material by inserting a protrusion into the notch part of the back surface side of a coating | covering material on the back surface side of a case, an adhesive agent etc. are used. It becomes possible to hold | maintain a coating | covering material firmly with respect to a base material without covering.

It is a disassembled perspective view of one Embodiment of the operation switch for vehicle equipment which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing of the operation switch of FIG. 1A and 1B show different portions of an operation button in the operation switch of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a part of a case viewed from the back side, and FIG. . It is a perspective view of the state which attached the operation switch of FIG. 1 to the outer handle | steering_wheel of a vehicle.

  An embodiment in which the operation switch for in-vehicle equipment of the present invention is applied to a request switch in a key-free system will be described with reference to FIGS.

  A request switch (operation switch) 1 according to the present embodiment is used for a so-called key-free system as shown in FIG. 4, for example, and is provided on an outer handle H of a driver seat door or a passenger seat door. It is attached to the hole with the operation button part exposed from the inside. It can also be attached to a back door or the like depending on the vehicle type. When such a request switch 1 is pressed by the user of the vehicle, a request signal is transmitted from the request switch 1 to the portable device possessed by the user, and transmitted from the portable device to the vehicle in response to the request signal. When the controller mounted on the vehicle receives the answer signal to be received, the unique code included in the received answer signal is collated, and when the collated unique code matches the pre-registered unique code, the request switch 1 The door lock device, which is an in-vehicle device provided on the door to which is attached, is locked or unlocked.

  The request switch 1 described above is configured as shown in FIGS. That is, as shown in these drawings, a resin-made case 2 having a circular opening 2a on one surface and containing a pressing-type switching operation unit 4 therein is provided, and a circular cross section attached to the case 2 The operation button 6 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the switching operation unit 4 is an annular shape made of silicon rubber or the like disposed inside the opening 2a of the case 2 and in contact with the inner bottom surface of the case 2 below the opening 2a. A base 41, a column-shaped actuating portion 42 made of silicon rubber or the like with the upper portion protruding above the opening 2a at the center of the opening 2a, and a funnel-shaped base having a hem that extends downward. And a connecting portion 43 made of silicon rubber or the like for integrally connecting the operating portion 42 and the operating portion 42.

  At this time, a cylindrical guide portion 44 is disposed between the opening portion 2a and the operation portion 42, and the operation portion 42 is accommodated inside the guide portion 4 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. Since the base 41 is in contact with the inner bottom surface of the case 2 below the opening 2a, the base 41 is not fixed and moved in the opening 2a, and the operating portion 42 is pressed by the external pressing force. When this is done, the operating portion 42 slides downward in the guide portion 44 against the elastic force of the connecting portion 43, and the lower surface of the operating portion 42 contacts the inner bottom surface of the case 2 below the opening 2a. On the other hand, when the pressing force to the operating body 42 is released, the operating portion 42 slides upward in the guide portion 44 by the elastic force of the connecting portion 43 and is restored to the original state shown in the figure. Yes.

  Incidentally, a conductive plate 46 made of metal is attached to the lower surface of the operating portion 42, and a pair of contacts 48a and 48b expose the surface at a position below the conductive plate 46 on the inner bottom surface of the case 2 below the opening 2a. When the operating portion 42 moves downward, the conductive plate 46 on the lower surface of the operating portion 42 contacts both the contacts 48a and 48b, and both the contacts 48a and 48b are electrically connected by the conductive plate 46 to switch The electric signal flows between the contacts 48a and 48b.

  Next, the operation button 6 includes a bottomed cylindrical base material 61 containing an elastomer attached in a fitted state to the outside of the opening 2a of the case 2, a surface of the base material 61, and a case 2 described later. A covering material 63 containing EPDM that also covers the back side of the protrusions 2c, 2d, and an actuating part 42 of the switching action part 4 when assembled to the case so as to close the opening 2a of the case 2 and pressed. And a pressing portion 63 having a vertical cross-section reverse convex shape made of polypropylene which is pressed in contact with.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the thickness t1 of the base material 61 in the longitudinal section is set to be larger than the thickness t2 of the covering material (t1> t2). In general, since EPDM is more flexible than elastomer, if the thickness of the base material 61 is made thinner than the covering material 62, the click feeling of the operation button 6 may be impaired. By setting t1> t2 as the relationship between the thicknesses of 62, it is difficult to break as the operation button 6, and good moisture resistance can be secured while leaving an appropriate click feeling of the pressing portion 63.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, a screw insertion hole 2b for fixing to the inner surface of the outer handle H is provided on one side of the case 2, and a pair protruding outward is provided on the other side. The projecting portions 2c and 2d are integrally formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), which is an enlarged view of the region surrounded by the one-dot chain line circle in FIG. 1 as seen from the back side, the back side of these protrusions 2c, 2d is the back side. Projections 21 in the direction are integrally formed. These protrusions 21 are formed such that when the request switch 1 is attached to the inner side of the outer handle H, the attachment surface, the other contact surface of the case 2 and the contact surface of the protrusion 21 form the same surface. Thus, rattling of the request switch 1 to the outer handle H is prevented by the abutment of the protrusion 21.

  Further, as described above, the covering material 62 constituting the operation button 6 is formed so as to cover not only the surface of the base material 61 but also a part of the back surface side of the protruding portions 2c and 2d of the case 2, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 (b), which is an enlarged view of the region surrounded by the one-dot chain circle inside, seen from the back surface side, the protruding portions 2c and 2d of the back surface of the case 2 are fitted. The notch portion 23 is formed on the back side of the portion covering the projecting portions 2 c and 2 d of the covering material 62. When the covering material 62 is mounted so as to cover the base material 61 and the case 2, the protruding portion 2 c of the case 2 is formed in the notch 23 on the back surface side of the portion covering the protruding portions 2 c and 2 d of the covering material 62. By attaching the covering material 62 so as to cover the base member 61 and the case 2 while fitting the protrusion 21 on the back surface of the 2d back surface, an adhesive or the like is used by the locking action of the protrusion 21 to the notch 23. Without this, the covering material 62 can be firmly held in the covering state with respect to the base material 61.

  Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, the operation button 6 is configured such that the base material 61 containing the elastomer is covered with the covering material 62 containing EPDM having high moisture permeability and high tensile strength. Even if the operation button 6 is operated by the tip portion of a member having a sharp tip such as the above, the outermost coating material 62 is resistant to scratches and breakage, so that the conventional operation button surface is scratched or broken. This can be prevented beforehand.

  Further, since the base material 61 under the covering material 62 contains an elastomer and this elastomer is excellent in moisture resistance, it is possible to cover the demerit of moisture permeability that is inherent in EPDM of the covering material 62 in the outermost layer. Therefore, by making use of the advantages of the characteristics of both the base material 61 and the covering material 62, a request switch (operation switch) that maintains good moisture resistance and does not impair the click feeling of the internal pressing portion 63. ) 1 can be obtained.

  Furthermore, since the operation button 6 can be formed simply by coating the base material 61 containing the elastomer with the covering material 62 containing EPDM, there is no need to newly develop and redesign the operation button. Lead time can be suppressed.

  Further, since the thickness t1 of the base material 61 in the longitudinal section is larger than the thickness t2 of the covering material 62, it is difficult to break as the operation button 6, and an appropriate click feeling of the pressing portion 63 can be left. Even when it is attached to the outer handle H that is exposed to wind and rain, good moisture resistance can be ensured.

  In addition, the covering material 62 is locked to the base material 61 by the protrusion 21 formed on the back surface side of the two protruding portions 2 c and 2 d of the case 2 being fitted into the notch 23 on the back surface side of the covering material 62. Therefore, the covering material 62 can be firmly held in the covering state with respect to the base material 61 without using an adhesive or the like, which can contribute to a reduction in manufacturing cost.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the operation switch of the present invention is applied to the request switch 1 in the key-free system has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the request switch 1 and is applied as an operation switch for other in-vehicle devices. be able to.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the thickness t1 of the base material 61 in the longitudinal section is larger than the thickness t2 of the covering material 62 has been described, but the same thickness may be used, and the longitudinal section may be used depending on the purpose of use. The thickness t1 of the substrate 61 may be smaller than the thickness t2 of the covering material 62.

  Of course, the case 2 may have a shape without the protruding portions 2c and 2d. In this case, it is not necessary to form the protruding portion on the back side of the case.

1 Request switch (operation switch)
2 ... Case 2a ... Opening portion 21 ... Projection portion 23 ... Notch portion 4 ... Switching operation portion 41 ... Base portion 42 ... Activating portion 43 ... Connecting portion 44 ... Guide portion 46 ... Conducting plates 48a, 48b ... Contact point 6 ... Operation button 61 Base material 62 ... Covering part 63 ... Pressing part

Claims (3)

An in-vehicle device operation that has an opening on one side and accommodates a pressing-type switching operation portion inside, and an operation button attached to the case, and is operated for operation control of the in-vehicle device. In the switch
The operation buttons are
A base material containing an elastomer, a covering material containing ethylene propylene diene rubber covering the surface of the base material, and the switching when the case is assembled and pressed to close the opening of the case An operation switch for on-vehicle equipment, comprising: a pressing portion that is capable of pressing the switching operation portion in contact with the operation portion.   The operation switch for on-vehicle equipment according to claim 1, wherein the operation button has a thickness of the base material in a longitudinal section larger than a thickness of the covering material. The covering material is formed to cover not only the surface of the base material but also a part of the back surface of the case,
A protrusion is provided on the back side of the case,
The notch part which can latch the said coating | covering material is formed in the back surface side of the said base material of the said coating | coated material by the said protrusion part being inserted, The Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Operation switch for in-vehicle equipment.

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