JP2020145089A - Switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a switch device that can prevent erroneous switch operation without incurring the trouble of switch switching operation.SOLUTION: A switch device 1 includes a switch 4 in which a first operation unit 2 and a second operation unit 3 are lined up and down, a cover body 6 configured to move from the upper position of covering the first operation unit 2 to the lower position of covering the second operation unit 3 by its own weight, and moves from the lower position of covering the second operation unit 3 to the upper position of covering the first operation unit 2 against its own weight, and a mounting member 5 configured to always hold the second operation unit 3 in the lower position with respect to the cover body 6 by the weight of the cover body 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a switch device, and more particularly to a switch device having a structure for preventing erroneous operation of the switch.

Conventionally, so-called seesaw type two-way switches have been widely used as switch devices for electric devices and electronic devices. However, in a seesaw type two-way switch, for example, after the switch is turned on, the switch is turned off due to an unexpected external impact such as an accidental contact by an operator's hand or an external object. It sometimes became. In particular, if the power switch of a communication device or a broadcasting device malfunctions during operation, a communication interruption accident or a broadcasting accident may occur.
In order to suppress such malfunction of the switch, it has been attempted to provide a malfunction prevention means such as a cover in the switch device.
As an example of a switch device having a structure for preventing erroneous operation of a switch, a rocker switch configured to cover a switch piece with a slide-movable cover has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In the rocker switch described in Patent Document 1, the switch pieces are arranged so as to alternately appear and disappear outward from the opening formed in the chassis of the device or the like in a seesaw manner, and protrude outward from the opening of the chassis. The cover is arranged so that it can slide up and down in the opening of the chassis along the surface direction of the chassis.

When the cover covers the on-side end of the switch piece, the cover presses the front surface of the on-side end of the switch piece to prevent the switch piece from rotating. When the cover member slides upward and retracts from the front surface of the on-side end of the switch piece, the switch piece is configured to be in a free rotation state.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-84858

However, the rocker switch described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the cover presses the front surface of the on-side end when the on-side end of the switch piece is pushed down to be in the on state. Although it is possible to prevent erroneous operation, the switch piece cannot be rotated. As a result, when switching on / off by pushing down the pushed-up off side end of the switch piece, the operation of retracting the cover from the switch piece and the operation of switching the switch piece on / off must be performed separately. These operations take time and effort, and quick switch switching operations cannot be performed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a switch device capable of preventing erroneous operation of a switch without incurring the trouble of switching operation of the switch.

In order to achieve the above object, the switch device according to the present invention includes a switch in which the first operation unit and the second operation unit are arranged one above the other, and a lower position covering the first operation unit to a lower position covering the second operation unit. The cover body is configured to move to the position by its own weight and manually move from the lower position to the upper position against the own weight, and the cover body is always moved to the lower position by the own weight of the cover body. It is characterized in that it is provided with a mounting member configured to hold on.

In the switch device according to the present invention, the cover body is characterized by having a notch portion that partially exposes the lower portion of the second operation portion.

In the switch device according to the present invention, the switch is characterized by having the seesaw type first operation unit and the second operation unit.

The switch device according to the present invention is characterized in that the switch is turned on or off by the operation of the first operation unit, and is turned off or on by the operation of the second operation unit.

In the switch device according to the present invention, the self-weight is only gravity acting by the mass of the cover body.

In the switch device according to the present invention, the mounting member includes a frame body for accommodating and fixing the switch, and the cover body is held at an open end of the frame body.

It is possible to prevent erroneous operation of the switch without complicating the operation of switching the switch.

It is an exploded perspective view which shows typically an example of the switch device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the assembly form of the switch device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a left side view, and (b) is a front view. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part for explaining the dimensional relationship of the switch device shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the switch device shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of the switch device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is the perspective view which shows the state when the cover body is moved by the fingertip of the operator, and the switch is operated, (b) is It is a right side view. It is explanatory drawing explaining the next operation of FIG. 5, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a right side view. It is a figure corresponding to FIG. 2B for explaining another example of a cover body, FIG. 2A is a front view which shows the 1st modification, and FIG. 2B is a front view which shows the 2nd modification. FIG. 3C is a front view showing a third modification.

An embodiment of the switch device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Overall configuration of switch device)
In FIG. 1, the switch device 1 cannot operate the switch 4 having the first and second operation units 2 and 3 arranged in the vertical direction, the mounting member 5 for accommodating and fixing the switch 4, and the first operation unit 2. It is provided with a cover body 6 for preventing erroneous operation, which can be moved between an upper position covering the switch and a lower position covering the second operation unit 3 inoperably.
In the present invention, the "vertical direction" (vertical direction) refers to the vertical direction when the switches 4 are arranged so as to be orthogonal to the horizontal direction (vertical direction), and the "vertical direction" is used. Including. As will be described later, since the cover body 6 is urged by its own weight, it is most effective that the "vertical direction" coincides with the "vertical direction", but the cover body 6 is not limited to the "vertical direction". Even if the switch device 1 is arranged at an angle of a predetermined angle (for example, 30 ° or 45 °) with respect to the vertical direction, it is possible to exert the action / effect of the present invention.

The switch 4 constitutes a seesaw-type two-way operation switch in which one off-side end is pushed up by pushing down one on-side end. The first and second operation units 2 and 3 of the switch 4 are formed as a concave switch piece in which the operation surface of the on-side end portion and the operation surface of the off-side end portion are continuous in the vertical direction.

The switch 4 has a switch case 41 formed in a vertically long rectangular shape with an open front surface. An annular flange portion 42 is formed around the open end of the switch case 41. In front of the annular flange portion 42, first and second operating portions 2 and 3 arranged in the vertical and vertical directions are arranged so as to be swingable. The switch 4 can be used as a power switch for broadcasting equipment, electrical equipment, and the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, elastic engaging pieces 43, 43 are formed on the upper and lower side walls of the switch case 41. Inside the switch case 41, a switching mechanism that performs an on / off operation by operating the first and second operation units 2 and 3 is housed. A plurality of terminals 44, ..., 44 electrically connected to the switching mechanism are provided through the bottom of the switch case 41.

The mounting member 5 for accommodating and fixing the switch 4 includes a rectangular frame-shaped plate portion 51 having an opening in the central portion, an upper frame portion 52 and a lower frame portion 53 bent inward from the upper and lower ends of the plate portion 51. It is a vertically long rectangular case-shaped frame having a left frame portion 54 and a right frame portion 55 bent inward from the left and right ends of the plate portion 51. The material constituting the mounting member 5 may be a metal material or a resin material, and can be used without particular limitation. The mounting member 5 according to the illustrated example is formed by pressing a metal plate or the like.

By sandwiching the open end of the plate portion 51 of the mounting member 5 between the annular flange portion 42 of the switch case 41 and the pair of upper and lower elastic engaging pieces 43, the switch 4 is placed in the frame of the mounting member 5. Contained and fixed. The upper and lower frame portions 52 and 53 of the mounting member 5 project from the edge edges of the left and right frame portions 54 and 55. An upper flange portion 56 bent in the upward direction is provided on the edge of the upper frame portion 52. A lower flange portion 57 bent downward is provided at the edge of the lower frame portion 53.

The end of the upper frame portion 52 of the mounting member 5 is configured as a stopper portion that regulates the upward movement of the cover body 6. The end of the lower frame portion 53 of the mounting member 5 is configured as a stopper portion that restricts the downward movement of the cover body 6. The upper flange portion 56 and the lower flange portion 57 of the mounting member 5 are configured as fixing portions that are fastened and fixed to the back surface of the decorative plate (exterior panel) 7 with screws 72 and 72. The decorative plate 7 is formed with a window portion 71 for facing the first and second operation portions 2 and 3 and the cover body 6.

(Structure of erroneous operation prevention structure)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover body 6 held by the mounting member 5 so as to be movable in the vertical direction prevents erroneous operation of the switch 4, and includes a rectangular plate-shaped cover portion (front portion) 61. The cover portion 61 has a pair of left and right arm portions (folded portions) 62 and 62 that are bent from the left and right side edges to the back surface side and extend in the vertical direction. A curved notch 63 into which an operator's fingertip or the like is inserted is formed at the lower end edge of the cover portion 61.

The cover body 6 according to the illustrated example is formed by pressing a metal plate or the like. As the material constituting the cover body 6, a metal material having excellent slidability is preferable. An example of a metal material is a metal plate in which a coating film is formed on a steel plate or the like by electrodeposition coating.
Further, the cover body 6 may be configured to have translucency so that the surface of the switch 4 can be visually recognized from the outside through the cover body 6. For example, a member made of a translucent or transparent material may be used for all or a part of the cover body 6. As an example, the arms 62 and 62 of the cover body 6 may be made of a metal material, and the cover part 61 may be made of a transparent or translucent resin such as polycarbonate.
Alternatively, a punching metal having a plurality of slits and a plurality of punching holes provided in the cover portion 61 of the cover body 6 made of a metal plate can also be used. As an example, a plurality of slits may be arranged in the cover portion 61 in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, or may be arranged in a grid pattern. Further, a plurality of punching holes may be arranged in the cover portion 61 in a houndstooth pattern or a concentric pattern.
When imparting translucency to the cover body 6, it is preferable to adopt a structure that satisfies the impact resistance and does not hurt the operator's fingers.

In the cover body 6, the cover portion 61 is arranged so as to correspond to the end faces of the left and right frame portions 54 and 55 of the mounting member 5, and the pair of left and right arm portions 62 are arranged with the outer surfaces of the left and right frame portions 54 and 55 of the mounting member 5. They are arranged correspondingly. Due to such an arrangement of the cover body 6, the operation surface of the off-side end portion of the lower second operation portion 3 is covered with the cover portion 61, and the on-side end portion of the upper first operation portion 2 is covered. The operation surface of the decorative plate 7 is exposed to the window portion 71 of the decorative plate 7.

The cover portion 61 of the cover body 6 is urged by its own weight to a lower position that covers the lower second operation portion 3. The pair of left and right arm portions 62 of the cover body 6 have a balance weight function and a guide function for the cover body 6 to move in the vertical direction. As a result, the cover body 6 can be manually moved from the lower position covering the second operation unit 3 to the upper position covering the first operation unit 2, and is also configured to move from the upper position to the lower position by its own weight. ing.

The weight of the cover body 6 is only the downward gravity acting by the mass of the cover body 6. Therefore, the weight of the cover body 6 can be adjusted by extending the pair of left and right arm portions 62 in the vertical direction with respect to the height direction dimension of the cover portion 61. The weight of the cover body 6 can be adjusted not only by the vertical extension dimension of the pair of left and right arm portions 62 but also by the thickness dimension and the like. Further, the weight of the cover body 6 may be adjusted on the assumption that the switch device 1 is used tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction.

When manually pushing up the cover body 6 from the lower position to the upper position against its own weight, the feeling of weight applied to the fingertip inserted into the notch 63 of the cover 61 is taken into consideration, while the fingertip is removed from the notch 63. In consideration of the fact that the cover body 6 returns to the original lower position due to its own weight, the weight of the cover body 6 is preferably about 5 to 10 grams. The weight of the cover body 6 according to the present embodiment is set to about 6 grams as an example.

If it is possible to have an appropriate weight of about 5 to 10 grams by adjusting the vertical extension dimension and the thickness dimension of the pair of left and right arm portions 62 of the cover portion 61, the cover The material of the body 6 may be a resin material other than a metal material, and can be used without particular limitation.

(Structure of switch device dimensions)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, after assembling the cover body 6 to the end faces of the left and right frame portions 54 and 55 of the mounting member 5 in which the switch 4 is housed and fixed, the first and second operation portions 2 and 3 are attached. The cover body 6 faces the window portion 71 of the decorative plate 7, and the upper and lower flange portions 56 and 57 of the mounting member 5 are screwed and fixed to the back surface of the decorative plate 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, the width W of the window portion 71 of the decorative plate 7 is set to a width at which the fingertip can be inserted based on the thickness of the fingertip of a general adult male up to the first joint. The width W dimension of the window portion 71 is preferably about 18 to 20 mm. As the height H dimension of the window portion 71, it is preferable that the total length L of the first and second operation portions 2 and 3 is added to the thickness near the base of the index finger nail of a general adult male.

The cover body 6 is pushed up by the fingertips as the fingertips are inserted into the notch 63 of the cover body 6. The cover body 6 has a notch portion that partially exposes the lower portion of the second operation portion 3. The cutout portion 63 is preferably formed so that a fingertip can be inserted and a minimum necessary gap is formed so as to partially expose the lower portion of the second operation portion 3 which is the lower side. The minimum necessary gap into which the fingertip is inserted is formed by the notch 63 of the cover body 6 and the window 71 of the decorative plate 7, and the second operation unit 3 cannot be operated unless the cover body 6 is pushed up with the fingertip. The gap is preferable. For example, the distance D between the notch 63 of the cover body 6 and the window 71 of the decorative plate 7 is preferably about 3 to 5 mm, and the radius of curvature R of the notch 63 of the cover 6 is about 12 mm. preferable.

As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting member 5 and the cover body 6 have a minute gap G1 between the outer surfaces of the left and right frame portions 54 and 55 of the mounting member 5 and the inner surfaces of the left and right arm portions 62 and 62 of the cover body 6. G2 is formed. Since a steel plate material is used as the material of the cover body 6, the total dimension of the left and right gaps (G1 + G2) is preferably set to about 1 mm in consideration of the processing accuracy of the left and right arm portions 62 of the cover body 6.

The mounting member 5 and the cover body 6 are arranged with a minute gap G3 between the end faces of the left and right frame portions 54 and 55 of the mounting member 5 and the back surface of the cover portion 61 of the cover body 6. The cover body 6 and the decorative plate 7 are arranged with a minute gap G4 between the front surface of the cover portion 61 of the cover body 6 and the back surface of the decorative plate 7. The gaps G3 and G4 are within the range of the film thickness that can be assumed regardless of the type of coating applied to the cover body 6, and are considered to the extent that rattling is not a concern. The total size of the gaps (G3 + G4) is preferably set to about 0.5 mm.

(Operation mode of switch device)
As shown in FIG. 4, the cover body 6 can move in the vertical direction, but normally, due to the gravity of the cover body 6, the lower side, that is, the off-side end of the switch 4 (second operation unit 3). ) Is covered. Since the on-side end of the switch 4 (first operation unit 2) is not covered by the cover body 6, the on-side end can be pushed down. In the illustrated example, the on-side end of the switch 4 is pushed down, and the off-side end is pushed up.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the switch 4 is intentionally turned off for the purpose of moving the cover body 6 upward from the lower position covering the off-side end of the switch 4. The cover body 6 moves from the off-side end to the on-side end (first operation unit 2) by pushing up in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity by inserting the fingertip F into the notch 63 of the cover portion 61. It is separated from the off-side end of the switch 4.

By further inserting the fingertip F inserted into the notch 63 of the cover body 6 into the depth of the notch 63 as it is, the operation shifts to the operation of pushing the off-side end with the fingertip F. By pulling out the fingertip F from the notch 63 after the switch 4 is turned off, the cover body 6 automatically returns from the upper position covering the on-side end to the lower position covering the off-side end due to gravity due to its own weight. , Will cover the off-side end again.

(Effect of embodiment)
According to the switch device 1 configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the above effects.

As the fingertip F is inserted into the notch 63 of the cover body 6, the cover body 6 is smoothly pushed up in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity, and is upward from the lower off-side end of the switch piece. Since it moves to the on-side end, the cover body 6 can be easily separated from the off-side end of the switch piece. As the fingertip F inserted into the notch 63 of the cover body 6 is further inserted into the depth of the notch 63, the operation of pushing the off-side end of the switch piece can be started. As a result, the switch piece can be freely operated, and the on / off state of the switch piece can be easily switched.

After the switch 4 is turned off, the fingertip F is pulled out from the notch 63, so that the cover body 6 is placed in a lower position covering the upper off-side end from the upper position covering the upper on-side end due to gravity due to its own weight. Can automatically return to and cover the off-side edge again. As a result, it is possible to avoid turning off the power due to careless operation or unintended operation.

[Modification example]
In the illustrated example, a curved notch 63 for inserting a fingertip or the like into the cover body 6 has been illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 7 shows another example of the notch 63 of the cover body 6.

FIG. 7A shows an example in which the notch 63 of the cover body 6 is notched in a rectangular shape. FIG. 7B shows an example in which the notch 63 of the cover body 6 is notched in a triangular shape. FIG. 7C shows an example in which the notch 63 of the cover body 6 is trapezoidally formed. With such a notch shape, it is possible to set the minimum necessary gap that does not expose the lower portion of the off-side end portion, which is the lower second operation portion 3. This makes it possible to avoid turning off the power due to careless operation or unintended operation.

[Other variants]
In the illustrated example, the switch 4 has a layout in which the power is turned on by pushing the first operation unit 2 on the upper side and the power is turned off by pushing the second operation unit 3 on the lower side. The layout may be such that the power is turned off by pushing the first operation unit 2 and the power is turned on by pushing the lower second operation unit 3.

The first operation unit 2 and the second operation unit 3 do not have to be formed in a continuous seesaw-type switch shape, and may be a push-type switch shape in which the first operation unit 2 and the second operation unit 3 are separated from each other. ..

In the illustrated example, the cover body 6 is held so as to be vertically movable by the mounting member 5 formed of a rectangular case-shaped frame body for accommodating and fixing the switch 4, but the illustration is limited to the illustrated example. Instead, the cover body 6 may be held in the window portion 71 of the decorative plate 7 so as to be vertically movable.

The cover body 6 for preventing erroneous operation can be used not only for broadcasting equipment and electrical equipment but also for any equipment, and the upper first operation unit 2 and the lower second operation unit 2 installed adjacent to each other in the vertical and vertical directions are used. The switch 4 having the operation unit 3 may be a switch attached to a wall, a plate surface, or the like of a living room for the purpose of preventing an inadvertent pushing operation of the second operation unit 3 on the lower side.

As is clear from the above description, typical embodiments, modifications, and illustrated examples according to the present invention have been illustrated, but the above-described embodiments, modifications, and illustrated examples are within the scope of claims. The invention is not limited, and can be carried out in various aspects without departing from the gist thereof, and all of the combinations of features described in the above-described embodiments, modifications, and illustrated examples It should be noted that it is not always essential as a means for solving the problems of the invention.

1 ... Switch device, 2 ... 1st operation unit, 3 ... 2nd operation unit, 4 ... Switch, 5 ... Mounting member, 6 ... Cover body, 7 ... Decorative plate, 41 ... Switch case, 42 ... Flange part, 43 ... Elastic engagement piece, 44 ... terminal, 51 ... plate part, 52 ... upper frame part, 53 ... lower frame part, 54 ... left frame part, 55 ... right frame part, 56 ... upper flange part, 57 ... lower flange part, 61 ... Cover part, 62 ... Arm part, 63 ... Notch part, 71 ... Window part, 72 ... Screw, D ... Spacing, F ... Fingertip, G1, G2, G3, G4 ... Gap, H ... Height, L ... Overall length , R ... radius of curvature, W ... width

Claims (6)

A switch in which the first operation unit and the second operation unit are lined up and down,
A cover body configured to move by its own weight from an upper position covering the first operating portion to a lower position covering the second operating portion, and manually move from the lower position to the upper position against the own weight. When,
A mounting member configured to always hold the cover body in the lower position due to the weight of the cover body.
A switch device characterized by being equipped with. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the cover body has a notch portion that partially exposes the lower portion of the second operation portion. The switch device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the switch has a seesaw-type first operation unit and the second operation unit. The switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the switch is turned on or off by the operation of the first operation unit, and is turned off or on by the operation of the second operation unit. The switch device described. The switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the self-weight is only gravity acting by the mass of the cover body. The mounting member includes a frame body for accommodating and fixing the switch.
The switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cover body is held at the open end of the frame body.

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