JP2553155Y2 - Contact device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a contact device used for an electronic instrument such as an electronic musical instrument, an OA device, or a precision control device such as a camera, and more particularly, to a contact rubber member which is deformed by being driven by being pressed by an actuator of its operating member. And a contact device comprising:

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional contact device of this type, there is, for example, one shown in FIGS. 10 (a), 10 (b) and 10 (c).

A contact rubber member 40 shown in FIG.
Is formed integrally with an elastic material such as rubber, and is provided with a pressing portion 41 which is pressed in a direction indicated by an arrow X by an actuator of an operating member (not shown), and a dome-shaped first portion which is expanded outward from a lower end portion of the pressing portion 41. 1 bulge 42, a first contact 43 continuous below the bulge 42, a base 45 continuous from the first contact 43 via the second bulge 44, and a lower end of the pressing part 41. Second contact portion 4 converging and hanging down from the portion to the inside
6, an annular first movable contact 47 formed on the lower end surface of the first contact portion 43 by printing or applying conductive ink or fusing a conductive rubber chip, and the like, and a second contact portion 4
6, the first movable contact 47 and the second movable contact 48 having a concentric circular shape.

[0004] The contact rubber member 40 having such a configuration is provided with non-conductive first and second fixed contacts 141 and 142 corresponding to the first and second movable contacts 47 and 48, respectively.
When the pressing portion 41 is pressed in the direction indicated by the arrow X, the second bulging portion 44 is first deformed and the first contact portion 43 is lowered, and the first contact portion 43 is lowered. Movable contact 47 crimps the non-conductive first fixed contact 141 to
After the first contact of the makeup eye is turned on, the first bulge 4
2 is deformed, the second contact portion 46 is lowered, and the second movable contact 48 is pressed against the non-conductive second fixed contact 142 to turn on the second contact of the second make.

A contact rubber member 40 'shown in FIG. 10B has a pressing portion 41', a first bulging portion 42 ', and a base portion 45 similar to those shown in FIG. And a second movable contact 4 having an annular shape at the lower end surface of a second contact portion 43 'converging inward from the pressing portion 41'.
7 ', and the second bulging portion 4 is formed from the second contact portion 43'.
A concentric circular first movable contact 48 'is formed on the lower surface of a first contact portion 46' formed through the first movable contact 4 '.
After the 8 'conducts the first fixed contact 142' on the fixed substrate 140 ', the second movable contact 47' conducts the second fixed contact 141 '.

Accordingly, for example, when the above-mentioned contact device is used for a keyboard device of an electronic musical instrument, the first contact (lower contact)
Is turned on and the time from when the second contact (upper contact) is turned on can be detected, and the pressing speed of the operator, which is inversely proportional to the time difference, is determined by the table converting means or the calculating means, and the pressing is performed. Touch control according to the speed can be performed. When the above-mentioned contact device is used in an autofocus camera or the like, when the shutter button is slightly pressed, the first contact is turned on to enable an operation of focusing, and when the shutter button is further pressed, the second contact is turned on, thereby allowing the shutter to be turned on. Is enabled.

Further, the contact rubber member 40 "shown in FIG. 10 (c) is different from the one-dome two-make member shown in FIGS. 4
2 ", base 45", contact 46 "and movable contact 4
8 ″, and the movable contact 48 ″ is fixed to the fixed contact 1 on the fixed substrate 140 ″ by pressing.
42 "is turned on to turn on the contact.

In these conventional contact devices, the surfaces of the circular movable contacts 48, 48 ', 48 "and the annular movable contacts 47, 47' are all planar, and the fixed substrates 140, 140 '. , 140 ".

[0009]

However, in such a conventional contact device shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the surface of the movable contact of the contact rubber member corresponds to the surface of the fixed contact. Because they are formed in parallel, depending on the shape of the contact rubber member, when the annular movable contact is pressed against the fixed contact, the contact surface may be inclined with respect to the fixed contact surface.

This phenomenon occurs when the shape of the contact rubber member is set so that a large load is generated until the annular movable contact comes into contact with the fixed contact in order to improve the touch feeling of the operator. The tendency increases.

FIGS. 11A and 11B show the pressed state of the contact rubber member shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, respectively. In FIG. 11A, when the pressing portion 41 is pressed down, first, the second bulging portion 44 is elastically deformed to generate a load (reaction force), and the lower end surface of the first contact portion 43 accordingly. Descends while tilting, and the first movable contact 47 tilts from the horizontal plane and contacts the first fixed contact 141.

In FIG. 11B, the pressing portion 4
When 1 'is depressed, the first bulging portion 42' is first elastically deformed, and the first contact portion 46 'is lowered to move the first fixed contact 14'.
After being pressed against 2 ', the second bulging portion 44' is elastically deformed and the lower end surface of the second contact portion 43 'is lowered while being inclined, and the annular second movable contact 47' is inclined from the horizontal plane. To contact the second fixed contact 141 '. This state is shown in FIG.

As described above, in both cases (a) and (b), the ring-shaped movable contact comes into contact with the horizontal fixed contact in an inclined state, and the contact area is insufficient to easily cause a contact failure. In addition, chattering may occur.

Further, circular movable contacts 48, 48 ', 48 "formed at the center of the contact rubber members 40, 40', 40" shown in FIGS. 10 (a), (b), (c) Pressing part 4
When 1, 41 ', 41 "is pressed vertically, it descends while maintaining a substantially horizontal state. However, when it is pressed obliquely, it may incline from horizontal and contact the fixed contact.

In particular, when the circular movable contact is formed by printing conductive ink instead of fusing the conductive chip,
In addition to the fact that the ink does not easily adhere to the peripheral edge of the lower end surface of the contact portion, even if the movable contact surface is slightly inclined, there is a problem that a contact failure occurs as shown in FIG. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to prevent the occurrence of contact failure and chattering to improve the reliability of the contact.

[0016]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is to achieve the above object, have a pressing portion at the top, out of the pressing section
A first bulging portion domed to spreading towards, the first Rise
And the contact portion of the annular shape <br/> have a movable contact in part also less of the lower surface continuous below the detecting portion, which is formed on the outer side of the contact portion
A contact rubber member in which a second bulge portion and a base portion continuous with the second bulge portion are integrally formed by an elastic material;
This contact rubber member is mounted by mounting the base portion ,
In contact device having a horizontal fixed substrate formed with the stationary contacts corresponding to the upper Symbol movable contact, concave to the movable contact
Formed in the shape of a conical surface of
More when the movable contact comes into contact with the fixed contacts, the
The second bulging portion is elastically deformed, and accordingly, the contact portion
Contact surface of the movable contact outer peripheral side curved outward is to provide a contact device which is adapted to be parallel to the surface of the solid <br/> constant contact.

Further , a pressing portion is provided at the top, and the pressing portion is
A dome-shaped first bulging portion expanding outward from the first bulge;
From the base portion continuing below the bulging portion of the
A second movable contact is formed on at least a part of the lower surface by hanging inward.
An annular second contact portion having the second contact portion;
A second bulging portion that rises inward, and the second bulging portion
A first having a first movable contact on the lower surface depending on the inside of the portion
A contact rubber member in which the contact part is formed integrally with an elastic body
And place the contact rubber member on the base
And the first and second movable contacts correspond to the first and second movable contacts, respectively.
A horizontal fixed substrate on which a second fixed contact is formed
Contact device, wherein the second movable contact is a convex cone.
It is formed in a planar shape, and the pressing portion is pressed to
After the first movable contact comes into contact with the first fixed contact,
When the second movable contact contacts the second fixed contact.
In addition, the second bulging portion is elastically deformed, and
The inner peripheral side of the second contact portion is lifted, and the second movable
The contact surface of the contact will be parallel to the surface of the second fixed contact
A configured contact device is also provided.

[0018]

The contact device according to the present invention is constructed as described above, so that the annular movable contact of the contact rubber member is formed in advance.
When the concave portion is formed in a conical shape, by pressing the pressing portion, the contact surface becomes parallel to the surface of the fixed contact, and the contact area with the fixed contact and the contact pressure per unit area increase. Reliable contact without the possibility of poor contact and chattering is enabled.

Further, a second annular movable contact rubber member is provided.
If the contact is formed in a convex conical surface in advance,
By depressing, first the first movable contact is first fixed.
After contacting the constant contact, the second movable contact becomes the second fixed contact
And the contact area with the second fixed contact
And the contact force per unit area increases, resulting in poor contact and
There is no danger of contact, and the reliability of the contact is improved.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the contact conduction state, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of a fixed contact.

As shown in FIG. 1, the contact rubber member 10 has a thick cylindrical pressing portion 11 and a dome-shaped first bulging portion expanding outward from the lower end of the pressing portion 11. 12
A first contact portion 13 continuing below the first contact portion; a second bulging portion 14 expanding outward from the first contact portion 13;
Base portion 15 continuing to the bulging portion 14 of the
A second contact portion 16 that converges toward the inside from the lower end portion of the first contact portion 16 is integrally formed with an elastic material such as rubber, and an annular member made of a tip of conductive rubber or the like is formed on the lower end surface of the first contact portion 13. The first movable contact 17 is fused with a circular second fixed contact 18 made of a similar material on the lower end surface of the second contact portion 16,
The first and second movable contacts 17 and 18 are concentric. The contacts 17 and 18 may be formed by printing or applying conductive ink or by fitting the relevant portion into an ink fountain and attaching the same, as in the description of the related art.

The lower end surface of the first contact portion 13 has a point P1 on the central axis C of the contact rubber member 10 as a vertex, and αα
Is formed as a conical surface, and the angle β between the horizontal surface of the first movable contact 17 formed on the lower end surface of the first contact portion 13 and β is set to β = (180 ° −α) / 2. Set.
The value of Δβ is the height of the contact rubber member 10 in a natural state from the bottom surface of the first movable contact 17, the second bulging portion 14.
It is necessary to change according to the shape and thickness of the material, the material of the elastic material, etc., but the best result was obtained when the angle was about 20 degrees in the experiment.

The contact rubber member 10 having the above-described structure is provided with non-conductive first and second fixed contacts 111 and 11 corresponding to the first and second movable contacts 17 and 18, respectively.
The base portion 15 is mounted on a horizontal fixed substrate (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “substrate”) 110 on which the base 2 is formed.

FIG. 3A shows an example of a specific shape of the first and second fixed contacts 111 and 112 formed on the substrate 110. The first and second fixed contacts 111 and 112 are shown in FIG.
The pattern No. 2 is formed in a plurality of sets (two sets in FIG. 3 (a)) substantially concentrically with different diameters. The pattern of the semi-circular first fixed contact 111 is formed on the outside and the pattern is formed on the inside thereof. A circular second fixed contact 112 pattern is provided.
The first fixed contact 111 includes an outermost pattern 111a and an inner pattern 111b that are insulated from each other. The second fixed contact 112 includes one pattern 112a and the other pattern 112b that are insulated from each other.

In contrast to these two fixed contact patterns, the movable contact pattern has a circular outer pattern 121 and a circular part forming an annular part with the zigzag portion on the fixed contact as the center, as shown in FIG. 3B. And the inner pattern 122. FIG. 3B is an end view. For the three-dimensional shape of the outer movable contact, the annular portion other than the pattern 121 is
21 may be slightly depressed from the pattern 121, or the pattern and the other annular portions may be formed on the same surface, and the pattern 121 may be formed.
Only the ink may be applied. In addition, if the lead 112c from the inner zigzag portion of the second fixed setting is an insulating resist, the movable contact outer pattern 121 may have a complete annular shape. The movable contact and the fixed contact are turned on and off with a time difference between the inside and outside.

By the way, when the pressing portion 11 of the contact rubber member 10 is pressed in the direction indicated by the arrow X from the state shown in FIG.
The bulging portion 14 is elastically deformed, and accordingly, the outer peripheral side of the first contact portion 13 is curved outward. Thereby, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2, the surface of the first movable contact 17 is in a substantially horizontal state and is pressed against the first fixed contact 111, so that the first fixed contact 111 conducts. At this time, the contact area between the movable and fixed contacts is maximized, and the occurrence of poor contact and chattering can be drastically reduced.

When the pressing portion 11 is further depressed from this state, the first bulging portion 12 elastically deforms as shown by the phantom line in FIG.
Is pressed substantially parallel to the second fixed contact 112, and the second fixed contact 112 is conducted. As a result, the first and second movable contact surfaces are both horizontal surfaces to ensure contact with the first and second fixed contacts 111 and 112.

Next, FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the contact conduction state.

The contact rubber member 20 of the second embodiment is
As shown in FIG. 4, a pressing portion 21 similar to that of the first embodiment is used.
A dome-shaped first bulging portion 22 expanding outward from a lower end portion of the pressing portion 21, a base portion 25 continuing below the dome-shaped first bulging portion 22, The second contact portion 23, the second bulging portion 24 that rises further inward from the second contact portion 23, and the first contact portion 26 that hangs down inside the second bulging portion 24 are made of an elastic material. The first movable contact 28 having a circular shape is formed on the lower end surface of the first contact portion 26, and the first movable contact 2 is formed on the lower end surface of the second contact portion 23.
8 and a second movable contact 27 concentric with the ring.

The lower end surface of the second contact portion 23 has a vertex at a point P2 on the center axis C 'of the contact rubber member 20.
A conical surface (inverted conical surface) having an apex angle of γ is formed, and the angle δ between the horizontal surface of the second movable contact 27 formed on the lower end surface of the second contact portion 23 is δ = (180 ° -Γ)
/ 2. The value of ∠δ is also changed by the same elements as in the first embodiment.

The contact rubber member 2 having such a configuration
0 is mounted on a horizontal substrate 120 on which non-conductive first and second fixed contacts 122 and 121 corresponding to the first and second movable contacts 28 and 27 are formed. Note that the first and second
The specific shapes of the fixed contacts 122 and 121 are the same as those shown in FIG. 3, except that the inner pattern 112 is applied to the first fixed contact pair and the outer pattern 111 is applied to the second fixed contact pair. You.

With the above configuration, when the pressing portion 21 is pressed down in the direction indicated by the arrow X from the state shown in FIG.
2 is elastically deformed, the first and second contact portions 26 and 23 are both lowered, and the first movable contact 28 is pressed against the first fixed contact 122 to conduct the first fixed contact 122. When the pressing portion 21 continues to be pressed down, the second bulging portion 24 is elastically deformed, and accordingly, the inner peripheral side of the second contact portion 23 is lifted, and the surface of the second movable contact 27 is substantially horizontal. As a result, the second fixed contact 121 comes into contact with the second fixed contact 121, and the state shown in FIG.

In the above-described first and second embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to a contact device having a contact rubber member with one dome and two makeups has been described. The present invention can also be applied to a contact device having a multi-make contact rubber member. In the first and second embodiments, the surface of the outer movable contact is a conical surface. However, a part of the spherical surface may be omitted, or another similar curved surface may be used. That is, in the first and second aspects, the conical surface shape includes these similar curved surfaces.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the contact conduction state. As shown in FIG. 6, the contact rubber member 30 of the third embodiment includes a cylindrical pressing portion 31, a dome-shaped bulging portion 32 bulging outward from the lower end of the pressing portion 31, and a bulging portion 32. Part 3
2, a base portion 35 which is continuous with the lower portion of the pressing portion 31, a contact portion 36 which hangs from a lower end portion of the pressing portion 31 and has a lower end surface 36a formed into a spherical shape centered on a point P3 on the central axis C ", and a lower end surface 3 thereof.
A movable contact 38 having conductive ink applied to 6a in the same manner as described above.
Consists of

The thus configured contact rubber member 30
Is the non-conductive fixed contact 13 corresponding to the movable contact 38
2 is mounted on the substrate 130 on which is formed. When the pressing portion 31 is pressed by an actuator (not shown), the bulging portion 32 is elastically deformed and the contact portion 36 descends, and the movable contact 38 is pressed against the fixed contact 132 so that the fixed contact 132 becomes conductive. State.

At this time, if the pressing portion 31 is indicated by an arrow X 'in FIG.
Even if the contact portion 36 is grounded in a state in which the contact portion 36 is inclined as shown by, the surface of the movable contact 38 is spherical, and the contact surface is further pressed by the surface of the substrate to form a contact surface. Since it is slightly deformed into a flat shape, the fixed contact 142
The contact area with the contact is increased, and the risk of poor contact and chattering is drastically reduced.

FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b) show only the main part of a modification of the third embodiment in which the shape of the movable contact surface is changed. FIG. 8 (a) shows the contact portion 36 '. Spherical lower end surface 36
An annular flat portion 36b 'is formed on the peripheral portion of a' to make it easier for the printing ink to adhere to the peripheral portion. (b) In the figure, the lower end surface 36a "of the contact portion 36" is made flat and the peripheral portion 3a is formed.
6b "with an appropriate roundness.

With this arrangement, even when the pressing portion 31 of the contact rubber member 30 is pressed down obliquely, as shown in FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b), the movable contact 38 deformed into a planar shape by pressing. ', 38 "are substrates 130', 130"
The fixed contacts 132 'and 132 "formed above can be contacted with a large area, and contact failure and chattering can be prevented.

In the above-described third embodiment and its application, a case has been described in which the present invention is applied to a contact device having a contact rubber member having one dome and one make. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to the center movable contact of the one-dome multi-make contact rubber member without any trouble. Further, the movable contact surface is not completely spherical, and may have an arbitrary convex curved surface. Further, the contact device according to the present invention extends not only to a key switch of an electronic musical instrument but also to a switch device of an electronic device such as a camera and an OA device, which can be variously selected or controlled by a delicate touch.

[0040]

As described above, in the contact device according to the present invention in which the annular movable contact is formed in a concave conical surface, the contact portion having the movable contact formed on the lower end surface is pressed by the contact rubber member. When the outer peripheral side is curved outward , the movable contact comes into contact with the fixed contact almost in parallel, and the contact area of both contacts increases, thereby preventing occurrence of contact failure and chattering, and reliability of the contact device. Can be improved.

Further, the annular second movable contact is formed into a convex conical shape.
When the presser is pressed, the sheet
First, the first movable contact contacts the first fixed contact
Then, the inner peripheral side of the second contact portion is lifted, and the second movable
The contact surface of the contact is parallel to the surface of the second fixed contact.
The contact area with the second fixed contact and the per unit area
The contact force can be ensured, and in this case also, the occurrence of poor contact and chattering can be prevented, and the reliability of the contact device can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the contact conduction state.

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the fixed contact and the movable contact.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the contact conduction state of the same.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the contact conduction state.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing only a main part of a modification of the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the conductive state of the contact.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional contact device.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the contact conduction state.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 20, 30 ... contact rubber member, 11, 21, 31
... pressing parts, 12, 22 ... first bulging parts, 13, 26 ... first contact parts, 14, 24 ... second bulging parts, 16, 23 ...
2nd contact part, 17, 28 ... 1st movable contact, 18, 2
7: second movable contact, 32: bulging portion, 36, 36 ', 3
6 ″ contact part, 38, 38 ′, 38 ″ movable contact, 11
0, 120, 130: substrate, 111, 122: first fixed contact, 112, 121: second fixed contact, 132: fixed contact

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] [Claim 1] have a pressing portion at the top, outwardly from the pressing portion
The first bulging portion domed which flared and, first bulging portion
To have the movable contacts to the least part also continuous lower surface downward
Annular contact portion, and a second contact formed outside the contact portion .
A bulging portion, and the contact rubber member formed integrally with the base portion by an elastic member that is continuous with the bulge portion of the second, the said contact rubber member mounted by placing the base portion, the movable contact A contact device having a horizontal fixed substrate having fixed contacts corresponding thereto, wherein the movable contact is formed in a concave conical surface shape, and the pressing portion
When the movable contact comes into contact with the fixed contact by being pressed , the second bulging portion is elastically deformed,
The contact device wherein the outer peripheral side of the contact portion is curved outward so that the contact surface of the movable contact is parallel to the surface of the fixed contact. 2. A pressing portion is provided at a top portion, and is outward from said pressing portion.
Dome-shaped first bulging portion that expands into the first bulging portion, and the first bulging portion
And a base portion extending downward from the pressing portion and inward from the pressing portion.
A ring having a second movable contact on at least a part of the lower surface
Shaped second contact portion and further inward from the second contact portion
A second bulging portion that rises, and a second bulging portion
And a first contact portion having a first movable contact on the lower surface.
A contact rubber member integrally formed of a conductive material;
The bar member is mounted on the base portion,
First and second fixed contacts respectively corresponding to the second movable contact
Contact device having a horizontal fixed substrate having dots formed thereon
Te, the second movable contact is formed on the convex surface of the conical shape, the press
When the pressure portion is pressed, the first movable contact
After contacting the first fixed contact, the second movable contact is moved forward.
When the second bulging portion contacts the second fixed contact,
Elastically deforms, and accordingly the inner peripheral side of the second contact portion
Is lifted, and the contact surface of the second movable contact
Characterized by being parallel to the surface of the fixed contact
Contact device.