JP2929729B2 - Shutter mechanism for front panel connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In a device in which a front panel is detachably attached to a housing of an electronic device, a contact piece of the front panel which comes into contact with a connector on the housing is used to separate the front panel from the housing. In this case, it is protected from being exposed to the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In some cases, a front panel can be attached to and detached from a housing of an electronic device.

For example, in an in-vehicle cassette player or the like, there is a problem of theft while the driver is away from the vehicle.

[0004] In this case, if the front panel is removed from the housing portion and the appearance is made so as to have nothing, the degree of intention of theft is greatly reduced, and the risk of theft is increased. Extremely reduced.

[0005] For this reason, as described above, there is a type in which the front panel is made detachable from the housing.

[0006]

In the above-mentioned front panel, since the front panel is detached from the housing and is carried around, the circuit between the front panel and the circuit on the housing side must be separated. It cannot be connected with a wire harness.

In view of this, the contacts of the connector are exposed on the housing part side, and when the front panel is attached to the housing part, the contact pieces exposed on the back surface of the front panel are brought into contact with the housing part side. It is configured to contact the child.

Therefore, when the front panel is detached from the housing, the contact pieces are exposed on the back surface, and there is a possibility that the contact pieces may be touched with fingers and contaminated.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a shutter mechanism for a connector of a front panel according to the present invention includes a front panel having a contact piece which is in contact with a contact of a connector disposed on a housing side. A shutter is provided on the front panel to expose from a window formed on the back surface of the front panel, to open the window when the front panel is attached to the housing, and to close the window when the front panel is removed from the housing. It is a thing.

[0010]

Therefore, in the shutter mechanism for the connector of the front panel of the present invention, the window is opened when the front panel is attached to the housing, and the contact piece of the front panel is in contact with the contact on the housing. When the front panel is removed from the housing, the shutter closes the window, so that a finger or the like does not touch the contact piece of the front panel.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the shutter mechanism for a connector of a front panel according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

In the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is applied to a shutter mechanism for a connector on a front panel of an on-vehicle cassette player.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a housing chassis, which is formed of a sheet metal material and is formed in a rectangular frame that is slightly horizontal when viewed from above, and has a horizontal rectangular shape when viewed from the front.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a front plate of the chassis 1 which is painted dark, for example, black.

The direction toward the lower left in FIG. 3 is the front side, the direction toward the upper right is the rear side, the direction toward the lower right is the right side, and the direction toward the upper left is the left side in FIG. Is used to indicate the direction.) A horizontally long rectangular cassette mounting hole 3 is formed in the upper part of the cassette mounting hole.

A connector 4 is connected to the inside by a flat cable 4b through an insertion hole 4a provided on the left side of the cassette mounting hole 3 of the front plate 2, and has a plurality of contacts 5, 5,. Are arranged in the left-right direction. The contacts 5, 5,... Are formed of a conductive material having spring elasticity, and the lower end becomes a free end and gradually projects forward as going downward, and the lower end is bent slightly backward. Is formed.

On the left and right sides of the front plate 2, vertically long insertion holes 6, 6 are formed.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a front panel which is attached to the front side of the chassis 1 so as to be freely opened and closed.

The front panel 7 is of a so-called anti-theft type and comprises a support plate 8 and a main body 9 detachably attached to the front surface of the support plate 8.

The main body 9 has a rectangular flat box shape with a small front and rear thickness and a long length on the left and right, and a plurality of operation buttons 10, 10,... I have.

At the positions near the rear ends of the left and right sides of the main body 9, they extend vertically, the upper end is located near the upper surface of the main body 9, and the lower end is the locking groove 12 reaching the lower surface of the main body 9. , 1
2 are formed.

A horizontally long rectangular window 14 is formed in a portion of the upper portion of the rear plate 13 forming the rear surface of the main body portion 9 on the left side, and the contact pieces 1 arranged in the left-right direction from the window 14 are formed.
5, 15, ... are exposed to the outside.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a shutter piece, which is made of a thin plate-like material, is formed long in the left-right direction, and a pressed piece 17 projects leftward from the center of the left edge.

A supported hole 18 is formed in the upper part of the left end of the shutter piece 16, and a spring-hung piece 1 protruding forward is provided on an upper edge of the shutter piece 16 at a position separated rightward from the supported hole 18.
9 are provided.

The supported hole 18 of the shutter piece 16
A support pin 20 protruding from an upper position on the left end of the inner surface of the rear plate 13 is inserted into the rear plate 13, whereby the shutter piece 16 is rotatably supported on the inner surface of the rear plate 13.

At this time, the pressed piece 17 is formed by a slit 21 formed in a rib 13a formed on the left edge of the rear face plate 13.
Projected outside through

The pressed piece 17 is inclined so that the lower end is located slightly forward, and the left side edge 22 is inclined such that the lower end protrudes more.

Numeral 23 denotes a torsion spring, the coil portion 23a of which is externally fitted to and supported by the support pin 20, one arm piece 23b is provided on the inner surface of the rib 13 and the other arm piece 2 is provided.
3c is resiliently contacted with the spring hooking piece 19, whereby the shutter piece 16 is urged to rotate in the direction in which the right end moves downward.

An inwardly projecting rib 14a is formed at the lower edge of the window 14, and the shutter piece 16 is prevented from rotating downward when the lower edge 16a abuts on the rib 14a. Is done. This position is the closing position where the window 14 is closed.

When the shutter piece 16 is in the closed position, the pressed piece 17 is mostly located in the left locking groove 12, and the upper end 22 a of the left edge 22 is in contact with the opening surface of the locking groove 12. It is located at the same or slightly inside, and the lower end 22 b slightly projects from the opening surface of the locking groove 12.

The portion of the shutter piece 16 exposed from the window 14 needs to be insulative.
6 is conductive, the shutter piece 16
At least a portion of the rear surface exposed from the window 14 needs to be coated with an insulating coating.

The support plate 8 has a substantially rectangular oblong plate shape, and has a horizontally elongated rectangular mounting hole 24 formed at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 4a in a state of being superimposed on the front plate 2 of the chassis 1. The connector 4 is attached to the mounting hole 24.

Numerals 25, 25 denote clip bodies, and linear spring members 26, 26 formed in a vertically long U-shape and the linear spring members 2
A tube 27 externally fitted to a long side portion extending up and down of 6, 26;
27, and protruding from both ends of the wire spring members 26, 26 toward the center of the support plate 8 in the left-right direction.
6a, 26a,... Are fixed at positions near the upper ends of both sides on the back surface of the support plate 8.

The tubes 27, 27 project slightly forward from the front surface of the support plate 8, and are located slightly closer to the center than the left and right side edges of the support plate 8. The distance between the two tubes 27 is substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the distance between the locking grooves 12 of the main body 9.

Reference numerals 28, 28 denote connecting blocks provided at the lower ends of the left and right ends of the rear surface of the support plate 8. The outer surface facing left or right is closer to the lower half 28b than the upper half 28a. Is slightly retracted.

Reference numeral 29 denotes a lock projection protruding rearward from the upper end of the left end of the rear surface of the support plate 8, and a lock claw 30 projecting leftward is formed at the rear end.

The lock claw 30 has a lock edge 30a extending in the left-right direction and an inclined edge 30b extending from the left end of the lock edge 30a toward the right rear.

Reference numerals 31 and 31 denote upper links and 32 and 32 denote lower links. The rear ends of the links 31, 31 and 32, 32 are rotatably supported inside left and right side plates 33, 33 of the chassis 1, respectively. 33, and the pivots of the lower links 32, 32 are side plates 33, 33.
At substantially the center in the up-down direction of the upper link 31,
31 is located slightly behind the rotation fulcrum.

The front ends of the upper links 31, 31 are connected to upper half portions 28 of the outer surfaces of the connecting blocks 28, 28 of the support plate 8.
a, 28a to be rotatably connected to the lower links 32, 3
The front end of 2 is the lower half 28 of the outer surface of the connecting blocks 28, 28.
b, 28b.

Therefore, these links 31, 31, 32,
Since the front end is lined up and down with 32 being at the lower limit of the rotation range, the support plate 8 is in an upright position and overlaps the front side of the front plate 2 of the chassis 1. This is,
This is the closed position of the support plate 8.

Then, as the links 31, 31, 32, 32 rotate upward, the front ends of the upper links 31, 31 go forward from the front ends of the lower links 32, 32, and The front end of the link 32 is the upper link 3
As it catches up with the height of the front end of 1, 31, the support plate 8
The lower end gradually moves to a horizontal posture while moving upward, and finally to a substantially horizontal posture as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. This is the open position of the support plate 8.

Reference numeral 34 denotes a DC motor fixed via a bracket 35 to an upper end near the left end on the rear surface of the front plate 2 of the chassis 1.

The motor 34 is provided so that the axial direction thereof is oriented in the front-rear direction, and the worm 36 is fixed to the rotating shaft 34a.

Reference numeral 37 denotes a gear body, which is a worm wheel 3
The worm wheel 37a is rotatably supported by the bracket so that the worm wheel 37a faces upward and downward, and the worm wheel 37a is rotatably supported. The worm 36 is engaged with the worm 36.

Reference numeral 38 denotes a gear member made of a synthetic resin. A spur gear 38a and a thin cylindrical portion 38b protruding from the right side of the spur gear 38a are integrally formed coaxially with each other. A support hole 38c is formed.

Reference numeral 39 denotes a clutch member, which is formed by integrally forming a cylindrical portion 39a and a disk portion 39b provided at a position closer to the right side than the center of the cylindrical portion 39a with synthetic resin. On the outer peripheral surface of the right end, cam projections 40 are arranged side by side.
a and 40b are integrally formed. And the cylindrical part 39
The inner diameter of a is equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 38b of the gear member 38.

Reference numeral 41 denotes a worm wheel. The supported hole 41a is formed slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 39a of the clutch member 39, and the worm wheel 41 is located on the left side of the disk portion 39b of the cylindrical portion 39a. It is rotatably fitted to the part.

Reference numeral 42 denotes a disc-shaped holding member, and a projection 42c is formed in the insertion hole 42a. The holding member 42 is fitted to the cylindrical portion 39a of the clutch member 39 on the left side of the worm wheel 41. Is done. Note that the protrusion 42c of the holding member 42 is formed by a keyway 3 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 39a.
9c, and is prevented from rotating with respect to the cylindrical portion 39a.

Reference numeral 43 denotes a compression coil spring.
9a from the left side, and in this state, the gear member 3
8 is press-fitted into the cylindrical portion 39a of the clutch member 39 from the left side.

Reference numerals 44, 44 denote Clarino (trade name),
It is a friction plate made of felt or the like.
And the worm wheel 41 and between the presser fitting 42 and the worm wheel 41.

Therefore, the worm wheel 41 is frictionally coupled to the disc 39b and the holding member 42 by the friction plates 44, 44 by the elastic force of the compression coil spring 43,
Here, a torque limiter is configured.

When the support shaft 45 horizontally projecting leftward from the lower portion of the bracket 35 is inserted into the supported hole 38c of the gear member 38, the bracket 35 The worm wheel 41 is meshed with the worm 37b.

Reference numeral 46 denotes a gear portion rotatably supported by the bracket 35 with its axial direction pointing in the left-right direction.
The large gear 46a and the small gear 46b are integrally formed, and the large gear 46a is meshed with the flat gear 38a.

Reference numeral 47 denotes an arcuate gear fixed to the right side surface of the lower link 32 on the left side. Gear teeth 47a, 47a,... Are formed on the concave surface facing rearward. The rear link 32 is located on a circle centered on the pivot point at the rear end of the rear link 32. The bow-shaped gear 47 is connected to the gear body 4.
6 with the small gear 46b.

When the DC motor 34 rotates,
The worm 36, the worm wheel 37
a, worm 37b, worm wheel 41, friction plate 4
4, 44, the disc portion 39b and the presser fitting 42, the spur gear 38
a, the small gear 4 of the gear body 46
6b feeds the bow-shaped gear 47 upward or downward according to the direction of its rotation, so that the lower link 32 on the left is rotated upward or downward, and the support plate 8 of the front panel 7 is opened. Or it will be blocked.

Reference numerals 48 and 49 denote microswitches supported below the bracket 35.
a, 49a are arranged facing the cam projections 40a, 40b.

The micro switches 48, 4
The signal 9 is input to the system microcomputer, and the system microcomputer controls the motor 34 and the like based on this signal.

An example of such control will be described with reference to the graph of FIG.

In FIG. 10, the vertical line indicates the closed position of the support plate 8, the horizontal line indicates the open position of the support plate 8,
Each line in the middle indicates a position where the support plate 8 is opened at the angle added to each.

An arrow SW1 indicates a section in which the microswitch 48 is turned "ON" by the cam projection 40a, and an arrow SW2 indicates a section in which the microswitch 49 is "ON" by the cam projection 40b. ing.

First, a state in which the main body 9 of the front panel 7 is attached to the support plate 8 and the support plate 8 is in the closed position (the system microcomputer is a micro switch 48 “OF”)
F ", and the microswitch 49" OFF "determines this state. ), When the "OPEN" button 10 'is pressed, the system microcomputer rotates the motor 34 forward. The rotation direction at this time is a direction in which the worm wheel 37a rotates clockwise when viewed from above.

Then, when the boundary between the regions C and D is crossed (the system microcomputer switches the microswitch 48 “ON” and the microswitch 49 “ON” to the microswitch 48).
This is determined by changing to “OFF” and the microswitch 49 to “ON”. ), Assuming that the motor has almost reached the open position, the motor is stopped after a predetermined time. by this,
The front panel 7 reaches the fully open position.

When the shutter is manually closed from the open position and crosses the boundary between the areas C and B (the system microcomputer turns on the micro switch 48 "ON" and the micro switch 4
This is known by changing from 9 "ON" to micro switch 48 "ON" and micro switch 49 "OFF". ) The motor 34 is reversed to rotate the support plate 8 in the closing direction.

When the system microcomputer enters the area A from the area B (the system microcomputer switches the microswitch 48 “ON” and the microswitch 49 “OFF” to the microswitch 48 “OF”).
F "and the microswitch 49" OFF "to know this. ) After a certain time, the motor 34 is stopped.
Thereby, the front panel 7 reaches the completely closed position.

When the cassette is mounted while the support plate 8 is in the area C or D, the system microcomputer rotates the motor 34 in the reverse direction.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a lock bar,
The gear body 37 is rotatably supported coaxially with the gear body 37 at a portion 35a where the gear body 37 is supported.

Numerals 51, 51 denote stopper pieces which are erected at intervals at the base of the lock bar 50.
Of the lock bar 50 is defined so as to sandwich the above-mentioned portion 35a from the front and rear sides with a slight space therebetween.

52, 52 are the above-mentioned portions 3 of the bracket 35.
5a and the base of the lock bar 50 and the lock bar 50
Is a friction plate interposed between the base portion and the gear body 37.

The tip of the lock bar 50 is located immediately behind the front plate 2 of the housing chassis 1, and a lock pin 53 is suspended from the tip.

When the support plate 8 is in the closed position, the rear end of the lock projection 29 is located behind the front plate 2 through the insertion hole 6, and the lock edge 30a is provided with the lock pin 53. Engage from the front side to lock the support plate 8 at the closed position.

When the support plate 8 is opened, the motor 34 rotates forward and the gear body 37 rotates clockwise as viewed from above, so that the rotational power is transmitted through the friction plates 52, 52. When given, the lock bar 50 also rotates clockwise. Therefore, the lock pin 53 escapes to the left from the lock edge 30a as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 15, so that the lock to the closed position with respect to the support plate 8 is released.

Conversely, when the support plate 8 is closed, the motor 3
4 rotates in reverse, the gear body 37 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from above, and the lock bar 50 is provided with a counterclockwise rotation power, and the lock pin 53 is shown by a solid line in FIG. Is located at the right end of the movement range. The lock claw 30 of the support plate 8 enters there, and the inclined edge 30b pushes the lock pin 53 toward the rear left, so that the lock claw 30 is once rotated clockwise to allow the lock claw 30 to enter. Motor 3
Since the support plate 8 is rotated for a short time even after the support plate 8 comes to the closed position, the lock pin 53 is positioned in front of the lock edge 30a as soon as the lock edge 30a moves backward from the lock pin 53. In the closed position.

Next, attachment and detachment of the main body 9 of the front panel 7 to and from the support plate 8 will be described.

It is easy to operate the attachment of the main body 9 when the support plate 8 is in the closed position.

One of the locking grooves 12 formed on both left and right sides of the main body 9 is engaged with one tube 27 of the clip bodies 25 provided on both right and left sides of the support plate 8.
In this state, when the other side of the main body 9 is pressed rearward, that is, toward the support plate 8, the wire spring members 26, 26 of the clip bodies 25, 25 bend outwardly, and 26, the rear portion of the other side of the main body 9 passes through the inside of the tube 27 of the other clip body 25, and when the tube 27 corresponds to the other locking groove 12, The tube 27 engages with the locking groove 12. Thus, the main body 9 is supported by the support plate 8.

During this attaching operation, the shutter piece 1
When the locking groove 12 in which the pressed piece 17 of the sixth member 6 is located is engaged with the tube 27 of the clip body 25, the pressed piece 17 is pushed into the main body 9 by the tube 27, so that the shutter The piece 16 rotates upward against the elastic force of the torsion spring 23 and opens the window 14 on the rear surface of the main body 9, so that the contact pieces 15, 15,... Are exposed.

Accordingly, when the main body 9 is attached to the support plate 8, the window 14 is opened and the contact pieces 15 are exposed, so that the contacts 5 of the connector 4 attached to the support plate 8 are exposed. , 5,... And contact pieces 15, 15,.
And the circuit on the chassis 1 side and the circuit on the main body 9 side are connected.

When the shutter piece 16 is charged, the wire spring material 26 and the tube body 27 of the clip body 25 are formed of a conductive material so that they are electrically connected to the housing chassis 1. When the main body 9 is attached to the support plate 8, the static electricity charged on the shutter piece 16 is grounded to the housing chassis 1 via the clip 25.

Further, the locking groove 12 in which the pressed piece 17 of the shutter piece 16 is located is inserted into the tube 27 of the clip body 25 later.
When the tube 27 is engaged with the pressed piece 17 from behind,
Moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the pressed piece 17, as described above, whether the upper end 22a of the left edge 22 of the pressed piece 17 is the same as the opening face of the locking groove 12 in the closed position. It is located slightly inside, the lower end 22b projects slightly from the opening surface of the locking groove 12, and the left edge 22 is inclined such that the lower end is located slightly forward. Since the abutment portion 17 abuts on the upper end portion 22a of the left side edge 22 and the abutment sequentially extends downward, the pressed piece 17 is securely and smoothly pushed into the inside of the main body portion 9 by the pipe body 27, and the window 14 is reliably opened.

With the support plate 8 in the open position, the main body 9
Is pulled forward, the lower ends of the locking grooves 12, 12 are open to the lower surface of the main body 9, so that the clip bodies 25, 2,
The fifth pipe 27 slides along the locking grooves 12, 12 and comes off the locking grooves 12, 12. Thus, the main body 9 can be removed from the support plate 8.

When the main body 9 is removed from the support plate 8, the tube 27 of the clip body 25 is
Is released from the pressed piece 17, the resilient force of the torsion spring 23 moves the shutter piece 16 to the closed position.

Therefore, when the main body 9 is detached from the support plate 8, the window 14 is closed and the contact pieces 15, 15,.
・ Because is to be hidden, the grease of the finger etc. the contact piece 1
5, 15, ... can be prevented.

[0083]

As is apparent from the above description, the connector shutter mechanism of the front panel according to the present invention makes the front panel provided with various operation sections detachable from the housing of the electronic device, The contact pieces that are in contact with the contacts of the connector arranged on the housing part side are exposed from a window formed on the back of the front panel, and when the front panel is attached to the housing part, the window is opened and the front is opened. A shutter for closing the window when the panel is removed from the housing is provided on the front panel.

Therefore, in the shutter mechanism for the connector of the front panel of the present invention, when the front panel is attached to the housing, the window is opened, and the contact piece of the front panel comes into contact with the contact of the housing. Also, if the front panel is removed from the housing, the shutter closes the window, so that fingers and the like do not touch the contact pieces of the front panel.

The specific shapes and structures shown in the above embodiments are only examples of the embodiment of the present invention, and these limits the technical scope of the present invention. Is not to be interpreted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a shutter mechanism.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a main part showing a support mechanism of the front panel and an opening / closing operation of the front panel.

FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view showing a state in which a front panel is in an open position.

FIG. 4 is an overall plan view showing a state where a front panel is at a closed position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing a link drive part with a part cut away.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged rear view showing the link driving unit with a part cut away.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged left side view showing the link drive part with a part cut away.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged right side view showing the link drive part partially cut away.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a graph showing the open / close position of a front panel and the operation of a detection switch.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the front panel.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged internal view showing a state in which a shutter of a front panel is closed, with a part thereof being cut away.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged inner view showing a state where a shutter of a front panel is opened, with a part thereof being cut away.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the progress of opening the shutter.

FIG. 15 is a partially omitted enlarged plan view showing the operation of the lock mechanism of the front panel.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged perspective view of a state where a shutter of a front panel is opened.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing part 4 Connector 5 Contact 9 Front panel 10 Operation part 14 Window 15 Contact piece 16 Shutter

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A front panel provided with various operation sections is detachable from a housing section of an electronic device, and a contact piece to be brought into contact with a contact of a connector arranged on the housing section side is provided on the front panel. A shutter was provided on the front panel to expose from a window formed on the back surface, to open the window when the front panel was attached to the housing, and to close the window when the front panel was removed from the housing. A shutter mechanism for a front panel connector.