JP3166073B2 - Switch operation panel - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is applied to an operation panel of a medical device such as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a broadcast device, etc., and particularly preferably relates to a switch operation panel in which each switch operation section is illuminated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of switch operation panel, an illuminated key switch having a built-in independent light emitting element is mounted at a required portion of a substrate for each operation switch, and only the top of the key top is formed in a case. From the hole
It was slightly outside, and individual switches could be operated.

[0003]

Since a single switch is used, the mounting range, mounting height, operation feeling, and the like are determined by the switch used, and there is no degree of freedom. The price was also high. Since the key top guide is provided integrally with the case, the price of the case itself was relatively high, and partial reuse of the product in various products was not possible.

[0004] On the other hand, if the key top guide is omitted from the case, a gap is formed around the key top, and when a corner (corner) of the key top is pressed, the key top does not move (move) correctly, and the switch operation is performed correctly. There was a possibility that it would not be done. In addition, it is necessary to mount the switch element facing the center of the key top, and in the case of the illuminated type, the shadow of the switch occurs due to the position of the light emitting element, making it difficult to uniformly illuminate the top surface of the key top Met.

Further, the key top guide of the case does not have a key top drop-off preventing claw, and the key top display becomes unclear due to cleaning or repeated use. When one of the key tops is to be removed, other unnecessary key tops are also removed, and the workability for reconfiguration is poor. Light-emitting element (LE
D) There is also a problem that the ground color of the mounted product is a color that reflects light, and that light from the light emitting element reflects and light leaks from unnecessary key tops.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the key top is inserted into the key top guide, and the key top is guided by the key top guide in the operation direction of the key top. This key top guide is configured separately from the panel case. The key top guide is provided with a fall prevention piece extending in the operation direction of the key top, facing the side surface of the key top. When the key top moves in the operation direction, the key top engages with the fall prevention piece to prevent the fall. Although it is prevented, when a certain amount of force is applied to the key top in the operation direction, the fall-off preventing piece is elastically deformed, and the key top can be removed from the key top guide.

A plurality of key top guides are inserted through the guide holding plate, and a part of the key top guide is held between the guide holding plate and the panel case. The case has a hole in which each keytop is exposed to the outside.
A positioning rib is integrally formed on the inner surface of the case, and the positioning rib and the key top guide are engaged with each other,
The key top guide is positioned in a direction perpendicular to the key top operation direction.

A substrate is provided opposite to the case of the guide holding plate, and a switch operated by a keytop is provided on the substrate. A light emitting element for illumination is mounted on the substrate so as to face the center of the operation top surface of the key top.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a part of an embodiment of the present invention and a left side view thereof. The operation holes 12 are arranged and formed in the panel case 11, and the key tops 13 slightly protrude from the inside to the outside in each operation hole 12, respectively.
Key operation is possible. The case 11 is configured, for example, as a synthetic resin molded product.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the case 11 has been removed. A guide holding plate 15 is provided so as to face the inner surface of the case 11 and, as shown in the guide holding plate 15, corresponds to one or a plurality of key tops. Thus, an opening 16 is formed. The guide holding plate 15 is made, for example, by pressing a metal plate. An enlarged plan view of part of Figure 2A shown in FIG. 4A, the A-A line cross section, B-B line cross-sectional, respectively view 4B, 5
A. However, in FIGS. 4B and 5A, the case 11 is also provided. As shown in these figures, each key top 13
Is inserted into the key top guide 17, and in the key top operation direction, the key top 13 is
Guided by In the illustrated example, one end (upper end) of the substantially rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall of the key top 13 is closed, and the outer surface thereof is a key top top surface 13a. Key Top Guide 1
Reference numeral 7 also has a square cylindrical shape substantially coaxial with the cylinder of the key top 13. The key top 13 and the key top guide 17 are both configured as synthetic resin molded products.

In this embodiment, one guide groove 18 is formed on the inner surface of the key top guide 17 in parallel with the key top operation direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the operation direction). An outer peripheral surface protrudes by an amount corresponding to the groove 18 to form a ridge 19. These guide grooves 18
Are formed from the inner end face, that is, the end face opposite to the top face 13a to the middle. On the other hand, a rib 21 inserted into the guide groove 18 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the key top 13 in parallel with the operation direction, and the key top 13 is moved by the key top guide 17 by the guide groove 18 and the rib 21. Is correctly retained.

The top of the key top 13a of the rib 21 is removed or lowered, and as shown in FIGS. 3C and 5A , when the key top 13 is pulled in the direction opposite to the operation direction, the upper end of the rib 21 is raised. It does not come off by engaging with the upper end of the guide groove 18. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3C, FIG. 5A, and FIG. 6A, a drop-preventing piece 23 extending in the operation direction is formed on one side plate of the key top guide 17 by two parallel cuts from the upper end and protruding into the inner surface of the upper end. A part is formed and configured. The top of the key top 13 slightly protrudes from its cylindrical portion. The top of the key top 13 has a stopper 23
And is prevented from falling off from below.
However, when a force is applied to the key top 13 in the operation direction,
The falling-off preventing piece 23 is elastically deformed and escapes outward, so that the key top 13 can be easily removed (taken out) from the key top guide 17.

That is, as shown in FIG.
Does not fall out of the key top guide 17 by its own weight,
By lightly pressing the top of the keytop, it can be easily removed as shown in FIG. 5C. The key top guide 17 into which the key top 13 has been inserted as described above is placed on the guide holding plate 15.
2A and 2B.
As shown in FIGS. 2B and 3C, a temporary fixing piece 25 is formed on one side plate of the key top guide 17 extending in the operation direction, and a claw is formed on the lower end on the outside, and the key top guide 17 is inserted into the opening 16. Then, after the temporary fixing piece 25 is elastically deformed and pulled inward, it returns and returns to the inside of the opening 16 of the guide holding plate 15 by the claw of the temporary fixing piece 25 and the small projection 26 on the outer surface of the key top guide 17. The key top guide 17 is temporarily held on the guide holding plate 15 with the peripheral edge therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the guide holding plate 15
The key top guide 17 is fixed by fixing the key top guide 17 to the case 11 with screws 27 at intervals with a collar 28 and holding the projection 29 of the key top guide 17 by the case 11 and the guide holding plate 15. Guide holding plate 1
5, a substrate 31 is arranged to face the side opposite to the case 11;
An illumination light-emitting element 33 is mounted on the substrate 31 at a position facing the center of the top of the keytop, and a switch element 34 is mounted on the substrate alongside the light-emitting element 33. The switch element 34 uses a tact switch in this example.
The operation pin 34 ′ is in contact with the inner surface of the top surface of the key top 13. Since the switch element 34 is displaced from the position facing the center of the key top 13, FIGS. The lower part has been cut off by a notch 35 as shown.

Although the key operation pin 34 'is displaced from the center of the top of the key top 13, the operation direction of the key top 13 is correctly guided by the key top guide 17,
Good switch operation is performed. Positioning ribs 38 are formed at various places on the inner surface of the case 11, and are brought into contact with the outer surface of the key top guide 17, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 5A.
Alternatively, the positioning rib 38 is inserted and coupled into the small concave portion 39 formed on the upper end surface of the key top guide 17, so that the key top guide 17 is prevented from moving and backlash in the direction perpendicular to the operation direction.

As described above, when lighting is performed using the light emitting element 33, the key top 13 is made of a light transmitting material. Also, similarly to the conventional one, various displays showing the functions of the key tops can be printed in the same manner as the respective key tops.
The switch element 34 is not limited to a tact switch, and various switches such as a membrane switch and a switch using a dome-shaped rubber having a contact on the inner surface can be used.

[0017]

As described above, the key top guide 1
By providing an operation guide means for the key top 13 in 7, when the key top is operated, there is almost no backlash,
Stable switch operation is possible even if the corner of the key top is pressed. After the key top guide 17 is held by the guide holding plate 15, the key top guide 17 can be attached to the case 11. Since the key top guide 17 is independent of the case 11, the key top guide 17 can be adapted to various structures of the case 11. Compared to a case where the top guide is integrally formed with the case 11, the price of the case can be made sufficiently low, and the key top guide 17 and / or the key top 13 can be a common part. It can be constructed inexpensively.

A positioning rib is provided on the inner surface of the case 11,
By positioning the key top guide 17 on this position, the position of the key top after assembly does not shift. Since the key top guide 17 is sandwiched and fixed between the guide holding plate 15 and the case 11, the key top guide 17 can be removed as a single key top. At this time, the key top guide 17 is temporarily fixed to the guide plate 15 and each key top is held without dropping off to the key top guide 17, so that only one of the key tops is used to prevent the display from being stained. The replacement work can be performed very easily. In other words, other key tops and key top guides do not need to be separated, and there is no need to perform such troublesome work as reassembling them.

Further, the light emitting element 33 can be mounted so as to face the center of the key top, so that the illumination of the key top becomes uniform, no shadow is generated, and light leakage can be easily prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a part of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
Is a left side view thereof.

FIG. 2A is a plan view of the case with the case 11 of FIG. 1 removed, and FIG. 2B is a front view showing a state where the key top guide 17 is temporarily fixed to the guide holding plate 15.

FIG. 3A is a plan view showing a part of the guide holding plate 15, and FIG.
Is a bottom view of the key top guide 17 inserted into the key top 13, and C is a front view with a partial cross section thereof.

FIG. 4A is a plan view of a part of the case with the case 11 removed, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A.

FIG. 5A is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4A. FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a state where the key top 13 is inserted into the key top guide 17, and FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating a state where the key top 13 is removed.

6A is a plan view of the key top guide 17, B is a right side view thereof, C is a sectional view taken along line AA of A, and D is a rear view of A. FIG.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01H 13/14 H01H 9/16 H01H 13/02 H01H 13/70

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A key top, provided separately from a panel case, accommodating the key top, guiding means for guiding the key top in the operation direction of the key top, and extending in the operation direction of the key top.
To prevent the key top from falling off, and
When a force in the above operation direction is applied to the keytop, it elastically deforms.
Hand that can be removed from the key top guide
A key top guide having a step and a guide holding a plurality of the key top guides inserted therein
Plate and the key top guide together with the guide holding plate.
And a case having the key top operation holes . 2. A positioning rib formed on an inner surface of the case, and an in-plane positioning means engaged with the key top guide and positioning the key top guide in a direction perpendicular to a key top operation direction. The switch operation panel according to claim 1, wherein: And wherein said guide holding plate of the case and the opposite side and opposite to the substrate provided, attached to the substrate, wherein, characterized in that it comprises a switch operated by the key top, the Item 1,
3. The switch operation panel according to any one of 2 . 4. The switch operation panel according to claim 3, further comprising an illuminating light-emitting element provided on said substrate so as to face a central portion of an operation top surface of said keytop.