JP3569079B2 - switch - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a switch in which an on / off switching operation is performed by rotating or pushing an operating body, and more particularly to a switch that also serves as a movable contact, a torsion coil spring for returning the operating body to an initial position.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as an example of this type of switch, a rotary operation type switch described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-86240 has been proposed. Such a known switch is composed of a synthetic resin wafer having an open upper end, an operation lever rotatably supported by the wafer, and a torsion coil spring for applying a rotational return force to the operation lever. A fixed contact for common and a fixed contact for switching are provided on the inner bottom surface of the wafer. The torsion coil spring functions as a movable contact, and first and second arms extend from both ends of a winding portion wound a plurality of turns. The first arm portion extends linearly and is always in contact with the fixed contact for common, and the second arm portion is bent in a U-shape and opposes the fixed contact for switching so as to be able to come and go.
[0003]
In the switch configured as described above, when the operating lever is in the non-operating state, the second arm of the torsion coil spring is in the initial position separated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the switching fixed contact. Yes, and is kept switched off. When the operation lever is rotated in this state, the second arm portion is pressed by the operation lever and abuts on the surface of the switching fixed contact, and the common fixed contact and the switching fixed contact are connected via the torsion coil spring. As a result, the switch is switched from the off state to the on state. When the pressing force on the operating lever is removed, the operating lever and the torsion coil spring return to the initial position by the elastic force of the torsion coil spring. When they are separated from each other, they are switched off again.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional switch, it is necessary to provide both a fixed contact for common and a fixed contact for switching on the inner bottom surface of the wafer. However, there is a problem in that the insulation properties of the semiconductor device cannot be sufficiently ensured, and the routing from the fixed contacts to the external terminals is greatly restricted. Further, since the contact pressure of the second arm portion with respect to the switching fixed contact is determined by the shape of the second arm portion, it is necessary to perform a complicated bending process on the torsion coil spring. There is also a problem that the processing cost of the steel sheet increases.
[0005]
As another example of this type of switch, a clip-shaped fixed contact is used as a fixed contact for switching as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-112535 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-36733. Push type switches have been proposed. In this case, if the spring pressure between the pair of clip pieces of the switching fixed contact is set high, the contact pressure when one arm of the torsion coil spring is fitted between the clip pieces is sufficiently secured. However, it is difficult to produce a sufficient spring pressure by using small clip pieces, which involves processing difficulties, and thus also hinders downsizing of the switch.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, one arm of the torsion coil spring is always in elastic contact with a fixed contact functioning as a common fixed contact , and the other arm is brought into contact with and separated from a contact piece functioning as a switching fixed contact . The torsion coil spring functions as a movable contact, and the fixed contact and the contact piece are distributed to a wafer and a cover which are laminated and integrated with each other. With this configuration, the contact force between the contact piece and the arm of the torsion coil spring is secured by the reaction force when the contact piece on the cover side is pressed against the base on the wafer side. Can easily be formed. In addition, since the contact piece is provided on the cover side, which is separate from the wafer, the degree of freedom in routing the fixed contact and the contact piece is greatly expanded, and the size of the contact piece and the torsion coil spring can be reduced. Thus, a small switch can be provided.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The switch of the present invention, a wafer which is disposed stationary contact which functions as a common fixed contact on the base made of a synthetic resin, is laminated and integrated on the wafer, the switching fixed to be pressed against the base of the inner surface A movable member having a cover having a contact piece functioning as a contact, a first arm portion disposed inside the wafer and the cover and always in elastic contact with the fixed contact, and a second arm portion capable of coming into contact with and separating from the contact piece; A torsion coil spring functioning as a contact, and an operating body that elastically contacts the second arm of the torsion coil spring and slides the arm between the contact piece and the inner surface of the base. It has.
[0008]
The operating body may be a push type that is pushed in or a lever type that is rotated, but in any case, the restoring force is applied by the second arm of the torsion coil spring. There is a need.
[0009]
The cover may be formed integrally with a metal plate as long as the cover has a contact piece.However, if a cover in which a metal plate having a contact piece is outsert on a synthetic resin base is used, the wafer and the cover Since each outer surface is covered with a base made of synthetic resin, the number of live parts exposed to the outside is reduced, and the mounting density when the switch is soldered on a printed circuit board can be increased.
[0010]
The contact piece may be formed in a cantilever shape. In particular, when the free end side of the U-shaped formed contact piece is pressed against the inner surface of the base, the spring span of the contact piece can be sufficiently increased. The overall shape can be reduced after the length is increased.
[0011]
Further, a sliding surface portion which is in sliding contact with the second arm portion of the torsion coil spring is formed at a free end of the contact piece, and the end of the sliding surface portion is inclined in a direction away from the inner surface of the base. When the switch is turned on, the second arm of the torsion coil spring can be smoothly guided between the sliding surface of the contact piece and the inner surface of the base.
[0012]
When a rib is protruded from the inner surface of the base and the second arm of the torsion coil spring is brought into contact with the rib, the second arm is turned on and off during a switch on / off operation. Slides on the ribs, so that the sliding resistance between the two is reduced, and the second arm can be smoothly displaced.
[0013]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a switch according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the switch, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the switch, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a rear view of a cover provided in the switch, FIG. 6 is a side view of a contact piece provided in the cover, FIG. 7 is a plan view of the contact piece, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the switch, and FIGS. 10 to 12 are explanatory views of the operation of the switch.
[0014]
The switch according to the present embodiment includes a wafer 1, a cover 2, an operation lever 3 rotatably supported on the wafer 1, and a torsion coil spring 4 for applying a rotation return force to the operation lever 3. The wafer 1 and the cover 2 are laminated and integrated with each other to form an outer shell of the switch.
[0015]
The wafer 1 has a base 5 integrally formed of an insulating synthetic resin, and a fixed contact 6 is outsert to the base 5. The fixed contact 6 is disposed obliquely along the inner surface of the base 5, and a projection 6 a is formed on the surface thereof. The fixed contact 6 is routed along the inner bottom surface of the base 5 and protrudes outward from each side surface of the base 5 as external terminals 6b, 6c and 6d, respectively, and the external terminals 6b, 6c and 6d are It is kept at the same potential.
[0016]
The base 5 is formed in a box shape having an open upper surface, and a notch 7 is formed on one side thereof, and a floating prevention protrusion 5a is formed on another side opposite to the notch 7. In addition, locking projections 5b are formed on the remaining two side surfaces adjacent to this side surface. A stepped support shaft 8 having a large-diameter portion 8a and a small-diameter portion 8b is erected on the inner bottom surface of the base 5, and a guide wall 9 surrounds the large-diameter portion 8a of the support shaft 8. The positioning part 10 is formed. The guide wall 9 protrudes above the positioning portion 10, and a ring-shaped groove 11 is formed around the support shaft 8 by the guide wall 9 and the positioning portion 10. Further, a rib 12 having a hemispherical cross section is formed on the inner bottom surface of the base 5, and the rib 12 extends in an arc around the support shaft 8.
[0017]
The cover 2 has a base 13 integrally formed of an insulating synthetic resin, and a conductive metal plate 14 is outsert to the base 13. The base 13 is formed in a flat plate shape so as to cover the upper open end of the wafer 1. A plurality of snap pieces 15 and one external terminal 16 are formed on the edge of the metal plate 14, and each snap piece 15 is bent downward from opposite side surfaces of the base 13, and the external terminal 16 is connected to the base. 13 is bent obliquely downward from the other side surface. A contact piece 17 is formed on the metal plate 14 by bending, and the contact piece 17 extends obliquely downward from the back surface of the base 13. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the contact piece 17 is formed in a U-shape, and a sliding surface portion 18 protruding laterally is formed at the tip (free end) thereof. A bent piece 18a is formed at one end of the sliding surface portion 18, and the bent piece 18a is inclined upward (see FIG. 8).
[0018]
The cover 2 is attached to the upper open end of the wafer 1. The cover 2 and the wafer 1 are stacked and integrated with each other by snapping the snap pieces 15 into the corresponding locking projections 5b. In this state, the sliding surface portion 18 of the contact piece 17 is pressed against the inner bottom surface of the base 5, and the contact piece 17 is displaced from the position shown by the solid line in FIG. .
[0019]
The operation lever 3 is integrally formed of a synthetic resin, and has a thick-walled revolving body 19 and a thin-walled bar-shaped body 20 protruding sideways from the revolving body 19. A hole 20 a is formed in the rod 20, and the operation lever 3 is rotatably supported by the wafer 1 by fitting the hole 20 a into the small diameter portion 8 b of the support shaft 8. In this state, one end of the revolving body 19 protrudes upward from the notch 7 of the wafer 1, and the contact portion 19 a formed at the other end is located inside the wafer 1.
[0020]
The torsion coil spring 4 functions as a movable contact. The torsion coil spring 4 includes a wound portion 4a wound a plurality of turns, and first and second arms 4b and 4c extending linearly from both ends of the wound portion 4a. Having. The winding part 4 a is inserted into the groove 11 of the wafer 1, and its outer shape is restricted by the guide wall 9 and the positioning part 10. The first arm portion 4b elastically contacts the fixed contact 6 passing above the positioning portion 10, and the tip of the first arm portion 4b contacts the protruding portion 6a, whereby the position is regulated so as not to move in the vertical direction. The opening angle of the second arm 4 c is regulated by the guide wall 9, and the second arm 4 c contacts the rib 12 through the inner bottom surface of the base 5. The tip of the second arm portion 4c is in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a of the operation lever 3, and the reaction force exerts a rotation return force on the operation lever 3.
[0021]
When assembling the switch configured as described above, first, the winding portion 4 a of the torsion coil spring 4 is inserted into the groove 11 of the wafer 1, and the root portion of the second arm portion 4 c is attached to the guide wall 9. Lock. As a result, even if there is some variation in the forming of the torsion coil spring 4, as shown in FIG. 9, the opening angle of the first arm 4b and the second arm 4c is restricted to a constant angle α. Is done. Next, the hole 20a of the operation lever 3 is inserted into the small-diameter portion 8b of the support shaft 8, and the tip of the second arm portion 4c of the torsion coil spring 4 elastically contacts the contact portion 19a. As a result, a rotational return force in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9 is applied to the operation lever 3, so that the upper surface of the rod 20 abuts against the inner surface of the base 5, and the upper part of the revolving body 19 is cut off. It will be in the state projected upward from the notch 7. Thereafter, the cover 2 is put on the upper open end of the wafer 1, and each snap piece 15 of the cover 2 is snapped into the corresponding locking projection 5b of the wafer 1, so that the wafer 1 and the cover 2 are laminated and integrated. , The switch shown in FIG. 1 is assembled.
[0022]
When the operation lever 3 is not operated, the switch assembled in such a procedure is in the initial position shown in FIG. 10, and in this state, the first arm 4b of the torsion coil spring 4 elastically contacts the fixed contact 6. However, since the second arm portion 4c is at a position away from the sliding surface portion 18 of the contact piece 17, the second arm portion 4c is kept in the switch-off state. When the revolving body 19 of the operation lever 3 is pushed in this state, the operation lever 3 rotates clockwise around the small diameter portion 8b of the support shaft 8 and displaces the tip of the second arm portion 4c in the same direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the central portion of the second arm portion 4c contacts the sliding surface portion 18 of the contact piece 17, and the fixed contact 6 and the contact piece 17 are conducted through the torsion coil spring 4. The state is switched to the on state, that is, the switch-on state. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, since the bent piece 18 a is inclined upward with respect to the inner bottom surface of the base 5, the second arm 4 c is surely guided to the lower surface of the sliding surface 18. Can be. When the revolving structure 19 of the operation lever 3 is further pushed in the same direction, the second arm portion 4c slides between the lower surface of the sliding surface portion 18 and the inner bottom surface of the base 5 as shown in FIG. , The switch-on state is maintained. When the above-mentioned pressing force on the operation lever 3 is removed, the second arm 4c of the torsion coil spring 4 returns to the original posture by its own elastic force, and the operation lever 3 is also moved to the position shown in FIG. It is pushed back to the initial position shown, and the second arm 4c moves away from the sliding surface 18 of the contact piece 17 accordingly, so that the switch is turned off.
[0023]
As described above, in the above embodiment, the fixed contact 6 functioning as the common fixed contact is provided on the wafer 1 side, and the contact piece 17 functioning as the switching fixed contact is provided on the cover 2 side. Since the sliding surface 18 of the contact piece 17 is pressed against the inner bottom surface of the base 5 when the cover 1 and the cover 2 are laminated and integrated, the contact piece 17 has a simple U-shape. The contact pressure between the contact piece 17 and the second arm portion 4c of the torsion coil spring 4 can be sufficiently ensured only by forming into the shape shown in FIG. Therefore, not only the processing of the contact piece 17 and the torsion coil spring 4 is simplified, but also the overall shape of the contact piece 17 and the torsion coil spring 4 can be reduced. In addition, since the fixed contact 6 and the contact piece 17 are separately arranged on the wafer 1 and the cover 2, the degree of freedom in routing the fixed contact 6 and the contact piece 17 is greatly increased, and the contact piece 17 and the contact piece 17 are separated as described above. Along with the fact that the torsion coil spring 4 can be downsized, a small switch can be provided.
[0024]
Further, the free end of the contact piece 17 is formed as a sliding surface portion 18, and a bent piece 18a is formed at one end of the sliding surface portion 18 so as to be inclined away from the inner bottom surface of the base 5. The second arm portion 4c of the coil spring 4 can be smoothly guided between the sliding surface portion 18 and the inner bottom surface of the base 5.
[0025]
Further, during the on / off switching operation of the switch, the second arm 4c of the torsion coil spring 4 slides on the rib 12 projecting from the inner bottom surface of the base 5, so that the second arm The sliding resistance between the portion 4c and the rib 12 is reduced, and the second arm 4c can be smoothly displaced by the operation lever 3.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention is implemented in the form described above, and has the following effects.
[0027]
One arm of the torsion coil spring is always in elastic contact with a fixed contact functioning as a fixed contact for common , and the other arm is brought into contact with and separated from a contact piece functioning as a fixed contact for switching. By making the spring function as a movable contact and distributing these fixed contacts and contact pieces to the wafer and cover which are laminated and integrated with each other, even if the contact piece and the torsion coil spring have a simple shape, a Not only is the contact pressure sufficiently secured, but also the degree of freedom in routing the fixed contact and the contact piece is greatly increased, so that a small-sized switch can be provided.
[0028]
When the contact piece is formed into a U-shape and its free end is pressed against the inner surface of the base of the wafer, the spring span of the contact piece can be made sufficiently long and the overall shape can be reduced.
[0029]
Further, a sliding surface portion which is in sliding contact with the second arm portion of the torsion coil spring is formed at the free end of the contact piece, and the end of the sliding surface portion is inclined in a direction away from the inner surface of the base of the wafer. When the switch is turned on, the second arm of the torsion coil spring can be smoothly guided between the sliding surface of the contact piece and the inner surface of the base.
[0030]
When a rib is projected from the inner surface of the base of the wafer and the second arm of the torsion coil spring is brought into contact with the rib, the second arm is turned on and off during the switch on / off operation. Since the slider slides on the rib, the sliding resistance between the two is reduced, and the second arm can be smoothly displaced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a switch according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the switch.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the switch.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a wafer provided in the switch.
FIG. 5 is a rear view of a cover provided in the switch.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a contact piece provided on the cover.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of the contact piece.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a bent piece formed on the contact piece.
FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the switch.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a lever initial position of the switch.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a switch-on position of the switch.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a lever end position of the switch.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wafer 2 Cover 3 Operation lever 4 Torsion coil spring 4a Winding part 4b First arm part 4c Second arm part 5 Base 6 Fixed contacts 6b, 6c, 6d External terminal 7 Notch 12 Rib 13 Base 14 Metal plate 15 Snap piece 16 External terminal 17 Contact piece 18 Sliding surface 18a Bending piece

Claims (4)

A wafer having fixed contacts functioning as common fixed contacts on a synthetic resin base;
A cover having a contact piece laminated and integrated with the wafer and functioning as a switching fixed contact pressed against the inner surface of the base;
A torsion coil spring that is disposed inside the wafer and the cover and that functions as a movable contact having a first arm that is always in elastic contact with the fixed contact and a second arm that can be brought into and out of contact with the contact piece;
A switch comprising an operating body which elastically contacts the second arm of the torsion coil spring and slides the arm between the contact piece and the inner surface of the base. 2. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the contact piece is formed in a U-shape, and a free end side thereof is pressed against an inner surface of the base . In the description of 請 Motomeko 1 or 2, wherein the contact piece second arm portion in sliding contact sliding surface of the torsion coil spring is formed on the free end of the base end portion of the sliding surface A switch characterized by being inclined away from the inner surface of the switch. The switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a rib is projected from an inner surface of the base, and a second arm of the torsion coil spring abuts on the rib. .

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