JP4326987B2 - Switch device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch device used for detecting an operation of a mechanism of an electronic device or the like, and more particularly to a switch device as a self-returning small detection switch.

  As the structure of the conventional switch device, a common contact is planted at the center of the inner bottom surface of the case, and fixed contacts are implanted on both inner walls facing each other, and an intermediate portion of an approximately M-shaped elastic metal movable contact is formed on the common contact. Are connected to each other at the same time, and a contact portion at the tip of the second arm formed through the folded portion provided at the tip of the first arm extending from the both ends of the intermediate portion to the left and right is provided on the inner wall of the case. A structure is known in which the sliding body slides on the inner bottom surface of the case by elastic contact and the lever rotates, and the pressing portions at both ends bring the contact portion of the movable contact into and out of contact with the fixed contact. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Hereinafter, the structure of a conventional switch device will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional switch device, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the conventional switch device.

  In the figure, 11 is a box-shaped case made of insulating resin having an opening 11A on the upper surface, a common contact 12 made of conductive metal at the center of the lower inner wall, and a pair of fixed contacts 13 on the left and right inner walls facing each other. 14 are implanted and fixed by insert molding or the like.

  Reference numeral 15 denotes a substantially M-shaped movable contact made of an elastic metal thin film such as phosphor bronze. The protrusion on the lower surface of the intermediate portion 15A is in elastic contact with the common contact 12 and extends left and right from both ends of the intermediate portion 15A and spreads outward. Further, a folded portion 15C is provided at the distal end of the first arm portion 15B, and contact points 15E curved outward from the distal end of the second arm portion 15D extending from the folded portion 15C are formed on the left and right inner sides of the case 11. It is elastic against the wall.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a lever made of an insulating resin. An operation portion 16A at the upper end protrudes upward from the opening portion 11A of the case 11, and a circular shaft portion 16B is rotatably mounted on the columnar shaft portion 11C of the case 11. In addition, a gear-like contact portion 16C is provided at the lower end.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a sliding body made of an insulating resin, which is housed in the case 11 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. The portion 17B meshes with the contact portion 16C of the lever 16.
Then, the cover 18 covers the front surface of the case 11 in which the movable contact 15, the lever 16, the sliding body 17, and the like are housed, thereby forming a switch device.

  As an operation of the switch, when the operation portion 16A of the lever 16 is rotated to the right, for example, from the neutral state, the slide body 17 in which the engagement portion 17B on the upper surface is engaged with the contact portion 16C on the lower end of the lever 16 is It slides leftward on the inner bottom surface of the case 11.

  Then, since the pressing portion 17A at the left end of the sliding body 17 presses the first arm portion 15B in the vicinity of the folded portion 15C of the movable contact 15, the left first arm portion 15B and the second arm portion 15D are bent, and the left side The contact portion 15E elastically slides downward on the left inner wall surface of the case 11 and the contact portion 15E contacts the fixed contact 13, whereby the fixed contact 13 and the common contact 12 via the movable contact 15 are contacted. Electrical connection is made.

  Then, when the operation force to the operation portion 16A of the lever 16 is released, the contact portion 15E is separated from the fixed contact 13 by the elastic return force of the movable contact 15, and the sliding body 17 pressed by the movable contact 15 is moved in the central direction. The lever 16 returns to the neutral state.

JP 2003-132765 A

  However, in the structure of the conventional switch device described above, the arm portion of the movable contact made of a substantially M-shaped elastic metal thin plate is used as a return spring for the sliding body (drive member), and the tip of this arm portion is fixed. Since the contact portion is in contact with the contact point, there is a problem that the contact of the contact portion becomes one-sided sliding due to the structure and the contact becomes unstable. In addition, since the spring span of the elastic metal thin plate is sufficient, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the size.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and to provide a switch device that can improve the contact reliability of the contact portion and can be miniaturized.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has as a first solution means a housing having a storage portion, a plurality of fixed contacts disposed in the storage portion, and a movable contact that is in sliding contact with these fixed contacts. A drive member housed in the housing so as to be slidable, an elastic member for returning the drive member to a neutral position, and is rotatably engaged with the housing, and the drive member is slid in accordance with a turning operation. An operation member to be moved, and the movable contact is formed in a clip shape for sliding on both sides and held on the drive member, and a plurality of the fixed contacts are erected along the slide movement direction of the drive member, said drive member with for sliding movement, to perform the switching of contact by the movable contact slidably contacts with sandwich the fixed contacts, the movable contact has a base, before Is formed the base of the movable contact is embedded integrally with the driving member, the contact portion of the clip-like has a configuration which is held by extending out the connecting crosspiece from the base of the movable contact.

As a second solving means, the movable contact has a pair of clip-like portions formed in the center, and on both sides of the cavity, extending along the sliding direction of the drive member. A contact portion is provided, and at the neutral position of the driving member, the central contact portion of the fixed contact is positioned in the hollow portion, and the clip-shaped contact portion is disposed away from the fixed contact.

As a third solution, the elastic member is formed by a coiled return spring, and the coiled return spring is held in a concave groove provided on the lower surface of the drive member. As a fourth solution, the elastic member is formed by a coiled return spring, and the coiled return spring is held in a recessed groove provided in the housing portion of the housing.

  As described above, the switch device of the present invention has a housing having a storage portion, a plurality of fixed contacts disposed in the storage portion, and a movable contact that is in sliding contact with the fixed contact, and is slidably received in the housing. Drive member, an elastic member that returns the drive member to the neutral position, and an operation member that is rotatably engaged with the housing and that slides the drive member in accordance with the rotation operation. A sliding clip is formed and held on the drive member, and a plurality of fixed contacts are erected along the slide movement direction of the drive member, and the movable contact is fixed as the drive member slides. Since the switching of the contact is performed by sandwiching and sliding the clip, the clip-shaped movable contact sandwiches and slides on both surfaces of the fixed contact. , Since the direction of sliding of the moving direction and the contact portion of the drive member is the same, it is possible to reduce the housing, thereby enabling downsizing of the switching device.

In addition, the movable contact is formed by being embedded in the drive member integrally, and the clip-shaped contact portion is held by a connecting bar portion extending from the drive member, so that the movable contact is integrated with the drive member. Therefore, smooth switching can be performed without play between each other.
In addition, the movable contact is provided with a pair of clip-shaped contact portions extending along the sliding direction of the drive member on both sides of the cavity, with a hollow portion formed in the center, and at the neutral position of the drive member. Since the central contact portion of the fixed contact is positioned in the cavity, and the clip-shaped contact portion is arranged away from the fixed contact, the movable contact is in a free state with the fixed contact in the initial state. As a result, workability during assembly is facilitated, and deformation and damage of the contact portion can be prevented.

In addition, since the elastic member is formed by a coiled return spring and the coiled return spring is held in the concave groove provided on the lower surface of the drive member, the drive member can be surely self-returned to the neutral position. At the same time, the switch device can be miniaturized.
In addition, since the elastic member is formed by a coiled return spring, and the coiled return spring is held in the recessed groove portion provided in the housing housing portion, the drive member can be surely self-returned to the neutral position. In addition, the switch device can be miniaturized. Also, the return spring can be easily assembled.

  Embodiments of the switch device of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the switch device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the cover of the switch device of the present invention is removed, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the main part of the switch device of the present invention, and FIG. It is a principal part cross-sectional perspective view which shows the other Example of the switch apparatus of this invention.

  1 to 3, the housing 1 is formed in a box shape having an opening on the top surface and having an accommodating portion 1 a inside using an insulating material such as synthetic resin. In addition, a window hole 1b that opens outward from the storage portion 1a is provided on one side of the housing 1, and a circular shaft hole 1c is provided outside the vicinity of the window hole 1b. An operation member 7 to be described later is pivotally supported in the shaft hole 1c and engaged with a drive member 4 to be described later through the window hole 1b.

  Also, a pair of engaging protrusions 1d and 1d are provided on one side surface of the housing 1 where the window hole 1b is provided and the other side surface opposite thereto, and these engaging protrusions 1d. Engagement pieces 8c and 8c of the cover 8 which will be described later are locked to 1d, and the cover 8 is fitted to the upper surface side of the housing 1.

  In addition, a bowl-shaped partition wall 1e is provided at the center of the inner bottom surface of the storage portion 1a, and when the drive member 4 (described later) slides on one side of the partition wall 1e, the movement is performed. A guide protrusion 1f for guiding is provided. Further, a notch portion is provided in the central portion of the guide protrusion 1f, and both end surfaces facing each other of the notch portion are contact portions 1g and 1g of both winding ends of the return spring 5 which is an elastic member described later. It has become.

  A plurality of fixed contacts 2 made of a conductive metal plate are disposed on the other side of the partition wall 1e on the inner bottom surface of the storage portion 1a. The fixed contact 2 is formed of a thin metal plate such as brass, and a base portion thereof is integrally embedded in the inner bottom portion of the housing 1 by a method such as insert molding. In addition, the fixed contact 2 has a central contact portion 2a standing at one end thereof from the inner bottom surface of the storage portion 1a, and a pair of peripheral contact portions standing on both sides of the central contact portion 2a. 2b and 2c are provided, and the central contact portion 2a and the peripheral contact portions 2b and 2c are provided side by side in a row along the sliding movement direction of the drive member 4 described later.

Further, a connecting terminal portion 3 connected to a circuit pattern or the like of a circuit board (not shown) such as an electronic device is provided on the other end side of the fixed contact 2. The connection terminal portion 3 is electrically connected to the base portion of the fixed contact 2 in the bottom surface portion of the housing 1, and is formed to protrude outward from the opposite side surface portions of the housing 1.
In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the tip end side of the connection terminal portion 3 is connected. However, when connecting to the circuit pattern of the circuit board, etc., each circuit pattern is separated from each other after being disconnected. It is supposed to be connected.

  The drive member 4 is formed in a substantially square shape with an insulating material such as synthetic resin. A concave groove portion 4a for holding (accommodating) a coiled return spring 5 which is an elastic member for returning the drive member 4 to the neutral position is provided at the center of the lower surface side of the drive member 4. A guide groove 4b having a width narrower than that of the concave groove 4a is provided continuously on both sides of the groove 4a. The guide groove 4b is slidably engaged with the guide protrusion 1f of the storage portion 1a, so that the drive member 4 is slidably received in the storage portion 1a.

  Thus, the elastic member for returning the driving member 4 to the neutral position is formed by the coiled return spring 5, and the coiled return spring 5 is formed in the concave groove portion 4 a provided on the lower surface of the drive member 4. Since it is held, the drive member 4 can be surely self-returned to the neutral position by using a coil-shaped spring with a simple structure, and the coil spring can be made small, so that the switch device can be downsized. It is possible.

  In addition, a drive cam portion 4c composed of a plurality of mountain-shaped projections is provided on the upper side surface portion of the drive member 4, and the drive cam portion 4c faces the window hole 1b of the storage portion 1a. The drive member 4 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 1a.

  A movable contact 6 made of a conductive thin metal plate such as phosphor bronze for spring is held on the lower side surface of the drive member 4. The movable contact 6 has a base portion of the drive member 4. It is formed by being embedded inside by a method such as insert molding. Further, from both ends of the lower side surface portion of the driving member 4, a substantially U-shaped connecting beam portion 6a is extended, and a pair of clip-shaped contact portions 6c are provided at the center of the connecting beam portion 6a. 6c is formed.

  The movable contact 6 has a pair of opposed arm portions 6b, 6b extending downward from the connecting beam portion 6a, and a sliding movement direction of the drive member 4 (at the tip of the arm portions 6b, 6b ( A pair of the clip-like contact portions 6c and 6c extending along the direction bent 90 degrees from the arm portion 6b is provided. A hollow portion 6d is formed at the center of the arm portions 6b and 6b, and the clip-shaped contact portions 6c and 6c are provided on both sides of the hollow portion 6d.

  When the driving member 4 is housed in the housing portion 1a and is in the neutral position, the movable contact 6 is in a state of being separated so that the hollow portion 6d covers the central contact portion 2a of the fixed contact 2. The clip-shaped contact portions 6c and 6c are disposed in a state of being separated from the peripheral contact portions 2b and 2c disposed on both sides of the center contact portion 2a.

  In this way, the hollow portion 6d is formed in the center of the movable contact 6, and a pair of clip-like contact portions 6c extending along the sliding direction of the drive member 4 on both sides of the hollow portion 6d. 6c, and in the neutral position of the drive member 4, the central contact portion 2a of the fixed contact 2 is positioned in the hollow portion 6d, and the clip-shaped contact portions 6c, 6c are separated from the fixed contact 2. Since the movable contact 6 is in a free state with the fixed contact 2 in the initial state, the workability at the time of assembly is facilitated, and deformation or damage of the contact portion can be prevented. Yes.

  The operation member 7 is made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin, and is an operation cam comprising a lever portion 7a having a tapered substantially triangular shape and a plurality of protrusions formed along an arc shape below the lever portion 7a. It has a portion 7b and a support shaft 7c which is located at the center of the arc of the operation cam portion 7b and is formed to protrude to the lower surface side.

  A support shaft 7 c of the operation member 7 is pivotally supported in the shaft hole 1 c of the housing 1, and an operation cam portion 7 b is connected to the drive member 4 via the window hole 1 b of the housing 1. The drive member 4 is engaged with the drive cam portion 4 c, and the drive member 4 slides in the sliding portion 1 a of the housing 1 as the operation member 7 rotates.

  The cover 8 is formed in a substantially square shape by punching and bending a metal plate, and a flat plate-like upper plate portion 8a, and a mounting plate portion 8b bent downward by 90 degrees from the four corners of the upper plate portion 8a. And have. In addition, an engagement piece 8c extending in an L shape toward the outside is provided on the distal end side of the mounting plate portion 8b. The cover 8 is fitted to the upper surface side of the housing 1 by being engaged with the formed engaging protrusion 1d.

Next, the operation of the switch device configured as described above will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 2, the operation member 7 and the drive member 4 are held in a neutral position in a state where no external force is applied to the operation member 7. At this time, the drive member 4 is held by being biased to the neutral position by the return spring 5 in a state where the guide groove portion 4b is engaged with the guide protrusion 1f of the housing portion 1a of the housing 1 and is movable in the left and right sliding directions. Has been.

  At this time, the movable contact 6 integrally held by the drive member 4 covers the central contact portion 2a of the fixed contact 2 disposed in the storage portion 1a by the hollow portion 6d between the arm portions 6b provided in the center. And a pair of clip-like contact portions 6c, 6c provided on both sides are arranged apart from the peripheral contact portions 2b, 2c provided on both sides of the central contact portion 2a. The movable contact 6 and the fixed contact 2 are separated from each other, and the switch is in an off state.

  From this state, for example, when a rightward external force indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 2 is applied to the lever portion 7a of the operating member 7, the operating member 7 rotates to the right in the figure about the support shaft 7c. Accordingly, the operation cam portion 7b engages with the drive cam portion 4c, and the drive member 4 slides to the left in the figure against the urging force of the return spring 5.

  Then, the movable contact 6 held integrally with the drive member 4 slides in the left direction in the drawing as the drive member 4 moves, so that the pair of clip-like contact portions 6c and 6c of the movable contact 6 are The central contact 2a and the peripheral contact 2b of the fixed contact 2 come into contact with each other, and the central contact 2a and the peripheral contact 2b of the fixed contact 2 are connected via the movable contact 6 so that the switch is turned on. Become. Then, the ON signal is output to a control circuit such as an external electronic device via the connection terminal portion 3 derived from the fixed contact 2.

  When the external force applied to the lever portion 7a of the operating member 7 is removed from this state, the operating member 7 slides the drive member 4 to the right in the figure by the urging force of the return spring 5 to the initial position (neutral position). As it returns, it is rotated leftward in the figure to return to the initial position. At this time, the movable contact 6 is also slid to the right in the figure, the pair of clip-like contact portions 6c, 6c are separated from the central contact portion 2a and the peripheral contact portion 2b of the fixed contact 2, and the switch is turned off.

Note that the same operation is performed when the operation member 7 is rotated in the opposite direction, which is the left direction in the figure, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
As described above, the movable contact 6 is formed so as to be integrally embedded in the drive member 4, and the clip-like contact portions 6 c and 6 c are held by the connecting beam portion 6 a extending from the drive member 4. As a result, the movable contact 6 is slid integrally with the drive member 4, so that there is no play between them and smooth switching can be achieved without rattling.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the structure for holding the return spring 5 which is an elastic member of the present invention.
In the above embodiment, the drive member 4 is provided with a groove 4a for holding (accommodating) the coiled return spring 5 as a holding structure of the return spring 5, and the return spring 5 is held by the groove 4a. However, in this embodiment, the housing 1 is provided with the recessed groove portion 1h for holding (accommodating) the coiled return spring 5, and the return spring 5 is held by the recessed groove portion 1h.

  As described above, since the coiled return spring 5 is held in the recessed groove portion 1h provided in the housing portion 1a of the housing 1, the drive member 4 can be surely self-returned to the neutral position, and Since the switch device can be reduced in size and can be inserted into the housing portion 1a of the housing 1 from above, the return spring 5 can be easily assembled.

  According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the movable contact 6 is formed in a clip shape for sliding on both sides and is integrally held on the drive member 4, and the central contact portion 2a which is a plurality of fixed contacts 2 and the periphery The contact portions 2b and 2c are erected along the slide movement direction of the drive member 4, and the clip-like contact portions 6c and 6c of the movable contact 6 are moved to the center as the drive member 4 slides. Since the contact point 2a and the peripheral contact points 2b and 2c are nipped and slidably contacted to switch the contact points, the clip-like contact points 6c and 6c of the movable contact 6 are connected to the central contact point 2a and the peripheral contact points. Since both sides of the portions 2b and 2c are slidably in contact with each other, the contact between the contact portions is stabilized, and the moving direction of the driving member 4 and the sliding direction of the contact portions are the same. The Miniaturization of the pitch device has become possible.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the switch apparatus of this invention. It is a top view which shows the state which removed the cover of the switch apparatus of this invention. It is a principal part cross-sectional perspective view which shows the switch apparatus of this invention. It is a principal part cross-sectional perspective view which shows the other Example of the switch apparatus of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the conventional switch apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the conventional switch apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Housing 1a: Storage part 1b: Window hole 1c: Shaft hole 1d: Engagement protrusion 1e: Partition 1f: Guide protrusion 1g: Contact part 1h: Groove part 2: Fixed contact 2a: Center contact part 2b: Periphery Contact part 2c: Peripheral contact part 3: Connection terminal part 4: Drive member 4a: Concave groove part 4b: Guide groove part 4c: Drive cam part 5: Return spring (elastic member)
6: Movable contact 6a: Connecting bar part 6b: Arm part 6c: Contact part 6d: Cavity part 7: Operating member 7a: Lever part 7b: Operating cam part 7c: Support shaft 8: Cover 8a: Upper plate part 8b: Mounting plate Part 8c: engagement piece

Claims (4)

A housing having a housing portion; a plurality of fixed contacts disposed in the housing portion; a drive member having a movable contact sliding in contact with the fixed contacts; and being slidably accommodated in the housing; An elastic member that returns the member to a neutral position; and an operation member that is rotatably engaged with the housing and that slides the drive member in accordance with the rotation operation, the movable contact being a clip for sliding on both sides And the plurality of fixed contacts are erected along the slide movement direction of the drive member, and the movable contact is moved as the drive member slides. to perform the switching of the contacts by sliding contact of the fixed contact by sandwiching, the movable contact has a base portion, the base portion of the movable contact are formed are embedded integrally with the driving member Cage, the switch device characterized in that it is held by the connecting crosspieces which contact portions of the clip shaped extending from the base portion of the movable contact. The movable contact is provided with a pair of clip-shaped contact portions extending along the sliding direction of the drive member on both sides of the cavity, with a hollow portion formed in the center. neutral in the position, with positioning the center contact portion of the fixed contact in the cavity, the clip-shaped switch device according to claim 1, characterized in that arranged is separated from the fixed contact a contact portion. 3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is formed by a coiled return spring, and the coiled return spring is held in a concave groove provided on a lower surface of the drive member. apparatus. 3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is formed by a coiled return spring, and the coiled return spring is held in a concave groove provided in a housing portion of the housing. apparatus.

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