JP4775589B2 - Dial operation switch - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a dial type operation switch, and more particularly to a dial type operation switch used for an operation panel of an automotive air conditioner.

As a dial-type operation switch of this type, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 below, a substantially cylindrical rotation switch (dial knob) is provided outside the cylindrical portion (support portion) of the fixed portion (housing). A case is known that is supported so as to be rotatable around an axis, and a case having an opening is covered with a fixed portion, and a rotary switch protrudes from the opening. In this dial type operation switch, the push part is further provided inside the cylinder part of the fixed part so as not to rotate around the axis of the rotary switch and to be slidable in the axial direction. The push portion is in a state in which the locking projection formed on the base end side edge is locked to the locking step portion formed on the cylindrical portion of the fixing portion, thereby preventing the push portion from coming off from the cylindrical portion. . In addition, a pressing piece is formed on the end of the push portion opposite to the base end side. The holding piece is cut and raised in an inclined manner toward the outside of the push portion, and the tube portion is biased from the inside to the outside by the bending thereof. For this reason, the locking projection is firmly locked with the locking step portion, thereby preventing the push portion from rattling.
JP 2005-209506 A

  However, in the dial-type operation switch described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, although the ratchet of the push part is prevented by the latching of the latching protrusion and the latching step part using the bending of the pressing piece, There was a problem that the disassembly workability of the operation switch deteriorated due to the strong locking with the locking step.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a dial-type operation switch that prevents backlash in the operation switch and that has good disassembly workability.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a substantially cylindrical dial knob supported by a support portion of a casing so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis, and a case having an opening is externally mounted on the casing. In the dial type operation switch in which the knob protrudes from the opening, the casing or the dial knob is elastically bent in the radial direction to allow the dial knob and the support portion to be assembled. A plurality of engagement pieces are provided in the circumferential direction, and a deflection regulating member that regulates the elastic deflection of the engagement pieces in the radial direction is detachable in a state where the dial knob is assembled to the support portion. It is characterized by being interposed. In this case, for example, the engagement piece is provided integrally with the case, and is provided integrally with the case in a state where the case as the deflection regulating member is assembled to the case. The ribs may be configured to restrict the engagement pieces from bending in the radial direction in cooperation with the dial knob. Further, the engagement piece is provided integrally with the dial knob, for example, and is engageable with an engagement groove penetrating the housing, and the engagement piece is engaged with the engagement groove. In this state, the annular member as the bending restricting member may cooperate with the engaging groove to restrict the engaging piece from bending in the radial direction.

  In this dial type operation switch, the plurality of engaging pieces provided in the circumferential direction bend in the radial direction to allow the dial knob to be attached to the support portion. In a state where the dial knob is assembled to the support portion, a detachable bending restricting member is interposed to restrict the bending of the engaging piece in the radial direction. For this reason, by attaching a bending restricting member, the bending of the engaging piece in the radial direction is restricted, and rattling of the dial knob can be prevented. Further, by removing the bending restricting member, the bending of the engaging piece in the radial direction is allowed, and the disassembling workability of the dial knob can be improved.

a. First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an operation panel SP of an automotive air conditioner that employs a dial type operation switch according to the first embodiment. The operation panel SP includes a plurality (three in FIG. 1) of dial type operation switches SW. It has. In FIG. 1, a front case 30 described later is omitted.

  Each dial type operation switch SW functions as an air conditioning operation. By rotating the dial knob 10 around its axis, a displacement converting mechanism (not shown) (the rotational angular displacement of the dial knob 10) is omitted. The target air conditioning function is set by a displacement output mechanism (for example, a linear variable resistance unit whose resistance varies according to the displacement converted by the displacement conversion mechanism). It can be done. Moreover, the light emission part 41, such as LED for night illumination, is mounted on the board | substrate 40 (refer FIG. 2).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the dial type operation switch SW includes a housing 20 and a front case 30 in addition to the dial knob 10. The dial knob 10 is made of a light-transmitting resin, and has a cylindrical knob portion 11 and a flange portion 12 integrally formed at the lower end thereof, and an annular guide groove 12 a formed in the flange portion 12. It is attached to the housing 20 via the via so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis and the position in the rotation axis is unchanged.

  The housing 20 (reflector) has a main body portion 21, a cylindrical fixing portion 22 penetrating the main body portion 21 in the vertical direction in the figure, and a larger diameter than the fixing portion 22, and from the upper surface of the main body portion 21. A guide jetty 23 protruding upward in the figure is integrally formed coaxially. The fixed portion 22 is fixed to the substrate 40 at the lower end thereof. The guide jetty 23 (supporting portion) is fitted into the guide groove 12 a of the flange portion 12 in the dial knob 10. On the outside of the guide jetty 23, four engagement pieces 24 are integrally formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

  Each engagement piece 24 can be elastically bent in the radial direction of the dial knob 10, and is set to a plate thickness and a plate width having a strength that takes into account the workability of assembling the dial knob 10. The claw portion 24a is integrally provided at the upper inner peripheral portion. The claw portion 24 a has a substantially triangular cross section having two inclined surfaces 24 a 1, 24 a 2, and protrudes inward so that the ridge line is located inside the outer peripheral end of the collar portion 12 of the dial knob 10.

  The front case 30 (bending restricting member) is made of a resin such as ABS or PC / ABS, and is externally mounted on the housing 20. The front case 30 has an opening 31, and the knob 11 of the dial knob 10 is in a state of protruding from the opening 31. On the inner side of the front case 30, ribs 32 are formed at portions corresponding to the respective engagement pieces 24. A slight gap is set between the rib 32 and each engagement piece 24. That is, the rib 32 functions so as to regulate the elastic deflection of the engagement piece 24 in cooperation with the flange portion 12 when the dial knob 10 is tilted.

  The dial type operation switch SW of the first embodiment is assembled through the following steps. In the first step, as shown in FIG. 3 (the fixing portion 22 and the substrate 40 are omitted), the guide jetty 23 of the housing 20 is fitted into the guide groove 12a of the flange portion 12 of the dial knob 10. At this time, when the collar portion 12 comes into contact with the inclined surface 24a1 of the claw portion 24a, the claw portion 24a is bent outward and the approach of the collar portion 12 to the guide jetty 23 side is allowed. In the state where the guide jetty 23 of the housing 20 is fitted in the guide groove 12a of the flange portion 12, the inclined surface 24a2 of the claw portion 24a is in contact with the flange portion 12, and the dial knob 10 rotates around the axis. The heel portion 12 is urged downward with a force that allows the heel portion 12 to be prevented from coming off from the guide jetty 23. In this state, when the dial knob 10 is lifted in the direction A in the drawing or twisted in the direction B in the state where the axis is inclined, the claw portion 24a is easily bent in the direction C in the drawing, and the dial knob 10 is relatively free. It can be tilted.

  In the second step, as shown in FIG. 4 (the fixing portion 22 and the substrate 40 are omitted), the front case 30 is externally mounted on the housing 20. Thereby, even if the dial knob 10 is lifted in the direction A in the drawing or twisted in the direction B in the state where the axis is inclined, the bending of the claw portion 24a is restricted by the rib 32 and the flange portion 12, The dial knob 10 does not tilt, and rattling is prevented.

  On the other hand, the dial knob 10 can be removed (disassembled) from the housing 20 by a process reverse to the above process. That is, if the front case 30 is removed from the casing 20, the claw portion 24a is allowed to bend in the direction C as shown in FIG. 2, and the dial knob 10 is lifted in the direction A to show the casing. 20 can be easily removed.

b. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the engagement piece 24 is formed on the housing 20, but instead, the engagement piece 13 is formed on the dial knob 10 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for example. May be. Accordingly, in the second embodiment, an engagement groove 21 a that can be engaged with the claw portion 13 a of the engagement piece 13 is formed in the main body portion 21 of the housing 20, and the main body portion of the housing 20 is also formed. An annular member 51 is interposed between 21 and the substrate 40 as a deflection regulating member. In addition, since the other structure is the same as that of the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member and part which perform the same function as the said 1st Embodiment, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The engagement pieces 13 are provided so as to protrude downward from the inner side of the guide groove 12 a in the flange portion 12, and four engagement pieces 13 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the flange portion 12. Each engagement piece 13 is integrally provided with a claw portion 13a at the lower outer peripheral portion thereof. The claw portion 13 a has a substantially triangular cross section having two inclined surfaces 13 a 1 and 13 a 2, and protrudes outward so that the ridgeline is located outside the inner peripheral portion of the guide jetty 23.

  The engaging groove 21 a has a substantially fan shape and penetrates the main body 21 of the housing 20. The annular member 51 has an annular shape, and has an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner dimension defined by the back surface of each engagement piece 13, and there is a slight gap between the back surface of each engagement piece 13 and the annular member 51. It is set so that a gap is formed.

  The dial type operation switch SW of the second embodiment is assembled through the following steps. In the first step, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide jetty 23 of the housing 20 is fitted into the guide groove 12 a of the flange portion 12 of the dial knob 10. At this time, when the inclined surface 13a1 of the claw portion 13a comes into contact with the guide jetty 23, the claw portion 13a is bent inward, and the approach of the flange portion 12 to the guide jetty 23 side is allowed. In a state in which the guide jetty 23 of the housing 20 is fitted in the guide groove 12a of the flange portion 12, the inclined surface 13a2 of the claw portion 13a is in contact with the outer peripheral edge of the engagement groove 21a. The hook 12 is biased downward with a force that allows rotation around the axis to prevent the hook 12 from coming off the guide jetty 23. In this state, when the dial knob 10 is lifted in the direction A shown in the drawing or twisted in the direction B shown in the state where the axis is inclined, the claw portion 13a is easily bent in the direction C shown in the figure, and the dial knob 10 is relatively free. It can be tilted.

  In the second step, as shown in FIG. 5, after the annular member 51 is installed between the claw portions 13 a, the substrate 40 is attached to the housing 20. Thereby, even if the dial knob 10 is lifted in the direction A in the drawing or twisted in the direction B in the state where the axis is inclined, the bending of the claw portion 13a is restricted by the annular member 51 and the engaging groove 21a. Therefore, the dial knob 10 does not tilt, and the occurrence of rattling is prevented.

  On the other hand, the dial knob 10 can be removed (disassembled) from the housing 20 by a process reverse to the above process. That is, if the annular member 51 is taken out after removing the substrate 40 from the housing 20, the claw portion 13a is allowed to bend in the direction C as shown in FIG. 7, and the dial knob 10 is illustrated. It can be easily removed from the housing 20 by lifting in the A direction.

  In the first embodiment, four engagement pieces 24 are provided in the body portion 21 of the housing 20 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In the second embodiment, the four engagement pieces 13 are dialed. Although it provided in the collar part 12 of the knob 10 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, the number of the engagement pieces 24 and 13 and those intervals can be changed suitably.

  Further, the present invention can also be applied to an operation switch of a type in which a push button switch is incorporated in the dial knob 10.

Schematic which shows the operation panel of the motor vehicle air conditioner which employ | adopted the dial type operation switch which concerns on 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the dial type operation switch shown in FIG. 1 concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. The principal part enlarged view which removed the front case from the dial type operation switch shown in FIG. The principal part enlarged view of the dial type operation switch shown in FIG. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of a dial type operation switch concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The top view of the housing | casing shown in FIG. The principal part enlarged view which removed the annular member and the board | substrate from the dial type operation switch shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

SP Operation panel SW Dial type operation switch 10 Dial knob 11 Knob portion 12 Hook portion 12a Guide grooves 13, 24 Engagement pieces 13a, 24a Claw portions 13a1, 13a2, 24a1, 24a2 Inclined surface 20 Housing 21 Body portion 21a Engaging groove 22 fixed part 23 guide jetty (support part)
30 Front case (case, deflection regulating member)
31 opening 32 rib 40 substrate 41 light emitting part 51 annular member (deflection regulating member)

Claims (3)

A dial in which a substantially cylindrical dial knob is supported by a support portion of the housing so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis, and a case having an opening is mounted on the housing so that the dial knob protrudes from the opening. In the type operation switch,
The casing or the dial knob is provided with a plurality of engagement pieces in the circumferential direction that elastically bend in the radial direction to allow assembly of the dial knob and the support portion. A dial type operation switch, wherein a deflection regulating member for regulating elastic deflection in a radial direction of the engagement piece in a state assembled to the support portion is detachably provided.   The engagement piece is provided integrally with the casing, and the rib provided integrally with the case includes the dial in a state where the case as the deflection regulating member is assembled to the casing. The dial type operation switch according to claim 1 which regulates that said engaging piece bends in a diameter direction in cooperation with a knob.   The engagement piece is provided integrally with the dial knob, and is engageable with an engagement groove penetrating the housing. In a state where the engagement piece is engaged with the engagement groove, The dial type operation switch according to claim 1, wherein an annular member serving as the deflection regulating member cooperates with the engagement groove to regulate the engagement piece from bending in the radial direction.