JP4917878B2 - Switch structure of push-type switch - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch structure of a push-type switch that constitutes, for example, an operation unit of an in-vehicle audio apparatus.

Conventionally, in a switch structure of a push-type switch in which a shaft portion of a resin switch knob is slidably fitted to an inner peripheral portion of a resin switch case, a convex guide rail extending in the axial direction is formed on the outer periphery. The switch knob and a switch case with a concave guide rail groove corresponding to the guide rail formed on the inner periphery, and the switch knob is fitted into the switch case with the guide rail fitted in the guide rail groove A switch structure of a push-type switch in which the switch knob is slidable in the axial direction by guiding the guide rail into a guide rail groove is known. Note that the guide rail groove and the portion where the guide rail is formed are arbitrary. For example, the switch of the push-type switch in which the guide rail groove is formed on the outer periphery of the switch knob and the guide rail is formed on the inner periphery of the switch case. The structure is also known.
In the switch structure of this type of push-type switch, the guide rail extends continuously in the axial direction from the base end to the tip end of the switch knob on the outer periphery of the switch knob, and a guide rail groove corresponding to the guide rail is formed. The switch case has substantially the same length as the guide rail and is formed on the inner periphery of the switch case (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-132760 A

  By the way, the resin switch knob and the resin switch case are generally formed by injection molding, and when the guide rail is continuously formed in the axial direction on the outer periphery of the switch knob as described above, the guide rail Must be provided with a large taper for die removal. When this large taper is provided on the outer periphery of the switch knob, when the switch knob is slid in the axial direction, the gap between the switch knob and the switch case becomes large depending on the position of the switch knob. When the gap between the switch knob and the switch case is large, there is a problem in that the switch knob is not stabilized in the switch case and blurring increases. Furthermore, since the blur is large, the problem that the slidability of the switch knob is not good, especially when the switch pressing part provided at the base end of the switch knob is pressed away from the center of the switch pressing part. There was a problem that the switch knob did not move smoothly in the axial direction and the operability was poor.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and a switch of a push-type switch in which the switch knob is small in blurring when the switch knob is fitted to the switch case, and the switch knob has good slidability and operability. The purpose is to provide a structure.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a switch structure of a push-type switch in which a shaft portion of a resin switch knob is slidably fitted to an inner peripheral portion of a resin switch case. The switch knob is molded by resin molding with a mold, and then is molded by being pulled out from the mold in the proximal direction, and a first guide rail or a first guide is formed at the proximal end of the shaft portion of the switch knob. the rail groove provided, wherein providing the second guide rail and the second guide rail groove that is independent of the front end to the first guide rail or the first guide rail groove of the shaft portion, the first guide on the inner periphery of said switch case third guide rail groove or third guide rail disposed Rutotomoni rail or the first guide rail groove is fitted, a second guide rail and the second guide rail The fourth guide rail groove or the fourth guide rail Le groove is fitted, characterized in that provided independently of the said third guide rail groove or the third guide rail.
In the present invention, since the guide rail or the guide rail groove is separately provided at the base end of the shaft portion of the switch knob and the tip of the shaft portion, when the shape of the switch knob is formed with the switch knob forming mold Further, the contact area between the groove portion of the mold and the guide rail is reduced, the frictional force when removing the switch knob from the mold is reduced, and the switch knob can be removed from the mold with a smaller force. For this reason, it is not necessary to design the taper of a switch knob large. For the same reason, it is not necessary to design the taper of the switch case to be large. For this reason, the taper of a switch knob and a switch case can be made small, when a switch knob is fitted to a switch case, the blur of a switch knob is small, and the slidability and operability of a switch knob become favorable.
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the second guide rail or the second guide rail groove is provided so as to extend from the distal end portion of the shaft portion of the switch knob toward the distal end direction.
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the second guide rail or the second guide rail groove is provided at the tip of the shaft portion of the switch knob so as not to protrude outward from the outer diameter of the shaft portion. And

Also, the small diameter portion provided at the distal end of the shaft portion of the switch knob may be provided second guide rail and the second guide rail groove on the small diameter portion.

  In the present invention, since the guide rail or the guide rail groove is separately provided at the base end of the shaft portion of the switch knob and the tip of the shaft portion, when the shape of the switch knob is formed with the switch knob forming mold Further, the contact area between the groove portion of the mold and the guide rail is reduced, the frictional force when removing the switch knob from the mold is reduced, and the switch knob can be removed from the mold with a smaller force. For this reason, it is not necessary to design the taper of a switch knob large. Similarly, it is not necessary to design the switch case with a large taper. For this reason, the taper of a switch knob and a switch case can be made small, when a switch knob is fitted to a switch case, the blur of a switch knob is small, and the slidability and operability of a switch knob become favorable.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of the in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The in-vehicle audio device 1 is mounted on a vehicle and outputs sound from a speaker (not shown) mounted on the vehicle according to a user's operation, and a CD (compact disc) is mounted on a substantially box-shaped main body. It incorporates various components that realize the playback function and tuner function of the recording medium.
As shown in this figure, a display unit 2 is composed of a liquid crystal display, an EL display, and the like at the front center of the in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 and performs various displays such as a CD operation state, a playback track number, a song title, and a reception radio channel. Is arranged. A CD insertion slot 3 is provided above the display unit 2, and the CD insertion slot 3 is configured to be opened and closed by operating a CD eject button 4 provided adjacent thereto.

An operation key group 5 is provided on the right side of the display unit 2. A preset function is assigned to each of the plurality of operation keys included in the operation key group 5, and the user realizes each preset function by operating these operation keys.
A CD / radio operation key group 6 is provided below the display unit 2. By operating the operation keys of the CD / radio operation key group 6, the CD can be played, stopped, paused, fast-forwarded, wound. Perform various operations on CD and radio such as return and radio selection.
A display switching button 7 for switching the contents displayed on the display unit 2 is provided on the lower left side of the display unit 2. An adjustment switch 8 for displaying an adjustment screen for performing various adjustments such as the sound quality of the CD is provided. Above the adjustment switch 8, an operation mode switch 9 for switching the operation mode of the in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 is provided. Is provided.

On the left side of the display unit 2, a volume switch 30 is provided. The volume switch 30 is formed at the center of the volume switch 30, and a mute switch 31 for muting or releasing the sound output from the speaker by a pressing operation, and on the outside of the mute switch 31. And a volume adjustment switch 32 that adjusts the volume of the sound that is formed and is output from the speaker by a rotation operation.
The mute switch 31 constitutes the switch structure of the push-type switch according to the present embodiment. A switch pressing portion 33 is formed on the front portion of the mute switch 31. As will be described in detail later, the switch pressing portion 33 is formed with a MUTE display portion 34 with a letter “MUTE” made of a transparent member that can transmit light. When the sound is muted, The LED light source 35 (see FIG. 2) existing at the rear of the switch pressing portion 33 is turned on, and the light emitted from the LED light source 35 is transmitted.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the volume switch 30 and shows a state where the switch pressing portion 33 of the mute switch 31 is not pressed. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the volume switch 30 and shows a state where the switch pressing portion 33 of the mute switch 31 is pressed. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mute switch 31.
As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the mute switch 31 has a switch case 36 and a switch knob 37 fitted in the switch case 36.
The switch case 36 has a cylindrical switch case body 38 having an open base end and a distal end, and has a diameter larger than the diameter of the switch case body 38 on the base end side of the switch case body 38. A switch case base end 39 is formed. On the inner periphery of the switch case base end portion 39, a plurality (four in this embodiment, including those not shown) are formed in a state where the convex third guide rail 40 (see FIG. 4) extends in the axial direction. Has been. Further, on the inner periphery on the distal end side of the switch case 36, a plurality of convex four guide rails 41 (see FIG. 4) extend in the axial direction (in the present embodiment, four including those not shown). ) Is formed.

The switch knob 37 has a cylindrical switch knob shaft portion 42 whose base end is open, and a switch pressing force having a diameter larger than the diameter of the switch knob shaft portion 42 on the base end side of the switch knob shaft portion 42. A member holder 43 is formed, and a switch pressing portion 33 is fitted and attached to the switch pressing member holder 43. In addition, a plurality of concave first guide rail grooves 44 (see FIG. 4) are provided on the outer periphery of the proximal end side of the switch knob shaft portion 42 in a state of being in contact with the switch pressing member holder 43 and extending in the axial direction. (In the present embodiment, there are four including those not shown). Further, a small diameter portion 45 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the switch knob shaft portion 42 is formed at the distal end portion of the switch knob shaft portion 42, and a concave second guide rail groove 46 is formed on the outer periphery of the small diameter portion 45. 4 (see FIG. 4) are provided in the axial direction in a state where the switch knob shaft portion 42 does not protrude outward from the outer diameter of the switch knob shaft portion 42 (in the present embodiment, four including those not shown).
A tact switch pressing portion 47 is formed at the tip of the switch knob shaft portion 42 so as to protrude from the switch knob shaft portion 42. The tact switch pressing portion 47 is a member for operating a tact switch 49 provided on a printed circuit board 48 to be described later when the switch pressing portion 33 is pressed and the switch knob 37 is displaced in the distal direction. .
Further, a through hole 51 for allowing a tact switch 49 and an LED light source 35 to be described later to pass through is formed in the bottom surface 50 on the distal end side of the switch knob 37.

When the switch knob 37 is fitted into the switch case 36, the first guide rail groove 44 is fitted into the third guide rail 40 and the second guide rail groove 46 is fitted into the fourth guide rail 41. Thus, the switch knob 37 is regulated so that the first guide rail groove 44 and the second guide rail groove 46 are guided by the third guide rail 40 and the fourth guide rail 41 and slide only in the axial direction. Yes.
Further, when the switch knob 37 is displaced in the distal end direction in the switch case 36, the switch pressing member holder 43 of the switch knob 37 contacts the switch case base end 39 of the switch case 36 and is displaced to a position where it is locked. It is the composition to do.

The switch case 36 is attached to a printed circuit board 48 on which the tact switch 49, the LED light source 35, various circuits, and the like are mounted, with the switch knob 37 fitted on the inner periphery. At this time, the LED light source 35 mounted on the printed circuit board 48 in a protruding state passes through the opening provided at the tip of the switch case body 38 and the through hole 51 of the switch knob 37, and then the switch knob 37. Extend to the inside.
Further, the tact switch 49 of the switch board 37 is engaged with the tact switch 49 of the printed circuit board 48. As shown in FIG. 2, when the switch pressing part 33 is not pressed, that is, the switch knob. When no force is applied to displace 37 in the distal direction, the tact switch 49 urges and supports the switch knob 37 toward the proximal end side. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the switch pressing portion 33 is pressed and the switch knob 37 is displaced in the distal direction, the tact switch pressing portion 47 presses the tact switch 49 and operates it. A mute circuit (not shown) is activated to turn mute on / off.
The LED light source 35 is configured to be turned on when mute is on and turned off when mute is off.

The volume adjustment switch 32 includes a rotary knob 52 for performing a rotation operation, a rotary knob receiver 53 to which the rotary knob 52 is attached, and a board connecting portion 54 that instructs the rotary knob receiver 53 to freely rotate. The board connection portion 54 is attached to the printed board 48.
The rotary knob 52 is connected to a rotary encoder (not shown) that detects a displacement amount of the rotation of the rotary knob 52 and outputs the displacement amount as a signal. The rotary encoder is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 48 and is connected to a control circuit (not shown) on the printed circuit board 48, and can output various control signals to the control circuit. Further, the control circuit is connected to an electronic volume (not shown), and can output various control signals to the electronic volume and control the audio signal output from the electronic volume.

Next, the operation of the volume switch 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, for simplification of explanation, it is assumed that the user inserts a CD into the in-vehicle audio apparatus 1 and listens to music recorded on the CD.
The user presses the switch pressing portion 33 of the mute switch 31 when the user wants to temporarily mute the volume of music, for example, during a conversation. When the switch pressing portion 33 is pressed, the switch knob 37 is displaced in the distal direction from the state before pressing shown in FIG. 2 to the state after pressing shown in FIG. 3, and the tact switch pressing portion 47 is moved. The tact switch 49 is pressed.

When the tact switch 49 is activated, the mute circuit is activated, the volume of music flowing from the speaker is muted, and the LED light source 35 is turned on under the control of the control circuit. The light emitted from the LED light source 35 passes through the inner periphery of the switch knob shaft part 42 and then passes through the MUTE display part 34 formed of a transparent member. For this reason, the MUTE display unit 34 is in a shining state. Accordingly, the user can easily recognize whether or not the mute display unit 34 is currently illuminated by checking whether or not the MUTE display unit 34 is illuminated.
On the other hand, when the user wants to cancel the mute state, the user presses the switch pressing portion 33 of the mute switch 31 again to activate the tact switch 49. Then, the mute circuit is activated to cancel the mute state of the music volume, and the LED light source 35 is turned off.

When the user wants to adjust the volume of music, the user adjusts the volume by rotating the rotary knob 52 of the volume adjustment switch 32. Specifically, when it is desired to increase the volume, the volume is increased stepwise by rotating the rotary knob 52 to the right, and conversely, when the volume is decreased, the rotation knob 52 is rotated leftward to increase the volume. Reduce the volume.
When the rotation knob 52 is rotated by the user, the rotary encoder connected to the rotation knob 52 detects the rotation direction and the rotation angle, and outputs a pulse corresponding to them to the control circuit. The control circuit outputs a control signal to the electronic volume based on the received pulse, and controls the audio signal output from the electronic volume, thereby adjusting the volume of music output from the speaker.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the guide rail grooves 44 and 47 are separately provided at the proximal end of the shaft portion of the switch knob 37 and the distal end of the shaft portion. The lengths of the first guide rail groove 44 and the second guide rail groove 46 are shortened, and the required minimum length is sufficient. Therefore, when the shape of the switch knob 37 is molded with the switch knob molding die, the contact area between the groove portion of the mold and the first guide rail groove 44 and the second guide rail groove 46 is reduced, and the mold is removed from the mold. The friction force when removing the switch knob 37 is also reduced, and the switch knob 37 can be removed from the mold with a smaller force. For this reason, it is not necessary to design the taper of the switch knob 37 large. Since the guide rail groove 47 provided at the distal end of the shaft portion of the switch knob 37 does not protrude outward of the shaft portion, a mold for forming the guide rail groove 44 at the proximal end of the shaft portion is used in the axial direction. The mold configuration can be simplified without obstructing the extraction. Similarly, since the lengths of the third guide rail 40 and the fourth guide rail 41 are also the minimum necessary length, it is not necessary to design the taper of the switch case 36 to be large. For this reason, the taper of switch knob 37 and switch case 36 can be made small.

  Further, since the taper of the switch knob 37 and the switch case 36 is small, the gap interposed between the switch knob 37 and the switch case 36 is small regardless of the displacement of the switch knob 37 as shown in FIGS. . Therefore, when the switch knob 37 is fitted to the switch case 36, the switch knob 37 is less blurred and the slidability is improved when the switch knob 37 is displaced. In particular, in this embodiment, the switch knob 37 is smoothly displaced in the distal direction without being shaken regardless of which portion of the switch pressing portion 33 is pressed, and thus the operability is good.

  In the present embodiment, since the third guide rail 40 and the fourth guide rail 41 are dispersedly arranged at the proximal end and the distal end of the switch case body 38, there is no guide rail in the center part of the switch case body 38. Therefore, when molding the central portion of the switch case body 38, it is not necessary to consider the taper at the time of resin molding, and the switch knob 37 and the switch case 36 can be designed to have a small taper. The flexibility of the shape of the switch knob 37 and the switch case 36 is great. In this configuration, the switch knob shaft portion 42 and the switch case body portion 38 are designed to have a substantially cylindrical shape with almost no taper, so that the passage of light emitted from the LED light source 35 is provided on the inner peripheral portion of the switch knob shaft portion 42. And the illumination range of the LED light source 35 can be expanded.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the first guide rail groove 44 and the second guide rail groove 46 are formed at an interval in the switch knob shaft portion 42. For this reason, in the switch knob shaft portion 42, the portion corresponding to this interval is not affected by the presence of the first guide rail groove 44 and the second guide rail groove 46, and the shape can be freely designed according to the application. it can.

The above-described embodiment is merely an aspect of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied within the scope of the present invention.
For example, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mute switch 31 and shows an example of a modification. In FIG. 5, the same components as those shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
In this figure, a convex first guide rail 55 is formed in the switch knob 37 instead of the first guide rail groove 44. Similarly, instead of the second guide rail groove 46, a convex first guide rail 55 is formed. Two guide rails 56 are formed. In the switch case 36, a concave third guide rail groove 57 is formed instead of the third guide rail 40, and a concave fourth guide rail groove 58 is formed instead of the fourth guide rail 41. ing. Also in this configuration, the taper of the switch knob 37 and the switch case 36 can be reduced as in this embodiment, and the switch knob 37 is less shaken when the switch knob 37 is fitted to the switch case 36, so that the switch knob 37 Slidability and operability can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, there are four first guide rail grooves 44, second guide rail grooves 46, third guide rails 40, and fourth guide rails 41, but this number is arbitrary, and the first guide rail groove 44 The number of rail grooves 44 and the number of third guide rails 40 may be the same, and the number of second guide rail grooves 46 and the number of fourth guide rails 41 may be the same.

  In the present embodiment, both the switch knob shaft 42 and the switch case body 38 have a cylindrical shape. However, this shape is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be another shape such as a quadrangular prism.

It is a front view of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is sectional drawing of a volume switch, and is a figure which shows the state by which the switch knob is not pressed. It is sectional drawing of a volume switch, and is a figure which shows the state by which the switch knob is pressed. It is a perspective view of a mute switch. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of a mute switch.

Explanation of symbols

30 Volume switch 31 Mute switch 32 Volume adjustment switch 33 Switch pressing part 36 Switch case 37 Switch knob 38 Switch case body part 39 Switch case base end part 40 Third guide rail 41 Fourth guide rail 42 Switch knob shaft part 43 Switch pressing member Holder 44 First guide rail groove 45 Small diameter portion 46 Second guide rail groove

Claims (4)

In the switch structure of a push-type switch in which the shaft part of the resin switch knob is slidably fitted to the inner periphery of the resin switch case,
The switch case and the switch knob are molded by resin molding with a mold and then withdrawn from the mold in the proximal direction.
A first guide rail or a first guide rail groove is provided at the base end of the shaft portion of the switch knob,
A second guide rail or a second guide rail groove independent of the first guide rail or the first guide rail groove is provided at a tip of the shaft portion;
Third guide rail groove or third guide rail disposed Rutotomoni, the second guide rail and the second guide rail groove fitting of the first guide rail or the first guide rail groove on the inner periphery of said switch case is fitted A switch structure of a push-type switch , wherein a fourth guide rail groove or a fourth guide rail to be combined is provided independently of the third guide rail groove or the third guide rail . 2. The switch of the push type switch according to claim 1, wherein the second guide rail or the second guide rail groove is provided so as to extend from a distal end portion of a shaft portion of the switch knob toward a distal end direction. Construction. The first guide rail or the second guide rail groove is provided at the tip of the shaft portion of the switch knob so as not to protrude outward from the outer diameter of the shaft portion. The switch structure of the push type switch according to 2. The push type according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein a small-diameter portion is provided at a tip of the shaft portion of the switch knob, and the second guide rail or the second guide rail groove is provided in the small-diameter portion. Switch structure of the switch.

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