JP4992749B2 - Elastic material for pressure switch and operation device provided with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operating device provided in an automobile or the like and an elastic material for a press switch constituting the operating device.

  Conventionally, as an operation device provided in an instrument panel or the like of an automobile, a rubber or the like between an operation panel provided with an operation member that receives a pressing operation and a circuit board that is disposed on the back side and has a switch contact There is known one in which an elastic material for a pressure switch is interposed. The elastic material for the pressure switch has a plate-like base disposed on the circuit board and an elastic displacement portion that is elastically displaced in accordance with the pressing operation of the operation member, and is provided in the elastic displacement portion. The contact is brought into contact with the contact on the circuit board side in accordance with the elastic displacement of the elastic displacement portion, so that the switch is closed.

As an example, FIG. 7 shows a main part of an operating device described in Patent Document 1 below. The illustrated elastic material has a plate-like base 1, and this base 1 is disposed on a circuit board (not shown). The base 1 is provided with a through-hole 5, and a pressing displacement portion 6 is disposed in an area inside the through-hole 5, and the pressing displacement portion 6 is connected to the upper peripheral edge of the through-hole 5 via a thin connecting portion 2. Connected to the department. The upper end of the pressing displacement portion 6 is an operation member side contact portion 3 that contacts an operation member (not shown) (for example, a switch knob provided on the operation panel), and a movable contact portion 4 is provided at the lower end. The movable contact portion 4 is usually separated from the contact provided on the circuit board by a distance δ, but the pressing displacement portion is pressed in the operation direction (downward in the drawing) in accordance with the pressing operation of the operation member. Due to the displacement, the movable contact portion 4 comes into contact with the contact on the circuit board side to close the switch.
JP-A-7-2012249

  As a method for easily fixing the elastic material as described above, the base 1 is sandwiched between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board. In this fixing method, the base 1 There is a problem that management of the thickness dimension is extremely difficult. That is, since the distance between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board varies, it is difficult to match the distance and the thickness of the base 1.

  Specifically, if the thickness dimension of the base 1 is set to be small, a gap may be generated between the base 1 and the back surface of the operation panel or the surface of the circuit board. This gap causes the elastic material to sway in its thickness direction and lowers the pressing operability using the pressing displacement portion 6 as a medium. On the contrary, if the thickness dimension of the base 1 is set larger, the difference between the thickness dimension and the separation dimension may exceed the limit of elastic deformation in the thickness direction of the base 1. In this case, if the operating device is forcibly assembled, the base 1 and other parts may be damaged or may not be assembled.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides an elastic material for a pressure switch that can be easily assembled between an operation panel and a circuit board constituting the operation device, and has a simple set dimension, and An object of the present invention is to provide an operating device provided.

As means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is provided between an operation panel provided with an operation member that receives a pressing operation and a circuit board that is disposed on the back side of the operation panel and has a substrate-side contact. An elastic member for a pressure switch having an operation side contact that contacts the substrate side contact in accordance with a pressing operation of the operation member, and a base sandwiched between a back surface of the operation panel and a surface of the circuit board; The base is connected to the base so as to be elastically displaceable in the pressing operation direction of the operation member with respect to the base, and the operation side contact can be brought into contact with the substrate side contact with the elastic displacement. And an elastic displacement portion provided with the operation side contact, and the base has a thickness smaller than a separation dimension defined between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board. Plate-like base main body and a protrusion partly protruding from the front side surface of the base main body, and the protrusion has a dimension in the thickness direction of the base where the protrusion exists. greater than and have a shape that is elastically deformable to the base in the thickness direction enough to absorb the dimensional difference, the the protrusions include those cavities on the back side is formed, The thickness of the base of the portion where the cavity is formed is smaller than the thickness of the base body, and the base has a ring-shaped flexible thin-walled piece extending from the inner peripheral edge surrounding the cavity toward the inside of the cavity. And the said protrusion part protrudes in the said operation panel side from the inner peripheral end of the thin piece .

  In this elastic material for a pressure switch, the thickness in the thickness direction of the base at the position where the protrusion is formed is larger than the distance between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board, so that the protrusion is elastically deformed. The base is held between the operation panel and the circuit board in a stable state without rattling. In addition, since the protruding portion partially protrudes from the base body, the amount of elastic deformation is larger than the amount of elastic deformation of the entire base, and accordingly, the variation in the separation dimension is further increased. Absorption over a wide range is possible. This facilitates dimensional management of the elastic material for the pressure switch.

Wherein the projecting portion, the cavity on the back side is included those formed, of the base at a portion where the cavity is formed in the wall thickness the base body from the wall thickness less than the portion where the cavity is formed The reduction in the thickness increases the amount of elastic deformation in the thickness direction of the base of the portion (the portion where the protruding portion is formed), and makes the size management of the elastic material easier. Further, the base has a ring-shaped thin piece extending from the inner peripheral edge surrounding the cavity toward the inside of the cavity, and the projecting portion projects toward the operation panel from the inner peripheral end of the thin piece. The bending of the thin piece further increases the amount of elastic displacement of the protrusion.

  Furthermore, if the thickness of the base in the portion where the cavity is formed is smaller than the projecting dimension of the projecting portion from the base body, the amount of elastic deformation of that portion is remarkably increased.

  The protrusions are preferably formed at a plurality of positions aligned on the surface of the base body. Such a dispersive arrangement of the protrusions further stabilizes the state in which the elastic material for the pressure switch is held between the operation panel and the circuit board.

  In this case, it is more preferable that the positions where the protrusions are formed include a plurality of positions arranged around the elastic displacement portion. The presence of the protruding portions at these positions makes the operation of the elastic displacement portion more stable.

  The present invention is also an operation device including an operation member that receives a pressing operation, an operation panel provided with the operation member, a circuit board that is disposed on the back side of the operation panel and has a substrate-side contact, and the operation A pressure switch elastic material provided between the panel and the circuit board, wherein the base body of the elastic body for the pressure switch has a thickness dimension between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board. The protruding portion of the base is smaller than the spacing dimension defined therebetween, and the protruding portion of the base has a thickness dimension of the base where the protruding portion is present, which is larger than the spacing dimension, and can absorb the dimensional difference. The portion has a shape that can be elastically deformed in the thickness direction of the base.

  In this operation device, the application of the elastic material for the push switch facilitates the setting of the thickness dimension of the elastic material and the separation dimension between the operation panel and the circuit board.

  In this case, the operation panel has a pressing portion that locally protrudes to the back side of the panel at a position corresponding to the protruding portion and has a pressing surface that presses the protruding portion, and the pressing surface is based on the outer shape of the protruding portion. Those having a small shape are preferred. Such a pressing surface having a small area is larger than the protruding portion and is easier to compress and elastically deform the protruding portion than the surface that presses the entire protruding portion, thereby expanding the dimensional tolerance.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the pressing switch elastic member is sandwiched between the operation panel and the circuit board, whereby the attachment can be easily performed. Moreover, the elastic deformation of the protrusion part formed partially on the elastic material for the pressure switch expands the allowable range of the thickness dimension of the elastic material for the pressure switch and the separation dimension of the operation panel and the circuit board, Easy to manage its dimensions.

  A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The operation device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided in the interior of a vehicle or the like, and includes an operation panel 10, a plurality of operation buttons 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and 20E corresponding to operation members, and a decoration. A ring 30, a circuit board 40, a pressing switch elastic member 50, and a light guide member 60 are provided.

  The operation panel 10 includes a main body panel 10A and a holding panel 10B. The main body panel 10A is disposed so as to face the vehicle interior. The main body panel 10A is provided with an operation unit window 12. The operation buttons 20A to 20E and the decoration ring 30 are disposed inside the operation unit window 12, and these are held by the holding panel 10B. The holding panel 10B is fixed at an appropriate position of the main body panel 10A by a structure not shown.

  Each of the operation buttons 20A to 20E receives a pressing operation for turning on a pressing switch constituted by the circuit board 40 and the pressing switch elastic member 50, and is exposed to the panel surface to be exposed in the depth direction (see FIG. 2 has a button main body 22 capable of receiving a pressing operation in the downward direction, and a pressing portion 24 extending from the button main body 22 in the pressing operation direction. In this embodiment, each button body 22 has a cap shape. Specifically, it includes an operated wall 22a that receives a pressing operation, and a side wall 22b that extends from the operated wall 22a in the pressing operation direction.

  On the other hand, the holding panel 10B is formed with guide grooves 14 into which the side walls 22b can be inserted from the front side of the panel (upper side in FIG. 2). Then, with the side walls 22b inserted in the guide grooves 14, the operation buttons 20A to 20E are held by the holding panel 10B so as to be guided in the pressing operation direction.

  Among the operation buttons 20A to 20E, as shown in FIG. 1, the operation button 20A is a small circle when viewed from the front side of the panel (as viewed from the upper side in FIG. 2), and the remaining operation buttons 20B to 20E are the operation buttons. It arrange | positions so that the circumference | surroundings of 20A may be surrounded. The outer peripheral edges of these operation buttons 20B to 20E have a large circular shape as a whole, and the decorative ring 30 is arranged so as to further surround the outer peripheral edge.

  The decorative ring 30 includes a cylindrical ring main body 32 and a reflecting portion 34 that protrudes outward from a front side end (upper end in FIG. 2) of the ring main body 32, and the ring main body 32 is the holding panel. 10B. The decorative ring 30 is composed of a base material such as a synthetic resin and a plating having a metallic luster (for example, trivalent chromium plating) applied to the surface thereof.

  The circuit board 40 is disposed on the back side of the operation panel 10 in a posture substantially parallel to the main body panel 10 </ b> A, and constitutes a plurality of push switches together with the push switch elastic member 50. Specifically, a plurality of substrate side contacts 42 are provided on the surface of the circuit board 40, and these substrate side contacts 42 are arranged at positions corresponding to the pressing portions 24 of the operation buttons 20A to 20E. Yes.

  In this embodiment, a plurality of illumination light sources 44 are mounted on the circuit board 40. These light sources 44 are for indirectly illuminating the peripheral edge of the decorative ring 30 constituting the operation unit, and are provided at positions along the decorative ring 30. The light emitted from the light source 44 is guided to the back surface of the reflective portion 34 by the light guide material 60 interposed between the reflective portion 34 of the decorative ring 30 and the circuit board 40, and is decorated on the back surface. Reflected outward in the radial direction of the ring 30. A panel reflecting surface 13 constituted by the surface of the main body panel 10A exists at a position on the outer side in the radial direction of the ornamental ring 30, and the panel reflecting surface 13 reflects the light to the panel surface side to illuminate light. As offered.

  In this embodiment, the circuit board 40 is held on the main body panel 10A side by holding pieces 17 (FIG. 2) formed on the main body panel 10A. The holding piece 17 extends downward from the lower surface of the main body panel 10A, and has a locking claw 17a at its tip. Further, the presser piece 17 b branches off from the middle part of the holding piece 17. On the other hand, the circuit board 40 is provided with a through hole 47 through which the locking claw 17a can pass, and the locking claw 17a is formed on the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the through hole 47 on the side opposite to the main body panel 10A ( At the same time that the pressing piece 17b is pressed against the upper surface of the peripheral edge of the through-hole 47, the circuit board 40 is held on the main body panel 10A.

  The elastic material 50 for the press switch is integrally formed of an elastic material such as rubber, and has a plate-like base 52 and a plurality of elastic displacement portions 54.

  The base 52 is fixed between the operation panel 10 and the circuit board 40 by being sandwiched between them. The base 52 is provided with a plurality of circular through holes positioned so as to expose the substrate side contacts 42 on the front side, and the elastic displacement portions 54 are located in regions inside the through holes.

  Each elastic displacement portion 54 has a substantially cylindrical shape and has a bottom surface facing the substrate-side contact 42. An operation side contact 56 is provided on the bottom surface. The outer peripheral surface of each elastic displacement portion 54 is connected to the peripheral portion of each through hole in the base 52 via the thin portion 53. In the undeformed state, the thin-walled portion 53 holds the elastic displacement portion 54 at a position where the operation side contact 56 and the substrate side contact 42 are separated from each other. When a pressing operation force toward the circuit board 40 is given to the portion 54, it is elastically deformed. Due to this elastic deformation, elastic displacement of the elastic displacement portion 54 in the pressing operation direction is allowed, and both the contacts 56 and 42 come into contact with each other. By this contact, the pressing switch including both the contacts 56 and 42 is turned on.

  In this embodiment, the locked portion 26 protrudes from the distal end portion of the pressing portion 24 in a direction orthogonal to the pressing operation direction (that is, a direction parallel to the circuit board 40). A pressing surface is formed together with the tip of the portion 24. On the other hand, the bending piece 16 extends from the holding panel 10B toward the circuit board 40, and the tip of the bending piece 16 comes into contact with the locked portion 26 from the side opposite to the circuit board 40. Thus, the return positions of the operation buttons 20A to 20E (return positions when the pressing operation is released) are defined.

  As a feature of the base 52 of the switch elastic member 50, a plate-like base body 52a, and a plurality of protrusions 52b and a plurality of protrusions 52c that partially protrude from the front side surface of the base body 52a are integrated. Have.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the protrusions 52b are formed at a plurality of positions arranged around the operation buttons 20A to 20E, and have a circular shape when viewed from the front of the panel. Each protrusion 52c is formed at an appropriate position on the back side of the main body panel 10A, and has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front of the panel.

  A cavity 55 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is formed on the back side of each of the protrusions 52b and 52c. The cavity 55 has a height dimension larger than the thickness of the base main body 52a, and the thickness of the protruding portion 52b is smaller than the protruding amount of the protruding portion 52b from the base main body 52a.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the pressing portion 15 protrudes from the back surface of the holding panel 10B facing the protruding portion 52b toward the protruding portion 52b. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 15 has a cylindrical shape, and its end surface corresponds to a pressing surface that presses the protruding portion 52b. The pressing surface has an outer shape that is slightly smaller than the protruding portion 52b. is doing. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, the back surface of the main body panel 10A is pressed against the protruding portion 52c as it is.

  When the holding piece 17 holds the circuit board 40 as described above, the separation dimension db (FIG. 3) between the pressing surface of the pressing portion 15 and the circuit board 40 in the holding panel 10B, and the main body panel The distance da (FIG. 4) between the back surface of 10A and the circuit board 40 is determined. The shape of the pressure switch elastic member 50 has the following remarkable features in relation to the separation dimensions db and da and the dimension in the thickness direction of the base 52.

  First, the base main body 52a has a thickness smaller than the separation dimensions db and da. On the other hand, the dimension tb (FIG. 3) in the thickness direction of the base 52 where the protrusion 52b is present is larger than the separation dimension db, and the protrusion 52b is thick enough to absorb the difference in dimension. It has a shape that can be elastically deformed in the direction. Similarly, the dimension ta (FIG. 4) in the thickness direction of the base 52 in the portion where the protruding part 52c exists is larger than the separation dimension da, and the protruding part 52c of the base 52 can absorb the dimensional difference. It has a shape that can be elastically deformed in the thickness direction.

  3 and 4, for convenience, the shape before elastic deformation is drawn as it is as the shape of each protrusion 52b, 52c, so the outer shape of the protrusion 52b, 52c and the outer shape of the back surface of the panels 10B, 10A However, the protrusions 52b and 52c are deformed so as to absorb the overlap (the difference in size).

  In this pressure switch elastic member 50, the thickness tb, ta in the thickness direction of the base at the position where the protrusions 52b, 52c are formed has the back surface of the operation panel 10 and the surface of the circuit board 40 defined at the position. The protrusions 52b and 52c are elastically deformed in response to pressing from the operation panel 10 (pressing from the pressing unit 15 or pressing from the back surface of the main body panel 10A). The base 52 is sandwiched between the operation panel 10 and the circuit board 40 in a stable state without rattling. In addition, since the protrusions 52b and 52c partially protrude from the base body 52a having a thickness smaller than the separation dimensions db and da, the amount of the elastic deformation is the entire base 52 is elastic. It is larger than the deformable amount, and accordingly, it is possible to absorb the variation of the separation dimensions db and da over a wider range. Thereby, the dimension management of the elastic member 50 for the pressure switch is greatly facilitated.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, a cavity 55 is formed on the back side of the protrusions 52b and 52c, and the thickness of the base 52 at the portion where the cavity 55 is formed is smaller than the thickness of the base body 52a. The amount of elastic deformation of the base 52 in the thickness direction of the base 52 is larger than when the cavity 55 is not formed, which makes it easier to manage the dimensions of the elastic member 50. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the thickness of the base 52 at the portion where the cavity 50 is formed (that is, the thickness of the protruding portions 52b and 52c) is different from the base body 52a of the protruding portions 52b and 52c. In a structure smaller than the protruding dimension, the amount of the protruding portions 52b and 52c that can be elastically deformed is remarkably increased.

  Furthermore, the shape of the base 52 as shown in FIG. 3 can further increase the amount of elastic displacement of the protrusion 52b. That is, the base 52 shown in the figure has a ring-shaped thin piece 52e extending from the inner peripheral edge surrounding the cavity 55 toward the inside of the cavity 55, and the protruding portion 52b from the inner peripheral end of the thin piece 52e. Projecting toward the holding panel 10B, the bending of the thin piece 52e further increases the amount of elastic displacement of the projecting portion 52b.

  Moreover, since each said protrusion part 52b exists in the position located in a line around the elastic displacement part 54 which comprises the said press switch, respectively, the displacement of the thickness direction of the base 52 in the vicinity of the said elastic displacement part 54 is suppressed effectively. Thus, the operation of the elastic displacement portion 54 can be made more stable.

  Furthermore, since the pressing surface of the pressing portion 15 of the holding panel 10B that presses each of the protruding portions 52b has an outer shape smaller than the outer shape of the protruding portion 52b, the amount of elastic deformation of the protruding portion 52b accompanying the pressing is increased. be able to. This increases the dimensional tolerance and allows more stable retention of the elastic material 50.

In the present invention, the specific shape and position of the protrusion are not limited. For example, the protrusion may be a protrusion that surrounds a specific area. Further , although not an embodiment of the present invention, a tongue-like piece that bulges from the base main body 52a toward the operation panel 10 may be used like a protruding portion 52d shown in FIG.

  Further, a means for fixing the position of the circuit board 40, that is, a means for defining a separation dimension between the surface of the circuit board 40 and the operation panel 10 is not particularly limited. For example, the circuit board 40 and the operation panel 10 may be fastened by a fixing screw 58 as shown in FIG. In the figure, a cylindrical support 18 protrudes from the back surface of the operation panel 10 toward the circuit board 40, and passes through a through hole 48 provided in the circuit board 40 with respect to the screw hole 18 a on the central axis of the support 18. A fixing screw 58 is inserted and screwed.

  In this structure, the protruding dimension of the support portion 18 corresponds to the distance d between the front surface of the circuit board 40 and the back surface of the operation panel 10. Therefore, the shape of the base 52 of the elastic member for the press switch is such that the thickness of the base main body 52a is smaller than the separation dimension d, and the dimension t in the thickness direction of the portion where the protrusion 52b is formed is the separation distance. What is necessary is just to be smaller than the dimension d.

It is a front view of the operating device concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of the said operating device. It is the III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the shape of the protrusion part different from embodiment of this invention . It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the fixing structure of a circuit board. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the conventional elastic material for press switches.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Operation panel 10A Main body panel 10B Holding panel 20A-20E Operation button (operation member)
40 Circuit board 42 Board side contact 50 Press switch elastic material 52 Base 52a Base body 52b to 52d Projection part 54 Elastic displacement part 55 Cavity 56 Operation side contact db, da, d Distance between operation panel and circuit board tb, ta , T Dimension in the thickness direction of the base where the protrusion is formed

Claims (6)

Provided between an operation panel provided with an operation member for receiving a pressing operation and a circuit board having a substrate-side contact disposed on the back side of the operation panel, the substrate-side contact in accordance with the pressing operation of the operation member An elastic material for a pressure switch having an operation side contact in contact with
A base sandwiched between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board;
The base is connected to the base so as to be elastically displaceable in the pressing operation direction of the operation member with respect to the base, and the operation side contact can be brought into contact with the substrate side contact with the elastic displacement. It has an elastic displacement part provided with an operation side contact,
The base partially protrudes from a plate-like base body having a thickness smaller than a separation dimension defined between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board, and a front side surface of the base body. The protrusion has a protrusion in the thickness direction of the base to the extent that the dimension in the thickness direction of the base where the protrusion exists is larger than the separation dimension and can absorb the difference in dimension. elastic deformable capable shapes possess a,
The protruding portion includes one having a cavity formed on the back side thereof, and the thickness of the base of the portion where the cavity is formed is smaller than the thickness of the base body,
The base has a ring-shaped flexible thin piece extending from the inner peripheral edge surrounding the cavity toward the inside of the cavity, and the projecting portion projects toward the operation panel from an inner peripheral end of the thin piece. An elastic material for a pressure switch. 2. The elastic member for a press switch according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the base at a portion where the cavity is formed is smaller than a protruding dimension of the protruding portion from the base body. The elastic material for a press switch according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the protrusions are formed at a plurality of positions aligned on the surface of the base body. 4. The elastic material for a press switch according to claim 3 , wherein the positions where the protrusions are formed include a plurality of positions arranged around the elastic displacement portion. An operating device including an operating member that receives a pressing operation,
An operation panel provided with the operation member;
A circuit board disposed on the back side of the operation panel and having a substrate-side contact;
The press switch elastic material according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , which is provided between the operation panel and the circuit board,
The thickness of the base main body in the base of the elastic member for the pressure switch is smaller than the separation dimension defined between the back surface of the operation panel and the surface of the circuit board,
The protruding portion of the base has a dimension in the thickness direction of the base where the protruding portion exists larger than the separation dimension, and the protruding portion extends in the thickness direction of the base to such an extent that the dimensional difference can be absorbed. An operating device having a shape that is elastically deformable. The operating device according to claim 5 , wherein
The operation panel includes a pressing portion that locally protrudes to the back side of the panel at a position corresponding to the protruding portion, the pressing portion has a pressing surface that presses the protruding portion, and the pressing surface of the protruding portion is An operating device having a shape smaller than an outer shape.

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