JP5267477B2 - Panel parts - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a component for a panel reducing the number of components installed on a panel member. <P>SOLUTION: The component 20 for the panel operates a switch element 3 by a pressing operation applied from the front side of the front panel part 11, and receives the light of an illumination light source 4, so as to emit the light toward the front side of a side panel part 12. The component includes: an illumination part 60 with translucency, equipped on the side panel part 12 so as to emit the light toward the front side by receiving the light of the illumination light source 4 on the back side: an operation button part 30 equipped on the front panel part 11 so as to press the switch element 3; and a hinge part 40 interposed between the illumination part 60 and the operation button part 30. The illumination part 60, the operation button part 30 and the hinge part 40 are integrally formed with each other to be one component. The hinge part 40 has a deformable shape so as to permit the operation button 30 to move between a normal position for not pressing the switch element 3 and a pressing position for pressing the switch element 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a panel component provided on a panel member.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various panel parts such as operation buttons for operating predetermined switch elements are provided on a panel member such as an instrument panel of an automobile.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an instrument panel provided with a plurality of operation buttons and a lens member as panel components. In this instrument panel, a plurality of operation buttons are arranged at the upper part of the operation panel constituting a part of the instrument panel, and the inside of the opening formed in the bulging part provided at the lower part of the operation panel. The lens member is attached to the lens. The switch element disposed on the back side of the operation panel is operated in accordance with the operation of the operation button, and the light of the illumination light source disposed on the back side of the lens member is emitted to the front side of the lens member. The room floor is illuminated.

Japanese Patent No. 4290518

  As described above, the number of panel parts that can be attached to a panel member such as an instrument panel of an automobile has increased, and the increase in the number of parts due to the increase in the number of parts and the increase in the number of man-hours for attachment work are problematic. It has become.

  In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a panel component capable of reducing the number of components attached to a panel member.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention is provided in a panel member having a front panel part and a side panel part connected to the front panel part and facing a direction different from the front panel part, and the front panel part The switch element provided on the back side of the panel member is operated by a pressing operation applied from the front side of the panel member, and the light from the illumination light source provided on the back side of the panel member is received toward the front side of the side panel part. A panel component that emits light, having translucency, provided on the side panel unit and receiving light from the illumination light source on the back side to emit light on the front side; and on the front panel unit An operation button portion that is provided and receives the pressing operation to press the switch element; and a hinge portion that is interposed between the illumination portion and the operation button portion. And the operation button portion and the hinge portion are integrally molded to form a single component, and the operation portion connected to the hinge portion does not press the switch element. It has a shape that can be deformed so as to allow movement between a position and a pressing position that presses the switch element by retreating from the normal position upon receiving a pressing operation. A panel component is provided (claim 1).

  According to this device, both the operation of the switch element and the illumination of the predetermined object can be performed with a single panel component, and the predetermined object such as the operation button for operating the switch element and the lens member. The number of components can be reduced as compared with the case where components that receive light from the illumination light source and emit light are provided separately. This is advantageous in terms of cost and installation work.

  Specifically, the translucent illumination part of the panel components receives the light from the illumination light source on the back side and emits light on the front side, so that the illumination light source is directed toward the front side of the side panel part. Light is irradiated, and thereby a predetermined object is illuminated. On the other hand, although the operation button portion is integrally connected to the illumination portion via a hinge portion, the hinge portion side is moved while being deformed by receiving a pressing operation on the front panel portion. The switch element can be moved backward from the normal position where the switch element is not pressed to the fulcrum to the pressed position.

  In the present invention, the hinge portion is elastically deformable and has a shape that holds the operation button portion in the normal position in an undeformed state, and the operation button portion is elastically deformed from the undeformed state. It is preferable to have a shape that allows movement to the pressing position.

  According to this configuration, the operation button portion can be held in the normal position by the hinge portion, and the operation button portion can be automatically returned from the pressed position to the normal position by the elastic return force of the hinge portion. it can. Accordingly, there is no need to provide a separate return means such as a spring in order to return the operation button portion from the pressed position to the normal position, and the number of parts can be further reduced.

  As a specific shape of the hinge part, for example, the hinge part has a bulging part that bulges in the direction of the pressing operation received by the operation button part or the direction opposite to this direction. Examples include one that allows the operation button portion to move to the pressed position by elastically deforming in the opening and closing direction (Claim 3).

  In this configuration, the operation button portion can be moved from the normal position to the pressing position by deforming the bulging portion of the hinge portion to the opening side or the closing side, and the bulging portion can be moved to the opening side or the closing side. The operation button unit can be returned to the normal position by the force to return from the deformed state to the normal state.

  Further, in the present invention, it further includes a support portion connected to the illumination portion and extending substantially parallel to the front panel member, and the operation button portions are arranged at a plurality of positions along the support portion, and each operation button It is preferable that the hinge portion is individually interposed between the portion and the support portion.

  According to this configuration, the plurality of operation button parts to be pressed and the illumination part are integrated, and the number of parts can be further reduced as compared with the case where these operation button parts are provided individually. In addition, there is a hinge part individually between each operation button part and the support part, and these hinge parts can be individually deformed while stably supporting a plurality of operation button parts by each hinge part. Thus, the operation button portions can be individually moved between the normal position and the pressed position to operate each operation button portion individually.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform both operation of the switch element and illumination of a predetermined object with a single panel component.

It is a front view in the state where the components for panels concerning the present invention were attached to the panel member. It is sectional drawing in the II-II line of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view around a panel component in FIG. 1. It is a front view of the components for panels of this invention. It is sectional drawing in the IV-IV line of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the VV line of FIG. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the panel component shown in FIG. 4. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation | movement which a pressing force transmission part presses a switch element. It is a schematic front view of the component for panels which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

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

  Here, the case where the panel component 20 which concerns on this invention is attached to the panel member 10 which comprises a part of vehicle instrument panel is demonstrated.

  FIGS. 1 and 2 are views in which the panel component 20 is attached to the panel member 10, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing only the periphery of the panel component 20 in this state. 4 to 7 are drawings of the panel component 20 alone.

  The panel member 10 includes a front panel portion 11 and a lower surface panel portion (side panel portion) 12 that faces in a direction different from the front panel portion 11. In the present embodiment, the front panel 11 has a shape that extends in the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction when attached to the vehicle, and the lower panel portion 12 extends from the lower end of the front panel 11 to the back side of the front panel 11. It has a shape extending toward Hereinafter, the front-back direction of the front panel 11 is referred to as the front-rear direction, the direction toward the front side of the front panel 11 is referred to as the front, and the direction toward the back side is referred to as the rear. Further, the vehicle width direction is referred to as the left-right direction, the right side in FIG. 1 is simply referred to as the right side, and the left side in FIG.

  An operation button hole 11 a penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed at a position close to the lower panel 12 in the left and right central portion of the lower portion of the front panel 11. The lower panel 12 is formed with a lens hole 12a penetrating in the vertical direction at a position below the left and right center portion of the operation button hole 11a.

  The panel component 20 includes a plurality of operation button units 30, a lens unit (illumination unit) 60, a support unit 50 connected to the lens unit 60, and the support unit 50 and the plurality of operation button units 30. And a plurality of hinge portions 40 respectively interposed therebetween. The plurality of operation button portions 30, the plurality of hinge portions 40, the support portion 50, and the lens portion 60 are integrally formed with each other to constitute a single panel component 20.

  The panel component 20 is disposed in the operation button hole 11a of the front panel portion 11 with the three operation buttons 30 arranged side by side, and the lens portion 60 is an opening of the lower panel portion 12. The panel member 10 is assembled in a state of being disposed in the portion 12a.

  In more detail than the panel member 10, the circuit board 2 is arranged in parallel to the front panel 11 behind the front panel 11. On the circuit board 2, a switch element 3 for outputting a signal to a predetermined operation target such as an air conditioner and an LED 4 as a light source for illumination are mounted. In the present embodiment, a total of six switch elements 3 are mounted in correspondence with the three operation button sections 30. The LEDs 4 illuminate the passenger compartment floor and the operation button unit 30, and are mounted in a state where three LEDs 4 are arranged side by side corresponding to each operation button unit 30.

  The lens part 60 is a part that has translucency and illuminates the passenger compartment floor by emitting light on the front side by receiving the light of the LED 4 mounted on the circuit board 2 on the back side. The lens portion 60 has a plate shape with a rectangular cross section extending along the lower panel portion 12. The lens unit 60 receives light of the LED 4 mounted on the circuit board 2 on its upper surface and emits light on its lower surface while being mounted in the opening 12 a of the lower panel unit 12. That is, the light of the LED 4 is transmitted below the lower panel portion 12 through the lens portion 60, thereby illuminating the passenger compartment floor below the lower panel portion 12.

  In this embodiment, it is comprised so that the light of LED4 provided in the center of right and left among the three LEDs4 provided corresponding to the said operation button part 30 may be irradiated to the lens part 60, and one LED4 is It also serves as the illumination of the operation button unit 30 and the illumination of the passenger compartment floor.

  The support part 50 connected to the lens part 60 has a plate shape extending substantially parallel to the lower surface panel part 11. The support portion 50 includes a hinge portion side connection portion 52 that extends continuously in the left and right directions, and three extension portions 54 that extend rearward from the hinge portion side connection portion 52.

  The hinge part side connection part 52 is a part to which the plurality of hinge parts 40 are connected as will be described later, and the hinge part 40 extends rearward from the left and right outer positions of the respective extension parts 54.

  Each extending portion 54 is disposed below each operation button portion 30 while being separated from each other on the left and right. Of the three extending portions 54, the extending portion 54b provided at the center of the left and right and positioned below the operation button portion 30 provided at the center of the left and right is connected to the lens portion side connecting portion 54d from the rear end downward. Is extended. The lens part 60 is connected to the lens part side connection part 54d, and extends rearward from the lower end of the lens part side connection part 54d.

  Of the three extending portions 54, the extending portions 54 a and 54 c at both left and right ends extend so that their rear ends are in contact with the circuit board 2. By these contact, the support portion 50 and the panel component 10 are held at a predetermined position with respect to the circuit board 2.

  The operation button part 30 is a part that receives a pressing operation by a vehicle occupant or the like and presses the corresponding switch element 30. In the present embodiment, three operation button portions 30 are provided. These operation button portions 30 are arranged in the operation button holes 11 a of the front panel portion 11 in a state where they are arranged side by side above the support portion 50.

  The operation button units 30 have substantially the same structure. Each operation button portion 30 has a substantially rectangular tube shape with a bottom, a rectangular plate-like main body portion 31 extending in parallel with the front panel portion 11, and each of the upper, lower, left and right edges or each edge of the main body portion 31. Side walls 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d extending rearward from the vicinity are provided. Of these side walls, a flange 33 extending downward from the rear end thereof is connected to the lower side wall 32b extending rearward from the lower edge of the main body 31. Further, each operation button portion 30 has a pressing force transmission portion 34 extending rearward from the vicinity of the upper end of the back surface of the main body portion 31 in the portion surrounded by the upper, lower, left and right side wall portions 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d. doing.

  The main body 31 is exposed forward in the operation button hole 11a of the front panel 11, and is arranged so that a pressing operation from a vehicle occupant or the like is possible.

  The pressing force transmission part 34 is a part that transmits a pressing operation force applied to the front surface of the main body 31 to the switch element 3 to press the switch element 3. The switch element 3 is disposed at a position facing the pressing force transmission unit 34. In the present embodiment, two pressing force transmission parts 34 are provided in each operation button part 30 in a state where they are arranged side by side, and the switch elements 3 are respectively arranged at positions facing these two pressing force transmission parts 34. Has been.

  The operation button portions 30 are supported by a common support portion 50 via the hinge portion 40 provided for each operation button portion 30. And each operation button part 30 has the normal position where the said pressing force transmission part 34 is not pressing the said switch element 3 as shown by the continuous line of FIG. 8 by the elastic deformation of each hinge part 40, and the chain line of FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the pressing force transmitting portion 34 can be displaced in the front-rear direction from the normal position by retreating from the normal position, and the main body portion 31 is pressed to press the pressing force. The switch element 3 is pressed by the pressing force transmitting portion 34 by moving backward to the position. In FIG. 8, the hatched lines or the like indicating the cross section are omitted so that the operation of the pressing force transmission unit 34 becomes clearer.

  In the present embodiment, the LEDs 4 are respectively arranged behind the main body portions 31 of the operation button portions 30, and the main body portions 31 of the operation button portions 30 are illuminated by the LEDs 4. That is, each main body part 31 has translucency and receives light from the LED 4 to emit light to the front surface. On the other hand, the upper side wall portion 32a extending from the upper end of the main body portion 31 and the left and right side wall portions 32c and 32d have a light shielding property, and the LED 4 disposed behind the main body portion 31 of each operation button portion 30 is provided. Light is prevented from leaking to the other operation button unit 30 side.

  Each hinge part 40 is a part connected to the corresponding operation button part 30 among each operation button part 30. In the present embodiment, two hinge portions 40 are connected to each operation button portion 30, and each operation button portion 30 is connected to the support portion 50 via the two hinge portions 40.

  Each hinge portion 40 extends rearward from both left and right ends of the rear surface of the flange portion 33 provided on the lower side wall portion 32d of each operation button portion 30. Each hinge portion 40 extends rearward from the rear surface of the flange portion 33 and curves downward and bulges backward, and the rear end of the flange portion 33 from the bulge portion 41 And a portion having a portion extending toward the front to a position opposed to each other, that is, a substantially U-shape. The bulging portion 41 is elastically deformed so that the degree of curvature thereof changes and opens and closes. As a result, one end 40a which is a connection portion with the flange portion 33 of the hinge portion 40 is the other end on the lower side. It is possible to displace in the direction of approaching and separating from 40b.

  Each hinge portion 40 holds the operation button portion 30 connected to each hinge portion 40 in the normal position in an undeformed state, while the bulging portion 41 opens, that is, the upper end portion 40a is the lower end. Each operation button part 30 is retracted to the retracted position by being deformed in a direction away from the part 40b. And each hinge part 40 returns the said operation button part 30 from the said retracted position to the said normal position with the reset force.

  That is, the hinge part 40 is not deformed and connected to the hinge part 40 in a state in which no force is applied to the collar part 33 connected to the hinge part 40 when the operation button part 30 is not pressed. The operation button unit 30 is held at the normal position. On the other hand, when the operation button part 30 is pressed and a backward force is applied to the flange part 33, the hinge part 40 receives a force from the flange part 33 and elastically deforms in a direction in which the bulging part 41 opens. In accordance with this deformation, the operation button unit 30 moves back to the pressing position. When the pressing operation on the operation button portion 30 is released and the rearward force on the collar portion 33 is released, the bulging portion 41 of the hinge portion 40 is elastically returned in the closing direction and the operation is performed. The button part 30 is returned from the pressed position to the normal position. As described above, in the present embodiment, the two hinge portions 40 are connected to the operation button portions 30, respectively, and the two hinge portions 40 are simultaneously deformed as the operation button portions 30 are pressed.

  As described above, the panel component 20 includes the plurality of operation button units 30, the lens unit 60, and a plurality of hinge units 40 and support units interposed between the operation button units 30 and the lens unit 60. 50 are integrally formed as a single component, and by assembling the panel component 20 to the panel member 10, the plurality of operation button portions 30 and the lens portion 60 can be assembled at the same time. The number of parts to be assembled can be reduced. In addition, the hinge portion 40 extends from the flange portion 33 of each of the plurality of operation button portions 30 while being curved, and the support portion 50 extends from an end portion of the hinge portion 40 opposite to the operation button portion 30 side. Since the lens part 60 extends from the lens part side connection part 54c of the support part 50, the operation button part 30 is displaced from the normal position to the pressing position while the hinge part 40 is deformed. The switch element 3 can be pressed, and the vehicle compartment floor can be illuminated by transmitting the light of the LED 4 through the vehicle compartment floor in the lens portion 40.

  In the panel component 20 according to this embodiment, as described above, the main body portion 31 of the operation button portion 30 and the lens portion 60 have translucency, while the upper and left and right sides of the operation button portion 30 are left and right. The side wall portions 32a, 32c, and 32d have light shielding properties. As a specific method for forming such a panel component 20, for example, there is a method of forming by two-color molding of a light-shielding member and a light-transmitting member. In this method, it is preferable that portions other than the side wall portions 32a, 32c, and 32d are made of a light-transmitting member. Or after forming the panel component 10 whole with the member which has translucency, the method of coating the said side wall part 32a, 32c, 32d with the coating material which has light-shielding property may be sufficient.

  The specific shape of the hinge part 40 is not limited to the above.

  For example, a shape that bulges forward from the collar portion 33 of the operation button portion 30, more specifically, a substantially U-shape that extends forward from the front surface of the collar portion 33 and then curves downward and then extends forward. It is good also as a shape. In this case, as the operation button portion 30 is pressed, the curved portion of the hinge portion 40 is deformed in the direction of reducing the diameter, so that the operation button portion 30 moves to the pressing position. When the pressing operation on the operation button part is released, the operation button part 30 returns to the normal position by the self-returning force of the hinge part 40.

  Moreover, it is good also as a shape which connects the said operation button part 30 and the said support part 50 linearly, without making the said hinge part 40 the shape which bulges in the front-back direction. However, if the hinge portion 40 is shaped to bulge in the front-rear direction between the operation button portion 30 side and the support portion 50 as described above, the connection portion with the operation button portion 30 is connected to the support portion 50. By displacing in the direction away from the part, the amount of displacement of the support part 50 accompanying the displacement of the operation button part 30 can be kept small, and the influence on the lens part 60 connected to the support part 50 can be kept small.

  The hinge 40 is not limited to elastic deformation. For example, the hinge portion 40 may be simply bent in the front-rear direction at the intermediate position. However, the hinge portion 40 can be elastically deformed, and in the non-deformed state, the operation button portion 30 is held at the normal position, while the operation button portion 30 can be moved to the pressing position by elastic deformation. If the return force of the hinge part 40 enables the return of the operation button part 30 from the pressed position to the normal position, there is no need to provide a separate spring member for the return of the operation button part 30. The number of parts can be reduced.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 9, the operation button part 30 may be one. However, if the plurality of operation button portions 30 are integrally connected to each other via the support portion 50, the number of parts can be further reduced as compared with the case where the plurality of operation buttons are individually provided. Further, the hinge portions 40 are individually interposed between the operation button portions 30 and the support portions 50, and the plurality of operation button portions are stably supported by the hinge portions 40. Each operation button 30 can be individually moved between the normal position and the pressed position by being deformed individually. That is, each operation button part 30 can be individually operated while connecting each operation button part 30 integrally. In addition, when the number of the operation button part 30 is one, compared with the case where the operation button part 30 is provided with two or more and the side wall part of the operation button part 30 is mutually close like the said embodiment, the operation button part 30 is. It is possible to easily paint the side wall portion of the. Therefore, in this case, as a method for forming the panel component 20, it is preferable to form the entire panel component 20 with a light-transmitting member and then paint the side wall portion with a light-shielding paint.

  Further, the application of the panel component 10 is not limited to the instrument panel of the vehicle. The object illuminated by the lens unit 50 is not limited to the vehicle compartment floor.

  Further, the orientation of the front panel 11 and the lower panel 12 is not limited to the above. For example, the front panel 11 is disposed so as to extend in the horizontal direction, and the lower panel 12 is disposed so as to extend in the vertical direction. The 30 main body portions 31 may be arranged so as to face in the vertical direction, and the lens portion 50 may be arranged so as to face in the horizontal direction.

3 Switch element 4 LED (Light source for illumination)
10 Panel member 11 Front panel part 12 Lower panel part (side panel part)
20 Panel parts 30 Operation button part 40 Hinge part 50 Support part 60 Lens part (illumination part)

Claims (4)

The panel member is provided by a pressing operation applied from the front side of the front panel portion, provided on a front panel portion and a panel member having a side panel portion that is connected to the front panel portion and faces a direction different from the front panel portion. A panel component that operates a switch element provided on the back side of the panel member and receives light from an illumination light source provided on the back side of the panel member to emit light toward the front side of the side panel part,
An illuminating unit that has translucency and is provided on the side panel unit and emits light on the front side by receiving light from the illumination light source on the back side;
An operation button portion that is provided on the front panel portion and receives the pressing operation to press the switch element,
A hinge portion interposed between the illumination portion and the operation button portion,
The illumination unit, the operation button unit, and the hinge unit are molded integrally with each other to form a single component,
The hinge portion includes a normal position where the operation button portion connected to the hinge portion does not press the switch element, and the operation button portion receives the pressing operation and moves backward from the normal position. A panel component characterized by having a shape that can be deformed so as to allow movement between a pressing position and a pressing position. The panel component according to claim 1,
The hinge portion is elastically deformable and has a shape that holds the operation button portion in the normal position in an undeformed state, and the pressing position of the operation button portion is elastically deformed from the undeformed state. A panel component characterized by having a shape that allows movement to the position. The panel component according to claim 2,
The hinge portion has a bulging portion that bulges in the direction of the pressing operation received by the operation button portion or the direction opposite to this direction, and is elastically deformed in the direction in which the bulging portion opens and closes. A panel component characterized by allowing movement of the portion to the pressing position. The panel component according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A support portion connected to the illumination portion and extending substantially parallel to the front panel member;
The operation button portions are respectively arranged at a plurality of positions along the support portion,
A panel component characterized in that the hinge portion is individually interposed between each operation button portion and the support portion.

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