JP6769773B2 - Illuminated switch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an illuminated switch that includes a light source and a dome-shaped spring and illuminates upward from a hole of the spring. In particular, even if the switch is small, the operation stroke can be lengthened to obtain a good operation feeling. About what you can do.

Conventionally, in an illuminated switch using this type of light source and a dome-shaped spring, a protrusion is integrally provided on the top of a movable contact piece made of a dome-shaped elastic metal plate, and an irradiation hole is provided at the center of the protrusion. , A device that irradiates the light from the light source above the center of the switch and is easy to manufacture and has a good operability has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2015-230858

However, in the above-mentioned conventional illuminated switch, since the protrusion and the flat portion at the top thereof are located at the center of the dome-shaped movable contact piece, the area that can be used as a spring is narrowed, and the spring required as a switch. It is necessary to increase the diameter of the movable contact piece in order to obtain the property, and there is a problem that it is easy to increase the size.

Further, the protrusion of the spring was formed by bending the spring. For this reason, if the height of the light source changes due to changes in specifications, etc., and it becomes necessary to change the clearance between the light source and the inner surface of the protrusion, the mold for molding the spring must be remade, resulting in a significant increase in cost. There was also.

In addition, since the protrusions of the spring are formed by bending as described above, the height dimension and the flatness of the upper part depend on the bending accuracy, and there are variations in the characteristics of the spring. There was also the problem of instability.

Further, since the protrusion of the spring is made of a rigid metal body formed integrally with the spring, it cannot be used as a spring, and the total height of the spring is simply increased.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, to obtain a good operation feeling by lengthening the operation stroke even if it is small, and to flexibly respond to specification changes. The purpose is to provide an illuminated switch with little variation in characteristics.

The illumination type switch of the present invention has a substrate on which a fixed contact is formed, a light source mounted on the substrate, and a position arranged on the substrate so as to face the fixed contact and facing the light source. An illuminated switch having a dome-shaped spring having a hole, the substrate and the sheet are provided with a sheet covering the light source and the spring, and a space for supporting the outer peripheral portion of the sheet and accommodating the light source and the spring. and a pressing member made of an elastic material and the base sheet, which abuts against the other end face on top of the spring having one end surface is force point of the switch contact with the sheet to be secured between, it is pressed elastically When the elastic force of the deformed pressing member reaches the load that the spring reverses, the spring reverses and comes into contact with the fixed contact, and the pressing member is between the light source and the seat when the spring reverses. The height is equal to or higher than the height of the light source so that an appropriate space is formed, and the height of the base sheet is higher than the height of the base sheet when the spring is inverted so that the center of the switch is higher than the outer peripheral portion. It is set to be high .

Further, the pressing member in the illuminated switch has a cylindrical shape, and one of the circular end faces is in contact with the central top of the spring. Further, the light source is arranged at a position facing the center of the spring, the hole of the spring is provided in the center of the spring facing the light source, and the pressing member has a cylindrical shape and is ring-shaped. The end face is in contact with the periphery of the spring hole. Further, the pressing member is composed of a reflecting surface inclined so that the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface expands upward .

In the illuminated switch of the present invention, by forming a pressing member with a member separate from the dome-shaped spring and arranging it at the force point of the spring, the portion directly below the pressing member can also be used as a spring, so that the diameter of the spring is increased. The required springiness can be obtained without. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the switch.

In addition, since the pressing member is formed of a member separate from the spring, even if the height of the light source changes due to changes in specifications, etc., it can be handled by simply changing the height of the pressing member, making it easy to change. is there.

Further, the pressing member can be formed by a processing method that is not easily affected by processing variations in terms of height and flatness of the upper and lower surfaces, such as being formed by punching from a sheet-like material, and the characteristics of the spring can be stabilized. ..

Further, since the pressing member is made of an elastic material formed of a separate member from the spring, it can be used as a spring, and the operation stroke can be increased by adding a stroke due to elastic deformation of the pressing member to the stroke of the spring. It is possible to realize an excellent operability without increasing the size of the spring.

It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the illuminated switch which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the illumination type switch shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the state when the illumination type switch shown in FIG. 1 is pressed. FIG. 5 is an FS (Force-Stroke) characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the load and the stroke when a single spring in the illuminated switch shown in FIG. 1 is pressed. FIG. 5 is an FS characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the load and the stroke when the spring and the pressing member in the illuminated switch shown in FIG. 1 are pressed. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the state when the illuminated switch shown in FIG. 1 is pressed by a pusher. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the case where the pusher of the illumination type switch shown in FIG. 6 is displaced. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the example which changed the shape of the pressing member shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the other example which changed the shape of the pressing member shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the illuminated switch which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the illumination type switch shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the state when the illumination type switch shown in FIG. 10 is pressed. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the state when the illuminated switch shown in FIG. 10 is pressed by a pusher. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the case where the pusher of the illumination type switch shown in FIG. 13 is displaced. It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the example which changed a part of the pressing member shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the illuminated switch according to the first embodiment has a fixed contact 1a provided in the center of the surface and a light source mounting device provided at two locations with the fixed contact 1a interposed therebetween. The electrode patterns 1b and 1c of the above and the substrate 1 having the connection pattern 1d provided near the outer periphery of the surface are provided. The substrate 1 is made of an insulating resin material or the like, and on its back surface, terminals 1e formed so as to appropriately conduct with the fixed contacts 1a, the electrode patterns 1b and 1c, and the connection pattern 1d are provided.

Light sources 2 and 3 composed of light emitting elements and the like are mounted on the electrode patterns 1b and 1c of the substrate 1, respectively.

Further, in the illuminated switch of the present embodiment, the metal spring 4 constituting the dome-shaped movable contact arranged on the substrate 1 so that the outer edge portion is always in contact with the connection pattern 1d and facing the fixed contact 1a. It has. The spring 4 has holes 4b and 4c having a size that allows the light sources 2 and 3 to pass through at positions facing the light sources 2 and 3. Further, the spring 4 has a click action function that reverses when the force for pressing the vicinity of the central top portion 4a reaches a certain load.

In this illuminated switch, a cylindrical pressing member 5 is arranged near the center, which is the point of effort. The pressing member 5 is made of an elastic material such as silicon, and is formed by punching a sheet-shaped elastic material into a cylindrical shape or the like.

Further, this illuminated switch provides a transparent sheet 6 for dustproofing and waterproofing that covers the light sources 2 and 3 and the spring 4, and a space that supports the outer peripheral portion of the sheet 6 and houses the light sources 2 and 3 and the spring 4. A base sheet 7 secured between the substrate 1 and the sheet 6 is provided.

In the illuminated switch, one of the circular end faces 5a of the pressing member 5 is in contact with the top 4a of the spring 4 located at the center, which is the power point of the switch, and the other circular end face 5b is in contact with the seat 6. It is in. At this time, the light sources 2 and 3 are in a state of facing the holes 4b and 4c of the spring 4 or partially protruding from the holes 4b and 4c. Further, the pressing member 5 and the base sheet 7 are set to at least the same height as or higher than the height of the light sources 2 and 3 or the spring 4, and as shown in FIG. 3, when the switch is turned on. Also, an appropriate space S is formed between the light sources 2 and 3 and the sheet 6.

In the illuminated switch of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, when the pressing member 5 is pressed from above the seat 6 when the top 4a of the spring 4 is in the off state away from the fixed contact 1a, the pressing member is pressed. When 5 is elastically deformed and the pressing operation is continued as it is, the elastic force of the pressing member 5 reaches the load that the spring 4 reverses, and as shown in FIG. 3, the spring 4 reverses and its top 4a becomes the fixed contact 1a. Contact and turn on.

The changes in the load and the stroke during such an operation, and the elastic deformation state of the spring 4 and the pressing member 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 and the like. FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the pressing load of the switch and the stroke when only the spring 4 is pressed without using the pressing member 5 or when the pressing member 5 which does not elastically deform is used. FIG. 5 shows the elasticity. The relationship between the pressing load of the switch and the stroke when the pressing member 5 made of a material and the spring 4 made of metal are used is shown. The spring 4 used here has a diameter of 5 mm, the pressing member 5 has a diameter of 1 mm, which is 20% of the diameter of the spring 4, and the material of the pressing member 5 has a hardness of A40 to A50 (depending on the type A durometer). (Measured value) silicon is used.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of the pressing member 5 having only the spring 4 or not elastically deformed, the spring 4 is deformed immediately after the pressing operation is started, and when the pressing load reaches a predetermined load (about 1500 mN), a click feeling is accompanied. The spring 4 reverses (outward route point GP1). When the spring 4 is inverted, the top 4a of the spring 4 comes into contact with the fixed contact 1a on the substrate 1 (outward route point GP2) due to the force of inversion, and the pressing load is increased so as to resist the restoring force of the spring 4, so that the contact state Will be kept. After that, when the pressing load drops to a predetermined value (return point RP2), the spring 4 starts to restore, and when the pressing load drops below the load required for reversal (return point RP1), the spring 4 restores to a dome shape. In this case, of course, the distance at which the spring 4 elastically deforms is the stroke of the switch. Therefore, in order to lengthen the stroke of the switch, it is necessary to increase the size of the spring 4 and increase the elastic deformation distance thereof.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when both the pressing member 5 made of an elastic material and the metal spring 4 are used, when the pressing operation is started, both the spring 4 and the pressing member 5 are deformed or the spring. The pressing member 5, which is softer than 4, is greatly deformed so as to be crushed in the vertical direction with a small pressing load (0 to outbound point GP1). Then, the spring 4 is pressed by the elastic force when the pressing member 5 is greatly deformed, and when the elastic force reaches the load that the spring 4 reverses, the spring 4 reverses (outward route point GP1). When the spring 4 is inverted, the top 4a of the spring 4 comes into contact with the fixed contact 1a on the substrate 1 (outward route point GP2) due to the force of inversion, and the pressing load is increased so as to resist the restoring force of the spring 4 and the pressing member 5. This will keep the contact state. After that, when the pressing load decreases and the elastic force of the pressing member 5 decreases to a predetermined value (return point RP2), the spring 4 starts to restore, and when the elastic force of the pressing member 5 becomes lower than the load required for reversal (return point). RP1), the spring 4 is elastically deformed so as to be crushed while being restored to a dome shape, and the pressing member 5 is restored to the original cylindrical shape. In this case, not only the stroke due to the elastic deformation of the spring 4 but also the stroke due to the elastic deformation of the pressing member 5 is added, and the operation stroke of the switch is greatly increased without increasing the size of the spring 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in this embodiment, since the pressing member 5 composed of the spring 4 and the bullet member is used, the stroke due to the elastic deformation of the spring 4 is caused by the elastic deformation of the pressing member 5 as described above. The operation stroke of the switch can be increased by adding a stroke. At this time, in order to increase the operation stroke from the off state to the on state of the switch, it is necessary that the pressing member 5 is greatly elastically deformed before the spring 4 is inverted and turned on. This requires that the pressing member 5 is softer than the spring 4, that is, the pressing member 5 is hard enough to be elastically deformed by a load equal to or less than the load required for the spring 4 to reverse. Also, it is preferable to form the pressing member 5 with silicon having a hardness of A40 to A80.

Further, as described above, the height of the pressing member 5 is such that an appropriate space S is formed between the light sources 2 and 3 and the seat 6 even when the spring 4 is inverted and the switch is turned on. As described above, the height is set to at least the same as or higher than the height of the light sources 2, 3 or the spring 4. It is preferable that the height of the pressing member 5 is higher than the height of the light sources 2 and 3 in a state of being elastically deformed by applying a load required for the spring 4 to reverse. Further, in consideration of operability, it is preferable that the pressing member 5 is higher than the base sheet 7 because it is easier to operate when the center of the switch is higher than the outer peripheral portion.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the illuminated switch of the present embodiment is used as a switch for which a pressing operation is performed via a pusher 8 provided on a surface sheet or the like of a keyboard, FIG. 6 is usually used. As shown in, the pusher 8 is arranged so that the center of the pusher 8 is placed near the center, which is the power point of the switch. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the center of the pusher 8 may deviate from the point of effort depending on the deviation at the time of mounting and the operation method. Even in such a case, since the pressing member 5 is arranged at the point of effort, the pressing member 5 presses the center of the spring 4 even if the pusher 8 is slightly displaced, and the stroke and operation feeling of the switch are normally performed. It can be kept and normal characteristics can be obtained. In particular, if the pressing member 5 has a cylindrical shape, the center of the spring 4 can be appropriately pressed even if the upper end thereof is pressed diagonally.

Further, the pressing member 5 can improve the certainty of operation and the feeling of operation depending on the shape as well as the material thereof. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the pressing member 5 is formed into a substantially hemispherical shape or a truncated cone shape, and the apex 5c of the spherically protruding portion or the upper bottom 5d of the truncated cone is the top 4a of the spring 4. By arranging the springs so as to come into contact with each other, the spring 4 can be elastically deformed in the vertical direction in a stable state and the top portion 4a of the spring 4 can be reliably pressed.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the illuminated switch according to the second embodiment has a light source 12 arranged in the center of the substrate 11. That is, the substrate 11 in the second embodiment is provided with an electrode pattern 11b for mounting a light source in the center of the surface thereof, a fixed contact 11a is provided outside the electrode pattern 11b, and a connection pattern 11d is provided near the outer periphery of the surface. It is provided. Further, on the back surface of the substrate 11, similarly to the substrate 1 described above, a terminal 11e that appropriately conducts with the fixed contact 11a, the electrode pattern 11b, and the connection pattern 11d is provided.

A light source 12 composed of a light emitting element or the like is mounted on the electrode pattern 11b of the substrate 11, and the light source 12 is arranged in the center of the substrate.

Further, the metal spring 14 constituting the dome-shaped movable contact in this illuminated switch has the outer edge portion in contact with the connection pattern 11d and the substrate 11 so as to face the fixed contact 11a, similarly to the spring 4 described above. Arranged on top. The spring 14 has a hole 14b having a size that allows the light source 12 to pass through at a position facing the light source 12 in the center thereof.

Further, the pressing member 15 in the illuminated switch is made of an elastic material such as silicon, like the pressing member 5 described above, and is formed by punching or the like so as to form a cylinder in the present embodiment.

Further, the illuminated switch is also provided with a transparent sheet 16 for dustproofing and waterproofing that covers the light source 12 and the spring 14, and a base sheet 17 that supports the outer peripheral portion of the sheet 16.

In the pressing member 15 of the present embodiment, one of the ring-shaped end faces 15a abuts on the peripheral edge portion 14a of the hole 14b of the spring 14, and the other ring-shaped end face 15b abuts on the seat 16, so that the power point of the switch is reached. Is located in. Therefore, the light emitted by the light source 12 is emitted upward from the central hole of the pressing member 15 to illuminate the switch.

In this illuminated switch, as shown in FIG. 10, when the pressing member 15 is pressed from above the seat 16 when the peripheral edge portion 14a of the hole 14b of the spring 14 is in the off state away from the fixed contact 11a, the pressing member is pressed. When 15 is elastically deformed and the pressing operation is continued as it is, the elastic force of the pressing member 15 reaches the load at which the spring 14 is inverted, and as shown in FIG. 12, the spring 14 is inverted and the peripheral edge portion 14a of the hole 14b is formed. It comes into contact with the fixed contact 11a and turns on. At this time, by setting the pressing member 15 to be higher than the light source 12, a space S is formed between the sheet 16 and the light source 12.

Also in this illuminated switch, as in the first embodiment described above, when the pressing operation is started, both the spring 14 and the pressing member 15 are deformed, or the pressing member 15 softer than the spring 14 moves up and down with a small pressing load. When the elastic force when the pressing member 15 is greatly deformed reaches a load in which the spring 14 is inverted, the spring 14 is inverted, and when the spring 14 is inverted, the hole 14 of the spring 14 is deformed. The peripheral edge portion 14a comes into contact with the fixed contact 11a on the substrate 11. After that, when the pressing load is lowered and the elastic force of the pressing member 15 is lowered to a predetermined value, the spring 14 starts to be restored, and when the elastic force of the pressing member 15 is lower than the load required for reversal, the spring 14 is restored to a dome shape. The pressing member 15, which has been elastically deformed so as to be crushed while being crushed, is restored to the original cylindrical shape. As described above, not only the stroke due to the elastic deformation of the spring 14 but also the stroke due to the elastic deformation of the pressing member 15 is added, and the operation stroke is greatly increased.

In this illuminated switch as well, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, when the pusher 8 is used, even if the center of the pusher 8 deviates from the force point, the pressing member 15 is arranged at the force point, so that the switch is pressed. The member 15 presses the vicinity of the center of the spring 14, and normal characteristics can be obtained.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the inner peripheral surface 15b of the pressing member 15 can be used as a reflector by forming the inner peripheral surface 15b of the pressing member 15 with a reflecting surface inclined so that the inner diameter thereof expands upward. , Highly efficient light extraction is possible.

1,11 Substrate 1a, 11a Fixed contact 1b, 1c, 11b Electrode pattern 1d, 11d Connection pattern 1e, 11e Terminal 2,3,12 Light source 4,14 Spring 4a Top 4b, 4c, 14b Hole 5,15 Pressing member 5a One side Circular end face 5b The other circular end face 5c Vertex 5d Top bottom 6,16 Sheet 7,17 Base sheet 8 Pusher 14a Peripheral part 15a One ring-shaped end face 15b The other ring-shaped end face 15c Inner peripheral face

Claims (4)

A substrate on which a fixed contact is formed, a light source mounted on the substrate, and a dome-shaped spring which is arranged on the substrate so as to face the fixed contact and has a hole at a position facing the light source. It is an illuminated switch equipped with
A sheet covering the light source and the spring,
A base sheet that supports the outer peripheral portion of the sheet and secures a space for accommodating the light source and the spring between the substrate and the sheet.
A pressing member made of an elastic material , one end surface of which abuts on the top of the spring serving as a power point of the switch and the other end surface abuts on the sheet .
When the elastic force of the pressing member that is pressed and elastically deformed reaches the load that the spring reverses, the spring reverses and comes into contact with the fixed contact .
The pressing member has a height equal to or higher than the height of the light source so that an appropriate space is formed between the light source and the seat when the spring is inverted, and the center of the switch is from the outer peripheral portion. An illuminated switch characterized in that it is set to be higher than the height of the base sheet when the spring is inverted so as to be higher than the height of the base sheet . The illuminated switch according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member has a cylindrical shape, and one of the circular end faces abuts on the central top of the spring . The light source is arranged at a position facing the center of the spring, the hole of the spring is provided in the center of the spring facing the light source, the pressing member has a cylindrical shape, and one of the ring-shaped end faces thereof is formed. The illuminated switch according to claim 1, which comes into contact with the periphery of the hole of the spring . The illuminated switch according to claim 3 , wherein the pressing member includes a reflecting surface that is inclined so that the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface expands upward .

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