JP6838364B2 - Operation unit structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an operation unit structure.

As the above-mentioned operation unit structure, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1. In this technique, as described in paragraph (0018), FIGS. 5 and 6 of the specification of Patent Document 1, when a load exceeding a predetermined value at the time of a vehicle collision is applied to the operation unit 3, the elastically deformed claw Due to the elastic deformation of 23A, the locked state of the protrusion 231A with respect to the locking hole portion 321 is released. Then, when the operation unit 3 is not attached to the base unit 2, the operation unit 3 stops at a position where the operation unit 3 is pushed by a predetermined amount with respect to the base unit 2, and the protrusion amount a of the operation unit 3 with respect to the instrument panel 5 a. Changes to the collision state B in which
Further, as described in paragraph (0024) and FIG. 4 of the specification, a folded portion provided at the edge of the opening of the cluster panel 51 is provided at the tubular tip portion of the main body portion 31 of the operation portion 3. A hooked portion 311 is formed which is locked to 511 to prevent the operating portion 3 from coming off.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-544666

According to the above-mentioned conventional technique, in the event of a vehicle collision, the locking hole portion 321 and the protrusion 231A are released from the lock, and further, the folded-back portion 511 provided on the cluster panel 51 and the hook provided on the operating portion 3 are hooked. Since the lock with the stop portion 311 is released, the panel can be prevented from being deformed or damaged.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, since the folded-back portion 511 holds the hooked portion 311 from the front side of the vehicle, the operation unit 3 alone cannot be attached to or detached from the cluster panel 51 or the like. As a result, there was room for improvement in terms of ease of assembly and service.
An object of the present invention is to provide an operation unit structure that can prevent the panel from being deformed or damaged even when a pushing force exceeding a set value is applied to the dial as an operation unit, and can improve assembleability and serviceability. ..

The feature of the present invention is
A panel with dial insertion holes and
An operation unit structure that is inserted into a dial insertion hole of the panel and includes a dial for operating a device on the back side of the panel.
A ring member is inserted into the dial insertion hole of the panel from the back surface side of the panel, and the locked portion provided on the ring member and the locking portion provided on the back surface side of the panel are locked. ,
A gap is formed between the ring member and the peripheral edge of the dial insertion hole.
In the dial, an opening end portion located on the panel side is inserted into the gap from the surface side of the panel, and is freely connected to the operated portion of the device so as to be disconnected.
When a pushing force equal to or higher than a set value is applied to the dial, the dial is pushed toward the panel side to release the locked portion from the locked portion .
The locking portion of the panel is a locking claw having a locking convex portion protruding toward the axis of the dial insertion hole of the panel.
The locked portion of the ring member is a locking recess opened on the radial outer side of the ring member .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an operation unit structure that can prevent the panel from being deformed or damaged even when a pushing force exceeding a set value is applied to the dial as the operation unit, and can improve the assembleability and serviceability. ..

View of the panel from the passenger compartment side (rear side of the vehicle) AA sectional view of FIG. BB sectional view of FIG. Front view of the ring member (view of the ring member from the vehicle interior side (vehicle rear side)) Perspective view of ring member View of the panel from the back side of the panel The figure which shows the operation of a dial when a pushing force more than a set value is applied to the end face of a dial. The figure which shows the operation of the dial when the pushing force more than a set value is applied to the end face of a dial from the state of FIG. Cross-sectional view showing the locked state of the locked portion and the locked portion of another embodiment.

The operation unit structure of the embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the dial pushed into the panel side by the input of the pushing force unlocks the locked portion of the ring member from the locking portion of the panel, and the panel is deformed. -Prevents damage and improves assembleability and serviceability.

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, on a heater control panel 10 (hereinafter referred to as "panel 10") of an automobile, a dial operation unit 1 for adjusting the wind direction, a dial operation unit 2 for temperature adjustment, and a dial for adjusting the air volume are provided. An operation unit 3 is provided. Further, the panel 10 is provided with an operation button 4 for an air conditioner switch, a switch operation unit 5 for a rear differential switch, and an operation knob 6 for an inside / outside air switching lever.

<Structure of dial operation unit 3 for adjusting air volume>
As shown in FIG. 6, a circular dial insertion hole 11 is formed in the panel 10. Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a dial 7 for operating the switch 9 (corresponding to the operated portion) of the controller 8 (corresponding to the device) arranged on the back side of the panel 10 is inserted into the dial insertion hole 11. Has been done.

The dial 7 has a bottomed cylindrical dial body 12 and a dial shaft 14 projecting from the center of the back surface of the end wall 13 of the dial body 12 to the back side of the panel 10 (Fr on the front side of the vehicle). One end of the dial shaft 14 in the axial direction is attached and fixed to the center of the back surface of the end wall 13 of the dial body 12.

Further, a cylindrical ring-shaped cover 20 (corresponding to a ring member, see FIGS. 4 and 5) surrounding the intermediate portion of the dial shaft 14 in the longitudinal direction is inserted into the dial insertion hole 11 of the panel 10 from the back surface side of the panel 10. There is. Then, the locked portion 17 provided on the cover 20 and the locking portion 16 provided on the back surface side of the panel 10 are locked. A circular ring-shaped gap S is formed between the cover 20 and the peripheral edge 11S of the dial insertion hole 11.

In the dial 7, the opening end 18 located on the panel 10 side is inserted into the gap S from the surface side (vehicle rear side Rr) of the panel 10, and the tip of the dial shaft 14 is a switch of the controller 8. It is freely connected to 9 to be disconnected.

To elaborate on the connection structure, a fitting portion 14A is formed at the tip of the dial shaft 14, and a fitting portion 9A is formed at the switch 9. Then, the dial 7 is pushed into the front side Fr of the vehicle to fit and connect the fitting portion 14A to the fitted portion 9A, and the dial 7 is pulled to the rear side Rr of the vehicle to release the fitting connection. As a result, the dial 7 can be independently attached to and detached from the controller 8 and the panel 10, and the assembling property and serviceability can be improved.

As shown in FIG. 1, the dial 7 is configured to be rotatable left and right by a predetermined angle from a vertical posture. Further, a display unit 40 is provided on the panel 10 around the rotation operation range of the dial 7, and a display mark indicating the position of the dial 7 in the rotation direction is provided on the display unit 40. The controller 8 on the back side of the display unit 40 is provided with a light source 30 (see FIG. 3) that illuminates the display unit 40.

In addition to the above configuration, the dial operation unit 3 is pushed toward the panel 10 when a pushing force F equal to or higher than a set value is applied to the dial 7 by an occupant or the like, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. , The locked portion 17 is configured to be unlocked from the locking portion 16.

As a result, the force (pulling force toward the back side of the panel 10) received by the panel 10 from the dial 7 via the locking mechanism 21 including the locking portion 16 and the locked portion 17 can be released, and the panel 10 can be released. It is possible to prevent deformation and damage.

<Detailed structure of dial operation unit 3 for adjusting air volume>
[Structure of panel 10]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the locking portion 16 has at least the first position L1 (see FIG. 1) corresponding to the apex on one side of the dial 7 in the vehicle width direction and the apex on the other side in the vehicle width direction. It is arranged at the second position L2 (see FIG. 1) corresponding to the above. In this embodiment, the locking portion 16 is also arranged at a third position L3 (see FIG. 1) corresponding to the lower apex of the dial 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, the locking portion 16 has a first protruding piece 16A protruding from the peripheral edge 11S of the dial insertion hole 11 of the panel 10 to the back side of the panel 10 and a dial insertion from the tip end portion of the first protruding piece 16A. It is composed of a locking convex portion 16B protruding toward the axis O of the hole 11. As described above, the locking portion 16 of the panel 10 is a locking claw provided with a locking convex portion 16B protruding toward the axis O of the dial insertion hole 11 of the panel 10.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a second protruding piece 19 (corresponding to a protruding portion) projecting to the back side of the panel 10 is provided on the peripheral edge portion 11S of the peripheral edge 11S of the dial insertion hole 11 of the panel 10 near the light source 30. It is provided. The second protruding piece 19 is located at the fourth position L4 (see FIG. 1) corresponding to the upper apex of the dial 7.

[Structure of cover 20]
As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the cover 20 has a thicker first cylinder portion 31 on the controller 8 side and a smaller diameter than the first cylinder portion 31, and is the inner circumference of the first cylinder portion 31. It is composed of a second tubular portion 32 extending from the end surface on the portion side to the panel 10 side. The outer peripheral surface of the second tubular portion 32 is formed in a narrowed shape with a smaller diameter toward the panel 10 side (Rr on the rear side of the vehicle). A plurality of reinforcing ribs 35 are dispersedly arranged on the outer peripheral surface at intervals in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the locked portion 17 of the cover 20 is arranged at least at the first position L1 (see FIG. 1) and the second position L2 (see FIG. 1), respectively. .. In this embodiment, the locked portion 17 is further arranged at the third position L3 (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the locked portion 17 is configured by forming a U-shaped locking recess having a U-shaped cross section that is recessed inward in the radial direction in the first tubular portion 31. The peripheral wall portion 33 on the panel 10 side of the locking recess is cut out at the top and has a height dimension shorter than that of the peripheral wall portion 36 on the controller 8 side.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a holding recess 27 for inserting and holding (holding) the second protruding piece 19 of the panel 10 is formed in the cover 20 in a U-shaped cross section that opens toward the panel 10. Has been done. The holding recess 27 is located at the fourth position L4 (see FIG. 1). The outer peripheral portion of the first tubular portion 31 forming the holding recess 27 bulges outward in the radial direction of the first tubular portion 31 (see FIG. 5).

Since the holding recess 27 of the cover 20 holds the second protruding piece 19 of the panel 10 near the light source 30, it is possible to prevent light leakage from around the dial 7.

At the end of the first tubular portion 31 on the controller 8 side, a pair of trapezoidal convex portions 37 are formed so as to project inward in the radial direction in the axial direction of the cover 20. The top surface 37T of the convex portion 37 corresponding to the upper side of the trapezoid is curved in an arc shape in the axial direction of the cover 20. The pair of convex portions 37 are separately located at the first position L1 (see FIG. 1) and the second position L2 (see FIG. 1).

The convex portion 37 serves to guide the dial shaft 14 to be inserted straight into the cover 20 when the dial shaft 14 is connected to the switch 9, and the dial 7 pushed by the pushing force is applied to the panel 10. It has the role of guiding the back side to retreat straight.

Since the locking mechanism 21 including the locking portion 16 and the locked portion 17 is arranged at least at the first position L1 and the second position L2, respectively, the stress applied to the cover 20 and the panel 10 is dispersed. The stress can be balanced. In particular, when the dial operation unit 3 is provided in the central portion of the panel 10, the locking mechanism 21 can receive loads from both the left and right sides and from below, so that the stress applied to the cover 20 and the panel 10 is dispersed. It becomes more effective by balancing.

Since the locking portion 16 of the panel 10 is a locking claw provided with the locking convex portion 16B and the locked portion 17 of the cover 20 is the locking concave portion, when a pushing force F is applied to the dial 7. When the locked portion 17 gets over the locking convex portion 16B of the locking portion 16, the locking between the two is released.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when a pushing force F equal to or more than a set value is applied to the dial 7 by an occupant or the like, the dial 7 is pushed into the back side of the panel 10, and the opening end 18 of the dial 7 is the cover 20. The peripheral wall portion 33 of the locked portion 17 is brought into contact with the vehicle rear side Rr. The open end portion 18 is formed with a flange that projects outward in the radial direction so that the above-mentioned contact can be reliably performed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the opening end portion 18 pushes the peripheral wall portion 33 into the vehicle front side Fr. As a result, the locking convex portion 16B of the locking portion 16 of the panel 10 gets over the peripheral wall portion 33 (the peripheral wall portion 33 gets over the locking convex portion 16B), and the locked portion 17 comes from the locking portion 16. The lock is released, and the cover 20 is separated from the panel 10. When the peripheral wall portion 33 gets over the locking convex portion 16B, the first protruding piece 16A of the locking portion 16 is elastically deformed to the back side (the radial outer side of the dial insertion hole 11), and the overcoming is completed. Elasticity is restored with this.

Therefore, when the pushing force F is applied to the dial 7, the locking portion 16 and the locked portion 17 can be reliably unlocked.

As shown in FIG. 3, the claw 41 provided in the switch 9 is inserted and locked from the front side Fr of the vehicle into the locking hole 42 formed in the base 15 of the controller 8. Then, as described above, when a pushing force F equal to or greater than the set value is applied to the dial 7 by the occupant or the like, the claw 41 of the switch 9 is moved to the front Fr of the vehicle by the dial 7 as shown in FIGS. It is configured to be pushed in and unlocked from the locking hole 42. As a result, the base 15 and the switch 9 can be prevented from being deformed or damaged.

[Another Example]
As shown in FIG. 9, the locking portion 16 of the panel 10 is a locking recess having a U-shaped cross section opened on the back side (Fr of the vehicle front side) of the panel 10, and is a locked portion of the cover 20. Reference numeral 17 denotes a locking convex portion protruding toward the front side (Rr on the rear side of the vehicle) of the panel 10. That is, the locking portion 16 of the panel 10 may be configured to hold the locked portion 17 of the cover 20.

Although the embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments and examples are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

7 dial 8 controller (equipment)
9 Operated part (controller switch)
10 Panel 11 Dial insertion hole 11S Periphery of dial insertion hole 16 Locking part 16B Locking convex part 17 Locked part 18 Opening end part 19 Protruding part (second protruding piece)
20 Ring member (cover)
21 Locking mechanism 27 Holding recess 30 Light source 40 Display unit F Pushing force L1 Position corresponding to the apex on one side of the dial in the vehicle width direction (first position)
Position corresponding to the apex on the other side of the L2 dial in the vehicle width direction (second position)
S Gap O Dial insertion hole axis

Claims (3)

A panel with dial insertion holes and
An operation unit structure that is inserted into a dial insertion hole of the panel and includes a dial for operating a device on the back side of the panel.
A ring member is inserted into the dial insertion hole of the panel from the back surface side of the panel, and the locked portion provided on the ring member and the locking portion provided on the back surface side of the panel are locked. ,
A gap is formed between the ring member and the peripheral edge of the dial insertion hole.
In the dial, an opening end portion located on the panel side is inserted into the gap from the surface side of the panel, and is freely connected to the operated portion of the device so as to be disconnected.
When a pushing force equal to or higher than a set value is applied to the dial, the dial is pushed toward the panel side to release the locked portion from the locked portion .
The locking portion of the panel is a locking claw having a locking convex portion protruding toward the axis of the dial insertion hole of the panel.
The locked portion of the ring member is an operation portion structure in which the radially outer side of the ring member is an open locking recess. A display is provided on the panel around the dial.
The device includes a light source that illuminates the display unit.
A protrusion that projects to the back side of the panel is provided on the peripheral edge of the dial insertion hole of the panel, which is close to the light source.
Wherein the ring member, the operation section structure according to claim 1, wherein the holding recess for inserting holding the protrusion is formed. The locking mechanism including the locking portion and the locked portion is arranged at least at a position corresponding to the apex on one side in the vehicle width direction of the dial and a position corresponding to the apex on the other side in the vehicle width direction. The operation unit structure according to claim 1 or 2.

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