JP7561571B2 - Intercom Equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an intercom device that has an operation button that can be operated by pressing, such as an intercom master unit.

Conventionally, common intercom devices such as intercom master units are equipped with a push-button that can be operated by pressing it. One such intercom device has been devised in which multiple push-buttons are arranged side-by-side in the left-right direction on the front of the main body case (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2020-156050 A

Operation buttons such as those described above are often installed on the main case by first temporarily assembling them on the case side, and then, for example, assembling the front and rear cases together, or assembling a panel member on the front surface of the front case. However, there is a problem in that the operation buttons are prone to misalignment in the temporarily assembled state. This problem is particularly noticeable in intercom devices in which multiple operation buttons are arranged side by side in a specific direction, and is a factor that leads to complication of the manufacturing process.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide an intercom device in which the operating buttons in the provisionally assembled state do not shift out of position, simplifying the manufacturing process.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention is an intercom device having a plurality of operation buttons that can be operated by pressing them arranged in the left-right direction on the front surface of a main body case, wherein a cross-shaped positioning rib when viewed from the front protrudes forward from the main body case, the positioning rib having an upper piece protruding upward, a lower piece protruding downward, a left piece protruding to the left, and a right piece protruding to the right, and wherein a plurality of positioning ribs are provided at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction, while a first positioning convex portion protrudes backward from the left portion of the operation button, capable of clamping the right piece from above and below, and a second positioning convex portion protrudes backward from the right portion of the operation button, capable of clamping the left piece from above and below, and wherein the operation button is installed between two adjacent positioning ribs, with the right piece of the left positioning rib clamped by the first positioning convex portion, and the left piece of the right positioning rib clamped by the second positioning convex portion.
According to the invention described in claim 1, the operation button can be installed between two adjacent positioning ribs in a state in which the right piece of the left positioning rib is sandwiched by the first positioning protrusion and the left piece of the right positioning rib is sandwiched by the second positioning protrusion. Therefore, for example, in a temporary assembly state, the operation button does not shift in position in the vertical or horizontal directions, so that the manufacturing work (particularly the work of arranging multiple operation buttons side by side) can be simplified. In addition, one positioning rib can be shared by two adjacent operation buttons on the left and right, so that the structure can be simplified and the intercom device can be made smaller.

In addition, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention described in claim 2 of the present invention is an intercom device having a plurality of operation buttons that can be pressed and arranged in a vertical direction on the front surface of a main body case, wherein a positioning rib that is cross-shaped when viewed from the front and has an upper piece protruding upward, a lower piece protruding downward, a left piece protruding to the left, and a right piece protruding to the right is protruding forward from the main body case, and a plurality of positioning ribs are provided at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction, while a first positioning convex portion protruding rearward is provided on the upper part of the operation button and capable of clamping the lower piece from the left and right, and a second positioning convex portion protruding rearward is provided on the lower part of the operation button and capable of clamping the upper piece from the left and right, and the operation button is installed between two adjacent positioning ribs vertically, with the lower piece of the upper positioning rib clamped by the first positioning convex portion, and the upper piece of the lower positioning rib clamped by the second positioning convex portion.
According to the invention described in claim 2, the operation button can be installed between two vertically adjacent positioning ribs, with the lower piece of the upper positioning rib sandwiched by the first positioning protrusion and the upper piece of the lower positioning rib sandwiched by the second positioning protrusion. Therefore, for example, in a temporary assembly state, the operation button does not shift in position in the vertical or horizontal directions, so that the manufacturing work (particularly the work of arranging multiple operation buttons vertically side by side) can be simplified. In addition, one positioning rib can be shared by two vertically adjacent operation buttons, so that the structure can be simplified and the intercom device can be made smaller.

According to the present invention, a positioning rib that is cross-shaped when viewed from the front and has an upper piece that protrudes upward, a lower piece that protrudes downward, a left piece that protrudes left, and a right piece that protrudes right is provided on the main body case, protruding forward, and a plurality of such positioning ribs are provided at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction (up-down direction in claim 2), while a first positioning protrusion that can clamp the right piece from above and below (the lower piece from left and right in claim 2) is provided on the left part of the operation button (upper part in claim 2) protruding backward, and a second positioning protrusion that can clamp the right piece from above and below (the lower piece from left and right in claim 2) is provided on the right part of the operation button (upper part in claim 2). A second positioning protrusion that can clamp the left piece from above and below (the upper piece from left and right in claim 2) protrudes rearward from the left side of the button, and the button is set between two adjacent positioning ribs (top and bottom in claim 2) with the right piece of the left positioning rib (the lower piece of the upper positioning rib in claim 2) clamped by the first positioning protrusion, and the left piece of the right positioning rib (the upper piece of the lower positioning rib in claim 2) clamped by the second positioning protrusion. Therefore, for example, in a temporary assembly state, the button does not shift in position in the vertical or horizontal directions, which simplifies the manufacturing process (particularly the process of arranging multiple buttons side by side (top and bottom in claim 2)).

2 is an explanatory diagram showing the front side of the intercom master unit. FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory perspective view showing the intercom master unit in a disassembled state. 5A and 5B are perspective explanatory views of a setting button, in which FIG. 5A shows the button from the front side and FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a portion of a front case where a setting button is provided, as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory perspective view showing the same portion. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a setting button portion taken along line AA in FIG. 1; 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing the setting button portion taken along line BB in FIG. 1.

Below, we will explain in detail the intercom master unit, which is one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the front side of the intercom master unit 1. Figure 2 is an explanatory perspective view showing the intercom master unit 1 in a disassembled state. Figure 3 is an explanatory perspective view of the setting button 10, (a) showing it from the front side and (b) showing it from the rear side. Figure 4 (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the installation portion of the setting buttons 10, 10... in the front case 2 from the front side, and (b) is an explanatory perspective view showing the same portion. Figure 5 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the setting button 10 portion taken along line A-A in Figure 1. Figure 6 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the setting buttons 10, 10 portion taken along line B-B in Figure 1.

The intercom master unit 1 has a main body case composed of a front case 2 arranged on the front side, a rear case 3 attached to the rear side of the front case 2, and a panel member 7 attached to the front of the front case 2. The front of the main body case is provided with a display unit 4 that displays images captured by an intercom handset (not shown). A microphone unit 6 for communicating with the intercom handset is provided on the right side of the display unit 4 on the front of the main body case. A response button 5 that is operated when responding to a call from the intercom handset is provided on the lower side of the display unit 4 on the front of the main body case, and four setting buttons 10, 10, etc. for setting the intercom handset are arranged in a row in the left-right direction. Such an intercom master unit 1 is installed on a wall surface or the like in a living room, and displays an image on the display unit 4 in response to a call from the intercom handset, and when the response button 5 is operated, it becomes possible to communicate with the intercom handset. The speaker unit for communicating with the intercom handset is provided on the rear side of the main body case. Additionally, 8 is a transparent plate, which is one of the elements that make up the panel member 7.

Here, the installation structure of the four setting buttons 10, 10 . . . which is the main part of the present invention will be described.
Each setting button 10 has an operating portion 11 that is pressed by the user, an upper contact piece 12 that extends rearward from the top of the operating portion 11 and is bent upward, a lower contact piece 13 that extends rearward from the bottom of the operating portion 11 and is bent downward, and an operating protrusion 14 that protrudes rearward from the center of the operating portion 11. Upper positioning protrusions 15, 15 that protrude further rearward from the rear surface of the upper contact piece 12 are provided on both left and right ends of the upper contact piece 12. Meanwhile, lower positioning protrusions 16, 16 that protrude further rearward from the rear surface of the lower contact piece 13 are provided on both left and right ends of the lower contact piece 13. The upper positioning protrusions 15, 15 and the lower positioning protrusions 16, 16 face each other at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction.

On the other hand, at the installation positions of the four setting buttons 10, 10... on the front case 2 side, four operation windows 21, 21... for exposing the switches 30 (shown in FIG. 6) that are turned ON/OFF by each setting button 10 are provided at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction. Also, on the front surface of the front case 2, a columnar upper elastic member 22 that is long in the left-right direction is attached to the top of the operation windows 21, 21..., while a columnar lower elastic member 23 that is long in the left-right direction is attached to the bottom of the operation windows 21, 21.... Furthermore, on the front surface of the front case 2, a first positioning rib 24 that protrudes forward is provided in a location between adjacent operation windows 21 in the left-right direction. Also, a second positioning rib 25 that protrudes forward is provided further outward in the left-right direction of the operation windows 21, 21 located at both left and right ends.

The positioning rib 24 is formed in a cross shape when viewed from the front, and has an upper piece 24a that protrudes upward, a right piece 24b that protrudes to the right, a lower piece 24c that protrudes downward, and a left piece 24d that protrudes to the left. The thickness (vertical width) of the right piece 24b and the left piece 24d is thinner than the gap between the upper and lower positioning protrusions 15, 16 of each setting button 10. The distance between the positioning ribs 24, 24 in the left-right direction is approximately the same as the left-right width of the setting button 10.

The positioning rib 25 has an upper piece 25a that protrudes upward and a lower piece 25c that protrudes downward, and only has side pieces 25b that protrude inward to the left and right as side pieces that protrude in the left and right direction. The thickness (vertical width) of the side pieces 25b is the same as the thickness of the right piece 24b and the left piece 24d of the positioning rib 24. The horizontal distance between the positioning rib 25 and the adjacent positioning rib 24 in the left and right direction is also approximately the same as the horizontal width of the setting button 10.

When installing the setting buttons 10 in the front case 2, the setting buttons 10 are arranged so that the upper and lower positioning protrusions 15, 16 on the left side of each setting button 10 sandwich the right piece 24b of the positioning rib 24 located on the left side (or the side piece 25b of the positioning rib 25 located on the left end) from above and below, and the upper and lower positioning protrusions 15, 16 on the right side of each setting button 10 sandwich the left piece 24d of the positioning rib 24 located on the right side (or the side piece 25b of the positioning rib 25 located on the right end) from above and below, and the setting buttons 10 are temporarily assembled. By arranging the setting buttons 10 in this manner, the setting buttons 10 are positioned in the up and down direction (i.e., the right piece 24b and left piece 24d of the positioning rib 24 and the side piece 25b of the positioning rib 25 function to position the setting buttons 10 in the up and down direction). In addition, the outer left and right surfaces of the upper and lower positioning protrusions 15, 16 of the setting button 10 arranged in this manner interfere with the upper piece 24a and the lower piece 24c of the positioning rib 24 (or the upper piece 25a and the lower piece 25c of the positioning rib 25), thereby positioning the setting button 10 in the left and right direction (i.e., the upper piece 24a and the lower piece 24c of the positioning rib 24 and the upper piece 25a and the lower piece 25c of the positioning rib 25 function to position the setting button 10 in the left and right direction). Note that by arranging the setting button 10 as described above, the operation protrusion 14 of the setting button 10 is located in front of the switch 30 exposed in the operation window 21.

After the setting buttons 10, 10... are arranged on the front side of the front case 2 and temporarily assembled, the panel member 7 is assembled to the front of the front case 2 while positioning the operation parts 11, 11... of the setting buttons 10, 10... in the button windows 26 opened in the panel member 7. Then, the upper contact piece 12 is clamped from the front and rear by the rear surface of the panel member 7 (the upper part of the opening edge of the button window 26) and the surface of the upper elastic member 22, and the lower contact piece 13 is clamped from the front and rear by the rear surface of the panel member 7 (the lower part of the opening edge of the button window 26) and the surface of the lower elastic member 23, respectively, completing the installation of the setting buttons 10, 10.... The left-right width of the button window 26 is approximately the same as the left-right width of the four setting buttons 10, 10..., and the top-to-bottom width of the button window 26 is approximately the same as the top-to-bottom width of the operation part 11 of each setting button 10.

According to the intercom master unit 1 having the above-mentioned configuration, a plurality of operation windows 21, 21... are opened in the front case 2 at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction, and a positioning rib 24 having a cross shape when viewed from the front and having an upper piece 24a protruding upward, a lower piece 24c protruding downward, a left piece 24d protruding left, and a right piece 24b protruding right is provided protruding forward at a position between the operation windows 21. In addition, a positioning rib 25 having an upper piece 25a protruding upward, a lower piece 25c protruding downward, and a side piece 25b protruding inward in the left-right direction is provided protruding forward further outward in the left-right direction of the operation windows 21, 21 at both the left and right ends. Meanwhile, an upper guide protrusion 15 and a lower guide protrusion 16 protruding backward are provided on both the left and right parts of the setting button 10, respectively. The setting buttons 10, 10... are installed in a state in which the upper and lower positioning protrusions 15, 16 on the left side of each setting button 10 sandwich the right piece 24b of the positioning rib 24 located on the left side (or the side piece 25b of the positioning rib 25 located at the left end) from above and below, and the upper and lower positioning protrusions 15, 16 on the right side of each setting button 10 sandwich the left piece 24d of the positioning rib 24 located on the right side (or the side piece 25b of the positioning rib 25 located at the right end) from above and below. Therefore, when the setting buttons 10, 10... are positioned using the positioning ribs 24, 25 and the setting buttons 10, 10... are temporarily assembled, the right piece 24b and left piece 24d of the positioning rib 24 and the side piece 25b of the positioning rib 25 function to position them in the up-down direction, and the upper pieces 24a, 25a and lower pieces 24c, 25c of the positioning ribs 24, 25 function to position them in the left-right direction, so that the setting buttons 10, 10... do not shift position, which simplifies the manufacturing process (especially the process of arranging multiple setting buttons 10, 10... side by side).

As for the positioning rib 24, the right piece 24b functions to position the setting button 10 located on the right side of the unit, the left piece 24d functions to position the setting button 10 located on the left side of the unit, and the upper piece 24a and the lower piece 24c function to position the setting buttons 10, 10 located on both the left and right sides of the unit. In other words, one positioning rib 24 is shared by two adjacent setting buttons 10, 10 on the left and right, which simplifies the structure and ultimately makes it possible to make the intercom master unit 1 smaller.

The intercom device according to the present invention can be modified as necessary without departing from the spirit of the present invention, not only in terms of the overall configuration of the intercom device, but also in terms of the configuration related to the installation structure of the operation buttons, etc.

For example, in the above embodiment, the operation button is located on the front side of the front case, so a positioning rib that protrudes forward is provided on the front of the front case, but the present invention can also be suitably used in intercom devices in which the operation button is located inside the main case. In such cases, for example, a positioning rib that protrudes forward can be provided on the rear case, and the location of the positioning rib can be appropriately modified in the design.

In addition, although in the above embodiment, multiple operation buttons are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, the operation buttons may also be arranged side by side in the up-down direction. In such a case, positioning protrusions can be provided on both the top and bottom of the operation button, rather than on the left and right.
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, all the operation buttons are setting buttons, but there is no problem if the operation buttons are multiple types of buttons, such as response buttons and setting buttons.
In addition, while the above embodiment describes an intercom master unit, the present invention can also be suitably adopted for other intercom devices, such as intercom slave units, as long as they are equipped with an operation button that can be operated by pressing.

1: Intercom master unit (intercom device), 2: Front case (main body case), 3: Rear case (main body case), 7: Panel member (main body case), 10: Setting button (operation button), 15: Upper guide protrusion (positioning protrusion), 16: Lower guide protrusion (positioning protrusion), 24: Positioning rib, 24a: Upper piece, 24b: Right piece, 24c: Lower piece, 24d: Left piece, 25: Positioning rib, 25a: Upper piece, 25b: Side piece, 25c: Lower piece.

Claims (2)

An intercom device having a plurality of push-buttons arranged in a row in the left-right direction on the front surface of a main body case,
The main body case is provided with a positioning rib protruding forward, the positioning rib having a cross shape as seen from the front and having an upper piece protruding upward, a lower piece protruding downward, a left piece protruding leftward, and a right piece protruding rightward, the positioning rib being provided in a plurality at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction;
a first positioning protrusion capable of sandwiching the right piece from above and below is provided on a left portion of the operation button so as to protrude rearward, and a second positioning protrusion capable of sandwiching the left piece from above and below is provided on a right portion of the operation button so as to protrude rearward,
An intercom device characterized in that the operation button is installed between two adjacent positioning ribs, with the first positioning protrusion clamping the right piece of the left-side positioning rib and the second positioning protrusion clamping the left piece of the right-side positioning rib. An intercom device having a plurality of push-buttons arranged vertically on the front surface of a main body case,
The main body case is provided with a positioning rib protruding forward, the positioning rib having a cross shape as seen from the front and having an upper piece protruding upward, a lower piece protruding downward, a left piece protruding leftward, and a right piece protruding rightward, the positioning rib being provided in a plurality at predetermined intervals in the up-down direction;
a first positioning protrusion capable of sandwiching the lower piece from the left and right is provided on an upper portion of the operation button so as to protrude rearward, and a second positioning protrusion capable of sandwiching the upper piece from the left and right is provided on a lower portion of the operation button so as to protrude rearward,
An intercom device characterized in that the operation button is installed between two adjacent positioning ribs, with the first positioning protrusion clamping the lower piece of the upper positioning rib and the second positioning protrusion clamping the upper piece of the lower positioning rib.

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