JPH0136207B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a contact member used in a push button switch, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a contact member used in a normally-off type push button switch.

A small normal-off type push button switch is used in keyboards used as input parts for electronic cash registers, electronic desk calculators, and the like. This type of push button switch is in an off state when the push button is not pressed, and is in an on state when the push button is pressed. By the way, this type of push button switch is often manufactured in very large numbers of the same type, and the key to reducing the cost of push button switches is how easily they can be manufactured.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to develop a new manufacturing method for producing this type of switch by which a contact member made by assembling a fixed contact and a movable contact can be manufactured in large quantities without defective products, and can be easily assembled. It is about providing.

Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

A metal belt made of a highly elastic metal, such as phosphor bronze, is prepared. This metal belt is a long belt, several tens or hundreds of meters long, wound on a reel. Next, this metal belt is applied to a press to perform processing in the first step. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a metal belt 1 has been processed in the first step. In the figure, 2 is a movable contact plate, 3 is a fixed contact plate, and 4 is a terminal. These are connected to the end portions 11 and 11 by connecting portions 5 to 10 to prevent separation. In addition, 12, 12
are pilot holes provided in the end portions 11, 11.
In this punching operation, the first step is continuously performed by punching out units U for one switch and then performing similar punching. After the first step is completed, holes 13 and 14 are made in the movable connection plate 2 and the fixed contact plate 3, as shown in FIG. These holes 13 and 14 are holes for mounting a movable contact and a fixed contact. Next, contacts made of alloys of noble metals such as gold and silver are fitted into these holes, and these are caulked to form the movable contact plate 2 as shown in FIG.
At the same time, the movable contact 15 is attached to the fixed contact plate 3 and the fixed contact 16 are attached. In order to stabilize the contact portion, the contact surface of the fixed contact 16 is preferably formed into a flat surface, and the contact surface of the movable contact 15 is preferably formed into a spherical shape.

After completing the second step as described above, as a third step, as shown in FIG. 4, the arm portion 2a of the movable contact plate 2 is
The protrusion 17 is formed by pressing, and reinforcing ribs 18 are also formed on the fixed contact plate 3. By forming the protruding part 17 on the arm part 2a in this third step, the length of the arm part 2a is shortened, and as a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the movable contact plate 2 and the fixed contact plate 3 overlap, and the movable contact 15 and fixed contact 16 come into contact. In this third step, the terminals 4 are also bent and formed to reinforce the terminals 4, 4.

In the fourth step, as shown in FIG.
A synthetic resin frame 19 is formed on the upper side of the frame 4 by molding. By forming this frame 19, a contact member is almost completed, and this contact member is connected to the end portion and continues in a belt-like manner. In this state, the contact members connected in a belt-like manner are wound onto a spool and sent to an assembly factory.

In the fifth step, the positions indicated by lines a to h in FIG. 6 are cut using a press. Through this cutting step, the contact member 20 is separated from the end portions 11, 11, as shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b. In addition, since the separated contact member 20 has the frame 19, the fixed contact plate 3, the movable contact plate 2, and the terminal 4 are not separated but are assembled together, and the movable contact 15 and the fixed contact 16 are always connected. They are stably pressed and in contact by elastic force.

The contact member 20 separated in this manner is assembled into a switch case. FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a push button switch incorporating the contact member 20. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a case made of synthetic resin, and a protrusion 21a and a terminal insertion hole 21b are formed on the bottom surface, locking steps 21c, 21c are formed on the sides, and furthermore, the upper ends of these are formed with a protrusion 21a and a terminal insertion hole 21b. Mounting locking pieces 21d, 21d are formed that are slightly curved. 22 is an upper case, which, like the case 21, is made of synthetic resin. At the lower end of the upper case 22 are formed claws 22a, 22a that engage with the locking stepped portion 21c.
The upper case 22 and the case 21 are integrated by engaging the locking step portions 21c, 21c. A flange 22b is provided at the top of the upper case 22.
A hole 22c through which the operating member 23 is inserted is provided on the upper surface. The operating member 23 inserted into the hole 22c has a cam portion 2 bulged in the middle.
3a, and faces the protrusion 17 of the contact member 20. 24 is the hole 23b of the operating member 23 and the protrusion 2
This is a return spring inserted between 1a and always pushes up the operating member 23. Note that the contact member 20 is inserted from the top of the case 21, and the terminals 4, 4 are inserted into the terminal insertion holes 21b of the case, and then the terminals 4, 4 are slightly twisted. Due to this twist, the contact member 20 is pulled slightly downward, and the frame 19 is pulled downward from the case 2.
Case 2 is pressed firmly against the bottom of Case 1.
1 is fixed to the bottom. In this push button switch, a push button desired by the user is attached to the tip of the operating member 23. When in use, it is fitted into a mounting hole 25a provided in the chassis 25. Then, attach the chassis 25 to the flange 22b and the locking piece 21.
It can be securely attached to the chassis 25 by pinching it with d.

Next, the operation of the push button switch will be explained. When the push button is not pressed, the operating member 23 is pressed upward by the return spring 24 and rises. Therefore, the protruding portion 17 of the contact member 20 has a cam portion 23a.
Since the push button switch is moved by being pressed, the fixed contact 16 and the movable contact 15 are separated from each other, and the push button switch is in an off state. When the push button is pressed and the operating member 23 is pushed down, the protruding portion 17 is separated from the cam portion 23a, so that the spring force of the movable contact plate 2 causes it to rotate to the left in FIG. Therefore, the movable contact 15 and the fixed contact 16 come into contact and the push button switch is turned on.

As explained in detail above, according to the present invention,
Since the contact member can be formed from a single metal plate and can be formed continuously, it can be manufactured in large quantities and can be manufactured automatically. Furthermore, the structure of the contact member is simple and there is no need to combine several parts, so there are almost no defective products. Further, as mentioned above, since the contact member can be formed from a single metal plate, the material yield is good, and many other effects are obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 7a and 7b are process explanatory diagrams illustrating the manufacturing process of the contact member according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a push button switch using the contact member manufactured according to the present invention. . 1...Metal belt, 2...Movable contact plate, 2a...
...Arm part, 3...Fixed contact plate, 4...Terminal, 5-1
0... Connecting portion, 11... End, 15... Movable contact, 16... Fixed contact, 17... Projection, 19...
...Frame, 20...Contact member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 In the process of punching out an elastic metal plate, a movable contact plate having an arm portion, a fixed contact plate, and a terminal are connected to the ends at a connecting part, and a movable contact and a fixed contact are provided on the movable contact plate and the fixed contact plate. After that, the arm part is bent to provide a protruding part, and the length of the arm part is shortened to bring the fixed contact and the movable contact into contact, and a frame is provided with synthetic resin molding to separate the fixed contact plate and the movable contact plate. A method for manufacturing a contact member for a push button switch, characterized in that the contact member is formed by integrating the contact member with a terminal and then cutting each connecting portion.