JPH0220374Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The invention relates to an illuminated key that can illuminate the tip side of the key plate with light.
This paper relates to improvements to the switch operation mechanism.

For example, if you try to unlock a locked car door or ignition, a household door, a container lid, etc. at night or in a dark place, it may be difficult to find the key insertion hole for inserting the key plate.
The key plate must be inserted into the key insertion hole by hand. For this reason, it takes time to unlock the lock, and the area around the key insertion hole is often damaged by the tip of the key plate.

In order to eliminate such inconveniences and inconveniences, a knob is provided at the base of the key plate, a lighting bulb and battery are installed in the knob, and by directly pressing down on the entire battery, it is possible to release the key plate under normal conditions. An illuminated key has been proposed that lights up the light bulb by bringing one terminal of the light bulb into contact with one electrode of the battery.

However, with conventional keys like this, lighting is done using a push button method, and the push button is located on the flat surface of the knob, so it is common for people to press the button by mistake and turn on the bulb, which leads to faster battery consumption. I had a problem with it.

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and its purpose is to provide an illuminated key with less risk of erroneous operation.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 is a key plate, and a knob 2 is attached to the base of the key plate. The knob portion 2 includes a base 21 fixed to the base of the key plate 1 and a cover 22 attached to the base 21 so as to be openable and closable. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the base 21 and cover 22 are integrally molded from synthetic resin.
The connecting portion between the base 21 and the cover 22 is a thin portion 23 made of synthetic resin in order to function as a hinge. The base 21 also has engaging grooves 26 and 2 into which hooks 24 and 25 provided on the cover 22 are hooked.
7 is provided. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, this knob part 2 has a light emitting element 3, a battery 4,
A spring 5, a connecting piece 6, and an operation button 7 are incorporated.

The light emitting element 3 is replaceably attached to a part of the base 21 of the knob part 2 so as to illuminate the tip side of the key plate 1. This light emitting element 3
As a light bulb, a light bulb, a light emitting diode, etc. are used. Further, the battery 4 is disposed within the knob 2 so as to be movable in the planar direction of the base 21 (in this embodiment, in this direction, particularly in the longitudinal direction of the key plate 1). As this battery 4, an alkaline battery, a mercury battery, a silver oxide battery, a nickel-zinc battery, etc. are used. Moreover, a button type battery is suitable for its external shape. This button-type battery is formed into a disk shape with one side slightly protruding, the protruding side serving as a negative electrode, and the other flat side and outer periphery serving as a positive electrode. The spring 5 applies a biasing force to the battery 4 in the planar direction of the base 21, and is made of a conductive spring material such as phosphor bronze. One end of this spring 5 is connected to one terminal 31 of the light emitting element 3, and the other end is connected to one electrode 41 of the battery 4. Connection piece 6
is made of a conductor, one end is connected to the other terminal 32 of the light emitting element 3, and the other end is connected to the battery 4.
It is disposed within the base 21 so as to be connected to the other electrode 42 of the battery 4 by movement of a predetermined amount (in the counter-biasing direction of the spring 5). The operation button 7 moves the battery 4 in the direction opposite to the biasing direction of the spring 5, and has a fitting portion 71 formed on one surface into which one end of the battery 4 fits, and a fitting portion 71 on the other surface into which the battery 4 is fitted. An operating portion 72 for moving the spring 4 in the direction opposite to the biasing direction of the spring 5 is formed. The operation button 7 is slidably attached to the attachment hole 28 of the cover 22 so that the operation part 72 protrudes from the surface.

In such a configuration, in a normal state in which the operation button 7 is not slid, the battery 4 is pressed by the spring 5 and separated from the connection piece 6. Therefore, no current from the battery 4 flows through the light emitting element 3, and the light emitting element 3 is not lit. On the other hand, when the operating button 7 is moved against the pressing force of the spring 5, the battery 4 fitted into the fitting portion 71 of the operating button 7 also moves. As a result, the battery 4 comes into contact with the connecting piece 6, current from the battery 4 flows through the light emitting element 3, and the light emitting element 3 lights up. By lighting the light emitting element 3, the tip end side of the key plate 1 is illuminated, and unlocking can be quickly performed at night or in a dark place. Furthermore, since the light emitting element 3 can be turned on by sliding the operation button 7, erroneous operations can be reduced compared to the conventional configuration.
Further, by opening and closing the cover 22 of the knob portion 2, the light emitting element 3 and battery 4 can be easily replaced.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which one end of the battery 4 was directly fitted into the fitting part of the operation button 7.
They may be fitted together via a cap made of a conductor. In this way, the connection state between the spring 5 and the battery 4 can be maintained stably.

As explained above, in the present invention, since the operation button is slid, it is possible to reduce erroneous operations. Furthermore, by opening and closing the cover of the knob, the light emitting element and battery can be easily replaced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the open state of the cover of the knob and the key plate, and Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line X-X of Fig. 1. FIG. 1...Key plate, 2...Knob section, 3...
Light emitting element, 4...Battery, 5...Spring, 6...
... Connection piece, 7 ... Operation button, 21 ... Base,
22...cover, 71...fitting part, 72...operation part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a key plate formed in a predetermined shape; a knob portion consisting of a base fixed to the base of the key plate; and a cover attached to the base in an openable/closable manner; a light emitting element replaceably attached to the handle; a battery disposed within the knob so as to be movable in a plane direction of the base; one end connected to one terminal of the light emitting element and the other end connected to one terminal of the battery; a spring made of a conductor that is connected to the electrode of the base and applies a biasing force to the battery in the plane direction of the base; a connecting piece made of a conductor disposed within the knob so as to be connected to the other electrode of the battery when the battery moves a predetermined amount; and a fitting on one surface into which an end of the battery fits. A mating portion is formed, and an operating portion for moving the battery in a plane direction of the base against the biasing force of the spring is formed on the other surface, and the cover is arranged such that the operating portion protrudes from the surface. An illuminated key comprising an operation button slidably attached to the key.