JPH0317147Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an operation panel device that is incorporated into the front surface of a microwave oven or the like.

[Prior art]

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, an operation panel device conventionally incorporated in the front part of a microwave oven has an operation panel section 1 formed on the front surface, and the operation panel section 1 is connected to a display tube section. 2, an automatic cooking operation section 3 having various operation keys, a manual cooking operation section 4, and other adjustment knob button sections 5.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, as mentioned above, the complexity of the operation panel 1 due to the multi-functionality of microwave ovens has made it possible for microwave oven users to perform a wide variety of cooking, but on the other hand, it has not been easy to operate. It has the drawbacks of being complicated, difficult to understand, and prone to erroneous operation. Furthermore, the space that the display tube section 2 occupies in the operation panel section 1 inevitably becomes smaller as the number of various operation sections increases, so there is a problem that the display on the display tube section 2 becomes difficult to see.

Therefore, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-200024,
A rotatable rotary operation section is provided in a part of the operation panel section, and the operation section is formed on at least two sides of the rotation operation section, so that the necessary operation section can be adjusted as needed by the rotation. An operation panel device has been proposed that constitutes a part of the device. As a result, the above operation panel device reduces the number of operation parts on the operation panel section that appears on the front of the microwave oven, etc.
This makes it possible to avoid erroneous operations and expand the display tube space.

By the way, the operation panel device proposed in the above-mentioned publication uses a push button and an electric means such as a motor that is activated by pressing the push button to rotate the rotation operation section. The rotary operation section is rotated using a mechanical means using a movable lever.

However, when electric means are used, a motor, a sensor, etc. are required, which tends to increase the cost of the operation panel device, and there is a problem that reliability may be lowered due to failure.

On the other hand, when a mechanical means such as a rotary lever is used, it is possible to prevent an increase in cost and a decrease in reliability. In this case, the operation panel device is used for home appliances such as microwave ovens that require variety in design and operability, and may be required to be rotated by a push button in order to increase the product value. . However, since the rotary operation section of the above-mentioned operation panel device is rotated by the rotation of the rotary lever, it cannot be replaced with a push button. Therefore, when rotation by a push button is required, it is necessary to create an operation panel device using a push button using electrical means, resulting in problems of increased costs and decreased reliability.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and reduces the number of operation parts on the operation panel section that appears on the front of a microwave oven, etc.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an operation panel device using push buttons by mechanical means that can avoid erroneous operations and expand the space of a display tube section, and can also prevent an increase in cost and a decrease in reliability.

[Structure of the idea]

The device operation panel device of the present invention has an operation section on one side and the other side of the outer surface, and is rotatable so that the surface provided with one of the operation sections forms a part of the operation panel section. and a rotating operation part that rotates by its own weight from the one side to the other side, and a push button that can switch from the operation part on the one side to the operation part on the other side, and has a push button near the ridge line on the one side. A stopper is formed at the end, which can be locked by the operation panel when switched to the other side, and can be locked by a lock lever when switched to one side, and the lock lever is connected to the push button. It is configured such that it can be released from the stopper by pressing.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

The operation panel member 16 is attached to the microwave oven body by an operation panel mounting plate 17 fixed to the microwave oven body, and the operation panel portion 11 is formed on the front side of the operation panel member 16. This operation panel section 11 includes a display tube section 12, an adjustment knob section 1
3. Rotating operation section 14 equipped with push button 15
It is composed of.

The rotary operation section 14 has an automatic cooking operation section 14a and a manual cooking operation section 14b formed on two outer surfaces thereof, and has an L-shaped key press fitting 14c on the back side. Operation parts 14a, 14b
The entire body is formed into a rectangular cylindrical body by the key press fitting 14c. As shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the rotation operation section 14 are connected to a pair of left and right pin support fittings 22 fixed to the operation panel member 16.
It is pivotally supported by pins 23a and 23b of a and 22b, and is configured to be rotatable. Further, a stopper 19a having a protruding shape is formed at one end of the manual cooking operation section 14b near the ridgeline, while a stopper 19a is formed at the other end of the manual cooking operation section 14b near the ridgeline and connected to the automatic cooking operation section 14a. A protruding piece 19b is formed at the corner end. and,
The above-mentioned stopper 19a and the lock lever 1 described later
8 and the protruding piece 19b and the front window upper side 16a of the operation panel member 16, the rotation of the rotation operation section 14 is locked. The automatic cooking operation section 14a forms a part of the operation panel section 11 on the front side of the microwave oven, and the manual cooking operation section 14b is configured to remain stationary while being built into the microwave oven.

The lock lever 18 has a lock lever support piece 2 whose base end is fixed to the operation panel mounting plate 17.
1, and is configured to be rotatable. Further, a spring 20 is compressed between the lock lever 18 and the operation panel mounting plate 17 to urge it toward the front side of the microwave oven.A stepped locking portion 18a is formed at the tip of the lock lever 18, and the stepped locking portion 18a is formed at the tip of the lock lever 18. The rotation operation section 14 is configured to be prevented from rotating counterclockwise by the engagement between the stop portion 18a and the stopper 19a.
Furthermore, the spring 2 in the lock lever 18
The tip of the interlocking rod 15a of the push button 15 provided on the operation panel section 11 is in contact between the locking section 18a and the stepped locking section 18a. When the push button 15 is pressed, the lock lever 18 is pushed counterclockwise in conjunction with the push button 15, thereby releasing the lock lever 18 from the stopper 19a. Due to the above-mentioned release, the rotation operation section 14 is able to rotate counterclockwise due to its own weight, and the stopper 19a is locked to the upper side 16a of the front window section of the operation panel member 16. Its rotation is stopped. In this state, the manual cooking operation section 14b appears on the front side of the microwave oven and forms a part of the operation panel section 11, while the automatic cooking operation section 14a is located on the bottom side of the microwave oven and faces the front side. It is configured so that it cannot be seen from the outside.

In the above configuration, first, from the state where the automatic cooking operation section 14a shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 constitutes a part of the operation panel section 11 on the front of the microwave oven,
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, manual cooking operation section 1
4b is converted into a state in which it constitutes a part of the operation panel section 11, as follows.

When the push button 15 provided at the right end of the operation panel section 11 is pressed, the lock lever 18 is pushed counterclockwise against the biasing force of the spring 20. As a result, the locked state between the stepped end locking portion 18a of the lock lever 18 and the stopper 19a of the manual cooking operation portion 14b of the rotating operation portion 14 is released. As a result of this release, the rotation operation section 14 rotates counterclockwise by its own weight using the pair of left and right pins 23a, 23b as fulcrums, and the stopper 19a
is engaged with the upper side 16a of the front window section of the operation panel section 11 from inside and stopped. In this state, the automatic cooking operation section 14a is located on the lower surface side of the rotary operation section 14 and cannot be seen from the front side of the microwave oven, and the manual cooking operation section 14b is placed on a part of the operation panel section 11. It is placed in front of the microwave and can be clearly seen.

Next, the manual cooking operation section 14b operates the operation panel section 1.
1, the automatic cooking operation section 1
The case where the 4a is returned to its original state forming a part of the operation panel section 11 is as follows.

When the rotary operation part 14, which is in a stationary state due to its own weight, is manually rotated clockwise, the stopper 1
9a pushes the tip of the lock lever 18 and is stopped by the stepped locking portion 18a. At this time, since the lock lever 18 is always urged clockwise by the spring 20, the lock lever 18 is smoothly engaged while being pushed. The protruding piece 19b of the automatic cooking operation section 14a is the operation panel member 1.
When it is locked to the upper side 16a of the front window section 6,
The automatic cooking operation section 14a constitutes a part of the operation panel section 11 and is located in a state where it can be seen from the front of the microwave oven, and the manual cooking operation section 14b is built into the microwave oven main body and is not visible from the outside. becomes.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, the operation panel device according to the present invention has the operation section on one side and the other side of the outer surface,
a rotary operation section that is rotatably provided so that the surface provided with one of the operation sections forms a part of the operation panel section, and that rotates by its own weight from the one surface to the other surface; It has a push button that can be switched from the operation part of the side to the operation part of the other side, and the end near the ridge line of the one side is capable of being locked with the operation panel part when switched to the other side. A stopper is formed that can be locked by a lock lever when the switch is switched to the lock lever, and the lock lever can be released from the stopper by pressing a push button.

This makes it possible to reduce the number of operation parts appearing on the operation panel section, making it easier to understand the operations, and avoiding erroneous operations caused by the complicated arrangement of the operation parts. In addition, by providing the rotating operation section, the space occupied by the operation section on the front of the device can be reduced, and as a result, a large space is secured for the display tube, etc., and the use of the display section is increased. It can also have secondary effects such as increasing the visibility and ease of understanding of the display.

Furthermore, by rotating the rotation operation section using a mechanical means such as a lock lever, it is possible to prevent an increase in costs and a decrease in reliability, and
Since the rotation operation section is rotated using a push button, it is also possible to adapt to a variety of designs and operability of home appliances.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view showing a state in which an operation panel device is installed in a microwave oven. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part showing another vertical section of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the operation panel section of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 shows that the manual cooking operation section is the operation panel section. An enlarged perspective view of a part of the sixth
The drawings are a vertical sectional view of the main part of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional example of a microwave oven, and FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view showing the operation panel section of FIG. 7. 11 is an operation panel section, 12 is a display tube section, 14 is a rotating operation section, 14a is an automatic cooking operation section, 14b is a manual cooking operation section, 15 is a push button, 16 is an operation panel member, 17 is an operation panel mounting plate, 18
19a is a lock lever, 19a is a stopper, 19b is a projecting piece, 20 is a spring, 22a, 22b are pin support fittings, and 23a, 23b are pins.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] An operating unit is provided on one side and the other side of the outer surface, and is rotatable so that the surface provided with one of the operating units forms a part of the operating panel unit. a rotation operation section that is provided and rotates from the one surface to the other surface by its own weight;
a push button that can be switched from the operation section on one side to the operation section on the other side, and a push button on the edge near the ridge line of the one side that can be locked by the operation panel when switched to the other side. An operation panel characterized in that a stopper is formed that can be locked with a lock lever when switched to one side, and the lock lever can be released from the lock with the stopper by pressing a push button. Device.