JPH0323628Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention relates to a swimming touch switch for electrically detecting when a swimmer has completed a goal or turned. To provide a touch switch for swimming in which the touch force can be reduced and does not vary depending on the location.

Various types of touch switches for swimming have been proposed in the past. One example is one that uses pressure-sensitive conductive rubber, which has the characteristic that its electrical resistance value decreases significantly when pressure is applied. Touch switches that use this pressure-sensitive conductive rubber have a relatively simple structure and are easy to manufacture, but the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber used in them is expensive, leading to high costs and a disadvantage that the commercial price is also high. be.

For this reason, a touch switch with a structure in which pressure-sensitive conductive rubber is locally embedded may be considered, but while this configuration can reduce the amount of pressure-sensitive conductive rubber used, it requires a complicated structure, which increases costs. It has the disadvantage of getting used to it. Another disadvantage is that the force with which the switch responds varies depending on where it is touched.

On the other hand, a touch switch called a tape switch has been proposed in which a large number of switch elements are attached to a plate and the plate is covered with a sheet to create a waterproof structure. Although this structure can be manufactured relatively inexpensively, it has the disadvantage that the switch does not respond unless pressed with a relatively large force. Another drawback is that the touch force that can be detected varies depending on the spacing between the tape switches.

Furthermore, whether these pressure-sensitive conductive rubbers or tape switches are used, the switch is turned on by a uniformly applied force such as water pressure. Therefore, malfunctions may occur due to variations in the depth of insertion into water, variations in the sensitivity of the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber, and variations in the reaction force of the tape switch. There is a drawback that it may malfunction especially if large waves are created by diving nearby.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a touch switch for swimming that is inexpensive, responds even to a small touch force, and does not cause any difference in detectable touch force depending on location.

An embodiment of this invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view showing an embodiment of this invention. In the figure, 1 shows the wall of the pool, 2 shows the diving board,
3 indicates the water surface. In this invention, an insulating substrate 4 is arranged on the wall surface 1 side of the pool, and four circumferences of a flexible sheet 5 are attached to the four circumferences of the insulating substrate 4. As the insulating substrate 4, for example, a hard vinyl chloride plate having a thickness of about 3 mm can be used. The flexible sheet 5 can be made of, for example, soft vinyl chloride with a thickness of about 1 mm. By attaching a frame 6 made of stainless steel, for example, on the flexible sheet 5 to reinforce the bonded part between the insulating substrate 4 and the flexible sheet 5, and tightening the frame 6 toward the substrate 4 with screws. The adhesive strength between the flexible sheet 5 and the substrate 4 is reinforced to ensure that waterproof performance is maintained over a long period of time.

A continuous foam insulating elastic body 7 having a thickness of, for example, about 3 mm is inserted into a flat chamber formed by an insulating substrate 4 and a flexible sheet 5, and about 13 mesh is placed on both sides of the insulating elastic body 7. Stainless steel plates 8 and 9 are placed. Conductive wires 11 and 12 are led out from the metal steels 8 and 9 and connected to output terminals 13 and 14 of the switch.

The continuous foam insulating elastic body 7 is a so-called sponge-like sheet material, and as shown in FIG. 3, a large number of through holes 7A communicating with the front and back sides are formed by foaming. Normally, the metal steels 8 and 9 are biased apart due to their elasticity, but when pressure is applied locally, the holes 7A of the insulating elastic body 7
is expanded and enlarged as shown in FIG. 4, and the gold steels 8 and 9 come into contact through the expanded hole 7A, thereby establishing conduction between the terminals 13 and 14. A touch can be detected by this conductive signal.
However, since it is easy to make the thickness of the elastic body 7 uniform, it is possible to respond with a uniform touch force no matter where you press it.

Note that when a uniform force such as water pressure is applied between the flexible sheet 5 and the insulating substrate 4, the open-cell insulating elastic body 7 is compressed uniformly in the thickness direction as shown in FIG. Ru. At this time, the through hole 7A deforms in the direction of being closed due to compressive deformation.

As a result, even if the force is large, the metal steels 8 and 9 will not come into contact with each other, and the touch switch will not malfunction due to water pressure or waves generated during diving. can do.

As explained above, in this invention, the open-cell insulating elastic body 7 is used as the elastic material that keeps the metal steel 8 and 9 in an insulating state at all times, so the through hole 7A passes through the front and back of the elastic body 7. Since the metal parts 8 and 9 are pushed apart in response to local forces, it is possible to bring the metal steels 8 and 9 into contact with each other even with a small force in response to local forces caused by limbs or the like. Also, the switch can respond with uniform touch force no matter where you press it. However, the elastic body 7 is compressed uniformly by pressure applied to the entire surface, such as water pressure, and the through hole 7A is deformed in the direction of being closed, so that the metal steel does not come into contact with it. Therefore, even if large pressure is applied by water pressure, especially waves, etc., it will not malfunction.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of this invention. In this example, the elastic body 7 is slightly compressed and deformed by the water pressure in the part submerged in the water, so the metal steel 8 and 9 are closer to each other in this part than in the part above the water surface 3. In consideration of the fact that contact can be made with a small force, and therefore there is a difference in sensitivity to touch force between the part submerged in water and the part located above the water surface, it is exposed from slightly below the water surface 3 to above the water surface 3. A case is shown in which a large number of punched holes 15 are formed in the elastic body 7 in the area where the elastic body 7 is attached. By forming a large number of punched holes 15 in this manner, it is possible to prevent a difference in the touch force applied by the switch between the part submerged in water and the part exposed above the water surface.

In addition, in this invention, since the switch is constructed of the metal steels 8 and 9 and the elastic body 7, these elements are made of relatively lightweight materials, so there is an advantage that the touch switch can be provided with a light weight as a whole.
Furthermore, since the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, it can be manufactured at low cost, and an inexpensive touch switch can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of this invention, Figure 2 is a front view showing another embodiment of this invention, and Figure 3 is a front view showing another embodiment of this invention.
5 through 5 are enlarged sectional views for explaining the operation of this invention. 1... Pool wall, 2... Diving board, 3... Water surface, 4... Insulating substrate, 5... Flexible sheet, 6...
...Stainless steel frame, 7...Continuously foamed elastic body, 7
A... Through hole, 8, 9... Gold steel, 13, 14...
Output terminal of touch switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A: A substrate formed of an insulating material; B: A flexible sheet whose periphery is pasted to this substrate; C: A substrate formed from this flexible sheet and the above substrate. D is inserted between two pieces of metal steel inserted into a flat chamber, and a through hole penetrating from one surface to the other is pushed out in response to local forces. A swimming touch switch comprising: an open foam insulating elastic body that brings the gold and steel pieces into contact with each other;