JPH039221Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an improvement of the knob illumination mechanism of a rotary switch, and in particular, a knob illumination mechanism with improved transmission efficiency of illumination light to the switching direction display section of the knob. This is related to a rotary switch.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as this type of rotary switch with a knob illumination mechanism, there is, for example, a technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-94224. In this method, an optical fiber is disposed on a rotational operation shaft, one end of which is opposed to a light emitting element, and a part of the other end is led out to a knob on the distal end surface of the rotational operation shaft.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

In such conventional technology, only a part of the illumination light from the light emitting element is transmitted to the knob to illuminate the knob, and in particular, the illumination light is derived from a minute part such as the switching direction display part on the knob. However, there is a problem in that the illuminance is insufficient to display the switching direction of the knob at night or the like, making it difficult to visually recognize it.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and includes a knob having a switching direction display section, a light guide plate installed inside the knob, and a light guide plate that rotates based on the rotation operation of the knob. A rotary switch comprising a movable element, a lighting lamp for illuminating the switching direction display section, and a sliding contact disposed on the movable element, wherein the movable element surrounds the illuminating lamp. a contact storage portion for inserting the sliding contact; a shaft portion for supporting the sliding contact in the case; a through hole communicating from the shaft portion to the illumination lamp storage portion; and an upper end of the through hole. The light guide plate is fitted with the light guide plate.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, by surrounding the light emitting element with the movable element, most of the diffused illumination light is collected and efficiently passes through the through hole.
After converging on the light guide plate, it is emitted as clear illumination from the switching direction display section of the knob to clearly indicate the switching direction of the knob at night or the like.

〔Example〕

A preferred embodiment of a rotary switch with a knob illumination mechanism according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a case, and reference numeral 2 denotes a base plate having a connection board 3 fixed therein and fitted into the case. On the contact board 3, a desired number of fixed contacts (not shown) which are switched by a sliding contact 10, which will be described later, are arranged in a substantially annular shape, and a lamp 4 for illuminating the knob is also arranged. Further, the contact panel 3 is provided with an illumination lamp 6 for indicating the switch position and a light emitting diode 7 for indicating the switch operation, respectively, via a rubber socket 5. 8 is a terminal for electrically connecting the contact panel 3 to the outside.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a movable element, which includes a shaft portion 9a rotatably supported within the case 1, a contact storage portion 9b, and a moderation ridge 9.
c, an illumination lamp storage portion 9d, a through hole 9e formed in the shaft portion 9a, and a locking protrusion 9f that engages with a knob 15, which will be described later, and each component is integrally formed.
The contact storage portion 9b houses a sliding contact 10 which performs a switching action with a fixed contact arranged on the contact board 3, and is biased against the contact board 3 by a compression spring 11.
The moderation peak 9c formed on the upper surface of the movable element 9 is a ball 13 biased by a compression spring 12 from the inner surface of the case 1.
This provides a sense of moderation when the movable element 9 rotates. The illumination lamp housing section 9d surrounds the illumination lamp 4 as shown in FIG. 2, and lets in the diffused illumination light. The through hole 9e is connected to the knob 1 from the illumination light storage section 9d.
The light guide plate 14 penetrates through to the upper end where it engages with the light guide plate 5, and a generally flat light guide plate 14 is fitted to the upper end. Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 2, the illumination lamp 4 is arranged concentrically with the through hole 9e. Furthermore, in order to efficiently transmit the illumination light from the illumination lamp 4 to the light guide plate 14, the movable member 9 is molded with white resin, so that the inner walls of the illumination lamp storage portion 9d and the through hole 9e are formed as light reflecting surfaces. are doing.
Note that the movable member 9 is not limited to white resin, and it is sufficient if these inner walls are formed into light reflecting surfaces, for example, a mirror surface may be considered.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a knob, which is constructed by integrally molding an operating portion 16 and a fixing portion 17 that fits onto the shaft portion 9a of the movable element 9. The fixing portion 17 includes a light guide plate storage portion 17a that houses the light guide plate 14 and is fixed in the operating portion 16, a locking hole 17b that locks the locking protrusion 9f of the movable element 9, and an insertion guide for the locking protrusion 9f. It consists of a slope 17c. Further, the fixing portion 17 has a slit 17d formed in the axial direction and at the root position of the operating portion 16 so that the locking projection 9f is elastically deformed in the diametrical direction during fitting. A slit 16a is formed in the operation section 16 to display the switching direction. The fixed portion 17 is made of white resin so that its inner wall serves as a light reflecting surface and is thin so as to guide illumination light from the slit 16a of the operating portion 16. Reference numeral 18 denotes a light guide panel that guides the illumination light from the illumination lamp 6 to the outside of the case 1.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

When the operating portion 16 is rotated, the movable element 9 slides the sliding contact 10 to switch.

Further, when the illumination lamp 4 is turned on, the illumination light passes through the through hole 9e of the movable element 9, is guided and converged by the light guide plate 14, and is directed through the slit 16a of the operator 16.
It is derived from Thus, the switching direction of the knob 15 can be clearly displayed by the illumination light emitted from the slit 16a even at night.

[Effect of idea]

According to the present invention, by surrounding the light emitting element with the movable element, most of the diffused illumination light is brought in, transmitted through the through hole penetrating to the knob attachment end of the movable element, and the illumination light is led out. Since the light guide plate is fitted to the end and the light is converged, it is guided out, so even if the light is minutely illuminated, such as the switching direction indicator on a rotary switch knob, by providing a slit in the operating section, it can be clearly displayed as clear illumination. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a rotary switch with a knob illumination mechanism according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the arrow line A-A in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing the attachment relationship of the movable element, the light guide plate, and the knob in the direction of the arrow line BB in FIG. 1. 2...Base, 3...Contact board, 4...Lighting lamp for knob illumination, 9...Movable element, 9d...Lighting light storage section,
9e...through hole, 14...light guide plate, 15...knob.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a knob having a switching direction display section; a light guide plate installed in the knob; a movable element that rotates based on a rotational operation of the knob; a lighting lamp for illuminating the switching direction display section; In a rotary switch including a sliding contact disposed on a movable element, the movable element includes an illumination lamp storage part surrounding the illumination lamp, a contact storage part for inserting the sliding contact, and a case. A knob lighting mechanism comprising: a shaft for pivotal support; a through hole communicating from the shaft to the illumination lamp housing; and the light guide plate fitted to the upper end of the through hole. rotary switch.