JPH05282965A - Multiple connected pushbutton device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a simple multiple connected pushbutton device at low cost by conducting operation by use of a switch of small stroke. CONSTITUTION:Each projection 5a, 5b of support arms 3A, 3B extending from double side reverse sides for connecting adjacent pushbuttons 1, 2 is deflected by the contact with a recessed part wall surface for button support of a cabinet 3, and claw protruding parts 1g, 1g' from the pushbuttons 1, 2 are engaged with a support receiving surface to hold the buttons, and the support shafts 1a, 2a of the pushbuttons 1, 2 which make contact with switches to operate them are inserted through other shaft insert holes. Since the deformation of the support arms causes 2 restoring force in the operating direction by pressing the pushbuttons 1, 2, the use of a cushioning material such as spring is not required, assembling and disassembling are facilitated, and the device can be constituted at low cost.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multiple push button device using a switch with a small stroke, and can be applied to all electric and electronic devices for performing various operations.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, push buttons that are adjacent to each other are
Many are configured independently, and as typical ones, as shown in the side sectional views of the push buttons illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 and the lateral sectional view taken in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. The push shaft support shafts 1a and 2a are integrally formed on the buttons 1 and 2, respectively, and a button support wall 4 is formed in the recess on the cabinet side. The support shafts 1a, 1b, 2b of the button support wall 4
2a is inserted and compression springs 1c and 2c are fitted between the button support wall 4 and the push buttons 1 and 2, and when the push buttons 1 and 2 are pressed from the direction of arrow B, the above-mentioned support is provided. The shafts 1a and 2a and the shaft insertion holes 1b and 2b are guided to operate in parallel.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional push buttons, the compression springs 1c and 2c are provided in order to obtain the spring property required to push the push buttons 1 and 2 back.
The number of buttons is at least as many as required, and the multiple push-button device has a drawback that the assembly and disassembly are considerably troublesome and the cost is extremely high.

The present invention overcomes these drawbacks of the prior art,
An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-push button device having a simple structure, a small number of assembly and disassembly work steps without using a compression spring, and a low cost.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has a pair of support arms forming a curved hinge portion for connecting with push buttons adjacent to both sides of the back surface of the pressing operation portion. The protrusion formed in the center is arranged to be brought into contact with the recess wall surface of the button support wall of the main body of the device, and the tip of the support shaft of the push button is brought into contact with the switch arranged on the panel. It is characterized in that the support arm acts as a spring effect when the part is pushed down.

[0006]

According to the present invention, when a button is pressed by a pair of spring-supporting support arms forming a curved hinge portion for connecting with adjacent push buttons, the elasticity of the support arms causes Support arm is perpendicular to the pressing operation surface
It is possible to perform a predetermined switching operation by moving a small stroke in the (operation) direction. Therefore, a compression spring for each button is not required unlike the multiple push button device of the conventional configuration, the number of parts is saved, the assembly and disassembly work man-hours are reduced, and the cost is reduced.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective external view showing the structure of a multiple push button device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a case where there are two adjacent push buttons. 2 is a side sectional view of an essential part showing an operating state of the support arm of FIG. 1 with respect to a button support wall,
3 is a side sectional view of a main part showing the correspondence between the tip end portion of the button support shaft of FIG. 1 and a printed circuit board switch, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of FIG.
It is the cross-sectional view seen from the arrow direction.

In each of the above figures, the push buttons 1 and 2 have pressing operation portions 1A and 2A having a square (or round) shape, and the support shafts 1a and 2a are integrally formed at the center of the pressing operation portions. Has been done. 3A and 3B are a pair of support arms, and a hinge portion 3a formed with a curved portion that extends backward from both sides of the push buttons 1 and 2 and has a spring property,
3b, which has a pair of protrusions 5a and 5b at the center of the connecting portion, and which has a supporting arm 3 for the push buttons 1 and 2.
It is formed integrally with A and 3B.

The push buttons 1 and 2 are made of electrically insulating plastic as a molding material, and the pressing operation portions 1A and 2A are pressed (operated) in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5b is a fulcrum and is bent as shown by a broken line (imaginary line), and a spring effect for returning the push buttons 1 and 2
It has (elasticity).

[0011]

[Outer 1]

Further, no matter which part of the push buttons 1 and 2 is pressed, the support arms 3A and 3B are required as a necessary condition for the push buttons 1 and 2 to be uniformly pressed and moved by a small stroke.
And the pressing operation portions 1A and 2A are connected to each other, and the guide shafts 1a and 2a of the push buttons 1 and 2 and the shaft insertion holes 1b and 2b formed in the button support wall 4 of the cabinet 3 are formed at appropriate positions. Has been done. Further, 1d shown in FIG. 4 is a backward movement limiting projection integrally formed on the back side of the push operation portion 1A of the push button 1, and the push button 2 also has a similar backward movement limiting projection 2d.

The mounting of the push buttons 1 and 2 having the above structure on the cabinet 3 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The push buttons 1 and 2 are the push operation portion 1 thereof.
A and 2A are integrally formed with support shafts 1a and 2a, respectively, while being inserted into push button shaft insertion holes 1b and 2b formed in the button support wall 4 of the cavit 3 while being integrated with the recesses of the button support wall 4. Of a pair of support receiving surfaces 4a, 4
A pair of claw-shaped projections 1g, 1g 'integrally formed on the support arms 3A, 3B near the hinges 3a, 3b of the push buttons 1, 2 are elastically engaged with a'.

Both supporting arms 3A, 3 of the push buttons 1, 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, the protrusions 5a and 5b formed integrally with B hit the concave wall surface of the button support wall 4 and are pushed upward by the spring force. Since 1g and 1g 'are pressed against the support receiving surfaces 4a and 4a', they are pushed inward in advance against elasticity.

Therefore, the push buttons 1 and 2 are in a state of being strongly squeezed from the inside by the repulsive force of both the support arms 3A and 3B, and have the claw-shaped protrusions 1g and 1g ', and the support receiving surface 4a. , 4
It is constantly elastically and strongly pressed against a'and keeps this state semi-permanently.

On the other hand, a printed circuit board 6 is provided on the inner surface of the button support wall 4 of the cabinet 3, and switches 7a, 2a are provided at the tips of the support shafts 1a, 2a of the push buttons 1, 2.
7b is arranged on the printed circuit board 6.

The operation of the push buttons 1 and 2 mounted on the cabinet 3 as described above will now be described. Now, the push buttons 1 and 2 are pushed inward against the spring force of both support arms 3A and 3B. And (in the direction of arrow B in FIGS. 2 and 4), the tip ends of the support shafts 1a and 2a come into contact with the switches 7a and 7b, and a desired switching operation is performed.

At this time, the backward movement limiting protrusions 1d and 2d limit the amount of depression of the push buttons 1 and 2.

Thus, when the push buttons 1 and 2 are pushed inward as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 2, both support arms 3A,
3B will flex inwardly against the elasticity while balancing each other. At this time, the support shaft 1 for the push buttons 1 and 2
The a and 2a are guided by the shaft insertion holes 1b and 2b of the cabinet 3.

Therefore, the push buttons 1 and 2 supported by the both support arms 3A and 3B are kept in a horizontal posture all the time, and are lowered in parallel to each other and vertically to the pressing operation surface. As a result, the push buttons 1 and 2 are lowered in parallel and perpendicularly to the pushing operation surface, and the above-described switching operation can always be reliably performed.

Of course, the push button 1,
When the finger is released from 2, the support arms 3A and 3B are pushed up by the spring force of both support arms 3A and 3B in parallel as shown by the solid lines in FIG. It is pressed against the surfaces 4a, 4a '.

When the push buttons 1 and 2 are disassembled, the claw-shaped protrusions 1g and 1g 'integrally formed on the support arms 3A and 3B are pushed into the push buttons by elasticity. The engagement with the support receiving surfaces 4a, 4a 'can be released.

[0024]

As described above, in the multiple push button device of the present invention, the support arm having the pair of hinge portions is formed on both sides of the back side of the push operation portion of the push button integrally formed. Connect to the adjacent button with the support arm,
In addition, the support arm has a spring effect.

Thus, each push button can be constructed without using a compression spring, the structure and manufacturing are extremely simple, and the number of parts is small, so that it can be easily assembled and disassembled, and the cost can be reduced. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective external view showing a configuration of a multiple push button device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of an essential part showing an operating state of the support arm of FIG. 1 with respect to a button support wall.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of an essential part showing a correspondence relationship between a tip end portion of the button support shaft of FIG. 1 and a printed circuit board switch.

4 is a cross-sectional view as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing an example of a conventional push button.

6 is a cross-sectional view as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 ... push button, 1A, 2A ... push operation part, 1
a, 2a ... Support shaft, 1b, 2b ... Shaft insertion hole, 1d, 2d ...
Backward movement limiting projection, 1g, 1g '... Projection portion, 3 ... Cabinet, 3A, 3B ... Support arm, 3a, 3b ... Hinge portion, 4 ... Button support wall, 4a, 4a' ... Support receiving surface,
5a, 5b ... Protrusion, 6 ... Printed circuit board, 7a, 7b ... Switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pair of support arms forming a curved hinge part for connecting to adjacent push buttons on both sides of the pressing operation part, and a protrusion formed in the central part of the support arm is a device. The push-button support shaft is placed in contact with the concave wall surface of the button support wall of the main body, and the support shaft tip end of the push button is brought into contact with the switch arranged on the panel. A multiple push button device characterized by being configured to act as a spring effect.