JPH0541922Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention generally relates to a switch panel device in which a plurality of key tops for operating a tact switch are arranged on a switch panel. This invention relates to a key top rattling prevention structure for preventing rattling of a key top placed on a key top.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as an example of applying this type of switch panel device, there is a remote control unit A shown in FIG. 4, which is installed, for example, in the back seat of an automobile.

As shown in the figure, this remote control unit A is operated by opening a lid 2 which is pivotally attached to a shaft provided on one side of the control unit main body 1 so as to be openable and closable, and opening a large number of key tops 3A (cantilever type) and 3B (seesaw type). ) is operated by exposing the switch panel 4 on which the lid 2 is located, forming part of the armrest of the rear seat, and the passenger in the rear seat opens the lid 2 and exposes the switch panel 4. By operating the key tops 3A and 3B, the air conditioning inside the vehicle can be remotely controlled at the passenger's will, which has the advantage of providing convenience for the passengers and reducing the burden of switch operations on the driver.

For such a remote control unit A, it has been proposed to use a cantilever type key top 3A and a seesaw type key top 3B shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively.

The cantilever type key top 3A shown in FIG. 5 has a shaft 3a integrally formed at one end, and a leg portion 3b integrally formed at the other end remote from the shaft 3a projects downward. . The key top 3A is fitted from the bottom side into a hole 4a provided in the switch panel 4, and the shaft 3a is sandwiched between the switch panel 4 and a support member 5 in contact with the bottom surface thereof, and the key top 3A is used as a tilting fulcrum. It is arranged so that it can be tilted freely.

The leg portion 3b of the key top 3A is passed through a hole 5a formed in the support member 5, and its tip is opposed to a tact switch 7 soldered to a printed circuit board 6 disposed below. It is made to touch lightly with 8.
The film-like sheet 8 is attached to the tact switch 7 to fill and remove the gap between the leg 3b and the upper part of the tact switch 7, which causes rattling of the key top 3A.

In the above, the key top 3A is always connected to the shaft 3a.
Since it is held in a predetermined position by the action of the film-like sheet 8, the structure is extremely simple and it is possible to reduce the size of the switch panel device, in particular, to reduce the thickness of the switch panel device.

Furthermore, when the operator presses the key top 3A with his or her finger, the key top 3A tilts downward about the shaft 3a, and as a result, the leg 3b moves toward the seat 8.
The tact switch 7 is pressed via the tact switch 7. Since the tilting locus of the key top 3A is defined by the tilting fulcrum in this way, the key top 3A moves smoothly in response to a pressing operation and has an extremely good operating feel.

The seesaw type key top 3B shown in FIG. 5 has an integrally formed shaft 3a at the center, and integrally formed legs 3b project downward from both ends remote from the shaft 3a. Like the cantilever type key top 3A, the key top 3B is fitted into a hole 4a provided in the switch panel 4 from the bottom side thereof, and the shaft 3a is sandwiched between the switch panel 4 and the support member 5 in contact with the bottom surface thereof. The key top 3B differs from the cantilever type key top 3A in that the key top 3B tilts downward when either the left or right side of the key top 3B is pressed by the operator.

The leg portions 3b of the seesaw type key top 3B protruding from both ends are passed through holes 5a formed in the support member 5, similarly to the cantilever type key top 3A, and their tips are soldered to the printed circuit board 6 disposed below. When the operator presses the key top 3A with his or her finger, the key top 3A moves downward with the shaft 3a as a fulcrum. The leg portion 3b presses the tact switch 7 via the seat 8 as the seat tilts.

As mentioned above, the shaft 3 of the key tops 3A and 3B
Since a is sandwiched between the switch panel 4 and the support member 5, the assembly workability up to this point is good, and the structure is extremely simple, making it possible to reduce the size, especially the thickness of the switch panel device. Can be done.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, in the conventional structure described above, the gap between the leg portion 3b and the tact switch 7 is removed by the film-like sheet 8, and the key tops 3A and 3B are removed.
The legs 3b are designed to prevent rattling.
Since the gap between the tact switch 7 and the tact switch 7 does not have a constant size due to dimensional errors in manufacturing each part, each gap size is measured and a sheet 8 with a thickness corresponding to the gap size is pasted on each tact switch 7. Must.

Therefore, in a device in which a large number of keytops 3A and 3B are arranged on the switch panel, the sheet 8
There was a problem in that the pasting work required a very large number of man-hours, resulting in extremely poor workability, resulting in high costs overall.

Another problem is that even if the gap is removed by the seat 8 on the tact switch 7, if the tip of the leg 3b wears out after long-term use, a new gap will be created, causing rattling. It was hot too.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is capable of preventing the key top from rattling over a long period of time at a low cost, without sacrificing the smooth and good operating feel of the key top or the thinness of the switch panel device. The purpose is to provide a structure that prevents the key top from rattling.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the key top rattling prevention structure of the switch panel device according to the present invention is such that the key tops are fitted into a plurality of holes provided in the switch panel from the bottom side of the switch panel, and are integrated into the key top. A shaft formed in the shape of a switch panel is sandwiched between a switch panel and a member in contact with the lower surface of the switch panel, and the key top is arranged to be tiltable using the shaft as a tilting fulcrum, and the key top is provided on one side of the key top remote from the shaft and protrudes downward. An integrally formed leg is passed through a hole formed in the member, and its tip is opposed to a tact switch disposed below, so that when the key top is tilted downward, the leg presses the tact switch. In the switch panel device, a spring sheet having a plurality of leaf springs formed by cutting and bending is inserted between the switch panel and the member, and the leaf springs are arranged near the leg portion away from the axis. It is characterized by having elastic contact with the underside of the key top.

[Effect]

In the above configuration, the shaft of the key top that fits into the hole of the switch panel from the bottom side is sandwiched between the switch panel and a member in contact with the bottom surface of the key top, and the key top is arranged so as to be tiltable using the shaft as a tilting fulcrum, and is separated from the shaft. The legs are passed through holes in the member and their tips are opposed to the tact switch, so that the tact switch is pressed by the legs as the key top tilts downward, so the key top retaining structure is extremely effective. In addition to being simple and slim, the key top tilts downward using the shaft as a fulcrum to press the tactile switch, so the tilting locus of the key top is defined by the tilting fulcrum, and the key top can be easily controlled by the pressing operation. The key tops move smoothly and have a very good feel of operation.

In addition, a spring sheet having a plurality of leaf springs formed by cutting and bending is inserted between the switch panel and a member in contact with the lower surface of the switch panel, and the leaf springs are placed close to the legs away from the axis so that they bounce against the lower surface of the key top. Since the key top is in contact with the tact switch and constantly applies an elastic force to the key top in the direction of resisting the tilting movement around the shaft as a fulcrum due to pressure, the key top can be used regardless of the presence or absence of a gap between it and the tact switch, and can also be used to reduce the thickness of the switch panel device. Without compromising the feel of the keypad,
Moreover, it does not wobble even after long-term use.
Not only can the key tops be held in a predetermined position, but also the rattling of multiple key tops can be eliminated by inserting a single spring seat, resulting in good workability.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

1 and 2 show examples of the key top rattling prevention structure according to the present invention applied to a cantilever type key top 3A and a seesaw type key top 3B, respectively. The same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those of the conventional one described above.

In FIG. 1, between the switch panel 4 and the support member 5 is a spring seat 9 (a third
) is inserted. The leaf springs 9a are in elastic contact with the lower surface of the key top near the leg 3b that is distant from the shaft 3a, so that each leaf spring 9a connects the opposite side of the shaft 3a of the cantilever type key top 3A to the seesaw type key top 3B. Press both ends of the switch panel 4 side.

Therefore, the cantilevered key top 3A is supported by the switch panel 4 and the leaf spring 9a, and does not move.

Further, the seesaw type key top 3B is supported by leaf springs 9a on both sides of the shaft 3a, and the key top 3B is
When one side of the key top 3 tilts downward, the elastic force of the leaf spring 9a on the downwardly tilted side increases.
B remains in equilibrium without perturbation.

Therefore, cantilever type and seesaw type key top 3A
The gap between the leg portion 3b of the tactile switch 3B and the upper surface of the tact switch is removed, and the film-like sheet 8 for preventing rattling is completely unnecessary.

As shown in FIG. 3, the leaf spring 9a is cut and raised from a single spring plate 9, so that a large number of key tops 3A and 3B can be pressed by the single spring plate 9.

Further, since the spring plate 9 is assembled by being inserted between the switch panel 4 and the support member 5, assembly is extremely easy.

Therefore, the number of man-hours is significantly reduced compared to the inefficient and troublesome work of measuring the gap dimensions between all the legs 3b and the tact switch 7 and pasting the sheet 8 corresponding to each gap dimension as in the past. be done.

In addition, the key tops 3A, 3B by the leaf spring 9a
There is an advantage that the clamping support force can be set appropriately depending on the length, width, shape, etc. of the leaf spring 9a.

〔effect〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the key top holding structure is extremely simple and can be made thinner, and since the key top tilts downward using the shaft as a fulcrum, the key top moves smoothly when pressed. The feel of operation is extremely good.

In addition, a leaf spring cut and raised from a spring sheet inserted between the switch panel and a member in contact with its lower surface is brought into elastic contact with the lower surface of the key top to apply an elastic force to the key top in a direction that resists the tilting movement around the axis caused by pressing. Because it is constantly applied, the key top can be held in a specified position without sacrificing the thickness of the switch panel device or the operational feel of the key top, and does not wobble even after long-term use. Since the rattling of a plurality of key tops can be eliminated by inserting one spring sheet, the workability is good and the rattling of the key tops can be prevented at low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show embodiments of the present invention, and FIGS. 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views showing embodiments of the rattling prevention structure of the present invention applied to cantilever type and seesaw type key tops, respectively. , Figure 3 is similar to Figures 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the control unit, and Figs. FIG. A...Control unit, 3A...Cantilever type key top, 3B...Seesaw type key top, 3a
...Axis, 3b...Legs, 4...Switch panel,
4a...hole, 5...support member, 5a...hole, 7...
...Tact switch, 9...Spring plate,
9a...Plate spring.

Claims (1)

[Claim for Utility Model Registration] A key top is fitted into a plurality of holes provided in the switch panel from the bottom side of the switch panel, and a shaft formed integrally with the key top is inserted between the switch panel and a member in contact with the bottom surface of the key top. A key top is arranged so as to be tiltable with the shaft as a tilting fulcrum, and a leg part integrally formed and projecting downward from one side of the key top remote from the shaft is passed through a hole formed in the member. In the switch panel device, the tip thereof faces a tact switch disposed below, and the tact switch is pressed by the legs by downward tilting of the key top, wherein: between the switch panel and the member; A spring seat having a plurality of leaf springs formed by cutting and bending is inserted into the key top, and the leaf springs are brought into elastic contact with the lower surface of the key top near the leg portion away from the shaft. Prevention structure.