JPH0660038U - Multi-directional switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-directional switch device capable of surely performing input in an oblique direction by simply pressing an operation key. To do. [Structure] An operation key 11 provided with an operating portion extending in a plurality of directions from a central portion and swingable in the vertical direction around the central portion, and vertically movable in conjunction with the lower portion of each operating portion. 10 including a movable contact 13 and a fixed contact 16 disposed below the movable contact and having a contact portion divided into two by a gap 17.
At the gap 1 that divides the fixed contact 16 into two
7 is bent to form the multidirectional switch device 10.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a multi-directional switch device that can be used, for example, for moving a cursor of a computer.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, as a multi-directional switch device, a remote control type operation device provided with a so-called cross-shaped key switch is configured as shown in FIG. 6, for example. That is, referring to FIG. 6, the remote control operation device 1 includes a cross-shaped key 3 arranged on the left side, a first trigger button 4 arranged on the right side, and a fourth trigger button 4 on the surface of the resin case 2. A second trigger button 5, a start button 6 and a select button 7 are provided, and a movable rubber 8 is housed in the case 1 below the cross key 3.

The cross-shaped key switch 3 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 7, the key 3a of the cross-shaped key switch 3 has a structure in which the receiving seat 8a of the movable rubber 8 is pressed downward when each tip end of the cross is pressed down. The movable contact 8b attached to the lower surface of 8a contacts the fixed contact 9a made of carbon or the like on the substrate 9 in the case 1 so as to face the movable contact 8b.

Here, as shown in FIG. 8, each fixed contact 9a is composed of two contact portions 9b and 9c formed so as to face each other with a narrow gap therebetween. The movable contacts 8b contact the portions 9b and 9c at the same time, whereby the contact portions 9b and 9c are short-circuited and the circuit can be closed.

Thus, the cursor of the computer can be moved in the direction corresponding to the pressed front end of the cross key 3.

[0006]

However, in the cross-shaped key switch 3 having such a configuration, each contact portion 9a has a gap extending radially so as to pass through the center of the cross-shaped key 3a. , When the cross-shaped key 3a is operated to input data in four directions of up, down, left, and right, even if each tip of the cross-shaped key 3a is lightly pressed, as indicated by reference numeral A in FIG. With respect to the contact points 9b and 9c of the fixed contact point 9a, the movable contact point 8b comes into contact with the two contact point portions 9b and 9c at the same time in the vicinity of the peripheral edge of the fixed contact point 9a. Can be done.

However, as shown in FIG. 9, when it is desired to input in an oblique direction, for example, in the upper right oblique direction, as shown by reference numeral B in FIG. When the tips are pressed at the same time, the movable contact 8b does not contact the two contact parts 9b and 9c at the same time because of the shape of each fixed contact 9a, so that input in either direction is not performed. There is.

Therefore, as indicated by a symbol C, in order to bring the movable contact 8b into contact with the two contact portions 9b and 9c at the same time, it is necessary to strongly push the tip portion of the cross key 3. However, there was a problem in terms of operability because the amount of pushing in for making the necessary input was large.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-directional switch device in which an oblique input can be reliably performed by simply pressing an operation key. There is.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The above purpose is to operate the operation keys with the operation part that extends in multiple directions from the center part and can be vertically swung about the vicinity of the center part, and to be able to move up and down in conjunction with the lower part of each operation part. In a multi-directional switch device, the fixed contact is divided into two parts, and the fixed contact is provided in the multi-directional switch device, and the fixed contact is provided below the movable contact, and the fixed contact has a contact portion divided into two by a gap. This is achieved by a multi-directional switching device, characterized in that the dividing gap is bent.

[0011]

[Action]

 According to the above configuration, when two adjacent operation parts of the operation key are pressed at the same time, the movable contact corresponding to the operation part is brought into contact with the fixed contact facing the operation part. , It is swung downward with respect to the direction between the two operation parts, but since the gap dividing the fixed contact is bent, even when the operation key is lightly pressed. , The movable contact can simultaneously contact two contact portions divided by the fixed contact gap, and a small amount of push-in facilitates inputting in the intermediate direction of a desired operation portion. Therefore, the operability will be improved.

[0012]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the multidirectional switch device according to the present invention is applied to a cross key switch.

In FIG. 1, the cross-shaped key switch 10 has a lower surface of the receiving seat 12a by pressing the receiving seat 12a of the movable rubber 12 downward when each tip of the cross-shaped key 11 is pressed. The movable contact 13 mounted on the substrate contacts the fixed contact 16 formed of carbon or the like on the substrate 15 provided in the case 14 so as to face the movable contact 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, each fixed contact 16 is composed of two contact portions 16 a and 16 b formed so as to face each other with a narrow gap in between, and the two contact portions 16 a. , 16b are brought into contact with the movable contact 13 at the same time, whereby the contact portions 16a, 16b are short-circuited so that the circuit can be closed.

The above structure is similar to that of the conventional cross-shaped key switch 3 shown in FIG. 6, but in the cross-shaped key switch 10 according to the present invention, the fixed contact 16 has the bent gap 17 Is divided into two contact portions 16a and 16b. As a result, a part of the bent gap 17 extends in a direction connecting the middle and the center of two adjacent fixed contacts, that is, an oblique direction. Further, the two contact points 16a and 16b have an asymmetrical shape.

The cross-shaped key switch 10 according to the present invention is configured as described above, and when the cross-shaped key 11 is operated to input data in four directions, up, down, left and right, the cross-shaped key 11 is used. As shown by reference character A in FIG. 2, with the lightly pressing the respective tip portions of the movable contact 13, the movable contact 13 is connected to the contact points 16a and 16b of the fixed contact 16 in the vicinity of the periphery thereof. Since the two contact portions 16a and 16b are simultaneously contacted, input can be performed in four directions of up, down, left and right.

Further, when it is desired to input in a diagonal direction, for example, a diagonal direction in the upper right direction, the top and right end portions of the cross-shaped key 11 are lightly pressed and indicated by reference symbol B in FIG. Thus, the movable contact 13 can simultaneously contact the two contact portions 16a and 16b of the fixed contact 16 based on the shapes of the contact portions 16a and 16b and the gap 17. As a result, the input in the oblique direction can be reliably performed by simply pressing the tip of the cross key 11.

Thus, the cursor of the computer can be moved in the direction corresponding to the pressed tip of the cross-shaped key 11, that is, in the up / down / left / right and diagonal 8 directions.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show second, third and fourth alternative embodiments of the fixed contact, respectively, and in each case, due to the bent gap 17, the two contact portions 16 a, 16 a, It is divided into 16b, and similar to the first embodiment, the input operation in the four directions of up, down, left and right as well as the input operation in the oblique direction can be surely performed.

[0020]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an extremely excellent multi-directional switch device in which diagonal input can be reliably performed by simply pressing the operation key. It will be.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a cross key switch to which a multidirectional switch device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a fixed contact in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the fixed contact in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a third embodiment of the fixed contact in the embodiment of FIG.

5 is a plan view showing a fourth embodiment of the fixed contact in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway plan view showing an example of a conventional remote control operation device including a cross key.

7 is a cross-sectional view of a cross-shaped key switch in the remote control operating device of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a fixed contact showing an operating state of the cross key of FIG.

9 is a plan view of a fixed contact showing a state where the cross key of FIG. 7 is operated in an oblique direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 cross-shaped key switch 11 cross-shaped key 12 movable rubber 12a receiving seat 13 movable contact 14 case 15 substrate 16 fixed contact 16a, 16b contact point 17 gap

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An operation key provided with an operation portion extending in a plurality of directions from a central portion and capable of swinging in the vertical direction about the vicinity of the central portion; In a multi-directional switch device comprising a movable contact which is possible and a fixed contact which is arranged below the movable contact and has a contact portion which is divided into two by a gap. A multi-directional switch device, wherein the gap to be bent is bent.