JPH07261864A - Cover of pressing operation part - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a proper feeling of moderation when an operation part is pressed and a restoring force when the pressing force is removed by molding the cover to specific thickness in a flat dome shape having its outer peripheral part molded integrally with a base part across an annular thin part. CONSTITUTION:A dome-shaped part 9 is formed of synthetic resin by an in-mold pressure molding method, the charging density of the annular thin part 8 is made uniform, and uniform strength is obtained in the circumferential direction. In this case, the dome shaped part 9 is so formed that the outer periphery is thick and the inner periphery is thin; and the annular thin part 8 formed at the outer peripheral part serves as a hinge, so the part is held in a partially spherical state (a) which projects upward at all times while no load is placed, but when the top part is pressed, the projection state is inverted with a proper feeling of moderation to recess the top surface (b). When the pressing force is removed, the part restores itself with its elastic force. Consequently, the need for a means which generates the restoring force is eliminated and the whole body can be molded in one, so the manufacture cost is not increased.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a movable piece that strokes like a push button of a switch, a buckle for stopping a flap-like lid of a document case or a bag in a closed state, and connecting a strap. The present invention relates to a cover of a pressing operation unit suitable for covering the outer surface of the disengagement unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An operation switch such as a touch-tone telephone or a numeric keypad of a computer comprises a movable piece connected to a contact and a push button which is a separate member covering the outer surface of the movable piece. To give. In the case of such a type, since the operation panel and the portion of the push button to be pressed by the finger are separate members, there is a gap between the operation panel and the push button, so that a sense of unity cannot be provided.

On the other hand, a buckle constructed so that it can be engaged and disengaged by utilizing the elasticity of the synthetic resin material itself, keeps the flap-like lid of the document case or bag closed and connects the strap. It is used as a stop.
In these, a part of the engaging portion is exposed on the outer surface, and it is general that the exposed state is pressed from the outside to release the engaged state. Therefore, it is necessary to expose the protrusion to the outer surface or open the engagement hole, so the degree of freedom in design is low, and the surface becomes discontinuous, so it tends to lack smartness and the protrusion There is the inconvenience of getting caught in clothes.

As a means for improving the inconvenience of exposing the pressing operation portion as described above, there has been known a structure in which the operation surface of the push button is covered with a soft film cover.

[0005]

However, the cover made of such a soft material cannot exert a restoring force or a sense of moderation by itself, and has only a function of covering the pressing operation portion. An extra step is required for the provision, which inevitably increases the manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been devised in order to eliminate such disadvantages of the prior art, and its main purpose is to:
Improved pressing operation to cover the outer surface of the pressing operation part without increasing the manufacturing cost, and to obtain an appropriate degree of moderation when pressing the operation part and a restoring force when releasing the pressing force. It is to provide a cover for the section.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, such an object is to elastically cover the outer surface of the pressing operation portion which is normally in a protruding state and which is displaceable in the retracting direction by applying an external force. A cover molded from material is molded so that the center part has the smallest wall thickness and gradually increases toward the outer circumference, and the outer circumference part is integrated with the base part through an annular thin part. This is accomplished by forming a flattened dome shape. In particular, molding may be performed by pressing and pressing the core during injection filling of the molten resin.

[0008]

According to this structure, when the apex of the dome-shaped portion which is convex upward is pushed, the annular thin-walled portion on the outer periphery acts as a hinge and the dome-shaped portion is deformed so as to reverse the irregularities. When the pressing force is released, the elasticity of the material itself restores itself. In particular, by utilizing the pressure molding method, the packing density of the annular thin portion is made uniform, and uniform strength is obtained in the circumferential direction.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a buckle for holding a flap-like lid of a document case or a bag to which a cover of a pressing operation portion constructed according to the present invention is applied in a closed state.
This buckle has a latch portion 1 attached to the end of the lid F.
And a latch holding portion 2 attached to the opening side of the storage portion C having a box shape or a bag shape. Latch section 1
Is integrally formed with a flat plate portion 3 having a rounded tip and a base portion 4 coupled to the lid F. In the center of the flat plate portion 3, a slit-like cut is made in three directions except the tip side. A tongue-shaped movable piece 5 is formed by inserting and raising the free end upward. The latch holding portion 2 is fixed by applying a back plate 6 to the opening side edge of the storage portion C, and a recess 7 for receiving the latch portion 1 is provided on the inner surface thereof.

As shown in FIG. 3, a flat dome-shaped portion 9 (cover of the pressing operation portion) is integrally formed on the upper surface of the latch holding portion 2 via an annular thin portion 8. The dome-shaped portion 9 is composed of a partial spherical surface having a meniscus-shaped concave lens-shaped cross section in which the outer surface and the inner surface have different curvatures, whereby the outer peripheral portion is thick, the central portion is thin, and the movable portion is movable. A projection 10 that abuts the piece 5 is provided at the center of the inner surface of the projection 10. In addition, the annular thin portion 8
Is as thin as the central portion of the dome-shaped portion 9, and a step is provided between the outer periphery of the dome-shaped portion 9 and the recess 7 that receives the latch portion 1. An engaging portion 11 with which the free end can engage is formed. Further, a leaf spring 12 that exerts an elastic force outward is incorporated into the recess 7 that receives the latch portion 1.

The dimensions of the respective parts are, as an example, the diameter D of the dome-shaped portion 9 including the thin-walled portion 8 is 14 mm, the thickness T1 = T2 at the center of the thin-walled portion 8 and the dome-shaped portion 9 is 0.2 mm, and the outer surface The radius of curvature R1 was set to 21.02 mm, and the radius of curvature R2 of the inner surface was set to 17.55 mm (see FIG. 3).

In using the buckle thus constructed, as shown in FIG. 4, when the flat plate portion 3 of the latch portion 1 is inserted into the recess 7 of the latch holding portion 2 and pushed in,
Since the clearance of the insertion port is the size of the thickness of the flat plate portion 3, the movable piece 5 is bent. When it is pushed in as it is, the movable piece 5 is restored when it reaches the engaging portion 11,
The free end of the movable piece 5 is engaged with the step of and the state is maintained.

When the center of the dome-shaped portion 9 is pushed, it is pushed by the projection 10 on the inner surface of the dome-shaped portion 9 and the movable piece 5 bends in the retracted direction. When the free end of the movable piece 5 is disengaged from the engaging portion 11, the latch portion 1 is pushed out of the recess 7 by the elastic force of the leaf spring 12.

The dome-shaped portion 9 has a thick outer circumference and a thin inner circumference, and the thin annular portion 8 formed on the outer circumference serves as a hinge. Therefore, the dome-shaped portion 9 always projects upward when no load is applied. While maintaining the partially spherical state (Fig. 5-
a) When the top of this is pressed, the unevenness is reversed and the upper surface is depressed with a proper moderation (FIG. 5-b). Then, when the pressing force is released, the elastic force of itself restores itself.

FIG. 6 conceptually shows the manufacturing process of the dome-shaped portion 9 as the cover of the pressing operation portion according to the present invention. The dome-shaped portion 9 is formed by in-mold pressure molding of synthetic resin. The mold for molding this is
The movable mold 13 and the fixed mold 1 are the same as the normal injection mold.
4 and a cavity 15 is formed on the mating surface thereof. A pressure core 16 to which thrust is applied by another driving device is incorporated on the movable mold 13 side. Here, a protrusion 17 for molding the annular thin portion 8 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the protruding end of the pressure core 16, and the fixed mold 14
The curvature of the inner surface of the above and the curvature of the outer surface of the projecting end of the pressing core 16 have a correspondence relationship between the radius of curvature R1 of the outer surface of the dome-shaped portion 9 and the radius of curvature R2 of the inner surface.

First, as shown in FIG. 6A, an appropriate amount of molten resin is injected into the cavity 15 with the pressure core 16 retracted, and then the pressure core 16 is pressurized and moved forward. As a result, the apex of the portion to be the dome-shaped portion 9 and the packing density of the annular thin portion 8 are made uniform, the strength of the portion is made uniform, and molding defects such as weld do not occur.
In addition, the filling density of the portions that will be the depressions 7 and the engaging portions 11 is also improved.

Although the above embodiment has been described as an example of application as a buckle, the present invention is not limited to this and can be used as a cover for an operating portion of a push button switch. Further, the projection 10 protruding from the inner surface of the dome-shaped portion is not always necessary, and may be set appropriately according to the pressed body.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the apex of the dome-shaped portion which is convex outward is pushed, the annular thin-walled portion on the outer periphery plays the role of a hinge so that the dome-shaped portion reverses the unevenness. The pressing operation part cover can be formed such that it deforms and self-restores due to the elasticity of the material itself when the pressing force is released. Therefore, the spring means for generating the restoring force is not necessary, and the whole can be integrally molded, so that an appropriate moderation sensation when pressing the operation portion and the pressing force are released without increasing the manufacturing cost. It is possible to obtain the cover of the pressing operation portion that can obtain the restoring force of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a buckle to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a buckle to which the present invention is applied with a part thereof being cut away.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a dome-shaped portion.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a handling state.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an operating procedure of a dome-shaped portion.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a method of forming a dome-shaped portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Latch part 2 Latch holding part 3 Flat plate part 4 Base part 5 Movable piece 6 Back plate 7 Depression 8 Thin part 9 Dome-shaped part 10 Protrusion 11 Engagement part 12 Leaf spring 13 Movable type 14 Fixed type 15 Cavity 16 Pressure core

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cover formed of an elastic material so as to cover an outer surface of a pressing operation portion that is normally in a protruding state and that can be displaced in the retracting direction by applying an external force, and has a thickness of a central portion. Is the thinnest, and is formed so that the wall thickness gradually increases toward the outer periphery, and the outer periphery has a flat dome shape integrally formed with the base through an annular thin portion. Cover for pressing operation part. 2. The cover of the pressing operation section according to claim 1, wherein the core is molded by pressing the core during injection and filling of the molten resin.