JPH07308489A - Operating part structure for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the high-reliability structure by adopting a panel due to sheet-in-mold molding. CONSTITUTION:This structure is composed of a control panel 2 for sheet-in-mold molding provided with a circular boss part 2a showing an operation key, spring- shaped actuator part and rubber button fitting part 2c, top cover 1, rubber button 3 and switch 4. Thus, quality/reliability is higher than a conventional system sticking a decorative sheet 5, and workability is considerably improved by the reduction of the number of parts, the abolition of sticking work and upper part assembly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the structure of an operating section in a washing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 1, the structure of a conventional washing machine has a synthetic resin panel 2, a switch 4, a rubber button 3, and the like.
The decorative sheet 5 is formed, and the rubber button 3 is inserted into the button insertion hole of the panel 2 from the front side, and the decorative sheet 5 is attached to the front surface with the double-sided adhesive tape. Also, a switch 4 is attached to the back surface of the panel 2,
Further, the decorative sheet 5 at the position corresponding to the rubber button 3 was circularly bossed to indicate the key position.

[0003]

The above-mentioned prior art can be peeled off because the decorative sheet is attached with the double-sided adhesive tape, and when peeled off, the rubber button and other parts are exposed. There was a problem that it would end up. It was possible to prevent the natural peeling by increasing the adhesive strength, but it was not possible to prevent the artificial one. Therefore, electric parts such as switches are attached to the back side of the panel so that they cannot be touched even if they are peeled off, which causes a problem that assembly workability and structure are complicated.

To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an operating section structure for a washing machine which reduces the number of parts, improves the assembling property, and also improves the quality and reliability.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, sheet-in-mold molding is adopted for a panel made of synthetic resin, and a circular boss indicating an operation key is squeezed during molding, and a boss under A spring-like actuator that is movable without being attached to the seat is provided, and a rubber button for pushing the switch can be arranged in the center of the actuator.
It is difficult to peel off the in-molded sheet from the end surface, but in order to improve reliability more, when the panel is assembled into the mating part, the end of the sheet is located on the end surface part covered by other parts And

[0006]

In the operation portion structure of the present invention, the panel is manufactured by sheet-in-molding, and the end portion of the sheet is positioned so as to be covered by the mating component. The assembly structure is reduced, the number of parts is reduced, and the work of attaching the decorative sheet is eliminated, so that the reliability and workability are improved.

[0007]

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

2 to 4, the same components as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals. 1 is a top cover placed on the upper part of the washing machine, 2 is an operation panel made of synthetic resin, which is fitted on the top cover 1 by a fitting claw, 3 is a rubber button, 4
Is a switch that is operated by being pressed by the button 3. A decorative sheet 5 is integrated with the operation panel 2 by sheet-in-mold forming (a polyester film sheet is in-molded and formed at the same time), and a circular boss portion 2a indicating an operation key, a spring-like actuator portion 2b, and a rubber button 3 are attached. Part 2
c, LED lens portion 2d. In the structure of the present invention, the switch 4 is placed in the recess 1a of the top cover 1,
The operation panel 2 to which the rubber button 3 is attached is fitted from above and fitted to the top cover 1, and workability is improved by assembling from above. Further, after the operation panel 2 is assembled, as shown in FIG. 3, since the seat end face is set to a position retracted inward from the front face 1b of the top cover 1, there is no fear of peeling from the seat end face ( Even if the end surface is exposed to the upper part like the conventional decorative sheet 5, it cannot be easily peeled off because it is in-mold molding), and the reliability is greatly improved compared to the conventional decorative sheet. Each part will be described in detail. The switch 4 is placed on the rib 1c with a gap so that even if dew condensation is formed on the top cover 1, water does not come into direct contact with the top cover 1. After the operation panel 2 is installed from above, the actuator 2b
The surrounding cylindrical ribs are pressed so that there is no play, and the gap between the switch 4 and the rubber button 3 is kept constant. The circular boss 2a showing the operation keys of the operation panel is squeezed during the in-mold forming, but at that time, the actuator 2b and the sheet are not adhered to each other so that the actuator 2b can be smoothly operated and the key operation force can be reduced. The mounting portion 2c of the rubber button 3 is a cylindrical rib and is adapted to push the boss of the rubber button 3. LED4 for displaying the washing process etc. on the switch 4
There is a, but in order to make that light appear more effective and bright,
The operation panel 2 is formed of transparent resin, and the LED lens portion 2d having a convex lens effect is provided.

By adopting the above structure, the product reliability can be improved, the quality can be visually improved, and the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the conventional method in which the decorative sheet 5 is attached. Besides being able to do it, the work of sticking is also eliminated, and since everything is assembled from above, the workability can be greatly improved.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize the structure of the operating portion of the washing machine which has higher quality and reliability than the prior art, and further has a reduced number of parts and is easy to assemble.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a structure of an operating portion of a washing machine showing a conventional example.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a structure of an operating portion showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of part A in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view of a rubber button portion viewed from a P direction in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Top cover, 2 ... Operation panel, 3 ... Rubber button,
4 ... switch, 5 ... decorative sheet.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An operating unit of a washing machine comprising a synthetic resin panel, rubber buttons, switches and the like, wherein a decorative sheet of polyester film is integrally molded on the front surface of the synthetic resin panel by sheet-in-molding. In addition, a convex shape of an operation key is further formed on the seal surface, a spring-like actuator section is provided under the seal, and a button for pressing a switch is provided in the center of the actuator section structure of a washing machine. .