JPH0733321Y2 - Sliding switch - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a sliding switch mounted on a curved surface of the exterior of a device such as a camera.

(Prior Art) Curved surfaces have come to be frequently used for the outer shape of cameras due to design and ergonomic requirements. When a sliding type switch such as a changeover switch is attached to the curved surface of the equipment surface in an equipment having an outer shape formed by such a curved surface, the operation member of the switch can be curvedly slid along the curved surface of the equipment surface. Is desirable. Conventionally, the sliding switch, which is conventionally mounted on the surface of the device, is of a linear sliding type on the assumption that it is mounted on the flat surface. FIG. 4 shows an example of such a normal sliding switch. Reference numeral 21 is a device exterior plate, which is a flat surface, and 23 is a sliding knob. The outer plate 21 is provided with a long hole 22 which also serves as a guide for the sliding knob 23, and the sliding contact piece holding member 24 is coupled to the knob 23 by a screw 25 through a spacer penetrating the long hole, and the knob The outer plate 21 is sandwiched between the holding member 24 and the holding member 24, and can slide in the arrow direction along the outer plate. Reference numeral 28 denotes a switch substrate, which is installed in parallel with the exterior plate 21 and has a conductor pattern formed in sliding contact with the sliding contact piece 26 attached to the holding member 24. When it is necessary to mount a sliding switch with such a structure on a curved exterior surface, the switch mounting portion of the exterior curved surface is projected or recessed on a flat surface to form a switch mounting seat on the exterior plate, and the switch is mounted there. It is necessary to create an incongruent portion in the outer shape of the curved curved surface, which is uncomfortable because the sliding member does not move along the curved surface in terms of operation feeling.

For this reason, there is a switch shown in FIG. 5 in which the operating member slides along the curved surface. In this switch, the sliding knob 33 slides along the curved surface of the exterior plate by being guided by the elongated guide holes 32 formed in the exterior plate 31. The sliding contact piece holding member 34 is connected to the knob 33 by a screw 35, and the knob 33
The exterior plate 31 is sandwiched by the holding member 34 and the holding member 34. Although the structure up to this point is the same as that of the switch described above, in the case of this conventional example, the switch substrate 38 is installed not on the exterior surface 31 but on the surface intersecting the exterior surface. Holding member 34
Has an L-shaped cross section and has a sliding contact piece 36 fixed to the lower surface.
It is in sliding contact with the switch board 38. As the knob 33 slides, the sliding contact piece 36 draws the same curve locus on the substrate 38 as the curve locus of the knob 33. According to this structure, since the sliding knob can be moved along the exterior surface, there is no problem as in the above-mentioned example, but since the sliding surface between the sliding contact piece and the switch substrate is not parallel to the exterior surface, it is easy to assemble. In this case, the exterior plate is divided into upper and lower parts by a dividing line S in the figure, and the knob 33 and the holding portion 34 (with the contact piece 36) are attached to the upper exterior plate first, and the switch board 38 is attached. There is a problem that a procedure of connecting the upper and lower outer plates by covering the lower outer plate from above is required, which complicates the structure of the outer plate and increases the number of assembling steps.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In view of the above-mentioned conventional example, the present invention provides a sliding switch which has a simple structure and is easy to assemble and whose sliding knob is slid along a curved outer surface. It is what

(Means for Solving the Problem) A sliding knob capable of sliding along the curved surface of the curved exterior plate, a sliding contact piece connected to the sliding knob and having a large elastic deflection amount, and the above sliding The slide switch has a surface facing the knob and is arranged in such a range that the tip of the sliding contact piece can slide at a contact pressure within a predetermined range at any position in the movable range of the sliding knob. Configured.

(Operation) The sliding knob slides along the curved surface of the curved exterior. When the sliding knob moves along the exterior curved surface, the distance between the sliding knob and the substrate surface of the switch board that has a surface facing the sliding knob changes, but the sliding contact piece is capable of large deflection. Since it is formed, the change in the distance is absorbed by the bending, and the sliding contact is always secured. Since the average distance between the sliding knob and the switch board is as close as possible, the initial deflection of the sliding contact piece is large and even if the distance between the sliding knob and the switch board changes within the sliding range of the sliding knob. The fluctuation of contact pressure is small, and stable contact pressure and long life can be obtained.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a switch of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a camera to which the switch is attached. 2 is attached to the grip portion 41 of the cameta body 1 by a sliding knob. The grip portion is a curved surface as shown in the figure, and the knob 3 is slid horizontally along the curved surface. 2 is a release button of the camera.

In FIG. 1, 4 is a sliding contact piece holding member, and a sliding knob 3
And a screw 5 for connecting the grip portion exterior 41 of the camera together with the sliding knob. The sliding knob 3 can be horizontally slid by being guided by the horizontal elongated hole 42 formed in the outer casing 41. Reference numeral 6 denotes a sliding contact piece fixed to the sliding contact piece holding member 4, which has a relatively long span and can be largely bent. Reference numeral 8 denotes a switch substrate which is installed parallel to the sliding contact piece holding member 4 when the sliding knob 3 is at the center position of the sliding range, and the sliding contact pieces are in sliding contact with each other. The sliding contact piece drawn with a two-dot chain line shows a free state when the holding member 4 is in the central position, and since this sliding contact piece contacts the switch substrate 8 and is bent to the solid line position in the figure. is there. This flexure is the initial flexure of the sliding contact piece 6, and as the sliding knob 3 is moved to the left and right, the sliding contact piece 6 changes from the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line to the position indicated by the solid line. Fluctuates larger on the left side and smaller on the right side around the initial deflection, but since the initial deflection is large, the fluctuation of the contact pressure is small. Numerals 7 and 7'are springs for pressing the sliding contact piece holding member 4 from the left and right, and the axes of both springs intersect in front of the holding member 4 to stabilize the holding member 4 at the central position and to install it on the exterior. 41 When operating the sliding knob 3 by pressing it against the inner surface, the sliding is smooth and there is no rattling. Although not shown in the figure, the sliding knob can be stopped at several positions in the sliding range by a click mechanism.

Although the sliding contact piece is linear in the above-mentioned embodiment, it goes without saying that it may be bent as shown in FIG.

(Effect of the Invention) According to the present invention, since the movement direction of the sliding knob and the switch substrate surface are substantially parallel to each other, the change in the distance between the switch substrate and the holding portion of the sliding contact piece due to sliding is compared. Since the change in the contact pressure due to the change is largely due to the elastic bending amount of the sliding contact piece, it is absorbed by the bending and there is no difficulty in the switch operation. Since the exterior plate structure is simple, the assembly is simple, and the knob can slide along the curved exterior, it is possible to obtain a sliding switch that is preferable in terms of appearance and operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a switch according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a camera equipped with the above switch, FIG. 3 is a side view of a sliding contact piece of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of an example of a conventional sliding switch. FIG. A is a vertical sectional view of another conventional switch, and FIG. 5B is a horizontal sectional view of the same. 1 ... Camera body, 2 ... Release switch, 3 ...
Sliding knob, 41 ... Grip, 4 ... Sliding contact piece holding member, 6 ... Sliding contact piece, 8 ... Switch board.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A sliding knob capable of sliding along a curved surface of a curved exterior plate, a sliding contact piece connected to the sliding knob and having a large elastic deflection amount, and facing the sliding knob. A sliding switch having a surface and a switch substrate arranged in a range in which the tip of the sliding contact piece can slide at a contact pressure within a predetermined range at any position in the movable range of the sliding knob.