JPH0745857Y2 - Switch device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a switch operation using a so-called rubber switch.

"Prior art and its problems" Devices such as cameras with built-in electric circuits are equipped with various switches. In recent years, so-called rubber switches have been adopted as these switches because of the demand for smaller and thinner devices. Is being done.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the rubber switch. The rubber switch 11 has an elastic member 10 made of an elastic body such as rubber arranged on a substrate 14, and has a pair of convex portions 13 pressed by an operation member (not shown). Convex
On the inner surface of the upper part of 13, a pair of contacts 12 facing the conductive portion 14a of the substrate 14 are integrally provided, and the contacts 12 are convex portions.
Due to the elasticity of 13, it is elastically held at all times in a non-contact state with the conductive portion 14a of the substrate 14. Therefore, the rubber switch 11
By selectively pressing the convex portion 13 by operating the operation member, one contact 12 comes into contact with the conductive portion 14a of the substrate 14 to be electrically conducted, and the pressing on the convex portion 13 is released. As a result, the original non-contact state is elastically restored.

By the way, the switch device that selectively presses the pair of convex portions 13 of the rubber switch 11 has conventionally been provided with a means for returning to a neutral position or an off (on) position, which complicates the structure. Was there. In addition, in a switch device that does not use a rubber switch, it is necessary to provide a switch contact piece on the operation member itself and further provide a returning means for returning to a neutral position or an off (on) position, which further complicates the structure.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention provides a switch device that can return (centering) the operating member to the neutral position by the elastic restoring force of the rubber switch, and the operating member itself does not require a return spring to the neutral position. The purpose is to

[Summary of the Invention] A switch device of the present invention that achieves the above object includes a substrate having a conductive portion, and an elastic member having at least a pair of contacts arranged on the substrate and capable of contacting and separating from the conductive portion. A switch having the pair of contacts, which is normally held in a non-contact state with the conductive portion by elasticity of the elastic member; a pair rotatably supported about an axis and engaged with the pair of contacts of the switch A press interlocking member having a interlocking part of the switch and the operating member, which is separate from the switch and the operating member;
An operation member capable of sliding movement, which has a first gear portion integrally formed with the pressure interlocking member in an arc shape around the shaft of the pressure interlocking member; and a second gear portion meshing with the first gear portion. And; and the operating member and the pressing interlocking member are held in a neutral position by the elasticity of the elastic member of the switch when the switch is in a free state, and when the operating member is operated to move, the first gear portion and the second gear portion are provided. And the contact of the switch is electrically connected to the conductive portion of the substrate through the pair of interlocking portions.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to illustrated embodiments. FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) show the basic structure of the operating portion applied to the switch device according to the present invention. This operating part 15
Is an operation knob 17 that is movable in the direction of the arrow in the knob accommodating recess 16 formed in the case 25, and an operation protrusion 19 that is connected to the operation knob 17 and projects from the operation window 18 of the accommodating recess 16 into the case 25. Is a common component, and depending on whether the accommodation surface of the knob accommodating recess 16 is the flat surface 21 or the concave surface 22, there are two types, a flat operation type (the same figure (a)) and a concave surface operation type (the same figure (b)). It is classified into types. Any of the above types of the operation unit 15 can be applied to the switch device of the present invention. Note that 19a is a hooking member for the accommodation recess 16.

2 (a) and 2 (b) show an embodiment of the switch device of the present invention. This switch device employs a concave operation type operation unit 15 shown in FIG. 1 (b). The rack (second gear portion) 81 is fixed to the actuating protrusion 19, and slides in contact with the lower surface of the knob accommodating recess 16 and moves in the same direction as the operation knob 17 slides. Further, the half-moon gear (pressing interlocking member) 82 having a gear portion (first gear portion) 82c that meshes with the rack 81 is rotated by the rotating shaft 83 as the rack 81 moves.
It rotates about. The left and right end portions (interlocking portions) 82a and 82b of the half-moon gear 82 are located above the convex portion 13 and constitute pressing portions of the convex portion 13.

When the operation knob 17 in the neutral position is slid to the left or right in the figure, the rack 81 moves in the same direction as the operation knob 17, and the half-moon gear 82 that engages with the rack 81.
Rotate in the same direction, and one end portion 82a (82b) thereof presses one convex portion 13. Contact 12 now contacts 14a on board 14
, And are electrically connected (Fig. 2 (b)).
Further, when the operating force of the operating knob 17 is released, the elasticity of the convex portion 13 causes the half-moon gear 82 to return to the rotational state, the contact 12 is further separated from the contact 14a of the substrate 14, and at the same time, the operating knob 17 is moved to the rack 8.
Return to the original neutral position via 1. In this example,
The shock at the time of contact between the rubber switch 11 and the operation member is reduced, and a smooth operation feeling can be expected. The rack
By forming 81 into a flat plate shape, it can be applied to the plane operation type operation unit 15 shown in FIG.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, the switch device of the present invention uses the elastic restoring force of the switch to return the operating member to the neutral position, so that the operating member does not require a contact piece, and No special member is required to hold it in the neutral position. Therefore, the structure can be simplified.

Further, according to the switch device of the present invention, since the sliding movement of the operating member is transmitted to the switch via the pressing interlocking member, even if the operating member and the switch are relatively distant from each other, the sliding movement is achieved. It is possible to reliably transmit the movement of the operating member to the switch.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) show an operating section applied to a switch device according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 (a) is a plane operation type,
FIG. 2B is a sectional view showing a concave operation type, FIG. 2A,
FIG. 3B is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of a rubber switch. 10: elastic member, 11: rubber switch (switch),
12 ... contact, 13 ... projection, 14 ... substrate, 15 ... operation part,
16 …… Knob housing recess, 17 …… Operating knob, 18 …… Operating window, 19 …… Operating projection, 21 …… Flat surface, 22 …… Concave surface, 23 ……
Convex, 25 …… Case, 81 …… Rack (2nd gear), 82
...... Half moon gear, 82c ...... Gear part (1st gear part).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A substrate having a conductive portion; and an elastic member disposed on the substrate and having at least a pair of contact points that can be brought into contact with and separated from the conductive portion; and the pair of contact points is the elastic member. A switch that is always held in a non-contact state with the conductive portion by the elasticity of the switch; and a pair of interlocking portions that are rotatably supported around the shaft and that engage with a pair of contact points of the switch. A pressure interlocking member formed separately from the operating member; a first gear portion integrally formed in the pressure interlocking member in an arc shape around the axis of the pressure interlocking member; and meshing with the first gear portion A slideable operation member having a second gear portion; and the operation member and the pressing interlocking member are held in a neutral position by the elasticity of the elastic member of the switch in the free state of the switch, A switch device characterized in that when a moving operation is performed, a contact of the switch is brought into conduction with a conductive part of a substrate through the first gear part, the second gear part and a pair of interlocking parts.