JPH09195901A - Ignition switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decrease the number of parts and reduce costs. SOLUTION: In an ignition switch, a cylindrical driver 1 is rotatably provided in relation to a housing 3, and the driver 1 is so arranged as to be automatically restored by the action of a return spring 2 in an annular groove 1a of the driver in the turning movement in a turning region. One end 2a of the return spring 2 is so arranged as to be engaged with the housing 3, the other end 2b of the return spring 2 is engaged with the driver 1, at least either end is engaged with a circumferential cutout 1b formed on the driver, and therefore, the axial movement of at least either end of the return spring is regulated by the cutout, and slipping of the return spring is prevented without using any conventional stopper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ignition switch mounted on an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional automobile ignition switch has a structure as shown in FIGS.
The conventional art will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

3 and 4, reference numeral 11 denotes an insulative fixed contact base on which the first fixed contact group 12a and the second fixed contact group 12b are fixedly arranged.
The fixed setting groups 12a and 12b which are press-fitted and fixed to the first through hole group 13a and the second through hole group 13b provided in the terminal 14 are located on the back side of the fixed contact base 11.
The lead wire 15 is connected to the terminal 14 by soldering.

On the surface of the fixed contact base 11, a plurality of ridges 16 for restricting contact between the movable contact and the fixed contact described below are integrally formed. The protrusion 16 is composed of a plurality of fan-shaped protrusions, and one of these fan-shaped protrusions is the height of the first and second fixed contact groups 12a and 12b (the height from the surface of the fixed contact base 11). It is slightly higher, and the other of the fan-shaped ridges has the first and second fixed contact groups 12 thereof.
It is set slightly lower than the heights of a and 12b.

A driver 17 is rotatably supported on the fixed contact base 11 and is rotatably supported by the fixed setting base 11 and a housing 25 described later. A key hole 17a into which an ignition key (not shown) for rotating 17 is inserted is provided. Further, an annular first movable contact 18 having a small diameter and an annular second movable contact 19 having a large diameter are coaxially arranged on a boss portion 17b which serves as a rotating shaft of the driver 17 with respect to the fixed contact base 11. Installed, and first of them
The second movable contacts 18 and 19 are connected to the driver 17 so as to rotate integrally therewith. Also,
The first and second movable contacts 18, 19 have contact portions 18a, 19 extruded and pressed in the direction of the fixed contact base 11.
a is formed. Further, the first movable contact 18
The spring 20 positioned between the first movable contact 18 and the driver 17 causes the first fixed contact group 12 to move.
a in elastic contact with the second movable contact 19 and
The three springs 21 arranged between the movable contact 19 and the driver 17 can elastically contact the second fixed contact group 12b.

Balls are provided at two diametrical positions of the driver 17 in cooperation with a plurality of protrusions 25a provided on the inner peripheral wall of the housing 25, which will be described later, when the driver 17 is rotated, to give a click feeling (moderation feeling). The spring 22 is elastically arranged by the spring 23. Reference numeral 24 denotes a return spring for automatically returning the driver 17 from the START position to the ON position when the driver 17 is rotated from the ON position to the START position in the rotation region from the ON position to the START position. Reference numeral 25 denotes a housing which is attached to the fixed contact base 11 so as to cover the movable contacts 18 and 19, the driver 17 and the like. Reference numeral 26 denotes a stopper, which is fitted into the driver 17 and is inserted into the annular groove 17c of the driver 17 so as to return the return spring 24.
And a thrust bearing for the housing 25 of the driver 17 thereof.

Next, the operation of the conventional ignition switch having the above structure will be described. That is, at each of the LOCK position, the ACC position, the ON position, and the START position of the vehicle ignition switch, the plurality of contact portions 18a of the first movable contact 18 are provided with respect to the first fixed contact group 12a and the ridge 16. Further, the plurality of contact portions 19a of the second movable contact 19 come into contact with the second fixed contact group 12b and the ridge 16 in a positional relationship having a specific corresponding relationship.
As a result, at the LOCK position, the ACC position, the ON position, and the START position, the first and second movable contact points 18 and 19 cause the first and second fixed contact point groups 12a and 12a, respectively.
12b is in a predetermined conducting state. That is, for example, ON
At the position, the fixed contact B1 (battery 1), the fixed contact ACC (accessory), and the fixed contact IG1 (ignition 1) are electrically connected to each other by the first movable contact 18, and the fixed contact B2 ( Since the battery 2) and the fixed contact IG2 (ignition 2) are in a conductive state, power is supplied from the battery to the ACC terminal and the IG1 and IG2 terminals.

[0008]

However, in the conventional ignition switch, the return spring 24 for automatically returning and returning the driver 17 has its one end 24a projected from one notch of the outer peripheral portion of the driver 17 and the housing 25. The other end 24b is engaged with the notch 25a, and the other end 24b is provided at the other notch 17d on the outer peripheral portion of the driver 17.
Is engaged.

Therefore, in order to prevent the return spring 24 from coming out of the annular groove 17c, the return spring 24 is inserted into the annular groove 17c, and then a resin stopper 26 is welded to the driver 17 to prevent the return spring 24 from coming off. I am trying to Therefore, the number of parts (stopper 26) is increased, and the number of welding steps of the stopper 26 is required, which causes a problem that the product becomes expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to eliminate the stopper to reduce the number of parts and to reduce the welding man-hours to reduce the cost as a whole. .

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a cylindrical driver is rotatably provided with respect to a housing, and the driver is arranged to rotate in a certain rotation region. In an ignition switch arranged to automatically return and return by the action of a return spring in an annular groove, one end of the return spring is arranged to be engageable with the housing and the other end of the return spring is It is characterized in that it is engaged with the driver, and at least one of the ends is engaged with a circumferential cut formed in the driver.

Further, the depth of the notch is such that the end portion of the return spring cannot be pulled out by the rotational movement of the driver.

With the above structure, one end of the return spring is engaged with the housing and the other end is engaged with the driver, and at least one end of the return spring is formed in the circumferential notch formed in the driver. The engagement of the return spring restricts the movement of the return spring in the axial direction within the notch, so that the return spring does not come out of the annular groove without using a stopper as in the past. Does not occur.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of an embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same part.

1 and 2, in the return spring 2 which is mounted in the annular groove 1a of the driver 1, one end 2a of the return spring 2 comes out of the circumferential notch 1b formed in the driver 1 and the housing 3 of the return spring 2. The other end 2b is engaged with the notch 1c of the driver 1 while engaging with the notch 3a.

Therefore, in the return spring 2, one end 2a thereof is engaged with the housing 3 which is a fixed side member, and the other end 2b is engaged with the driver 1 which is a rotary side member. The automatic return and return action of 1 is achieved.

Here, since the depth of the cut 1b is set so that the one end 2a of the return spring 2 cannot be pulled out even by the rotational movement of the driver 1, the one end 2a of the return spring 2 is larger than the cut 1b. There is no way out.

Since this embodiment has such a structure, the return spring 2 does not slip out of the annular groove 1a of the driver 1 without using a stopper as in the conventional case.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, not only the number of parts can be reduced, but also the welding man-hours in the conventional stopper can be eliminated, and the cost can be largely reduced as a whole.

In this embodiment, one end 2a of the return spring 2 is engaged with the notch 1b of the driver 1 and the other end 2b is engaged with the notch 1c of the driver 1.
The reverse engagement structure is also possible. It is also possible to stop the notch in the driver 1 and form both in the notch.

[0022]

As described above, according to the ignition switch of the first aspect of the present invention, at least one end of the return spring is engaged with the notch in the circumferential direction of the driver. The axial movement of the parts can be restricted and the return spring can be prevented from coming off without the use of stoppers as in the past, and the number of parts can be reduced and the assembly work can be simplified, resulting in overall cost reduction. Can be achieved.

According to the ignition switch of the second aspect of the present invention, the depth of the notch is set so that the end of the return spring cannot be pulled out even by the rotational movement of the driver. The property can be improved and the structure can be made more stable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part in the same manner.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional technique.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Driver 1a Annular groove 1b Cut 2 Return spring 2a One end 2b The other end 3 Housing 3a Notch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical driver is rotatably provided with respect to a housing, and the driver is automatically returned by the action of a return spring in an annular groove of the driver when the driver rotates in a certain rotation region. In the ignition switch provided, one end of the return spring is arranged to be engageable with the housing, the other end of the return spring is engaged with the driver, and at least one of the ends is provided. An ignition switch, wherein the portion is engaged with a circumferential cut formed in a driver. 2. The ignition switch according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the notch is such that the end portion of the return spring cannot be pulled out by the rotational movement of the driver.