JPH09231853A - One-body switch button - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of components and assembly man-hours in a switch button. SOLUTION: An integral switch button 4 is formed by integrally molding four switch button parts 21 in which properties on light transmission of display parts 21a, 22a of characters, figures, and symbols and surrounding parts 21b, 22b of the display parts are made different in light transmittance or color, and two double motion switch button parts 22, and a supporting part 9 which elastically supports the switch button parts 21, 22 so as to be capable of displacing with resin.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch button used for an operation panel of a heater control device, an air conditioner, a radio device, an audio device, a television device, a navigation device, etc. in an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 11, an operation panel 58 of a conventional heater control device for an automobile has
A large number of switch buttons 57, 57 ... Are arranged, and each switch button 57 is configured as a separate component. Further, for night illumination of the switch button 57, a light source 55 and a lens 56 for guiding light were provided on the back surface of the switch button 57. Then, the lens 56 is designed to uniformly emit light from a single light source 55 over a wide range including the plurality of switch buttons 57, 57 ....

[0003]

As described above, since each switch button 57 is a separate part, the number of parts in the operation panel 58 is large, the number of man-hours for assembling in the automobile assembly line is large, and the time and labor are troublesome. This has been a factor in reducing the efficiency of the automobile assembly line.

Further, the lens 56 has a complicated three-dimensional shape in order to allow a single light source 55 to uniformly emit light over a wide range including a plurality of switch buttons 57, which requires a large number of design steps. In addition, switch button 5
Since the light source 55 and the lens 56 are provided on the back surface of 7,
Due to the components such as the light source 55 and the lens 56 required for illumination, the depth required for the installation space of the switch button 57 is deep.

These problems are not limited to the heater control device, and are the same in the air conditioner, the radio device and the like.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembling steps in an automobile assembly line, and to provide an integrated switch button capable of thinning the parts required for lighting. To do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an integrated switch button according to the present invention has a property relating to light transmission between a display portion such as characters, figures and symbols and a peripheral portion of the display portion. It is characterized in that at least two switch button portions that differ in light transmittance or color and a support portion that supports each switch button portion so as to be elastically displaceable are integrally molded of resin.

The following can be exemplified as the combination of the display portion and the peripheral portion. In the following, “transparent” includes not only colorless and transparent but also colored transparent and translucent. (1) A switch button part is formed of a transparent resin, and one of the display part and the peripheral part is made light-shielding or dimmable by laser marking or painting on the front surface or the back surface. (2) One in which the display portion or the peripheral portion is made of a transparent resin and the other is made of an opaque resin, and both are molded in two colors. (3) One of the display portion and the peripheral portion is made of a transparent resin, the other is made of a transparent resin having a different color, and both are molded in two colors.

Examples of the supporting portion include the following. (A) A frame portion and a cantilever portion that supports the switch button portion on the frame portion. (B) A frame part and a pair of torsion shaft parts that support the switch button part on the frame part. (C) A sheet portion including the above-mentioned switch button portions arranged on the surface to be integrated with each other, and an edge portion that allows displacement of each switch button portion is formed on the sheet portion.

In these inventions, the structure for night illumination of the switch button is not particularly limited, but the following structures can be exemplified. (A) A transparent light guide plate is provided behind the switch button part so as to face each other, and a light source is provided in a part of the light guide plate, and a fluorescent light is provided on the surface of the light guide plate on the side opposite to the switch button part. A material or a reflective material is applied in a dot shape, and the density of the dots is changed so as to increase as the distance from the light source increases.

(B) In the integrated switch button, each of the switch button portions and the frame portion is molded with transparent resin, and most of the surface of the frame portion is covered with a light reflecting film, and light is introduced into the frame portion. A light source that is incident. Examples of the light reflecting film include a metal film formed by a vacuum vapor deposition method, a cathode sputtering method, an ion plating method, an electroless plating method, or the like.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments in which the present invention is applied to an integrated switch button arranged on an operation panel of a heater control device will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the cluster panel 1 includes an operation panel 3 of a heater control device, an air outlet 2, and a mounting opening of a radio device. 6, an ashtray 7, a cigarette lighter 8 and the like are provided.

A display 5 for monitoring the operating state of the heater control device is provided on the left side of the operation panel 3, and a plurality of holes 23 are provided on the right side thereof. As shown in FIG. 4, the integrated switch button 4
Is attached from the rear surface of the operation panel 3, a switch button portion described later is fitted into the hole 23, and the surface thereof projects forward from the front surface of the operation panel 3. Then, behind the integrated switch button 4, a micro switch 18 that is operated by the integrated switch button 4 so as to face it and a light source 16 that illuminates the integrated switch button 4 are arranged. A substrate 35 is provided.

The integrated switch button 4 has a single microswitch 18 when pressed on its surface, as shown in FIG.
Includes four switch button parts 21 that operate, and two double-action switch button parts 22 that actuate different micro switches 18 depending on whether the upper part or the lower part of the surface is pressed. And is formed integrally with a transparent resin together with the supporting portion 9 that supports them. The switch button portion 21 and the double-action switch button portion 2
The surface of 2 may have a glossy finish or a matte finish.

The support portion 9 includes a frame portion 10 and a cantilever portion 11 that supports the upper portion or the lower portion of each switch button portion 21 on the frame portion 10 so as to be elastically displaceable by the elasticity of the bending direction. , A pair of torsion shaft portions 12 for supporting both left and right side portions of each double-action switch button portion 22 on the frame portion 10 so as to be elastically displaceable by springiness in the torsion direction,
It consists of twelve. The upper, lower, left and right frame end portions 13, 13, ... Of the frame portion 10 are, as shown in FIG.
It is adapted to be fixed to the rear surface of the operation panel 3 by a locking member 19 provided on the back side of the operation panel 3.

The switch button portion 21 is formed in a small piece of arbitrary shape, and the spherical concave portion 20 is formed on the back surface thereof. The switch button portion 21 includes a display portion 21a for characters, figures, symbols, etc., and a peripheral portion 21b of the display portion. The peripheral portion 21b is a light-shielding mask portion 15 formed by chemically changing the surface of the spherical recess 20 by laser marking.
15 and the like, and the characters, graphics,
Symbols and the like are transparent portions remaining in the mask portion by avoiding laser marking. A light source 16 such as an LED is provided at a position corresponding to the spherical recess 20 of the substrate 14.
Is provided, and the switch button section 2 is provided by the light source 16.
When the back surface of No. 1 is illuminated, the light ray is transmitted through the display unit 21a,
The display unit 21a can be recognized even in the dark at night.

Further, a protrusion bar 17 is provided at the lower center of the back surface of the switch button portion 21, and a micro switch 18 is provided at a corresponding position on the substrate 14. When the switch button portion 21 is pressed, the protruding bar 17 turns on and off the micro switch 18.

The double-action switch button portion 22 is different in that the switch button portion 21 is supported by the cantilever beam portion 11, while it is supported by the torsion shaft portions 12 and 12, but the illumination is different. Since the configuration and the mechanism regarding the switch are the same as those in which the two switch button portions 21 are combined vertically, the description thereof will be omitted.

According to this first embodiment, the switch button portion 21 and the double-action switch button portion 22 are integrally formed with the support portion 9 for supporting them.
When the support part 9 is attached to the operation panel 3, the switch button part 21 and the double-action switch button part 22 are positioned by being restricted by the support part 9. Therefore, as before,
It is not necessary to attach them to the operation panel 3 separately.

Further, the switch button portion 21 and the double-acting switch button portion 2 are provided by the cantilever beam portion 11 and the torsion shaft portions 12 and 12 having a spring property included in the support portion 9, respectively.
Since 2 is elastically displaceably supported, a separate part for providing springiness is also unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembly steps in the automobile assembly line.

Further, since the display portions 21a, 22a and the peripheral portions 21b, 22b of the switch button portion 21 and the double-action switch button portion 22 are constituted by the presence or absence of the mask portions 15, 15 ... Made of laser marking, There is no print misalignment due to printing or painting, and no variation due to ink lots. Further, it is not necessary to control the mixing ratio with the solvent, and the quality of the display portion 21a can be easily controlled.

Next, FIGS. 5 and 6 show an integrated switch button 24 according to the second embodiment. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the configuration related to the illumination of the integrated switch button 24, and the other details are the same as in the first embodiment.

The switch button portion 28 includes a display portion 28a for characters, figures, symbols and the like, and a peripheral portion 28b of the display portion. The display portion 28a is composed of light-shielding mask portions 30, 30 ... Which are formed by chemically changing the surface of the switch button portion 28 into a shape such as characters, figures, symbols by laser marking, and the peripheral portion 28b is laser marking. It is a transparent part that is not made. The same applies to the display portion 29a and the peripheral portion 29b of the double-action switch button portion 29.

A light reflecting film 31 formed by vacuum deposition is provided on the surface (hatched portion in FIG. 5) of the supporting portion 25 excluding the end faces 32, 32. On the other hand, a light source 27 for illuminating the switch button portion 28 and the double-action switch button portion 29 is provided. The light incident on the end face 32 from the light source 27 is reflected by the light reflection film 31 and travels inside the supporting portion 25, and is advanced from each cantilever portion 33 and the torsion shaft portions 34 and 34 to the switch button portion 28 and the double acting. The switch button portion 29 is illuminated. Further, since the incident light is blocked by the mask unit 30, each display unit 2 can be used even in the dark at night.
8a and 29a can be recognized.

According to the second embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the support portion 25 is used for guiding light from the light sources 27, 27 ... To each switch button portion 28 and double-action switch button portion 29. No separate parts for light guiding are required. Therefore, the number of design steps can be reduced by eliminating the lens having the complicated three-dimensional shape in the conventional example,
Further, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembling steps in the automobile assembly line.

Further, since the light sources 27, ... Are provided on the side of the supporting portion 25, the thickness of the integrated switch button 24 can be reduced.

Next, FIGS. 7 to 10 show an integrated switch button 36 according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the integrated switch button 36 is attached from the rear surface of the operation panel 3, and the switch button portion described later has a hole 2
3, the surface of which is projected forward from the surface of the operation panel 3. A transparent light guide plate 44 is provided behind the integrated switch button 36 so as to face it. Further, behind the light guide plate 44, there is provided a substrate 48 on which the micro switch 18 operated by the integrated switch button 4 is arranged so as to face the light guide plate 44.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the integrated switch button 36 includes four switch buttons 46 and two double-action switch buttons 47 made of black hard resin. Is integrally molded with a sheet portion 39 which is a support portion made of a white translucent soft resin for supporting the.

The switch button portion 46 and the double-action switch button portion 47 are formed in small pieces having an arbitrary shape, and the display portions 46a and 47a for characters, figures, symbols, etc. are penetrated from the front surface to the back surface to surround the peripheral portion 46b. , 47b are set in a mold as insert parts, and the sheet portion 39 is injection-molded with a soft resin (two-color molding).
As a result, the display portions 46a and 47a are molded of white translucent soft resin, so that the light from the light guide plate 44 is transmitted only to the display portions 46a and 47a, and the display portions 46a and 47a can be recognized even in the dark at night. It is like this. In addition,
The surfaces of the switch button portion 46 and the double-action switch button portion 47 may be glossy finish or matte finish.

An edge portion 38 having a substantially arcuate cross section is formed in a portion of the seat portion 39 which is in contact with the peripheral edge of the switch button portion 46, and the edge portion 38 is formed when the switch button portion 46 is pushed. By elastically expanding, with respect to the stroke direction of the switch button portion 46,
The displacement is allowed and the elasticity is imparted.

Further, the seat portion 39 is formed with locking holes 40, 40 ... During the injection molding, and the operation panel 3
It engages with a locking member (not shown) provided on the back surface of the operation panel 3 and is fixed to the operation panel 3 from the back surface.

As shown in FIG. 8, the switch button section 46
At the center of the rear surface of the
5, the light guide plate 44 and the substrate 48 are provided with corresponding holes 43 and microswitches 18 that fit into the protruding rods 45, respectively. When the switch button portion 21 is pressed, the protruding bar 17 turns on and off the micro switch 18. The double-action switch button portion 47 is similar to the switch button portion 46, except that switches are provided on the upper and lower portions of the back surface thereof.

As shown in FIG. 9, holes 49, 49 ... Are provided in the upper portion of the light guide plate 44, and the light source 42 is inserted therein. In addition, the anti-switch button portion 4 of the light guide plate 44
Fluorescent material 41 is applied in dots on the surface on the 6 side, and gradation is applied so that the density of the dots changes so as to increase as the distance from the light source 42 increases.

The surface emission mechanism of the light guide plate 44 will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the light emitted from the light source 42 diffuses inside the light guide plate 44 and travels. Then, the fluorescent material 41 receives the light and emits light. At this time, the density of the fluorescent material 41 is low in the portion close to the light source 42 and the intensity of light is high, and the density of the fluorescent material 41 is high as the distance from the light source 42 is low and the intensity of light is weak, and the light guide plate 44 is formed. The entire surface emits light with uniform intensity.

According to the third embodiment, the switch button portion 46 and the double-action switch button portion 47 are integrally formed with the seat portion 39 that supports them, so that the seat portion 39 is attached to the operation panel 3. When it is attached to, the switch button portion 46 and the double-action switch button portion 47 are positioned by being restricted by the seat portion 39. Therefore, it is not necessary to attach them to the operation panel 3 separately as in the conventional case.

Further, since the light guide plate 44 is a transparent plate member in which the fluorescent material 41 is applied in a dot shape, the complicated three-dimensional lens in the conventional example can be eliminated and the number of design steps can be reduced.

Further, the holes 49,
49 are provided and the light sources 42, 42 ... Are inserted therein, so that the light sources 42, 42 ...
6 and the double-action switch button portion 47 need not be provided on the back surface, and the thickness of the integrated switch button 36 can be reduced.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and may be embodied with appropriate modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention, for example, as described below. (1) In the second embodiment, the number of light sources 27 or the light sources 2
Change the position where 7 is installed. (2) In the third embodiment, the number of light sources 42 or the light sources 2
Change the position where 7 is installed. (3) In the third embodiment, a fluorescent material or a reflective material is applied to one surface of the light guide plate 44 so that the density continuously changes.

[0039]

Since the integrated switch button of the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following excellent effects. With the integrated switch button according to the first, second, third, or fourth aspect, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps in the automobile assembly line can be reduced. In addition to this effect, in the integrated switch button according to the fifth or sixth aspect, it is possible to reduce the design man-hours of parts required for lighting and to reduce the thickness of the parts. Further, in the integrated switch button according to claim 7, the manufacturing quality can be easily controlled.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cluster panel including an integrated switch button according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a switch button portion and a support portion of the same body type switch button.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a switch button portion and a support portion of the integrated switch button according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a switch button portion and a support portion of an integrated switch button according to a third embodiment.

8 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a light guide plate of the same body type switch button.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a switch button according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 integrated type switch button 9 support section 10 frame section 11 cantilever section 12 torsion shaft section 16 light source 21 switch button section 21a display section 21b peripheral section 22 double-acting switch button section 22a display section 22b peripheral section 24 integrated switch button 25 Support part 27 Light source 28 Switch button part 28a Display part 28b Peripheral part 29 Double-action switch button part 29a Display part 29b Peripheral part 31 Light-reflecting film 32 End surface 33 Cantilever part 34 Torsional shaft part 36 Integrated switch button 39 Sheet part 41 Fluorescent material 42 Light source 44 Light guide plate 46 Switch button part 46a Display part 46b Surrounding part 47 Double-action switch button part 47a Display part 47b Surrounding part

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshio Sano 1 Ochiai, Nagahata, Kasuga-cho, Nishikasugai-gun, Aichi Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. At least two switch button parts having different light transmission properties or colors in terms of light transmission between a display part of characters, figures, symbols and the like and a peripheral part of the display part, and each switch button part. An integrated switch button, characterized in that a supporting portion that elastically displaceably supports is integrally molded of resin. 2. The integrated switch button according to claim 1, wherein the support portion includes a frame portion and a cantilever portion that supports the switch button portion on the frame portion. 3. The integrated switch button according to claim 1, wherein the support portion includes a frame portion and a pair of torsion shaft portions that support the switch button portion on the frame portion. 4. The support portion includes a seat portion on which a surface of each of the switch button portions is arranged and integrated, and an edge portion for allowing displacement of each switch button portion is formed on the seat portion. Item 1. The integrated switch button according to item 1. 5. A transparent light guide plate is provided behind the switch button portion so as to face each other, and a light source is provided in a part of the light guide plate, and a surface of the light guide plate on the side opposite to the switch button portion. 5. The integrated switch button according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein a fluorescent material or a reflective material is applied in a dot shape, and the density of the dots is changed so as to increase with distance from the light source. 6. The switch button portion and the frame portion are formed of a transparent resin, and most of the surface of the frame portion is covered with a light reflecting film, and a light source for entering light into the frame portion is provided. The integrated switch button described in 2 or 3. 7. The integrated switch button according to claim 1, wherein the switch button portion is formed of a transparent resin, and one of the display portion and the peripheral portion has a light-shielding property by laser marking.