JPH0997534A - Push-button switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the man-hours, decrease the number of component parts used, and enhance the quality by furnishing a fixing part consisting of a ring, bosses, and a positioning hole. SOLUTION: A fixing part 7 is composed of a ring 7a, bosses 7b, and a positioning hole 7c, wherein the ring 7a is positioned with a certain spacing from the periphery of each key top 5 and coupled with the key top 5 to generate a consolidated structure. From that surface of the ring 7a confronting a circuit board 3, bosses 7b directed toward the board 3 are extended at certain points, for example four places as divided from one circumference, and the boss length including the plate thickness of the ring 7a should be the same as the spacing between the spring 2 and board 3. The location hole 7c is provided at the periphery of the ring 7a and fitted on the locating boss furnished on the back face of the panel 2. Thereby the key top 5 alike in a circular shape does not rotate any more within the opening 2a, which eliminates necessity for use of component(s) for fixing to lead to reduce the man-hours and also enhance the quality.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch provided to operate an electric device or an electronic device such as an office automation device or a home electric appliance, and more specifically, a key top has a circular shape. Accordingly, the present invention relates to the structure of the push button switch that requires the key top to be locked.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional push button switch of this type, for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-87764, in which two flexible support arms (hinge) are arranged from the outer diameter of a key top. The flexible support arm is provided with a fixing portion at the tip thereof, and when the push button switch is assembled, the fixing portion is fixed to the board by an appropriate means such as screwing, and the key top is positioned. And a detent. There is also one in which the fixing portion is fixed to the panel side (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-126923).

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, all the fixing portions have to be fixed to the substrate or the panel by screwing or the like, which increases the number of steps and complicates the assembly process. Cause In general, many push button switches are provided on the panel, so the number of man-hours is enormous and the productivity is significantly reduced.

In particular, in the case where the key top has a relatively large outer diameter of, for example, 50 mm, in order to prevent the key top from tilting and sinking when any position of the key top is pushed, the key is not depressed. Since it is necessary to provide hinges at 3 to 4 places that equally divide the outer diameter of the top, the number of fixing parts increases in the configuration of the conventional example in which the number of hinges and fixing parts is the same,
Productivity will be further reduced.

[0005]

As a concrete means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention mounts a panel provided with a circular opening and a switch unit at a position corresponding to the opening. The key top comprises a substrate arranged on the back surface of the panel and a circular key top facing the opening of the panel, and the key top has a plurality of fixing portions for orienting the key top in a predetermined direction with respect to the opening. And a fixed button and a hinge that connects the key top to each other. In the push button switch, the fixed section has a ring formed with a proper gap from the key top, and an arbitrary position of the ring. A plurality of bosses extending toward the substrate and sandwiched by the panel and the substrate;
At least one positioning hole that is provided on the outer periphery of the ring and that fits into a positioning boss provided on the panel, wherein one end of the hinge is connected to the outer diameter of the keytop and the other end is connected. The present invention is to solve the problem by providing a push button switch characterized by being connected to the inner diameter of the ring.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. Reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2
Shown by 1 is a push button switch according to the present invention. This push button switch 1 includes a panel 2 having a circular opening 2a and a switch unit 4 at a position corresponding to the opening 2a.
And a circular key top 5 arranged to face the opening 2a.
The hinge 6 and the fixing portion 7 are provided in the same manner as in the conventional example.

Here, in the present invention, the fixing portion 7 is composed of a ring 7a, a boss 7b and a positioning hole 7c, and the ring 7a has an outer diameter of the key top 5 and an appropriate gap. It is formed. Actually, the ring 7a is connected to and integrated with the key top 5 by the hinge 6, as will be described later.

Then, from the surface of the ring 7a facing the substrate 3, bosses 7b extending toward the substrate 3 are extended from, for example, four positions equally dividing the circumference, and the plate thickness of the ring 7a of the boss 7b is extended. The length L including is the same as the interval set between the panel 2 and the substrate 3.

Further, a positioning hole 7c is provided on the outer periphery of the ring 7a, and the positioning hole 7c is fitted to a positioning boss 2b provided on the back surface of the panel 2,
In the circular opening 2a, the key top 5, which is also circular, does not rotate.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the shape of the hinge 6 and the fixed portion 7. The hinge 6 is connected to the outer diameter of the key top 5 at one end 6a, and the other end 6b is connected. By connecting to the inner diameter of the ring 7a with the key top 5 and the fixing portion 7 as described above, the fixing portion 7 is provided with a stroke for operating the key top 5. Is.

At this time, the hinge 6 is the key top 5
The key top 5 is set to have a plurality of equal outer diameters, for example, three, so that the key top 5 does not tilt and sink when operated. Further, for example, the key top 5 and the ring 7a are provided between the one end 6a and the other end 6b.
A bending portion 6c having an arc shape concentric with is provided to facilitate vertical movement of the key top 5 with respect to the fixed portion 7.

Next, the operation and effect of the push button switch 1 of the present invention having the above structure will be described. First, the procedure for assembling the push button switch 1 will be described. In the push button switch 1 of the present invention, the key top 5 is made to face the opening 2a of the panel 2 from the back side, and the positioning boss 2b is positioned. The holes 7c are fitted and the panel 2 and the substrate 3 are assembled in this state.

By doing so, the boss 7b is sandwiched between the panel 2 and the substrate 3 to be fixed, and is also fixed as the fixing portion 7, so that the fixing portion required in the conventional example. No more man-hours to fix 7
This makes it possible to reduce the number of assembly steps. At the same time, screws or the like for fixing the fixing portion 7 are not required, and the number of parts can be reduced.

Therefore, in the present invention, the number of assembling steps does not depend on the number of hinges 6 and the number can be freely set, so that the key top 5 has a relatively large outer diameter of, for example, 50 mm. Even in the case of having it, it is possible to set a sufficient number that does not cause a tilt during operation without increasing the number of assembly steps, and as a result, it is possible to reduce costs and improve quality at the same time.

Needless to say, in the structure of the present invention, the number of bosses 7b provided on the ring 7a does not influence the man-hours for assembling, and therefore the hinge 6 and the boss 7b are not required.
However, the number provided can be freely set, and the optimum number can be set for each purpose, so that, for example, the operational feeling can be improved, and this is also effective in improving the quality.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, the fixing portion is a ring formed with a proper gap from the key top, and the panel and the substrate extending from any position of the ring toward the substrate. A plurality of bosses sandwiched by the ring, and at least one positioning hole that is provided on the outer circumference of the ring and that fits into a positioning boss provided on the panel. One end of the hinge is the outside diameter of the key top. As a push button switch connected to the inner diameter of the ring, the other end is connected to the panel and the board at the same time in the process of assembling the boss to fix the fixing portion. By eliminating the process of fixing the required number of fixed parts to the required number of parts, it is possible to significantly reduce the number of man-hours, and it is extremely effective in reducing the cost of this type of push button switch. It is intended to.

In addition, the structure in which the fixing portion is fixed by sandwiching the boss does not require a component for fixing the fixing portion such as a screw, so that the number of parts is reduced as well as the number of steps is reduced. Also from this aspect, the cost of the push button switch of this kind is extremely excellent.

Further, in the configuration of the present invention, since the fixing work of the fixing portion is not necessary, the optimum number can be set without increasing the man-hours and the number of parts for the hinge and the boss. By optimizing each of them, it is possible to prevent the key top from tilting at the time of operation and also to exert an excellent effect on quality improvement.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a push button switch according to the present invention in an exploded state.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part of the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Push button switch 2 ... Panel 2a ... Opening 2b ... Positioning boss 3 ... Board 4 ... Switch unit 5 ... Key top 6 ... Hinge 6a ... One end 6b. End part 6c …… Bending part 7 …… Fixing part 7a …… Ring 7b …… Boss 7c …… Positioning hole L …… Boss length

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A panel provided with a circular opening, a substrate having a switch unit mounted at a position corresponding to the opening and arranged on the back surface of the panel, and a circular key top facing the opening of the panel. In the push button switch, the key top is provided with a plurality of fixing portions for orienting the key top in a predetermined direction with respect to the opening, and a hinge connecting the fixing portion and the key top. A ring formed with a proper gap from the key top, and a plurality of bosses extending from an arbitrary position of the ring toward the substrate and sandwiched by the panel and the substrate. It is at least one positioning hole that is provided on the outer periphery of the ring and that fits into a positioning boss provided on the panel, and one end of the hinge is of the key top. A push button switch, wherein the push button switch is connected to the outer diameter and the other end is connected to the inner diameter of the ring.