JPS60143531A - Switch - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a switch that is suitable for mass production and that can be made small and thin.

[Prior art]

Many conventional small switches have fixed contacts and movable contacts housed within a resin wafer.

The fixed contacts and movable contacts were then attached to the wafer after molding. Furthermore, even in the case where the fixed contact and the wafer are integrally molded, the movable contact is generally attached to the stem connected to the operation button.

Therefore, traditional switches simplify assembly work.

There is a limit to the amount of change that can be made, and it has not been possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the switch below a certain level.

[Object of the present invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a switch that can be manufactured with a minimum number of assembly steps, that can improve mass productivity, and reduce costs.

[Configuration of the present invention]

In the switch according to the present invention, a fixed contact and a fixed side terminal are integrally formed by a conductive plate material, and a curved elastic contact and an elastic side terminal are integrally formed by an elastic conductive plate material. , a wafer is formed by adhering a resin to a contact member formed by overlapping the fixed contact and the elastic contact with an insulating sheet interposed therebetween;
The elastic contact is exposed in an operating chamber formed in this wafer, and a fixed side contact and an elastic side contact are provided to protrude outward from the wafer. The contact member is embedded in the wafer at the same time as the step of molding the contact member with resin.

[Example of the present invention]

Ki Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Configuration of switch) Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a switch according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view thereof, Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a contact member, and Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the switch. The figure is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the contact member.

The code 1 in the figure is a resin sea urchin/\-. An operating chamber A is formed in this wafer 1 . The operation chamber A is concavely formed with a circular cross section from the upper surface of the wafer 1 toward the inside. Furthermore, projections 1a are integrally formed at the four corners of the upper surface of the wafer l.

A contact member 10 is installed at the bottom of the operation chamber A of the wafer 1. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this contact member 10 consists of a fixed contact 11, an insulating sheet 12, and an elastic contact 13. The fixed contact 11 is formed into a disk shape from a metal plate, and a fixed side terminal 11a is integrally formed on the periphery thereof. The insulating sheet 12 is formed of a thin resin sheet,
It has a ring shape with a hole 12a in the center. Further, the elastic contact 13 is formed of a thin metal plate spring material, and has a curved shape that bulges upward, and an elastic terminal 13a is integrally provided from the periphery of the elastic contact 13. ing. The fixed contact 11, the insulating sheet 12, and the elastic contact 13 are fixed in the wafer 1 in a three-layered state. The elastic contact 13 is exposed on the bottom surface of the operating chamber A of the wafer 1.

Further, a stem 2 is housed in the operation chamber A of the wafer l. This stem 2 is molded from resin, and has a flange portion 2a formed around it. Further, an operating protrusion 2b is protruded from the center of the upper surface, and a suppressing portion 2c (see FIG. 2) is formed in a convex shape at the center of the lower surface. In the operating chamber A of the wafer 1, the outer circumferential surface of the flange portion 2a is in sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of the operating chamber A, and the suppressing portion 2C is installed so as to face the upper surface of the elastic contact 13.

Further, a cover 3 is fixed to the upper surface of the wafer 1. This cover 3 is made of a quadrilateral metal plate having the same dimensions as the wafer 1, and has an operation hole 3a bored in its center. Furthermore, mounting holes 3b are bored in the four corners of the cover 3.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each mounting hole 3b of the cover 3
is fitted into the second protrusion 1a of the wafer 1''. Then, by melting this protrusion 1a, the cover 3 is fixed to the wafer L-L. At this time, the operating projection 2b of the stem 2 projects upward from the operating hole 3a of the cover 3. Further, the flange portion 2a faces the inner surface of the cover 3, and the stem 2 is prevented from being pulled out by the cover 3.

(Switch operation) Since the elastic contact 13 has an upwardly convex shape, normally the fixed contact 11 and the elastic contact 13 are separated, and both contacts 1
1 and 13 are in a non-conducting state. In addition, the elastic contact 13 pushes the pressing part 2c upward, so that the operating protrusion 2 of the stem 2
b protrudes upward from the operation hole 3a of the cover 3. When operating the switch, push the top surface of the operating protrusion 2b downward. Then, the suppressing portion 2C on the lower surface of the stem 2 presses the elastic contact 13. As a result, the center of the elastic contact 13 passes through the hole 12a of the insulating sheet 12 and comes into contact with the center of the fixed contact 11. Therefore, both contacts 11 and 13 are short-circuited and the switch is turned on.

When the pressing force on the operating protrusion 2b is removed, the elastic contact 13 is restored to its original state, and the contacts 11 and 13 become non-conductive again.

(Switch manufacturing process) Next, the manufacturing process of the switch having the above configuration will be explained.

First, the process of molding the wafer 1 integrally with the contact member 10 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

A lower mold 21 and an upper mold 22 are used in this molding process.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the lower mold 21 seen from above.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the upper mold 22 with its lower surface facing upward. A step 21a having a height dimension d is formed on the upper surface of the lower mold 21. Furthermore, four square parts 21b are formed at the center of the upper surface of the lower mold 21. On the other hand, there is also a step 2 with a height dimension d on the lower surface of the upper mold 22 (facing upward in FIG. 9).
2a is formed. Further, a rectangular recess 22b is formed in the center of this lower surface. When the molds are matched, the two steps 21a and 22a are fitted and joined together as shown in FIG. The height d of the steps 21a and 22a has the same value as the sum of the thickness of the fixed contact 11 and the thickness of the insulating sheet 12 (see FIG. 6). In addition, when the molds are matched, the recess 2 of the lower mold 21
1b and the recess 22b of the upper die 22 are aligned and joined together.

Furthermore, cutouts 22c and 22d are provided at the edge of the lower surface of the L-shaped 22.
is formed. The notches 22c and 22d are connected within the recess 22b. One notch 22C has the same width as the fixed terminal 11a, and the depth ta of the notch 22c is equal to the thickness t of the fixed terminal 11a.
It is consistent with a. Further, the other notch 22d has the same width dimension as the elastic side terminal +3a, and the other notch 22d
The depth tb coincides with the thickness dimension tb of the elastic side terminal +3a. Further, a cylindrical body 22e projects from the center of the recess 22b of the upper die 22, and a shallow recess 22f is formed at the tip of the cylindrical body 22e. Further, grooves 22g having a circular cross section are formed at the four corners of the bottom surface of the rectangular recess 22b.

When molding the wafer 1, a lower mold 21 and an upper mold 22 are molded together with the contact member 10 in between. At this time, the step 21a of the lower mold 21 and the step 22a of the upper mold 22 are fitted together as described above. In this state, the four parts 21b of the lower mold 21 and the upper mold 22
The recessed portions 22b of . Further, the fixed side terminal 11a of the contact member 10 is fitted into the notch 22c of the upper mold 22, and the elastic side terminal 13a is fitted into the notch 22d of the upper mold 22. As shown in FIG. 6, when the lower mold 21 and the upper mold 22 are matched, a difference in height d occurs on the mold matching surfaces due to the respective steps 21a and 22a. However, since the difference in height of this surface is the same as the thickness dimension d, which is the sum of the fixed contact 11 and the insulating sheet 12, the lower mold 21 and the upper mold 22 have a difference in height between the fixed side terminal 11a and the elastic side. With the terminal 13a being held between them, the fixed contact 11 and the elastic contact 12 are installed so as to extend straight to both sides without being deformed.

In addition, in the mold matching state, the tip end surface of the cylindrical body 22e formed on the upper mold 22 comes into contact with the periphery of the insulating sheet 12 of the contact member IO. Therefore, the elastic contact 13 enters into the recess 22f on the upper surface of the cylindrical body 22e.

When the molds are matched in this way, the recess 21b of the lower mold 21 becomes a cavity (A) as shown in FIG. 7, and the upper mold 2
The recessed portion 22b of No. 2 becomes a cavity (b). Both cavities (A) and (B) are in communication with each other except for the portion where the fixed side terminal 11a and the elastic side terminal 13a cross. After matching the molds, this cavity (a) and (b)
The wafer 1 is molded by injecting resin into the wafer (see FIG. 8). Note that no resin is injected into the space (c) formed by the recess 22f at the tip of the cylindrical body 22e of the upper mold 22, and the portion of the cylindrical body 22e becomes the operation chamber A after molding. Moreover, the groove 22g formed in the upper mold 22
The resin injected into the mold becomes the protrusion 1a after molding.

Note that when interposing the contact member 10 between the lower mold 21 and the upper mold 22, the insulating sheet 12 is first glued onto the fixed contact ll so that the members constituting the contact member 10 do not separate. I'll keep it. Further, the connection portion of the elastic contact 13 with the elastic side terminal +3a (portion α in FIG. 5) is connected to the insulating sheet 12-t.

Through the above steps, a wafer l in which a contact member lO is embedded is formed. Thereafter, the stem 2 is inserted into the operating chamber A of the wafer 1, and the cover 3 is fixed to the upper surface of the wafer 1, thereby completing the fabrication of the switch.

[Effects of the present invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved.

(1) Since the contact member consisting of the fixed contact, the insulating sheet, and the elastic contact is embedded in the resin wafer, the contact member can be assembled into one body during the wafer molding process. Therefore, the work of attaching contacts after wafer molding can be omitted. Therefore, since the subsequent manufacturing process only requires inserting the stem into the operating chamber of the wafer, the manufacturing process is minimized, mass productivity is improved, and manufacturing can be performed at low cost.

(2) Since the contact member is composed of the fixed contact, the insulating sheet, and the elastic contact, the contact member is thin.

Therefore, the height of the entire switch is also reduced, allowing the switch to be made smaller.

(3) The fixed contact and the fixed side terminal are integrated, and the elastic contact and the elastic side terminal are integrated, and each terminal protrudes from the wafer, so this terminal part is securely held within the resin of the wafer. It turns out. Therefore, the installation positions and dimensions of the fixed contacts and elastic contacts are highly accurate.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the switch, FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view thereof, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a contact member. , FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the assembled state, FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are cross-sectional views of the molding die sequentially showing the wafer molding process, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the mold with the lower surface of the upper mold facing upward. The illustrated perspective view, FIG. 1O, is a perspective view of the lower mold. 1... Wafer, 2... Stem, 3... Cover,
lO...Contact member, 11...Fixed contact, lla...
- Fixed side terminal, 12... Insulating sheet, 13... Elastic contact, 13a... Elastic side terminal, 21... Lower mold, 22
... Upper mold, (a), (b)...cavity. Applicant Alps Electric Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Teruo Nozaki 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A fixed contact and a fixed side terminal are integrally formed by a conductive plate material, and a curved elastic contact and an elastic side terminal are integrally formed by an elastic conductive plate material, and the fixed contact and the elastic side terminal are integrally formed by an elastic conductive plate material. A wafer is formed by adhering a resin to a contact member in which the contacts are overlapped with each other with an insulating sheet interposed therebetween, and the elastic contact is exposed within the operating chamber formed in the wafer, and the fixed side contact and the fixed side contact are exposed. A switch comprising a resilient contact projecting outward from a wafer, and a stem within an operating chamber that presses the resilient contact toward a fixed contact.