JPS61164435A - Charging device for battery incorporated into key - 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 <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a charging device for a power battery in an illuminated key or the like.

<Prior art> Keys equipped with lighting functions such as small light bulbs or light emitting diodes, or clock functions have recently come into use, but dry batteries are generally used as the power source for these keys, and the dry batteries are depleted. In some cases, replacement is necessary.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> As mentioned above, in the past, batteries had to be replaced at regular intervals, which was troublesome, and if this was not done, functions such as lighting would become useless. there were.

The present invention has been made with the object of solving these problems and providing a key in which the battery built into the key is automatically charged when the key is used and does not require battery replacement. Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a key having a built-in battery with a photovoltaic cell that serves as a power source for charging, and a key that is inserted into the key switch body and placed in a predetermined position. A feature of the key is that a light emitting body is provided at a position facing the photovoltaic cell when the key is rotated, and the battery of the key is charged when the key is used.

<Function> As configured as above, in the device of the present invention, when the key switch is operated with the key, the photovoltaic cell generates a voltage using the light energy of the light emitting body, and the built-in battery is automatically charged. be.

<Example> Next, an example in which the present invention is implemented in an ignition switch device for an automobile will be specifically described.

First, the overall configuration will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. (
1) is the main body of a well-known ignition switch,
The body (
It is fixed to the steering link column by a mounting plate (8) and mounting bolts (9) using a mounting portion (7) provided integrally with the steering wheel (6). (11) is a cylinder lock (
4), which is a key to operate the small light bulb (12
), and a photovoltaic cell (13) is further provided on the side facing the main body (1) when inserted into the cylinder inner (2). The photovoltaic cell (13) is an element that generates an electromotive force upon irradiation with light, and for example, a small solar cell is used.

(15) is a light bulb, (15a) is its socket, (16)
is the case, (17) is a printed board attached to the case (16), (18) is a mounting screw, (19) is a lead wire, and the socket (15a) is detachable from the printed board (17). It has become. As is well known, the key (11)
can be inserted into the cylinder lock (4) at the LOC position, and ΔC
It can be turned to the C, ON, and 5TART positions, and the key insertion slot (20) of the light bulb (15) and main body (1)
A light guide (21) is provided between the terminal (2
1a) is provided at a position exactly facing the photovoltaic cell (13) when the key (11) is turned to the ON position. Note that the light bulb (15) is configured to light up when the key (11) is turned to the ON position.

Further, the terminal (21a) of the light guide (21) is shaped like a lens, and the light is directed in a predetermined direction, that is, in this example, the photovoltaic cell (13
) is preferably emitted in a condensed state.

4 and 5 show an example of the structure of the key (11). (25) is a key metal fitting in which a molded part (26) is integrally formed, and a battery (27) is housed in the center of the molded part (26), and is brought into contact with the key metal fitting (25) by a holding metal fitting (28). It is designed to be fixed. Further, the small light bulb (12) and the photovoltaic cell (13) are each housed in a recess formed in the mold part (26). (29) is a cross-shaped contact plate made of spring material, (30) is a cap, (31) is a cap (30)
The contact plate (29) is placed on top of the battery (27) and the cap (
30) is covered with the mold part (26). (32)
is a diode for preventing backflow, the photovoltaic cell (13) is connected in series with the diode (32) between the key metal fitting (25) and the holding metal fitting (28), and the small light bulb (12) is connected to the key metal fitting (25). and the contact plate (29).

FIG. 6 shows a circuit diagram constructed by the above connections. In other words, a switch (33) is formed between the presser metal fitting (28) and the contact plate (29), and when the push button (31) is pressed, the switch (33) closes and the small light bulb (12) lights up. . In addition, photovoltaic cells (1
3) is always connected to the battery (27).

Insert the key (11) into the main body (1) and turn it to the ON position.

The light from the light bulb (15) hits the photovoltaic cell (13), and the output voltage charges the battery (27).

Note that this circuit configuration shows the basic one.

An overcharge prevention circuit, a load voltage stabilization circuit, etc. can also be incorporated as appropriate. In addition, this type of key has two sides (normally, it can be inserted in any direction, so in order to deal with this, we used two photocells (13) and connected them in parallel. As a circuit, two photovoltaic cells (13) are placed symmetrically on both sides of the key fitting (25) as shown in Figure 7, or two light bulbs (15) on the main body (1) side are inserted into the key. It may be arranged symmetrically to the mouth (20), in which case the small light bulb (12) is provided in the cap (30).

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the battery (27) built into the key is charged when the key (11) is in the ON position and the engine is running, so there is no load on the car battery. What's more, charging is done automatically while driving, so you don't have to worry about it at all. The ignition switch itself also has a steering lock function (
1) cannot normally be removed or disassembled due to its purpose, but the socket (15a) can be attached to a printed board (
Since the light bulb (15) can be replaced by removing it from the light bulb (17), maintenance work is easy.

The above embodiment is an example of an ignition switch that uses a key with an illumination function, but the present invention can of course be applied to key switches for other purposes, and the key can also be used for clock functions, calculation functions, etc. in addition to illumination. , can be applied to keys with various functions that are powered by batteries.

<Effects of the Invention> As is clear from the description of the embodiment described in E, the present invention has the following effects:
The key is equipped with a photovoltaic cell to charge the built-in battery, and the key switch body is equipped with a light emitting element that activates the photovoltaic cell.There is no need to replace it like with dry batteries, and the battery does not drain while the key is in use. This makes it possible to obtain a key switch device that is automatically charged and easy to handle without any hassle.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the same, Fig. 3 is a front view of the main parts, and Fig. 4 is a part of the key in the same. A broken side view, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same key with the cap removed. FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the key, and FIG. 7 is a front view of a modified example of the key. (1)...Body, (11)...Key, (13)...
- Photocell, (15)...Light bulb, (20)...Key insertion slot, (21)...Light guide. (27)...Battery.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A key with a built-in battery is provided with a photocell that serves as a power source for charging, and a light emitting body is provided in the key switch body at a position facing the photocell when the key is inserted and rotated to a predetermined position. A battery charging device built into a key, characterized in that the battery is charged when the key is used.