JPS63116327A - Switch mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) This invention relates to a switch mechanism, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a switch mechanism, and more specifically, the switch changes from an open state to an open state when the detection part of the switch enters a liquid such as water. Concerning a switchable structure.

(Prior Art) A variety of switch mechanisms have been developed to suit various applications, and include so-called on-off switches that are unidirectional, which switches from open state to open state, and bidirectional, which can switch in the opposite direction. Even if you look at it, the switching method is manual, pressure.

Some devices include a sensor that detects changes in the external environment, such as temperature, and automatically switch based on signals from the sensor.

In addition, the switching speed is fast and the operability is 100% faster.
One application of a switch mechanism that requires a reliability close to 10% is a switch mechanism for lighting emergency signal lights used in emergencies. For example, a lifesaving pair attached to a life jacket is one example.

In other words, life jackets are installed on ships, etc. to ensure the safety of personnel in the event of a ship sinking or landing on water due to a crash.

In order to speed up rescue operations, especially at night, modern life jackets are equipped with life lights to indicate the location of the person wearing the life jacket in the sea. There are things that are.

The switch mechanism of this lifesaving light is related to human life, so as mentioned above, it must be activated as soon as possible after landing on the water, and for at least 1 hour.
The lifesaving light must be turned on with 00% operational certainty. Conventionally, various types of switch mechanisms have been proposed, such as those using seawater batteries and having a switch mechanism in the power source itself, and those using a pressure sensor that detects water pressure.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, all of the above-mentioned various switch structures can be switched in a short time but have low operational reliability, or conversely, although they have operational reliability, switching takes a long time. There has been no switch mechanism capable of achieving both of the above objectives, which has problems such as being time consuming.

Furthermore, some devices have practical problems such as large size and high cost, making it difficult to put them into practical use.

Therefore, in the past, the person wearing the life jacket had to manually switch the switch. However, under normal conditions, this manual switching may be possible in a short period of time and with almost 100% certainty; Since an upset passenger must operate the switch himself/herself, there is a high risk that he/she may not know how to operate it or may not even know where the switch is, which reduces the reliability of the operation. especially,
This is especially true for customers who are not regularly trained.

Therefore, the switch mechanism automatically operates and switches to the closed state upon landing on water, and the switching can be done in a short time and the operation reliability is 1.
It has been desired to develop a switch mechanism that is at or close to 00%.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to be able to switch the switch from the open state to the closed state in a relatively short time after entering the liquid, and to operate the switch. The certainty is extremely high, and
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a small and inexpensive switch mechanism.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, a switch mechanism according to the present invention is a switch having an open state and a closed state, and has a detection section using liquid as a detection medium, In a switch mechanism that changes from an open state to a closed state by pressing the switch when the detecting section enters the liquid, the detecting section includes a container section having a through hole, and a container section disposed within the container section that presses the switch to switch from an open state to a closed state. and a biasing means that expands in a direction to press the switch in a relatively short time by absorbing water, and the biasing means is formed by compressing multi-folded paper with good water absorption properties. It is.

(Function) When the container section of the detection section enters the liquid, the liquid flows into the interior through the through hole formed in the container. Then,
The biasing means absorbs the inflowing fluid and expands in a short period of time in the direction of suppressing the switch, thereby pressing the switch into a closed state. As a result, the switch can be switched to the open state in a short time.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the switch mechanism according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the switch mechanism of the present invention and a lifesaving lamp in which the switch mechanism is used.

First, the schematic structure of a lifesaving lamp, which is an example of an electric appliance in which the switch mechanism of the present invention is used, will be explained using the same figure. 14 is screwed in a liquid-tight manner. This lid part 14 has a through hole 14 in the center of its top surface. a is bored, and a negative electrode contact 16 is attached to the lower surface of the top surface of the lid body 14, and a spring receiver part 18 is attached to the center of the lower surface of the negative electrode contact 16. A spring 22 having a positive terminal plate 20 at its lower end is disposed below the spring receiver 18.

Further, a battery 26 serving as a power source is disposed inside the body portion 10 via a heat insulating material 24. In this embodiment, a lithium battery with good storage performance, high energy density, and long battery life is used as the battery 26. Further, between the body part 10 and the heat insulating material 24, the lid part 1 extends vertically.
A lead 28 is provided to connect the negative electrode contactor 16 attached to the battery 26 to the negative electrode of the battery 26 . This lead 2
The lead 8 is made of an elastic member, and its lower end is slidably contacted with the negative electrode contact 16, and the lower end of the lead 28 is bent inward to form a negative electrode terminal plate. 2
It is 8a. This negative electrode terminal plate 28a is normally separated from the negative electrode of the battery 26, but when the negative electrode terminal plate 28a is pressed upward from below, it curves upward and connects the battery 26.
It comes in contact with the negative electrode of , resulting in a four-way state. Then, when the pressure on the negative terminal plate 28a is released, the negative terminal plate 28a returns to its original state separated from the negative electrode of the battery 26 due to its own elastic restoring force. That is, this negative terminal plate 28a and the battery 2
6 constitutes a switch.

Furthermore, the lower end I7i of the trunk 10! (b) A diaphragm valve 32 shaped like a disconnector 1 is disposed inside the inner part via a ring-shaped waterproof ring 30 to prevent liquid from entering the body 10. The battery 26 is placed on the upper surface of the diaphragm valve 32, and the negative terminal plate 28a is fitted radially inside the diaphragm valve 32, with its tip disposed in the space above the center of the diaphragm valve 32. .

Further, the battery 26 housed in the body section 10 and the lighting section 34 are connected via a lead wire 35.
The battery side end of the battery is inserted through a waterproof bushing 36 into a through hole 14a provided in the lid 14, and is soldered to the positive terminal plate 20 and the negative contact 16, respectively. The lighting section 34 includes a light bulb 37, a lens section 38 that surrounds the outside of the light bulb 37, and an electronic circuit section 40 that controls the lighting of the light bulb 37. Although a specific circuit diagram is not shown, this electronic circuit section 40 is comprised of a known circuit that includes a light sensor and is driven to blink only at night.

Here, in the switch rock structure according to the present invention, the detection section 42 is detachably screwed onto the lower end of the body section 10 of the above-mentioned lifesaving lamp.

That is, on the bottom surface of the box-shaped container portion 44 with an open top end,
An inlet 44a for allowing liquid to flow into the container portion 44 is provided, and a plurality of exhaust ports 44 are provided on the side wall surface of the container portion 44.
b are drilled at equal intervals. As a result, the inlet 44
Since the amount of liquid that flows into the container section 44 from the inside can be discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 44b, the inflow speed becomes faster.

In addition, a short annular inner wall 4 is provided at the inner bottom of the container portion 44.
6 are integrally formed upright on concentric circles. and,
A biasing member 48 is removably disposed within this inner wall 46. The biasing member 48 is made of paper that easily absorbs the liquid to be detected and has a certain degree of strength. It is manufactured by bending it and then compressing it using a press or the like. The height of the battery 26 before compression is at least from the bottom of the container part 44.
It is necessary that the height be approximately the same as the distance to the negative electrode. In this embodiment, it is formed by folding and unfolding a strip of paper.

Next, to explain the effects of this embodiment, first,
The torso 10 containing the battery 26 is loaded into a pocket or the like of the life jacket to be worn, while the lighting section 34 is attached to the shoulder. When a person wearing a life jacket with this life jacket attached goes into the water, the life jacket is attached to the life jacket (
) The detection unit 42 of the lifesaving light enters the water or the sea. Then, water or seawater suddenly enters the container part 44 from the inlet 44a provided at the bottom of the container part 44, and the biasing member 48 also rapidly absorbs water and returns to its original state before being compressed. In the opposite direction to the direction in which it was compressed when trying to return, that is, the electric current? I! ! It rapidly expands linearly toward 26, and becomes approximately 2.5 times as large as when compressed. At this time, since it is folded into a bellows shape, it does not expand laterally.

As a result, this biasing member 48 presses the negative terminal plate 28a upward via the diaphragm valve 32, and the negative terminal plate 28a
a and the negative electrode of the battery 26 are brought into contact. At this time, when a lithium battery is used as in this example, the battery terminal and the terminal board must be brought into contact with a relatively strong force in order to minimize resistance loss between them. If the height of the member 48 before compression is made sufficiently large, the negative terminal plate 28a can be pressed against the negative electrode of the battery 26 via the diaphragm valve 32 with a relatively strong force. Therefore, a strong contact switch is obtained, and even a lithium battery can be operated reliably.

After use, by removing the container part 44 from the body part 10, the pressing force on the negative NQ daughter plate 28a is released, the switch returns to the open state, and the light goes out. Then, the biasing member 48 that has expanded by absorbing water or the like can be taken out and used again by compressing it using a press or the like while pushing out the absorbed water or the like. Furthermore, since this biasing member is made of paper, which is an inexpensive material, only the biasing member 48 may be disposable.

Further, after the biasing member 48 absorbs water and expands, it does not need to be underwater, so it is only necessary for the detection unit 42, that is, the biasing member 48, to be underwater for a relatively short period of time. Even if the lifejacket is loaded in the pocket and the lifejacket is above the water after landing, the switch will be reliably and automatically activated to submerge the body when landing on the water. can be switched.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of this embodiment.

In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment described above, a bottom lid 50 is provided at an intermediate position of the container portion 44'.
An inner wall 46' is provided on the upper surface of 0. In addition, the container part 4
A guide hole 44'C is bored in the lower central part of 4'.
An operating rod 52 for inspection is disposed in the guide hole 44'c so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.

As a result, by pressing the actuating rod 52, the switch can be forcibly closed, and the capacity of the battery can be checked.

Further, in this embodiment, the body 1 in which the battery 26' is housed is
0' and the lighting section 34' are integrated, and although the specific configuration is different from the first embodiment described above, the detection section 42' is inserted into water or the like, and the biasing member 46' is The basic structure is the same, in that it expands by absorbing liquid such as water, presses the negative terminal plate 28'a through the diaphragm 32', and establishes conduction with the negative electrode of the battery 26'.

Further, in this embodiment, since a normal manganese or alkaline battery is used as the battery 26', the negative terminal plate 26'a is not brought into direct contact with the battery 26' as in the first embodiment.

The structure and function of the bar can be found in Section 1 above.
Since this is the same as the embodiment, the explanation thereof will be omitted.

Further, the switch mechanism according to the present invention can be used not only for the above-mentioned emergency life-saving lights, but also for example, as a water level detection device in a bath, etc., and a rainfall notification device that notifies people indoors that it has started to rain. It can be used as a switch mechanism for various electrical appliances. Further, the power source is not limited to batteries, and can be used as a switch in various power sources including commercial power sources.

Furthermore, the liquid to be detected is not limited to the water and seawater mentioned above, but any liquid may be used.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the switch mechanism according to the present invention, the switch mechanism can be switched in a relatively short time by using a container portion having a through hole and a liquid disposed inside the container portion to absorb a liquid serving as a detection medium. By providing the switch with a detection section that has a biasing means that expands in the direction of pressure, the I-construction becomes easier and when the detection section is immersed in a liquid such as water, it can be used for a relatively short period of time. The switch can be switched from the open state to the closed state within a short period of time. Furthermore, since the biasing means expands by absorbing liquid, and the expansion occurs in a short period of time, there is no need for the detection part to be in the liquid after operation and expansion. The time required for the part to remain in the liquid is short, and the switch can be pressed in such a way that it expands and opens when it absorbs liquid, making switching operations extremely reliable. It gets expensive.

Furthermore, since it expands by absorbing liquid and presses the switch to close it, the sensor becomes a means for performing the switching operation, and since it simply expands in the direction of pressure, the biasing means is small. The switch mechanism can be made extremely compact.

In addition, since the biasing means used is folded and compressed paper with good water absorption properties, the biasing means is very inexpensive, so it is possible to reduce the cost as a switch gate structure. Can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of a switch mechanism according to the present invention and its usage state, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A switch that has an open state and a closed state, and has a detection part that uses liquid as a detection medium, and when the detection part enters the liquid, the switch is pressed and closed from the open state. In a switch mechanism that changes to a state, the detection portion includes a container portion having a through hole, and a biasing means disposed within the container portion that expands in a direction to press the switch in a relatively short time by absorbing the liquid. 1. A switch mechanism comprising: and wherein the biasing means is formed by compressing multi-folded paper with good water absorption properties.