JPS63181214A - Manufacture of 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 [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a switch, in which other switch components are assembled to a switch body in which a fixed contact piece and a terminal are insert-molded together with the body.

[Conventional technology]

One of the conventional methods of manufacturing switches is to punch out a thin metal plate and connect the multiple functional parts together, each of which has a fixed contact piece, land, and terminal. There is a method in which a switch body is formed by forming a tie bar, insert-molding a body in the land, and then separating the tie bar, and then assembling a movable contact piece and other switch components to this switch body. In the intermediate steps of this method, an integrated body of the switch body 1 and the tie bars 2, 2 as illustrated in FIG. 9 is obtained. The switch body 1 in the illustrated example has fixed contact pieces 3 .
... are connected to the tie bars 2, 2. The tie bar 2.2 provided in such an integrated product will be used in the next step at the boundary between the terminal 4... and the tie bar 2.2 (indicated by broken lines x-x and y-y in the figure). ) is separated from the switch body 1.

Conventionally, when separating the tie bar 2.2 from the switch main body part l, the switch main body 1 is set in a jig to hold both sides of the boundary part, and a cutting die is used to cut the tie bar 2.2 along the break line x-x or y-y. It was sheared along.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, if this was done, the jig would hit the body 5, the fixed contact pieces 3, and the terminals 4, damaging them, which could adversely affect the electrical characteristics of the manufactured switch. In order to eliminate this fear, set only the tie bars 2, 2 on the jig, and
Although it is effective to shear along the terminals 4, a new problem arises in that the sheared portions of the terminals 4 are bent and the switch body 1 cannot be put to practical use as it is. These problems also occur when the switch body includes a plurality of fixed contact pieces protruding from the body, and when the tie bar connecting the fixed contact pieces is separated from the switch body.

This invention was made in view of the above problems, by including a step in the switch manufacturing process that allows the tie bar to be easily separated from the switch body without having to hold the switch body with a jig. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method that does not damage the fixed contacts, terminals, or body, and allows the switch body with the tie bar removed to be directly supplied to the next process for assembling other switch components. .

[Means for solving problems]

The measures taken to achieve the above objectives include a plurality of functional parts that are integrally equipped with a land and a terminal in which the fixed contact piece and the body of the switch are insert-molded by punching a thin metal plate; a punching process for forming a tie bar that connects the functional parts together; and a notch forming process for forming a weakened part extending over the entire width of the boundary part by carving notches on both sides of the boundary part between the functional part and the tie bar. , by insert molding the body into the land to form a switch body in which the body is equipped with fixed contacts and terminals, and then bending the notch formation portion while holding only the tie bar. This involves separating the tie bar from the switch body and assembling other switch components to the switch body.

[For production]

According to this manufacturing method, the functional parts of the switch body from which the tie bars are separated, such as the fixed contacts and terminals, do not bend, and the switch body can be used in the next process for assembling other switch components. can be supplied to the process.

Further, when the tie bar is separated, only the tie bar is held, so that the jig does not hit the switch body and damage functional parts such as the fixed contact piece and the terminal.

〔Example〕

The embodiment of the present invention to be described next relates to the manufacture of a small slide switch to be installed in a video camera or the like. FIG. 1 shows a hoop material 10 that has undergone a punching process. Before going through the punching process, the hoop material 10 is made of a strip-shaped metal thin plate, and in the punching process, predetermined parts are punched out by an appropriate means such as a press, and for example, a plurality of hoops integrally equipped with a fixed contact piece 12, a land 13, and a terminal 14 are formed. (Four in the illustrated example) functional parts 11... and tie bars 15, 16 that connect these functional parts 11 together are formed.

When the material is supplied using the hoop material 10, a unit U is formed of four functional parts 11... and tie bars 15, 16 connecting the functional parts 11...
are formed at predetermined pitches in the longitudinal direction of the hoop material 10. When the material is not the hoop material 10 but a mere thin metal plate, one or a predetermined number of two or more units (U) may be formed on one thin metal plate.

FIG. 2 shows the unit U after the notch forming process. In the notch forming step, V-shaped notches 17 are formed at the boundaries between the functional parts 11 and the tie bars 15 and 16.
is engraved. As is clear from FIGS. 2 and 5, the notch 17 is formed on both sides of the boundary portion over its entire width, and the notch forming portion becomes a locally brittle portion.

FIG. 3 shows the above-mentioned unit (U) which has undergone a molding process.

In the molding process, the bodies 18 are injected into the lands 13 by injecting resin into the mold in which the unit U is set.
is insert molded. As a result, a switch main body 19 is formed in which the body 18 is provided with four fixed contact pieces 12 . . . and four terminals 14. When insert molding the body 18, resin flow holes 2 are formed in the lands 13...
If 0... is formed, body 18 and land 13...
・and are strongly connected.

The punching step and the notch forming step described above may be performed separately in any order, or the notch forming teeth may be attached to the mold material for performing the punching step and both steps may be performed simultaneously. Further, the above molding step may be performed after the punching step and before the notch forming step, or may be performed after the notch forming step.

After performing the punching process, notch forming process, and molding process, one of the tie bars 15 and 16 is held by a jig (not shown), for example, with the tie bar 15 held by the jig, and the tie bar 15 and the functional part are The tie bar 15 is broken by bending the notch forming part at the boundary with the tie bar 15.
is separated from the switch body 19, and then the other tie bar 16 is held in a jig, and then this tie bar 1 is removed in the same way.
The tie bar 16 is attached to the switch body 1 by bending and breaking the notch forming part at the boundary between the tie bar 16 and the functional part 11.
Separate from 9. In this way, a single switch body 19 shown in FIG. 4 is obtained. Other switch components, such as a movable contact piece and a slider, are assembled to the switch body 19 thus obtained.

The depth of the notches 17° 17 formed on both sides of the boundary between the functional part 11 and the tie bars 15° 16 in the notch forming process is as follows:
The depth must be such that the thin portions locally formed by forming the notches 17, 17 can be easily broken by bending the notched portions. Whether or not the thin portion breaks when the notch is formed is not related to the thickness of the thin portion shown in FIG. 5, but rather the width of the thin portion shown in FIG. ! This is related to various factors such as the material of the hoop material and how force is applied to the thin part when bending, but generally it is greatly influenced by the material of the hoop material and the size of the cross-sectional area of the thin part. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, if the thickness of the hoop material is T and the depth of the notch 17 is a, the thickness t of the thin part is expressed as t=T-2・a, The cross-sectional area S is expressed as 5=zxt, but as a result of the investigation, if the hoop material is brass, the cross-sectional area S
It is known that it can be easily bent and broken when the contact piece 12 or the terminal 1
When manufacturing a switch in which 4 is a brass type, if the width l of the thin part is set to 5n, the thickness t should be smaller than 0.3 mm (preferably. For this reason, in this embodiment, the width l and thickness t of the thin portions formed at the boundaries between the respective functional parts 11 and the tie bars 15 and 16 described above are set so that the cross-sectional area S of the thin portions is 1.5 m''. The width dimension of each thin part is defined as 'I + 't r
N3 +β4. fs+16. '? It is denoted as +It,,l,.

By the way, fixed contact pieces 12 and terminals 14 are required to have a certain degree of rigidity, and in order to increase their rigidity, it is effective to increase their width dimensions. On the other hand, the fixed contact piece 12 and the terminal 14
When the tie bars 15 and 16 connected to each other are bent and separated at the location where the notch is formed, it is more advantageous to have a smaller width at the location where the notch is formed, that is, the thin portion. Therefore, when the thickness of the hoop material 10 is constant,
Increasing the rigidity of the stationary contact piece 12 and the terminal 14 and making the thin portion easier to bend and break are contradictory matters, and if one is prioritized, the other will be sacrificed. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, through holes 21 and notches 22 are formed at the boundary between the fixed contact pieces 12 and the tie bars 15.
By forming the width dimension ρI of the thin part, "Z
,”3.”4. "S can be made locally smaller, or only on the tie bar side. Also, by forming cuts 23... at the boundary between the terminals 14... and the tie bars 16, the width dimension z of the thin portion can be reduced. ,,z,,z8.
This is by locally reducing a. By doing this, the width of the fixed contact piece 12 and the terminal 14 will not become smaller than necessary even though the width of each thin part can be reduced, so that the fixed contact piece 12 and the terminal 14 can maintain sufficient rigidity. This satisfies both the requirement that the notch is formed and the location where the notch is formed is made easy to bend and break. In addition, if this is done, the effect of forming a weakened part due to the formation of the notch 17.17 described above and the effect of locally reducing the width of the weakened part will combine, and a very small force will be required. The notched portion can be bent and easily separated. The notch forming portion may be manually bent and separated, or the switch body 19 may be mechanically poked with a push rod or the like to be separated without bending. Also, −
It may be broken by bending once or twice or more.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a switch manufactured by the method described above. In the figure, a slider 30 has a recess 31 for housing and holding the movable contact piece 40 and a handle 32. The movable contact piece 40 is formed by bending a thin metal plate into a clip shape, and has two clamping parts 41 and 42.
It is equipped with

Reference numeral 50 designates a box-shaped cover that provides a retaining hole 51 corresponding to the claw portion 24 provided on the switch body 19, a cutout-shaped opening 52 for protruding the handle 32, and a feeling of operation of the slider 30. A spring portion 53 is provided. 9th
The figure is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the switch. As is clear from the figure, the slider 30 is configured to be able to slide along the protrusion 25 of the switch body 19;
The structure is such that any two of the plurality of fixed contact pieces 12 are electrically connected by the movable contact piece 40 accommodated in the recess 31 of FIG.

Although the switch manufacturing method and switch described above relate to a slide switch, the switches targeted by the present invention are not limited to slide switches, but also include bush switches and other types of switches. Also,
In the embodiment, the fixed contact piece 12 of the functional part 11 and the terminal 14 are connected to the tie bar, but this point also applies to the case where the tie bar is connected only to the terminal of the functional part, but only to the fixed contact piece. It may be one in which tie bars are connected.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, the switch body from which the tie bar has been separated can be supplied as is to the next process, and other components such as movable contacts and sliders can be immediately assembled. This not only simplifies the manufacturing process and improves productivity, but also eliminates the risk of the fixed contacts, terminals, and body being damaged by hitting the jig during the manufacturing process (and reducing the electrical characteristics of the manufactured switch). It is stable.In addition, the tie bar can be separated from the switch body simply by bending the notch formation point, eliminating the need for expensive cutting dies and other equipment that was required in the past, reducing equipment costs accordingly. In particular, in this invention, since the notch is formed on both sides of the boundary between the functional part and the tie bar, the notch is easily broken at the point where the notch is formed, compared to a case where the notch is formed only on one side of the boundary. There is no risk that the cut point will bend.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 4 are diagrams for explaining the manufacturing method of the present invention. Figure 1 is a partially cutaway plan view of a hoop material that has undergone a punching process, and Figure 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of a hoop material that has undergone a notch forming process. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the unit after the molding process, FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the switch body, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the notch forming location. Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the notch formation location, Figure 7
Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the switch manufactured by the present invention, Figure 9 is a sectional view of the switch, and Figure 10 is an illustration of the width dimensions of each notch forming location. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an integrated structure of a switch body and a tie bar. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Functional part, 12... Fixed contact piece, 13... Land, 14... Terminal, 15.16... Tie bar, 1
7...notch, 18...body, 19...switch body.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of functional parts integrally equipped with a land and a terminal in which a fixed contact piece and a switch body are insert-molded by punching a thin metal plate, and a tie bar that connects the plurality of functional parts together. a notch forming process of forming a weak part extending over the entire width of the boundary part by carving notches on both sides of the boundary part between the functional part and the tie bar, and insert molding the body into the land. After performing a molding process to form a switch body in which the body is equipped with fixed contacts and terminals, the tie bar is separated from the switch body by bending the notch area while holding only the tie bar, and the switch body is A method for manufacturing a switch, which comprises assembling other switch components onto the switch.