TWI393157B - Movable contact member and switchgear - Google Patents

Description

Movable contact member and switch device

The present invention relates to a movable contact member and a switch device, and more particularly to a movable contact member and a switch device in which a small electronic device such as a mobile phone is assembled.

In general, as a movable contact member for a switch device, it is known to process a thin metal plate to form a dome shape with a specific curvature. The movable contact member is reversed by pressing, and is released by the elastic restoring force by releasing the pressing. In this case, the operational feeling is adjusted by changing the curvature of the movable contact member, but merely changing the curvature of the movable contact member makes it difficult to obtain a sense of operation required for power or click feeling.

As a movable contact member that solves this problem, a combination of a dome-shaped bulging portion and a skirt portion that supports the outer peripheral side of the bulging portion is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). The movable contact member includes a skirt portion that rises inward in the radial direction at a specific inclination angle from the outer peripheral edge portion, and a bulging portion that is connected to the skirt portion and that bulges upward with a specific curvature. In this way, the bulging portion and the skirt portion are combined to form a movable contact member, thereby adjusting the curvature of the bulging portion or the inclination angle and height of the skirt portion, thereby obtaining a desired operational feeling.

[Previous Technical Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11-67002

Further, it is known that a disk-shaped member that receives a concentrated load at the center generates a maximum stress amplitude in the circumferential direction at the outer peripheral edge portion. Further, since the movable contact member is formed by punching, there is a tendency that cracks are generated inward from the peripheral edge portion other than the fractured portion at the time of processing.

The movable contact member described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that the skirt portion receives the pressing force applied to the movable contact member by the pressing operation, so that the circumferential stress amplitude generated at the peripheral portion of the skirt portion is larger. Big. Therefore, although the movable contact member can easily adjust the operational feeling, the crack is easily generated from the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion by the pressing operation, and there is a problem that the life performance cannot be sufficiently obtained.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a movable contact member and a switch device that can easily adjust the operational feeling and reduce the stress amplitude in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion to achieve a long life.

The movable contact member according to the present invention includes: a bulging portion that is bulged in a dome shape; and a skirt portion that continuously extends from the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion and radially outward; the skirt portion is The outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion is continuous from the tangential direction of the tangential line extending in the radial direction of the dome in the outer peripheral portion of the bulging portion.

According to this configuration, the extending direction of the portion where the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion is connected to the skirt portion and the bulging portion is substantially identical, so that the bulging portion and the skirt portion are smoothly connected. Therefore, when the movable contact member placed on the installation surface is pressed, the pressing force is transmitted from the contact portion with the mounting surface in the radial direction and the circumferential direction, and is transmitted in the skirt, but Since the bulging portion and the skirt extend substantially in the same direction, the bulging portion and the skirt portion are connected in the direction of power transmission, so that the power transmission is not blocked at the connecting portion, but from the skirt portion. Transfer to the bulging part. Thereby, the power applied to the movable contact member is received not only in the group but also in the bulging portion. Therefore, the circumferential stress amplitude generated in the peripheral portion of the skirt portion due to the reverse pressing operation of the movable contact member can be reduced, and the life of the movable contact member can be extended. Further, since the bulging portion and the skirt portion are formed, the curvature of the bulging portion and the boundary position between the skirt portion and the bulging portion are adjusted as compared with the movable contact member having a dome shape with a specific curvature. It is easy to get the desired operational feeling. In addition, it is not limited to the case where it is continuous with the tangential direction of the outer peripheral edge part of a bulging part, and it is not limited to the extent that it is a In other words, it is sufficient to match the tangential direction within a range that does not block the stress transmission from the outer side to the center during the pressing operation.

Further, in the movable contact member according to the present invention, the skirt portion is formed linearly along a tangential direction of a tangential line extending in a radial direction of the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion. Further, the present invention is the movable contact member, wherein the tangential line refers to a tangent to a peripheral portion of the imaginary portion along a curved circle along a curved surface of the bulging portion, and an inclination angle of the tangential line with respect to a horizontal plane It is consistent with the inclination angle of the skirt.

According to this configuration, the circumferential stress intensity generated in the peripheral portion of the skirt portion can be reduced, and the life can be extended, and the inclination angle of the skirt portion can be adjusted to adjust the operational feeling.

Further, according to the present invention, in the movable contact member, the skirt portion is formed as a circumscribed circle along a tangent to the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion in the radial direction of the dome. Further, the present invention is the movable contact member described above, wherein the circumscribed circle is an imaginary circle along a curved shape of the skirt portion.

According to this configuration, the stress amplitude in the circumferential direction generated at the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion can be reduced, and the life can be extended, and the curvature of the circular arc can be adjusted to adjust the operational feeling.

Further, the movable contact member according to the present invention includes the leg portion continuously extending from the outer peripheral edge portion of the skirt portion and extending outward in the radial direction, and the skirt portion and the leg portion are connected to the leg portion and the skirt portion. The portion is continuous in such a manner that the tangential direction of the tangent extending in the radial direction of the dome is substantially uniform.

According to this configuration, the skirt portion and the leg portion are connected so as to substantially match the tangential direction of the tangent to the portion where the leg portion and the skirt portion are connected, so that the skirt portion and the leg portion are smoothly connected, not only the foot portion but also The skirt is also urged to be applied to the movable contact member. Therefore, the circumferential stress amplitude generated in the peripheral portion of the skirt portion due to the reverse pressing operation of the movable contact member can be reduced, and the life of the movable contact member can be extended. Further, the connection in a substantially uniform manner is not limited to the case where the tangential direction of the portion where the leg portion and the skirt portion are completely connected is connected, as long as the power is not limited only by the foot portion. That is, it is sufficient to match the tangential direction within a range in which the stress transmission from the outer side to the center is not blocked during the pressing operation.

A switch device according to the present invention includes the movable contact member and a switch base, wherein the switch base is provided with the movable contact member and includes a fixed contact that is in contact with or separated from the bulging portion.

According to this configuration, the life of the movable contact member can be extended, and the switching device can be maintained at a specific quality.

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily adjust the operational feeling, and it is possible to reduce the stress amplitude in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral edge portion and to achieve a longer life.

In the switch device to which the present invention is applied, it is desirable that the movable contact member be reduced in diameter in accordance with miniaturization of the electronic device. In general, for a circular plate with a concentrated load on the center, if the diameter of the circular plate is Φ and the thickness of the circular plate is t, the circumferential stress amplitude σ generated at the outer peripheral portion of the circular plate is as follows (1) ) is shown to be inversely proportional to the square of the diameter of the disk.

Therefore, due to the reduction in the diameter of the movable contact member, a large stress amplitude in the circumferential direction is generated in the peripheral portion of the movable contact member.

In addition, the applicant of the present application between the circumferential stress amplitude generated at the outer peripheral portion of the movable contact member and the life of the movable contact member (here, the number of key presses for repeatedly pressing the crack on the movable contact member) After the relationship was studied, it was confirmed that the lifetime was logarithmically reduced due to an increase in the stress amplitude. As a result of the reduction in the diameter of the movable contact member, the circumferential stress amplitude generated in the outer peripheral edge portion is increased, and the life of the movable contact member is greatly reduced. Therefore, in order to reduce the diameter of the movable contact member, it is important to reduce the diameter of the movable contact member. The circumferential stress amplitude generated at the peripheral portion of the movable contact member.

Here, in the case where the dome-shaped bulging portion and the skirt portion connected to the bulging portion are simply combined to form the movable contact member, the power applied to the movable contact member is accepted only by the skirt portion. Therefore, the circumferential stress amplitude generated at the peripheral portion of the movable contact member becomes large. The reason for this is that in the connection portion between the bulging portion and the skirt portion, the direction of the stress transmission is changed due to the occurrence of the fulcrum during the pressing operation, and the stress transmission from the outside to the inside during the pressing operation under the influence of the direction switching The boundary between the bulging portion and the skirt (the connecting portion) is blocked. Therefore, when the movable contact member has been reduced in diameter, it is not possible to obtain sufficient life performance while maintaining the required power and operational feeling.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention studied the shape of the connection between the bulging portion and the skirt, and found that on the boundary between the bulging portion and the skirt, due to the tangential line extending in the radial direction of the dome with the bulging portion. Since the tangential direction is substantially uniform, the skirt is gently connected, so that the above stress transmission is not blocked. In other words, the gist of the present invention is to prevent the stress transmission at the connection portion between the bulging portion and the skirt portion from being blocked, thereby reducing the stress amplitude of the outer peripheral portion which is increased by the reduction in the diameter of the movable contact member, thereby achieving the movable connection. The long life of the point member.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Further, the switch device of the present invention is mainly installed in various electronic devices such as a mobile phone, a remote controller, an audio device, and an electronic camera, and functions as an input operation unit. The overall configuration of the switching device will be described with reference to Fig. 1 . Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the switch device shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the switch device 1 of the present embodiment is incorporated in a casing of an electronic device (not shown), and includes a casing 2 having an opening formed on its upper surface and an opening formed in the casing 2. The cover member 3 of the storage portion. Further, in the accommodating portion, the movable contact member 4 on which the bottom wall of the casing 2 is placed, and the operation key 5 that abuts against the upper portion of the movable contact member 4 and reverses the movable contact member 4 are accommodated. .

The casing 2 is formed in a box shape having an open upper surface by an insulating material. Positioning projections 11 for positioning the cover member 3 are formed at four corners of the side wall portion of the casing 2 so as to protrude upward from the upper surface. The bottom wall portion of the casing 2 is provided with a central fixed contact portion 13 at the center and a central fixed contact portion 13 interposed therebetween, and a pair of outer fixed contact portions 14 and a central fixed contact portion are disposed opposite each other. 13 and a pair of outer fixed contact portions 14 slightly protrude into the housing portion. The central fixed contact portion 13 and the pair of outer fixed contact portions 14 are connected to the external terminal 15 via a conductor pattern (not shown), and are connected to a substrate of an electronic device (not shown) via the external terminal 15.

The cover member 3 is formed in a substantially square plate shape in plan view. At the four corners of the cover member 3, a notch portion 17 is formed, and the notch portion 17 is engaged with the positioning protrusion portion 11 of the casing 2, whereby the cover member 3 is positioned to the front, rear, left and right with respect to the casing 2. At the center of the cover member 3, a circular opening 18 for exposing the top of the key of the operation key 5 to the outside is formed.

The movable contact member 4 is formed into a substantially dome shape which is thin by a conductive material such as a metal plate. Further, the movable contact member 4 is placed on the pair of outer fixed contact portions 14 with the bulging direction facing upward, and the central portion thereof is located directly above the central fixed contact portion 13. When the movable contact member 4 is reversed by the pressing operation, the central portion of the movable contact member 4 comes into contact with the central fixed contact portion 13, and the central fixed contact portion 13 and the pair of outer fixed contact portions 14 are connected via the movable connection. The member 4 is turned on. The detailed configuration of the movable contact member 4 will be described below.

The operation key 5 includes a cylindrical head portion 21, a flange portion 22 having a substantially square shape in plan view extending from the lower portion of the head portion 21, and a cylindrical pressing protrusion projecting downward from the center of the flange portion 22. Part 23 (see Fig. 7). The head portion 21 is formed to have a diameter slightly smaller than the circular opening 18 of the cover member 3, and protrudes outward from the accommodating portion via the circular opening 18. The flange portion 22 prevents the operation key 5 from coming off, and abuts against the lower surface of the cover member 3 when the movable contact member 4 is restored. The pressing protrusion 23 is protruded so as to be in contact with the apex portion of the movable contact member 4, and the pressing force applied to the operation key 5 is concentrated on the apex portion of the movable contact member 4.

The movable contact member will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3 . Fig. 3 is an explanatory view of a movable contact member according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view of the movable contact member, and (b) is a sectional view in which the movable contact member is cut in the radial direction, (c) A partial enlarged view of the system (b). 4 is an explanatory view of a modified example of the movable contact member according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view of the movable contact member, and (b) is a section in which the movable contact member is cut in the radial direction. Figure, (c) is a partial enlarged view of (b).

As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the movable contact member 4 includes a bulging portion 25 that is bulged in a dome shape, and a radially outward side from the outer peripheral edge portion 25a of the bulging portion 25. Expanded skirt 26. Therefore, the skirt portion 26 is formed continuously with the outer peripheral edge portion 25a of the bulging portion 25, so that the skirt portion 26 supports the bulging portion 25. The bulging portion 25 is formed by bending with a specific curvature, and the skirt portion 26 is formed by being inclined at a specific angle. In this case, the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26 are smoothly connected, and a fulcrum as an inflection point at the time of reversal is not formed on the boundary between the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26.

Further, as shown in Fig. 3(c), the inclination angle (tangential direction) formed by the tangent line T1 which is tangential to the outer peripheral edge portion 25a of the bulging portion 25 and extends in the radial direction of the dome and the horizontal plane H is a skirt portion. The inclination angle of 26 is the same. More specifically, in the cross section in the radial direction of the movable contact member 4, when the imaginary circle C1 along the curved surface of the bulging portion 25 is drawn, the imaginary circle C1 is on the outer peripheral portion of the bulging portion 25. The angle of inclination of the tangent T1 at 25a to the horizontal plane H coincides with the angle of inclination of the skirt 26.

In this manner, since the skirt portion 26 extends from the peripheral edge portion 25a of the bulging portion 25 in the direction of the tangential line T1, the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26 are smoothly connected. According to this configuration, when the movable contact member 4 is reversely operated, since the fulcrum is not generated at the joint portion, the stress transmission from the outside to the inside is not blocked at the boundary between the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26, Therefore, the stress amplitude generated at the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion 26 can be reduced.

Here, the configuration is such that the inclination angle formed by the tangent line T1 and the horizontal plane H coincides with the inclination angle of the skirt portion 26, but the configuration is not limited thereto, as long as the difference in the inclination angles is at the movable contact member 4 It is sufficient that the angle of rotation of the stress from the outer side to the center is not interrupted during the reverse rotation operation. That is, the extending direction of the skirt portion 26 may be close to the extent of the tangential line T1 so as not to block the stress transmission from the outer side to the center during the reverse rotation operation.

Further, instead of the configuration in which the skirt portion is inclined in a straight line as described above, the skirt portion may be curved as shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), in the movable contact member 31 of the modified example, the bulging portion 32 is formed by bending a convex shape with a specific curvature, and the skirt portion 33 is bent with a specific curvature. Formed in a concave shape. In this case, the bulging portion 32 is smoothly connected to the skirt portion 33, and a fulcrum at the time of reversal is not formed on the boundary between the bulging portion 32 and the skirt portion 33.

Further, as shown in Fig. 4(c), the angle of inclination (tangential direction) between the tangent line T2 and the horizontal plane H which are tangent to the outer peripheral edge portion 32a of the bulging portion 32 and extend in the radial direction of the dome are The portion 33a to which the bulging portions 32 of the skirt portion 33 are connected is tangential and coincides with the inclination angle formed by the tangent line T3 extending in the radial direction of the dome and the horizontal plane H. More specifically, in the cross section in the radial direction of the movable contact member 31, when the imaginary circle C2 along the curved shape of the bulging portion 32 and the imaginary circle C3 along the curved shape of the skirt portion 33 are drawn, the imaginary circle The tangent T2 at the peripheral edge portion 32a of the bulging portion 32 of C2 and the tangential line T3 at the portion 33a where the skirt portion 33 and the bulging portion 32 are connected by the imaginary circle C3 are connected in a straight line. In other words, the relationship is such that the virtual circle C2 is a circle other than the tangent line T3 of the virtual circle C3, and the virtual circle C3 is a circle other than the tangent line T2 of the virtual circle C2.

As a result, the skirt portion 33 is curved and connected from the outer peripheral edge portion 32a of the bulging portion 32 so as to have a tangent line T2, so that the bulging portion 32 and the skirt portion 33 are smoothly connected. In the configuration of this modification, when the movable contact member 31 is reversely operated, since the fulcrum is not generated at the joint portion, the stress transmission from the outer side to the inner side is not at the boundary between the bulging portion 32 and the skirt portion 33. The blockage is blocked, so that the amplitude of the stress generated at the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion 33 can be reduced.

Here, the inclination angle formed by the tangent line T2 and the horizontal plane H and the inclination angle formed by the tangent line T3 and the horizontal plane H are formed, but the configuration is not limited thereto, as long as the difference between the inclination angles is movable. In the case where the contact member 31 performs the reverse rotation operation, it is not necessary to block the angular extent of the stress transmission from the outer side to the center. In other words, the tangential line T3 direction is close to the tangential line T2 direction so as not to block the stress transmission from the outer side to the center during the reverse rotation operation.

Here, before describing the stress pattern appearing on the movable contact member by the pressing operation, the previous movable contact member of the comparative example will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 5 . Fig. 5 is an explanatory view of a prior movable contact member of a comparative example. Here, (a) is a perspective view of the movable contact member, and (b) is a sectional view in which the movable contact member is cut in the radial direction.

As shown in Figs. 5(a) and 5(b), in the previous movable contact member 35, the bulging portion 36 which is curved in a convex shape with a specific curvature and the skirt portion 37 which is inclined at a specific angle are bent. The way to connect. That is, the inclination angle formed by the tangential line and the horizontal plane which is tangential to the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion 36 and extends in the radial direction of the dome does not coincide with the inclination angle of the skirt portion 37. Therefore, in the previous movable contact member 35, the connecting portion of the bulging portion 36 and the skirt portion 37 is formed with a slight angular angle.

Hereinafter, a stress pattern of the movable contact member of the embodiment, the movable contact member of the modification, and the movable contact member of the comparative example will be described with reference to Fig. 6 . Each stress pattern is obtained by analysis of a finite element method.

6 is an explanatory view of a stress pattern of a part of the movable contact member, wherein (a) and (b) show the stress pattern of the movable contact member of the comparative example, and (c) and (d) show the embodiment. The stress pattern of the movable contact member, (e) and (f) represent the stress pattern of the movable contact member of the modified example. Further, in FIGS. 6(a), (c), and (e), the solid line indicates the stress pattern at the time of the non-pressing operation, and the broken line indicates the stress pattern at the time of the pressing operation, as shown in FIGS. 6(b) and (d). In the case of (f), the solid line indicates the non-pressing operation, and the broken line indicates the pressing operation. Moreover, for convenience of explanation, the stress pattern when the boundary position between the bulging portion and the skirt portion is the same position is illustrated.

As shown in FIG. 6(a), in the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example, a triangular stress pattern is exhibited, and a stress peak is formed in the peripheral portion of the skirt portion 37. Further, the stress generated by the reverse operation of the movable contact member 35 does not expand in the radial direction but expands only in the circumferential direction. The reason for this is that the connecting portion of the bulging portion 36 and the skirt portion 37 is formed with a slight angular angle. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the reverse operation is performed, the skirt portion 37 is placed in the erected state. A fulcrum is formed on the connecting portion of the bulging portion 36. Therefore, the transmission of the stress generated by the reversing action of the movable contact member 35 is slightly changed in the direction of the fulcrum portion transfer, and under the influence of the transfer direction transition, The expansion of the connecting portion of the bulging portion 36 and the skirt portion 37 is blocked inward.

As a result, the urging force applied to the movable contact member 35 is received only by the skirt portion 37, so that the circumferential stress amplitude generated particularly at the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion 37 becomes strong. Further, in the relationship as described above, the life of the movable contact member 35 is logarithmically reduced with respect to the increase in the stress amplitude. Therefore, in the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example, cracks are likely to occur in the outer peripheral edge portion, and a sufficient life cannot be obtained. In particular, when the movable contact member 35 is reduced in diameter, since the stress amplitude is inversely proportional to the square of the diameter, the life is greatly shortened.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6(c), in the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment, a triangular stress pattern is exhibited in the same manner as the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example, but the reverse operation is performed. The stress generated is not only in the circumferential direction but also in the radial direction. The reason for this is that the skirt portion 26 is smoothly connected in the tangential direction from the outer peripheral edge portion 25a of the bulging portion 25, so that the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion are formed during the reverse rotation operation as shown in Fig. 6(d). The connecting portion of 26 does not form a fulcrum. Therefore, the transmission of the stress generated by the bending action of the movable contact member 4 is not affected by the connection portion between the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26, and is inward from the connection portion between the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26. The extension will not be blocked.

Thus, not only the skirt portion 26 but also the bulging portion 25 receives the power applied to the movable contact member 4, so that it is generated at the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion 26 as compared with the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example. The circumferential stress amplitude is reduced by about 20% to about 30%. Therefore, in the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment, since the life is increased logarithmically with respect to the decrease in the stress amplitude, the life can be significantly extended as compared with the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example. Further, when the movable contact member 4 is made smaller in diameter, the required life can be ensured.

On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 6(e), in the movable contact member 31 of the modified example, the stress in the radially inner portion exhibits a larger stress pattern than the stress in the outer peripheral portion, and the skirt portion is more inclined. The outer peripheral portion of 33 has a stress peak on the inner side. Further, the stress generated by the reverse operation of the movable contact member 31 is expanded not only in the circumferential direction but also in the radial direction. The reason for this is that the skirt portion 33 is smoothly connected from the outer peripheral edge portion 32a of the bulging portion 32 so as to have a common tangent line. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(f), when the reversing operation is performed, the bulging portion 32 is The connecting portion of the skirt portion 33 does not form a fulcrum. Therefore, the transmission of the stress generated by the reverse operation of the movable contact member 31 is not affected by the connection portion between the bulging portion 32 and the skirt portion 33, and is inward from the connection portion between the bulging portion 32 and the skirt portion 33. The extension will not be blocked.

In this way, not only the skirt portion 33 but also the bulging portion 32 receives the power applied to the movable contact member 31, and the peak of the stress is located inside from the outer peripheral edge portion, so that the movable joint with the comparative example is connected. In the point member 35, the circumferential stress amplitude generated at the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion 33 is reduced by about half. Therefore, the movable contact member 31 of the modified example can further extend the life as compared with the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example and the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment. Further, when the movable contact member 31 is made smaller in diameter, it is easier to secure the required life.

The reverse operation of the movable contact member will be briefly described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 . Fig. 7 is an explanatory view showing a reverse operation of the movable contact member according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a view showing a load-displacement curve of a movable contact member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 7(a), in the initial state in which the operation key 5 is not pressed, the operation key 5 is lifted upward by the elastic force of the movable contact member 4. In this case, the outer peripheral edge portion of the movable contact member 4 is in contact with the pair of outer fixed contact portions 14, and the central portion is separated from the central fixed contact portion 13. When the operation key 5 is pressed from the initial state, the pressing force is concentrated on the top of the movable contact member 4 via the operation key 5, and the movable contact member 4 gradually starts to bend from the outer side toward the center in the radial direction.

Further, when the load applied to the movable member 4 is increased to reach a specific load or more, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the movable contact member 4 is reversed. After the movable contact member 4 is reversed, the central portion of the movable contact member 4 is in contact with the central fixed contact portion 13, and the central fixed contact portion 13 and the pair of outer fixed contact portions 14 are electrically connected via the movable contact member 4. . When the motive power is removed from the movable contact member 4, the movable contact member 4 is restored by its own elastic force, and the operation key 5 is pushed upward.

Next, the reverse operation shown in Fig. 7 will be described with reference to the load-displacement curve of Fig. 8. In the case of the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment, after the operation key 5 is pressed, the load applied to the movable contact member 4 is gradually increased, and the peak load P _max is obtained at the displacement S1. When the operation key 5 is further pressed, the movable contact member 4 is reversed, the load applied to the movable contact member 4 is reduced, and the valley load _Pmin is obtained at the displacement S2. In this case, the click rate of the movable contact member 4 can be obtained from (peak load P _max - valley load P _min ) / peak load P _max . In the movable contact member 4, the operation feeling is changed by the click rate and the power applied to the movable contact member.

The adjustment of the operational feeling of the movable contact member will be described with reference to Fig. 9 . Fig. 9 is a view showing the relationship between the power of the movable contact member and the click rate in the embodiment. In addition, in FIG. 9, the adjustment area A1 shows the adjustment area of the movable contact member of the present embodiment in a state in which the specific contact life is ensured, and the adjustment area A2 indicates that the movable contact member of the comparative example is An adjustment area that ensures an operational feeling in a state above a certain life.

As shown in FIG. 9, the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment and the adjustment areas A1 and A2 of the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example indicate an area in which the operational feeling can be adjusted according to the power and the click rate, and the adjustment area A1 is provided. It has a wide range including the adjustment area A2. For example, when the click rate is 50%, the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment can have about twice as much power as the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example.

In this case, when the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example is made smaller in diameter, in order to secure a specific life, it is necessary to reduce the power of the movable contact member 35, so that a sufficient operational feeling cannot be obtained. For example, the diameter of the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example is 2.5 mm, and in order to obtain a life of about 300,000 times, the click rate is 50%, and the power is about 0.8 N. Since the power of the switch having the normal operational feeling is 1.6 N, the movable contact member 35 cannot obtain the desired operational feeling. Further, by laminating the two movable contact members 35, it is possible to approximate the desired operational feeling, but in this case, the number of parts is increased by one. On the other hand, when the diameter of the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment is 2.5 mm, the life can be 300,000 times or more when the click rate is 50% and the power is 1.6 N.

As described above, in the case where the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment has a smaller diameter than the movable contact member 35 of the comparative example, the life can be suppressed while maintaining the operational feeling. Further, although the adjustment region of the movable contact member 31 of the modification is not described in FIG. 9, a wider adjustment region can be obtained in the movable contact member 31 of the modification.

As described above, according to the movable contact member 4 of the present embodiment, the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26 are smoothly connected, and the stress transmission from the outer side to the center is not blocked at the boundary between the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26. Broken. Therefore, the circumferential stress amplitude generated in the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion 26 due to the reverse pressing operation of the movable contact member 4 can be reduced, and the life of the movable contact member 4 can be extended. Further, since the bulging portion 25 and the skirt portion 26 are formed, the curvature of the bulging portion 25, the skirt portion 26 and the bulging portion are adjusted as compared with the movable contact member formed into a dome shape with a specific curvature. The desired position of operation can be obtained by the boundary position of the portion 25.

Further, the movable contact member of the present invention is not limited to the movable contact member of the embodiment and the movable contact member of the modified example. As shown in FIG. 10, each of the bulging portion and the skirt portion of the movable contact member may be connected to each other so as not to interfere with the stress transmission from the outer peripheral portion to the inner side. For example, the movable contact member shown in Fig. 10(a) is such that the bulging portion is curved in a convex shape with a specific curvature, and the skirt portion is curved into a convex shape with a curvature different from that of the bulging portion. In this case, the portion where the skirt portion and the bulging portion are connected is formed so as to be substantially tangent to the tangential line extending in the radial direction of the dome so as to be tangential to the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion.

Further, the movable member shown in Fig. 10 (b) is such that the bulging portion is curved in a convex shape with a specific curvature, and the skirt portion is curved in a concave shape with a curvature different from that of the bulging portion, and the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion is made. For the horizontal. In this case, the portion where the skirt portion and the bulging portion are connected is also formed to be substantially tangent to the tangential line which is tangential to the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion and extends in the radial direction of the dome.

Further, as in the movable contact member shown in FIGS. 10(c) and (d), the leg portion may be further connected to the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion. The movable contact members shown in Figs. 10(c) and (d) are such that the bulging portion is curved in a convex shape with a specific curvature, the skirt portion is inclined at a specific angle, and the curved portion is bent into a convex shape with a specific curvature. Shaped or concave. In this case, the portion where the skirt portion and the bulging portion are connected is formed to be substantially tangent to the tangential direction of the tangent line which is tangential to the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion and extends in the radial direction of the dome, and the outer peripheral portion of the skirt portion The tangential direction of the tangent line which is tangent to the portion connected to the outer peripheral portion of the leg portion and the skirt portion and which extends in the radial direction of the dome substantially coincides. Here, the term "substantially identical" is not limited to being completely identical, and there may be some variation as long as the stress transmission from the outside to the inside due to the pressing operation is not blocked.

Further, in the above embodiment, the bulging portion is formed with a specific curvature, but the configuration is not limited thereto. The bulging portion may have any shape as long as it is gently connected to the skirt portion and receives a pressing force from a pressing member such as an operation key.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the switching device in which the movable contact member is held in the casing has been exemplified, but the configuration is not limited thereto. As long as the switching device having the movable contact member of the present invention is used, it may be of any configuration, and may be, for example, a sheet type switching device that holds the movable contact member on the substrate by holding the sheet.

Further, all aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. The scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of the claims, and not only the description of the embodiments.

[Industrial availability]

As described above, the present invention has an effect of easily adjusting the operational feeling and reducing the stress amplitude in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion, thereby achieving a long life, in particular, a movable contact member and a switching device incorporated in a small electronic device such as a mobile phone. Useful.

1. . . Switching device

2. . . case

3. . . Cover member

4, 31. . . Movable contact member

5. . . Operation key

11. . . Positioning protrusion

13. . . Central fixed contact

14. . . External fixed contact

15. . . External terminal

17. . . Cutting section

18. . . Round opening

twenty one. . . head

twenty two. . . Flange

twenty three. . . Pressing the protrusion

25, 32. . . Bulging

25a. . . Peripheral part

26, 33. . . Skirt

A1, A2. . . Adjustment area

C1, C2, C3. . . Imaginary circle

H. . . level

T1, T2, T3. . . Tangent

Fig. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a movable contact member of the present invention, which is a perspective view of a switch device.

Fig. 2 is a view showing an embodiment of a movable contact member of the present invention, which is an exploded perspective view of the switch device.

3(a) to 3(c) are views showing an embodiment of a movable contact member of the present invention, which is an explanatory view of a movable contact member.

4(a) to 4(c) are explanatory views of a modification of the movable contact member of the present invention.

5(a) and 5(b) are explanatory views of a conventional movable contact member of a comparative example of the movable contact member of the present invention.

6(a) to 6(f) are views showing an embodiment of the movable contact member of the present invention, which is an explanatory view of a stress pattern of a part of the movable contact member.

7(a) and 7(b) are views showing an embodiment of the movable contact member of the present invention, which is an explanatory view of the reverse operation of the movable contact member.

Fig. 8 is a view showing an embodiment of the movable contact member of the present invention, which is a view showing a load-displacement curve of the movable contact member.

Fig. 9 is a view showing an embodiment of a movable contact member of the present invention, which is a view showing a relationship between a driving force of a movable contact member and a click rate.

10(a) to 10(d) are explanatory views showing another modification of the movable contact member of the present invention.

4. . . Movable contact member

25. . . Bulging

25a. . . Peripheral part

26. . . Skirt

C1. . . Imaginary circle

H. . . level

T1. . . Tangent

Claims (8)

A movable contact member comprising: a bulging portion that is bulged in a dome shape; and a skirt portion that continuously extends from the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion and radially outward; the skirt portion is The tangential direction of the tangential line extending in the radial direction of the dome in the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion is substantially continuous from the outer peripheral portion of the bulging portion. The movable contact member according to claim 1, wherein the skirt portion is formed linearly along a tangential direction of a tangent line extending in a radial direction of the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion. The movable contact member according to claim 2, wherein the tangential line refers to a tangent to a peripheral portion of the imaginary portion along an imaginary circle of the curved surface of the bulging portion, and an inclination angle of the tangential line with respect to a horizontal plane is The inclination angles of the skirts described above are the same. The movable contact member of claim 1, wherein the skirt portion is formed as a circumscribed circle along a tangent to the outer peripheral edge portion of the bulging portion in a radial direction of the dome. The movable contact member of claim 4, wherein the circumscribed circle is an imaginary circle along a curved shape of the skirt. The movable contact member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a leg portion continuously extending from a peripheral portion of the skirt portion and extending radially outward, wherein the skirt portion and the leg portion are coupled to the leg portion The portion connected to the skirt portion is continuous in such a manner that the tangential direction of the tangent extending in the radial direction of the dome substantially coincides. A switch device comprising: the movable contact member according to any one of claims 1 to 5; and a switch base, wherein the switch base is provided with the movable contact member, and includes the bulging portion A fixed contact that contacts or separates. A switch device comprising: a movable contact member according to claim 6; and a switch base, wherein the switch base is provided with the movable contact member, and includes a fixed contact that is in contact with or separated from the bulging portion point.