TWI399760B - Electronic parts of the ratchet mechanism, variable resistors - Google Patents

Description

Ratchet mechanism for electronic parts, variable resistor

The present invention relates to a ratchet mechanism for an electronic component. In particular, a ratchet mechanism of a variable resistor that changes a resistance value by rotating a rotating shaft and opening and closing a switch gives a strong torque feeling and a strong ratcheting feeling.

The variable resistor used in a portable electronic device such as a wireless device is required to be miniaturized, and the operation button used for the variable resistor is increased in size in order to improve operability. Therefore, the variable resistor is required to have a high sliding torque in order to prevent erroneous rotation, and a high stepping torque is required in order to clarify the operational feeling.

It is known that the pawl spring P1 which has a sense of torque and the pawl feeling by sliding with the pawl plate, and the stopper P2 which rotates the pawl spring P1 together with the rotation of the rotating shaft are as the 10A The figure and the figure shown in FIG. 10B are combined (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

In other words, the projection P2a of the stopper P2 is inserted into the through hole P1a of the click spring P1, and the tip end portion of the projection P2a is plastically deformed by heat caulking or the like, thereby coupling the pawl spring P1 and the stopper. Piece P2.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Publication No. SHO 62-168607

However, only the plastic deformation of the front end portion of the projection portion P2a makes the coupling force of the pawl spring P1 and the stopper P2 weak, and the reaction force of the click spring P1 cannot be enhanced. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve high sliding torque and high stepping torque.

In order to solve the above problem, the extending portion extending from the annular portion of the pawl spring is engaged with the pressing portion of the stopper. By the push of the pawl plate against the pressing portion, the pawl spring is intended to tilt with the stopper as a fulcrum, but the pressing portion suppresses the tilting by pressing the extending portion.

It can enhance the reaction force of the pawl spring, which can achieve high sliding torque and high stepping torque.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a variable resistor. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a variable resistor, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a variable resistor.

The variable resistor is a ratchet mechanism A (Fig. 3) and a variable resistor unit B as constituent elements, and is assembled by fully inserting the mounted rotary shaft 1 therebetween.

The bearing 2 made of resin or metal is provided with a through hole 2a at the center. A rotating shaft 1 is inserted into the through hole 2a. Bearing 2 is made of approximately cuboid The base portion 2b and the cylindrical portion 2c are formed. The table portion 2b has a hole 2d for receiving the projection portion 9b of the outer casing 9 and the rivet 12, a hole 6e for the pawl plate portion 6, and a projection portion 2e inserted into the hole 7c of the torque plate portion 7. A male screw is engraved on the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion 2c, and the variable resistor can be fixed by screwing it into a female screw provided at a place where the male screw is to be fixed.

The rotating shaft 1 is composed of three cylindrical bodies having mutually different diameters and is made of resin or metal. The narrow small diameter portion 1a of the cylindrical body having the smallest diameter is a part of the outer peripheral surface that is cut away along the axial direction. In this example, mutually parallel faces are provided at positions 180 degrees apart from each other. The sliding portion 1b of the cylindrical body having the second smallest diameter is inserted into the bearing 2 after the rotating shaft 1 is inserted, and is slid with the circumferential surface of the through hole 2a by the rotation of the rotating shaft 1. A recess 1d is provided at a position close to the narrow small diameter portion 1a of the sliding portion 1b. In the recess 1d, after the rotating shaft 1 is inserted into the bearing 2, an annular member such as a C ring 3 formed of a metal wire is embedded. Thereby, the rotating shaft 1 is prevented from falling off by the bearing 2. The button portion 1c of the cylindrical body having the largest diameter is a part of the outer peripheral surface cut along the axial direction similarly to the narrow small diameter portion 1a. In this example, mutually parallel faces are provided at positions 180 degrees apart from each other. In the button portion 1c, an operation button (not shown) for rotating the variable resistor is attached.

The top view of the click spring 5 is shown in Fig. 4A, the front view is shown in Fig. 4B, and the bottom view is shown in Fig. 4C. The click spring 5 includes an annular portion 5a that is elastically deformable including a pressing portion 5c and a through hole 5d, and an extending portion 5e that extends from the annular portion 5a. The annular portion 5a is curved on the line L1, and the line L2 is slightly curved in the opposite direction to the curve of the line L1. song. Further, the front end portion is provided with a projection which constitutes the pressing portion 5c. In the annular portion 5a, the inner diameter is reduced, whereby the wide portion 5b having a wide width is provided. Two through holes 5d are provided in the wide portion 5b. The two through holes 5d are located at line symmetry with respect to the line connecting the extending portion 5e and the pressing portion 5c. By providing the through holes 5d in such a line symmetry, the balance is improved, and the reliability as a variable resistor is increased. In the present example, the extending portion 5e is bent and formed in a crank shape from the annular portion 5a.

The top view of the stopper 4 is shown in Fig. 5A, the front view is shown in Fig. 5B, the bottom view is shown in Fig. 5C, and the left side view is shown in Fig. 5D. The stopper 4 is formed by, for example, metal die casting or metal mechanical cutting. A shaft portion 4b is formed to protrude from the center of the disk-shaped base body 4a. A through hole 4c corresponding to the shape of the narrow small diameter portion 1a of the rotating shaft 1 is formed at the center of the shaft portion 4b. On the upper surface of the shaft portion 4b, there are provided interlocking portions 4i of two arc-shaped members that face each other. An arc-shaped positioning portion 4d is formed to protrude from one of the plate faces of the base 4a and around the shaft portion 4b. Further, on one of the plate faces of the base 4a, two projections 4g corresponding to the two through holes 5d of the click spring 5 are provided. The diameter of the cylindrical projection 4g is slightly smaller than the diameter of the through hole 5d. The base 4a is provided with an approximately rectangular opening 4e that passes through one of the plate faces to the other of the plate faces. Further, a pressing portion 4f that extends in the longitudinal direction of the opening 4e is formed to protrude adjacent to the opening 4e.

A perspective view showing a state in which the pawl spring 5 and the stopper 4 are combined is shown in Fig. 6A, and a cross-sectional view is shown in Fig. 6B. The two projecting portions 4g of the variable resistor 4 are through holes 5d respectively inserted into the pawl springs 5, and the pawl springs The extension portion 5e of the fifth portion 5 is an opening 4e that is engaged with the stopper 4. Thereby, the stopper 4 and the click spring 5 are combined. Both end portions 4h of the arc-shaped positioning portion 4d are engaged with the wide portion 5b of the click spring 5, respectively. Thereby, the positioning in the rotational direction is performed. A portion of the through hole 5d of the annular portion 5a of the click spring 5 is in contact with the base 4a of the stopper 4. The portion of the pressing portion 5c of the annular portion 5a of the detent spring 5 is located at a position closer to the pressing portion 5c than the stopper 4, and is located away from the one surface of the base 4a.

In a state in which the pawl spring 5 and the stopper 4 are combined, the narrow small diameter portion 1a of the rotary shaft 1 is inserted into the through hole 4c.

The pawl plate portion 6 (first drawing) has an opening 6a slightly larger than the click spring 5 at the center portion. The pawl plate portion 6 is provided with a protruding portion 6b that protrudes toward the center of the opening 6a. A hole 6c is provided in the protruding portion 6b. The pawl plate portion 6 has a fixing hole 6d at four corners, and has a long hole 6f for connecting the two holes 6e for mounting.

The torque plate portion 7 has an opening 7a slightly larger than the shaft portion 4b of the stopper 4 at the center portion. Further, the torque plate portion 7 has a fixing hole 7b at four corners and a long hole 7d for connecting the two holes 7c for mounting, similarly to the pawl plate portion 6.

In the present example, the pawl plate 13 is formed by overlapping the pawl plate portion 6 and the torque plate portion 7. By overlapping, the protruding portion 6b of the pawl plate portion 6 and the hole 6c form an uneven portion on one plate surface of the torque plate portion 7. The pawl plate 13 is covered by the bearing 2 in a direction in which the stopper 4 is partially formed as the pawl plate portion 6, and the projection 2e is inserted into the hole 6e and the hole 7c.

The upper area layer of the pawl plate 13 has a first variable resistor portion 14 and a second Variable resistor portion 15.

The first variable resistor portion 14 is composed of a casing 9 that houses the insulating substrate 9a (Fig. 3) and a rotating body 8 that is provided with a sliding contact 8a. A current collector and a resistor are formed on the insulating substrate 9a. The position at which the sliding contact 8a contacts the current collector and the resistor is determined in accordance with the rotation angle of the rotating body 8, and the resistance value of the first variable resistor portion 14 is determined in accordance with the position. The extraction terminal 9b is connected to each of the current collector and the resistor, and is taken out to the outside. For details of the first variable resistor portion 14, for example, refer to Patent Document 1. Since the second variable resistor portion 15 is constituted by the outer casing 11 and the rotating body 10, and has the same configuration as that of the first variable resistor portion 14, description thereof will be omitted.

A rivet 12 made of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy is inserted into a hole 11a (Fig. 3) formed in the outer casing 11, a hole 9c formed in the outer casing 9, a hole 7b formed in the torque plate portion 7, and formed in the spine. The hole 6d of the claw portion 6 is formed in the hole 2d of the bearing 2, and then the front end of the rivet 12 is fixed from the lower surface of the table portion 2b of the bearing 2 by, for example, a pawl. Thereby, the parts of the variable resistor are fixed.

Thus, in a state in which the variable resistor is mounted, the pawl plate 13 holds the click spring 5 together with the stopper 4, and is pushed by the pawl plate 13, and the click spring 5 is approached toward the pressing portion 5c. It is elastically deformed in the direction of the stopper 4. By the pressing of the pawl plate 13 against the pressing portion 5c, the click spring 5 is intended to have the stopper 4 as a fulcrum [in this example, the line L1 of the stopper 4 and the click spring 5 (the first) 4) The contact portion is tilted as a fulcrum, but the pressing portion 4f of the stopper 4 suppresses the tilting by pushing the extending portion 5e. Not so dependent The plastic deformation caused by heat caulking or the like is suppressed by tilting the extending portion 5e at the pressing portion 4f, whereby the reaction force of the click spring 5 can be made more than the conventional one. Strong, but the force of the pawl spring 5 pushing the pawl plate 13 can be made stronger than the conventional one. Therefore, it is possible to achieve a stronger torque and a ratchet feeling than the conventional one.

According to this embodiment, the reaction force of the click spring 5 can be further enhanced by extending the extending portion 5e from a position where the pressing portion 5c and the pressing portion 5c are formed 180 degrees apart from each other. By extending the extending portion 5e from a position at 180 degrees, the distance between the fulcrum, that is, the position of the line L1 and the position at which the pressing portion 4f is pressed against the extending portion 5e can be increased, so that the pressing portion 4f can be made smaller. The power to suppress the tilt.

When the rotary shaft 1 is rotated, the stopper 4 and the pressing portion 5c of the click spring 5 held by the stopper 4 are rotated while sliding against the pawl plate 13 as the rotation shaft 1 rotates. A torque sense occurs by this sliding. As the pressing portion 5c traverses the uneven portion of the pawl plate 13 with the rotation, a ratcheting feeling occurs. In other words, when the pressing portion 5c that has passed over the protruding portion 6b falls to the outside of the hole 6c or the protruding portion 6b and collides with the torque plate portion 7, a ratchet feeling or a ratchet sound occurs.

In response to the rotation of the rotary shaft 1, the stopper 4 and the pawl spring 5 also rotate. Therefore, when the rotary shaft 1 is slowly rotated, the pressing portion 5c also slowly straddles the protruding portion 6b, and protrudes from the projection portion 6b. The portion 6b is slowly dropped. Conventionally, the stopper P2 and the click spring P1 are fixed by the front end portion of the plastic deformation projection P2a, and the pawl spring P1 cannot move freely with respect to the stopper P2, and thus rotates slowly. When the shaft is used, there are generated pawls The situation where the sound and the pawl are unclear.

In the present embodiment, the protruding portion 4g of the stopper 4 and the through hole 5d of the click spring 5 are not fixed by plastic deformation such as heat caulking. The protruding portion 4g is only slidably fitted into the through hole 5d, and the click spring 5 is more freely movable to the stopper 4 than the conventional one. Therefore, the pressing portion 5c of the click spring 5 touches the hole 6c to some extent, or is only slightly offset from the outside of the protruding portion 6b, and the click spring 5 can be individually operated to collide with the torque plate portion 7. . Therefore, even when the rotary shaft 1 is slowly rotated, the generated ratchet sound and the pawl feeling can be made clearer.

By not protruding the projection portion 4g of the plastic deformation stopper 4 by heat caulking or the like, the plastic deformation process is not required, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Moreover, since the material of the stopper 4 is not limited to the plastically deformable material, the material selection of the stopper 4 becomes wide, and the stopper 4 can be formed by metal injection molding [Metal Injection Mold (MIM)]. .

Modifications of the stopper 4 and the click spring 5 are shown in Figs. 7 to 9 .

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the extending portion 5e may be bent in a crank shape without being bent in one direction from the annular portion 5a. In other words, the extension portion 5e may be extended on the same plane as the wide portion 5b. At this time, the pressing portion 4f of the stopper 4 is a position at which the pressing portion 4f is in contact with the extending portion 5e from the upper surface of the base 4a only from the thickness portion of the click spring 5.

Further, as shown in Figs. 8A and 8B, the upper surface of the pressing portion 4f may be formed to have the same height as the surface of the base 4a.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the line L1 does not bend the annular portion 5a, and the extending portion 5e may not be bent into a crank shape and may extend in one direction from the annular portion 5a. At this time, the pressing portion 4f and the extending portion 5e are in oblique contact with respect to a surface perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 1. Further, as shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the area of the portion where the stopper 4 is in contact with the annular portion 5a of the click spring 5 is increased, and the click spring 5 is more stabilized by the stopper 4. The ground is kept, so that the fault can be reduced and the reliability can be increased.

The ratchet mechanism A according to the present invention can be used for electronic components other than the variable resistor, and can be used, for example, for a rotary switch.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the gist of the invention.

1‧‧‧Rotary axis

1a‧‧‧Narrow path

1b‧‧‧Sliding section

1c‧‧‧ button

1d‧‧‧ recess

2‧‧‧ bearing

2a‧‧‧through holes

2b‧‧‧Department

2c‧‧‧Cylinder

2d‧‧‧ points

2e‧‧‧protrusion

3‧‧‧C-ring

4‧‧‧stops

4a‧‧‧round plate base

4b‧‧‧Axis

4c‧‧‧through hole

4d‧‧‧ Positioning Department

4e‧‧‧ openings

4f‧‧‧ compression department

4g‧‧‧protrusion

4h‧‧‧ Both ends

4i‧‧‧ linkage department

5‧‧‧thorn spring

5a‧‧‧Rings

5b‧‧‧Broad Department

5c‧‧‧Pushing Department

5d‧‧‧through hole

5e‧‧‧Extension

6‧‧‧Pawl board

6a‧‧‧ openings

6b‧‧‧Protruding

6c‧‧‧

6d‧‧‧ points

6e‧‧‧

6f‧‧‧ long hole

7‧‧‧Torque Plate Department

7a‧‧‧ openings

7b‧‧‧ points

7c‧‧‧

7d‧‧‧ long hole

8‧‧‧Rotating body

8a‧‧‧Sliding joints

9‧‧‧ Shell

9a‧‧‧Insert substrate

9b‧‧‧Protruding

9c‧‧‧

10‧‧‧ rotating body

11‧‧‧Shell

11a‧‧‧

12‧‧‧ Rivets

13‧‧‧Pawl board

14‧‧‧First Variable Resistor Section

15‧‧‧Second variable resistor unit

A‧‧‧ratchet mechanism

B‧‧‧Variable Resistor

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a variable resistor.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a variable resistor.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a variable resistor.

Fig. 4A is a plan view showing an example of a pawl spring, Fig. 4B is a front view thereof, and Fig. 4C is a bottom view thereof.

Fig. 5A is a plan view showing an example of a stopper, Fig. 5B is a front view thereof, Fig. 5C is a bottom view thereof, and Fig. 5D is a left side view thereof.

Fig. 6A is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the stopper and the pawl spring are combined, and Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Fig. 7A is a perspective view showing a modification of the stopper and the pawl spring, and Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Fig. 8A is a perspective view showing a modification of the stopper and the pawl spring, and Fig. 8B is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Fig. 9A is a perspective view showing a modification of the stopper and the pawl spring, and Fig. 9B is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Fig. 10A is a perspective view showing a state in which a conventional stopper and a pawl spring are combined, and Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view thereof.

1‧‧‧Rotary axis

1a‧‧‧Narrow path

1b‧‧‧Sliding section

1c‧‧‧ button

1d‧‧‧ recess

2‧‧‧ bearing

2b‧‧‧Department

2c‧‧‧Cylinder

2d‧‧‧ points

2e‧‧‧protrusion

3‧‧‧C-ring

4‧‧‧stops

4a‧‧‧round plate base

4g‧‧‧protrusion

4f‧‧‧ compression department

5‧‧‧thorn spring

5a‧‧‧Rings

5c‧‧‧Pushing Department

5d‧‧‧through hole

5e‧‧‧Extension

6‧‧‧Pawl board

6a‧‧‧ openings

6b‧‧‧Protruding

6c‧‧‧

6d‧‧‧ points

6e‧‧‧

6f‧‧‧ long hole

7‧‧‧Torque Plate Department

7a‧‧‧ openings

7b‧‧‧ points

7c‧‧‧

7d‧‧‧ long hole

8‧‧‧Rotating body

9‧‧‧ Shell

9b‧‧‧Protruding

9c‧‧‧

10‧‧‧ rotating body

11‧‧‧Shell

11a‧‧‧

12‧‧‧ Rivets

13‧‧‧Pawl board

14‧‧‧First Variable Resistor Section

15‧‧‧Second variable resistor unit

A‧‧‧ratchet mechanism

B‧‧‧Variable Resistor

Claims (9)

A ratchet mechanism for an electronic component includes: a pawl spring including: an annular portion including a pressing portion and a through hole and elastically deformable; and an extending portion extending from the annular portion; and a stopper; The present invention includes: a protruding portion that is inserted into the through hole; and a pressing portion that is engaged with the extending portion, and rotates the pawl spring together with rotation of the rotating shaft; and the pawl plate is connected to the above The mover clamps the pawl spring together, and pushes the pressing portion toward the pressing portion in a direction close to the stopper, and includes a concave-convex portion. When the rotating shaft rotates, the pressing portion passes over The ratchet mechanism of the electronic component in which the ratchet portion is generated in the uneven portion is characterized in that the pawl spring is intended to be tilted by the stopper as a fulcrum by the pressing of the pressing portion by the pawl plate However, the pressing portion suppresses the tilting by pressing the extension portion. The ratchet mechanism for an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the extending portion of the pawl spring extends from the annular portion at a position 180 degrees apart from the pressing portion. The ratchet mechanism of the electronic component according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the stalk spring is in contact with the stopper in a portion including the through hole of the annular portion, and includes A portion of the pressing portion of the annular portion is separated from the stopper. The ratchet mechanism of the electronic component according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the extending portion of the pawl spring is formed by bending, and the annular portion of the pawl spring is in the same manner as the stopper The pressing portion of the stopper is pressed against the extending portion on the side where the contact faces are different. The ratchet mechanism of the electronic component according to claim 3, wherein the extending portion of the pawl spring is formed by bending, and the annular portion of the pawl spring is not in contact with the stopper. On the same side, the pressing portion of the stopper is pressed against the extension. A variable resistor comprising: a ratchet mechanism for an electronic component according to claim 1 or 2. A variable resistor comprising: a ratchet mechanism for an electronic component according to claim 3 of the patent application. A variable resistor comprising: a ratchet mechanism for an electronic component according to claim 4 of the patent application. A variable resistor comprising: a ratchet mechanism for an electronic component according to claim 5 of the patent application.