JPH0243057Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Technical Field This invention relates to a push button mounting device for a push switch.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a push switch that is attached to a decorative panel of an audio product, etc., has a switch main body 3 disposed in front of a board 2 which is arranged at a predetermined distance behind a panel 1, as shown in FIG. 1, for example. At the same time, a rectangular push button 5 is fitted into the mounting hole 4 formed in the panel 1 so that it can coaxially and abut against the plunger 3a of the switch main body 3, and the base end protruding to the back side of the panel is fitted on the panel surface. Support leg 6 along
form an extension. Then, the end of the support leg 6 is screwed or welded to the back of the panel, and a thin hinge 7 is formed on the entire surface near the end, and its elasticity gives the push button 5 flexibility in the switch operation direction. By the push operation, the switch body 3 is turned on and off via the plunger 3a.

However, in order to obtain elasticity in the direction of switch operation, the conventional pushbutton 5 must have a thin hinge part 7 on the support leg part 6. Therefore, if this is integrally molded with a resin mold, the broken line in FIG. As shown in , one side a centering on the thin hinge part 7
Or, a phenomenon of warping or sagging in the other direction b occurred. Therefore, if such a warped or deflected product is attached to the panel 1 as it is, the protruding height h from the panel surface shown in FIG. 1 will vary, resulting in instability. In particular, when the pushbuttons 5 are arranged in multiple rows on the panel 1, the variation in height h causes the appearance to be irregular and extremely unsightly.

Furthermore, due to variations in the protruding height h, the distance H between the mounting surface of the switch body 3 and the surface facing the plunger 3a of the push button 5 also becomes uneven.
Therefore, when the two are assembled, the plunger 3a is always pushed in by the push button 5 and remains in the on state, which sometimes causes problems in mounting the switch, such as impeding proper switch operation.

Disclosure of the invention This invention was proposed to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional pushbutton mounting structure.It improves the external appearance by keeping the height of the pushbutton protruding from the front of the panel constant, and also improves the appearance of the pushbutton at all times. The purpose of this is to enable reliable switch operation.

The purpose of this is to form support legs that extend along the panel surface on the protruding portion of the pushbutton fitted to the panel back surface, and to support the extending end in a cantilever manner on a support provided on the back surface of the panel. to enable the end portion to slide and rotate around a central axis parallel to the panel when the push button is pressed, and to connect the supporting leg and the back surface of the panel by a connecting means; This can be achieved by configuring so that a return force is applied to the push button by deformation of the connecting means.

According to this invention, there is no need for a thin hinge part to obtain elasticity in the direction of switch operation as in the past, and the supporting legs can be made rigid and the entire pushbutton can be molded as a rigid body. It is possible to prevent warpage and deflection from occurring during button molding. Therefore, the pushbutton can be accurately positioned and attached to the mounting position of the panel, and its protrusion height h from the front surface of the panel can be kept constant at all times without variation. Therefore, even when multiple pushbuttons are arranged on a panel, it is possible to eliminate irregularities in appearance and improve the appearance. In addition, this makes it possible to maintain a constant and accurate distance H between the mounting surface of the switch body and the pressing surface facing the plunger of the pushbutton, thereby eliminating the conventional problems in mounting the pushbutton. can.

Furthermore, the torsional deformation of the shaft provided on the support leg forces the push button in the return direction from the position where the plunger of the switch body is pushed in, providing a return force, which reduces the return force of the switch body. Even if the push button is weak and small, a sufficient return force can be obtained, and the push button can be reliably and smoothly returned from the depressed position. Therefore, good and reliable switch operation can be performed at all times.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings from FIG. 3 onwards.

In FIGS. 3 to 5, 10 is a panel constituting the front side of an audio product, etc., and 11 is a panel 10.
A mounting board for the switch body is arranged in parallel at a predetermined distance behind the switch body, and is formed of, for example, a printed circuit board.

A switch body 12 is positioned and installed on the front surface of the mounting board 11. A switch shaft 13 biased forward by a spring is provided on the switch body 12 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The switch shaft 13 is pushed into the switch main body 12 with a required stroke by a pressing operation of a push button, which will be described later, while opposing and abutting the pressing surface thereof, thereby turning the switch main body 12 on and off.

The switch body 12 is of a so-called momentary type, and can be operated by a slight push of a push button.

A mounting hole 14 is provided in the panel 10 at a position facing the switch body 12, and a push button 15 for operating the switch shaft 13 by pushing is coaxially fitted into the mounting hole 14. A pair of support legs 1 are provided along the panel surface on both sides of the protruding end of the push button 15 to the back surface of the panel.
6 and 16 are formed extending perpendicularly to the push button body.

The distal end portion 17 of the support leg 16 is formed into a substantially circular bulge with a central axis P parallel to the panel. Support leg 1
The distal end portions 6 and 16 are integrally connected by a connecting shaft 18 having a rectangular cross section. The push button 15 is integrally molded with a resin mold to have a substantially L-shape and rigidity.

Support bodies 19, 19 for supporting the push button 15 are integrally formed protruding from both sides of the upper part of the mounting hole 14 on the back surface of the panel. A recess 20 opening downward is provided in the support 19 parallel to the panel 10 and having a step higher than the back surface of the panel. The interval 1 between the recesses 20 is made slightly larger than the width of the support leg 16, and a substantially circular fitting groove 21 corresponding to the tip end shape of the support leg 16 is formed at the inner bottom with a diameter d larger than the interval l. It is provided to expand in the circumferential direction. The distal end side of the support leg 16 is inserted into the recess 20, and the distal end portion 17 is fitted into the fitting groove 21 so as to be prevented from coming off. The tip portion 17 is fitted into the fitting groove 21 with a tight fit to prevent play. This tip portion 17 is adapted to slide into contact with and rotate around the central axis P along the inner periphery inside the fitting groove 21 when the push button 15 is pushed.

Furthermore, a hook-shaped presser piece 22 that opens downward is provided between the supports 19, 19 on the back surface of the panel 10, and the connecting shaft 18 of the push button is fitted and held in this presser piece 22. The presser piece 22 is used to torsionally deform the connecting shaft 18 when the push button 15 is pushed, and to apply an elastic return force in the return direction to the push button 15 in accordance with the amount of deformation. Therefore, the connecting shaft 18 is firmly held by the presser piece 22 in a tight and somewhat tightly fitted state so that a reliable torsional deformation force is applied without any displacement or play. Further, for this purpose, the presser piece 22 is formed to have some rigidity.

To assemble the push switch configured as described above, the switch body 12 is positioned and installed on the mounting board 11 in advance, and the push button 1
5 is inserted into the mounting hole 14 from the back side of the panel 10 so that it protrudes from the front side, and then the tips 17 of the support legs 16, 16 are inserted into the recess 20 of the support body 19, and at the same time, the connecting shaft 18 is inserted into the holding piece 22. Push in from below. Then, the interval l between the recesses 20 of the support 19
is expanded as shown by the broken line in FIG. 6 due to the insertion force of the tip 17, and then the tip 17 is inserted into the fitting groove
When the push button 15 is inserted into the support bodies 19 and 1 through the support legs 16, the push button 15 elastically returns as shown by the solid line.
Cantilevered by 9. At the same time, due to the insertion force of the connecting shaft 18, the holding piece 22 first expands as shown by the broken line in FIG.
After passing through the lower side 221 of 2, the connecting shaft 18 is elastically restored, and the connecting shaft 18 is firmly held by the holding piece 22 so as to be able to be torsionally deformed. At this time, the tip 1 of the support leg 16
7 is prevented from coming off downward by the lower edge of the fitting groove 21 at the lower end of the recess, and the connecting shaft 18 is firmly held by the front surface of the presser piece 22 and the lower side 221 to prevent it from coming off. Therefore, the push button 15 is reliably held at the mounting position of the panel 10 without falling off.

Next, the panel 1 on which the pushbutton 15 is attached
0 is attached to the product's cabinet, as shown in Figure 4.
As shown in FIG. 5, the push button 15 is assembled to the switch body 12 so that it can be pushed, and the assembly of the push switch is completed. In this case, the push button body is inserted into the mounting hole 14 of the panel 10, and the support leg tip 17 is inserted into the recess 20 of the support body 19, and at the same time, the connecting shaft 18 is inserted into the holding piece 2.
Since it is only necessary to push the push button 15 into the panel 2, the screw fixing work that was conventionally required is no longer necessary, and the push button 15 can be more easily attached to the panel 10.

Further, the push button 15 is rigidly molded integrally with the support leg 16 to prevent warping or bending during molding, and the support leg tip 17 and the support 1
The push button 15 is accurately positioned and attached to the mounting position of the panel 10 by the tight fitting in the fitting groove 21 of the push button 9 and the positioning and holding with respect to the connecting shaft 18 by the presser piece 22. Therefore, the protrusion height h to the front of the panel when the pushbutton returns is
can be kept constant at all times without variations. Furthermore, this allows the height H from the board mounting surface of the switch body 12 to the pressing surface of the push button 15 facing the switch shaft 13 to be constant and accurate. Therefore, a malfunction of the switch due to variations in the height H, for example, the switch shaft 13 may remain pressed in by the push button 15, causing the switch body 12 to malfunction.
This eliminates assembly problems caused by errors in mounting the switch, such as when the switch is always on.

Note that the pressing surface of the push button 15 and the switch shaft 13
A certain clearance is provided between the
Consideration has been taken to absorb dimensional errors during switch installation to some extent.

Next, in the above configuration, when the push button 15 is pushed from the return position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the push button 15 moves as shown in FIG.
The support leg end portion 17 rotates toward the switch body around the center axis P, and the switch shaft 13 is pushed into the switch body 12 by the pressing surface, and the switch body 1
2 is turned on. At the same time, the connecting shaft 18 is torsionally deformed by the pressing action of the pressing piece 22, and an elastic restoring force is stored in the push button 15. Next, when the push button is released, the pressure from the pressing surface is released and the switch shaft 13 returns under the force of the spring, turning off the switch body 12, and the push button 15 is activated by the elastic return force stored in the connecting shaft 18. central axis P
It rotates back to the original position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 about the center. At this time, the push button 15 is accurately positioned in the return direction by the supports 19, 19 and the presser piece 22, as described above. In this way, the switch body 12 is turned on and off.

According to this embodiment, when the push button 15 is pushed, a return force is applied to the push button 15 due to the torsional deformation of the connecting shaft 18, so even if the return force of the switch body 12 is weak and small. , a sufficient return force can be obtained, and the push button 15 can be returned reliably and smoothly. Therefore, good and reliable switch operation can be performed at all times. Moreover, due to the torsional deformation of the connecting shaft 18, even though the push button 15 is made of a rigid body including the support legs 16, it is possible to impart a certain degree of elasticity and resistance in the direction opposite to the switch operation direction. This allows for a good and reliable switch feeling.

FIG. 9 shows another example of a connecting shaft holding structure for the push button 15, in which the same parts as in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals and explanations will be omitted.

A supporting piece 30 whose tip is bent upward into an L-shape is formed protruding above the mounting hole 14 on the back side of the panel 10, and the connecting shaft 18 is supported on this supporting piece 30. At the top of the support piece 30, there is a holding piece 32 which is approximately L-shaped and whose tip is bent downward into an L-shape.
8 and the support piece 30. The holding piece 31 is fixed to the panel 10 by adhesive or the like. The connecting shaft 18 is fixed in the direction of the back surface of the panel by the bent end portions of the support piece 30 and the presser piece 31, and is secured against both pieces 30, 31.
It is held in place so that it can be twisted and deformed in the same way as described above. Even in this case, a sufficient return force can be applied to the push button 15 as described above, and at the same time, the position in the return direction can be accurately determined.

Next, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show another embodiment of the push button mounting device of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the above embodiment, and the explanation will be omitted.

In FIG. 10, the support leg 1 of the push button 15 is
The extended ends of 6 and 16 are further bent and extended perpendicularly to the direction of the panel 10, and the end portion 41 has a central axis Q parallel to the panel surface and further outward with respect to the width of the support leg 16. It is formed to bulge in a substantially circular shape toward the side. Shaft portions 42 are coaxially protruded from the outer sides of the end portions 41, respectively. The shaft portion 42 has a shape in which the upper and lower portions of a cylindrical body having the same diameter as the end portion 41 are cut out, and extends to the side of the end portion 41 .

On the other hand, a pair of supports 43, 43 are formed protruding from both sides of the upper part of the mounting hole 14 on the back surface of the panel 10. The support body 43 is formed in the shape of a rectangular block, and a concave portion 44 opening toward the rear surface of the panel is provided at an end surface thereof with a width slightly larger than the thickness of the extended end of the support leg 16. A substantially circular fitting groove 45 corresponding to the end 41 of the support leg 16 is formed at the inner bottom of the recess 44 and has a diameter substantially the same as or slightly larger than the end 41 . The support leg 1 is inserted into this fitting groove 45.
6 is fitted and supported through the recess 44 so as to be slidable and rotatable about the central axis Q.

Furthermore, a pair of upper and lower clamping pieces 46, 46 are provided on the outside of the supports 43, 43 on the rear surface of the panel, and the shaft portion 42 is clamped between them, respectively. The vertical interval between the holding pieces 46, 46 is made slightly larger than the thickness of the shaft portion 42.

The push button 15 has its end portion 41 fitted into the fitting groove 45 and is supported by the support body 4 via the support leg 16.
3 and 43, and is positioned and attached to the mounting position of the panel 10 as shown in FIG. 11 in the same manner as described above.

In the above configuration, when the push button 15 is pushed from the return position shown in FIG. 11, the push button 15 moves toward the switch body around the central axis Q of the support leg end 41, as shown in FIG. The switch shaft 13 is pushed into the switch main body 12 by the pressing surface thereof, and the switch main body 12 is turned on. The pushbutton 15 is pressed and biased by the edges thereof to elastically expand upward and downward, respectively, and the elastic return force provides a return force to the push button 15 . Next, when the push button 15 is released, the pressure on the switch shaft 13 is released and the switch body 12 is turned off by the force of the spring, and the push button 15 is returned to its elastic state stored in the clamping pieces 46, 46. The force returns it to its original position as shown in FIG. In this way, the on/off operation of the switch body can be performed satisfactorily in the same way as described above.

In this case, the end portion 41 of the support leg 16 is connected to the support body 43.
Since the push button 15 is prevented from coming off at the entrance edge of the fitting groove 45, the push button 15 can be reliably held at the mounting position of the panel 10 without falling off.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional push button mounting structure, Fig. 2 is a side view showing the push button structure, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a push switch to which the present invention is applied, and Fig. 4 is its FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. 4, FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views illustrating the assembly order of the push button using the mounting device of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the assembled state. A sectional view illustrating the on/off operation of the push switch by the device of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the main part showing another example of the connecting shaft holding structure provided on the push button, and FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the mounting device of the present invention. Exploded perspective view shown, 1st
1 is a perspective view showing the assembled state, FIG. 12 is a side sectional view illustrating its operation, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a main part similarly illustrating its operation. 15...Push button, 10...Panel, 16...
Support leg, 17, 41... (extending) end, 19, 4
3... Support body, P, Q... Central shaft, 18... Connection shaft, 22... Holding piece, 30... Support piece, 31...
Holding piece, 42... shaft portion, 46... clamping piece (connection means).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a push switch consisting of a push button that is fitted through a mounting hole in a panel and a switch body that is turned on and off by a push button operation and is installed on a board at the rear of the panel, the push button protrudes from the back of the panel. A supporting leg extending along the panel surface is formed on the part, and the extending end is cantilever-supported on a support provided on the back surface of the panel, so that the end is centered parallel to the panel with respect to the support. A push button that is rotatable around an axis, that connects the supporting leg and the back surface of the panel by a connecting means, and that a return force is applied to the push button by deformation of the connecting means. Mounting device.