JPH0244596Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention is a vehicle switch that consolidates a large number of switches installed in the vehicle into the center of the steering wheel to improve the operability of the switches. It is related to the device.

[Background of the idea]

Examples of conventional vehicle switch devices include those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example. This inputs data such as vehicle mileage, driving time, fuel consumption, etc., calculates average driving distance, average fuel consumption, remaining fuel, etc., and displays information such as achievable distance and estimated arrival time to destination. In order to display the information on the instrument panel, a microcomputer (not shown) is installed in the instrument panel 2 of the vehicle 1, and a switch group 3 used for inputting information to the microcomputer is mounted in the center of the steering pad 4. It is proposed that it be placed. In such a vehicle, the horn switch 5 is placed near the steering wheel 6 of the steering pad 4 to clearly distinguish it from the switch group 3; Since the switch group 3 and the horn switch 5 are arranged on the same surface of the steering wheel 6, there is a risk that the switches may be pressed incorrectly. Problems such as difficulty in operation may occur. Note that 7 is an instrument panel, 8 is an instrument provided on the instrument panel 7, 9 is a steering column, and 10 is a jacket tube. Further, the switch group 3 is electrically connected to the microcomputer.

Note that the horn switch 5 is provided with a lid that shields part or all of the switch group 3 disposed in front of it so that it cannot be operated, and when attempting to operate the switch group 3, the lid is moved to the non-shielding position. When the switch group 3 is not operated, the lid in the shielded position acts as a part of the surface of the horn switch 5, so even if the lid is pressed, the horn will not sound. A technical concept has been considered in which the switch group 3 can be operated, but in this case, there is a drawback that the structure is too complicated to prevent erroneous operation of the switch group 3.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention was developed by focusing on the above-mentioned problems.The operating part of the horn switch is located in the center of the steering wheel, and a group of switches such as a switch for controlling on-vehicle equipment or a switch for a numeric keypad is installed inside this operating part. It is an object of the present invention to provide a switch device for a vehicle that can improve the operability and reliability of the switch operation.

[Example of idea]

The present invention will be explained in detail below based on the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The same parts between the structure in this embodiment and the structure shown in the conventional example will be designated by the reference numerals cited in the conventional example. Therefore, the explanation of the same structural parts will be omitted. That is, reference numeral 12 is a horn pressure switch attached to the center of the steering pad 4, and the structure of this horn pressure switch 12 is as shown in FIG.
A fixed frame 13 is integrally formed with the fixed frame 13, and a pressing operation part 15 is loosely fitted into a recess 14 provided in the fixed frame 13, and the bottom surface of the recess 14 and the bottom surface of the pressing operation part 15 face each other. are provided with contacts 16a and 16b for disconnecting the alarm circuit. 17 is a spring for separating both contacts 16a and 16b. A switch group 18 such as a switch for controlling an in-vehicle device or a switch for a numeric keypad is provided inside the press operation section 15. It has a flexible plate 21 spaced apart through the
On the opposing surface of the flexible plate 21 and the substrate 19,
Contact plates 22a and 22b are provided oppositely. 23
is a window hole provided in the pressing operation section 15 in order to bring the opposing contact plates 22a and 22b into pressing contact. Note that the elastic force of the spring 17 is set larger than the elastic force of the flexible plate 21.

As described above, in this embodiment, the horn press switch 12 is located in the center of the steering wheel 6.
A push operation section 15 is provided, and a switch group 18 such as an in-vehicle device control switch or a numeric keypad switch is provided inside the push operation section 15 as a base.
Since the push operation section 15 is provided with a window hole 23 for operating the switch group 18, the push operation section 15 can be pushed and the contact 22
By bringing a and 22b into contact, the horn press switch 12 can be closed, and by pressing the flexible plate 21 through each window hole 23 of the press operation section 15, the switch group 18 can be closed. Therefore, the switch 12 or a group of switches such as control switches can be easily and reliably operated from the center of the steering wheel.

[Summary of the idea]

As described above, the present invention provides a push operation section 15 of the horn press switch 12, which is provided in the center of the steering wheel 6 and is pressed at the time of an alarm, and is provided with a plurality of windows 23. A switch group 18 such as a switch for controlling an on-vehicle device and a switch for a numeric keypad is configured to be able to be pressed through the window portion 23 and to be turned on with a smaller pressing force than the pressing switch 15 for the horn. This is a vehicle switch device characterized by:

[Effect of idea]

Therefore, according to this vehicle switch device, the pressing operation portion 15 of the horn switch 5 can be provided with a larger area in the center of the steering wheel 6, so the horn can be operated easily and reliably. This has the effect of increasing driving safety. Further, since the switch group 18 such as a numeric keypad is disposed in the center of the steering wheel 6 based on the press operation section 15, the operability of the switch group 18 is also improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a vehicle switch device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main parts in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a front view showing a conventional example, The figure is a side view thereof. 1...Vehicle, 2...Instrument panel,
3...Switch group, 4...Steering pad,
5... Horn switch, 6... Steering wheel, 7... Instrument panel, 8... Instrument, 9... Steering column, 10... Jacket tube, 1
2...Press switch for horn, 13...Fixed frame, 1
4... Concavity, 15... Press operation part, 16a, 16
b...Contact, 17...Spring, 18...Switch group, 19...Insulating substrate, 20...Spacer, 2
1... Flexible plate, 22a, 22b... Contact plate, 2
3...Window hole.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Provided in the center of the steering wheel 6,
A switch group 18 such as an in-vehicle device control switch and a numeric keypad switch is installed in the press operation section 12 of the horn press switch 12, which is provided with a plurality of windows 23 on the press operation section 15 that is pressed at the time of an alarm. A switch device for a vehicle, characterized in that it can be pressed through a section 23 and is set to turn on with a smaller pressing force than the horn pressing switch 15.