JPH0361969B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a push button switch used in various electrical equipment such as audio equipment, and more specifically, it is capable of temporarily assembling a switch unit. This invention relates to a push-button switch that can be made into a push-button switch with a gate-shaped switch cover reinforced.

(b) Prior art Generally, this type of push button switch has a seventh
As shown in FIG. 8, a switch unit 84 is constructed by mounting a switch mechanism 81 on a switch base 82 and a gate-shaped switch cover 83 that covers the switch mechanism 81. Housing 86 along with operation unit 85 etc.
incorporated within.

By the way, the switch mechanism 81 is mounted on the switch base 82 so that it can be turned on and off in conjunction with the push-down operation of the switch, and allows movement of switch parts such as a coil spring 87 and a movable piece 88. Since the coil spring 87 applies a certain tension, its position cannot be regulated until it is assembled into the housing 86, making it difficult to handle the switch parts and making it impossible to temporarily assemble them.

That is, the base end of the movable piece 88 is locked in the recess 90 of the planting piece 89 set on the switch base 82, and the free end locking piece 91 of the movable piece 88 and the upper end 92 of the planting piece 89 are engaged. The coil spring 87 is installed between the coil spring 87 and the movable piece 88, but since the tension of the coil spring 87 is close to zero, the coil spring 87 and the movable piece 88 are in a state where their positions are not stable and can move around.

Therefore, this coil spring 87 and movable piece 88
To regulate the position of the switch cover 83, the operating unit 85 is fitted onto the switch cover 83, and its operating piece 93 presses a part of the coil spring 87. Furthermore, the operating unit 85 cannot be moved up and down relative to the switch cover 83. Since the coil spring 87 and the movable piece 88 are not stable in this state, the operation unit 85 is fixed at a predetermined position in the housing 86, and the switch base 82 is attached to the housing 86. Once the position of the operating unit 85 is fixed, the operating piece 93 can position the coil spring 87 and the movable piece 88 for the first time.

Therefore, the coil spring 87 and the movable piece 88
Switch parts are difficult to handle and cannot be temporarily assembled, resulting in poor workability.

Further, the coil spring 87 is easily detached from the locking piece 91 due to external vibrations, etc., and since the coil spring 87 is not restricted from swinging, especially when it is assembled into the housing 86, the locking piece 91
Because of this, the coil spring 87 and the movable piece 88 had to be reassembled, and the assembly work required a lot of skill.

Furthermore, in the case of the switch cover 83, the eighth
As shown in the figure, in order to downsize the switch, it is formed into a gate shape with only the portion corresponding to the lower switch mechanism 81 cut out, but this gate shape reduces the strength of the switch cover 83 itself. However, it had the problem of being easily damaged.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention Therefore, the present invention aims to ensure that the coil spring does not come off unexpectedly when assembling the switch, and that its position is reliably regulated, and that even if the switch is made smaller,
The gate-shaped switch cover does not reduce its strength.
The purpose is to provide a push button switch that has sufficient strength.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention is a push button switch in which a regulating piece that also serves as a reinforcing member for regulating the swinging of a coil spring is provided between the legs of a gate-shaped switch cover. do.

(E) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the regulating piece vertically disposed on the switch cover comes in contact with the coil spring mounted on the switch base to regulate the swinging of the coil spring. Even if the switch base and the switch cover are temporarily assembled as a switch unit, the coil spring is stably supported and the switch parts are properly prevented from coming off.

For this reason, each temporarily assembled switch unit can be assembled as a single unit, making it easier to handle and manage the switch parts, and prevent switch parts such as coil springs and associated movable pieces from coming apart, and requiring less skill. It can be efficiently incorporated into the housing.

Furthermore, since the regulating piece is provided as a reinforcing member between the gate-shaped legs of the switch cover that are easily damaged, even if the switch cover is gate-shaped, it does not have the specified strength necessary for the switch mechanism. It becomes a robust switch, and the assembly efficiency and reliability of the switch can be surely improved.

(F) Embodiment of the Invention An embodiment of the invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

The drawings show an illuminated push button switch, and in FIGS. 1 to 3, the illuminated push button switch 1 is roughly divided into an illumination unit 2, an operation unit 3, a switch unit 4, and a housing that houses and holds these units. It consists of 5.

The above-mentioned illumination unit 2 is provided as an illumination body that also serves as a push button part, and is provided with a diffuser plate ( A reflection plate (8) is provided inside and fitted onto the upper surface of the reflection plunger 9 corresponding to the lower part. The reflective plunger 9 has a rectangular open upper surface that corresponds to the open lower surface of the color cap 6, and a locking convex portion 10 protruding from a part of the outer peripheral side surface is used to lock the color cap 6. Recess 1
1 and are fitted together in a locking manner.

The circumferential surface is converged downward from this upper surface into a pyramidal shape, and has a reflective surface 12 shaped like a trumpet for guiding light upward, and a light emitting element such as a lamp or a light emitting diode is placed in the center of the lower part. The cylindrical holder 14 has a cylindrical holder 14 for holding the holder 13, and the cylindrical holder 14 is provided with hanging pieces 16 having long holes 15 which are opened along the pressing direction along the pressing stroke length on both sides. Upper protrusions 17 protruding from both sides of the light emitting element 13 are respectively engaged with the upper protrusions 15 . As a result, the upper light emitting part of the light emitting element 13 becomes the reflective plunger 9.
The light emitting element external terminal 18 at the lower part is attached to the reflection plunger 9 so as to face the upper surface thereof and exposed below the reflection plunger 9.

In addition, lower protrusions 19 protruding from both sides of the light emitting element 13 are connected to locking claws 2 of the light emitting element holder 20, which will be described later.
1 and the light emitting element 13 is fixed. This fixing action allows the reflection plunger 9 to be depressed independently of the light emitting element 13 by the length of the depression stroke. Further, the reflective plunger 9 is detachably attached to the upper open surface 22 of the housing 5, and is guided in sliding contact with the inner surface of the housing 5 to obtain a stable pressing operation. When the light emitting element 13 is pulled out from the upper open surface, the space between the lower protrusion 19 and the locking claw 21 is removed and the light emitting element 13 is removed to the outside, so that the light emitting element 13 can be easily replaced.

The above-mentioned diffusion plate 8 uniformly disperses and reflects the light from the light emitting element 13, and has required letters or numbers printed on its surface.

And below the above-mentioned lighting unit 2,
An operating unit 3, which will be described later, is installed inside the housing 5.

The operating unit 3 is composed of an operating plunger 25 and a spring 26 that urges the operating plunger upward. The operating plunger 25 is formed into a stepped cylindrical body having a small diameter portion on the upper side and a large diameter portion on the lower side. The engaging claws 28 of the reflective plunger 9 are respectively locked in the openings 27 opened on both sides of the small diameter portion, so that both the plungers 9 and 25 are integrally connected.

A coiled spring 2 is attached to a pair of left and right spring locking protrusions 26a vertically installed at the lower part of the large diameter.
6 are respectively locked, and the lower ends are locked on a light emitting element holder 20, which will be described later. and,
Due to the biasing force of the spring 26, the operating plunger 25 is normally in the upward movement position, and the outer circumferential step 29 of the operating plunger 25 is locked to the inner circumferential step 30 of the housing 5 to prevent it from slipping out.

Further, the large diameter portion has a long hole 31 which is opened for the length of the pressing stroke along the pressing direction, and this long hole 31 is engaged with a locking protrusion 34 of a switch cover 33, which will be described later. , the pressing stroke of the operation plunger 25 is regulated.

Further, an operating piece 35 is vertically provided on the large diameter portion for turning the switch ON/OFF at the lower end during the pressing operation.

This operation piece 35 is equipped with an opening window 36 that is vertically long and has a relatively large opening in an inverted L shape.
7 forms an alternate mechanism 38,
This alternate mechanism 38 regulates the push-down lock position and the push-down lock release position of the operation plunger 25.

The above-mentioned switch unit 4 is composed of a light emitting element holder 20, a switch cover 33, and a switch base 44, and the light emitting element holder 20 has an insertion hole 45 in the center of the upper surface into which the external terminal 18 of the light emitting element is inserted. A locking pawl 21 is provided on the upper surface of each side of the lower protrusion 19 of the light emitting element.
Locks with a certain holding force to prevent it from coming out. Spring locking grooves 2 are provided on both outer sides of both locking claws 21.
6b, and the lower ends of the springs 26 described above are respectively supported and guided and locked in these spring locking grooves 26b.

Further, a pair of support protrusions 48 are provided on both sides of the holder 20 to protrude in the radial direction, and these support protrusions 48 are supported by a switch cover 33, which will be described later.

The above-mentioned switch cover 33 has the above-mentioned holder 20 on support guide surfaces 49 formed on both sides of the upper part.
The support protrusion 48 is supported and guided, and the light emitting terminal 50 is locked in the terminal locking groove 33a formed on the side of the switch cover 33, and the upper end of the light emitting terminal 50 is bent. The leaf spring-shaped upper end contact piece 51 is connected to the switch cover 3.
It is arranged in an insertion space 52 in which the light emitting element external terminal 18 is inserted in the light emitting element external terminal 3 so that it can be contacted.

A locking protrusion 34 that engages with the elongated hole 31 of the operation plunger 25 is protrudingly provided on the outer circumferential surface, and an alternate mechanism 38 is provided on the outer circumferential surface opposite to this.
A fixed protrusion 53 that supports the cam 37 is provided in a protruding manner.

Furthermore, on both sides of this switch cover 33,
Hanging pieces 54a serving as gate-shaped connecting legs are provided vertically, and between these hanging pieces 54a there is a regulating piece 54b which also serves as a reinforcing member that comes in contact with a coil spring of a switch mechanism to be described later and restricts the swinging of the coil spring.
is installed vertically. This regulating piece 54b reinforces the hanging pieces 54a on both sides and increases the strength efficiently. A lower engaging protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the lower end of these hanging pieces 54a to be integrally connected to a switch base, which will be described later, for temporary assembly.

The above-mentioned switch base 44 has half-moon-shaped divided switch bases 44a and 44b divided into two parts.
These split switch bases 44a and 44b are used in a disk shape when assembled together.When manufacturing these split switch bases 44a and 44b, each terminal of the one-circuit switch mechanism, which will be described later, is assembled into one piece during resin molding with a mold. It is insert molded to ensure efficient assembly to the switch base 44.

Note that by manufacturing these bases 44a and 44b separately, manufacturing of the mold is facilitated, and based on this facilitation, insert molding of the terminal is made possible.

These split switch bases 44a, 4
4b has a pair of engagement protrusions 46 and engagement recesses 47 on mutually connecting facing surfaces, and is provided to engage the protrusions and protrusions, and furthermore, around the engagement protrusions 46, there is a band-shaped protrusion along the protruding direction. The protrusion 46a is welded to the inner surface of the engagement recess 47 by ultrasonic welding while the engagement protrusion 46 is in the opposing engagement recess 47, and both split switch bases are welded to the inner surface of the engagement recess 47. 44
a and 44b are integrated.

Switch base 4 integrated in this way
Engagement recesses 55 are carved on both sides of the switch cover 4, and the lower engagement protrusions 54 of the switch cover 33 are respectively engaged with these engagement recesses 55 and are integrally connected to the switch cover 33. Base 44 and
Integration with the switch cover 33 makes it easy to handle as a switch part, and the operation of storing it in the housing 5 is also extremely simple.

A two-circuit, double-break type switch mechanism 56 is mounted on the same plane as the upper surface of the switch base 44 described above.

As shown in FIG. 4, this switch mechanism 56 consists of a first upper terminal 58 and a first lower terminal 59, which have a contact member 57 facing each other upwardly and downwardly, and an upper terminal that moves parallel to these terminals. - A second upper terminal 60 and a second lower terminal 61 arranged oppositely below are insert-molded and planted on the switch base 44,
A wide first movable piece 62 that commonly contacts in the horizontal direction is disposed between these upper and lower opposing surfaces, and this first movable piece 62 contacts the contact member 57 of each upper and lower terminal of both sides. Contact members 63 corresponding to contact are arranged in parallel,
This first movable piece 62 has a V-groove portion 62a at one end,
With the planting piece 64 erected on the switch base 44 being locked in the notch 65, the engagement protrusion 66 at the other end is inserted into the engagement hole 68 formed at one end of the second movable piece 67. The other end of the second movable piece 67 is engaged with the lower end of the operation piece 35 described above, and the other end of the second movable piece 67 is partially bent and raised. A raised piece 69 is provided, and this raised piece 69
is engaged with a vertical groove 70 formed at the lower end of the operation piece 35, and its upward movement is restricted.

Further, one end of a coil spring 71 is locked to this upright piece 69, and the other end is locked to the upper part of the upright piece 64, and furthermore, the swinging of the coil spring 71 is restricted to the middle part. The aforementioned regulation piece 5 for
The lower ends of the movable pieces 4b are in contact with each other, and the positions of the movable pieces 62 and 67 are restricted via the coil spring 71, and temporary assembly is possible based on this position restriction.

By applying the tensile action of the coil spring 71, the first movable piece 62 uses the V-groove portion 62a side as a fulcrum and urges the other side downward, and the second movable piece 62
7 biases the other side downward in an inclined state with the lower end of the operation piece 35 as a fulcrum, and normally the first movable piece 62 is the first movable piece 62,
It is in an OFF state in contact with the second lower terminals 59 and 61.

Then, as the operation piece 35 is pressed down, the upper side of the second movable piece 67 that is in the inclined state is moved down, and thereby the second movable piece 67 crosses the horizontal linear state with the first movable piece 62. When the movable pieces 62, 6
The connection part 7 moves up to switch to ON operation.

The switch mechanism 56 is set to the ON state when the operating plunger 25 is pressed down and locked by the above-mentioned alternate mechanism 38, and the switch mechanism 56 is set to the OFF state when the operating plunger 25 returns.
set to state.

Further, the aforementioned operating unit 3 and switch unit 4 are inserted and attached through the lower opening of the housing 5. In the figure, reference numeral 72 denotes a tightening nut for wall mounting that is screwed onto the outer peripheral surface of the housing.

In the illuminated push button switch configured in this way, when the color cap 6 surface of the illumination unit 2 is pressed down with a finger, the operation piece 35 of the operation plunger 25 moves down together with the reflective plunger 9 in response to this pressing force. Then, the second movable piece 67 is pushed down, and in conjunction with this, the contact side of the first movable piece 62 moves upward due to the tensile force of the coil spring 71.

As a result, conduction is established between the first and second upper terminals 58 and 60 via this first movable piece 62, and the connection is turned on.
Be manipulated.

Due to such a press input signal, the light emitting element 13
emits light and is illuminated. In addition, the press input signal is
The signal is input to a predetermined electrical device set in advance.

Note that this ON state is locked by the alternate mechanism 38, and the ON state is maintained until this lock is released.

Then, by pressing down the illumination unit 2 again, the lock of the alternate mechanism 38 is released, and accordingly, the illumination unit 2 and the switch mechanism 38 return to their original positions.
Switched to OFF state.

According to this embodiment, when the switch mechanism 56 is assembled on the switch base 44 and the switch cover 33 is fixed to the switch base 44, as shown in FIG.
b comes into contact with the coil spring 71, and tension can be generated by the elasticity of the coil spring 71,
With this elastic tension, the positions of the coil spring 71 and the first and second movable pieces 62, 67 can be regulated, and these elements 62, 67, 71 can be temporarily assembled.

Even if the operation plunger 25 of the operation unit 3 is fitted into the temporarily assembled switch unit 4 and assembled together, each switch part of the switch mechanism 56 will not come off due to the vibration caused by the assembly, and thereafter the housing 5 It can also be easily incorporated into the

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the regulating piece 54b is located at the position shown by the phantom hatching and reinforces the gate-shaped switch cover 33, so that sufficient strength of the switch cover 33 can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an illuminated push button switch, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view of the illuminated push button switch, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the illuminated push button switch. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts of the switch mechanism, FIG. 5 is an exploded partial sectional view schematically showing the arrangement of the switch unit, operating unit, and housing before assembly, and FIG. 6 is a longitudinal side view of the switch cover. FIG. 7 is an exploded partial sectional view schematically showing the arrangement of a conventional switch unit, operating unit, and housing before assembly, and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a conventional switch cover. 1...Illuminated push button switch, 4...Switch unit, 33...Switch cover, 44...
Switch base, 54a...vertical piece, 54b...regulating piece, 56...switch mechanism, 71...coil spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A push-button switch equipped with a switch unit configured by disposing a gate-shaped switch cover that covers the switch mechanism on a switch base on which the switch mechanism is mounted, the legs of the gate-shaped switch cover A push button switch characterized in that a regulating piece which also serves as a reinforcing member and which is in contact with a coil spring of a switch mechanism and regulates the swinging of the coil spring is vertically provided between the switches.