JPH0438433Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an improvement in the operability of a push switch device, particularly a push switch device that includes a large number of push switches.

[Prior Art] Various types of equipment, such as audio equipment or air conditioning equipment, use switch devices to switch their operating states.In recent years, various on-vehicle equipment, especially air conditioning equipment in the passenger compartment, have been switched by switch devices. Many switch devices are used to switch modes, airflow rates, or temperatures.

For example, in a vehicle air conditioner, a control device with a changeover switch for changing various air conditioning conditions is placed in the center of the front panel, and the operator can control the desired interior environment by operating the appropriate switches. It becomes possible to obtain.

FIG. 5 shows the appearance of such a vehicle air conditioning control device.

In the figure, the interior side of the housing 10 is composed of a design panel 12, and on the design panel 12 are provided wind direction mode switching buttons 14a, 14b,...14.
e, an air conditioner mode switching button 16 for driving and controlling the air conditioner, an intake port switching button 18, air volume switching buttons 20a, 20b, . . . 20e, and set temperature change buttons 22a, 22b are arranged.

Note that indicators 22, 24, . . . , 28 are provided below each button to allow the operator to easily recognize the switching state of the button.

Therefore, the operator can obtain a desired vehicle interior environment by pushing the switching buttons 14, 16, . . . , 22 while checking the corresponding indicators.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Problems of the prior art However, in recent years, as the functions of various devices have become more sophisticated and complex, a large number of devices have been required to control them, as seen in the air conditioning control device shown in Figure 5. A switch device is required.

For this reason, it becomes difficult to select each switching button, which poses a problem for safe driving and accurate equipment control, especially when it comes to equipment that the driver must operate blindly, such as vehicle equipment. It was becoming.

In addition, depending on the device, having a large number of push buttons etc. protrude from the surface of the device spoils the aesthetic appearance of the device, making it impossible to adequately meet the recent demand for simpler designs among consumers. .

Purpose of the invention The present invention was devised in view of the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide a push-button switch device that can use a large number of push-button switch buttons without detracting from the aesthetics of the device and that also provides good operability. It is about providing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the push switch device according to the present invention includes a plurality of push switches, push buttons corresponding to the push switches, a storage drive body, a storage switch, Equipped with

The push switch is disposed within the housing, and performs predetermined circuit switching by pushing in and returning the switching rod.

The push button protrudes from the housing, and by pushing the button, the switching rod is pushed in.

The storage driver drives a push button corresponding to at least a portion of the push switch to be stored in and pulled out from the housing.

The storage switch operates the storage drive body by its switching operation.

[Function] Since the push switch device according to the present invention has the above-described means, push buttons corresponding to some of the push switches are housed in the housing in a normal state.

For example, only a push button corresponding to a frequently used switch is protruded from the housing, and the switch is switched in a normal state by pressing and returning the push button in the protruding state.

On the other hand, when the operator desires delicate control of the device, he or she switches the storage switch to cause the push button in the stored state to protrude from the housing.

As a result, it becomes possible to perform a switching operation on a push button that is normally stored, that is, a push switch that is used infrequently.

Therefore, it is no longer necessary to have all the push buttons protruding from the surface of the device at all times, and it is possible to improve the selectivity of the push buttons and improve the aesthetic appearance of the device.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a push-type switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and portions corresponding to those of the conventional example are designated by the reference numeral 100 and will not be described again.

In the push switch device according to this embodiment, an upper slider 150 and a lower slider 152 are disposed within a housing 110 so as to be slidable in the direction of arrow I.

The distal ends of the sliders 150 and 152 are formed into a U-shape in cross section, and front openings 154 and 156 are provided in the front vertical walls, respectively. And rear openings 158, 160 of each U-shaped portion.
Switch boards 166 and 168 on which push switches 162 and 164 are mounted are fixedly attached to the.

Push buttons 170, 172 are fixed to the tips of the switching rods 162a, 164a of the push switches 162, 164, and the tips of the push buttons 170, 172 are fixed to the sliders 150, 15.
2 front openings 154, 156 and front panel 11
It is exposed to the outside through openings 112a and 112b formed in 2.

On the other hand, racks 174 and 176 are formed behind the long parts of each slider 150 and 152, and the motor 1
The driving force is transmitted from 78, 180 via worms 182, 184 and pinions 186, 188,
Each slider 150, 152 is slid in the direction of the arrow I.

Note that a display panel 190 is formed approximately at the center of the design panel 12, and a predetermined control state is displayed by light emission from an LED 192 arranged at the rear of the display panel 190.

The push-type switch device according to this embodiment is constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained next with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

In this example, the push switch device is used as a vehicle air conditioning control device, and the second
The figure shows a normal state. Note that (A) shows a longitudinal sectional view, and (B) shows a front external view.

In Figure 2, frequently used pushbutton 1 corresponds to frequently used switches under normal conditions.
As 72, an auto mode switching button 120a,
Off switching button 120b, differential mode switching button 114e, flexible air intake switching button 118
a. The recycle air intake switching button 118b is selected.

Of course, in this normal state, the infrequently used pushbutton 170 is housed within the housing.
Inoperable.

Therefore, the operator can operate only the frequently used push buttons, and only has to select a desired push button from a much smaller number of push buttons than in the past, improving operability.

Note that when the air conditioning control mode is set to auto mode by the push button 120a, the air volume, the air blowing area, etc. are automatically changed and controlled, and each changed state is sequentially displayed on the display panel 190 with light emission.

Next, if the operator wishes to obtain a vehicle interior environment that is more suited to his/her preference, he or she presses the storage switch 194.

Then, as shown in FIG.
8,180 are driven, worms 182,184,
Pinion 186, 188, rack 174, 176
, the upper slider 150 is driven to the right in the figure, and the lower slider 152 is driven to the left.

As a result, the less frequently used push button 170, which did not protrude from the design panel 112 in the normal state shown in FIG. Therefore, the infrequently used push button 170
becomes operable, and the frequently used push button 172 becomes inoperable.

This state is clear from FIG. 3B, and in this embodiment, the infrequently used push button 170 is composed of a wind direction mode switching button 196 and an air blowing amount switching button 198.

Then, when the wind direction mode switching button 196 is inserted, the wind direction mode is sequentially switched, and the mode switching state is displayed on the display panel 190 by emitting light.

Further, when the air blowing amount switching button 198 is pressed, the air blowing amount is sequentially switched, and the switching state is displayed on the display panel 190.

Therefore, even when changing the air conditioning status manually, there are very few push button selections and
This becomes possible through operation, improving operability.

When the air conditioning state setting in the manual mode is completed, the storage switch 194 is pushed in again to return to the normal state shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a front external view of a push switch device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Here, figure A shows a normal state, and figure B shows a manual operation state.

Note that the parts corresponding to those in the first embodiment are indicated by the reference numeral 100 and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

A characteristic feature of this embodiment is that the frequently used push button and the infrequently used push button are shared.

That is, in the normal state shown in FIG. 4A, all the push buttons protrude, and the function of each push button is displayed on the display panel 290.

On the other hand, when the operator manually sets the air conditioning control state, the storage switch 294
Operate the closet.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the push buttons except for the two push buttons are housed in the housing.

The two push buttons are circuit-switched so that they function as a wind direction mode switch button 296 and an air blow rate switch button 298, respectively, and by pressing each switch button 296, 298, the vehicle interior environment is set in manual mode. be able to.

Note that the control states set by the respective switching buttons 296 and 298 are displayed on the display panel 290.

As described above, according to the push-type switch device according to this embodiment, it is possible to effectively utilize the extremely small number of push buttons, improve operability, and reduce the display space of the device.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, the push switch device according to the present invention is equipped with a storage drive body that pulls out and stores push buttons corresponding to some push switches with respect to the housing. It is no longer necessary to always project all the push buttons corresponding to each switch to operate the push switches, and the operability and aesthetic appearance of the device can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a push-type switch device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the action of the push switch device according to the embodiment, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the push switch device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the conventional push switch device. . 10,110,210...Housing, 14,
16, 18, 20, 114, 116, 118, 1
20, 170, 172, 196, 198, 21
4,218,220,296,298...Push button, 162,164...Push switch, 178,180...Motor (storage drive body),
194,294...Storage switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A plurality of push switches that are arranged within a housing and perform predetermined circuit switching by pushing and returning a switching rod, and a plurality of push switches that protrude from the housing and that push the switching rod by pushing the switch rod. a push button that performs the push button, a storage drive body that drives the push button corresponding to at least some of the push switches to be pulled out and stored in the housing, and a storage switch that operates the storage drive body in a predetermined direction by a switching operation. Features a push switch device. (2) In the device described in claim (1) of the utility model registration, the housing drive body is a pushbutton characterized in that it comprises a slider on which a push switch and a push button are placed, and a motor that slides and drives the slider. Type switch device. (3) A push-type switch device according to claim (1) or (2) of the utility model registration, characterized in that two groups of push buttons are alternately pulled out and retracted by operating a storage switch. (4) A push-type device according to claim (1) of the utility model registration, characterized in that some of the push buttons are stored in the housing and the switching circuits of other push buttons are changed by operating the storage switch. Switch device.