JPH08212866A - Momentary switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To minimize the vertical component of the force for pressing the point of application of a switch by an operation part, and enhance the reliability of the switch operation by mounting the operation part to the holding part of a cage body through a plurality of hinges having longitudinal and lateral spaces, respectively. CONSTITUTION: An operation nob 1 is mounted on the holding part 2 of a cage body 6 by a plurality of hinges 3a-3c having longitudinal and lateral spaces, respectively. Thus, the nob 1 is held by the holding part 2 with little longitudinal and vertical displacement among the force point 4 of the nob 1, the point of application 5 of a switch 9, and the hinge parts 3a-3c, the nob 1 is moved in parallel to the holding part 2 when operated to minimize the vertical component of the force for pressing the point of application 5, so that the reliability of the switch operation is enhanced, and the space between the nob 1 and the cage body 6 can be minimized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to transmission of force of an operating knob of a tact switch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a tact switch has been used as an operation switch for electric products, and the switch has been operated via an operation knob of the tact switch attached to a housing. In such a tact switch knob, the switch is pressed by simply deforming the elastic hinge portion.

FIG. 8 is a front view of an operation knob of a conventional tact switch, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line CC 'in FIG. The operating knob 1'of the tact switch has a holding portion 2'and a hinge portion 3
The operating knob 1'is composed of a'and 3b 'and is connected to the holding portion 2'by hinge portions 3a' and 3b ', and the holding portion 2'is provided on the housing 6 with the projections 6a and 6b and the holding portion 2'.
The operation knob 1'of the tact switch is held between the housing 6 and the substrate 10 on which the switch 9 is wired by fitting and fitting the holes 2a 'and 2b'. When a force in the front-back direction of the operating knob 1'of the tact switch is applied to the operating point 4 of the operating knob 1 ', the operating knob 1'rotates and moves with the hinge portion 3'as a fulcrum, and comes into contact with the switch 9. The action point 5 moves along a circular arc centering on the hinge portion 3'and presses the switch 9.

[0004]

However, when a force in the direction of arrow A in the front-back direction of the tact switch operating knob 1'is applied to the force point 4 by the operating knob 1'of the tact switch, the action point 5 is centered on the hinge portion 3 '. When the distance between the force point 4 and the action point 5 and the hinge portion 3 ′ in the up-and-down direction is extremely long in comparison with the vertical distance between the force point 4 and the action point 5, the action point 5 presses the switch 9 in order to move. As indicated by the broken line in FIG. 9, the amount of vertical movement of the force point 4 and the action point 5 increases. The force with which the action point 5 pushes the switch 9 is a force that pushes up the switch 9 obliquely in the direction of the arrow A ′. In addition, the operation knob 1'and the housing 6
The vertical gap between and must be large. According to the present invention, the point of action reduces the vertical component of the force that pushes the tact switch, reduces the vertical gap between the movable part and the housing, and also the structure of the mold for molding the operation knob of the tact switch. The purpose is to easily achieve.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has a holding portion to be attached to a housing, an operating portion for transmitting a force received by an operation to a switch, and a front-rear direction interval for transmitting the force of the operating portion, and they intersect with each other. The tact switch is provided with a hinge portion that is spaced in the left-right direction and that is connected to the holding portion at a plurality of locations.

Further, the present invention is a tact switch having hinge portions on the left and right of a portion of the operating portion near the operating point, and a hinge portion in the vicinity of the point of action at which the operating portion contacts the switch.

Further, the present invention is a tact switch in which the hinge portion connecting the operating portion and the holding portion is located at the dividing position of the molding die, and the operating portion and the holding portion are integrally formed.

Further, the present invention is a tact switch in which a hinge portion connecting the operating portion and the holding portion is provided with a thin portion which easily elastically deforms.

[0009]

The hinge portion between the operating portion and the holding portion of the tact switch is provided at a plurality of positions with an interval in the force transmitting direction, so that when the force in the longitudinal direction is applied to the force point of the operating portion, the operating portion is While being kept horizontal, it is held and moved by the holding portion in parallel with the locus of the lower portion of the hinge portion centering on the upper portion of the hinge portion. Even if the distance between the force point and the point of action and the hinge in the vertical direction is extremely long, the vertical component of the force pressing the switch at the point of action is small even if the distance in the front-rear direction is extremely long. The gap can be reduced.

Further, the hinge portion is provided with respective hinge portions so as not to overlap on the left and right sides intersecting the direction of transmitting force, and by dividing the mold by the hinge portions, the operation knob portion and the holding portion constituting the tact switch are provided. Can be formed by a molding die that is integrally molded, and the die can be formed only by a simple male die and female die that are divided in the direction of transmitting force.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA ', and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line BB'. Two hinge parts 3a and 3b connecting the holding part 2 and the operation knob 1 are provided at a position close to the force point 4 of the operation knob 1 on which the hinge part 3c is operated, and a hinge part 3c is formed at the center in the rear left and right direction. Hinge parts 3a, 3
The shapes of b and 3c are as shown in FIG.
Notch-shaped recesses 17a, 17 in the upper and lower bent portions of b, 3c
b, 17c, 18a, 18b, 18c.

According to the above configuration, when the force of the arrow A in the front-back direction of the operation knob 1 of the tact switch is applied to the force point 4 operated by the operator's finger of the operation knob 1, the operation knob 1 is kept horizontal. As it is, notched recesses 17a, 17b and 17c and 18a at the upper portions of the hinge portions 3a, 3b, 3c,
The parallelogram having 18b and 18c as vertices is moved as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4 so as to be deformed. Here, the vertical movement amount of the operation knob portion 1 which is a movable portion is determined by the movement amount in the front-back direction when the operation knob 1 is pushed and the vertical lengths of the hinge portions 3a, 3b and 3c. The distance between the point of action 5 and the hinge portions 3a, 3b and 3c in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction is not significantly affected. Then, the vertical gap d1 between the operation knob 1 and the housing 3 can be reduced.

Furthermore, since 3c has a distance d2 in the front-rear direction with respect to the hinge portions 3a and 3b and does not overlap in the operating direction, the mold for molding is in the directions of arrows B and C as shown by the broken line in FIG. It can be composed of a male type and a female type. ABS resin or the like can be used as the material of the operation knob 1 as described above.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. The shape of the hinge portion does not need to be perpendicular to the force transmission direction, and may be an inclined surface where the operation knob side of the hinge portions 3d, 3e and 3f is close to the action point of the switch 9 as shown in FIG. It is also possible to form a hinge structure in which 3d and 3e are close to the force point 4.

6 and 7 are sectional views showing the position of the hinge portion 3 of the operation knob 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention.
There is no limit to the number and position of the hinge parts, and as shown in the figure, the mold can be divided from the position as shown by the dotted line if it is provided at multiple locations in the force transmission direction and does not overlap, making the mold easy. Can be configured to.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, the force point and the action point of the operation knob of the tact switch and the hinge portion are held by the holding portion with little displacement in the front-back and up-down directions, and the switch pushes the action point. The upper and lower components of the force can be reduced to reliably operate the switch.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a tact switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 A- of an embodiment of a tact switch according to the present invention
A'sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a B- of an embodiment of the tact switch according to the present invention.
B'sectional view.

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view of an embodiment of the tact switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the tact switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the tact switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the tact switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line CC ′ of the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1'operation knob 2, 2'holding portion 2a, 2a ', 2b, 2b' hole 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3a ', 3
b ′ Hinge part 4 Power point 5 Action point 6 Enclosure 9 Switch 10 Board 17, 18 Notched recess

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A holding part for mounting to a housing, an operating part for transmitting a force received by an operation to a switch, a front-rear direction interval for transmitting the force of the operation part, and a left-right interval for intersecting. A tact switch, comprising: hinge portions that are connected to the holding portion at a plurality of positions. 2. A hinge portion provided on each of left and right of a portion close to a force point at which the operation portion is pressed, and a hinge portion provided at a portion near an action point at which the operation portion contacts a switch. Item 1. The tact switch according to item 1. 3. A tact switch according to claim 1, wherein the hinge portion connecting the operating portion and the holding portion is formed at a dividing position of the molding die, and the operating portion and the holding portion are integrally formed. 4. The tact switch according to claim 3, wherein the hinge portion connecting the operation portion and the holding portion is provided with a thin portion that easily elastically deforms.